Indianapolis Colts WR Josh Downs has become a solid fantasy football option in his rookie season. However, he has been dealing with a knee issue for the last two weeks that cut short his appearance last time out. Let’s take a look at whether Downs will be playing in Week 10 and the fantasy implications of his status this week.
Editor’s Note: Josh Downs is active for the Colts’ Week 10 game against the New England Patriots.
Is Josh Downs Going To Play in Week 10?
It seemed like it would be a huge surprise if Downs was on the field in Week 10 but a report from Adam Schefter on Saturday evening suggested the receiver could be active. He has not practiced all week after leaving last week’s game early with the knee issue he had been battling all week.
After Downs was listed as questionable on Friday, Colts beat reporter Stephen Holder tweeted that it “Would be stunning if Josh Downs played in this game.”
Downs first appeared on the Colts’ injury report on Thursday of Week 9 due to his knee injury. He was listed as a limited participant on Thursday and Friday before being active on Sunday. However, he would manage just one reception for 10 yards before leaving the game after just 12 snaps.
The first hurdle for Downs this week was even getting on the plane to Germany. When he was unable to practice early in the week, there was a risk he might not make the trip, but when he did, it felt like there was a chance he could suit up. After not participating in practice throughout the week, it was somewhat of a surprise when he was listed as questionable on the final injury report.
We will know for certain at 8 a.m. ET on Sunday whether Downs will be active or not. If he is ruled out, then fantasy managers can go find another option, but if he is active, as we suspect, it opens a whole other can of worms.
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Last week’s early exit was a warning sign for Downs’ fantasy managers. Having not practiced all week, it would be stunning if he plays a full complement of snaps if he is active. The report from Schefter said as much. It might be prudent to just treat Downs as being inactive today to save frustration.
Potential Fantasy Options if Downs is Out Include Noah Brown, Demario Douglas, and Michael Wilson
Usually, in this section, I try to recommend other Colts receivers you could look to start if Downs is out, but quite frankly, the pickings are slim. Therefore, you are best looking elsewhere for opportunities.
In the same game, New England Patriots WR Demario Douglas has posted two double-digit performances in three weeks. However, he has been dealing with an ankle injury and is also questionable.
The other Patriots options are slim unless you fancy a ride on the JuJu Smith-Schuster carousel. Even if Douglas is healthy, he is, at best, a half-PPR or PPR option, sitting as the WR37 in our PFN Consensus Fantasy Rankings.
Looking to later matchups on Sunday, and Noah Brown is enticing as he comes off a huge week. Last week had 153 yards and a touchdown on six receptions, and top Houston Texans WR Nico Collins has been ruled out this week. The matchup between the Texans and the Cincinnati Bengals could be a shootout, so there may be plenty of opportunities for Brown to succeed.
The last name to consider is the returning Michael Wilson, who has been dealing with an injury in the last two weeks but has flashed at moments this season. The hope is that the return of Kyler Murray will give more consistency to the Arizona Cardinals’ passing game. Wilson is expected to be the WR2 and could see a bump in value if Murray plays well.
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