Start Malik Washington or Josh Downs? Week 8

Our Week 8 call

Start Josh Downs over Malik Washington in Week 8.

Market-based projections have Josh Downs at 11.7 points and Malik Washington at 10.4, a gap of 1.3. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. 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. No player market is posted for Malik Washington this week yet, so his 10.4 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 5 and 7 (10.8 and 10.0); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. Drafters take Josh Downs at ADP 96 and Malik Washington at 165.

What the market projects

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.

No Week 8 player market is posted for Malik Washington yet. His market-based projections were 10.8 and 10.0 points in Weeks 5 and 7, an average of 10.4, which stands in until his Week 8 market posts.

That puts Josh Downs 1.3 points ahead of Malik Washington on these projections.

Week 8 matchups

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.

Malik Washington and MIA host NE on Sunday at 4:25 PM ET.

NE allowed 32.1 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 7 games, the 13th most in the league.

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

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

Injury status

Josh Downs is not on the injury report.

Malik Washington is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 8

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.

Through Week 7, Malik Washington played 84 percent of MIA snaps, drew 26 percent of the targets, earned 30 percent of the air yards and had 10 percent of the red zone chances.

Malik Washington, Week 3 against KC: 63 of 73 snaps, 2 carries for 5 yards, 10 targets and 5 catches for 56 yards.

Malik Washington, Week 4 against MIN: 34 of 39 snaps, 2 carries for 3 yards, 5 targets and 5 catches for 67 yards.

Malik Washington, Week 5 against CIN: 53 of 66 snaps, 1 carry for 18 yards, 8 targets and 6 catches for 43 yards.

Malik Washington, Week 7 against NYJ: 52 of 65 snaps, 2 carries for 8 yards, 3 targets and 3 catches for 27 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

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.

In 2025, Malik Washington played 17 games for MIA and scored 116.7 PPR points, 6.9 a game, finishing WR54.

He caught 46 of 65 targets for 317 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 11 red zone targets and 64 air yards.

He was on the field for 56 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 8 calls

• Start A.J. Brown over Josh Downs.
• Start Carnell Tate over Josh Downs.
• Start Josh Downs over Denzel Boston.
• Start Carnell Tate over Malik Washington.
• Start Courtland Sutton over Malik Washington.
• Start Denzel Boston over Malik Washington.