Josh Downs or Puka Nacua Week 9 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Fantasy Football projections for WRs
Josh Downs and Puka Nacua share one similarity: they are wide receivers who were drafted in 2023. However, while one proved himself good, the other became a star, shattering multiple records, making the playoffs, and becoming a dream pick for fantasy players everywhere.
As sophomores, Downs and Nacua have somewhat fallen by the wayside as other wideouts have either broken out or regained their prominence. Still, there are a few managers out there who want to have them on the roster. So who is in, and who is out?
Is Josh Downs a good fantasy pick in Week 9?
Sitting at WR22 in Sportskeeda's Fantasy Football Week 9 rankings, Josh Downs has over 300 receiving yards for the Indianapolis Colts, making him an indisputably valuable piece for the team.
What's even better is that he has done so while starting only two games, accumulating 86.3 fantasy points in the process. This means that a particularly shrewd fantasy manager can get much value for him as a so-called "twelfth man" who can make plays when needed.
Downs is also the Colts' leading punt returner at 108 yards, making him valuable on spacial teams, especially with the Minnesota Vikings's Ryan Wright not exactly being the best punter around.
Is Puka Nacua a good fantasy pick in Week 9?
Puka Nacua is well and truly back. The record-setter had seven catches for 106 yards in last week's game against the Vikings. Ahead of the intradivisional game at the Seattle Seahawks, he is Sportskeeda's WR9 despite having only 26.3 fantasy points across two games.
It promises to be a very cerebral matchup, with Mike MacDonald expected to deploy a monstrous secondary that boasts Pro Bowl corners Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon against him and Cooper Kupp.
Fantasy managers will want to watch it very closely, as their points haul will depend on how it goes down.
Whom should I start between Josh Downs and Puka Nacua?
The Sportskeeda Start/Sit Tool is siding with Nacua on this one, given his track record and historical dominance. With a healthy gap of almost three projected fantasy points from his opponent, he is the lock to sytart in one's roster.
That is not to say Downs is no good. He is a prome sleeper option, especially when it comes to off-the bench-options, but he is not a significant offensive focal point for his team, at least not yet.