With bye weeks in full swing and injuries mounting at a laughable rate, fantasy managers may have to get creative with their Week 6 lineups. From struggling offenses to leaky defenses, these are the best and worst matchups at each position I’m targeting this week.
Quarterback
Best: QB Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders (vs. Buffalo Bills)
The Bills’ secondary has been a weakness all season, and Kirk Cousins gets a chance to take advantage in Week 6. Buffalo gave up 383 passing yards and three touchdowns to Matthew Stafford in Week 5, following a game in which Drake Maye threw for 269 yards and three scores. The Bills have now allowed 13 passing touchdowns through five games and the fourth-most fantasy points allowed to QBs (22.9).
Cousins has thrown 12 touchdowns this season and recorded multiple scores in four of his five games. With Brock Bowers also coming off a productive stretch since returning from knee surgery, the Raiders have the pieces to exploit Buffalo’s secondary. Josh Allen and the Bills’ offense could also force Las Vegas to throw more often to keep pace. Cousins has low-end QB1 upside in Week 6 and is a strong superflex play.
Worst: QB Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Charges (@ Kansas City Chiefs)
Justin Herbert has been a turnover machine this season, and Week 6 won’t get any easier against Kansas City. The Chiefs have given up just four passing touchdowns while picking off four passes in four games. They’re also coming off a bye, while the Chargers are dealing with major offensive line injuries after starting four rookies last week.
Herbert has thrown seven interceptions and committed nine total turnovers through five games. Quentin Johnston’s chest injury is a concern after he missed Week 5, as well as Ladd McConkey’s list of piling injuries, leaving Herbert short on reliable targets. With Kansas City’s defense playing well and the Chargers offense in a tailspin, Herbert (and any Chargers players) should remain on your bench, even in superflex formats.
Running Back
Best: RB Cam Skattebo, New York Giants (vs. New Orleans Saints)
Cam Skattebo has been a decent PPR option through the first few weeks of the season, but his production has taken a hit recently. The Giants running back scored at least 9.5 PPR fantasy points in each of his first three games before managing just 7.6 and 7.1 points the last two weeks.
Skattebo has a good opportunity to get back on track in Week 6 against the Saints. New Orleans has been one of the worst defenses in the league this season, ranking 31st in points allowed, and has struggled to contain opposing running backs. Minnesota’s Aaron Jones still managed 113 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Saints on Sunday despite missing part of the game with a knee injury. With New York likely to lean on the ground game, Skattebo is in a favorable spot to bounce back.
Worst: RB Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns (vs. Baltimore Ravens)
Quinshon Judkins faces a tough matchup in Week 6 against the Baltimore Ravens, who are coming off one of their best defensive performances of the season. Baltimore held Falcons running back Bijan Robinson to 86 rushing yards on 17 carries in Week 5 and ranks 12th in rushing yards allowed. That’s not an ideal setup for a Browns running back who has struggled to find running room behind Cleveland’s offensive line.
Judkins has topped 9 fantasy points just three times this season, with only one double-digit performance, making him difficult to trust against an improving Ravens rush defense. His status is also worth monitoring after he was spotted in a walking boot following Sunday’s loss to the Jets. Even if he’s healthy enough to play, Judkins is a risky flex option this week.
Wide Receiver
Best: WR Mike Evans, San Francisco 49ers (vs. Washington Commanders)
I’ll take the L on Evans from last week. I listed the 33-year-old as my worst WR matchup in Week 5, and was proven dead wrong. Evans is coming off his first 100-yard game with the 49ers and has scored double-digit fantasy points in four of his five games this season. He’ll look to keep that momentum going in Week 6 against a Commanders defense that has struggled to stop the pass.
Washington has shown some improvement defensively this season, but its pass defense remains a major weakness. The Commanders rank 29th in passing yards allowed, giving Evans a favorable opportunity to build on his recent production. With Deebo Samuel slated to miss the next few weeks, Evans is quickly becoming a reliable weekly starter again.
Worst: WR Jaylen Waddle, Denver Broncos (vs. Seattle Seahawks)
Jaylen Waddle has struggled to produce with Bo Nix under center, and Week 6 brings a tough matchup against Seattle. Waddle has averaged just 3 receptions and 40 yards per game this season, with 138 of his 204 total receiving yards coming from Week 2’s win over Jacksonville. He’s also scored fewer than seven fantasy points in two of his last three games. Nix’s inability to push the ball downfield has limited Waddle’s upside, and a change in play-calling hasn’t done much to improve the passing game.
Seattle has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season, and is generating pressure on 37.5% of opposing drop backs. Nix has struggled under pressure, making Waddle difficult to trust in this matchup. He’s best left on the bench Thursday night.
Tight End
Best: TE Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers (@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Pat Freiermuth is coming off his best fantasy performance of the season, catching two touchdown passes against the Colts to finish with 21.5 points. He now has four touchdowns through five games and could see an even bigger role with Pittsburgh dealing with injuries at receiver.
Freiermuth has seen valuable targets in the red zone and downfield, and the matchup against Tampa Bay gives him a chance to keep producing. The Buccaneers allow the 11th-most fantasy points to tight ends, and their heavy use of zone coverage could help Freiermuth keep rolling. Freiermuth averages 1.62 yards per route against zone compared to just 0.56 against man coverage. With Aaron Rodgers finally hitting his stride in Pittsburgh, Freiermuth has a good opportunity to stay in the TE1 conversation this week.
Worst: TE Darren Waller, Carolina Panthers (@ Philadelphia Eagles)
Darren Waller has been about what folks could expect after coming out of retirement last season. A fantastic end zone target with inconsistent production elsewhere. He has 13 catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns through four games, but both scores came in Week 2 against Atlanta. In his other three games, Waller has totaled just 10 catches for 115 yards and hasn’t topped eight half-PPR points.
A matchup with Philadelphia doesn’t offer much reason for optimism. The Eagles have been especially tough on tight ends, allowing just 25 catches for 244 yards and no touchdowns through five games. Waller’s fantasy value depends heavily on finding the end zone, making this a difficult matchup to trust. He’s a low-end TE2 coming off the bye.
