Without the Chiefs, Seahawks, Cowboys, Cardinals, Bills, Saints, or Raiders on the main slate, we’ll have to get creative in Week 6. I’ll be breaking down all eleven matchups, sharing my thoughts on player prices* and stacking opportunities. As you read, please note that the player names in bold are what I consider my “core” players or guys that I’m sliding into a large percentage of my lineups. Oh, and if you’re new to DFS, you should check out my DFS Tips and Tricks article here.
*All player prices referenced are from FanDuel.
Ravens @ Eagles (47.5 O/U)
I don’t see myself building a lot of Carson Wentz stacks this week. He’s got a brutal matchup against Baltimore, and his supporting cast leaves much to be desired. I’m fine with playing Miles Sanders ($7,600), who proved last week that he can deliver in difficult matchups. And Travis Fulgham ($5,300) is a viable play, at least to run back your Ravens stacks.
Even in a positive game script, I’m staying away from the Ravens’ backfield. No one in that three-headed committee is seeing enough volume to deliver a true tournament-winning performance. However, Lamar Jackson ($9,000) is a strong play, as usual. Stack him with Marquise Brown ($6,300) or Mark Andrews ($7,600). Miles Boykin ($4,600) is an interesting dart throw, as well. Like Chase Claypool, who decimated the Eagles in Week 5, Boykin is a size-speed freak. He should also be able to avoid shutdown corner Darius Slay.
Bears @ Panthers (44.5 O/U)
The Bears have allowed the 2nd-fewest points to WRs and QBs this season, so stacking the Panthers’ offense may be an exercise in futility. Still, Teddy Bridgewater ($6,900), DJ Moore ($6,800), and Robby Anderson ($6,500) are incredibly affordable, and Mike Davis ($7,500) has been providing CMC-lite production for weeks now.
On the other side of the ball, Allen Robinson ($7,000) draws a favorable matchup against Rasul Douglas. David Montgomery ($5,900) is also a nice option, especially in cash, against the league’s worst run defense.
Bengals @ Colts (46.5 O/U)
Joe Burrow struggled against the Ravens in Week 5, and we could see more of the same from him this week against the Colts, who are allowing the fewest PPG to QBs. I’m not really looking at any Bengals outside of Joe Mixon ($6,900).
Meanwhile, the Colts have an even less inspiring passing attack. You can play Jonathan Taylor ($7,300) in tournaments, but that’s about it for this matchup.
Broncos @ Patriots (45 O/U)
Cam Newton ($8,000) is expected to return this week to face the Broncos. He’s a fine option, though you can really only stack him with Julian Edelman ($6,200). If you want to pay down at RB, you could play Damien Harris ($5,600), though he has a difficult matchup.
If Brett Rypien makes another start, it’s hard to see much upside for the Broncos’ offense. However, there is a chance that Drew Lock could return. If Lock plays, Jerry Jeudy ($5,700) and Tim Patrick ($5,400) are at least worth considering, as they could both see sizable target shares. Phillip Lindsay ($5,100) could be a tremendous value if Melvin Gordon is forced to miss the game due to his recent DUI.
Browns @ Steelers (51 O/U)
Baker Mayfield hasn’t cracked 18 fantasy points in any game this season, and I’m not expecting that to change this week. The Browns want to run the football, and Pittsburgh has a tough defense. You can play Odell Beckham Jr. ($6,700) for his game-breaking ability, but the rest of the passing attack is uninspiring. Kareem Hunt ($7,000) is also a strong play, but I expect he’ll be very chalky. You might be better looking toward some of the other RBs in his price range.
On the Steelers’ side, many will be eager to play Chase Claypool ($5,500) after his huge outing in Week 5. He’s got a nice price tag, and he should start if Diontae Johnson is forced to miss the game. However, he could struggle against shutdown corner Denzel Ward. I actually prefer JuJu Smith-Schuster ($7,100) as a bounce-back candidate in this matchup.
Falcons @ Vikings (54 O/U)
This game is going to be high-scoring. The Falcons’ side is a little risky considering the team just fired its head coach. Still, you could do a lot worse than a Matt Ryan ($7,400) and Calvin Ridley ($8,600) stack this week. You could even go all-in on this game and include Russell Gage ($5,500) if Julio Jones is ruled out.
You could also stack Kirk Cousins ($7,100) with Adam Thielen ($7,400) and Justin Jefferson ($5,900). The Falcons have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing QBs and the 7th-most to WRs. The only problem with the Vikings stack is that the team could go very run-heavy if they get out to a lead. At his price, Alexander Mattison ($7,000) is a fantastic option for cash and tournaments, assuming Dalvin Cook doesn’t suit up.
Lions @ Jaguars (54.5 O/U)
The Lions are one of my favorite teams to stack this week. Matthew Stafford ($7,300) is easy to afford. He has stacking options at every price point, starting with his go-to receiver Kenny Golladay ($7,200). You can also turn to Marvin Jones Jr. ($5,800) or TJ Hockenson ($5,700). Jones will be low-owned due to his recent poor performance, but he’s been operating as the clear number-two receiver. He’s playing nearly all the snaps and running a ton of routes. I won’t be surprised at all if he’s able to bounce back against this porous Jaguars’ defense.
With DJ Chark trending in the wrong direction for Week 6, I’m not eager to stack Gardner Minshew. However, Laviska Shenault ($5,800) is a great option for run-backs. He could easily see 7-10 targets in a negative game script, which would be more than enough for a big game against Detroit’s poor secondary. James Robinson ($6,500) is also a strong option, especially in cash games. He’s recorded at least 17 touches in every game this season, and the Lions have been gouged by talented RBs repeatedly this season.
Texans @ Titans (52.5 O/U)
With CMC and Dalvin Cook set to miss Week 6, Derrick Henry ($9,000) is essentially the most expensive RB on the slate. And, in an incredibly favorable matchup, he’ll be heavily owned. To attack this game, you may want to pivot to Ryan Tannehill ($7,300) and his pass-catchers. AJ Brown ($6,500) and Jonnu Smith ($5,800) are very affordable, and they should benefit from a concentrated target share with Corey Davis and Adam Humphries out of the lineup.
On the other side, everyone will want to play the Deshaun Watson ($8,200) and Will Fuller ($6,700) stack, especially with so many other running QBs off the main slate. Watson and Fuller are great plays in their own right, but you may want to look at Brandin Cooks ($5,700) or Darren Fells ($5,100) as less chalky plays in what should be a high-scoring game.
Washington @ Giants (42.5 O/U)
The Washington offense isn’t very exciting with Kyle Allen under center, but Terry McLaurin ($6,900) is still a strong tournament play at his price. Meanwhile, Antonio Gibson ($5,800) is slowly but surely taking complete control of the Washington backfield. He’s cheap enough to play in tournaments with the hope that he finds the end zone a couple of times.
The only Giant worth considering at this point is Darius Slayton ($6,000). If Daniel Jones and Evan Engram can’t perform against the lowly Cowboys’ defense, they shouldn’t be trusted against Washington’s fearsome front seven.
Jets @ Dolphins (47 O/U)
We saw some vintage Fitzmagic in Week 5, and Ryan Fitzpatrick ($7,400) has another great matchup against the Jets in Week 6. You can stack him with DeVante Parker ($6,400), Mike Gesicki ($5,600), or Preston Williams ($5,400). Or, if you expect Miami to come through with the win, go with Myles Gaskin ($5,700) and the Miami D/ST ($4,400) instead.
On the other side of the ball, Jamison Crowder ($6,600) continues to be the only legitimate weapon on the Jets’ offense. Use Crowder as a run back in your Fitzpatrick stacks and stay away from everyone else.
Packers @ Buccaneers (55 O/U)
Finally, we’ve come to the most exciting game on the slate. Even in a tough matchup, I’m more than happy to roll out Aaron Rodgers ($8,400), who has looked unstoppable so far this season. If you can afford Davante Adams ($9,000), he’s obviously the best stacking option. However, you can also turn to Marquez Valdes-Scantling ($5,600) or Robert Tonyan ($6,200) if you need to save some cash. I also love Aaron Jones ($8,500) in tournaments. If he manages to steal a few TDs from Aaron Rodgers, he has slate-breaking potential.
Tom Brady ($7,500) is a cheaper QB option and a strong play in what should be a negative game script. At the time of this writing, we don’t know which Buccaneers’ WRs will suit up for the game, but you’ll want to play Brady with either Chris Godwin ($7,700) or Mike Evans ($7,600) if they’re healthy.
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