Week 6 Sit Start Advice

This is the Fantasy Football Nerd's look at the best and worst matchups for Week 6 of the 2016 NFL season. Decisions are based upon the FFN rankings and matchup analysis. Given the known conditions, these matchups are the ones to watch and/or avoid.

Please Note: This list does not generally include the elite players that you are going to start regardless of matchup. You don't need us to tell you to start Aaron Rodgers, Rob Gronkowski, or Antonio Brown. Instead, we take a look at other players on your team that we believe either have great matchups or should be avoided for multiple reasons. Factors like opposing defense, performance trending, and peer comparisons may influence our decisions.

Start 'em Alex Smith (KC, QB)
It's not very often that you get to see Alex Smith inside the weekly Top 10, but that's what happens when a QB faces the Oakland Raiders this season. Nobody allows more yards through the air than Oakland (330 ypg). Minus Mariotta's meltdown in Week 3, the Raiders give up an average of 26 fantasy points per game. #ThankYou

Start 'em Dak Prescott (DAL, QB)
Offenses have hit a brick wall when trying to run on Green Bay (ranked #1 against the run) but they have been able to throw pretty effectively against the Packers. Green Bay is giving up 274 yards through the air (9th-most in the NFL), and while they held Eli Manning to just 10 fantasy points, Stafford, Bradford, and Bortles averaged 20 fantasy points.

Start 'em Jamaal Charles (KC, RB)
Fantasy owners who have held onto Jamaal Charles have every reason to be nervous given his injury issues and lack of production in Week 4. Coming off the bye, we expect a return of the Charles that we all fondly remember. The Raiders give up the 6th-most yards on the ground and the Chiefs have indicated that Charles will be heavily involved.

Start 'em Lamar Miller (HOU, RB)
Relax fantasy owners. This is the week that Lamar Miller starts paying off and finally finds the endzone. Miller is on pace to have 370 carries this season and that workload will reward you nicely against the Colts who give up the 3rd-most fantasy points to RBs and every game has seen a RB hit the 100-yard mark.

Start 'em Jeremy Maclin (KC, WR)
If you've got a Kansas City Chief, he should probably be in your lineup this week. Jeremy Maclin is no different as evidenced by his #11 ranking this week making him a low-end WR1. The Raiders give up more fantasy points to opposing WRs than any other team this year, and even though he hasn't been great this season, he's a must-start this week.

Start 'em Doug Baldwin (SEA, WR)
This is a game that we expect Russell Wilson to be a big part of and that means that Doug Baldwin will be quite active. Atlanta gives up the 7th-most passing yards and averages at least 1 WR touchdown allowed per week.

Start 'em Jimmy Graham (SEA, TE)
What a difference a few weeks make. Just when we were ready to write off Jimmy Graham, he finally bounces back and surprises us. After a bye week, Graham gets to face the Falcons who have allowed the 3rd-most fantasy points to opposing TEs this year (almost 14 pts in standard scoring over the last 3 weeks).

Start 'em Coby Fleener (NO, TE)
I think we all expected much more from the Carolina defense this year and yet they allow an average of 22 points to go up on the board each week. Fresh off a bye, we expect Brees and company to spread the ball around considerably making Fleener an attractive target. He's ranked 10th among TEs this week on FFN.

Start 'em Pittsburgh Steelers (PIT, DEF)
Ranked 9th this week are the Pittsburgh Steelers facing a Miami offense that isn't really sure of itself at the moment. We expect very little from Arian Foster, Jay Ajayi, Jarvis Landry, and Ryan Tannehill this week and expect the Steelers D to benefit from their situation.

Start 'em Nick Novak (HOU, K)
Nick Novak has question marks around his consistency, but he has quietly been one of the more productive kickers this year. We expect that trend to continue against the Colts who give up double-digit points each week to kickers and the 3rd-most points on the scoreboard.

Sit 'em Colin Kaepernick (SF, QB)
Many fantasy owners took to their waiver wires to claim Colin Kaepernick this week. In 2-QB leagues, that's fine (barely), but keep in mind that this guy legitimately lost his job to Blaine Gabbert and his 24th-ranking this week is indicative of what the industry expects out of him production wise. Buffalo doesn't give up many points on the board (6th-fewest) and low single-digits would be considered a good day here.

Sit 'em Kirk Cousins (WAS, QB)
The Eagles have been very tough on opposing QBs this year keeping guys like Ben Roethlisberger to less than 7 fantasy points. Only Matt Stafford last week was able to put up a decent day. Philly has given up just 3 passing scores all year and the 6th-fewest passing yards making this a matchup to leave him on the bench.

Sit 'em Eddie Lacy (GB, RB)
Assuming that Eddie Lacy (ankle) plays against the Cowboys on Sunday, he'll do so without a full week of practice. Dallas gives up the 11th-fewest yards on the ground, so a tough matchup combined with a questionable injury doesn't equal confidence in Lacy's ability to put up big numbers. Healthy starting RBs have averaged just 10 fantasy points against Dallas. Ranked 23rd this week on FFN, Lacy is no more than a low-end RB2 or flex play.

Sit 'em Isaiah Crowell (CLE, RB)
There aren't many offensive options on the Browns this year, and we're taking away another one this week. Ranked 17th this week on FFN is Isaiah Crowell who faces a Titans line that has kept every starting RB to 10 fantasy points or less this year.

Sit 'em DeSean Jackson (WAS, WR)
Besides being the very definition of "boom or bust", the reasons why we don't like DJax this week are the same ones we outlined for Kirk Cousins. Philly is tough in the air and has only allowed two receivers to reach double digit fantasy production. Jackson is a guy who gets his yards on big plays, and lacking those opportunities, he's tough to trust.

Sit 'em Eddie Royal (CHI, WR)
Consider both Eddie Royal and Alshon Jeffery in the same boat. Jacksonville ranks 7th against the pass giving up less than 200 yards through the air. Even with improved play at QB with Brian Hoyer, Royal is ranked 45th and Jeffery is ranked 20th. With Cam Meredith likely to fill the gap from a missing Kevin White, Royal is not even in WR3/flex consideration any more.

Sit 'em Gary Barnidge (CLE, TE)
Where has Gary Barnidge gone this year? As one of the bright spots heading into the season, his production has conincided with the downward-sloping season of the Browns. Ranked 14th this week, Barnidge faces a Titans defense that has kept opposing TEs to 10 points or (much) less.

Sit 'em Jacob Tamme (ATL, TE)
Jacob Tamme started out the season exceptionally strong but his production has declined steadily over the past few weeks. That's not likely to change against a Seattle defense that gives up the 2nd-fewest yards through the air. Tamme is ranked 25th this week meaning that he barely qualifies as even a bye-week filler.

Sit 'em Green Bay Packers (GB, DEF)
The green and gold have the best run defense in the league, but they haven't really faced a RB like Ezekiel Elliott yet. While we expect Zeke to struggle this week, it's the exceptional play of rookie QB Dak Prescott that will prevent the Packers defense from putting up more than single digit fantasy points for you this week.

Sit 'em Josh Brown (NYG, K)
Ranked just outside of our Top 12 is Josh Brown (#13) facing a Baltimore defense that has kept every kicker in check this season. Nobody has been able to put up double digits on them, and given the fact that the Ravens allow the 7th-fewest points on the board, there won't be many opportunities for Brown to contribute.

Recent News & Advice