The Indianapolis Colts will face the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 18. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, especially regarding WR Josh Downs.
Is Josh Downs Playing in Week 18?
Updated at 11:30 AM ET on Sunday, January 5
Downs is active for today's game.
Downs popped up on the practice report with an ankle injury. He dealt with a high-ankle sprain earlier in the season, but it hasn’t been an issue for a while now. He practiced in full all week and carries no injury designation into the season finale.
We’ll continue to monitor the Colts’ injury report. You can also visit and bookmark our NFL Injury Tracker and Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Should You Start or Sit Josh Downs in Week 18?
Everything Josh Downs had put on film with Joe Flacco before last week was borderline special. He was vacuuming in targets at a high rate and looking like a receiver to watch for years to come.
And then, in a game that turned into a shootout, he operates as the third option behind Alec Pierce (94.5% snap share) and Michael Pittman Jr. (93.2%). I didn’t have that on my bingo card, and it resulted in just 22 yards on his 26 routes run against the Giants.
I’m not dismissing all of the good that Downs had done with Flacco before last week, but I’m certainly not sticking out my chest on him as a top-20 play like I was. Flacco funneled 12 targets in his direction (nine catches for 69 yards) in a Week 5 meeting with the Jags, and that has me thinking that a Flex rebound is certainly possible.
I have Downs ranked as a middling WR3 this week, profiling more of a floor than a ceiling PPR play.
Are you looking for start/sit advice for other players in your lineup? Read our Week 18 Fantasy Start-Sit Advice Cheat Sheet for every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
Josh Downs’ Fantasy Points Projection in Week 18
As of Sunday, Downs is projected to score 13.1 fantasy points in PPR formats. This includes 5.3 receptions for 58.6 yards and 0.3 touchdowns.
Check out the free PFN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
PFN Insight on the Jaguars' Defense
The Jaguars wouldn't rank this poorly if they could face the Titans every week. Two of Jacksonville's four best grades have come against Tennessee this year, with Week 17's win registering as a 76.4 (C).
If we're being generous, it's worth pointing out that the pass defense has improved since the Week 12 bye. Since the 52-6 disaster against Detroit, the Jaguars rank 11th in pass defense success rate. They were 31st in that category from Weeks 1-11, ahead of only Tampa Bay.
Still, the Jaguars don't rank above average in a single metric that goes into Defense+ for the season. They're closest in EPA per rush, where they rank 18th. It seems highly unlikely Doug Pederson and Ryan Nielsen can make a case that things will only get better in Year 2 of their partnership.
For more insight on all other team defenses, head to our PFN Defense+ Metric Analysis.
Josh Downs’ Fantasy Ranking
Our Weekly Consensus PPR Rankings are below — both positional and overall. They were last updated at 7:00 AM ET on Sunday, January 5. If you're in a Superflex league, make sure you check out our Week 18 Consensus Superflex Rankings.
Week 18 WR PPR Rankings
1) Ja'Marr Chase | CIN (at PIT)
2) Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET (vs. MIN)
3) Justin Jefferson | MIN (at DET)
4) Mike Evans | TB (vs. NO)
5) Brian Thomas Jr. | JAX (at IND)
6) Drake London | ATL (vs. CAR)
7) Ladd McConkey | LAC (at LV)
8) Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA (at LAR)
9) Terry McLaurin | WAS (at DAL)
10) Malik Nabers | NYG (at PHI)
11) Tee Higgins | CIN (at PIT)
12) George Pickens | PIT (vs. CIN)
13) Davante Adams | NYJ (vs. MIA)
14) Courtland Sutton | DEN (vs. KC)
15) Jauan Jennings | SF (at ARI)
16) Jordan Addison | MIN (at DET)
17) DJ Moore | CHI (at GB)
18) Nico Collins | HOU (at TEN)
19) Zay Flowers | BAL (vs. CLE)
20) Tyreek Hill | MIA (at NYJ)
21) Jameson Williams | DET (vs. MIN)
22) Jalen McMillan | TB (vs. NO)
23) Calvin Ridley | TEN (vs. HOU)
24) Garrett Wilson | NYJ (vs. MIA)
25) DK Metcalf | SEA (at LAR)
26) Adam Thielen | CAR (at ATL)
27) Keenan Allen | CHI (at GB)
28) Jakobi Meyers | LV (vs. LAC)
29) Jayden Reed | GB (vs. CHI)
30) Marvin Harrison Jr. | ARI (vs. SF)
31) Josh Downs | IND (vs. JAX)
32) Quentin Johnston | LAC (at LV)
33) Jaylen Waddle | MIA (at NYJ)
34) Michael Pittman Jr. | IND (vs. JAX)
35) Romeo Doubs | GB (vs. CHI)
36) Darnell Mooney | ATL (vs. CAR)
37) Jerry Jeudy | CLE (at BAL)
38) Khalil Shakir | BUF (at NE)
39) Rashod Bateman | BAL (vs. CLE)
40) Rome Odunze | CHI (at GB)
41) DeMario Douglas | NE (vs. BUF)
42) Wan'Dale Robinson | NYG (at PHI)
43) Jalen Coker | CAR (at ATL)
44) Dontayvion Wicks | GB (vs. CHI)
45) Xavier Worthy | KC (at DEN)
46) Olamide Zaccheaus | WAS (at DAL)
47) DeAndre Hopkins | KC (at DEN)
48) Nick Westbrook-Ikhine | TEN (vs. HOU)
49) Hollywood Brown | KC (at DEN)
50) Amari Cooper | BUF (at NE)
51) Brandin Cooks | DAL (vs. WAS)
52) Parker Washington | JAX (at IND)
53) Marvin Mims Jr. | DEN (vs. KC)
54) Tim Patrick | DET (vs. MIN)
55) Kayshon Boutte | NE (vs. BUF)
56) Ray-Ray McCloud III | ATL (vs. CAR)
57) Marquez Valdes-Scantling | BUF (at NE)
58) Devaughn Vele | DEN (vs. KC)
59) Andrei Iosivas | CIN (at PIT)
60) Calvin Austin III | PIT (vs. CIN)
61) Jalen Tolbert | DAL (vs. WAS)
62) Ricky Pearsall | SF (at ARI)
63) Michael Wilson | ARI (vs. SF)
64) Joshua Palmer | LAC (at LV)
65) Keon Coleman | BUF (at NE)
66) Tre Tucker | LV (vs. LAC)
67) Jalen Nailor | MIN (at DET)
68) Elijah Moore | CLE (at BAL)
69) Jamison Crowder | WAS (at DAL)
70) Xavier Legette | CAR (at ATL)
71) Kendrick Bourne | NE (vs. BUF)
72) KaVontae Turpin | DAL (vs. WAS)
73) David Moore | CAR (at ATL)
74) Adonai Mitchell | IND (vs. JAX)
75) Demarcus Robinson | LAR (vs. SEA)
76) Mike Williams | PIT (vs. CIN)
77) Malik Washington | MIA (at NYJ)
78) Alec Pierce | IND (vs. JAX)
79) Allen Lazard | NYJ (vs. MIA)
80) Tyler Lockett | SEA (at LAR)
81) John Metchie III | HOU (at TEN)
82) Robert Woods | HOU (at TEN)
83) Darius Slayton | NYG (at PHI)
84) Van Jefferson | PIT (vs. CIN)
85) Troy Franklin | DEN (vs. KC)
86) Mack Hollins | BUF (at NE)
87) Tutu Atwell | LAR (vs. SEA)
88) Kevin Austin Jr. | NO (at TB)
89) Dante Pettis | CHI (at GB)
90) Luke McCaffrey | WAS (at DAL)
91) Xavier Hutchinson | HOU (at TEN)
92) Ryan Miller | TB (vs. NO)
93) Greg Dortch | ARI (vs. SF)
94) Lil'Jordan Humphrey | DEN (vs. KC)
95) DJ Chark | LAC (at LV)
96) Michael Woods II | CLE (at BAL)
97) Cedrick Wilson Jr. | NO (at TB)
98) JuJu Smith-Schuster | KC (at DEN)
99) Devin Duvernay | JAX (at IND)
100) Justin Watson | KC (at DEN)
101) Tylan Wallace | BAL (vs. CLE)
102) Jahan Dotson | PHI (vs. NYG)
103) Josh Reynolds | DEN (vs. KC)
104) Ryan Flournoy | DAL (vs. WAS)
105) Trey Palmer | TB (vs. NO)
Jaguars at Colts Trends and Insights
Jacksonville Jaguars
Team: The Jaguars went on bye after their 46-point loss in Detroit. Since then, they’ve played five straight one-score games (2-3 in those contests).
QB: On 19 play-action throws over the past three weeks, Mac Jones has two touchdowns and zero interceptions (other 88 throws: three touchdowns and two interceptions)
Offense: Jacksonville has converted all three of their red zone trips into touchdowns over their past two games (they were five-of-11 over their previous four games).
Defense: The Jags allowed the Titans to gain 41.1 yards per drive on Sunday, the third-highest mark they’ve allowed this season.
Fantasy: Since 2020, three times has a rookie receiver posted consecutive games with 85 receiving yards and a touchdown catch:
- Amon-Ra St. Brown (2021)
- Brian Thomas Jr. (Weeks 15-17)
- Brian Thomas Jr. (Weeks 4-5)
BTJ is the only receiver in NFL history with two such streaks as a rookie. If he can post a fourth straight game in Week 18, he’ll join Randy Moss (1998), St. Brown (2021), and Odell Beckham Jr. (2014) as the only players to accomplish that feat.
Betting: Jacksonville is 6-1 ATS in their past seven road divisional games (2-0 this season despite scoring 30 points and allowing 30 points).
Indianapolis Colts
Team: Should Colts fans like Sunday’s result? It locked in a losing season—Indianapolis has improved its win total by at least four games following each of its past six losing campaigns.
QB: Joe Flacco has 56 fewer pass attempts than Anthony Richardson this season – he has three more touchdown tosses and 13 more completions.
Offense: Indianapolis has averaged 2.75+ points per drive in consecutive games, matching their total of such games through the first 15 weeks.
Defense: The Colts have held the Packers, Lions, Bills, and Vikings all under 2.5 points per drive – the Patriots, Texans, Jaguars, and Giants (3.17 on Sunday) have all cleared that rate against Indianapolis this season.
Fantasy: Jonathan Taylor has at least 29 carries, 125 rushing yards, and a pair of rushing scores in consecutive games – he is the eighth player ever to hit all of those benchmarks in two straight games, the first since Julius Jones did it for the Cowboys in 2004.
Betting: The Colts are 3-1 ATS in their past four home divisional games, not bad for a team that had covered just two of their previous 11 such games.