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

Potential Booms and Busts for Week 6: The Early Games

It’s hard to believe that it’s already Week 6 and the NFL season is nearly a third of the way over. The fantasy football season is nearly halfway over, with the majority of postseasons beginning on Week 13 or 14.

Whether you’re 0-5, 5-0, or anywhere in between at this point, you still have a chance to have a successful season, make the playoffs and roll the dice on winning a championship.

However it all starts with getting wins, and getting wins starts with making good decisions on which players will have big days and which ones are best left on the bench. This weekly list of potential booms and busts will provide a blueprint to help you make these crucial decisions.

 

Potential Week 6 Booms

Quarterbacks:

Andy Dalton (QB, CIN)

After his stellar Week 5 performance against the “vaunted” Seahawks' defense (331 passing yards, two touchdowns), Andy Dalton has entered rarefied QB 1 territory and has become a weekly must start. This week he’s even more of a must start, facing a Bills team that has allowed 10 touchdowns and an average of 17.96 fantasy points per game to QBs through the first five weeks of the season.

Peyton Manning (QB, DEN)

I know, Peyton has been letting the fantasy world down all season long. This week’s game in Cleveland feels like a “now or never moment” for the legendary signal caller. The Browns have given up 20 or more fantasy points to QBs three weeks in a row and have allowed multiple touchdowns in four out of five contests. If Manning can’t redeem himself in this game, I’m not sure that he will ever have a big game this season.

Running Backs:

Matt Forte (RB, CHI)

His seeming inability to consistently score touchdowns makes him a boring start, but the volume of touches can’t be denied. Matt Forte is the first, second and third option in Chicago, and Detroit hasn’t exactly been stellar at defending running backs. Last week the Lions surrendered three rushing touchdowns and 191 rushing yards to Arizona running backs, neither of whom are the caliber of Forte. The Lions have had a few good showings against the run, but not enough to doubt Forte.

C.J. Anderson (RB, DEN)

I completely understand if the mere sight of his name makes you cringe with disgust. Like his teammate Peyton Manning, the question of "if not now, when?" is valid. C.J. Anderson’s season has been an abysmal disappointment up to this point and it’s difficult to trust him. However, Cleveland provides a plus match up for Anderson and Ronnie Hillman is battling an injury. If Anderson can’t take advantage of this golden opportunity, it may be time to cut bait and move on.

Wide Receivers:

A.J. Green (WR, CIN)

A.J. Green has only had one really explosive game this season, but he has an enticing matchup against the Buffalo Bills this Sunday. With the exception of last week’s game in Tennessee (and they don’t have any real quality receivers), the Bills have been owned by wide receivers this season, allowing seven touchdowns to the position in five weeks. Buffalo is vulnerable in the secondary and the Bengals have one of the best offenses in the league. Start Green with confidence.

Larry Fitzgerald (WR, ARI)

It seems like Larry Fitzgerald has turned back the clock about five years with the way he has been dominating this season. In five games he has drawn 44 targets, 490 receiving yards and six touchdowns. As the number one option against a very average Pittsburgh secondary, Fitzgerald’s renaissance season should continue.

Brandon Marshall (WR, NYJ)

In what is turning out to be one of the best draft bargains of the year, Brandon Marshall has looked great for the Jets this season. He’s topped 100 yards in his last three games and has also hauled in three touchdown passes. This week he gets a Washington team that has been okay against wide receivers (six receiving touchdowns allowed to receivers in five games), but is certainly prone to getting beat.

Defense:

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings haven’t been great on defense, but they haven’t been awful either, averaging over eight fantasy points per game. The Chiefs haven’t exactly been easy on defenses, but the loss of Jamaal Charles for the season and playing in Minnesota makes this a nice matchup for the Vikings.

 

Potential Week 6 Busts

Quarterbacks:

Alex Smith (QB, KC)

Alex Smith isn’t exactly an exciting start anyway, averaging 15.7 fantasy points per game, but Minnesota has fared decently against quarterbacks this season as well. Without Charles and facing a defense allowing just 13.6 fantasy points per game to QBs, steer clear of Smith this week.

Running Backs:

Andre Ellington (RB, ARI)

While Andre Ellington has scored in both games he played this season, his limited carries last week coupled with Pittsburgh’s strong running defense makes it difficult to trust him. The Steelers haven’t allowed a rushing touchdown to a running back this season so things don’t look good for Ellington.

Lamar Miller (RB, MIA)

Perhaps a new coaching regime will finally make Lamar Miller fulfill the promise we’ve been teased with for three years now. This week doesn’t seem like the time for it to start, with the Titans holding their own against the running back position, allowing just three rushing touchdowns so far. Losses because of bye weeks combined with his high draft price will make owners rush to plug Miller back in to lineup this week. Hold off if you can.

Duke Johnson Jr., (RB, CLE)

Back-to-Back productive games may have owners thinking Duke Johnson Jr. is on the verge of dominating touches in the Cleveland backfield, and perhaps this is true. But facing the league’s number one ranked defense, the Denver Broncos, is not likely to lead to a big day for the rookie running back. Add in the fact that Isaiah Crowell is also getting his share of touches, and Johnson’s upside is extremely limited.

Wide Receivers:

Pierre Garcon (WR, WAS)

Basically anyone who is facing Darrelle Revis will likely have a bad day. When it’s a glorified No. 2 receiver like Pierre Garcon, a bust is even more likely. Fantasy owners may have no choice but to start Garcon because of bye weeks, but a trip to Revis Island is rarely productive.

Jeremy Maclin (WR, KC)

Conventional thinking may lead one to believe that the injury to Charles will lead to more targets for Jeremy Maclin. While this may be true, the injury also means that defenses will key more on Maclin, forcing Smith to try and fit passes into tight windows to hit his WR – something he’s not very good at. Minnesota’s passing defense has been middle of the pack, but with no threat of Charles in the backfield, Kansas City’s offense doesn’t seem too scary.

Tight Ends:

Gary Barnidge (TE, CLE)

Suddenly the third ranked fantasy tight end in the league, Gary Barnidge looks the part of a potential beast this season. But against an elite Denver defense that has yet to surrender a touchdown to a tight end this year, it may be wise to leave Barnidge on the bench this week.

Charles Clay (WR, BUF)

Charles Clay’s season is a perfect illustration of the fickle nature of the tight end position. After putting up TE1 numbers in Weeks 3 and 4, Clay laid an egg last week, recording just one catch for seven yards. The return of Sammy Watkins and the defense on Cincinnati makes this a bad matchup. Stay away.

 

NFL & Fantasy Football Chat Room

 




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

Dejounte Murray19 mins ago

Available Versus Boston
Xavier Tillman20 mins ago

Sr. Cleared For Thursday Night
Al Horford28 mins ago

Won't Face The Hawks
Jrue Holiday33 mins ago

Available On Thursday
Tarik Skubal48 mins ago

Tosses Six Scoreless Innings On Opening Day
Corbin Burnes1 hour ago

Pitches A Gem On Opening Day
Royce Lewis1 hour ago

Exits With Quad Injury
Max Scherzer3 hours ago

Throws Bullpen Session
Clayton Kershaw3 hours ago

"Ahead Of Things" Timetable-Wise
Walker Buehler3 hours ago

Ahead Of Schedule
Corey Seager3 hours ago

Active On Opening Day
Oneil Cruz3 hours ago

Batting Sixth On Opening Day
Alex Caruso3 hours ago

Ayo Dosunmu Probable Friday
Darius Garland4 hours ago

Probable Against 76ers
Donovan Mitchell4 hours ago

Upgraded To Questionable
Duncan Robinson5 hours ago

Heat Rule Out Duncan Robinson Friday
Bryan Reynolds5 hours ago

In Opening Day Lineup
Jimmy Butler5 hours ago

Probable Against Portland
Onyeka Okongwu6 hours ago

Remains Out Thursday
Dejounte Murray6 hours ago

Questionable With Back Soreness
Jordan Romano7 hours ago

Not Expected To Be Out Long
Gerrit Cole7 hours ago

Yankees Put Gerrit Cole On 60-Day Injured List
Elly De La Cruz7 hours ago

Batting In Six-Hole On Opening Day
Anthony Rendon7 hours ago

Hitting Leadoff On Opening Day
Wander Franco8 hours ago

Placed On Administrative Leave
Aaron Ekblad8 hours ago

Returning To Panthers Lineup Thursday
Nikita Kucherov8 hours ago

Establishes New Career High With 42nd Goal
Shane Pinto8 hours ago

Collects Career-High Four Points
Valeri Nichushkin8 hours ago

Nursing A Lower-Body Injury
Samuel Girard8 hours ago

Battling An Illness
J.K. Dobbins8 hours ago

Visiting With Chargers On Thursday
Oskar Sundqvist9 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season With Torn ACL
Ethan Bear9 hours ago

Enters Player Assistance Program
Keita Bates-Diop9 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season
Dyson Daniels9 hours ago

Remains Out On Thursday But Nearing Return
LaMelo Ball9 hours ago

Ruled Out For Rest Of 2023-24
Jose Alvarado9 hours ago

Questionable To Face Milwaukee
Jaden Springer9 hours ago

Considered Questionable
Xavier Tillman9 hours ago

Sr. Questionable Thursday
Gabe Vincent9 hours ago

Expected To Return To Action On Sunday
Al Horford21 hours ago

Back On The Injury Report
Derrick White21 hours ago

Off The Injury Report
TJ Friedl22 hours ago

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Aaron Gordon22 hours ago

Cleared To Face Phoenix
Jackson Chourio22 hours ago

Will Start In Right Field Friday
Eduardo Rodriguez24 hours ago

Starts Throwing Program
Garrett Mitchell24 hours ago

Will Miss 6-8 Weeks
Chad Green24 hours ago

To Lead Closer Committee In Toronto?
Erik Swanson1 day ago

Jordan Romano, Erik Swanson Officially Heading To Injured List
Kevin Gausman1 day ago

To Make Season Debut Sunday Or Monday
Mark Hubbard1 day ago

Coming Off A Career Performance
Davis Thompson1 day ago

Looking To Pay Off A Stellar Run Of Ball-Striking
Akshay Bhatia1 day ago

Coming Into Houston With Confidence
Thorbjorn Olesen1 day ago

Still Trying To Find Footing On U.S. Soil
Patrick Rodgers1 day ago

Fighting Inconsistencies Heading Into Houston
Malik Nabers1 day ago

Shines At Pro Day
Carolina Panthers1 day ago

Jadeveon Clowney Signing Two-Year Deal With Panthers
Wyndham Clark1 day ago

Battling Back Injury Ahead of Houston Open
San Francisco 49ers1 day ago

Talanoa Hufanga Expected To Return At Training Camp
Jayden Daniels1 day ago

Raiders To Meet With Jayden Daniels
Tank Bigsby1 day ago

Jaguars Want Tank Bigsby More Involved
Josh Reynolds1 day ago

Signs Two-Year Deal With Broncos
Doug Ghim1 day ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Houston Open
PGA1 day ago

Cameron Davis Seeking Consistency Ahead Of Houston Open
Thomas Detry1 day ago

A Gamble At Houston Open
Ryan Fox1 day ago

Lacks Upside Heading Into Houston Open
Andrew Novak1 day ago

Will Be Chalk At Houston Open
Josh Doan1 day ago

Scores Twice In His NHL Debut
Filip Forsberg1 day ago

Makes History In Big Comeback Win
Jamie Benn1 day ago

Scores In Fifth Consecutive Game
Sidney Crosby1 day ago

Collects Three Points Versus Carolina
Artemi Panarin1 day ago

Continues Scoring Tear With Three Assists
Joey Daccord1 day ago

Shuts Out Ducks
Sahith Theegala1 day ago

Showing Consistency This Season
Wyndham Clark1 day ago

Working Toward Star Status
Scottie Scheffler1 day ago

Heads To Houston At His Best
Sam Ryder1 day ago

Putting The Lights Out Of Late
Joel Dahmen1 day ago

All Systems Go For Joel Dahmen In Houston
Kurt Kitayama1 day ago

Ready For Houston Debut
Ben Griffin1 day ago

Finding Form Heading To Houston
Taylor Moore2 days ago

Continues Made-Cut Streak Heading To Houston
Adam Svensson2 days ago

Hoping For Consistency In Houston
Taylor Montgomery2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back In Houston
Amon-Ra St. Brown2 days ago

Discussing Extension With Lions
Jared Goff2 days ago

Lions Discussing New Deal
J.K. Dobbins2 days ago

Cleared For Football Activities
Los Angeles Rams2 days ago

Tre'Davious White To Join Rams
PIT2 days ago

Sam Poulin Recalled From AHL
Jack Quinn2 days ago

Could Return Wednesday
Scott Mayfield2 days ago

Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
TOR2 days ago

Mitch Marner Skates On His Own Tuesday
Trevor Zegras2 days ago

To Return Tuesday
Justus Annunen2 days ago

Inks Two-Year Extension
Nick Chubb2 days ago

Expected To Start Load Running Next Month
D'Andre Swift2 days ago

Bears View D'Andre Swift As Receiving Weapon
Cordarrelle Patterson2 days ago

Signing With Steelers
Sam Howell2 days ago

Seahawks Believe Sam Howell Can Be A Full-Time Starter
Tennessee Titans2 days ago

L'Jarius Sneed Agrees On Four-Year Contract With Titans
Dak Prescott2 days ago

No Indication A Deal Is Coming For Dak Prescott
Calvin Ridley2 days ago

To Have Big Role In Tennessee
Josh Jacobs2 days ago

To Be Used More In Passing Game
Brandon Saad2 days ago

Gets Another Goal In Monday's Loss
Logan Thompson2 days ago

Stretches Winning Streak To Three Games
Pittsburgh Steelers3 days ago

Cameron Heyward Expected To Be Healthy For Training Camp
Zach Wilson3 days ago

Jets Could End Up Keeping Zach Wilson
Amanda Ribas3 days ago

Takes Decision Loss
Rose Namajunas3 days ago

Snaps Losing Streak
Edmen Shahbazyan3 days ago

Scores Vicious Comeback Knockout
AJ Dobson3 days ago

Knocked Out In The First Round At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla3 days ago

Gets Back On Track With Submission Win
Luis Pajuelo3 days ago

Submitted In UFC Debut
William Byron3 days ago

Dominates For Victory At COTA
Ty Gibbs3 days ago

Grabs Another Solid Finish At COTA
Chris Buescher3 days ago

Texas Native Chris Buescher Finishes Eighth At COTA
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Kyle Busch Confronts Christopher Bell Following A Top-10 Finish At COTA
Justin Haley4 days ago

Disqualified After Strong COTA Run
Martin Truex Jr4 days ago

. Rounds Out Top Ten At COTA
NASCAR4 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Worms Way Up To Sixth At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Comes Down to Earth After Mediocre COTA Run
Ross Chastain4 days ago

Ran Well at COTA as Usual Despite Late-Race Fade
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Furious Charge Falls Just Short at COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Scores Strong Finish of Fifth at COTA
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Finishes 16th at COTA After Lackluster Performance
Billy Quarantillo4 days ago

Suffers Submission Loss At UFC Vegas 89
Youssef Zalal4 days ago

Gets Submission Win In Return To The UFC
Cameron Saaiman4 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 89
Payton Talbott4 days ago

Scores KO Win At UFC Vegas 89
Justin Tafa4 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Karl Williams4 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Kyle Larson4 days ago

Is One Of The Optimal DFS Options For COTA
Denny Hamlin4 days ago

Should Denny Hamlin Be Rostered For DFS Lineups At COTA?
Kaz Grala4 days ago

Is A Serviceable DFS Play For COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Will Start 12th In First COTA Cup Start
Todd Gilliland4 days ago

Is A Sneaky DFS Play With Upside For COTA
William Byron4 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Is A Comfortable DFS Play For COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

the Favorite to Win at COTA
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Looking for First Career Win at COTA
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 

2024 NFL Draft: Bold Predictions and Potential Surprises for Round 1

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! With the 2024 NFL Draft fast approaching, we're digging into what might transpire on draft night. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones previews the 2024 NFL Draft and makes some BOLD Predictions about possible surprises and potential landing spots for the first round of the draft. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller!... Read More


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Early Look At Wide Receivers In 2024 Fantasy Football Drafts

The upcoming NFL Draft is less than a month away. While everyone is excited for the NFL Draft, fantasy players are looking forward to the regular season. While we won’t have meaningful NFL football for months, it’s never too early to prepare for your fantasy football drafts. Last year, the fantasy football world saw multiple... Read More


Spencer Rattler, College Football Transfers

Underrated Rookie Draft Targets - Early 2024 Sleepers for Dynasty Fantasy Football

We are a month out from the NFL Draft, meaning if you are here, you are probably looking for draft content and reading up on prospects. You probably have all of the information you need on stud prospects like Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. That’s not what you’re here for.  Rookie draft season for... Read More


Breece Hall - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part II

The NFL's offseason, including trades and free agency, can strongly impact a player's fantasy football value. This effect can be positive or negative. For this series, we're focusing on fantasy football players who have seen their fantasy value increase. This can occur via a player's direct movement, such as a trade or signing with a... Read More


UFL RANKINGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL,

UFL Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 1: QB, RB, WR, TE Rankings and Analysis (2024)

It's finally here: the UFL season is set to kick off with two games on Saturday, March 30 and two games on Sunday, March 31. Saturday's games will be broadcast on Fox Sports while Sunday's matchups will be on ESPN. The most anticipated Week 1 matchup pits the 2023 USFL champion Birmingham Stallions against the... Read More


Jared Goff - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Will the Lions Extend Jared Goff's Contract This Offseason? 2024 NFL Outlook

Jared Goff's career in Los Angeles didn't take off like many expected after his appearance in Super Bowl LIII, and he was traded to the Lions for Matthew Stafford. Goff's first season in the Motor City was terrible, but he has completely turned things around over the last two seasons. In 2022, he almost led... Read More


Kyle Pitts - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part I

Free agency symbolizes the start of a new NFL season. It's the first opportunity for NFL clubs to start addressing their weaknesses and considerably impacts how the upcoming season plays out. Just as free agency can improve or worsen a team's outlook, a player's fantasy football value is also impacted. Free agency marks the real... Read More


Malik Nabers - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

Coach Knows Ball: Malik Nabers 2024 NFL Draft Film Breakdown of LSU WR

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2024 class. I'm a college football coach with nine years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players... Read More


Avoid These Running Backs in 2024: Fantasy Football Outlook

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! The staff is already looking ahead to the 2024 season to help our readers get the jump on their competition. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones discusses five Running Backs that you should AVOID in 2024 fantasy football drafts. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller! Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio... Read More


Brock Bowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers, NCAA College Football, Prospects

Brock Bowers 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Georgia TE Be Selected?

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers was arguably the top tight end in college football over the past few years. Bowers was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 56 receptions for 882 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slightly slipped in 2022 as defenses started to game plan for the star tight end. Bowers had... Read More


Xavier Worthy 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Texas WR Be Selected?

Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy has been one of the top pass-catchers in college football over the past few years. The explosive receiver was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 62 receptions for 981 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slipped in 2022. Worthy had 60 receptions for 760 receiving yards and nine touchdowns... Read More


Blake Corum - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, RB, NFL Draft Sleepers

Blake Corum 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update - When Will the Michigan RB Be Selected?

Former Michigan running back Blake Corum is one of the most popular prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft class. The 23-year-old is fresh off a College Football National Championship victory and a 2023 campaign consisting of over 1,300 yards from scrimmage. However, given the devaluation of the running back position and Corum not being an... Read More


Brandon Aiyuk - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News

Will The 49ers Trade Brandon Aiyuk?

Brandon Aiyuk had a career year last season, finishing seventh in the league in receiving yards (1342), second in yards per catch (17.9), and catching seven touchdowns. For his efforts, he was named to the Second-team All-Pro. However, despite many expecting them to do so, the 49ers failed to win Super Bowl LVIII and now... Read More