It's been a crazy Fantasy season so far. I'm excited to see what's going to happen in Week 6.
Baker Mayfield, Jayden Daniels, Sam Darnold, Geno Smith and Justin Fields are top 10 quarterbacks. Jordan Mason and Chuba Hubbard are two of the best running backs. Two of the best receivers are rookies in Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. And two tight ends who were expected to be backups on their own teams in Tucker Kraft and Isaiah Likely are top five at their position.
That's the positive. The negative is injuries have been a problem for Fantasy managers, and we just found out Wednesday that Nico Collins (hamstring) is going on injured reserve, along with Michael Pittman (back) now out for multiple weeks. It's tough to lose two receivers of that caliber, and many other stars have been hurt this season as well.
With the bye weeks upon us -- Miami, Minnesota, Kansas City and the Rams are off in Week 6 -- Fantasy managers are scrambling for starting options. And hopefully we can help with our lineup suggestions.
I nearly made Pollard the Start of the Week in Week 4 when he played at Miami, and he delivered a strong game against the Dolphins with 18.8 PPR points. That was his third game this season in four outings with at least 15.2 PPR points, and he's done a nice job as the lead running back for the Titans. He has at least 19 total touches in three of four games, and he should have another standout performance against the Colts in Week 6. Indianapolis is No. 9 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and three running backs this year have scored at least 15.1 PPR points against the Colts, including Tank Bigsby in Week 5. Tyjae Spears should be considered a sleeper in Week 6, and he scored at least 10.1 PPR points in each of his past two games. But Pollard has top-10 upside, and I'm expecting him to dominate the Colts in this matchup at home.
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Quarterbacks
I didn't expect Prescott to play well in Week 5 at Pittsburgh, but he managed to score 20.4 Fantasy points despite three turnovers. He's now scored at least 20 Fantasy points in three games in a row, including two outings with at least 350 passing yards. He has the chance for another solid performance in Week 6 against the Lions, who have allowed two of four quarterbacks to score at least 20.8 Fantasy points. This game has the highest projected total of the week at 52.5 points, and Prescott has top-five upside in this matchup at home.
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Love had a disappointing performance in Week 5 at the Rams with 19.9 Fantasy points, but I expect him to get back on track in Week 6 at home against the Cardinals. Arizona's pass defense has actually performed better than expected this season, and the Cardinals just held Brock Purdy to 15.1 Fantasy points in Week 5. But the last time Love was at home, he scored 36.2 Fantasy points against Minnesota, which makes five consecutive games in Green Bay where he's scored at least 21.5 Fantasy points going back to last season. Love seems to love playing at home, so start him with confidence this week.
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Murray was a pleasant surprise in Week 5 at San Francisco with 26.1 Fantasy points, which was only the second time all season he's scored more than 16.8 points. He ran for a season-high 83 yards against the 49ers and scored his first rushing touchdown of the year, and it was only a matter of time before he would start producing at a high level since he has 45 rushing yards or more in four of five games. This game should be a high-scoring affair with a projected total of 49.5 points, and I like Murray to finish Week 6 as a top-10 Fantasy quarterback for the third time this season.
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Something clearly clicked for Cousins in Week 5 against Tampa Bay since he passed for 509 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception, and he scored 42.4 Fantasy points. He said after the game that he's feeling closer to 100 percent from last year's Achilles injury, and hopefully more big games are coming, including this week at Carolina. The Panthers are No. 6 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, and only Justin Herbert in Week 2 failed to score at least 20.3 Fantasy points against Carolina this year. Cousins should once again be considered a top-10 quarterback in all leagues.
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Purdy was a huge disappointment in Week 5 against Arizona as the Start of the Week when he only scored 15.1 Fantasy points. And he's only scored more than 16.6 Fantasy points once this season, which was Week 3 at the Rams. But this is a good setup for him to get on track Thursday night at Seattle. The Seahawks are beat up defensively with injuries to linebackers Uchenna Nwosu (thigh) and Derick Hall (foot), defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (hamstring), and cornerback Tariq Woolen (ankle). Jared Goff and Daniel Jones each scored at least 26.1 Fantasy points against Seattle in the past two games, and Purdy will hopefully be next. I'll trust him again despite last week's underwhelming performance.
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Goff is coming off his best game of the season in Week 4 against Seattle with 31.2 Fantasy points when he went 18-of-18 passing for 292 yards and two touchdowns, and he also caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Amon-Ra St. Brown. Hopefully, Goff will stay hot after Detroit's bye in Week 5, and this is a good matchup against Dallas. Three of the past four quarterbacks against the Cowboys have scored at least 20 Fantasy points, and Goff should be used as a low-end No. 1 quarterback in Week 6.
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Is it time to actually trust Jones as a starter in one-quarterback leagues? He has scored at least 22.3 Fantasy points in three of his past four games, and his performance in Week 5 at Seattle was his most impressive of the season. Without Malik Nabers (concussion), Jones was 23-of-34 passing for 257 yards and two touchdowns, and he added a season-high 38 rushing yards. Nabers will hopefully return in Week 6 against the Bengals, who are No. 3 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. You can consider Jones a low-end No. 1 quarterback in all leagues against Cincinnati, and it might be time to start using him as a consistent starter in all leagues.
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Williams is taking advantage of the soft part of his schedule, and he scored a season-high 27.6 Fantasy points against Carolina in Week 5. He gets Jacksonville in Week 6 in London, and he should be considered a low-end starter in all leagues against the Jaguars, who are No. 1 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. Three quarterbacks in a row (Josh Allen, C.J. Stroud, and Joe Flacco) have all scored at least 27.5 Fantasy points against Jacksonville, and hopefully, Williams will continue that trend in Week 6.
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Watson scored a combined 24.6 Fantasy points in his past two games against Las Vegas and Washington, and now he has his third road outing in a row at Philadelphia. With one game this season over 15.4 Fantasy points, it's easy to bench Watson in one-quarterback leagues. And the Browns might decide to bench Watson soon in favor of Jameis Winston, which could happen in Week 6 if Watson once again gets off to a slow start.
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As of Wednesday morning, the Jets had not traded for Davante Adams, which is clearly a situation to monitor. We'll see if a deal gets done this week, but I would only start Rodgers in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues against the Bills. The Jets are in turmoil after firing Robert Saleh on Tuesday, and while they might end up being a good thing in the long run, I don't expect that to help Rodgers against the Bills. Buffalo has allowed just one quarterback to score more than 17.9 Fantasy points this season, which was Lamar Jackson in Week 4, including matchups with C.J. Stroud, Kyler Murray, and Trevor Lawrence. Rodgers has scored more than 19 Fantasy points just once this season in Week 3 against New England, and he combined for 27.4 Fantasy points in his past two outings against Denver and Minnesota. Rodgers should improve if Adams is added, and we'll adjust our outlook for him moving forward if a trade actually occurs.
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Herbert went into his bye in Week 5 with 15 Fantasy points as his best outing in the first four games of the season. There's little reason to expect him to become a standout Fantasy option in this offense moving forward, especially in Week 6 at Denver. The Broncos are No. 6 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, and Geno Smith's 19.8 points in Week 1 is the best game against Denver this year, including matchups with Justin Fields, Baker Mayfield, and Aaron Rodgers. Herbert is only worth using in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues.
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I expected Lawrence to play well in Week 5 against Indianapolis, and he had his best game of the season with 25.2 Fantasy points. But that was a favorable matchup against the Colts, and this game against the Bears in London should be much tougher. Chicago is No. 1 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, and only C.J. Stroud in Week 2 has scored double digits in Fantasy points against the Bears, who have two passing touchdowns allowed and six interceptions. Lawrence is only worth starting in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues.
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Running Backs
I like Brown as a No. 2 running back this week against the Giants even though Zack Moss will play despite an ankle injury. And Moss can be considered a flex this week as well. We're starting to see the upside of Brown the past two games against the Panthers and Ravens when he's had at least 15 total touches in each outing, and he scored at least 16.4 PPR points both times. This isn't an easy matchup against the Giants, but three running backs have already scored at least 13.1 PPR points against them this season. I'm hopeful that Brown gets the lead role against the Giants, and it would be great if he could take over the Cincinnati backfield for good.
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After three miserable games, Swift has been a star in the past two outings against the Rams and Panthers with at least 20 PPR points in each contest. He has 23 total touches in each game, and he's totaled at least 120 total yards and a touchdown both times. We'll see how long this lasts, but he has another favorable matchup in Week 6 against the Jaguars, who are No. 4 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Five running backs have scored at least 13.6 PPR points against Jacksonville, including Dare Ogunbowale and Trey Sermon in the past two games. Swift has top-10 upside in this game in London.
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Williams just had his best game of the season in Week 5 against Las Vegas with 111 total yards, which included five catches for 50 yards on six targets. That's now three games this season with at least four receptions, and he has consecutive outings with at least 18 total touches. The Chargers run defense has been tough, but they have struggled with pass-catching running backs. Three running backs in four games have caught at least four passes, and all three (Alexander Mattison, Chuba Hubbard and Najee Harris) scored at least 11.6 PPR points. I like Williams as a No. 2 Fantasy running back in Week 6.
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It's getting harder to recommend starting Harris each week, but this is another great matchup, especially if Jaylen Warren (knee) and Cordarrelle Patterson (ankle) remain out. That said, Harris has faced Indianapolis and Dallas the past two games and scored 10.3 PPR points against the Colts and 9.7 PPR points against the Cowboys. He's yet to score a touchdown, and his best game was 13.6 PPR points in Week 3 against the Chargers. But this week, he's facing a Raiders defense that will be without Christian Wilkins (foot), and Las Vegas has allowed a running back to score at least 15.5 PPR points in every game this season. If there was ever a week for Harris to step up it's now, and I would start him as a No. 2 running back in all leagues.
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We'll see how the touches are split between Bigsby and Travis Etienne this week, but both could be useful as No. 2 running backs against the Bears. First, we have to see what happens with Etienne and his shoulder injury, but the Jaguars should continue to ride the hot hand with Bigsby as a rusher. He had seven carries for 90 yards in Week 4 at Houston and then exploded for 13 carries for 101 yards and two touchdowns and one catch for 28 yards in Week 5 against Indianapolis. If Etienne is out then Bigsby would have top-10 upside, but he's no worse than a flex if Etienne plays. The Bears are No. 10 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and four running backs this season, including three in a row, have scored at least 18.4 PPR points.
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Brian Robinson Jr. (knee) is considered a game-time decision for Week 6 at Baltimore, and if he's out then Ekeler is worth using as a No. 2 running back, with Jeremy McNichols as a flex. This is a tough matchup against the Ravens, who are No. 5 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. But Ekeler and McNichols would get a boost in touches if Robinson can't play, and both have done well this season in secondary roles. Ekeler has scored at least 11.5 PPR points in three games in a row, and he had 97 total yards in Week 5 against Cleveland. And McNichols has three touchdowns in his past two games, including 15 carries for 112 yards over that span. McNichols will likely need to score to help your Fantasy roster, but this could be Ekeler's best game of the season if Robinson is out.
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While Derrick Henry should be great in Week 6 against Washington, I'm hoping the Ravens have to pass a lot in this matchup. That would allow Hill to have a bigger role in the passing game. The Commanders have already allowed two running backs to catch at least five passes in a game this season, and Hill could be useful this week if Baltimore and Washington get into a shootout. Hill has two games this season with six receptions, and I like him as a flex option in PPR.
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The Jets have struggled to run the ball in the past two games against Denver and Minnesota, but things should improve in Week 6 against Buffalo. The Bills are No. 1 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and hopefully Breece Hall and Allen will get back on track. Four running backs in the past two games have scored at least 12.7 PPR points against Buffalo, and seven running backs for the season have scored at least 12.5 PPR points. Hall is a must-start running back in all leagues, and I like Allen as a flex.
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Jonathan Taylor (ankle) is out for Week 6 at Tennessee, which means Sermon will make another start. And he did well in Week 5 at Jacksonville with 18.3 PPR points, which included a rushing touchdown and six catches for 25 yards on six targets. But the matchup against the Jaguars was favorable, and trying to run against the Titans is a tougher task. D'Andre Swift, Josh Jacobs and De'Von Achane have each scored 5.9 PPR points or less against Tennessee, and Sermon would be a flex option at best this week, even with Taylor out again.
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Mattison had a season-high 17 total touches in Week 5 at Denver with Zamir White (groin) out, but Mattison managed just 61 total yards, including two catches, and he scored 10.1 PPR points. We'll see if White returns in Week 6 against the Steelers, but even if Mattison remains the starter he should just be a flex option at best in the majority of leagues. The Steelers are No. 4 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and only two running backs have scored touchdowns against Pittsburgh so far this season.
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Ford scored at least 15.5 PPR points in two games this season, but he also scored 10 PPR points or less in three outings, including Week 5 at Washington. Even though Nick Chubb (knee) remains out for Week 6, I'm still hesitant to trust Ford. This isn't an easy matchup against the Eagles, who have allowed only one touchdown to a running back this year. I like Ford as a flex option as best in the majority of leagues in Week 6.
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Dowdle has taken over the Cowboys backfield, which is awesome. He's scored at least 13.1 PPR points in each of his past two games against the Giants and Steelers, and he's creeping into No. 2 running back territory. But this week against the Lions, Dowdle could struggle given the matchup since Detroit is No. 3 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Kyren Williams and Kenneth Walker III each scored at least 14.4 PPR points against the Lions, but Detroit also held Rachaad White and James Conner to a combined 6.8 PPR points. I would only use Dowdle as a flex option at best in most leagues for Week 6.
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Wide Receivers
Johnson had a down game in Week 5 at Chicago with 5.9 PPR points, which was his worst outing since Week 2 and worst performance with Andy Dalton as the starting quarterback. Johnson should get back on track this week against the Falcons, who have allowed every No. 1 receiver to score at least 13.5 PPR points this season, including three guys (DeVonta Smith, Rashee Rice and Mike Evans) to score at least 20.6 PPR points. I like Johnson as a No. 1 Fantasy receiver in all leagues.
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Higgins looked dominant in Week 5 against Baltimore, and it's time for him to be started in all leagues without question. He had nine catches for 83 yards and two touchdowns on 14 targets against the Ravens, and this is now consecutive games with double digits in targets from Joe Burrow. The Giants will struggle to contain Ja'Marr Chase and Higgins in this matchup, and Higgins has top-15 upside in all leagues for Week 6.
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Flowers has three games this season with double digits in targets, and he scored at least 19 PPR points in two of them, including Week 5 at Cincinnati when he had seven catches for 111 yards on 12 targets. I'm hopeful Lamar Jackson will give Flowers double digits in targets again in Week 6 against Washington since the Commanders are No. 7 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. Six receivers have scored at least 15.5 PPR points against Washington this season, and I expect Flowers to make it seven in Week 6.
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Mooney has been fantastic this season, and he should have the chance for another quality outing in Week 6 against the Panthers. Mooney has scored at least 14.6 PPR points in three of his past four games, including a monster performance in Week 5 against Tampa Bay with nine catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns on 16 targets. Six receivers have scored at least 17.5 PPR points against Carolina this season, and I like Drake London and Mooney to both do well in this matchup on the road.
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Malik Nabers (concussion) is out for Week 6 against the Bengals, and I would start Robinson as a No. 2 receiver in all leagues. Robinson has scored at least 13.1 PPR points in three weeks in a row. He continues to be a go-to option for Daniel Jones, and Robinson has four games with at least eight targets. And with Nabers out, I like Darious Slayton as a high-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver as well. Slayton just replaced Nabers at Seattle in Week 5 and had eight catches for 122 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets. Slayton has now scored a touchdown in four games in a row without Nabers on the field going back to the end of 2023. The Bengals have allowed a pair of receivers to score at least 15.8 PPR points in each of the past two games against Carolina and Baltimore.
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The good news for Williams is he's scored at least 14.4 PPR points in three of four games this season. The bad news is he only has five combined targets in his past two outings against the Cardinals and Seahawks. Now, as we saw against Seattle in Week 4, he just needs one play to save his day when he scored on a 70-yard touchdown despite getting two targets for two catches and 80 yards the game. But I'm confident Williams will continue to make plays after the bye in Week 5, and he's worth starting as a low-end No. 2 receiver in all leagues.
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Smith-Njigba has three games this season with at least seven targets, and he scored at least 13.1 PPR points in all three outings. The Seahawks should be throwing a lot in this matchup with the 49ers, and Smith-Njigba should once again get at least seven targets. He's better in PPR than any other format with only one touchdown on the season, but any time you expect Seattle to have a pass-happy game plan then Smith-Njigba should have the chance for a strong performance.
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Tolbert is coming off a solid outing in Week 5 against the Steelers, and now he has a great matchup in Week 6 against the Lions, who are No. 2 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. Tolbert is now the No. 2 receiver for the Cowboys with Brandin Cooks (knee) on injured reserve, and Tolbert just had seven catches for 87 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets at Pittsburgh. But he also scored at least 13.2 PPR points in three of his past four games, and he's worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues against Detroit.
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Ridley has been a terrible Fantasy receiver this season with one game over 8.0 PPR points, but he has a great matchup in Week 6 against the Colts, who are No. 8 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. I like Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins as No. 3 Fantasy options this week since Indianapolis has allowed three pairs of receivers (Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins in Week 1, Rome Odunze and D.J. Moore in Week 3 and Brian Thomas Jr. and Christian Kirk in Week 5) to each score at least 12.8 PPR points in the same game.
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This is Dell's time to shine with Nico Collins (hamstring) on injured reserve. Dell has been a terrible Fantasy option so far this season with three games scoring 8.9 PPR points or less, and he missed Week 4 with a rib injury. He's topped 40 receiving yards once and hasn't scored a touchdown, but C.J. Stroud will need Dell to produce with Collins out. Stefon Diggs is a No. 1 Fantasy receiver in all leagues now, but Dell should be considered a No. 3 receiver until he proves otherwise. And in Week 6, he's facing a Patriots defense that has allowed six receivers to score at least 12.2 PPR points this year.
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Pittman went from a potential injured reserve candidate with a back injury on Wednesday to a full practice on Friday, and now he's questionable to play Sunday at Tennessee. It's great that he feels better, but this seems like a situation to avoid in Week 6. Not only do you have Pittman having any potential health concerns, you also have a tough matchup against the Titans, who are No. 1 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. Tennessee is the only team yet to allow a touchdown to a receiver this season, including matchups with D.J. Moore, Garrett Wilson, Jayden Reed and Tyreek Hill. No receiver has scored even 11 PPR points against the Titans this season. And, as we know, Pittman has struggled with Anthony Richardson, scoring 7.6 PPR points or less in each of the first three games this season. At best, Pittman is a No. 3 receiver in most leagues.
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Kirk has played well for the past three games against Buffalo, Houston and Indianapolis with at least 12.8 PPR points in each outing, but I expect him to struggle in Week 6 against the Bears in London. Chicago is No. 7 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, and only Nico Collins in Week 2 has scored a touchdown against the Bears. And Evan Engram (hamstring) is expected to return in Week 6, which could mean fewer targets for Kirk and limit his upside. I would only start Kirk in three-receiver leagues this week.
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