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Sunday football start 'em sit 'em advice for your Who Should I Start fantasy football lineup questions in Week 6 (2025). We tell you who to start.
Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 6 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like Jordan Love, Geno Smith, Rhamondre Stevenson, Derrick Henry, Kendrick Bourne, Tee Higgins, Dalton Kincaid, and Tucker Kraft. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 6. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 6 of the 2025 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start ... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
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Sunday Fantasy Football Lineup Decisions
Week 6 has arrived. We already have one game in the books after the New York Giants scored a massive upset victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. Our second game of the week is already underway with the Denver Broncos taking on the New York Jets over in London.
If you’re scrambling to make a few last-minute lineup changes or are just unsure who to play, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered in this space with several suggestions for each position.
Make sure you’re following RotoBaller on X and download the RotoBaller app for all your fantasy football needs. Let’s discuss our start ‘em and sit ‘em picks for Week 6.
QB Starts - Week 6 Fantasy Football
Jordan Love - QB, Green Bay Packers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
The Packers are coming off their bye week. Love threw for 337 passing yards and three touchdowns in his most recent performance against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4. He has another great matchup in front of him today.
The Bengals' defense is arguably the worst in the NFL and ranks 27th in FTN Fantasy’s defensive passing DVOA. Cincinnati also ranks 26th in PFF’s pass coverage grade and has allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, per Fantasy Football Today. Fantasy managers should fire up Love as a low-end QB1. He is living for a top-5 finish at the position.
Sam Darnold - QB, Seattle Seahawks at Jacksonville Jaguars
Darnold is coming off an outstanding performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5. He threw for a season-high 341 passing yards and four touchdowns to finish the week as the overall QB2.
That's how you answer on fourth. 😮💨
📺: @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/I9tppE8WmF
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) October 5, 2025
Seattle draws a matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 6. Even though the Jaguars' defense has played well, it has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Gamers should view Darnold as a mid-range QB2 option with upside to sneak into the top 12 for the second straight week.
Matthew Stafford - QB, Los Angeles Rams at Baltimore Ravens
Stafford is in the middle of a major hot streak. He’s thrown for 764 passing yards, six touchdowns, and zero interceptions in his last two games.
Stafford now gets to face a Baltimore Ravens defense that’s in a state of disarray and has struggled to defend opposing passing games. Baltimore ranks 24th in defensive passing DVOA and has allowed the second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this year.
The Rams should have a massive advantage in the trenches for this game, and that will give Stafford plenty of time to find Puka Nacua and Davante Adams downfield. Stafford is live for a huge game here, and don’t be surprised if he throws three touchdown passes for the third straight game.
Gamers should consider him a viable streaming candidate in single-quarterback leagues and a strong QB2 option in superflex formats.
QB Sits - Week 6 Fantasy Football
Aaron Rodgers - QB, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns
The Steelers are coming off their bye week and draw a date with their division rival, the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland’s defense is one of the best in the league. The Browns have allowed the fourth-fewest passing yards per game and rank first in PFF’s pass-rush grade.
Pittsburgh’s offensive line is still a work in progress and could struggle against a stout Cleveland defensive front. With the Browns also starting a rookie quarterback in Dillon Gabriel, it’s easy to see this game morphing into a defensive battle where points and field position are of the utmost importance.
Gamers in superflex and two-quarterback leagues should give strong consideration to leaving Rodgers on the bench, as he could post a major dud later today.
Geno Smith - QB, Las Vegas Raiders vs. Tennessee Titans
Smith has not been playing well this season and has thrown a league-high nine interceptions. Las Vegas has a potentially favorable matchup in Week 6 as it takes on a Titans defense that ranks 25th in defensive passing DVOA. However, Tennessee has been stingy in terms of fantasy points and has allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to opposing signal-callers.
Throw in the fact that Smith has not played well behind a porous Las Vegas offensive line and will be without star tight end Brock Bowers for the second consecutive game, and it’s hard to justify throwing Smith in lineups. He is not on the streaming radar in single-quarterback leagues, and managers in two-quarterback formats should pivot to other options.
Michael Penix Jr. - QB, Atlanta Falcons vs. Buffalo Bills
Penix had a strong performance two weeks ago, where he threw for 313 passing yards and two touchdowns against the Washington Commanders. That was good to see as Penix was coming off two straight poor starts. However, gamers may want to temper their expectations for this week.
Atlanta is facing a motivated Buffalo Bills team coming off its first loss of the year to the division rival New England Patriots. Buffalo’s defense has had some struggles, but it has been effective at limiting opposing quarterbacks. The Bills have allowed the second-fewest passing yards per game, the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, and have allowed opposing quarterbacks to throw just six touchdown passes against them so far in 2025.
It’s also likely that the Falcons will lean heavily on running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier to remain competitive in this game. Penix’s fantasy outlook would be negatively impacted if that comes to fruition. Gamers should view him as a low-range QB2 play in superflex/two-quarterback leagues and should start him only if they don't have better options.
RB Starts - Week 6 Fantasy Football
Kimani Vidal/Hassan Haskins - RBs, Los Angeles Chargers at Miami Dolphins
With Omarion Hampton set to miss at least the next four weeks, Haskins and Vidal will handle the majority of touches for the time being. We don’t know exactly how touches will be divided between these two backs, and offensive coordinator Greg Roman hinted the team will likely deploy a committee approach.
However, this is a fantastic matchup for both players. The Dolphins have one of the worst run defenses in the league and just allowed Rico Dowdle to run for 206 yards against them in Week 5. With Los Angeles also down several key starting offensive linemen, we will likely see the team rely heavily on its running game to protect the replacement offensive linemen and help ease the burden on quarterback Justin Herbert.
Yes, there’s a lot of uncertainty in this backfield, but this matchup is too good to ignore. Gamers should view both players as viable flex plays this week.
Rachaad White - RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. San Francisco 49ers
White drew the start last week for an injured Bucky Irving, and things went pretty much how they always go when White has been Tampa Bay’s lead back. He was inefficient and failed to crack 50 rushing yards, but also scored two rushing touchdowns and caught four passes for 30 receiving yards.
Rachaad White touchdown!
TBvsSEA on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/rCaBTsCCK3
— NFL (@NFL) October 5, 2025
Tampa Bay draws a matchup against the injury-riddled San Francisco 49ers, and this could be a game where we see White make improvements in rushing efficiency. San Francisco’s full-season rushing metrics don’t look too bad, but its rushing defense has taken a hit since losing Nick Bosa to a knee injury.
White should continue seeing strong volume as a rusher, and his work in the passing game gives him a safe floor. Gamers should fire him as a high-end RB2 play with potential for more.
Rhamondre Stevenson - RB, New England Patriots at New Orleans Saints
Things were looking bleak for Stevenson when he lost his third fumble of the year in Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills.
Laser focus by Shaq Thompson to knock it out 🥊
NEvsBUF on NBC
Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/E79AWEmMBl— NFL (@NFL) October 6, 2025
However, Mike Vrabel and the New England coaching staff refused to give up on him, and Stevenson would score two touchdowns in that game. Despite Stevenson’s alarming ball security issues, the team still does not feel comfortable turning things over to rookie TreVeyon Henderson. That is very noteworthy and gives us great insight into how the team views these two players.
With Stevenson’s role seemingly secure, he is set up for a strong performance against the New Orleans Saints later today. The Saints allow 122.2 rushing yards per game, as well as the eighth-most PPR points per game to opposing backs.
I expect New England to continue riding the momentum from last weekend's victory over the Buffalo Bills and believe it will easily win this game. That would mean plenty of rushing opportunities for Stevenson, and he might set a season-high for rushing yards in this game. Start him as a flex play or RB2 in a pinch.
RB Sits - Week 6 Fantasy Football
Derrick Henry - RB, Baltimore Ravens vs. Los Angeles Rams
After Henry’s 169 rushing yard performance in Week 1, it looked like he was lined up for another big season. However, with injuries for Baltimore piling up, things have taken a turn for the worse. Henry has failed to post a top-24 finish each of the last four weeks.
With Lamar Jackson set to miss today’s game, Henry will likely be facing another negative game script. On top of that, the Rams' run defense has been very good. Los Angeles ranks fourth in PFF’s rushing defense grade and has held both Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley under 60 rushing yards already this year.
With Henry offering little value as a pass-catcher and being phased out of the offense whenever Baltimore falls behind, the only way you can justify starting him here is if you think the Ravens have a chance to win this game. I do not, and will be leaving Henry out of my lineups until Jackson returns, hopefully after the Ravens' Week 7 bye.
If you have other options at running back, give strong consideration to leaving Henry on the bench.
Chase Brown - RB, Cincinnati Bengals at Green Bay Packers
Brown’s nightmarish season continued last week against the Detroit Lions when he only ran for 27 yards on eight carries. For the season, Brown is averaging an embarrassing 2.46 yards per carry.
He has been terrible, but he also has not gotten much help from his offensive line. Brown is likely to struggle again this weekend as the Packers rank ninth in defensive rushing DVOA and allow the second-fewest rushing yards per game.
Unfortunately for gamers who drafted him, Brown looks like one of this year's biggest busts. He is unlikely to turn things around here and will only be a viable play in games the Bengals have a realistic chance of winning. With Joe Flacco drawing the start this weekend on extremely short notice, it doesn’t feel like this is a spot where Cincinnati will be very competitive. That means it's best to leave Brown on the bench.
D’Andre Swift - RB, Chicago Bears at Washington Commanders
Once again, Swift has not been a very effective rusher so far in 2025 and is highlighting why multiple teams have given up on him. The Commanders' defense is still a work in progress, but it’s been ok in terms of limiting opposing running backs. Washington has allowed the 10th-fewest PPR points per game to opposing backs and actually ranks fifth in defensive rushing DVOA.
Chicago’s running game has really sputtered in the early part of the 2025 season, and this does not look like a spot where it gets things figured out. Swift does get a boost here in full PPR formats thanks to his ability as a pass-catcher. Short of that, though, he may not be helpful for gamers in other formats, and managers should consider leaving him out of their lineups.
WR Starts - Week 6 Fantasy Football
Tetairoa McMillan - WR, Carolina Panthers vs. Dallas Cowboys
Even though McMillan has been a relative disappointment for fantasy football managers, Carolina has made him the clear focal point of its passing game. Per Fantasy Points Data Suite, McMillan has a 28.4% first-read target share. That is a good number, but it hasn’t translated to much fantasy success.
That should change this weekend as Carolina takes on a Cowboys defense that has had zero success stopping opponents’ passing games. Dallas ranks 28th in PFF’s pass coverage grade and allows the most PPR points per game to opposing wide receivers.
We should see plenty of volume go McMillan’s direction in this game. This is a matchup where he should excel and have a chance to break 100 receiving yards, even with Bryce Young at quarterback. Start McMillan as a WR2 in all formats.
Kendrick Bourne - WR, San Francisco 49ers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bourne is coming off a surprise 10-catch, 142-yard performance on 11 targets in Week 5 against the Los Angeles Rams. With Ricky Pearsall, George Kittle, and possibly Jauan Jennings set to miss today’s game, Bourne should once again have a major role on offense.
It comes at a good time as Tampa Bay ranks 25th in defensive passing DVOA and just let Sam Darnold throw for 341 passing yards and four touchdowns against it in Week 5. Jaxon Smith-Njigba also had a huge day against this defense and posted an 8-132-1 line last week.
This is a good matchup, and Bourne should remain a very target of 49ers quarterback Mac Jones. Start Bourne as a WR3 or flex play in all leagues.
Romeo Doubs - WR, Green Bay Packers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Doubs scored three touchdowns in his most recent game against the Dallas Cowboys back in Week 4. We shouldn’t expect that kind of performance again this weekend, but Doubs is live for another big game against a Cincinnati Bengals team that’s allowed the 10th-most PPR points per game to opposing wide receivers.
This is a great spot for the Packers offense, and Doubs is clearly one of Jordan Love’s favorite targets. Start Doubs as a WR3 or flex play.
WR Sits - Week 6 Fantasy Football
Tee Higgins - WR, Cincinnati Bengals at Green Bay Packers
While Ja'Marr Chase has been able to produce some monster games in Joe Burrow’s absence, Higgins' production has taken a huge hit. His best game was a 3-56-1 effort back in Week 2, but he has not yet registered a top-24 PPR finish on the year.
Joe Flacco is set to take over QB1 duties for Cincinnati after the Bengals traded for him earlier this week. However, we may want to temper expectations because the reality is that Flacco has not played very well this season.
Among 32 QBs with 100+ dropbacks this year, Joe Flacco ranks:
- 25th in PFF Passing Grade
- 25th in PFF’s adjusted completion %
- 26th in Fantasy Points Data Suite’s catchable throw %
- 28th in Fantasy Points Data Suite’s turnover worthy throw rate— Dave Ventresca (@FF_Stallion) October 7, 2025
This move doesn’t seem to be much of an upgrade compared to Jake Browning, and since Flacco is getting the nod on extremely short notice, he could really struggle. Throw in the fact that Green Bay has allowed the fourth-fewest receiving yards to wide receivers this year, and this looks like another week to leave Higgins on the bench.
Jerry Jeudy - WR, Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers
Through five games, Jeudy has failed to build upon his breakout 2024 season. He’s yet to catch more than five passes or eclipse 70 receiving yards in a game this year.
Even after the Browns benched an ineffective Joe Flacco in favor of rookie Dillon Gabriel, Jeudy still seems like an afterthought in this offense. Jeudy only posted a 2-15-0 line on five targets in Gabriel’s debut last week.
Now, Cleveland will face a Steelers defense that has had issues guarding opposing wide receivers, but its defensive line could give Cleveland’s offensive line, and Gabriel by proxy, a hard time in this game. That means Gabriel could be under constant pressure, and it could limit Jeudy’s production. Jeudy also has a poor matchup in RotoBaller's Week 6 WR/CB matchup chart.
Despite this being a good matchup on paper, it's hard to trust Jeudy in this spot. Gamers should consider other options for a WR3 or flex play.
Keon Coleman - WR, Buffalo Bills at Atlanta Falcons
After his 8-112-1 performance in Week 1, it looked like Coleman was on the verge of a sophomore breakout. Since that game, though, Coleman has caught 13 passes for 114 yards and one touchdown.
It was also reported that Coleman was benched for the first series of last week’s game. This suggests that Coleman is still working through some maturity issues, and that could partially explain why he has not built upon his Week 1 performance.
Coleman and the Bills now face a Falcons defense that’s allowed the sixth-fewest PPR points per game to opposing wide receivers. If you’re in a bind at receiver, leave Coleman on the bench, as there are likely better options available.
TE Starts - Week 6 Fantasy Football
Tucker Kraft - TE, Green Bay Packers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Kraft is currently the TE6 in PPR points per game. He posted a 5-55-0 line in his most recent game against the Dallas Cowboys two weeks ago, but came just shy of scoring two touchdowns in that game.
Kraft gets to face a Bengals team that ranks 24th in DVOA against tight ends and allows an average of 6.8 receptions and 69 receiving yards per game to the position. Cincinnati has also allowed the second-most touchdowns and fourth-most receiving yards to tight ends this year.
This feels like another potential blow-up spot for Kraft, and he is live to break triple digits for the second time this year. Leave Kraft in your lineups as he is a strong TE1 play.
Jake Tonges - TE, San Francisco 49ers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tonges has top-12 PPR finishes each of the last two weeks. Tampa Bay ranks 27th in DVOA against the position and just allowed AJ Barner to catch seven passes for 53 receiving yards and two touchdowns in Week 5.
With the 49ers down multiple pass-catchers again this week, Tonges is looking like another great streaming option. Gamers should fire him up as a streamer or bye-week replacement in all formats.
Juwan Johnson - TE, New Orleans Saints vs. New England Patriots
Johnson got off to a hot start by posting three straight top-12 PPR finishes to begin the year. However, he’s cooled off recently and has finished outside the top-24 tight ends for the last two weeks.
Today presents a good opportunity for Johnson to get back on track. New England has allowed the fifth-most PPR points per game to opposing tight ends and was just torched by Dalton Kincaid for 108 receiving yards last Sunday night.
It’s also likely New Orleans could be playing from behind for the majority of this game, and that would give Johnson more opportunities to score fantasy points. Gamers should consider him a fine streaming candidate for this weekend.
TE Sits - Week 6 Fantasy Football
Dalton Kincaid - TE, Buffalo Bills at Atlanta Falcons
While Kincaid has started out the 2025 season on fire, there are a few things in his profile that suggest his production may not be sustainable. For starters, Kincaid is still a part-time player and has not played more than 55% of offensive snaps in any game this year. Among 30 tight ends with 15+ targets, Kincaid ranks 25th in routes run per team dropback, according to Fantasy Points Data Suite.
Buffalo now faces an Atlanta Falcons defense that’s been highly successful in guarding opposing tight ends. Atlanta ranks first in DVOA against the position and has allowed the fewest PPR points per game to opposing tight ends, too.
Kincaid carries major bust potential this week, and I highlighted him as a bust candidate in my Week 6 Booms/Busts column. He's also nursing an oblique injury, which could affect his performance.
While he’s had a hot start, there are a lot of factors working against him here that suggest Kincaid is set up for a letdown performance this week.
Sam LaPorta - TE, Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs
LaPorta is coming off his best game of the season in Week 5. He posted a 5-92-1 line and finished the week as the PPR TE4. However, all that production came against a Cincinnati Bengals defense that struggles to guard opposing tight ends. This week is a different story.
While the Chiefs' defense has taken a step backward, it's still been very good at guarding opposing tight ends. Kansas City currently ranks fourth in DVOA against the position and allows an average of 3.6 receptions and 32.8 receiving yards per game to opposing tight ends.
Even though this game has the highest projected total on the Week 6 slate, this feels more like a spot where Detroit attacks the Kansas City secondary through Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. That means it would be best to leave LaPorta on the bench.
Darren Waller - TE, Miami Dolphins vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Waller’s resurgence over the last two weeks has been fun to watch. However, we might want to temper our expectations for this week. The Chargers' defense allows an average of 3.2 receptions and 29 receiving yards per game to tight ends and has allowed the fifth-fewest PPR points per game to the position this year.
It’s hard to ignore Waller’s production over the last two weeks. It seems like Miami wants to make him a featured part of its offense as he is further removed from a preseason hip injury. My RotoBaller colleague, Kipp Heisterman, recommended fading Waller’s receiving yardage prop this week in the RotoBaller Premium Discord. Ultimately, I agree with Kipp and believe this is a comedown spot for Waller following a hot two weeks.
If you want to leave Waller in your lineups, that’s understandable. Just know that this is a tough matchup, and Waller’s production over the last two weeks came against two teams that have struggled against tight ends so far this year. Gamers should give strong consideration to leaving Waller on the bench and seek out other options instead.
Who Should I Start Tool
Not sure who to start? Check out the Who Should I Start tool:
Week 6 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players -- Jordan Love, Geno Smith, Rhamondre Stevenson, Derrick Henry, Kendrick Bourne, Tee Higgins, Dalton Kincaid, Tucker Kraft. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 6.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed our Who Should I Start? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 6 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 6 (2025)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 6 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 6 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for Jordan Love, Geno Smith, Rhamondre Stevenson, Derrick Henry, Kendrick Bourne, Tee Higgins, Dalton Kincaid, Tucker Kraft compared to others:
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