Don't sleep on Downs in 2026
Patrick Daugherty and Kyle Dvorchak discuss whether Josh Downs will be a bounce back year in 2026 with the departure of Michael Pittman Jr.
Video Transcript
Heading into his fourth NFL season, Colts wide receiver Josh Downs is a player who has long been beloved by fantasy managers, Kyle Dworczyk, but it hasn't been because he's been a big-time producer.
injuries had something to do with that early in his career.
Just a lot of target competition had something to do with that.
Last year, only fifty-eight catches for five hundred and sixty-six yards, despite missing only one game with injury.
but now Michael Pittman Jr. has gone to the Steelers.
there are media reports Josh Downs could have a bigger role in 2026.
Are we believing it?
What are realistic expectations for Josh Downs?
Look, I've been drafting Josh Downs since his rookie year, and it was a good rookie year too, especially for a player who didn't have elite draft capital coming in, third-round draft capital.
Seven hundred and seventy-one yards, that's not a bad rookie season.
Then he plays three fewer games in his next season, actually ups the total to eight hundred and three yards.
He's over a hundred targets, catches seventy-two passes, and he was a player who every time he was on the field, which wasn't always the case, every time he was on the field, the Colts were scheming up looks for him, and that role just evaporated last year.
And I think part of it was the addition of Tyler Warren, the breakout of Alec Pierce, Michael Pittman on his final year with the team.
All of those factors culminated in truly, like you said, just a very underwhelming season.
Five hundred and sixty-six yards, fifty-eight catches, only scores four times.
I do think the trade of Michael Pittman tells them they need more underneath options.
Tyler Warren is the primary beneficiary of that trade, but I just think Josh Downs is someone we don't wanna sleep on.
We're looking at guys who could just be getting layup targets from Daniel Jones, assuming he's healthy early in the year.
Yeah, only twenty-five years old in August.
Maybe Josh Downs will just be a classic better late than never for both the Colts and fantasy managers.
A name we'll be following really closely all offseason long.
