Alec Pierce vs Josh Downs: Who Should You Start?
Two wide receivers who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. Alec Pierce (Indianapolis Colts) finished the 2025 season averaging 10.7 fantasy points per game in 15 games. Josh Downs (Indianapolis Colts) came in at 6.7 PPG over 16 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
Alec Pierce carries a 4.0-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
Both are workload receivers with similar target shares. Alec Pierce turned 84 targets into 1003 yards and 6 touchdowns, while Josh Downs converted 88 looks into 566 yards and 4 scores. When target volume is this close, game script and defensive matchup typically decide the weekly winner.
One thing to note: both players share a Week 14 bye. That means you need a backup plan at wide receiver for that week, especially if one of these two is your starter.
