Josh Downs vs Ladd McConkey: Who Should You Start?
If you are choosing between Josh Downs and Ladd McConkey for your lineup, you are not alone. Josh Downs finished the 2025 season at 6.7 PPG for the Indianapolis Colts (16 games), and Ladd McConkey averaged 9.2 for the Los Angeles Chargers (16 games).
That 2.5-point weekly advantage for Ladd McConkey is meaningful but not automatic. Fantasy football is a week-to-week sport, and the answer to "who should I start" often changes based on opponent, recent form, and game environment. Season averages set the baseline; weekly context makes the call.
Both are workload receivers with similar target shares. Josh Downs turned 88 targets into 566 yards and 4 touchdowns, while Ladd McConkey converted 106 looks into 789 yards and 6 scores. When target volume is this close, game script and defensive matchup typically decide the weekly winner.
Josh Downs has his bye in Week 14, and Ladd McConkey rests in Week 5. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at wide receiver for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.
