RADIO
Brandon Murchison's under-the-radar starts and sits for your Week 6 fantasy football lineups - sneaky players to start, and typical starters that may disappoint.
Week 5 in the NFL saw a return to normalcy from a fantasy perspective. Although we saw big performances from Will Fuller, D.J. Chark, and Aaron Jones, the top of the leaderboards was largely filled by some of the more common names from around the league. Could this be a turn of the corner as we could expect to see the upper echelon players in fantasy become more consistent? That remains to be seen but what we learned from a week ago should be applied moving forward. Yes, we saw Teddy Bridgewater and Gardner Minshew finish inside the Top 10 last week, but can we expect for them to outproduce Patrick Mahomes moving forward? Not a chance. The key is being on top of the matchups and knowing which players should be in and out of your lineups.
Heading into Week 6 we could see expected performances from some of the more well-known players in fantasy. The studs that are typically in your lineups each week are largely involved in plus matchups and should finish well by the end of the week. But as is the case every week, there will be players here and there that could garner attention and be placed into your starting lineups. Gone are the days where we always start our studs. The savvy fantasy owner looks at the matchups and the consistency of the players on his roster and goes with the best play. That is the task that is set in front of you as the weeks start to fall by the waist side.
So let's jump into the numbers as I present to you my Woo's and Boo's for Week 6 to help you with those tough lineup decisions you may be facing.
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Woo! - Week 6 Starts
Gardner Minshew vs. New Orleans Saints
Minshew has been about as consistent as they come since taking over for the injured Nick Foles. He has multiple touchdowns in three straight games and has thrown no interceptions during that span. In Week 6 he faces a struggling Saints secondary that ranks 3rd in points allowed to the position (23.7 FPPG). With most of the attention being paid to stopping Leonard Fournette and the ground game, look for Minshew to put together another solid effort. He's a borderline QB1 this week as he should close in on 300 yards passing and at least two scores.
Tevin Coleman @ Los Angeles Rams
Coleman returned in Week 5 and tallied 16 carries sharing the backfield with Matt Breida. This week he will be facing a Rams Defense that has been up and down to begin the year in stopping opposing running backs (21.5 FPPG). You should expect to see this backfield be split yet again in this game as the 49ers look to keep the powerful Rams offense off the field. I can see a similar stat line in Week 6 for Coleman, making him a player that should be under consideration as a Flex play. The yardage may be limited, but he should find the end-zone in this game.
Will Fuller @ Kansas City Chiefs
Fuller blew up the stat sheet in Week 5 and should be in line for another great game this week. Facing a Chiefs Defense that has been solid against opposing wide receivers (21.9 FPPG), Fuller should be able to take advantage of a potential shootout. Expecting another 14 catch day would be rather foolish for fantasy owners, but a 100-yard day and a trip to the end-zone is well within reach here. He won't put up another WR1 week in this game, but he should find himself firmly entrenched as a WR2 in this matchup.
Gerald Everett vs. San Francisco
Everett has been surprisingly good the last two weeks with 19 targets over that span. With 12 catches and a score, he has found himself as a player that many are starting to use based on good matchups. Which he should have this week yet again. The 49ers have been stingy against opposing tight ends to start the year (3.2 FPPG), but I expect him to find room over the middle of the field against this defense. The catch total may not be too high this week, but I can see him hauling in a score against the 49ers. He should be a player worth streaming this week for owners needing to grab a tight end.
Boo! - Week 6 Sits
Carson Wentz @ Minnesota Vikings
The perennial QB1 most weeks, Wentz should find a home on the bench for most owners this week. Facing a tough Vikings Defense on the road (25th in points allowed to the position at 15.1 FPPG), he will likely struggle to find a rhythm. In fact, over the last 16 homes games, the Vikings have allowed only one QB1 finish (Josh Allen). Also, missing DeSean Jackson yet again limits exactly what this passing attack can do. If you have another quality option on your bench with a better matchup, plug that player in for Week 6.
Joe Mixon @ Baltimore Ravens
The attempts and yardage have risen over the last three games for Mixon, but Week 6 could see him struggle just a bit. Going on the road to face the Ravens, on paper, should be a matchup to take advantage of (20.9 FPPG). But the game script could get away from him early as the Ravens get out to an early lead. Coupled with an offensive line that should be outmatched, it spells doom for Mixon in Week 6. You're probably not in a position to bench him in this game, but if you have the depth behind Mixon to spot start a player I would certainly consider it.
Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Seattle Seahawks
With just two catches in each of the past two games, Beckham and the Browns offense could not possibly get any lower. He has the skillset to put together a big-time performance out of nowhere, but that may not be this week. His value is tied to the struggling Baker Mayfield as they face a solid Seahawks Defense allowing just 21.9 FPPG to opposing receiver in fantasy. Most owners will be starting Beckham this week out of necessity, but temper your expectations in this matchup.
O.J. Howard vs. Carolina Panthers
Howard could be in the discussion as a bust of the year in fantasy as he continues to disappoint weekly. He has just 14 targets through the first five games as he has been counted on as more of a blocker to begin the season. In Week 6, he faces off against a Panthers Defense that has been one of the best in fantasy this season (4.0 FPPG). Howard is destined to once again let fantasy owners down this week and if you can find another tight end with a better matchup in Week 6, grab that player and start him.
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