Who Should I Start? Mike Evans or Josh Downs

Tuesday, December 9, 11:30 AM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (collarbone) was spotted at practice on Tuesday, according to Greg Auman of Fox Sports. The veteran wideout has been on Injured Reserve since Week 7 with a broken collarbone, but he practiced in a limited capacity on Monday and was apparently on the field in some capacity on Tuesday. Evans could make his return in his team's Week 15 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. Multiple injuries have limited Evans to just four games so far in 2025. Across those contests, he's recorded 14 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown on 32 targets. While Evans would likely re-assume his WR1 status in Tampa Bay upon his return, the Buccaneers could choose to work him in slowly, given his extended absence. Fantasy managers should check back throughout the week to see if he's able to get in a full practice before Thursday.

Thursday, December 4, 4:07 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (hip, knee) was upgraded to a full participant in practice on Thursday after he was held out on Wednesday with hip and knee injuries. It looks like Downs will be able to play in a crucial divisional game this weekend on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he's become very hard to trust in weekly fantasy football lineups. The 24-year-old former third-rounder in 2023 out of North Carolina has seen a healthy 12 targets the last two games, but he has turned that into only four receptions for 54 yards and no touchdowns while he continues to see fellow wideout Alec Pierce take on a bigger role in the passing attack. Downs is still an integral part of Indy's offense, but he ranks just inside the top 50 receivers in half-PPR points this year on 40 catches, 370 yards, and three touchdowns. He hasn't done much outside of a three-week stretch from Oct. 12 through Nov. 2, where he caught all three of his TDs on the season.