Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 6: Rachaad White, Jerome Ford, Cole Kmet

October 15, 2023

Should I start Rachaad White, Jerome Ford, or Cole Kmet in Week 6? Fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks and recommendations for the 2023 NFL season.

Week 6 is almost upon us and the further we get into the season, the more important start/sit decisions become. Your choices from here on out can make or break your chances of winning your fantasy league.

Rachaad White and Jerome Ford haven't proven they can run with efficiency against the top defensive units in football. Both second-year backs are tasked, once again, with tough matchups in Week 6. The Chicago Bears offense appears to be back and Cole Kmet is reaping the benefits. Due to the nature of the tight end position, the former second-round pick may be a weekly starter.

Should you start Rachaad White, Jerome Ford, or Cole Kmet in Week 6? Let's discuss.

Should I Start Rachaad White In Week 6?

Rachaad White has been a disappointment for fantasy managers thus far in 2023 but it's not entirely his fault. Four of his first five matchups came against teams ranked in the top 10 for the least amount of fantasy points allowed to running backs. His next two matchups are Detroit and Atlanta, both in the top three in that metric.

The Lions haven't allowed any running back to top 43 rushing yards this season. That honor belongs to Kenneth Walker III, who also punched in two short touchdowns in Week 2. Detroit also hasn't allowed a running back to catch a touchdown.

The Buccaneers will need Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin to carry the offense against the Lions. Because of what we've seen already when White faces a stingy defense, the former third-round pick is a sit. Due to the scarcity of the position, that may not be a viable option, which is why he's ranked as a low-end RB2.

White is the RB23 in our half-PPR fantasy football rankings.

Should I Start Jerome Ford In Week 6?

Starting a running back against San Francisco is the definition of a risk. The 49ers either shut down rushing efficiency or, more likely, jump out to a big lead so quickly that running the football doesn't become an option (see: Najee Harris and Tony Pollard).

Both negatives may happen to Jerome Ford on Sunday. The 2022 fifth-round pick averaged 1.8 yards per carry in Week 3 and followed it up with a 2.8 yards per attempt effort in Week 4. The Niners allow the second-fewest rushing yards per game.

There's no reason to think this matchup won't turn into a blowout quickly. The Browns will be without Deshaun Watson (shoulder). Veteran P.J. Walker is getting the start. Cleveland is nearly a double-digit underdog, leaving them with an implied point total of just 13 points. There isn't a single Browns' skill player to be excited about this week.

Ford is the RB30 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

Should I Start Cole Kmet In Week 6?

D.J. Moore stole the show last Thursday, and rightfully so. The new Bears receiver did score three times and racked up a career-high 230 yards. His back-to-back big games coincide with the re-emergence of quarterback Justin Fields.

Cole Kmet is hiding in the shadow of Moore. He's also had back-to-back monster performances and is locked in as Fields' number two option. Twelve catches for 127 yards and three touchdowns over the last two games equals the TE1 in fantasy football over that timeframe.

The Minnesota defense isn't anything to worry about. They've allowed three tight ends (Dallas Goedert, Gerald Everett, and Travis Kelce) to catch at least six passes. Their two other games came against Cade Otton and Hayden Hurst. Unless you're also rostering one of the big three (Kelce, Mark Andrews, or T.J. Hockenson), Kmet is just as good of an option this week as any other tight end.

Kmet is the TE8 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

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