X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

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
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

NFL Pick'em Pool Picks (Week 6) - Targets, Avoids, Predictions for Pick'em Contests

C.J. Stroud - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

The top NFL Pick'em pool picks for Week 6 of the 2024 NFL season. Mike's weekly NFL Pick'em pool targets, avoids, and predictions to help win pick'em contests.

The undefeated Chiefs and Vikings will be two of the four teams that are on a bye during Week 6. As we march forward in a season that has been filled with wild upsets, will heavy favorites live up to expectations this week?

Each week of the NFL season, I’ll share my picks for each game and rank their selections for those who play in a format that requires it. The games will be grouped into locks, semi-confident picks, and toss-ups. The number listed next to the game shows my confidence level, counting down to my least confident pick. The winner picks are italicized.

Some weeks, you may see a subcategory of “Wait and See” because some platforms require all games to be selected before the kickoff of Thursday Night Football. There may still be some injury questions for Sunday and Monday games. If that’s the case, I’ll leave those games off to the side and suggest where they should be placed if a player is in or out. Let’s get to our Week 6 picks.

Featured Promo: Get any Props Premium Pass for 50% off using code SUMMER. Win more with our two new Props Optimizer tools -- one for PrizePicks Props, and one for Sportsbook Betting Props. Find optimal prop bets and get our recommended picks daily! Go Premium, Win More!

 

Week 6 NFL Pick'em Pool Locks

The number listed next to the game shows my confidence level, counting down to my least-confident pick. The higher the number, the better. The winner picks are italicized.

  • 14 – Houston at New England
  • 13 – Tampa Bay at New Orleans

The Patriots are making a change at quarterback with rookie Drake Maye replacing Jacoby Brissett. The Texans lost start wide receiver Nico Collins to a hamstring injury. It doesn’t matter. The Texans are the vastly superior team and still have C.J. Stroud under center. They should win this matchup handedly.

The matchup between the Buccaneers and Saints has lost a lot of its luster with Derek Carr (oblique) set to miss multiple games. Fifth-round rookie Spencer Rattler will start in his place. The Buccaneers have one of the better offenses in the league, averaging 25.4 points per game. Don’t expect Rattler to be able to help the Saints keep pace.

 

Semi-Confident Picks For Week 6 Pick'em Pools

12 – Pittsburgh at Las Vegas

Things are already unraveling for the Raiders. Davante Adams will be out again as he deals with a hamstring injury and his request to be traded. Gardner Minshew II has been so bad that he lost his starting job to Aidan O'Connell. This is a great bounce-back spot for the Steelers, who have lost back-to-back games after starting out the season 3-0.

11 – Atlanta at Carolina

The Panthers finally have a competent offense with Andy Dalton starting at quarterback. The problem is that their defense has given up an average of 33.0 points per game. After scoring a total of 62 points over their last two games, Kirk Cousins and the rest of the Falcons’ offense should be able to carry the team to victory.

10 – Chicago vs. Jacksonville

The Jaguars finally put one in the win column by defeating the Colts in Week 5. It wasn’t exactly a great win, though, with Anthony Richardson (oblique) and Jonathan Taylor (ankle) sidelined for the Colts. The Jaguars have allowed the most passing yards per game in the league, setting up Caleb Williams with a favorable opportunity to throw for at least 300 yards for the third time over his last four games.

9 – Philadelphia vs. Cleveland

The Eagles haven’t been great with their 2-2 record and injuries hampering their offense. However, they should still be the favorites against a Browns team that is 1-4 and has scored a total of just 79 points. The Browns continue to roll out Deshaun Watson, who has not thrown for more than 196 yards in a game. He also has one or no touchdown passes in four of five games.

 

NFL Pick'em Toss-Ups Of Week 6

8 – Cincinnati at New York Giants

It’s surprising that the Giants have a better record than the Bengals through five games. The Bengals have scored an average of 28.0 points per game, while the Giants have only averaged 17.8 points per game. On paper, the Bengals have significantly more offensive talent, so they should win this game. However, the Giants have held their own, even in most of their losses, so it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if they won.

7 – Baltimore vs. Washington

Another big surprise is the Commanders (4-1) having a better record than the Ravens (3-2) through five games. This will be a good test for the Commanders, on the road against a Super Bowl contender. The Ravens should be able to win this game as they have the more talented overall roster, but with how well Jayden Daniels has been playing, the Commanders might be able to pull off the upset.

6 – Detroit at Dallas

The Lions have played three home games on their way to a 3-1 start. The Cowboys are 3-0 on the road, but they have lost both of their home games. Still, the Cowboys were 8-0 at home last year. Injuries on both sides of the ball could be the Cowboys’ undoing, but the combination of home-field advantage and the duo of Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb could help the Cowboys put a scare into the Lions.

5 – Green Bay vs. Arizona

Kyler Murray can almost single-handedly carry the Cardinals to a victory. Still, they are just 2-3 this season despite averaging 24.0 points per game. Their defense has been a problem, allowing 25.8 points per game. The Packers deserve to be heavy favorites at home, but Murray potentially going off against a defense that has allowed the 10th-most passing yards per game in the league is also a possibility.

4 – Los Angeles Chargers at Denver

Points will likely be at a premium in this matchup. The Broncos have allowed 14.6 points per game and the Chargers have given up 12.5 points per game. The Chargers have the advantage of having added rest coming off their bye week, but this game could come down to which team can convert the most field goal attempts.

3 – Seattle vs. San Francisco

Anything can happen during a divisional matchup on Thursday Night Football. The Seahawks sit atop the NFC West at 3-2, while the 49ers have a 2-3 record despite having a +20 point differential. Two of their three losses have come by three or fewer points. When in doubt, I usually recommend taking the home team on Thursday Night Football.

2 – Buffalo at New York Jets

A loss to the Vikings in London proved to be the final straw for Robert Saleh, who was fired by the Jets this week. Probably his biggest undoing was the loss to the Broncos the week prior in which the Jets scored only nine points. Will interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich help turn around their season? I want no part of picking this game in any pool that matters with a new coach for the Jets and the Bills battling injuries.

1 – Tennessee vs. Indianapolis

Richardson is trending towards returning for Week 6, but that might not actually be a good thing for the Colts considering how well Joe Flacco has played in his absence. The Colts could also be without Taylor again, which would put even more pressure on Richardson to perform in the passing game. Will Levis is not only dealing with a shoulder injury, but he has just four touchdown passes to go along with six interceptions. If you can, stay far, far away from picking this matchup.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jordan Whittington

Mike LaFleur Praises Jordan Whittington
Jaydon Blue

Gets Work With First-Team Offense on Wednesday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. has Calf Strain, Could Return in 2-3 Weeks
Zay Flowers

Sitting Out of Wednesday's Practice
Joe Burrow

Says Wednesday's Practice was "Best I've Thrown in Years"
Cam Ward

Says Titans Offense Has Been "Very Mid"
Maxwell Hairston

Week-to-Week with Knee Injury
Shedeur Sanders

Competes Against First-Team Defense on Wednesday
Matthew Stafford

Rams Confident Matthew Stafford Will Play in Week 1
Juan Soto

Out Against Padres
Brandon Aiyuk

Still No Timetable for Brandon Aiyuk's Return
Ke'Bryan Hayes

Reds Acquiring Ke'Bryan Hayes From Pirates
Jackson Chourio

Out for Series Finale
Trey Hendrickson

Won't Practice as he Waits for New Deal
Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks Give John Schneider a Four-Year Extension
Hunter Renfrow

Out Wednesday With Hamstring Issue
Ian Happ

Won't Go on Injured List
Yordan Alvarez

Eyeing Mid-August Return for Astros
Isaac Paredes

Could Need Season-Ending Surgery
Marquise Brown

Out of Practice on Wednesday
Daniel Jones

Anthony Richardson Sr., Daniel Jones QB Competition Remains Tight
Xavier Worthy

in Concussion Protocol
Juwan Johnson

Suffers Undisclosed Injury
Buffalo Bills

Bills Backup Quarterback Competition "Completely Open"
Tory Horton

Impressing in Training Camp Practices
Calvin Ridley

Injured in Practice on Wednesday
Jordan James

Impressing in Training Camp Practices
Dalen Cambre

Earning First-Team Reps for Giants
Carlos Correa

Not in Lineup for Series Finale
Gary Woodland

Eyeing Strong Finish to Reach Playoffs
Max McGreevy

Chasing a Miracle at Wyndham
Stephan Jaeger

a Solid Value Play at Wyndham Championship
Max Homa

Fighting to Salvage Disappointing Season
Nicolai Hojgaard

a Sleeper at Wyndham Championship
Rickie Fowler

Riding Quiet Momentum Into Wyndham
Brian Campbell

a Wild Card at Wyndham Championship
Akshay Bhatia

Looking to Flip the Script at Wyndham Championship
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Back in Lineup Wednesday
Aaron Rai

Finishes Tied For 34th at Open Championship
Andrew Novak

Finishes Tied For 63rd at Open Championship
Hideki Matsuyama

Finishes Tied For 16th at Open Championship
Kurt Kitayama

Wins 3M Open
Tom Kim

Finishes Tied For 28th at 3M Open
PGA

Sungjae Im Misses Cut at 3M Open
Max Greyserman

Misses Cut at 3M Open
Jordan Spieth

Looks to End Regular Season on a High Note at Wyndham Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick

Finishes Tied For Fourth at Open Championship
Eric Cole

Misses Cut at 3M Open
Dylan Cease

CT Scans Come Back Negative
Keith Mitchell

Needs a Big Week at Wyndham Championship
Juan Soto

X-Rays on Juan Soto's Foot Come Back Negative
Robert MacIntyre

is the Perfect Kind of Ball-Striker for Wyndham Championship
Charlie McAvoy

Ready to Go for Next Season
Dylan Samberg

Agrees to Three-Year Contract with Jets
Michael Kim

Needs More Solid Finishes
Moisés Ballesteros

Moises Ballesteros to Join MLB Roster
Ian Happ

Exits Tuesday With Bruised Shin, May Require Injured List Stint
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Heading to Injured List With Right-Achilles Tightness
Juan Soto

Exits Early Tuesday With Foot Contusion
Seranthony Domínguez

Juaron Watts-Brown Headed to Baltimore in Seranthony Dominguez Trade
Jackson Chourio

Exits Early Tuesday With Right-Hamstring Spasm
Carlos Correa

Exits Early Tuesday with Lightheadedness
Aroldis Chapman

Available on Tuesday
Byron Buxton

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Aaron Judge

Hopeful to Return in Early August
NBA

Thanasis Antetokounmpo Added to Greece Training Camp Roster for EuroBasket 2025
Los Angeles Clippers

Patrick Baldwin Jr. Waived by Clippers
Josh Green

May Not be Ready for Start of Hornets Training Camp
NBA

Thomas Bryant Set to Move to Greece
Cam Thomas

Nets Far Apart in Contract Talks
Kristaps Porzingis

Feeling "Great" Ahead of New Season
Chris Paul

Hints He Could Extend His Career Beyond the 2025-26 Season
Brandon Miller

Close to 100 Percent
Jayden Struble

Canadiens Lock Up Jayden Struble for Two Years
Robert Whittaker

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Reinier de Ridder

Gets Split-Decision Win
Conor Timmins

Avoids Salary Arbitration with Two-Year Deal
Marcus McGhee

Drops Decision At UFC Abu Dhabi
Toronto Raptors

Colin Castleton Waived by Raptors on Monday
Petr Yan

Extends Win Streak
Marc-Andre Barriault

Suffers Decision Loss
Shara Magomedov

Gets Back In The Win Column
Jose Ochoa

Dominated At UFC Abu Dhabi
MMA

Asu Almbayev Dominates At UFC Abu Dhabi
Nikita Krylov

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Bogdan Guskov

Scores Knockout Win
Kyle Larson

Falls Short of Back-To-Back Victories at Indianapolis
Denny Hamlin

Rallies Into Third Place At Indianapolis
Chase Briscoe

Pit Strategies End up Failing Chase Briscoe at Indianapolis
Ty Gibbs

Wins NASCAR's Inaugural In-Season Challenge Tournament
Ryan Preece

Finishes Fourth but Loses Ground to Playoff Cutline
Brad Keselowski

Has Good Strategy, but Not Enough to Win
Ryan Blaney

Bails from Hail Mary Strategy Attempt but Recovers to Finish Seventh
Tyler Reddick

Eliminated from Brickyard 400 in Crash After Top Five Run
Chicago Bulls

Billy Donovan Agrees to Contract Extension with Chicago
Erik Jones

Is Erik Jones Worth Rostering At Indianapolis This Week?
Carson Hocevar

Is Carson Hocevar Worth Rostering For Indianapolis DFS Lineups?
NASCAR

Could A.J. Allmendinger be A Solid Tournament DFS Option?
Zane Smith

Is a Respectable Value Option for Indianapolis Despite Low Experience
Cole Custer

Is A Solid Value Option for Indianapolis DFS Lineups
Riley Herbst

Is an Unfavorable DFS Option for Indianapolis Lineups
Zeev Buium

Aims for Big Role Next Season
NHL

Conor Sheary Signs Tryout Deal with Rangers
Denny Hamlin

an Easy DFS Target After Wreck in Qualifying
Arvid Soderblom

Agrees to Two-Year Deal with Blackhawks
Kyle Larson

Will Start 13th to Defend Brickyard 400 Crown
Chase Briscoe

on Pole for Brickyard as Momentum Continues to Build
Ryan Blaney

Learned a Lot in Practice at Indianapolis
Brad Keselowski

Should Be Very Strong at Indianapolis
NASCAR

Could Bubba Wallace Challenge for a Brickyard 400 Win on Sunday?
Ryan Preece

Don't Forget About Ryan Preece at Indianapolis
Philadelphia 76ers

Ricky Council IV Waived by Philadelphia
Jonathan Kuminga

Warriors "Haven't Gained Any Traction" on Sign-and-Trade Deal for Jonathan Kuminga
Brett Berard

Played Through Shoulder Injury Last Season
Maxim Tsyplakov

Islanders Re-Sign Maxim Tsyplakov on Two-Year Deal
Jackson Blake

Inks Eight-Year Extension with Hurricanes
Robert Whittaker

Returns At UFC Abu Dhabi
Reinier de Ridder

Set For Main Event
Petr Yan

Set For Co-Main Event
Marcus McGhee

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Marc-Andre Barriault

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Shara Magomedov

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Asu Almbayev Looks To Return To The Win Column
Jose Ochoa

Set For His Third UFC Bout
Bogdan Guskov

Set To Open Up UFC Abu Dhabi Main Card
Nikita Krylov

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column