Start Malik Nabers or Josh Downs? Week 3

Our Week 3 call

Start Josh Downs over Malik Nabers in Week 3.

De-vigged player props project Josh Downs at 11.9 points and Malik Nabers at 12.0, a gap of 0.1. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. Josh Downs's number is scaled up from a partial market: the books have not posted every stat the position needs, so the rest is estimated from what they have.

What the books imply

Player prop markets imply 12.0 fantasy points for Malik Nabers, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The books have Malik Nabers at 55.5 receiving yards and 4.5 receptions, with a 29% chance to score a touchdown (14, 11 and 14 books).

Player prop markets imply 11.9 fantasy points for Josh Downs, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The books have Josh Downs at 50.5 receiving yards and 4.5 receptions, with a 26% chance to score a touchdown (13, 10 and 15 books).

That puts Malik Nabers 0.1 points ahead of Josh Downs on the books.

Week 3 matchups

Malik Nabers and NYG host TEN on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

TEN allowed 41.2 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 2 games, the 5th most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 204 yards and a touchdown a game against TEN.

Injury status

Malik Nabers is listed as questionable.

Josh Downs is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 3

Through Week 2, Malik Nabers played 62 percent of NYG snaps, drew 21 percent of the targets, earned 31 percent of the air yards and had 13 percent of the red zone chances.

Malik Nabers, Week 1 against DAL: 36 of 69 snaps, 9 targets and 6 catches for 69 yards.

Malik Nabers, Week 2 against LAR: 43 of 58 snaps, 4 targets and 1 catch for 1 yards.

Through Week 2, Josh Downs played 86 percent of IND snaps, drew 22 percent of the targets, earned 30 percent of the air yards and had 11 percent of the red zone chances.

Josh Downs, Week 1 against BAL: 48 of 54 snaps, 4 targets and 2 catches for 37 yards.

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

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Malik Nabers played 4 games for NYG and scored 57.1 PPR points, 14.3 a game, finishing WR101.

He caught 18 of 35 targets for 271 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 3 red zone targets and 219 air yards.

He was on the field for 78 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.

Josh Downs, Week 18 of 2025 against HOU: 1 carry for -5 yards, 4 targets and 4 catches for 61 yards, 9.6 PPR points.

Their other Week 3 calls

• Start Chris Olave over Malik Nabers.
• Start Dalton Kincaid over Malik Nabers.
• Start Dalton Schultz over Malik Nabers.
• Start Josh Downs over Denzel Boston.
• Start Devaughn Vele over Josh Downs.
• Start Josh Downs over DJ Moore.