Matchups We Love - Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks

Quincy's top fantasy football matchups for Week 6 of 2025. His favorite start 'em, sit 'em picks and predictions -- strong start/sit matchups that he loves.

We are finally at a point in the NFL season where we have a solid idea of matchup difficulty. We now have five weeks' worth of data on offenses and defenses around the league that will allow us to make sound decisions in fantasy. Several offenses around the league look like good bets to continue producing. Alternatively, several defenses are clear targets for fantasy players.

As we continue to deal with bye weeks and injuries, several players who one may not expect to be fantasy options are emerging as such. Fantasy is always more exciting when waiver wire additions produce at a high level.

Hopefully, you have been able to get to this point in your season with a solid record. Week 6 presents a few interesting matchups and streaming options, particularly among quarterbacks. With Week 6 on the horizon, let's dive in and see who has the best and worst matchups heading into the weekend.

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
• Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
• Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
• FLEX fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• Kicker (K) fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

Quarterback Matchups We Love

Matthew Stafford - Los Angeles Rams
Opponent: at BAL
Opponent Rank vs. QB: 31st

Matthew Stafford appears to be back as a solid fantasy option. He is not someone we have looked to over the last couple of seasons due to his low rushing volume. However, Stafford has been producing ridiculous numbers over the last couple of weeks.

Stafford takes the lead in passing yards after Week 5 📈 pic.twitter.com/MvzgnLSeNg

— NFL (@NFL) October 7, 2025

The Rams are visiting Baltimore in Week 6, which is just what the doctor ordered after an unfortunate loss in Week 5 to the 49ers. The Ravens have been unable to stop anyone defensively, and Stafford is coming off two consecutive games with at least 375 passing yards and three touchdowns. Hopefully, the Rams can generate an early lead with the passing game and cruise to victory with the running game.

Jordan Love - Green Bay Packers
Opponent: CIN
Opponent Rank vs. QB: 26th

Cincinnati is becoming a favorite target in this column. This defense is simply unable to stop anyone. The only thing they have going for them is the presence of Trey Hendrickson on the edge. Otherwise, the Bengals are about as hapless defensively as anyone in the NFL.

Jordan Love and the Packers will draw the Bengals as they come out of their bye week. Love has done well in good matchups this season. The last time we saw him, Love lit up the box score with 337 yards and three passing touchdowns against an almost equally bad Cowboys defense. Look for something similar to unfold on Sunday, and for the Bengals to struggle through another week.

Quarterback Matchup to Temper Expectations

Trevor Lawrence - Jacksonville Jaguars
Opponent: SEA
2024 Opponent Rank vs. QB: 19th

Trevor Lawrence may be coming off a monster fantasy outing, but he is facing a different beast in Week 6. The Seahawks just got lit up by Baker Mayfield and co. in Week 5. This defense had been playing excellent ball all year, and they will be looking for some revenge. Additionally, if they get healthy in the secondary this week, Lawrence should struggle.

Chasing Lawrence's big game as a potential streaming option is not a great bet. He had only topped 11.7 fantasy points once prior to his explosion in Week 5. Leave Lawrence on the bench, or even on the waiver wire in Week 6.

Running Back Matchups We Love

Josh Jacobs - Green Bay Packers
Opponent: CIN
Opponent Rank vs. RB: 30th

Josh Jacobs was drafted to be an RB1 this season, but he has primarily been an RB2 thus far. However, Jacobs delivered a 31.7-fantasy point outing in Week 4 against the Dallas Cowboys. Now, coming out of his bye, Jacobs should provide fantasy managers with an encore.

Just like his quarterback Jordan Love, Jacobs draws an excellent matchup against the Bengals. Cincinnati's defense is leaky to essentially every position. Jacobs should have ridiculously large running lanes available to him all day. The number of points the Bengals are giving up is also absurd. As such, Jacobs should find himself at or near the goal line consistently. You can expect a high-end RB1 week from Jacobs in Week 6.

Tony Pollard - Tennessee Titans
Opponent: at LV
Opponent Rank vs. RB: 19th

Tony Pollard has delivered sneaky solid value this season. He is not winning you weeks, but he has been able to deliver right around double-digit fantasy points or more for the majority of the season. Additionally, the Titans have faced a flurry of solid defenses this season. However, in Week 5, in a softer matchup with the Cardinals, Pollard had his best fantasy game of the season with 14.8 points.

Tony Pollard's Week 5 doesn't look remarkable at first glance. 14 carries, 67 yards, a touchdown. Fine day at the office.

But the efficiency with which he and the OL kept this team on schedule is on display here. Half of his carries went for 5 or more yards. Only two were… pic.twitter.com/ftMVMbwAd8

— Easton Freeze (@eastonfreeze) October 6, 2025

The Titans draw the Raiders in Week 6. Las Vegas has issues on both the offensive and defensive sides of the field. With Vegas playing so poorly, Tennessee should not fall behind immediately. If this is a closer game, Pollard should have plenty of opportunities both on the ground and through the air. Additionally, look for Pollard to find himself in a scoring position once again in Week 6.

Running Back Matchup to Temper Expectations

Jaylen Warren - Pittsburgh Steelers
Opponent: CLE
Opponent Rank vs. RB: 3rd

Jaylen Warren should reclaim his spot at the top of the Steelers' depth chart after sitting out Week 4 with a knee injury and Week 5 while the Steelers were on bye. However, Warren's return to the field will be in a tough matchup. The Browns have done well to limit every running game they have faced. This defensive front is legit.

To make matters worse for Warren, his volume prior to his injury was elite with an average of 18 touches per game. However, the Steelers cannot ignore the job Kenneth Gainwell did in place of Warren in Week 4. Warren has never been an every-down running back, and Pittsburgh may look to get other backs involved coming out of their bye. Warren has RB2 upside in Week 6, but his floor is much lower than usual.

Wide Receiver Matchups We Love

Marvin Harrison Jr. - Arizona Cardinals
Opponent: at IND
Opponent Rank vs. WR: 28th

Marvin Harrison Jr. may have turned a corner in Week 4 when he had a solid game against the Seattle Seahawks. Harrison has turned in two straight double-digit fantasy outings with at least a touchdown or 98 receiving yards in Weeks 4 and 5. Harrison is clearly much more confident in himself, and the results are showing on the field.

Marvin Harrison Jr so far this season:

— 20 receptions
— 306 yards
— 2 touchdowns

Underused? pic.twitter.com/EMUyGMvAOK

— Cardinals Muse (@CardsMuse) October 7, 2025

The Cardinals draw a good-but-not-great Colts defense in Week 6. The Colts' offense is going to put up points on Arizona, so the game script suggests that Harrison's services will be necessary for the Cardinals to keep up. Look for Harrison to have a solid game in his heralded father's old stomping grounds.

Ladd McConkey - Los Angeles Chargers
Opponent: at MIA
Opponent Rank vs. WR: 10th

The Chargers are reeling on offense with the majority of their starting offensive line going down to injury. A date with the Miami Dolphins is exactly what this offense needs to get back on track. The Dolphins have no ability to cover solid wide receivers. With so many injuries and departures in their secondary, Miami cannot stop a nose bleed in the passing game.

Ladd McConkey finally got back on track in Week 5 with a touchdown reception and five catches. McConkey also notably outpaced third-year phenom Quentin Johnston for targets for the first time all season. While the target numbers project to bounce back and forth between the two and veteran Keenan Allen, McConkey is a great bet for another solid outing in Week 6.

Wide Receiver Matchup to Temper Expectations

Garrett Wilson - New York Jets
Opponent: DEN
Opponent Rank vs. WR: 8th

Garrett Wilson may be the current WR5 in fantasy, but Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II is undefeated against opposing No. 1 wide receivers. Surtain simply has a knack for covering receivers on the outside. If he takes away Jets quarterback Justin Fields' No. 1 target on Sunday, the entire offense could crumble.

Wilson has lit up bad defenses in recent weeks with the Dolphins and Cowboys each ceding a touchdown to the fourth-year star. However, Wilson's Week 5 touchdown came in garbage time; otherwise, he would have had a modest fantasy outing. Expect a lower-scoring game from Wilson in Week 6, and adjust the rest of your lineup accordingly.

Tight End Matchup We Love

Theo Johnson - New York Giants
Opponent: PHI
Opponent Rank vs. TE: 4th

Theo Johnson and rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart have clear chemistry. Like many rookie quarterbacks, Dart is latching onto his tight end due to the short, easy completions that arise from those targets. Johnson has now scored in two straight games, with at least five targets in both games.

"The team really motivated me to get better"

Theo Johnson reflects on his return to the field pic.twitter.com/Zu1FSBsli0

— New York Giants (@Giants) October 3, 2025

Despite their high ranking on the season, the Eagles have been generous to opposing tight ends in fantasy when they have faced a quality option. The rest of the Eagles' defense should be able to limit the other playmakers in the Giants' offense. As such, look for Dart to continue finding Johnson with success in Week 6.

Tight End Matchup to Temper Expectations

Kyle Pitts - Atlanta Falcons
Opponent: BUF
Opponent Rank vs. TE: 2nd

Kyle Pitts has been a serviceable option at tight end throughout this season. That does not figure to be the case in Week 6 against a Bills defense that has been pretty stingy against the position. Couple that with the fact that the Bills will come in hot off a Week 5 loss to the Patriots, and the Falcons could be in for a long day this weekend.

Even in their loss to the Patriots, the Bills shut down a red-hot Hunter Henry, despite Patriots quarterback Drake Maye throwing for 273 passing yards. Look for Pitts to receive a similar treatment in Week 6.

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