Colts rookie WR Josh Downs caught all six of his targets for a team-high 97 yards in Sunday's win over the Titans. Downs actually had two other targets -- one completed, one not -- negated by offensive penalties. He made half of those receptions with each QB, in a game Anthony Richardson left early with a right shoulder injury. Downs remains third among Colts WRs in snaps and routes but continues to easily beat WR Alec Pierce in targets per route. He looks like a decent PPR WR3 for Week 6 at Jacksonville. Tougher matchups with Cleveland and New Orleans sit beyond that. WR Michael Pittman led Downs 7-6 in official targets against Tennessee, posting a 5-52 receiving line. No other Colt caught more than two passes.
Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr. recorded a team-leading 9 catches on 11 targets for 77 yards vs. the Ravens in Week 3. We expected some good production from him, but hello, rookie WR Josh Downs! The first-year wideout had a solid breakout performance, logging 8 catches on 12 targets for 57 receiving yards in the contest. He’d been second on the Colts in targets so far this year, though this is the first game all year where Downs’ involvement translated to the box score. He’ll be a fun name to add off of the waiver wire this week in advance of Week 4 vs. the Rams.
Colts WR Michael Pittman led the team in receiving again in Week 2, hauling in 8 of his 12 targets for 56 receiving yards vs. the Texans. Even without QB Anthony Richardson (concussion) in the lineup for most of the game, Pittman continued to be the focal point of the aerial attack in Indianapolis. These totals are encouraging and will undoubtedly make fantasy managers feel better if Richardson cannot suit up in Week 3 vs. the Ravens. A small note to remember from this game is that rookie WR Josh Downs has now seen 12 targets (second-most on the Colts) through the first two games of 2023. His involvement has yet to translate into useable fantasy points, though he's a name to consider speculatively adding in deeper leagues.
Colts beat writer Kevin Bowen considers WR Josh Downs “the ideal slot receiver complement.” While Michael Pittman will kick inside some, Downs’ path to playing in 3-WR sets (with Alec Pierce) looks clear. Bowen adds that the rookie showed a “strong early connection” with QB Anthony Richardson, with Downs “easily creating space in those short areas of the field.” Colts area scout Chad Henry shared the same sentiment. “He’s a playmaker,” Henry said of Downs. “We don’t have a whole lot of guys like him. He’s sort of a human chain mover. Good luck covering him in a short area.” Downs missed part of the spring with a knee issue, but all indications suggest it’s minor. Depending on the play of Richardson, Downs could become a deep-league PPR spot starter. For now, though, he’s not someone to circle on your cheat sheet.
Colts WR Josh Downs is missing this week's OTAs with what HC Shane Steichen called "a little bit of a knee issue." That obviously doesn't sound like anything significant, but the missed reps aren't ideal for the rookie. We'll let you know when Downs gets back on the field. If healthy, he has a good shot to win the Week 1 starting slot job. WR Isaiah McKenzie is Downs' primary competition for that spot.
The Colts selected North Carolina WR Josh Downs in Round 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft. Downs’ production profile is as strong as any WR in this year’s class. He broke out with a 100-catch, 1,335-yard sophomore season in 2021 and then racked up another 94 catches, 1,029 yards, and 11 TDs this past year. He accounted for a massive 33.6% of North Carolina’s receptions, 30.9% of the receiving yards, and 29.7% of the receiving TDs over the past two seasons. We were a bit underwhelmed by Downs’ tape, though. He struggles against physical coverage, has a relatively small catch radius, and lacks elite downfield speed (confirmed by his 4.48-second 40 time). On the plus side, Downs has no trouble creating separation on short and intermediate routes and is a weapon after the catch. The 5’9, 171-pounder is destined for the slot as a pro. There's room for him to see early work there for a Colts squad that just let WR Parris Campbell walk in free agency. We remain unexcited about the third-rounder's long-term outlook, though. Check out Downs' initial projections in our 2023 fantasy football WR rankings.
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