Start Malik Nabers or Josh Downs? Week 5

Our Week 5 call

Start Josh Downs over Malik Nabers in Week 5.

Market-based projections have Josh Downs at 13.2 points and Malik Nabers at 13.4, a gap of 0.1. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 13.4 fantasy points for Malik Nabers, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market has Malik Nabers at 55.5 receiving yards and 5.5 receptions, with a 33% chance to score a touchdown (12, 8 and 15 market sources).

Player markets imply 13.2 fantasy points for Josh Downs, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market has Josh Downs at 57.5 receiving yards and 5.5 receptions, with a 29% chance to score a touchdown (11, 10 and 15 market sources).

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

Week 5 matchups

Malik Nabers and NYG visit WAS on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

WAS allowed 40.3 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 4 games, the 4th most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 167 yards and 1.5 touchdowns a game against WAS.

Injury status

Malik Nabers is listed as questionable with a undisclosed injury.

Josh Downs is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 5

Through Week 4, Malik Nabers played 70 percent of NYG snaps, drew 23 percent of the targets, earned 28 percent of the air yards and had 10 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.

Malik Nabers, Week 3 against TEN: 50 of 64 snaps, 6 targets and 5 catches for 26 yards.

Malik Nabers, Week 4 against ARI: 51 of 67 snaps, 7 targets and 6 catches for 112 yards, 1 touchdown.

Through Week 4, Josh Downs played 79 percent of IND snaps, drew 23 percent of the targets, earned 36 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.

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.

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.

Their other Week 5 calls

• Start Chris Olave over Malik Nabers.
• Start Christian Watson over Malik Nabers.
• Start Davante Adams over Malik Nabers.
• Start Josh Downs over Christian Watson.
• Start Davante Adams over Josh Downs.
• Start George Pickens over Josh Downs.