Key Starters and Tough Calls - Week 6 Lineup Spotlights for Fantasy Football Include Tyrone Tracy Jr., Bucky Irving, Jalen Tolbert

Scott Engel highlights essential fantasy football lineup starts/sit options for Week 6 (2024). He focuses on key NFL players to start when faced with challenging Week 6 fantasy football lineup decisions.

Scott Engel’s Lineup Spotlights on RotoBaller.com focus on key players to consider for your starting lineups every week during the 2024 fantasy football season. “The King” shares his fantasy analysis of starting options that may be involved in your tough lineup calls.

The potential fantasy starters included in this rundown are based on Scott’s Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available in the RotoBaller NFL Premium Pass. Enter the promo code KING at checkout for an additional discount and get access to his player rankings for all formats. Plus, you will get a ticket to an “All You Can Read” fantasy buffet of in-season tools and analysis.

When considering the players presented here for Week 6 lineups, also review our staff fantasy football rankings to see where they are ranked in comparison to your other options. The analysis is based on Scott’s Week 6 PPR rankings, and with injuries and bye weeks creating many pressing needs, we zoom in on prime RB and WR streamers this time, listed in order of positional rankings.

Running Backs – Fantasy Football Week 6

Tyrone Tracy Jr., New York Giants

Devin Singletary is out for Week 6 and the Giants rookie will make his second consecutive start. Tracy displayed versatility and burst in the win at Seattle and now gets a very good matchup to take advantage of. The Bengals rank 30^th in the NFL against the run. I have Tracy ranked as a high-end RB2 for Week 6, just outside of the top 12.

Tyrone Tracy handled 90% (!) of the RB opportunities in Week 5 after Eric Gray fumbled on the goal line in the 1st quarter (18 for Tracy, two for Gray)

Additionally, the Bengals have allowed the 3rd-most rushing yards per game this season

Would go Tracy > James Cook for example https://t.co/6gPWyajPe0

— Adam Koffler (@AdamKoffler) October 12, 2024

Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Rachaad White is not expected to play, and this first-year RB should be the clear lead RB for the Buccaneers. Irving has been threatening to wrest the role away from White, and now gets a true audition to be a starter. He must prove that the opportunity will lead to ideal production, but the Saints' defense may spend a lot of time on the field this week, so Irving ranks just inside my top 20 at RB.

Jeremy McNichols, Washington Commanders

Many fantasy leaguers will gravitate to Austin Ekeler as a lineup option with Brian Robinson Jr. out. That is understandable, but I do expect him to share a significant amount of work with McNichols, who might be the slightly preferred pick to get the most goal-line opportunities.

McNichols rushed for a total of three TDs in the last two games and Washington-Baltimore looks to be a high-scoring matchup. You might get more than one TD out of him, which is why McNichols also ranks just inside my top 20 at RB this week.

Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys

Seeing Detroit as a rushing defense matchup might prompt you to reserve Dowdle. The Lions rank fourth in run defense. Last week, however, Dowdle delivered his best performance yet, slashing and battling for 109 scrimmage yards and a TD against the Steelers.

Pittsburgh ranks fifth against the run, and Dowdle didn’t back down from a tough matchup in Week 5. Dallas-Detroit will be another high-scoring affair, so he should post at least respectable fantasy totals while seeing a few TD chances as both a runner and receiver. Dowdle is a top-25 fantasy RB for this week.

Antonio Gibson, New England Patriots

He is projected to start against the Texans, as Rhamondre Stevenson will miss the game. Drake Maye will make his first NFL start and he might depend on Gibson to catch some passes out of the backfield as a safety option. I don’t view Gibson as an upside play, but he can provide decent totals as a top-30 fantasy RB for Week 6.

Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers

Vidal was a hot fantasy addition over the weekend when Gus Edwards hit the IR. He should function as the RB2 for the Chargers against Denver. J.K. Dobbins will still be the starter and it’s not a good idea to pop this rookie into your lineup just yet. Vidal was a sensible free-agent pickup, yet we have to see him actually show he’s ready to take advantage of a chance to play more.

Wide Receivers – Fantasy Football Week 6

Wan'Dale Robinson, New York Giants

Malik Nabers will miss a second straight game, and Darius Slayton is going to get a lot of lineup consideration after an impressive Week 5 outing. I still prefer Robinson as a safer fantasy WR. Slayton has a long history of unreliability, and Robinson has been targeted more consistently so far this year. He is ranked just outside of the top 15 WRs.

Dontayvion Wicks, Green Bay Packers

The popular preseason sleeper pick was advertised as an exciting Week 5 lineup option, as Wicks got his chance to play a more prominent role. He fizzled, with two receptions for 20 yards. I will recommend keeping the faith in Wicks, and watch for a rebound against the Cardinals. Arizona has played better defense than expected but should still be vulnerable against the pass.

Don't panic on Dontayvion Wicks 🙅‍♂️@notJDaigle is buying low on the 2nd year wide receiver 🎯 pic.twitter.com/EuksxjD3fu

— Underdog (@UnderdogFantasy) October 8, 2024

Tank Dell, Houston Texans

The second-year downfield playmaker has disappointed so far this season, yet is now tabbed for re-emergence with Nico Collins on IR. Dell is listed at 165 pounds, so don’t expect a large amount of catches when Stefon Diggs and Xavier Hutchinson can take in key possession grans. Still, Dell carries upside against New England’s 25^th-ranked pass defense and is ranked as a higher WR3.

Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys

In Week 5, Tolbert caught the game-winning TD pass against the Steelers. He had seven receptions on 10 targets for 87 yards and may be targeted often in the Cowboys-Lions projected shootout. Dak Prescott remains one of the most aggressive throwers in the league, and Detroit allows the second-most FFPG to WRs. Tolbert ranks as a top 35 fantasy WR for Week 6.

Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans

In his first season with the Titans, Ridley has been a major source of fantasy frustration. Yet some fantasy leaguers will remain patient with him and haven’t quite given up in a Mark Andrews sort of way just yet. The Colts rank 25^th in FFPG to WRs, so Ridley may display his better form this week. Some skepticism lingers with Will Levis at QB, so the new Tennessee WR is only a top 35 WR.

Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts

The ceiling is apparent, but Pierce fully lacks a statistical floor.  He has caught more than three passes in a game once so far this season. The Titans rank first in FFPG allowed to WRs, and Josh Downs and Michael Pittman Jr. might be available for Week 6, so Pierce is a boom-or-bust WR4.

Quarterbacks And Tight Ends – Fantasy Football Week 5

Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons

His Week 5 performance was so amazing, that I may have uttered the word “extraordinary” the most times since the Titanic movie was filmed. Cousins was never considered a regular QB1 with the Vikings. He might not operate as a regular starter with Atlanta, either. A matchup with the Panthers, who rank 27^th in FFPG allowed to QBs, positions Cousins as a top 10 QB this week, though.

Kirk Cousins can exploit Carolina's zone-heavy defense

Cousins ranks 10th in efficiency against zone coverage, and he'll face a Panthers defense that runs zone coverage at the 3rd highest rate in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/CLbMuB4bu5

— PFF ATL Falcons (@PFF_Falcons) October 12, 2024

Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens

Having tumbled in the weekly TE rankings to the point where he is out of the top 10, the usual fantasy standout has been a target of much fantasy angst. So many fantasy leaguers have already run out of patience with Andrews to the point where they refuse to start him.

I am appealing to you to possibly give Andrews just one more chance in Week 6. The Washington pass defense is one of the most exploitable units in the league, and this is a viable opportunity to get him back into the offensive flow. Andrews was targeted five times last week, and if you don’t have another top-10 option at TE, take the shot on starting him again.

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