Start Josh Downs or Devaughn Vele? Week 6

Our Week 6 call

Start Josh Downs over Devaughn Vele in Week 6.

Market-based projections have Josh Downs at 12.2 points and Devaughn Vele at 10.4, a gap of 1.8. Drafters take Josh Downs at ADP 96 and Devaughn Vele at 213.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 10.4 fantasy points for Devaughn Vele, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market-based projection for Devaughn Vele is 44 receiving yards, 4-5 receptions and 0.3 touchdowns (13, 12 and 14 market sources).

Player markets imply 12.2 fantasy points for Josh Downs, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market-based projection for Josh Downs is 52 receiving yards, 4-5 receptions and 0.4 touchdowns (14, 12 and 14 market sources).

That puts Josh Downs 1.8 points ahead of Devaughn Vele on the market projections.

Week 6 matchups

Devaughn Vele and NO visit NYG on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

NYG allowed 30.9 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 5 games, the 15th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 139 yards and a touchdown a game against NYG.

Josh Downs and IND host TEN on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

TEN allowed 35.9 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 5 games, the 11th most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 174 yards and 0.8 touchdowns a game against TEN.

By points allowed to the position, Josh Downs has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Devaughn Vele is not on the injury report.

Josh Downs is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 6

Through Week 5, Devaughn Vele played 91 percent of NO snaps, drew 19 percent of the targets, earned 22 percent of the air yards and had 13 percent of the red zone chances.

Devaughn Vele, Week 2 against BAL: 65 of 68 snaps, 7 targets and 5 catches for 64 yards.

Devaughn Vele, Week 3 against LV: 65 of 74 snaps, 6 targets and 3 catches for 39 yards.

Devaughn Vele, Week 4 against ATL: 66 of 74 snaps, 9 targets and 6 catches for 54 yards, 1 touchdown.

Devaughn Vele, Week 5 against MIN: 43 of 45 snaps, 6 targets and 4 catches for 26 yards.

Through Week 5, Josh Downs played 80 percent of IND snaps, drew 20 percent of the targets, earned 29 percent of the air yards and had 9 percent of the red zone chances.

Josh Downs, Week 2 against KC: 54 of 65 snaps, 9 targets and 7 catches for 72 yards.

Josh Downs, Week 3 against HOU: 48 of 71 snaps, 11 targets and 5 catches for 77 yards.

Josh Downs, Week 4 against WAS: 51 of 66 snaps, 4 targets and 3 catches for 16 yards.

Josh Downs, Week 5 against PIT: 60 of 71 snaps, 6 targets and 3 catches for 47 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Devaughn Vele played 13 games for NO and scored 66.3 PPR points, 5.1 a game, finishing WR95.

He caught 25 of 39 targets for 293 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 4 red zone targets and 259 air yards.

He was on the field for 51 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Josh Downs played 16 games for IND and scored 136.4 PPR points, 8.5 a game, finishing WR44.

He caught 58 of 88 targets for 566 yards and 4 touchdowns, with 14 red zone targets and 422 air yards.

He was on the field for 58 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 6 calls

• Start Devaughn Vele over Adonai Mitchell.
• Start A.J. Brown over Devaughn Vele.
• Start Carnell Tate over Devaughn Vele.
• Start Josh Downs over Adonai Mitchell.
• Start A.J. Brown over Josh Downs.
• Start Josh Downs over Carnell Tate.