Should I drop DK Metcalf for Josh Downs?

Not on these numbers alone. DK Metcalf projects 106 market-implied PPR points from Week 8 through Week 17 (11.8 a game over 9 games) and Josh Downs 105 (11.7 a game over 9 games), too close to separate, so the roster spot decides it. For Week 8 the call starts DK Metcalf over Josh Downs.

Start DK Metcalf or Josh Downs? Week 8

Updated Oct 27, 11:41 AM ET. Locks at kickoff, graded after. Week 9 answer posts Tuesday.

Start DK Metcalf over Josh Downs

Start

DK Metcalf

WR · PIT · vs CLE

Market projects: 12.3; recent weeks avg
CLE D vs WR: 31.8; 14th most to WRs (2026)
Upside: Rising; 76 of 100 at WR
Snap share: 95%; Through Week 7
Target share: 24%; Through Week 7

Sit

Josh Downs

WR · IND · at JAX

Market projects: 11.7; recent weeks avg
JAX D vs WR: 38.0; 4th most to WRs (2026)
Upside: Rising; 74 of 100 at WR
Snap share: 82%; Through Week 7
Target share: 20%; Through Week 7

Should I drop Josh Downs for DK Metcalf?

Not on these numbers alone. Josh Downs projects 105 market-implied PPR points from Week 8 through Week 17 (11.7 a game over 9 games) and DK Metcalf 106 (11.8 a game over 9 games), too close to separate, so the roster spot decides it. For Week 8 the call starts DK Metcalf over Josh Downs.

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Our Week 8 call

Start DK Metcalf over Josh Downs in Week 8.

Market-based projections have DK Metcalf at 12.3 points and Josh Downs at 11.7, a gap of 0.6. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. No player market is posted for DK Metcalf this week yet, so his 12.3 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 5, 6 and 7 (12.1, 11.8 and 13.0); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. No player market is posted for Josh Downs this week yet, so his 11.7 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 5, 6 and 7 (12.0, 12.3 and 10.9); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. Drafters take DK Metcalf at ADP 66 and Josh Downs at 96.

What the market projects

No Week 8 player market is posted for DK Metcalf yet. His market-based projections were 12.1, 11.8 and 13.0 points in Weeks 5, 6 and 7, an average of 12.3, which stands in until his Week 8 market posts.

The market-based projection for DK Metcalf is 0-1 touchdowns (7 market sources).

No Week 8 player market is posted for Josh Downs yet. His market-based projections were 12.0, 12.3 and 10.9 points in Weeks 5, 6 and 7, an average of 11.7, which stands in until his Week 8 market posts.

That puts DK Metcalf 0.6 points ahead of Josh Downs on these projections.

Week 8 matchups

DK Metcalf and PIT host CLE on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

CLE allowed 31.8 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 7 games, the 14th most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 150 yards and a touchdown a game against CLE.

Josh Downs and IND visit JAX on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

JAX allowed 38.0 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 6 games, the 4th most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 210 yards and 0-1 touchdowns a game against JAX.

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

Injury status

DK Metcalf is not on the injury report.

Josh Downs is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 8

Through Week 7, DK Metcalf played 95 percent of PIT snaps, drew 24 percent of the targets, earned 38 percent of the air yards and had 9 percent of the red zone chances.

DK Metcalf, Week 4 against CLE: 70 of 72 snaps, 9 targets and 5 catches for 115 yards.

DK Metcalf, Week 5 against IND: 55 of 60 snaps, 1 carry for 11 yards, 4 targets and 3 catches for 12 yards.

DK Metcalf, Week 6 against TB: 75 of 79 snaps, 15 targets and 11 catches for 93 yards.

DK Metcalf, Week 7 against NO: 59 of 64 snaps, 6 targets and 2 catches for 56 yards.

Through Week 7, Josh Downs played 82 percent of IND snaps, drew 20 percent of the targets, earned 26 percent of the air yards and had 10 percent of the red zone chances.

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.

Josh Downs, Week 6 against TEN: 71 of 83 snaps, 1 carry for 7 yards, 8 targets and 4 catches for 40 yards.

Josh Downs, Week 7 against MIN: 52 of 58 snaps, 4 targets and 2 catches for 18 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, DK Metcalf played 15 games for PIT and scored 187.2 PPR points, 12.5 a game, finishing WR26.

He caught 59 of 99 targets for 850 yards and 6 touchdowns, with 13 red zone targets and 436 air yards.

He was on the field for 87 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 8 calls

Locks at kickoff, graded after. When the start/sit engine grades week 8, the call and the result appear on the public record, wrong ones included.

Drop or keep

Should I drop Josh Downs for DK Metcalf?
Not on these numbers alone. Josh Downs projects 105 market-implied PPR points from Week 8 through Week 17 (11.7 a game over 9 games) and DK Metcalf 106 (11.8 a game over 9 games), too close to separate, so the roster spot decides it. For Week 8 the call starts DK Metcalf over Josh Downs.
Should I drop DK Metcalf for Josh Downs?
Not on these numbers alone. DK Metcalf projects 106 market-implied PPR points from Week 8 through Week 17 (11.8 a game over 9 games) and Josh Downs 105 (11.7 a game over 9 games), too close to separate, so the roster spot decides it. For Week 8 the call starts DK Metcalf over Josh Downs.

Should I drop Josh Downs?