X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Fantasy Football Rookies to Watch in Week 6

Welcome to Week 6 RotoBallers! Each week in this column, we'll highlight a few first-year players who are worth keeping your eye on. Not all of the players listed below are must-starts, but all of them are in a position to be viable fantasy options. If any of these names are sitting out on your waiver wire, you should keep a close watch on them.

Ideally, some of these names will help fantasy players get some roster depth which can minimize the negative impact of injuries and bye weeks.

Initially, some of these names will seem fairly obvious. As the season progresses, expect this column to pay more attention to under-the-radar options.

Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers won two writing awards and received 12 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. A big congrats to our very own Byron Lindeque (Golf) and Jordan McAbee (NASCAR) for both winning Writer Of The Year awards! Be sure to follow RotoBaller's analysis and advice all year long, and win more. Win More With RotoBaller!

 

The One Man Hype Machine

Gardner Minshew (QB, JAC)

Try to understand this: The Jaguars rookie QB, who was thrust into the starting role midway through Week 1, is currently a QB1 on the season. In his time under center, he has a 9-to-1 touchdown to interception ratio. His biggest pass-catching weapon is a sophomore receiver who logged zero starts last year.

Minshew is firmly proving he's the real deal and he'll get another chance to throw up a big stat line against a New Orleans defense that's allowed an average of 363 passing yards per game. He put up 374 yards and a couple of touchdowns last week against one of the top defenses in the league. Minshew Mania may be a fad, but the man behind the mustache could be here to stay.

 

The Real Deal

Terry McLaurin (WR, WAS)

Speaking of rookies who will likely stay atop the mountain, Terry McLaurin is the real deal. He's faced off against some of the toughest corners in the NFL, including last week against New England's Stephen Gilmore, and is still resting comfortably as the WR14 on a points-per-game basis in PPR formats.

This week is a perfect storm for the 24-year-old wideout. He's stayed off the injury report this week. He gets to re-establish his connection with Case Keenum, who is mercifully returning to the starting role. And he gets to face a Miami defense that's softer than key lime pie. If ever there was a time to best his debut wherein he put up 125 yards and a touchdown, this would be it.

 

The Plodder With A Path To Touches

Benny Snell, Jr. (RB, PIT)

James Conner is in for a lot of work this Sunday against the Chargers. That really isn't up for debate. What will be interesting, though, is how frequently the rookie from Kentucky is brought in to spell him. Snell was talked up in the offseason in many fantasy circles as someone who could compete for the starting gig with Conner. That...clearly has not happened.

Snell has touched the ball a total of seven times through five games and hasn't looked all that special. But with Jaylen Samuels on crutches, Snell will be Conner's backup. Los Angeles is a team that can be run on, and Pittsburgh will have to test their front seven often to keep the pressure off their third-string quarterback. If Snell is going to break out this year, he'll have to do look better than he has thus far with the opportunities he sees this week.

 

The Under-Utilized Weapon

Miles Boykin (WR, BAL)

Marquise Brown is a game-time decision, though it's looking unlikely Baltimore's 1st-round draft pick will suit up based on his missing practice all week. In his absence, Lamar Jackson will have to figure out a way to get this receiving corp going against a beatable Cincinnati secondary. Mark Andrews is obviously the motor that keeps the receiving game moving down the road, but Boykin will need to get involved to keep it from sputtering if a banged-up Andrews can't play at full tilt.

Boykin flashed a couple of weeks ago against Cleveland when he snatched all three of his targets for 32 yards and a touchdown. He followed that up, however, with a goose egg at Pittsburgh. Boykin has all the measurables you could possibly want in a receiver, including a catch radius that should be incredibly enticing for Jackson. This could be the game he puts those traits into action.

 

The Third-In-Command

Devlin Hodges (QB, PIT)

Pittsburgh has been home to one of the most depressing quarterback carousels in recent memory this year. First, their star QB Ben Roethlisberger is put on IR with a season-ending elbow injury in Week 2, then their impressive backup Mason Rudolph is literally knocked out of the game in extremely disturbing fashion last week against Baltimore. That left undrafted rookie Hodges out of Samford to take the reigns.

And he looked surprisingly sharp in his brief time filling in last week. Hodges led a scoring drive as soon as he entered the game and a little over a quarter of play completing seven of nine passes for 68 yards and a pair of scampers for 20 yards. That stat line would've looked much more impressive had JuJu Smith-Schuster not had a pass punched out of his hands for a fumble that would ultimately secure a loss for the Steelers. Against an injury-ravaged Chargers Defense, Hodges will have a chance to further endear himself to Steelers fans and fantasy owners alike.

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Nolan Schanuel30 mins ago

Injury Isn't Serious
Isaiah Stewart1 hour ago

Injured Against Boston
Duncan Robinson2 hours ago

Doesn't Return On Monday
Jackson Chourio2 hours ago

Makes Opening Day Roster
Anthony Davis2 hours ago

Cleared To Meet Atlanta
Blake Snell2 hours ago

Heading To The Giants
Onyeka Okongwu2 hours ago

To Return On Monday
Bryce McGowens3 hours ago

Unavailable For Tuesday
Tyus Jones3 hours ago

Won't Play On Tuesday
Deni Avdija4 hours ago

Unavailable For Tuesday
Nick Martinez4 hours ago

To Open The Year In The Rotation
OG Anunoby4 hours ago

Set For Multi-Game Absence
Kyle Kuzma4 hours ago

Uncertain For Tuesday
Luka Doncic4 hours ago

Considered Probable For Tuesday
Matt McLain4 hours ago

Scratched With Shoulder Soreness
Bilal Coulibaly4 hours ago

Ruled Out For Rest Of Season
Kenley Jansen4 hours ago

Scheduled To Make Four More Spring Appearances
Jackson Chourio4 hours ago

"In The Mix" For Roster Spot
Rudy Gobert4 hours ago

Ruled Out For Monday
Scoot Henderson4 hours ago

Returns To Starting Unit Without Restrictions
Matisse Thybulle4 hours ago

Available Again On Monday
Jerami Grant4 hours ago

Remains Sidelined On Monday
Lauri Markkanen4 hours ago

Returns To Action On Monday
Alex Caruso5 hours ago

Ready To Roll Monday
Coby White5 hours ago

Ruled Out For Monday
Kristaps Porzingis5 hours ago

Returns To Celtics Lineup
Jaylen Brown5 hours ago

Ready To Go On Monday
Jayson Tatum5 hours ago

Won't Play Against Detroit
Teuvo Teravainen5 hours ago

Misses Second Straight Game
Joshua Dobbs5 hours ago

49ers Reach Agreement With Joshua Dobbs
TOR5 hours ago

Mitch Marner To Miss At Least Two More Games
Jacob Markstrom5 hours ago

Could Return This Weekend
Rico Dowdle5 hours ago

Staying With Cowboys
Mikhail Sergachev5 hours ago

Skates On Monday
Dustin Wolf6 hours ago

Between The Pipes Monday
New Orleans Saints6 hours ago

Saints Expected To Sign Chase Young
Alexander Mattison6 hours ago

Signing With Raiders
DJ LeMahieu7 hours ago

In Danger Of Missing Opening Day
Buffalo Bills7 hours ago

Taron Johnson Re-Signs With Bills On Three-Year Deal
José Urquidy7 hours ago

Jose Urquidy Has Forearm Strain, Will Begin On Injured List
Justin Verlander7 hours ago

Expected To Face Hitters "In The Next Day Or Two"
Corey Seager7 hours ago

Takes Batting Practice Monday
Aaron Judge8 hours ago

Likely To Play In Four Of Final Six Spring Games
Garrett Crochet8 hours ago

Named Opening Day Starter
Nolan Schanuel8 hours ago

Scratched With Back Tightness
Dallas Cowboys8 hours ago

Leighton Vander Esch Calling It A Career
DJ LeMahieu9 hours ago

Still Pretty Sore
Aaron Judge9 hours ago

To Return On Wednesday
Jhoan Duran9 hours ago

To Begin Season On Injured List
Bryan Battle10 hours ago

Bout Ends in Controversy
Ange Loosa10 hours ago

Fight Ruled A No-Contest After Accidental Eye Poke
Ovince Saint Preux10 hours ago

Wins Split Decision In A Back-And-Forth Fight
Kennedy Nzechukwu10 hours ago

Suffers Split-Decision Loss To Ovince Saint Preux
Gerald Meerschaert10 hours ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Shohei Ohtani10 hours ago

Cleared To Begin Throwing Program
Bryan Barberena10 hours ago

Submitted In The Second Round
Kyle Manzardo10 hours ago

Sent To Minor-League Camp
Jackson Merrill11 hours ago

Wins Center Field Job
Kenley Jansen11 hours ago

Scratched With Lower-Back Tightness
Denny Hamlin11 hours ago

Emerges Victorious For Second Bristol Win In A Row
Alexander Mattison12 hours ago

Visiting With Raiders
Dak Prescott12 hours ago

Cowboys Restructure Dak Prescott's Contract
Dmitry Orlov13 hours ago

Collects Four Points In Big Win
Tyler Toffoli13 hours ago

Dominates Against Columbus With Three Points
Lucas Raymond13 hours ago

Pots Pair Of Goals Versus Penguins
Kaz Grala13 hours ago

Finishes 19th At Bristol Motor Speedway
Bo Horvat13 hours ago

Scores Twice In Losing Effort
Brad Keselowski13 hours ago

Exceeds Value In DFS At Bristol Motor Speedway
Pavel Buchnevich13 hours ago

Delivers Three Assists In Sunday's Win
Ryan Lindgren14 hours ago

Suffers Leg Injury Versus Islanders
Kyle Larson14 hours ago

After 5th at Bristol: "I Hope I Never Have To Run A Race Like That Again"
Chase Elliott14 hours ago

Earns First Top 10 Finish Of 2024
Justin Haley14 hours ago

Earns Best NextGen Short Track Finish for Rick Ware Racing
Ty Gibbs14 hours ago

Has Dominant Day at Bristol but Fades Late
John Hunter Nemechek19 hours ago

Found Speed At Bristol
Chris Buescher19 hours ago

Secures Top 10 At Bristol
Alex Bowman22 hours ago

Late Charge to Fourth Masks Early Race Struggles
Christopher Bell22 hours ago

Ran Well, But His Teammates Were All Better
Martin Truex Jr1 day ago

. Matches Career-Best Finish At Bristol
Ryan Blaney1 day ago

Fades to 16th at Bristol After Handling Struggles
Russell1 day ago

Wilson Still Considered The Starter
William Byron2 days ago

Is One Of The Top DFS Options For Bristol
Ty Gibbs2 days ago

Starts 19th At Bristol After Damage In Practice
Justin Haley2 days ago

Scores A Starting Position Of 32nd For Bristol
Denny Hamlin2 days ago

Should Compete For The Win At Bristol
Brad Keselowski2 days ago

History Indicates Brad Keselowski Being A Favorable Bristol Play
Joey Logano2 days ago

Should Be Rostered With Caution At Bristol
Tyler Reddick2 days ago

Is Tyler Reddick Worth Rostering At Bristol This Week?
Martin Truex Jr2 days ago

. Could Work As A Tournament Play At Bristol
Alexander Nylander2 days ago

Totals Three Points In Saturday's Win
Sebastian Aho2 days ago

Leads Hurricanes To Victory In Toronto
Owen Tippett2 days ago

Delivers Three Assists In High-Scoring Loss
Steven Stamkos2 days ago

Extends Scoring Streak With Four-Point Performance
Nick Schmaltz2 days ago

Records Three Assists In Win Over New Jersey
Artemi Panarin2 days ago

Racks Up Five Points In Saturday's Win
Brady Tkachuk2 days ago

Sinks Islanders With Third Hat Trick
Pannie Kianzad2 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Macy Chiasson2 days ago

Gets First-Round Submission Win
Isaac Dulgarian2 days ago

Suffers First Career Loss
Christian Rodriguez2 days ago

Overcomes Early Adversity At UFC Vegas 88
Tai Tuivasa2 days ago

Suffers Fourth Straight Loss
Marcin Tybura2 days ago

Gets First-Round Submission
Justin Fields2 days ago

Traded To The Steelers
NHL2 days ago

Lukas Reichel Will Be In The Lineup Sunday
Cale Makar2 days ago

A Game-Time Decision Saturday
Zach Parise2 days ago

Likely To Return Saturday
Michael Gallup2 days ago

Panthers Bringing In Michael Gallup For A Visit
Mike Williams3 days ago

Panthers To Host Mike Williams On A Visit
New York Jets3 days ago

Jets Expected To Sign Tyron Smith
AJ Dillon3 days ago

Officially Re-Signs With Packers
Van Jefferson3 days ago

Steelers Signing Van Jefferson
Jakobi Meyers3 days ago

Raiders Restructure Jakobi Meyers' Contract
Jimmy Garoppolo3 days ago

Rams Agree With Jimmy Garoppolo On One-Year Deal
Gerald Meerschaert3 days ago

To Fight In Main Event Of UFC Vegas 88
Bryan Barberena3 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
Kennedy Nzechukwu3 days ago

Looks To Get Back In Win Column
Ovince Saint Preux3 days ago

Set For 27th UFC Appearance
Bryan Battle3 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Ange Loosa3 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 88
San Francisco 49ers3 days ago

De'Vondre Campbell Heading To San Francisco
Dallas Cowboys3 days ago

Leighton Vander Esch Being Cut By Cowboys
Michael Gallup3 days ago

Cowboys Releasing Michael Gallup
Kenny Pickett3 days ago

Steelers Sending Kenny Pickett To Eagles
Pannie Kianzad5 days ago

Looking For Redemption At UFC Vegas 88
Macy Chiasson5 days ago

Ends Layoff At UFC Vegas 88
Isaac Dulgarian5 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 88
Christiaan Bezuidenhout5 days ago

Looking To Put It All Together At TPC Sawgrass
Eric Cole5 days ago

Rebounding Well In The Sunshine State
Brian Harman5 days ago

Playing The Dark-Horse Role Again At The Players
Matt Fitzpatrick5 days ago

Searching For Answers Thus Far In 2024
Sahith Theegala5 days ago

One Of The Tour's Fastest Risers To Start The New Year
Sam Burns5 days ago

Brings A Stellar Run Of Form Into TPC Sawgrass
PGA5 days ago

Sungjae Im Trending Up After Arnold Palmer Success
Jason Day5 days ago

Facing Iron Hiccup Heading To The Players
Tom Hoge6 days ago

Brings Strong Form And History To Sawgrass
Min Woo Lee6 days ago

Ready For Second Trip To Sawgrass
Will Zalatoris6 days ago

Working Toward A Win
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF