Fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em: Week 6

It’s on to Week 6 weekend action in the NFL, and the fantasy season trudges on. Hopefully you managed to avoid all of the minefields with injuries in the first month of the season, although it’s inevitable that you’ve been touched by at least one player with a long-term issue. If not, congrats!

In Week 6 we will have the Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears kicking off at 9:30 a.m. ET at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, so make sure you get those fantasy lineups done early.

In addition, we have some big-time positions taking a hit with the bye weeks, as the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings are off. That means fantasy managers will be scrambling around to find replacements for QB Patrick Mahomes, TE Travis Kelce, RB Kyren Williams, WR Tyreek Hill and WR Justin Jefferson, among others.

The waiver wire was probably hit pretty hard this past week with some notable risers like New York Giants RB Tyrone Tracy Jr., as well as Jacksonville Jaguars RB Tank Bigsby.

We’ll focus on helping you navigate these tricky Week 6 waters as best as possible.

Doing start/sit articles can be a little challenging. The players featured on the list below should not be taken as “must starts” or “must sits.” Instead, these are more suggestions on what we believe managers should do with fringe players heading into the weekend. The choice is ultimately up to the manager.

Just because a player is listed as a “start” doesn’t mean he should be put in the lineup over the secure, bona fide studs. Vice versa for the “sits.” If there’s no better option on the waiver wire or the bench, a manager shouldn’t automatically sit the player. That’s why these can be tricky waters to navigate.

Feel free to ask any specific start/sit questions via X, formerly Twitter, (@danieledobish), or check out our start/bench list for Week 6:

Quarterbacks

Start ‘Em

Will Levis, Tennessee Titans vs. Indianapolis Colts: Levis isn’t going to be a fantasy quarterback you’re going to want to rely on from week-to-week, but if you’re scouring the waiver wire for a bye-week replacement, Levis could be your one-week man. The Colts have allowed the third-most points to opposing fantasy quarterbacks this season. Levis left the Week 4 game against the Miami Dolphins due to a shoulder injury, but the bye served him well, and he is good to go.

Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: The rookie has been coming into his own lately, and he’ll get a crack against the league’s worst team in terms of allowing fantasy points to the opposition’s QB. While OG Teven Jenkins is questionable due to an ankle, and it’s never good to see O-linemen dotting the injury report, Williams should be just fine. It wouldn’t be surprising to see at least one long passing score, and perhaps even a rushing TD.

Sit ‘Em

Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints: The Saints are going to be relying heavily upon their defense in this NFC South clash under the dome. The Saints are using rookie QB Spencer Rattler in his first-ever NFL start, so it will lean on the defense to keep them in the game. As it stands, the New Orleans defense holds opposing fantasy QBs to the second-fewest points, but it should be especially nasty and in hot pursuit Sunday.

Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills: This would have been a stunner years ago, but Rodgers probably could be a sit recommendation most every week. The Jets begin life without Robert Saleh as the head coach, as he was fired this week. While the Bills are so-so against the pass, don’t look for Rodgers or the Jets to be super inspired despite the regime change, which includes a new play caller. If anything, they might want to go to a more ground-based attack, as New York has two capable backs in RBs Breece Hall and Braelon Allen, which could keep the Buffalo offense off the field. More run game is obviously bad for Rodgers.

Running Backs

Start ‘Em

Breece Hall, New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills: As mentioned above, the Jets would be wise to lean on the running game a little more, especially since the Buffalo run defense gives up more fantasy points than any other team to opposing RBs. It’s a leap of faith backing Hall, as fantasy managers are at their ropes’ end with him. He has 19 carries for just 27 yards in the past two games, and only 3.0 yards per carry this season. But, with the regime change comes new hope, and Hall should have a breakout game.

Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers: Robinson was drafted to be a RB1 in most fantasy leagues, especially PPR formats. He has been well short of those expectations, especially in the past three games. Robinson showed some signs of life last week against Tampa Bay, and he should get loose against a Carolina Panthers‘ run rush defense which allows the second-most points to opposing runners.

Sit ‘Em

Antonio Gibson, New England Patriots vs. Houston Texans: The Patriots are expected to be without Rhamondre Stevenson, due to a calf injury, which forced him out of practice all week. Gibson has been a hot fantasy pick-up as he is expected to shoulder most of the load in Week 6. However, the Texans rank fourth in the NFL, allowing just 274.2 total yards per game, so it is going to be tough sledding for the entire New England offense yet again Sunday.

Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers vs. Atlanta Falcons: On the opposite side of the field from Robinson, Hubbard has been a bright spot for the Carolina offense lately. However, facing the Falcons rush defense will do him no favors. The Falcons have allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs, and they’ve allowed just a single rushing TD through five games. To make matters worse, WR Diontae Johnson, one of the only Panthers capable of spreading the field and taking pressure off the run game, carries a questionable tag with an ankle issue. At best, Hubbard is a RB3 or flex fantasy play in leagues of 12 or more teams.

Wide Receivers

Start ‘Em

Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders at Baltimore Ravens: Scary Terry has really taken a shine to rookie QB Jayden Daniels, and the two are making beautiful music together in D.C. McLaurin has four or more receptions in four straight games, and a pair of 100-yard games in the past three outings, with two scores. Last week against Cleveland, McLaurin went for a season-high 112 yards. Against a Baltimore pass defense allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to WRs, it could be another banner week.

Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys vs. Detroit Lions: The Cowboys needed somebody to step up as the No. 2 wideout opposite WR CeeDee Lamb, and Tolbert has been that guy. He has three or more receptions in four in a row, but his last time out in Pittsburgh was his best showing. He has seven grabs for 87 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets against the Steelers, and now he is facing a Detroit defense that ranks 27th against the pass with 258.3 yards per game allowed. Tolbert can be trusted as a low-end WR2 this week.

Sit ‘Em

Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos: Well, the good is that “Q-Money” and the Bolts are back from a bye. The bad news is that they must travel to meet a tough as nails Denver defense that ranks No. 3 in the NFL with 271.2 total yards per game allowed, and just 159.8 yards per game through the air. Points will be at a premium in this one, so Johnston is a sit.

Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Shaheed has been the king of the long TD, going for three scores of 43 or more yards. He has a couple of things working against him. One, the Saints are breaking in a rookie QB with Derek Carr sidelined due to an oblique injury, and two, Shaheed carries a questionable tag of his own with a hip ailment. Even if he toughs it out and plays, he is unlikely to have nearly the same chemistry with Rattler as he has with Carr.

Tight Ends

Start ‘Em

Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints: The Saints will bringing everything and the kitchen sink to get to Mayfield, as it leans heavily on the defense to take pressure off of Rattler and the offense. While The Bake Show won’t have much time, and the pass game should take a hit, Otton could be a beneficiary of added targets on short routes. PPR fantasy managers, those in need of a bye-week replacement and DFS players might especially enjoy Otton’s production in Week 6.

Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers: Pitts exploded for seven catches and 88 yards on eight targets against the Buccaneers last Thursday night, and each mark was a season high. Before you get carried away and consider him a slam-dunk TE1, remember he was blanked in Week 4 against the Saints. He is so erratic from a fantasy perspective, but QB Kirk Cousins and the rest of the offense should find little resistance from a bad Carolina side.

Sit ‘Em

Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills at New York Jets: Kincaid has been OK for fantasy managers in PPR formats, posting at least three receptions in three of his past four games, and he has catches of at least 25 yards in three consecutive outings. He has been in that low-end TE1 or high-end TE2 neighborhood since a Week 1 stinker. However, the Jets have limited opposing TEs to the third-fewest fantasy points. Look elsewhere.

David Njoku, Cleveland Browns at Philadelphia Eagles: Njoku returned to the lineup last week after missing three games due to a high-ankle sprain. He looked a little tentative, posting just a single 14-yard reception on three targets, and he checked out early with a knee ailment. Njoku is expected to play in Week 6, but the Eagles allow the fourth-fewest fantasy points to opposing TEs, and Njoku still might not be 100%.