Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs is expected to play against the New England Patriots on Sunday despite a knee injury, and there’s a chance he’s restricted to a limited role, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Though Downs didn’t practice all week—the Colts held two walkthroughs—the rookie wideout still traveled with the team overseason to Germany and was listed as questionable on the final injury report.
This gave him a chance to suit up if the team felt comfortable enough with his progress through the injury.
Colts’ WR Josh Downs, listed as questionable for Sunday’s game in Germany due to a knee injury, is expected to play vs. the Patriots, but the team could be cautious in how much it uses him, per source.
Patriots’ WR Demario Douglas, listed as questionable for Sunday’s game in…— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 12, 2023
Considering the Colts have the bye week coming up after this trip to Frankfurt, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Downs’ role was limited in some way. He dealt with this injury in Week 9 during the week of practice and even though he was active for the game against the Carolina Panthers, he wound up playing just 20% of the snaps before exiting due to the injury.
For those looking for a fantasy football outlook on the situation, it’s best to consider Downs as a WR4/flex option in full-PPR scoring. He might be able to do enough to put up a decent outing in that format, but managers may want to find a pivot option in case his role truly is limited.
Downs has been one of the most reliable players on the offensive side of the ball for the Colts this season. He ranks second on the team in targets (57, receptions (41) and yards (483), all while doing so without recording a single drop in 2023.
The Colts offense will need all the help it can get in Germany and while Downs may be active, it seems his role could be limited with the bye week coming up.
