JoshDowns

News: 2 days agoDowns secured seven of 10 targets for 72 yards in the Colts' 30-20 loss to the Bills on Sunday. He also recovered a fumble.

Spin: It was a mixed bag of a day for Downs, who led the Colts in receptions and targets while checking in second in receiving yards. The second-year wideout also recovered an Adonai Mitchell fumble to keep the ball for the Colts, but he dropped a would-be touchdown late in the first quarter that would have erased a 10-3 deficit. Downs does have much better chemistry with Joe Flacco than with Anthony Richardson at the moment, but it remains to be seen if the latter will be getting another shot at the starting job in the near future.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: In a modern NFL rife with three-receiver sets, being deemed a slot maven isn't nearly as limiting as it once was. Downs, for instance, enters his second season building on a strong rookie showing that included finishing seventh in total fantasy points among first-year receivers in what was a strong class for the position. Designation as a slot option doesn't disqualify Downs' potential to help fantasy managers at times in 2024, but it could signal a less exciting upper-end of outcomes. Three-quarters of his routes came from a slot alignment as a rookie, and it's likely we see similar deployment for the smaller receiver in his second campaign. With a limited ceiling and likely to miss a game or two early on due to injury, Downs can be targeted in the later rounds of drafts.