Tyler Warren and Josh Downs Will Play for the Colts in Jacksonville, but Jonathan Taylor's Trade Status Hangs Over a Double-Digit Underdog

Tyler Warren is back. The Colts tight end practiced fully on Friday and is off the injury report for Sunday's game at Jacksonville after missing two games with a groin injury, and receiver Josh Downs will also play despite requesting a trade earlier this week, head coach Shane Steichen confirmed. For fantasy managers, those are two useful pass-catchers returning to lineups. The context around them is less friendly: Indianapolis is 2-5, has lost three straight, has traded two starters in the last week and is reportedly open to dealing Jonathan Taylor before the Nov. 10 deadline.

The Jaguars, 4-2 and coming off a bye, are favored by anywhere from 7.5 to 10 points depending on the book, with the line moving toward Jacksonville after the opener.

The Colts' final injury report

Indianapolis also gets cornerback Sauce Gardner (calf) back, but the depth chart still has holes.

Tyler Warren: start him

Before the injury, Warren was the Colts' most reliable receiving option, leading the team with 30 catches for 213 yards and two touchdowns. The yardage total tells you his role is short-area volume, not big plays, and that is still valuable at a position where most weekly starters are touchdown-dependent.

The game script helps him. A big underdog on the road is going to throw, and with Gould out and Ogletree questionable, the Colts' passing tree is narrower than usual. Warren slides straight back into the low-end TE1 tier. The risk is a snap limit in his first game back; groin injuries are notorious for re-aggravation, and Indianapolis has little reason to push a young cornerstone hard in a lost season.

Josh Downs: a flex with a trade cloud

Downs' trade request makes him the most interesting fantasy name on the roster. On Sunday, he is a playable PPR flex. His slot role pairs well with Daniel Jones' short passing game, and trailing scripts mean volume.

Beyond Sunday, the outlook depends on whether a deal happens. Reports this week named the Steelers among the AFC teams interested, and almost any contender would be an upgrade in offensive quality. A move before the deadline would likely raise his ceiling but also introduce a learning curve in a new offense. Managers who roster Downs should hold, not sell; his value is more likely to rise than fall over the next 10 days.

Daniel Jones and the Colts offense

Steichen has stuck with Jones as the starter after a rough stretch that included a 13-of-22, 108-yard performance with a game-ending interception. Jones' fantasy value comes from rushing, and against a rested Jaguars defense he is a streaming option only in two-quarterback leagues. Do not start him in one-quarterback formats.

Jonathan Taylor is the bigger question. ESPN and NFL Network report the Colts are willing to trade him, and some previews have floated the idea that Indianapolis could manage his workload if a deal is close. There has been no indication from the team that he will be limited, and as long as he is active, he is a start. But this is the week to be sure your bench has a fallback running back, and rookie Seth McGowan, listed as the No. 2 back on the Colts' regular-season depth chart, is worth a stash.

The Jaguars side

Trevor Lawrence comes off a bye playing efficient football, and Indianapolis is thin in the secondary with Walley out. That sets up a usable QB1 week for Lawrence, especially if Jacksonville builds an early lead and the Colts have to keep throwing. Jacksonville's backfield gets a favorable game script as a big home favorite, which tends to mean extra fourth-quarter carries.

The betting angle

The spread has moved from 7.5 toward 10 at some books, a sign the market reacted to the Colts' sell-off week. The total has hovered in the mid-40s. Large divisional spreads can be uncomfortable to lay: the trailing team often gets garbage-time scores that keep the margin tight. On the other side, a roster in the middle of a teardown is exactly the kind of team that falls apart in the second half on the road.

For the model's call on this game, see the full Week 8 board at /blog/nfl-week-8-picks-2026 and the live predictions at /nfl/predictions.

Start/sit summary

Start: Tyler Warren (low-end TE1), Jonathan Taylor (if active, RB1/RB2 on volume), Trevor Lawrence (QB1 streaming option).

Flex: Josh Downs in PPR formats.

Sit: Daniel Jones in one-quarterback leagues, any Colts receiver beyond Downs.

Stash: Seth McGowan, as Taylor insurance during deadline week.

What's next

The bigger Colts storylines start Monday. If Taylor or Downs is traded before Nov. 10, the rest-of-season fantasy outlook for every Indianapolis skill player shifts. Warren is the one piece likely to stay, and if the receiver room thins out, his target share has room to grow.