Kyler Murray aims to take advantage of a plus matchup in the Seahawks, Kirk Cousins attempts to endure the Miami heat and humidity, and Geno Smith wonders if he can keep it up against the Cardinals.
Other positions: Running Back | Receiver | Tight End/Kickers/Defense
Week 6 Quarterbacks
RK | Player | Opp |
1 | Josh Allen | @KC |
2 | BUF | |
3 | DAL | |
4 | Lamar Jackson | @NYG |
5 | @SEA | |
6 | @PIT | |
7 | @NO | |
8 | DEN | |
9 | @MIA | |
10 | ARI | |
11 | NYJ | |
12 | @LAC | |
13 | @CHI | |
14 | @ATL | |
15 | CAR | |
16 | @IND | |
17 | @GB | |
18 | JAC | |
19 | WAS | |
20 | TB | |
21 | BAL | |
22 | MIN | |
23 | NE | |
24 | @PHI | |
25 | @CLE | |
26 | CIN | |
27 | SF | |
28 | PJ Walker | @LA |
QB Notes: Josh Allen is averaging 4.2 more fantasy points per game than any other quarterback. … We have our first crack in the Allen/Jalen Hurts/Lamar Jackson top-three solidarity. I will go with a white-hot Patrick Mahomes as the QB2 for his 54-totaled showdown with the Bills. Showing more passing consistency than either of his dual-threat rivals, Mahomes is making his revamped supporting cast work by sticking to his summer pledge of spreading the ball around to whomever is open rather than trying to find a new go-to guy behind Travis Kelce. … Jalen Hurts has produced more than one passing score in only 1-of-5 starts but is compensating by operating as the premier goal-line option in all of football. He is the only runner with 10-plus carries inside the five-yard line. He has cashed those money looks into six scores, finding the end zone on the ground every week but one. … Mired in a two-game fantasy slump, Lamar Jackson might not be getting No. 1 receiver Rashod Bateman (foot) back for Week 6. Coach John Harbaugh has only said that Bateman “might” play. That would be a blow for Jackson vs. the Giants’ surprisingly stingy pass defense, but there are no concerns with his floor. He has cleared 70 yards rushing in three of his past four starts.
Just as things look a little different in the top-four this week, they look a lot different in the next four. Poor as Kyler Murray‘s “eye tests” have been, he is the QB10 by average points and now gets a Seahawks “defense” allowing a preposterous 8.9 yards per pass attempt. That is despite facing Russell Wilson, Trey Lance/Jimmy Garoppolo, Marcus Mariota, Jared Goff and Andy Dalton through their first five games. Unideal. … Next up is Tom Brady vs. a Steelers defense that has come apart at the seams after losing T.J. Watt. Josh Allen and … Zach Wilson and Jacoby Brissett have gotten home against the Black and Yellow over the past three weeks. The Bucs, meanwhile, have abandoned the run since the returns of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, attempting 104 passes across Weeks 4 and 5. … Justin Herbert has been quiet with Keenan Allen (hamstring) on the shelf, finishing as the QB12 by average points over the past three weeks. Now he will be encountering a Broncos pass defense that is trying to keep the team afloat, permitting the third fewest QB fantasy points through five weeks. Vegas is not overly impressed with this week’s Monday night matchup, assigning a 45.5 over/under. Keenan (hamstring) is 50-50.
Kirk Cousins has reached 260 yards in 4-of-5 starts. He has yet to exceed two scores in a game, but he’s been good enough to check in as the QB14 by average points. How much he throws in Week 5 will depend on whether Syklar Thompson can keep the Dolphins in the game. … Like Cousins, Aaron Rodgers is mostly getting home on a decent yardage floor and two weekly scores. He isn’t spiking any weeks. The road-tripping Jets and the 45 over/under they are bringing to Lambeau don’t inspire much Week 6 confidence. Rodgers remains on the QB1/2 borderline because he is one of the only quarterbacks I feel like I can safely project in this range. … Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) has already been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Vikings, while Teddy Bridgewater (concussion) could only be a late-week clear. Coach Mike McDaniel has already proclaimed that seventh-round rookie Skylar Thompson will make his first career start. Bad news for Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle managers, though we would expect McDaniel to have some creative plays up his sleeve. With four teams on bye, you won’t be embarrassing yourself if you chase Thompson in superflex leagues.
Everyone’s favorite Russell Wilson subtweeter Geno Smith is the QB8 by average points. It has been built on the back on insane efficiency — he leads the league in both completion percentage over expected and Pro Football Focus’ ratings — and monster first halves. It is when the Seahawks start playing from behind and getting into more obvious passing situations that Smith begins to struggle. His first half QB rating is a ridiculous 131.7. It is a far more Geno-like 88.5 after the break. Eight of his nine scores have come in quarters one and two, while his YPA plummets from 9.5 to 6.8. Thankfully for Week 6, the Cardinals are unlikely to put Smith on his back foot. … Which brings us to Wilson. The latest excuse for his year-plus struggles is a sore shoulder. Maybe it’s true. It still doesn’t exactly breed confidence in a mid-season surge for a quarterback about to turn 34. So why keep Wilson near the top 12? It is mostly to do with the strugglers behind him. Wilson’s floor has yet to bottom out, while he still has plus weapons at his disposal. LAC/DEN could end up one of the week’s higher-scoring meetups.
The struggle bus is really rolling at this part of the board. We must continue to bet on Carson Wentz‘s chaos-fueled attempts avalanche. … If you’re playing Jimmy Garoppolo as a QB2, you are hoping for 250 yards and two scores. That’s mostly his floor. It’s definitely his ceiling. … Box scores have been a little kinder to Trevor Lawrence than the eye test over the past two weeks. The Colts are a middle-of-the-road matchup. The 42.0 total does not breed excitement. … The QB25 by average points, Matthew Stafford‘s only usable week came against the weakling Falcons. The Panthers are in a similar boat but happen to be playing decent pass defense through a soft portion of the schedule. The Rams would qualify as “soft” right now. … I would not mind getting Zach Wilson a little higher, but we know the Jets will ride their rushing attack if game script allows. The Packers have a soft run defense. … With 47-plus yards rushing in three straight starts, Justin Fields has reminded of the dangers in dropping him too low in fantasy ranks despite his real-life struggles. … Kenny Pickett figures to remain on the Joe Flacco “empty volume” diet against the Bucs as an eight-point home underdog.
Don’t forget, for the latest on everything NFL, check out Rotoworld’s Player News, or follow @NBCSEdgeFB or @RotoPat on Twitter.
