Week 10 Fantasy Injury Updates: Josh Downs and Demario Douglas news impacting start-sit decisions

The NFL is leaving the country for good in 2023.

Year two of the NFL’s German games will conclude in Frankfurt with a game between the Colts and Patriots one week after the Chiefs cooked the Fish. It just strengthens the argument that the original work is nearly always superior to the sequel, especially in light of the decline from the previous week’s game. More importantly, we now have Josh Downs and Demario Douglas as receivers instead of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. For now, the two rookies will just focus on getting on the pitch in Germany, but they aspire to one day be regarded as among the finest in the game. Will their wounds force them to watch from the sidelines, munching on pretzels and bratwurst?

We’ll provide you with the most recent information on these rookie wide receivers in Germany below, along with an analysis of how their injuries might impact the Week 10 fantasy landscape.

In Week 10, is Josh Downs playing?

Just prior to Week 9, Downs (knee) was quietly finishing up a strong rookie campaign in Indianapolis when tragedy struck. Despite having a knee ailment that appeared on the injury report, the receiver tried to play. Downs only managed one catch for ten yards in the game before being declared ineligible due to the same knee injury. He is currently once again labeled as “questionable” as the Colts get ready to play the Patriots in Germany at 9:30 a.m. ET. That “questionable” rating seems more akin to iffy than anything else after three consecutive DNPs.

The Colts may end up making the decision for you based on practice reports, but Isaiah McKenzie is also a high-risk flex if Downs is officially ruled out. Regardless of whether he plays or not, Downs is ultimately too much of a risk to trust in any form of fantasy this week. Owners who trusted him in Week 9 were burned by the early exit, and the issue seems to be getting worse instead of better.

Does Demario Douglas have a game this week?

Last week, with Kendrick Bourne sidelined for the remainder of the season due to an ACL tear, Douglas (ankle) assumed a more expanded role. Going forward, the youngster will effectively be Mac Jones’ top wide receiver, as demonstrated in Week 9 when Douglas caught five passes on seven targets for a total of 55 yards. Unfortunately for New England, Douglas’s status for Week 10 is also doubtful due to an ankle injury. Positively, he completed three light practices before to Sunday’s Patriots vs. Colts game in Germany at 9:30 a.m. ET, so we should probably see the rookie take the field.

If Douglas is on your radar for Week 10, fantasy owners will be happy with the early kickoff as that’s when we’ll know for sure—roughly 90 minutes before kickoff. With DeVante Parker already sidelined due to a concussion, the only other receiver that poses a risk to Douglas’ workload is JuJu Smith-Schuster. Although we find it difficult to trust New England’s offense, particularly their passing game, the Colts’ defense has shown receivers generosity throughout the season. Douglas is a high-volume receiver across the pond who gains flex status with a plenty of good fantasy alternatives on a bye.