Josh Downs Fantasy Football News | Shark Bites

The Colts signed QB Joe Flacco to a one-year deal worth "up to" $8.7 million, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Flacco gets $4.5 million guaranteed. The 2023 Comeback Player of the Year played well down the stretch for the Browns last season, averaging 321 passing yards on a 63% completion rate and 7.7 yards per attempt across six outings. He tossed 14 TDs but also 10 INTs. Flacco is quality insurance for the Colts behind QB Anthony Richardson, who made it through just two full games as a rookie last year. The signing makes guys like WR Michael Pittman and WR Josh Downs slightly safer fantasy bets.

Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr. returned from missing Week 16 with a shoulder injury to regain control of the team's receiving in Sunday's win over the Raiders. Pittman posted an unimpressive 5-46 receiving line on 7 targets. But he drew a target on 30.4% of the team's pass attempts and claimed 33.3% of Colts completions. WR Alec Pierce took his lone catch for a 58-yard TD to lead the team in receiving yards. Rookie WR Josh Downs followed with 53 yards on just 2 receptions. QB Gardner Minshew attempted just 23 passes, completing 15 for 224 yards on a day that found Indy running on more than half of its offensive plays. Pittman looks like the only startable Colts pass-catcher for most fantasy formats in Week 18. Indy faces Houston, which allowed Pittman 8 receptions back in Week 2. Pittman also caught 8+ passes in six straight full outings before the Week 15 game he left early.

Colts rookie WR Josh Downs drew a team-high 9 targets in Sunday's loss to the Falcons, 24.3% of the team total. WR Michael Pittman's absence obviously helped. Downs caught six (team high) but managed just 39 yards (6.5 per catch). That makes seven straight games of 43 yards or less for Downs. He's not especially attractive for a Week 17 date with the Raiders, whether Pittman's back or not.

Colts WR Michael Pittman has been downgraded to out for Sunday's game vs. the Falcons. Pittman cleared concussion protocol on Friday but was experiencing symptoms again when the team arrived in Atlanta, according to ESPN's Stephen Holder. We'll track Pittman's status this coming week and see if he can make it back for next Sunday's game vs. the Raiders. His absence leaves Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, and D.J. Montgomery as Indianapolis' top three WRs against the Falcons.

Colts WR Josh Downs tied for the team lead with 13 targets in Sunday's win over the Bucs. He caught just five of them for 43 yards. QB Gardner Minshew wasn't very good in this one and had multiple misfires and miscommunications with Downs. One of them resulted in a Carlton Davis INT. It was a frustrating outing from Downs -- but encouraging for his going-forward outlook. The rookie has now averaged 8.4 targets per game over his last five healthy outings with Minshew. Downs gets three straight plus matchups the next three weeks against the Titans, Bengals, and Steelers.

Colts WR Josh Downs is not listed on the Week 12 injury report. He battled a knee injury the past couple of games but is evidently ready to go coming off the bye week. Downs gets a great matchup on Sunday vs. Tampa Bay's 27th-ranked WR defense.

Colts WR Josh Downs (knee) is active for today's game vs. the Patriots. Downs aggravated his knee injury early in last week's game and then didn't practice at all this week. ESPN's Adam Schefter said Saturday night that "the team could be cautious in how much it uses him" today. We'd try not to use Downs in Week 10 fantasy lineups.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Colts WR Josh Downs (knee) is expected to play vs. the Patriots on Sunday morning. "But the team could be cautious in how much it uses him," Schefter adds. Downs lasted just 12 snaps last weekend before re-injuring his knee and then didn’t practice at all this week. He'd be an extremely risky Week 10 fantasy start.

Colts WR Josh Downs (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday morning’s game vs. the Patriots. He re-injured his knee last Sunday and then didn’t practice at all this week, so we’d be surprised if Downs ends up playing. He should be on fantasy benches for now. WR Alec Pierce (ankle) is also listed as questionable but should play after getting in a full practice on Friday.

Colts WR Josh Downs (knee) did not practice on Wednesday. He seems unlikely to play vs. the Patriots this weekend after aggravating that knee injury last Sunday. Isaiah McKenzie will step in as Indianapolis' slot receiver if Downs is out. McKenzie would be a desperation fantasy play.

Colts WR Josh Downs is questionable to return to Sunday's game vs. the Panthers due to a knee injury. This is presumably the same knee that had Downs listed as questionable heading into this one. We'll update his status when we know more.

Update: Downs has been ruled out.

Colts WR Josh Downs (knee) is active for today’s game vs. the Panthers. He was added to the injury report on Thursday and limited in practice on Friday. ESPN’s Adam Schefter said this morning that Downs will not be at 100%. There’s elevated risk here, but the rookie is available if you were waiting on him.

Colts WR Josh Downs (knee) is “tracking to play” vs. the Panthers today, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Downs was added to the injury report on Thursday and then limited in Friday's practice. "He still wants to see how it feels pre-game, and he’s not 100 percent, but he wants and intends to play," Schefter adds. Downs will carry elevated risk in Week 9 fantasy lineups, assuming he plays.

Colts WR Josh Downs (knee) is listed as questionable for this weekend’s game vs. the Panthers. He was added to the injury report on Thursday but was at least able to get in a limited practice on Friday. We’ll look for further updates on Downs’ status. Colts-Panthers doesn’t kick off until 4:05 pm ET on Sunday.

Colts WR Josh Downs was added to Thursday's injury report with a knee and was limited in practice. That likely means that Downs was injured in practice today. We'll look for further updates on his status and get Indianapolis' final injury report tomorrow.

Colts WR Josh Downs racked up 125 yards and a TD on 5 receptions in Sunday's loss to the Browns. Most of his production came via a 59-yard catch-and-run TD in the first quarter. But Downs also drew a team-high 6 targets, 26.1% of QB Gardner Minshew's total pass attempts. This was Downs' third straight game with at least 5 receptions and fourth such game among the past five. He'll be at least in the WR4 mix going forward.

Colts QB Anthony Richardson has been placed on IR with his Grade 3 AC joint sprain. That knocks him out for at least the next four games vs. the Jaguars, Browns, Saints, and Panthers. The rookie is droppable in shallower fantasy leagues without an IR spot. QB Gardner Minshew will step in as Indianapolis' starter for however long Richardson is out. Minshew is a capable veteran who's already registered a 68.7% completion rate with two TDs vs. 0 INTs this season. He might even be a slight upgrade for WRs Michael Pittman and Josh Downs.

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.