Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs was in impressive company last season in a specific metric that can be indicative of a receiver's performance and impact.
According to Tru Media Sports, via Nate Tice, among all players in 2024 with at least 300 routes run, Downs ranked 11th in successful target per route run.
What this metric measures is how often a player is targeted when they run a route. That can be valuable and a predictor of success because it helps illustrate how often a player is winning his routes to create the opportunity to be targeted in the passing game.
It's not a coincidence that this list is filled with the game's top pass catchers.
At the top of these rankings were Amon-Ra St. Brown, followed by AJ Brown at No. 2 and tight end Trey McBride at No. 3. Also on this list were Mike Evans, Tee Higgins, Ja'Marr Chase, Nico Collins, and Justin Jefferson.
Successful target per route run among NFL players with 300 or more routes in 2024, per @TruMediaSports. pic.twitter.com/Q39QflcYDV
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) April 3, 2025
Despite rocky quarterback play, Downs has put together two highly productive seasons in the NFL, which includes being one of the league's most productive slot receivers.
After totaling 771 yards as a rookie in 2023, Downs totaled 803 this past season with five touchdowns, and he was again a very efficient target, hauling in 71% of his passes.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts' Josh Downs ranks among best pass-catchers in key metric
