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Welcome to part one of our Week 6 matchups analysis and starts/sits column for fantasy football, covering the early games. Be sure to check part two of this matchups column as well, for the later games.
We'll be covering every matchup from every Sunday game to help you make the best decisions for your fantasy lineups. We'll also be updating this as injury reports come in so check back often.
Let's get to the matchups for Week 6.
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NFL Week 6 Matchups - 1:00 PM ET Games
Bears at Ravens
Matchups We Love:
Jordan Howard (RB, CHI)
The Bears have returned to doing what they do best, which is pounding the rock with Howard as often as they can. Howard has averaged 20 carries per game over the past three weeks, and although the yardage hasn’t necessarily been stellar outside of his 140-yard game against the Steelers, he has been able to find the end zone three times. Over that same three-week span, the Ravens run defense has been on the decline without defensive end Brandon Williams, who looks like he is in line to miss his fourth straight game. With Williams out of the lineup, the Ravens are surrendering 149 yards on the ground per game to go along with four scores. The Bears have recommitted to an increasingly healthier Howard, and he should be able to turn in solid RB2 numbers with the potential for a lot more.
Matchups We Hate:
Joe Flacco (QB, BAL)
Flacco has now thrown just one touchdown in his last three games, and has completely fallen off of the fantasy relevancy map. When you take a closer look at the Bears’ middle-of-the-pack pass defense, outside of Aaron Rodgers, they have held all of the quarterbacks they have faced this year to just one touchdown. The argument can be made that the Bears haven’t faced elite quarterbacks on their way to these numbers, but Flacco has been anything but elite this year so he would actually fall comfortably within this wheelhouse. Avoid Flacco as even a bye-week streamer in this matchup if possible.
Other Matchups:
Jeremy Maclin (WR, BAL) will be going up against Bryce Callahan who has quietly been one of the Bears’ better corners in coverage this year, allowing only one touchdown on the season. Maclin’s volume has been surprisingly low considering the fact that the Ravens had been the most pass heavy team in the league for two straight seasons. Fellow receiver Mike Wallace (WR, BAL) has now started to stretch the field more effectively, so there should still be enough opportunity for Maclin to produce low end flex numbers, particularly in PPR formats. He will be very hard to trust in standard leagues though, with his highest yardage output of just 56 yards coming what now seems like an eternity ago in Week 1, and his last touchdown coming in Week 2. Wallace has now managed to put together two back-to-back fantasy relevant games after starting the season with three straight one-catch outings, catching his first touchdown in Week 4 and racking up 133 yards in Week 5. His low volume is still a concern though, as you will basically be relying on him to catch a deep ball for meaningful fantasy output. That makes Wallace a boom-or-bust flex option for this week against a Bears defense that is currently ranked tenth in the league for receiving yardage allowed (223), and have yet to allow any team’s receiving corps to combine for more than 200 yards in a single game.
The Ravens backfield has been and will continue to be a headache for owners. With Terrance West (RB, BAL) re-aggravating his calf injury and drawing a doubtful tag for this week’s matchup, the opportunity will again be there for the taking for both Javorius Allen (RB, BAL) and Alex Collins (RB, BAL). If West is indeed unable to go, Allen would likely continue to be used as the team’s every down with Collins coming in to spell him. Allen got the majority of the work last week, out-snapping Collins 47-16, but Collins has continued to be more efficient with his touches. Against the Dolphins, Collins averaged 4.6 yards per carry compared to Allen’s 3.5, and this could be the week that the coaching staff feels comfortable enough to give him more touches. While the Bears’ rush defense might be tougher than many give them credit for after holding both the Devonta Freeman/Tevin Coleman combo and Le’Veon Bell under 70 yards, they have allowed a rushing touchdown in each of the past three weeks and have yielded 100.2 yards per game. Allen’s volume and goal-line touches will give him solid flex appeal and he can even push for borderline RB2 numbers in PPR formats, while Collins could slowly be creeping towards some flex value of his own if he can continue to prove that he can hold on to the ball.
Ben Watson (TE, BAL) has seen his production slowly start to taper off, but there is still some optimism for him in this Sunday’s matchup. The Bears have allowed at least six catches to tight ends in the past two games and gave up their second tight end touchdown of the season to Kyle Rudolph on Monday night. Watson saw a season high 89% of Baltimore’s snaps last week, and he should be able to rebound with a better showing than his two-catch, two-yard showing last week.
Trying to figure out which bears receiver will emerge as a viable fantasy option has been futile so far, as no one has consistently stood out amongst the pack from game to game. Zach Miller (TE, CHI) has been the only reliable pass catcher for the team, and drew seven targets from Mitch Trubisky in his first career start. Miller could very well end up being Trubisky’s safety blanket in an offense that will try to control the game on the ground, and he is certainly worth a look against a Ravens defense that gave up three touchdowns to a tight end in Week 3 that hasn’t even had three catches since. Tarik Cohen’s (RB, CHI) snaps have decreased significantly since Week 2, and his touches have subsequently been on the decline as well. With Howard seemingly much healthier and Benny Cunningham now seeing work on passing downs, it is hard to tell just where Cohen will fit in this offense going forward. He is still a firecracker that has the potential to break off a huge run at any moment, but even in a favorable matchup against an ailing Ravens’ run defense, it is hard to trust that Cohen will be able to add anything to your team’s lineup this week. Mitch Trubisky (QB, CHI) is still an unproven fantasy commodity, and he probably won’t be a factor this week. He is a good addition for this team’s long-term outlook, but he is still raw and it could be some time before he becomes worth the add in non-dynasty leagues.
49ers at Redskins
Matchups We Love:
Kirk Cousins (QB, WAS)
The 49ers defense has been burned bad over the past two weeks, giving up 357 yards and 314 yards to opposing quarterbacks in back-to-back games. Coming off of a bye, Cousins is a surefire QB1 in this matchup, as he has finally begun stringing some meaningful games together, with five touchdowns and 292.5 passing ypg over his past two games to go along with zero interceptions.
Chris Thompson (RB, WAS) / Semaje Perine (RB, WAS)
With Rob Kelley looking like he will miss his second game of the season, it will again be on Thompson and Perine to carry the load for the Redskins. They will both have a great matchup against the 49ers who are giving up the 4th most points to the running back position. There will be an opportunity for both players to shine, as the Niners are giving up 116.6 yards on the ground with four touchdowns, and have allowed receiving backs to go for 50.5 yards per game and two scores as well.
George Kittle (TE, SF)
Kittle had his coming out party last week against the Colts, catching 7-of-9 targets for 83 yards and a touchdown. He has a great matchup this week and will try to replicate that success going up against a Redskins defense that is giving up the third most points to the tight end position. In addition to giving up an average of 88 yards per game to opposing tight ends on a whopping 88% success rate, they have also allowed tight ends to score in each of their last two games. Kittle is at the top of the list for tight end streamer for the week, and could be someone worth stashing beyond this game as well.
Matchups We Hate:
Carlos Hyde (RB, SF)
Head coach Kyle Shanahan stating that the team will take the hot hand approach at running back is the last thing that Hyde owners wanted to hear. While he is still very much the guy in SF, if Hyde continues to be a bit gimpy coming off of limited practice sessions this week, Brieda could have yet another chance to see some meaningful work. Even with Hyde developing as more of a pass catching threat this year than in seasons past, he is going up against a stingy Redskins front seven that is only giving up 88 yards per game on the ground, with only three touchdowns on the year (one rushing, two receiving). You shouldn’t necessarily be looking to bench Hyde, as his projected volume should still put him somewhere in the RB2/flex range, but expectations should be tempered for this tough matchup.
Other Matchups:
Pierre Garcon (WR, SF) has been up and down this season, following up three games of at least six catches and 80, yards with two sub 50-yard performances. The one thing that hasn’t changed for Garcon is his volume, as he is averaging just under nine targets a game and has seen no less than five targets in any matchup. Garcon is fortunate enough to be facing the Redskins without their best defender in Josh Norman, and the projected game script would have the 49ers looking to air it out for most of the game again making him a solid play for the week, with a bump in PPR formats. Matt Brieda’s (RB, SF) snap percentages have been on the rise for the past three weeks (20%, 31%, 49%) and in Week 5 he out-touched Hyde 13-8. The rookie has continued to put pressure on Hyde in the backfield for more playing time, and if Shanahan sticks with his hot hand comments from earlier in the week, Brieda will certainly be worth an add across all formats. He probably isn’t a great start this week though until we have a little more clarity on just how the 49ers backfield will shake out, but needy owners in PPR leagues could give him a look if absolutely necessary.
If you are looking for a solid QB streamer, Brian Hoyer (QB, SF) might not be your guy this week. While he has been the king of garbage time for a while now, the Redskins have the fifth ranked passing defense in the league, have allowed a quarterback rating of just 87.5 in four contests, and have held every quarterback they have faced since Week 1 to just one touchdown. After a 116-yard effort in Week 5 in which he saw 11 targets, Marquise Goodwin (WR, SF) could find more success against a Redskins defense whose only glaring weakness is in vertical yards per attempt (12.4) Still, he will be a leap-of-faith flex option at best.
Terrelle Pryor (WR, WAS) has been a disappointment to start the season, but there is some hope that he can build on his Week 4 performance in which he caught his first touchdown of the year. Pryor will draw a mix of 49er cornerbacks that have been torched for a combined 63 catches, 878 yards, and four touchdowns on the season, but his struggles with drops and declining volume make it extremely difficult to trust him as more than a flex play. Jamison Crowder (WR, WAS) owners are hoping that head coach Jay Gruden sticks to his word to get him more involved, as he has also offered owners little to no output with only 106 yards and no touchdowns through four games. It will be tough to trust Crowder despite his head coach’s sentiments, but gutsy PPR owners can give him a shot as a flex in a plus matchup against slot corner K'Waun Williams who is allowing a 76% catch rate in coverage, which ranks as fourth worst in the league. The one strength of the 49ers defense is their coverage of opposing tight ends. They have yet to let a tight end score, and have only given up a total of 107 yards to the position all season. That could change this week though, with Jordan Reed (TE, WAS) avoiding the injury report for the first time in two weeks. When Reed is healthy he is by far the Reskins’ most talented option on offense, and he can be started this week despite the tough matchup. With Reed more or less healthy and likely to receive his normal allotment of snaps, Vernon Davis (TE, WAS) will be nothing more than a boom-or-bust option that should only be deployed by extremely desperate owners.
Dolphins at Falcons
Matchups We Love:
Matt Ryan (QB, ATL)
Ryan and the Falcons are coming off of their bye week, and have had plenty of time to try to hash out some of their more glaring inconsistencies so far this season. Ryan has already tossed five interceptions on the season, but he should be able to get back on track against a Dolphins defense that still hasn’t picked off an opposing quarterback through five games. Outside of Matt Cassel in Week 5, Miami has also allowed at least 249 passing yards with at least one touchdown in all of their matchups. If Julio Jones is active this week, there is no reason to believe that Ryan can’t easily achieve these numbers and then some. He is locked in as a QB1 for this matchup.
Matchups We Hate:
Jay Cutler (QB, MIA)
Cutler has thrown only one touchdown and a combined 256 yards in his past two games, and will again struggle to move the Miami offense against a defensive unit that is only allowing 318.3 total yards per game (10). Even though the Falcons D’ is a little banged up on the line and at linebacker, Cutler can’t be trusted to produce any kind of meaningful fantasy output.
Other Matchups:
The nervousness that comes from seeing Julio Jones (WR, ATL) listed as a limited practice participant with a questionable tag for Sunday is upon us, as he was slowed down in Week 4 with a hip flexor injury. There is optimism out of Atlanta that Jones will be able to go this week, and if he does he will have a juicy matchup against a Dolphin secondary that has yet to find its way. The Dolphins stats were boosted by a matchup against a struggling Tennessee Titans offense, but make no mistake about it that if Jones is on the field, he will be able to feast on a secondary that has allowed 171.3 passing yards to receivers in their three other matchups. Mohamed Sanu (WR, ATL) opened the week with two missed practices, and it appears as though he might be held out of Sunday’s game. If Sanu sits out, Taylor Gabriel (WR, ATL) would likely see an even larger increase to his snap percentages that have already been on the rise for the past three weeks (47%, 53%, 80%). Even with this increased playing time, Gabriel will continue to be a boom or bust option, making him a risky flex play with promising upside. Austin Hooper (TE, ATL) would likely be one of the biggest beneficiaries if Sanu can’t go, as he saw a season high six targets in Week 4 when both Jones and Sanu went out, after seeing only six total all season. Hooper would be a solid streaming option against a Dolphins defense that is allowing a 77% completion rate and 60.5 ypg (20) to tight ends.
For all of the troubles that this Miami Dolphins team has had, their run defense has not been one of them. They are allowing the ninth fewest points to the position in standard scoring formats on just 3.1 ypc, and haven’t allowed a rushing touchdown since Week 2. You obviously are not benching Devonta Freeman (RB, ATL) here, but he has only averaged 70 ypg and his fantasy day might come down to him getting into the end zone this week (which he has been able to do in every game this season). Tevin Coleman (RB, ATL) has been flex-worthy in all of his matchups so far this year, and in addition to his 13 receptions, his rushing totals have increased in every game this season (16,42,46,77) While the Dolphins run defense is surprisingly stout, they have allowed some big gains in the passing game to running backs, and Coleman should be able to make his mark as a safe play in PPR formats with his 4.8 targets per game.
Jay Ajayi (RB, MIA) has been over 25 carries in Miami’s two wins this season, and seemingly has a good matchup against a Falcons defense that is giving up the 11th most points to running backs. The only problem is, the majority of that damage has been done by passing catching backs. Ajayi has been increasingly losing third down snaps in the team’s efforts to limit his workload, as he will be without a bye for the rest of the season. If the chances of the Falcons jumping all over a struggling Dolphins team early weren’t so great, Ajayi would be a good start here. As it stands though, he is a risky play, but he might have a shot at finding the end zone for the time this year.
Jarvis Landry (WR, MIA) has led the Dolphins receivers in targets in all but one game this season, and he was still targeted seven times in that Week 4 matchup. While the Falcons secondary has only allowed 120.5 yards per game to opposing receivers, the majority of that yardage has come on slot corner Brian Poole who has allowed a 70% catch rate in coverage through four games. Landry’s production would only be aided if Parker does not suit up, and he is settled in as a WR2 in PPR leagues, with a slight dip to a WR2/flex starter in standard due to his modest yardage outputs in his last three games (48,44,40). DeVante Parker (WR, MIA) was spotted in a walking boot as he nursed an injured ankle, and it now appears after missing two straight practices that his Week 6 status could be in doubt. If he is able to go he will have a tough matchup against a pair of stingy Atlanta cornerbacks on the outside, but his 30% target share of the Miami offense would keep him in the WR2/flex conversation. If Parker is unable to go, Kenny Stills (WR, MIA) could see a boost in volume. Although Stills has been a big play, boom or bust player for most of his career, he has been struggling this year with only one touchdown and has only amassed 114 yards through four games. If he soaked up some of Parker’s targets he would still be difficult to trust, but could be worth a shot in the flex spot for owners needing a high upside play. Julius Thomas (TE, MIA) has yet to produce much of anything, and it will be hard to employ him in lineups even against a Falcons defense that has been vulnerable to the tight end position and is giving up just under 70 yards per game. Thomas is just barely over 70 total yards on the year, and can be left on the bench for this matchup.
Lions at Saints
Matchups We Love:
Theo Riddick (RB, DET)
After seeing his snap count almost doubled by Abdullah in Week 4, Riddick returned the favor in Week 5, getting more burn than his counterpart as the Lions played from behind for the majority of the second half. While the Saints defense has played the run well this year, they have been particularly vulnerable to skilled pass-catching backs of late, allowing an average of 123.5 yards to backs out of the backfield with one touchdown in the past two games. Riddick should make a solid flex play for the week, with RB2 potential if the Lions find themselves down again.
Golden Tate (WR, DET)
Tate has averaged eight targets over the Lions’ past three games, and has emerged as Stafford’s clear go to guy, with nine yards per catch over that time span. While owners would certainly like to see his yardage output increase, he has a great matchup against the Saints slot corner Kenny Vaccaro, who is allowing a 71% completion percentage and over 2 yards per route covered which is 3rd worst of all cornerbacks. Tate can be started with confidence in PPR formats, and should be a similarly safe flex option in standard leagues as well.
Matchups We Hate:
Eric Ebron (TE, DET)
Ebron again disappointed owners last week, and it will likely be more of the same as he goes up against a Saints team that has held opposing tight ends to under 30 yards in three out of four games. Both his targets and snap percentages have declined, and he has been vastly outplayed by predominantly blocking tight end Darren Fells in two straight weeks. Ebron really isn’t even a good boom/bust option at the tight end position anymore, and there are likely better streamers for the week on the wire
Other Matchups:
Matthew Stafford (QB, DET) suffered injuries to both his ankle and hamstring in Week 5, but opened the week with two full practices, and looks to be on track to play Sunday. After getting shredded in the first two games of the season to the tune of 346 and 447 passing yards, the Saints secondary has tightened up and only gave up 348 total passing yards combined in Weeks 3 and 4, while intercepting four passes and allowing zero touchdowns. This game still projects to be a shootout though, and Stafford should be deployed as a low-end QB1 with the hope that he will be able to make it through the game without any setbacks.
The matchup for Ameer Abdullah (RB, DET) isn’t great, but it isn’t awful either. Coming off of season lows in both snaps (22) and touches (11), Abdullah will look to get back on track in a game that projects to be closer than their loss to the Panthers last week. Outside of Dalvin Cook in Week 1, the Saints have not allowed a back to rush for more than 69 yards against them, and they have also not allowed a score since then either. This is right around Abdullah’s yards from scrimmage average (71.2) this year, and all signs are pointing towards him being able to return to the weekly flex appeal he had before a disappointing week 5 outing. Marvin Jones (WR, DET) has drawn some tough cornerback matchups over the past few weeks, and as a result hasn’t done much of note since Week 2. We will have to wait and see if Kenny Golladay suits up on Sunday, but if he doesn’t go Jones could have a decent day against a pair of Saints cornerbacks that are second to last in yards per vertical attempt allowed (16.0).
The Lions pass defense came off the rails against Cam Newton last week, paving the way for Drew Brees (QB, NO) to have a big day on Sunday. Although the Lions are only allowing the eighth fewest points to quarterbacks this year, they are allowing a healthy 256 passing yards per game (27), and Brees should be able to continue to build on a great start to the season as a QB1 for this matchup. Michael Thomas (WR, NO) has found his groove over the past three weeks, reeling in 20 passes for 265 yards with two touchdowns. He will draw a tough matchup in Lions’ cornerback Darius Slay, who finally gave up his first touchdown of the season to Kelvin Benjamin last week. Despite his one-on-one matchup, Brees will be looking for Thomas every chance he gets, and his volume and ability to find the end zone should be enough to keep him in the high-end WR2 range for this matchup.
The biggest beneficiary of Adrian Peterson’s departure will probably be Mark Ingram (RB, NO), as Kamara’s role as the pass catching back was pretty much safe even when the backfield was muddled. Unfortunately for Ingram, this isn’t the greatest matchup for him to be cut loose in. Detroit has only surrendered 373 total rushing yards through five games, while allowing only three scores. Ingram did see eight targets last week, which will help boost his production against a defense that has allowed at least 50 receiving yards to running backs in three of five games. Ingram will at the very least be able to continue delivering solid flex production, with RB2 upside in PPR formats. While Ingram will likely see the largest volume increase, Peterson’s release signals the Saints’ belief in their dynamic rookie Alvin Kamara (RB, NO). He will remain heavily involved in the passing game, and will likely see a few more carries as he tries to get in the end zone for the third straight week.
Ted Ginn (WR, NO) has seen his production and usage evaporate through four games this season, and with Willie Snead (WR, NO) set to make his season debut, these numbers could continue to decline. Ginn has not gone over 53 yards this season, and with the emergence of Kamara and Snead’s return, it is unclear just how and where Ginn will fit in. He is probably best suited on your bench this week until a clearer picture of the Saints’ offense comes in to focus. How much Snead will be used against the Lions is also cloudy, as he is coming off of both a suspension and hamstring injury that have caused him to miss all of the Saints’ game so far this season. Snead should only be rolled out for owners that are particularly needy for a bye-week fill in. Coby Fleener (TE, NO) has been very quiet since opening the season with a touchdown in Weeks 1 and 2, and it will be hard to trust him even going up against a Lions defense that is giving up 70.5 yards to tight ends this season. Even though the Lions let Ed Dickson run wild for 175 yards on five catches last week, Fleener’s usage with the Saints doesn’t seem conducive for this kind of success. You could certainly do worse at the tight end position this week, but you could also do much better, and should seek out alternative options if possible.
Vikings at Packers
Matchups We Love:
Davante Adams (WR, GB)
Adams draws a plus matchup this week going against cornerback Tre Waynes, who has been responsible for two of the three receiving touchdowns that the Vikings secondary has allowed this year. Adams has seen no less than five targets in any game this season, and should be on the WR2/flex borderline coming off of a two touchdown effort in Week 5.
Adam Thielen (WR, MIN)
It is still unknown if Stefon Diggs will suit up for Sunday’s matchup, but in the chance that he is not able to go, Thielen would be the direct beneficiary. Although his receiving yardage has tailed off in Sam Bradford’s absence, he is still ninth best in the league with an eight target per game average. He will be on the WR2/flex borderline for this matchup with the upside for a lot more against slot corner Quinten Rollins, who has allowed a 79% completion rate and two touchdowns so far this season.
Kyle Rudolph (TE, MIN)
Rudolph finally came through for fantasy owners last week, catching his first touchdown since week 1, while fielding nine targets after seeing just 12 total over his past three games. Despite the fact that the Packers are only allowing the second fewest points to the tight end position, Rudolph’s volume and individual matchup with cornerback Josh Jones is favorable, and he should be a solid start, especially in PPR scoring. He would also receive a bump should Diggs miss this week’s game.
Matchups We Hate:
Jordy Nelson (WR, GB)
Nelson will be facing by far his toughest matchup of the year going up against Xavier Rhodes and the Minnesota Vikings defense in Week 6. While Nelson has caught at least one touchdown in every game this season outside of Week 2 when he exited on the open drive, Rhodes has yet to allow a 100-yard game or a single touchdown to any receiver in coverage so far. Nelson is also coming off of a season low four target game, and is dealing with an apparent hamstring injury. Nelson is a stud and you likely aren’t sitting him, but you should at the very least be weary of the probability that he is shadowed by Rhodes on Sunday.
Other Matchups:
Although the Vikings held rookie Mitch Trubisky to just 128 yards in Week 5, they have shown that they can be beaten by quality quarterbacks, and have not been nearly as stingy as they were last season. Despite allowing the seventh fewest points to quarterbacks, they are allowing 11 yards per pass and a 65% completion rate, and Aaron Rodgers (QB, GB) will be a clear QB1 for this matchup coming off a four touchdown outing in Week 4 with three more in Week 5. Rodgers will have his full complement of receivers this week and he should be in line for another big game. Randall Cobb (WR, GB) has a so-so matchup going up against Terence Newman this week, who has allowed only one touchdown on the year. After seeing nine targets in Week 2, Cobb has had just nine targets in his last two games, and hasn’t been able to top 50 yards in that time-span. He is a decent flex option in PPR leagues, but owners in standard leagues might want to see if they have any more promising options. With all three of Green Bay’s top receivers set to be active this week, Geronimo Allison (WR, GB) offers no fantasy value in this matchup, and barring injury likely won’t be relevant any time in the near future either. The curious case of what will happen in the Green Bay backfield on Sunday is anybody’s guess.
Aaron Jones (RB, GB) broke out last week with his first career 100-yard game, and has scored in his last two contests. Meanwhile Ty Montgomery (RB, GB) has been practicing in full this week, and might be able to give it a go against the Vikings while wearing extra protection for his ribs. If Montgomery does play, it is unclear how much the Packers will ask of him with Jones currently holding down the fort. If he is productive and doesn’t run the risk of re-aggravating his rib injury, we could be looking at a committee situation. Regardless of which back garners the most touches in this matchup, the Vikings defense is allowing the second fewest points to running backs this year on just 3.32 ypc, and neither player is a great start going up against one of the league’s toughest defensive lines and linebacker corps.
Martellus Bennett (TE, GB) continues to enjoy great volume, and his 6.2 targets per game is good for 8th best for the tight end position. He hasn’t been able to turn that into any viable fantasy production however, as he has yet to get in the end zone and has gone over 50 yards only once. The matchup is moderately favorable though, and if any of the Packers’ receivers struggle to get open, Bennett could be the beneficiary in the red zone where all three of the touchdowns that the Vikings have allowed to tight ends have come.
With Bradford unlikely to play this week, Case Keenum (QB, MIN) could be worth a look as a streaming option this week, as he goes up against a Green Bay Packers defense that has allowed seven touchdowns and have only picked off three pass through five games. Keenum has been serviceable in fill-in status this year, and could have another decent outing against a Packers defense that is giving up 218 yards per game with a 66% completion percentage. How the Vikings backfield will shape up both in this game and for the rest of the season is still unknown. It would seem like a given that the 6’3”, 230-pound Latavius Murray (RB, MIN) would be a lock for the early down work, but in the first game without Dalvin Cook he was both out-snapped (47-22) and out-touched (22-9) by Jerick McKinnon (RB, MIN). Murray is still the favorite to get the goal line touches if the Vikings get down close, making him a touchdown dependent flex option for the week against a Green Bay team that has allowed five total touchdowns (three rushing, two receiving) to opposing backs this year. McKinnon is a solid flex start if he continues to see heavy volume, and he could even make a case for RB2 status in PPR formats. Stefon Diggs (WR, MIN) has yet to log even a limited practice session this week, but the receiver did come out and say that he expects to play on Sunday. A declaration such as this from a player is never the most trustworthy source, but if he is able to go he will have a favorable matchup against Damarious Randall is allowing nearly 2 yards per route run and a 63% completion rate on passes thrown his way.
Browns at Texans
Matchups We Love:
Deshaun Watson (QB, HOU)
Ever since taking over for Tom Savage in the second half of Week 1, Watson has taken the league by storm and has been putting up absolutely preposterous numbers. While it isn’t 100% guaranteed that he will be able to sustain this production through an entire season, the good times should definitely keep on rolling at home against Cleveland. Since Week 3, Watson has thrown for at least 261 yards in every game, adding 11 passing touchdowns and two scores on the ground. He is locked in as a QB1 for a Week 6 tilt against a Browns team that is giving up the fourth most points to quarterbacks, with 228 ypg and multiple touchdowns in all but one matchup.
Ryan Griffin (TE, HOU)
Griffin has quietly dominated the snaps and target share for the Texans for the majority of the season, and will have a tasty matchup against a Browns defensive unit that has allowed either a touchdown or 100 receiving yards to the tight end position in all but one game this year. While Griffin’s numbers haven’t been mind-blowing, the Browns defense has served as a cure-all for the tight ends they have faced so far this season, and Griffin will have a decent chance to find the end zone this week.
Matchups We Hate:
Isaiah Crowell (RB, CLE)
The Texans’ defense was dealt a devastating blow last week as they lost both J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus for the season. This means that in theory there should be opportunities for Cleveland to run the ball, but it is just about impossible to love Crowell based on the numbers he has put up this season. He has yet to score a touchdown, and has not been able to gain over 60 yards on the ground in any game this season. With the Texans’ allowing only 1.56 yards before first contract, starting Crowell as even a flex is dicey.
Other Matchups:
As bad as the Cleveland defense has been at times this year, their rushing defense is still holding up, despite the fact that many teams have had the luxury of spending the majority of the second half killing the clock with the run. That presents a surprisingly difficult matchup for Lamar Miller (RB, HOU) this week, as the Browns have only allowed 76.6 ypg (5), and the seventh fewest points to running backs. Miller should still be able to put up RB2 numbers in this matchup though, as he is averaging 19 carries per game on the year. With snap counts of just 17, 24, and nine over the past three weeks, D’Onta Foreman (RB, HOU) is firmly cemented behind Miller and might not have much fantasy utility this week, although he could see some added touches in the second half if the Texans can run the score up early.
DeAndre Hopkins (WR, HOU) has returned to elite fantasy production with Watson under center, but he will spend most of Sunday going up against Jason McCourty, who has been one of the league’s top corners in coverage through five games. McCourty is coming off of his best game this season, in which he allowed only 22 yards on seven targets, while also nabbing his second pick of the year. Hopkins volume and weekly touchdown upside will keep him in the WR1 conversation, but owners should at least be prepared for the possibility that Hopkins could come back down to earth this week. With nine targets since returning to action, Will Fuller (WR, HOU) is still widely a boom or bust flex option, but boom he has. In his two games back from a preseason collarbone injury, he has had four touchdowns on six catches. In a favorable matchup, he will have the opportunity to display his speed and go after another touchdown against a Browns secondary that is giving up an average of 300 air yards per game.
Duke Johnson (RB, CLE) has shaped up as the back to own in Cleveland, averaging 9 yards per touch and easily being the most efficient player on the offense despite being out-touched by Crowell in every game except for a Week 4 loss to the Bengals. He has RB2 upside in PPR formats, and can safely be rolled out as a flex/RB2 fringe in standard against a Texans defense that gave up two receiving touchdowns to Charcandrick West in the red zone last week, and is down two key defenders.
Kevin Hogan (QB, CLE) played well in relief of DeShone Kizer in Week 5, but Hogan has been on the Browns’ roster for two years now and has not come remotely close to winning the starting spot outright. There’s a reason for that, and he likely won’t have any sustainable fantasy relevance. With Hogan making his first career start, along with the general inefficiency that has plagued the Cleveland offense for years now, there aren’t many pass catchers on this team that you should have in your lineup either. Kenny Britt (WR, CLE) re-aggravated his groin injury in practice on Thursday, putting his game day availability in question, which could again open things up for Ricardo Louis (WR, CLE). In Britt’s absence last week, Louis stepped up and hauled in 5-of-8 targets for 71 yards. He now has 11 catches for 145 yards over the past three weeks, and could be worth a look as a bye week fill-in with hopes that he can get in to the end zone against a Texans defense that has given up 9 touchdowns to receivers this year. Seth DeValve (TE, CLE) and rookie David Njoku (TE, CLE) continue to split snaps evenly, with the former seeing a slight advantage on the year (34.8-32.22). While DeValve has the edge in targets and receptions, it is Njoku who has caught 3 touchdowns so far this season. Both players have a tough matchup, with the Texans only giving up only 44.6 (4) yards a game to tight ends, and it will be hard to roll out either with much confidence.
