Who Should I Start? Michael Pittman Jr. or Josh Downs

Tuesday, November 11, 7:11 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. turned in a quiet performance in Week 10's 31-25 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Berlin. Pittman caught both of his two targets for only 19 yards in the win. Week 10 was a rare game where Pittman wasn't the Colts' most productive receiver as the team leaned on Alec Pierce, who caught four of seven targets for 84 yards and a touchdown. Pittman has now caught 54 passes for 580 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games for the Colts this season. He will be on bye in Week 11 before a Week 12 road matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Saturday, November 15, 12:41 AM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs saw a massive reduction in snaps and targets during his last game against the Atlanta Falcons. In Berlin, Downs played a mere 43 percent of the Colts' offensive snaps, converting two targets into one catch for three yards. The 24-year-old impressed as the WR35 in PPR leagues last season, but he has taken a step backward this year. He ranks outside the top 40 receivers and can no longer be trusted on a week-to-week basis. One reason for Downs' struggles is the increased competition around him. Indy is leaning on the run more than usual given Jonathan Taylor's success, and they've also gotten exceptional contributions from Tyler Warren, Michael Pittman Jr., and Alec Pierce. This has left Downs as somewhat of the odd man out. We do expect him to command more than two targets per game going forward, but he's not startable for the time being. Managers should leave Downs on the bench when the Colts return from their bye in Week 12.