Head to Head

Updated June 3, 2026 from live stats

Josh Downs vs Terry McLaurinWho should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

Terry McLaurin is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 9.5 PPG to Josh Downs's 6.7 in 2025. Full head to head breakdown below.

The Bottom Line

Terry McLaurin is the better fantasy play this season.

Terry McLaurin has the edge, but it is not a runaway. The 2.8-PPG advantage is real (9.5 to 6.7), and Terry McLaurin's 3 touchdowns show scoring upside. Josh Downs is the buy-low candidate if recent production has dipped, because the talent gap is smaller than the numbers suggest.

Moderate confidence: stats favor the leader, but matchup variance could flip this weekly.

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WRIndianapolis Colts#99

Josh Downs

PPG

6.7

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

566

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 14

WRWashington Commanders#35PPG LEADER

Terry McLaurin

PPG

9.5

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

582

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 7

The Edge Chart

Josh Downs

Terry McLaurin

Head to Head

6.7 PPG9.5 PPG

16 GP10 GP

Bye: Week 14Bye: Week 7

Fantasy Tiers

Josh Downs: Tier 5 (Deep League) WR (ranked #99 at the position). Terry McLaurin: Tier 4 (Bench/Bye Fill) WR (ranked #35 at the position). Among the top 50 wide receivers this season, Josh Downs is producing at 30% of elite pace and Terry McLaurin at 43%. That ranking gap means Terry McLaurin carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

Josh Downs vs Terry McLaurin: The Full Breakdown

Josh Downs and Terry McLaurin are both viable fantasy wide receivers heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Josh Downs averaged 6.7 PPG across 16 games with the Indianapolis Colts, while Terry McLaurin posted 9.5 PPG in 10 appearances for the Washington Commanders.

A 2.8-PPG gap gives Terry McLaurin the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.

Target volume is the story here. Josh Downs saw 88 targets in 2025, while Terry McLaurin drew 60. That workload gap usually translates into a higher weekly floor for Josh Downs, even in weeks where Terry McLaurin posts the bigger ceiling game. Consistency-minded managers lean toward target share; boom-bust managers chase the upside.

Josh Downs has his bye in Week 14, and Terry McLaurin rests in Week 7. 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.

Trade Value + Dynasty Outlook

Both are in a similar trade value range. A straight swap would be fair in most leagues, with the tiebreaker going to whichever manager values schedule or bye week more. Dynasty outlook: Josh Downs (age 24) has years of prime production ahead. Buy-and-hold dynasty asset. Terry McLaurin (age 30) is in the later years of production. Still a redraft asset, but dynasty value is declining.

Did You Know?

•Terry McLaurin outscored Josh Downs by a projected 48 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Josh Downs played 16 games in 2025 compared to Terry McLaurin's 10. That durability gap means Josh Downs contributed more total fantasy points even before you look at per-game averages.
•Josh Downs scored 4 total touchdowns in 2025 (0.3 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.
•Josh Downs is 6 years younger than Terry McLaurin (24 vs 30), which significantly impacts dynasty league trade value.

Detailed Stat Breakdown

Josh Downs vs Terry McLaurin: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
Stat	Josh Downs	Terry McLaurin
PPG (Half-PPR)	6.7	9.5
Games Played	16	10
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)	107	95
Receptions	58	38
Rec/Game	3.6	3.8
Receiving Yards	566	582
Rec Yds/Game	35.4	58.2
Receiving TDs	4	3
Targets	88	60
Target Share/Game	5.5	6.0
Age	24	30
Experience	3 yrs	6 yrs
Bye Week	Week 14	Week 7

Summary

Terry McLaurin outscored Josh Downs by 2.8 PPG in 2025 (9.5 to 6.7). That production gap is the baseline, but weekly context shifts the answer. DraftCall analyzes matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and health data to deliver a clear start or sit recommendation backed by real reasoning.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I start Josh Downs or Terry McLaurin in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Terry McLaurin has the edge at 9.5 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 Terry McLaurin average in 2025?▾

Josh Downs averaged 6.7 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 16 games in 2025. Terry McLaurin averaged 9.5 PPG over 10 games. That is a difference of 2.8 points per game.

When are Josh Downs and Terry McLaurin's bye weeks in 2026?▾

Josh Downs (IND) has a bye in Week 14, and Terry McLaurin (WAS) has a bye in Week 7. Plan your roster accordingly if you are carrying both players.

Is Josh Downs or Terry McLaurin a better fantasy wide receiver in 2026?▾

Terry McLaurin outscored Josh Downs by 2.8 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.