Who Should I Start? Zay Flowers or Josh Downs

Tuesday, June 3, 2:47 PM

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers is coming off his first Pro Bowl campaign in just his second season in the NFL. The 2023 first-round pick out of Boston College snagged 74 of his 116 targets for 1,059 yards and four touchdowns in 17 games. Unfortunately, Flowers was banged up in the season finale against the Cleveland Browns and did not appear in either of Baltimore's postseason contests. Heading into Year 3, the Ravens are hoping to get Flowers more involved. "We just got to get him the ball more," offensive coordinator Todd Monken said after Tuesday's practice. "He's not only an outside receiver who has elite route-running skills, but he's unbelievable with the ball in his hands." Flowers ranked 19th in receiving yards last season despite finishing 28th in receptions and 23rd in targets. An uptick in target volume could give him fringe WR1 upside, and his target competition at wideout remains underwhelming.

Wednesday, May 28, 10:24 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (undisclosed) and tight end Drew Ogletree (undisclosed) both miss Wednesday's voluntary practice with soft-tissue injuries. Downs has had his share of injuries already through two NFL seasons, so although it's early in the offseason, his health is worth watching closely the closer we get to training camp and the preseason. The 23-year-old former third-rounder (79th overall) in 2023 out of North Carolina took a small step forward in 2024 with a 72-803-5 line on 107 targets over 14 games (eight starts). A lot of his production last year came with veteran quarterback Joe Flacco under center, and his 5-foot-9, 171-pound frame limits his overall upside. Downs' 2025 fantasy value will likely hinge on who wins the Colts' QB competition between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones.