Head to Head

Updated June 3, 2026 from live stats

Josh Downs vs Rashee RiceWho should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

Rashee Rice is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 15.5 PPG to Josh Downs's 6.7 in 2025. Full head to head breakdown below.

The Bottom Line

Rashee Rice is the better fantasy play this season.

Rashee Rice is clearly the better fantasy option heading into 2026. With 15.5 PPG and 591 total yards in 2025, the production separation is too wide to overcome on matchup alone. Josh Downs (6.7 PPG) is a hold, not a sell, but roster Rashee Rice as the starter and Josh Downs as depth.

High confidence: stats strongly favor the leader, and the gap is unlikely to close on matchup alone.

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WRIndianapolis Colts#99

Josh Downs

PPG

6.7

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

566

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 14

WRKansas City Chiefs#5PPG LEADER

Rashee Rice

PPG

15.5

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

571

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 5

The Edge Chart

Josh Downs

Rashee Rice

Head to Head

6.7 PPG15.5 PPG

16 GP8 GP

Bye: Week 14Bye: Week 5

Fantasy Tiers

Josh Downs: Tier 5 (Deep League) WR (ranked #99 at the position). Rashee Rice: Tier 1 (Elite) WR (ranked #5 at the position). Among the top 50 wide receivers this season, Josh Downs is producing at 30% of elite pace and Rashee Rice at 70%. That ranking gap means Rashee Rice carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

Josh Downs vs Rashee Rice: The Full Breakdown

There is a real production gap between these two wide receivers. Rashee Rice (Kansas City Chiefs) averaged 15.5 PPG over 8 games in 2025, outscoring Josh Downs (Indianapolis Colts, 6.7 PPG) by 8.8 points per week. That separation would need a significant matchup swing to overcome.

Rashee Rice carries a 8.8-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. Josh Downs turned 88 targets into 566 yards and 4 touchdowns, while Rashee Rice converted 78 looks into 571 yards and 5 scores. When target volume is this close, game script and defensive matchup typically decide the weekly winner.

One scheduling note: Josh Downs is off Week 14 and Rashee Rice Week 5. If these two are on your roster, you will need a fill-in wide receiver for both weeks. DraftCall flags bye conflicts so you can plan ahead rather than panic on waivers.

Trade Value + Dynasty Outlook

If you can acquire Rashee Rice at a discount because your league-mates undervalue wide receiver production, do it. Josh Downs is a reasonable sell-high candidate if his recent games have spiked above his season average. Dynasty outlook: Josh Downs (age 24) has years of prime production ahead. Buy-and-hold dynasty asset. Rashee Rice (age 26) is in the middle of his productive window. Stable dynasty value.

Did You Know?

•Rashee Rice outscored Josh Downs by a projected 150 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Josh Downs played 16 games in 2025 compared to Rashee Rice's 8. That durability gap means Josh Downs contributed more total fantasy points even before you look at per-game averages.
•Rashee Rice scored 6 total touchdowns in 2025 (0.8 per game), making him one of the more reliable scoring options at wide receiver.
•Josh Downs saw 88 targets in 2025. Target volume is the single strongest predictor of weekly PPR production at the wide receiver position.

Detailed Stat Breakdown

Josh Downs vs Rashee Rice: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
Stat	Josh Downs	Rashee Rice
PPG (Half-PPR)	6.7	15.5
Games Played	16	8
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)	107	124
Receptions	58	53
Rec/Game	3.6	6.6
Receiving Yards	566	571
Rec Yds/Game	35.4	71.4
Receiving TDs	4	5
Targets	88	78
Target Share/Game	5.5	9.8
Age	24	26
Experience	3 yrs	2 yrs
Bye Week	Week 14	Week 5

Summary

Based on 2025 production, Rashee Rice holds the PPG edge with solid output at 15.5 points per game. Josh Downs averaged 6.7 PPG. Season averages are a starting point, not the final word. For a full AI analysis factoring matchup quality, recent form, injury impact, and game script, download DraftCall and get a verdict backed by real data.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I start Josh Downs or Rashee Rice in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Rashee Rice has the edge at 15.5 PPG compared to Josh Downs's 6.7 PPG. However, the best start depends on weekly matchup, recent form, and injury status. DraftCall's app provides real-time AI-powered verdicts that factor in all of these variables.

How many fantasy points did Josh Downs and Rashee Rice average in 2025?▾

Josh Downs averaged 6.7 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 16 games in 2025. Rashee Rice averaged 15.5 PPG over 8 games. That is a difference of 8.8 points per game.

When are Josh Downs and Rashee Rice's bye weeks in 2026?▾

Josh Downs (IND) has a bye in Week 14, and Rashee Rice (KC) has a bye in Week 5. Plan your roster accordingly if you are carrying both players.

Is Josh Downs or Rashee Rice a better fantasy wide receiver in 2026?▾

Rashee Rice outscored Josh Downs by 8.8 PPG in 2025, which gives him the edge heading into 2026. For a week-by-week verdict, DraftCall's AI analyzes matchup quality and recent trends in real time.