The Colts’ receiver depth chart is quietly one of the trickiest in fantasy football. While Michael Pittman Jr. is still regarded as the team’s WR1, Josh Downs led the group in fantasy points per game last season and has overtaken Pittman in ADP this summer. Which pass catcher should you target in 2025?
Josh Downs: More Upside, More Uncertainty
Downs delivered a breakout sophomore campaign, averaging 13.1 fantasy points per game in 2024 and finishing as the Colts’ top wideout by efficiency. His target share ballooned in the second half as Pittman battled injuries, and he proved dynamic after the catch with frequent big plays.
Downs is being drafted higher than Pittman thanks to his youth, proven explosiveness, and the expectation he remains the engine of the Colts’ passing attack.
From a usage standpoint, there are both concerns and positives. Downs doesn’t play in two-WR sets. He operates primarily from the slot. But the Colts ran 11 personnel 70.3% of the time last year, ninth highest in the league.
This keeps him on the field for the majority of team snaps. With Daniel Jones starting at quarterback, there is an expectation for a more accurate, short-area passing game that better suits Downs’ shiftiness.
His upside is capped a bit by the presence of tight end Tyler Warren, whose role in the red zone scratches away some of Downs’s touchdown potential. Still, Jones can support more than one fantasy-relevant pass catcher, and Downs offers greater potential than Pittman.
Joe Flacco (6) to Josh Downs (2) Indianapolis Colts 22 yards. Embedded video. 0:17. From. NFL pic.twitter.com/xyz123abc
— NFL Touchdown Videos (@NFLTDsVideos) October 12, 2024
Michael Pittman Jr.: Safe PPR Option, Lower Ceiling
Michael Pittman Jr. is just two years removed from his 15.6 PPR points per game WR2 season and remains the technical WR1 on the Indianapolis depth chart. He posted a respectable 808 yards on 69 receptions last year, but took a clear backseat to Downs on a per-game basis and saw his efficiency dip with increased target competition both from Downs and now from Tyler Warren.
Pittman benefits from Daniel Jones starting at quarterback: the veteran is a far more accurate short and intermediate passer than Anthony Richardson, and that should lead to a higher early-season catch rate for both Colts receivers. When Richardson eventually takes back the starting job, expect the passing pie to shrink and Pittman’s floor to take the bigger hit, as Jones leans on him for timing routes but less so in a run-heavy look.
In full-PPR, Pittman offers a strong floor and is arguably more stable than Downs, but his ceiling is much lower. He’s the kind of receiver that anchors a fantasy roster, but doesn’t win you weeks.
Joe Flacco (3) to Michael Pittman Jr. (1) Indianapolis Colts 1 yard. Embedded video. 0:11. From. NFL pic.twitter.com/abc456def
— NFL Touchdown Videos (@NFLTDsVideos) October 6, 2024
Josh Downs vs. Michael Pittman Jr.: Who Should You Draft?
Downs holds the clear upside, especially given his per-target and efficiency data from last season. He benefits from a passing scheme that maximizes his strengths and is likely to remain busy in all game scripts.
Pittman, meanwhile, is a safer floor play for managers in full PPR who want 10–12 steady points and no headaches with lineup volatility. Still, he is clearly more at risk of a usage dip once Anthony Richardson regains the job.
Ultimately, take Downs ahead of Pittman in all formats if they’re similarly priced, but don’t reach — neither Colts receiver profiles as a “must-draft” fantasy commodity in 2025. Only consider them when the value is clearly correct.
