Josh Downs vs Zay Flowers: Who Should You Start?
If you are choosing between Josh Downs and Zay Flowers for your lineup, you are not alone. Josh Downs finished the 2025 season at 6.7 PPG for the Indianapolis Colts (16 games), and Zay Flowers averaged 11.8 for the Baltimore Ravens (17 games).
That 5.1-point weekly advantage for Zay Flowers 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.
Target volume is the story here. Zay Flowers saw 118 targets in 2025, while Josh Downs drew 88. That workload gap usually translates into a higher weekly floor for Zay Flowers, even in weeks where Josh Downs posts the bigger ceiling game. Consistency-minded managers lean toward target share; boom-bust managers chase the upside.
Both share a Week 14 bye, which matters for roster construction. If you are stacking wide receivers this deep on your bench, plan your replacement wide receiver early.
