Looking for some lineup advice? You've come to the right place. Week 6 looks like a minefield for Fantasy players, with big names dealing with injuries, whose status we may not even know until just before kickoff. Add in four teams on bye and a number of struggling stars from around the NFL, and it's no wonder you might need some help. First things first: go through every game on the schedule right here to find out who Dave is starting and sitting for all 32 teams on the schedule for Week 6.
Washington (0-5) at Miami (0-4)
1 p.m. ET (Fox)
Point spread: Washington -3.5
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A change in quarterbacks for the Redskins didn't stop McLaurin from seeing 123 Air Yards over seven targets (four deep including one that drew a penalty). Despite missing a game, McLaurin is among the top-15 in Air Yards on the year. Miami's pass defense has allowed 18 pass plays of 20-plus yards through four matchups, a telling sign they should be vulnerable to McLaurin's speed. It only helps Case Keenum that Miami ranks dead last in quarterback pressures (27, per Sports Info Solutions) and tied for last in sacks (five). Keenum's return also helps McLaurin since the two combined for huge numbers in the first three weeks of the season.
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Sneaky non-PPR Sleeper
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Old-school thinker Bill Callahan wants the Redskins to run the ball more now that he's the interim head coach. Normally this is when we'd laugh at Callahan for suggesting such a thing given the talent he has to work with, but this week's matchup at Miami works out well for the philosophy. Miami's defense averages 33.0 Fantasy points (that's non-PPR) per game allowed to opposing running backs including 12-plus points to each starter and 18 points to three of four. They have yet to NOT allow a rushing touchdown to a back in a game. Peterson's worth the risk as a bye-week fill-in or just a good ol' matchup-based starter with oodles of nostalgic potential to help Fantasy managers.
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Sneaky PPR Sleeper
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It was fun having Drake on last Sunday's episode of Fantasy Football Today, but it'll be better watching him handle plenty of snaps against a hapless Redskins defense. Washington is tied for 25th in rush yards allowed to running backs per game (110.8), and nearly another 50 receiving yards to backs each week. If Wayne Gallman annihilated the Redskins for a huge game last week, Drake can too. It even helps Drake that the Dolphins will turn to inexperienced back Mark Walton to help him with the run game instead of Kalen Ballage.
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Philadelphia (3-2) at Minnesota (3-2)
1 p.m. ET (Fox)
Point spread: Vikings -3
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With under 90 yards in all but three of his last 38 games, it's pretty obvious that Jeffery is a touchdown-or-bust receiver. The Vikings have allowed six receivers to score on them this year, but only half came from inside the red zone, which is where Jeffery is most likely to do damage. We can't count on Xavier Rhodes to shadow Jeffery since Rhodes has played one side of the field in three straight games. It's too bad because Rhodes has locked down Jeffery in the past. And while Rhodes allowed a touchdown last week, he hasn't given up scores in back-to-back games since 2015. I'd say the odds are long on Jeffery hitting paydirt this week, and if he doesn't then his stat line figures to disappoint.
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Houston (3-2) at Kansas City (4-1)
1 p.m. ET (CBS)
Point spread: Chiefs -5.5
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The keys to Fuller's success last week versus Atlanta included a weak pass rush helping the Texans O-line give Deshaun Watson time to throw, and Watson easily reading bad defensive coverage to find Fuller. It didn't hurt that the game was a track meet, either. All of these factors are in play again in this matchup. Kansas City has 11 sacks on the season, but in terms of quarterback pressures, hurries and hits, they rank very closely to Atlanta. One discernible difference: Kansas City's catch rate allowed is way lower (63%) than Atlanta's (71%) despite teams throwing way more often at the Chiefs, as evidenced in the number of air yards they've seen (1,507, nearly 400 yards more than the Falcons). The plan goes up in smoke if the Texans copy the Colts' blueprint to try and beat the Chiefs because then Watson won't throw as much, but that would entail Carlos Hyde running better than he has in three seasons. Seems far-fetched. Fuller tends to score in bunches and shouldn't be avoided just because he had his first blow-up game last week. The upside is obvious.
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Risky Starters
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You might want to bench all Chiefs running backs after last week's peculiar usage. McCoy didn't start, didn't see more than six snaps in the first quarter, didn't have a carry at all, fumbled the ball on a catch and played zero second-half snaps. Even though Williams saw the most playing time (56% of snaps), he turned 13 touches into a dubious 38 total yards. He's averaging under 2.0 yards per carry. The only two running backs to rush effectively against the Texans this season are Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey, both of whom get a slew of playing time and are incredible talents. Running into the Texans' defense will be tough for the Chiefs, especially given the state of the left side of their offensive line. There's a chance Williams can pick up numbers as a pass-catcher (technically McCoy could too), but there are just too many concerns about their usage and the matchup. Try avoiding them.
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New Orleans (4-1) at Jacksonville (2-3)
1 p.m. ET (CBS)
Point spread: Jaguars -1
Sneaky Sleeper
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Only once this season have the Saints held an opposing quarterback to under 21 Fantasy points. Only once this season as Minshew not put up enough numbers to register a minimum of 20 Fantasy points. The Venn diagram these two stats create suggests a safe floor for our favorite new mustachioed passer. But the better news is that Minshew is making things happen beyond D.J. Chark, connecting with Dede Westbrook for 194 yards on 17-for-26 passing and with Leonard Fournette for 75 yards on 12-for-18 passing over the past three weeks. He's also doing enough with his legs to support a safe floor. For as good as the Saints defense has played lately, it only has two interceptions on the year (none on the road through two games) and tends to struggle outdoors on grass.
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Seattle (4-1) at Cleveland (2-3)
1 p.m. ET (Fox)
Point spread: Browns -1
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After dazzling for 167 yards thanks to an uptick in targets in Week 4, Landry came back to earth as the Browns did nothing new to keep his momentum going in Week 5. You'd think that with an offensive line that doesn't give Baker Mayfield a lot of time that Landry would be an appealing option, but nope. The Seahawks pass defense has allowed a middle-of-the-pack 65% catch rate and figures to not dedicate a nickel corner to Landry, instead mixing and matching with linebackers and safeties. It's worked for them -- the only predominant slot receiver to have 90-plus yards or a touchdown was Cooper Kupp last week, and he had 17 targets. Maybe Landry finds 12 PPR points, but don't expect much more.
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Cincinnati (0-5) at Baltimore (3-2)
1 p.m. ET (CBS)
Point spread: Ravens -11.5
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It's obvious that Tate's massive size makes him a top target of Andy Dalton. The good news is that he's guaranteed some scoring chances in the red-zone -- he had two last week and scored on one when he used a quick inside release to get open on a rookie cornerback. But he dropped the other, one of two drops in the game, and we've seen Tate get one target that went over 15 yards in his past eight quarters. Concerns about his speed (4.68 in the 40-yard dash) and hands are valid, but the Ravens' defense doesn't seem quite tough enough to shut the Bengals out of getting near the goal line for the entire game. Even if top cornerback Marlon Humphrey is assigned Tate, there's a chance he scores and gives you around 40 yards in the process. Don't start him expecting much more than that, which is why he's at most a flex.
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San Francisco (4-0) at Los Angeles (3-2)
4:05 p.m. ET (Fox)
Point spread: Rams -3.5
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The matchup isn't tough, but the situation is definitely tricky. Through the six quarters he's played, Coleman has played 8 of 13 red-zone snaps for the 49ers, more than Breida (two) or Raheem Mostert (three) combined. In fact, Breida has played only four red-zone snaps all season, and Mostert was deployed as a third-down back last week ... and had zero targets to show for it. Things can always change, but until we see Coleman lose his grip near the goal line, he'll be the preferred Fantasy option of the three, barely ahead of the potential-filled Breida. The Rams rank 25th in red-zone scoring percentage allowed (66.7%) but have allowed at least 115 total yards to running backs in all but one game this season. Between the Rams' beastly D-line and their depleted outside linebackers, along with fullback Kyle Juszczyk missing action, don't be surprised to see the 49ers lean on their backs in the passing game a little more than usual.
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Atlanta (1-4) at Arizona (1-3-1)
4:05 p.m. ET (Fox)
Point spread: Falcons -2.5
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I know Weeks 3 and 4 were rough, but I'm not sure there are many weeks left where starting Ridley is a bad idea. The Falcons' run game isn't pretty and their defense has become a liability, meaning that you can count on Matt Ryan throwing a bunch each week. The matchup against the Cardinals figures to be no different, which should mean plenty of targets for Ridley against inferior defensive backs. Arizona has given up 19 pass plays of 20-plus yards and four of 40-plus yards. On the season he's seen 13 deep throws, but only three in the red zone. That's part of the boom-or-bust nature of Ridley's game, but so long as the Falcons have high-volume expectations and positive matchups, he's worth at least a flex start.
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The Falcons pass defense isn't as bad as, say, the Dolphins, but it's pretty bad. It has yielded 12 touchdowns through the air (tied for the second-most) including three last week to Will Fuller -- and he was close to two more! It starts with a pass rush that ranks in the bottom 10 in quarterback pressures (47) and is tied for last in sacks (five). Shoddy coverage from Desmond Trufant (five scores allowed in his last two games!) and Isaiah Oliver (72% catch rate allowed, three touchdowns given up) further weaken the unit. It would help if Murray had a little speed in his receiving corps -- Christian Kirk or Damiere Byrd, perhaps. But Murray's been using his own speed to rack up rushing numbers, totaling 189 yards and two scores on 22 carries in his last three games. There's a pretty good chance he'll use his feet and his arm to put points on the board, which is why he'll be a popular DFS pick this week.
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Dallas (3-2) at New York (0-4)
4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)
Point spread: Cowboys -8.5
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Despite missing two games, Gallup is still second on the Cowboys in targets, catches and yards. Expect all of that to keep pace against a Jets defense that struggles to pressure the quarterback and lacks cornerbacks to make plays against receivers. Per Sports Info Solutions, Trumaine Johnson is allowing an 83.3% completion rate and Darryl Roberts is giving up 67.6% of passes with a touchdown allowed in three of four games. It won't matter who's matched up against Gallup; he should be good against either one. Expect him to continue his string of six-catch games alive.
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Tennessee (2-3) at Denver (1-4)
4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)
Point spread: Denver -2.5
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No tight end has more than seven non-PPR points against the Broncos this season. Can Walker be the first to eight-plus? To do that, he'll have to score -- it's been 14 games since he had 80-plus yards, so don't count on him for numbers there. Walker scored in Week 1 and has had just two end-zone targets since -- both at Jacksonville, and both uncatchable. This figures to be a low-scoring game with few red-zone trips for either team, so prioritizing Walker should only be done if you're out of options at tight end.
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Sit Him in non-PPR
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It's been feast or famine with Sanders -- three games with 10-plus in non-PPR (15-plus in PPR) and two games with under 20 yards and a couple of catches. Unlike teammate Courtland Sutton, his target volume seems to depend on the number of carries the Broncos' running backs get. When Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman get heavily involved, Sanders is left with lint. The Titans are seventh in Fantasy points allowed to running backs, which is good for Sanders, but they also rank 10th in Fantasy points allowed to receivers. Only one wideout has had 80-plus yards against the Titans this season. That's bad. Perhaps he's flex-worthy in PPR since his targets should tick up, but it's tough to expect a big game from him considering the matchup.
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Pittsburgh (1-4) at Los Angeles (2-3)
8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)
Point spread: Chargers -6.5
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Since the trade for Minkah Fitzpatrick, the Steelers have held Jimmy Garoppolo, Andy Dalton and Lamar Jackson to less than 15 Fantasy points. They have six interceptions and 14 sacks in those games with two total passing touchdowns afforded. Rivers' offensive line has been devolving since the preseason but losing center Mike Pouncey will only create more issues. It will take some heroic catch-and-run plays from his running backs and receivers to fully deliver for Fantasy managers.
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Tight end is pretty thin this week, so anyone with a scintilla of hope is worthy of some consideration. McDonald returned last week and played a pretty decent amount, just without many numbers. He's an easy target for the Steelers to scheme up for rookie quarterback Devlin Hodges, and it helps that the Chargers are playing with backup safeties for the foreseeable future. While the numbers say the Chargers have been solid against tight ends the past two games, the reality is that they haven't really been tested. McDonald has a decent shot to find a touchdown.
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Detroit (2-1-1) at Green Bay (4-1)
8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Point spread: Packers -4.5
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I'm not sure the Packers pass defense is as good as Mitchell Trubisky, Kirk Cousins and Joe Flacco made them look in the first three weeks of the season. Carson Wentz found three touchdowns against them in Week 4 and then some pretty bad breakdowns against the Cowboys salvaged Dak Prescott's stat line. Those last two quarterbacks hit 25-plus Fantasy points against the Pack. Stafford playing better than his stats indicate: he's had at least two scores in 3 of 4 games and should have had multiple touchdowns at Philly in Week 3. He also has thrown at least two touchdowns in NINE STRAIGHT GAMES against Green Bay with over 250 yards in five of those last six.
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It's great to have Hockenson back on the field after he left with a concussion in Week 4, but his return may better serve Stafford than Fantasy managers. Since getting nine targets in Week 1, the Lions have not used Hockenson nearly as much as he has 10 targets in his three most recent games. If anything, he's become an option near the goal line with four end-zone targets (plus another one called back by a penalty). This is where he'll have to make an impact to be useful as a Fantasy tight end. The Packers have given up one touchdown to a tight end (Dallas Goedert) on the year, holding the position to 8.2 yards per catch and generally playing tight zone coverage when they're defending their goal. Kyle Rudolph and Noah Fant had some close calls against them, but high throws and quarterbacks under pressure kept them from scoring.
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New York Giants (2-3) at New England (5-0)
Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
Point spread: Patriots -16.5
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The game doesn't figure to be too much of a competition because the Giants' offense is riddled with injuries. Could that push the Patriots toward a conservative gameplan offensively? Sure, but they've been faced with similar prospects nearly all season long and Gordon has remained second on the team in targets. Notably, he has at least seven in each of his last three. He also had three deep-ball targets last week including one in the end zone that was surprisingly not on target. Phillip Dorsett isn't expected to play, there are several obvious-start receivers on a bye and the Giants pass defense has watched wideouts score multiple times on them in three of five games. It's a good week to put Gordon in Fantasy lineups and hope he and Tom Brady connect for a touchdown.
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For many of the same reasons as last week, Sony Michel profiles as a good Fantasy running back. The Patriots leaned on him quite a bit in the second half of last week's game at Washington and ultimately broke the game wide open with his 60 yards and touchdown on the first two third-quarter drives. His playing time was consistent from Week 4 (around 45% of the snaps), as were his touches (from 17 touches to 19 including three receptions). Ranked 23rd against the run, the G-Men are giving up 114.2 rush yards per game to running backs with a minimum of 12 non-PPR Fantasy points yielded to all but one starting runner this season. Michel should continue to deliver.
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Carolina (3-2) at Tampa Bay (2-3)
9:30 a.m. ET (NFL Network)
Point spread: Panthers -2
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Earlier this year we saw the Panthers defense get roughed up by Chris Godwin, but not Mike Evans. For Winston to thrive, he'll need both to shine. Evans was taken out of the gameplan last week, according to Winston, by the Saints' sending double coverage his way. The Panthers have operated differently, using James Bradberry to shadow Evans, but the results have been the same: three straight bad games from Evans in this matchup. Bradberry has played great this season, allowing a 48% catch rate with no touchdowns scored so far this season. Winston barely topped 20 Fantasy points last week without Evans factoring in and was downright putrid in Weeks 1 and 2 with Evans stalled. Tack on a Bucs reshuffled offensive line that features backups playing at right guard and right tackle and it could make for a long game for Winston.
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Over the past three games, Moore's seen five fewer targets than Samuel but has been more efficient with 83 more yards and just as many touchdowns on one less reception. Even on the deep ball, Moore's done more, catching 2 of 3 deep tries from Kyle Allen for 104 yards and a score while Samuel has gone catchless on five long targets. When they played Tampa Bay in Week 2, both had 13-plus targets and did well with them despite some wayward throws from Cam Newton. In their three games since then, the Bucs have let up a 69% catch rate, five touchdowns and four 100-yard games to receivers. Moore's efficiency makes him an easy starting choice in a positive matchup while Samuel is more of a high-upside flex.
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