Week 6 Fantasy Football to start and position recommendations (2023)

With bye weeks ahead and injuries wreaking havoc in the NFL, there are plenty of players we usually don't need to start. Most of my Week 6 starters listed below are players I never thought I'd bring here in Week 1. And just think: we've still got 12 weeks left!
Whatever your situation, you need to think about racing. Sure, some players are theoretically solid. But those players are rare. Below are players at each position I'd recommend starting or sitting out, based primarily on their matchups in Week 6. In some cases, it's a specific team I want to attack or avoid. In other cases, it could be a person influencing my recommendation. As always, I mostly adjust them to 12-team semi-PPR leagues. So adjust them as you see fit based on your league and team setup.

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The fourth begins

Taylor Heinicke, Washington Football Team vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Taylor Heinicke has been the 12th overall QB in his four starts since replacing the injured Ryan Fitzpatrick. And last week was the only week he didn't make the top 12 fantasy quarterbacks. I expect him to return to that level again this week when Washington hosts the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs defense has the eighth-worst five-game DVOA in the Football Outsiders ratings. I don't mean eighth worst this season. I mean eighth worst of all time. Remember, DVOA was first prosecuted in 1983. Fantasy wise, they weren't much better. The Chiefs give up the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks of any team in the NFL. This game has all the makings of a penalty shootout given each team's attacking potential and defensive woes.

Part of Kansas City's problem with controlling quarterback production is its inability to limit mobile quarterbacks. Kansas City gave up 236 yards and three touchdowns to that position. Honestly, that will happen when you go up against Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts and Josh Allen. But Heinicke can play with both his feet and his arm. He quietly runs back-to-back 40-yard plays. I'd be keeping a close eye on receiver Terry McLaurin's status as we get closer to kickoff. He did not practice on Friday and is a question for Sunday's game. If he adjusts, Heinike and the football team's offense are over. Heinicke entered the top five two weeks ago and I see him having a similar lead in this matchup.

sitting generals

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears

Aaron Rodgers is coming off a nightmare Week 1 outing. The Packers have won four straight and Rodgers is the QB8 with the highest fantasy score in that stretch. However, I suspect he will struggle to reach that level of production in Week 6. Rodgers has always been a very efficient guy, but volume has not been his friend. His 163 pass attempts are just 21st among signal players this season. When Green Bay meets an opponent that matches them in pace and on the scoring list, Rodgers is always a threat for a fantasy top-five performance. But this doesn't seem to be one of those weeks for the NFL's reigning MVP.

Green Bay meets the Chicago Bears this week. The Bears have given up the fourth fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season. This is partly because they play very slowly and have more control over the football than most clubs. Chicago has the fifth fewest games in the NFL and the second fewest in three games started by Justin Fields. Chicago, with Fields at the helm, has made a concerted effort to deflate the ball. The rookie quarterback has completed just 60 passes in those three games. Rodgers can be limited to 30 pass attempts or less through no fault of his own. That makes him somewhat risky as a fantasy starter this week. I have no doubt he will be productive per dropback. But the lack of volume makes it sit in my opinion.

Sam Darnold, Carolina Panthers vs. Minnesota Vikings

As a New York Jets fan, I watched with masochistic amusement and confusion as Sam Darnold began Week 5 with a 3-1 record and a top-5 fantasy quarterback. But late in Week 4 against the Dallas Cowboys, the quarterback I recognized caught my eye, and that continued last week against the Philadelphia Eagles. Darnold seemed to struggle as he got more pressure in the pocket. Unfortunately, that's been a problem throughout the 24-year-old's NFL career. For the record, I think he will improve in this area as his career progresses and I wish him well. However, as of this writing, this remains a gap in his game and is the main reason I can't recommend him against the Minnesota Vikings this week.

Minnesota has recorded 17 quarterback sacks so far this season. The Vikings are ranked in this category most often in the NFL. They've been pretty lucky in that regard, considering they're middling in average time to throw (2.54 seconds) and time they have to pressure opposing quarterbacks (2.46 ), concerns. But Carolina wasn't the most effective passport protection unit either. Darnold was hit and rushed for the 10th fastest time in the NFL. He can gain an edge against the Minnesota high school if he gets enough playing time. I just don't know if that will be the case. And of course, I should mention that the Panthers quarterback will continue to not average rushing touchdowns per game. He's a lower tier than most quarterbacks on his roster, so I'd rather leave him if possible.

Check out the Week 6 leaderboard:QB|RB|WR|VON|Kicker|D/F|PPR|The book

Run back to start

Zack Moss, Buffalo Bills @ Tennessee Titans

When the Buffalo Bills gave Zack Moss a healthy scratch in Week 1, I didn't think he would be a fantasy RB2 in Week 6. But the team seemed to be sending a message with that bench, which the sophomore received loud and clear. clearly. Moss has totaled at least 90 yards or a touchdown in all four games he's played this season. In Buffalo's backfield hierarchy, he now appears to have the edge over Devin Singletary. The Bills gave Singletary 16 chances to Moss' 10 in Week 2. But the script has changed since then. Moss has had 44 chances over the last three weeks compared to 36 for Singletary. That trend makes Moss the most popular starter this week when Buffalo travels to Tennessee for a Monday night game against the Titans.

Goalie Josh Allen is always a danger to keep the ball even in the red zone. But Moss is a good shot to get into the end zone this week. Moss has nine carries inside the 10-yard line this year, ranking sixth among NFL running backs. Three of those buckets went into five, two of which resulted in layups. Tennessee faced 11 rushing attempts on five attempts, ranking fourth in the league. Opponents scored six out of eleven points, which corresponds to a percentage of 55 percent. That's tied for the sixth-highest mark in the NFL. Given his growing role in a high-powered offense and his relatively high odds of scoring a touchdown, Zack Moss is off to a good start in Week 6.

Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears gegen Green Bay Packers

The same logic that went into my reasoning about Aaron Rodgers makes Khalil Herbert a reasonable starter for this week. The Bears ran for 37 runs on 21 passes in last week's win in Las Vegas. Damien Williams and Khalil Herbert shared the ball last week, conceding 18 goals each. The pair had just 29 chances combined in four weeks as David Montgomery took the brunt of his early injury. It certainly appears that Chicago is willing to rely more on its running game than its offense led by rookie quarterback Justin Fields, regardless of the defenders at its disposal. That theory is now being put to the test as Williams is out after testing positive for Covid-19.

To his credit, Herbert is more than "just a guy." Towards the end of his college career, he showed flashes. According to Pro Football Focus, Herbert posted a 91.3 rush grade last season. He had the fourth-most receiving yards (734) and sixth-most 15-yard carries (19) among FBS running backs, though he had just 155 carries this season. Herbert was set to lead a fast-paced group on Sunday that included few other than Ryan Nall. Assuming Chicago can keep this game close, Herbert will almost certainly have his best 20 touches. The intensity alone makes Herbert an interesting RB2 or Flex, depending on what other options you have. And he has the skills to turn that volume into a terrific performance against a Packers defense that has allowed six touchdowns on just 130 touchdowns against opposing running backs this year.

Run back to sit down

Damien Harris, New England Patriots gegen Dallas Cowboys

Last week I mentioned Damien Harris as a key player and he was inches away from a top 16 finish. Instead, Harris fell outside the top 30 this week with an eight-point shot on a goal-line punt. It was Harris' second loss of the young season, both coming in the red zone. That won't endear him to fantasy managers or the Patriots coaching staff. The good news is that Bill Belichick didn't completely sideline Harris after the hit. But Harris suffered a rib injury soon after and Ramondre Stevenson scored a career-best 11 runs as a result. Harris was slated to play Sunday, but one has to wonder if New England will trust him with the full workload given his fumble issues.

His Week 6 matchup isn't the best on paper. The Dallas Cowboys have allowed 273 rushing yards to opposing running backs this season. Only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers gave up fewer yards on the ground. To be fair, the Cowboys have experienced the fewest rushing attempts of any team in the NFL. So your yards allowed are based more on volume (or lack thereof) than pure defensive dominance and efficiency. Dallas also allowed 250 yards from the back end, which ranks eighth in the league. But that's not an area where I don't expect Harris to excel. He has just seven receptions for 46 yards this season. I still think Harris will see the most opportunities with New England's running backs this week. But the injury and the match do not inspire much confidence.

Wide receivers for starters

Emmanuel Sanders, Buffalo Bills @ Tennessee Titans

I'm going back to the source here with Emmanuel Sanders who struck me as smart last week. Sanders had two touchdowns in Buffalo's impressive win at Kansas City. It was his second attempt in the last three weeks. The veteran wideout now leads all Bills receivers in fantasy route results for the season. I said last week that I like Sanders in part because he was targeted downfield. This week's game against the Tennessee Titans is another game where Sanders can win in that regard. Tennessee ranks among the bottom three teams in the NFL in several deep passing stats, including completion percentage (57.1 percent, third-worst), yards (485, worst), touchdowns (four, tied for second-worst) and quarterback rating (121 .5 , equals the second worst result). It's no surprise, then, that the Titans are allowing opposing tight ends 15.16 yards per catch. That's the second-highest number in the NFL.

Tennessee Corners have surpassed most of these stats. But I wouldn't bother avoiding meetings with Janoris Jenkins or Kristian Fulton. Buffalo's biggest advantage is up front. They give Josh Allen an average throw time of 2.71 seconds, fifth in the league. Coincidentally, the Titans allow the fifth-highest mark at 2.67 seconds. That combination should give everyone time to find Sanders further down the field. Allen is 136.02 this season when targeting Sanders. This is one of the best quarterback-level receiver combinations in the NFL. Sanders has a secure stake in one of the most passable offenses in the NFL. That should be enough for fantasy managers to trust him as a WR3 in friendlies like this one.

For those wondering, don't worry, I listed both Sanders and Zach Moss early in week six. Buffalo's implied total of 29.5 is the second-highest of the week, so there's plenty of meat left for both players to be productive. Buffalo has run 346 offensive plays through five games. The only team with more? That would be the Tennessee Titans at 366. This is a fast-paced, high-scoring game. Buffalo has a lot of mouths to fill on offense, but given the potential payoff, I certainly wouldn't shy away from using Moss or Sanders.

More fantasy football fun for Week 6:Waiver of transfer|FAAB Guide|||stock watch||D/ST-Streamer

Tee Higgins und Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals @ Detroit Lions

Ja'Marr Chase has set the fantasy landscape on fire through his first five NFL games. LSU's dynamic rookie is the WR7 overall winner in the semi-PPR rankings heading into Week 6. And while he's likely to have another big day on Sunday, his fellow Bengal wide receivers shouldn't be overlooked. Cincinnati's wide receiver versus Detroit Lions tight end matchups are arguably the most lucrative in the league. Out of 110 cornerbacks ranked by Pro Football Focus, outside cornerback Amani Oruwariye is ranked 97th and AJ Parker is ranked 101st. Jerry Jacobs hasn't played enough snaps to qualify, but his overall rating would put him outside the top 90. Joe Burrow should be able to choose the custom matchup he wants to use at any given time.

Chase is the best option for a big game, but Higgins and Boyd should win regularly with it. Barrow completed 73.7% of his passes, targeting Higgins and Boyd. Head coach Zach Taylor hinted that Joe Mixon faces a heavy workload after conceding just 11 chances last week. But he should keep Mixon fresh for a Week 7 date in Baltimore with the Ravens instead of letting him down this game. It could be difficult for all three Bengals receivers to top the stat line this week if Cincinnati continues to play at its current pace of 57 offenses per game. However, both Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd look to be very effective and efficient this week. I would start both in all formats and move them up in PPR leagues.

Wide receiver for living room

Allen Robinson, Chicago Bears gegen Green Bay Packers

Look, I get a lot of fake calls every week. It belongs to the territory. One thing I've been doing well, though, is constantly eliminating Allen Robinson. It seems that most people finally agree with the program, as its consensus rating is outside the top 30. However, given the circumstances, this is still too high for me. He is currently the season's WR63 in halftime PPR. Kadarius Toney had more yards last week than Allen Robinson this year. 15 tight ends have more receiving yards than Robinson this season. One of them is Rob Gronkowski who has been ineligible since September.

And as I mentioned last week, Robinson's lack of productivity is largely through no fault of his own. He remains a high-profile talent at the wide receiver position. The Chicago Bears just don't seem to care. They showed little confidence in trusting their offense to Justin Fields, so Robinson was an afterthought. Sure, he gets a break as Jaire Alexander recently injured his shoulder and the Packers run a cornerback. But does it really matter if they refuse to include him in the offense? I do not think. I'd be ready to burn it off my couch this week if I had it. If he can post his first double-digit fantasy game of 2021, so be it. Don't worry - I promise to mention someone else here next week regardless of what Allen Robinson does against Green Bay.

A tight end for starters

Ricky Seals-Jones, Washington, Kansas City Chiefs Football Team

One of the many areas where Kansas City struggles defensively is in opposing run defenses. The Chiefs have allowed an NFL-high 466 receiving yards to opposing tight ends in a five-week stretch. That might not be so bad, except that the tight ends are only turned on them 38 times. Dawson Knox was the last tight end to break them up. And while Knox was a revelation earlier in the year, he had done his damage almost entirely behind the scenes. At least until he played the Chiefs last week. Knox had just one catch for at least 20 yards in last Sunday's game. But all three of his carries went for 23 yards or more, and he posted a 3-117-1 line for Kansas City. That could bode well when it comes to Ricky Seals-Jones, who faces the same game this week.

Like Knox, Seals-Jones has appeared near the line of scrimmage for much of this season. Still, he's in the top half of NFL tight ends with aDOT of 7.31. He caught 87 percent of Washington's punt returns last week, according to Pro Football Focus. I imagine that number will remain in this area, which should be a big business in the nation's capital. There could also be some sort of revenge story here, as the Chiefs waived Seals-Jones in January. With Logan Thomas on hold and Terry McLaurin likely less than 100%, Ricky Seals-Jones could get a few extra looks this week. In such a good match, in most leagues and formats, that it deserves first attention.

Tight ends to sit on

Jared Cook, Los Angeles Chargers @ Baltimore Ravens

A quick look at fantasy points against tight ends shows that the Baltimore Ravens have given up the third most fantasy points against tight ends. But we'll have to dig a little deeper to get the full story. You heard from Darren Waller, Travis Kelce, T.J. heard; Hockenson and Noah Fudt? Because those are narrow points Baltimore has struggled with in its first four games. So yeah, they gave up enough fantasy points at the position. So would any other defense in the NFL if they had to run that gauntlet. I don't think we should play their aggregate results against them given the quality of competition they face. Safety Chuck Clark ranks fourth in yards per carry allowed (0.52) and third in PFF defensive percentage (75.9). For Cook, this is a much tougher duel than it appears on paper.

I am also concerned about Cook's role in the current criminalization. Justin Herbert has targeted the veteran on just 13 of his 119 attempts over his last three games. Meanwhile, Donald Parham appears to be playing a bigger role in the Chargers' plans. He has caught a touchdown pass in consecutive games. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a full-time timeshare, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Parham Cook's workload decrease further. This looks like a game where both the matchup and Cook's expected role are less imaginative than it first appears. I wouldn't trust Jared Cook this week and would probably want to sell as the Chargers prepare for the Week 7 bye. You can push Parham even harder.

Hunter Henry, New England Patriots gegen Dallas Cowboys

Hunter Henry has been the Patriots' preferred option in recent weeks. The former Charger has been a bit of a hothead lately. He had a touchdown in each of his last two games. Henry also dominated in stretches completed during that stretch compared to fellow New Englander Jonnu Smith. Henry ran a 60 percent drop in Week 4 and 67 percent the previous week. Smith, on the other hand, is moving in the opposite direction. Two weeks ago he was running a route on 34 percent of returns and Week 5 on just 18 percent of returns. While I think Henry is the Patriots closer most likely to get the lead most weeks, I expect his performance to dip a bit this week against the Dallas Cowboys.

Henry has benefited from favorable matchups against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans over the past two weeks. Both teams are in the top eight in fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends. The Dallas Cowboys aren't exactly a steel trap when it comes to tight end production. They gave up a season-high 11 fantasy points at the position. But safety Jayron Kearse was in the top 10 for both passing yards and defensive tackle. He also completed the third most runs (186), so the sample size is significant. For Hunter Henry, this looks like a match that could range from neutral to below average. I don't mind moving him if I have to, but waiting for a third straight appearance at TE1 seems like a losing proposition.

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