Fantasy & Betting
10/9/24
4 min read
NFL Week 6 Fantasy Football Rankings: Predictions For Every Position
Whether you dominated your matchup last week or fell just a few points short of a win, it’s best to have a short memory in fantasy football.
Well, hopefully, it's not too short of a memory anyway; it’s crucial to keep up with player trends and certain pieces of statistical information. If you don’t want to keep track of all that for yourself, that’s where I come in.
Headed into Week 6, the NFL has scheduled each of the following teams to go on bye:
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Los Angeles Rams
- Miami Dolphins
- Minnesota Vikings
Being without stars like Rams RB Kyren Williams or Vikings WR Justin Jefferson is a challenge, but it's not insurmountable if you make the right lineup decisions. And what helps best in making informed choices?
A solid set of weekly rankings position-by-position. Let’s explore the guys you should be keeping an eye on or shying away from in Week 6:
Week 6 Fantasy Football Rankings
Week 6 Quarterback Rankings
| Rank | Name | Team | Opponent |
| 1.) | Lamar Jackson | BAL | vs WAS |
| 2.) | Joe Burrow | CIN | @ NYG |
| 3.) | Josh Allen | BUF | @ NYJ |
| 4.) | Kyler Murray | ARI | @ GB |
| 5.) | Jayden Daniels | WAS | @ BAL |
| 6.) | Jalen Hurts | PHI | vs CLE |
| 7.) | Jordan Love | GB | vs ARI |
| 8.) | C.J. Stroud | HOU | @ NE |
| 9.) | Justin Fields | PIT | @ LV |
| 10.) | Brock Purdy | SF | @ SEA |
| 11.) | Baker Mayfield | TB | @ NO |
| 12.) | Jared Goff | DET | @ DAL |
| 13.) | Kirk Cousins | ATL | @ CAR |
| 14.) | Dak Prescott | DAL | vs DET |
| 15.) | Caleb Williams | CHI | vs JAC |
| 16.) | Geno Smith | SEA | vs SF |
| 17.) | Andy Dalton | CAR | vs ATL |
| 18.) | Joe Flacco | IND | @ TEN |
| 19.) | Anthony Richardson | IND | @ TEN |
| 20.) | Daniel Jones | NYG | vs CIN |
| 21.) | Trevor Lawrence | JAC | @ CHI |
| 22.) | Justin Herbert | LAC | @ DEN |
| 23.) | Will Levis | TEN | vs IND |
| 24.) | Drake Maye | NE | vs HOU |
Quick Takeaways
- It’s still unclear as of this writing whether the Indianapolis Colts will start Joe Flacco or Anthony Richardson (quad/hip) back from injury this weekend. Whichever of the two gets the nod in Week 6 vs. the Tennessee Titans will likely end up somewhere around QB17 or so, but in case you were wondering why that weird back-to-back pairing is there, that’s why.
- If it seemed like passing was picking up across the NFL in Week 5, that’s because it did. While we can’t assign too much value to one weekend, this upward tick is an encouraging sign that hopefully becomes a trend.
Trending Up
- Despite a troubling TD:INT ratio of 2.7:1.7, Jordan Love is averaging 20.2 fantasy points per game (four-point per passing touchdown scoring format) in an offense that carries a -10.5 percent Pass Rate Over Expectation (PROE), according to NFELO. The fact that he has overcome an early knee injury and a scheme that doesn’t lend itself well to a high-volume aerial attack speaks to how strong of a quarterback Love truly is. I’d like to see him cut down on the turnovers, but if he can show that in the coming weeks, he’ll be a no-doubt top-five quarterback until further notice.
- Lamar Jackson is in rare form in 2024. Between his contributions as a runner and a passer, his average of 24.9 fantasy points per game is on pace to break his previous record-setting 2019 season in which he recorded 415.7 points. He’s also pacing his own NFL record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a season with his average of 72.6 yards per game.
- For context, Jackson’s rushing yards per game average is just a tick higher than Kyren Williams' (72.0), per FantasyData. He’s basically the equivalent of an RB1 who throws the ball.
Trending Down
- There are plenty of rumors circling that suggest Week 6 might see the debut of New England Patriots rookie QB Drake Maye. Do I believe he’s worth scooping in Superflex redraft leagues? Certainly! He brings a sneaky amount of rushing upside, as demonstrated in college at North Carolina. Just remember that the Patriots’ offensive line allows the third-highest sack rate (11.7 percent) and the single-highest rate of pressures per dropback (46.2 percent) of any unit in the league, per TruMedia. Maye shouldn’t even sniff lineups in 1-QB formats.
- Apologies to anyone who took my Week 5 rankings as a reason to start Deshaun Watson. It turns out that a matchup against the Washington Commanders’ putrid defense was not enough for Watson to overcome the gross ineptitude he displays on the field. Watson isn’t just bad, either; he’s historically bad. Don’t believe me?
Week 6 Running Back Rankings
| Rank | Name | Team | Opponent |
| 1.) | Derrick Henry | BAL | vs WAS |
| 2.) | Saquon Barkley | PHI | vs CLE |
| 3.) | Jordan Mason | SF | @ SEA |
| 4.) | Alvin Kamara | NO | vs TB |
| 5.) | Jahmyr Gibbs | DET | @ DAL |
| 6.) | Josh Jacobs | GB | vs ARI |
| 7.) | James Conner | ARI | @ GB |
| 8.) | David Montgomery | DET | @ DAL |
| 9.) | James Cook | BUF | @ NYJ |
| 10.) | Jonathan Taylor | IND | @ TEN |
| 11.) | Bijan Robinson | ATL | @ CAR |
| 12.) | Chuba Hubbard | CAR | vs ATL |
| 13.) | Kenneth Walker III | SEA | vs SF |
| 14.) | Tony Pollard | TEN | vs IND |
| 15.) | Breece Hall | NYJ | vs BUF |
| 16.) | Brian Robinson Jr. | WAS | @ BAL |
| 17.) | D'Andre Swift | CHI | vs JAC |
| 18.) | Rhamondre Stevenson | NE | vs HOU |
| 19.) | J.K. Dobbins | LAC | @ DEN |
| 20.) | Chase Brown | CIN | @ NYG |
| 21.) | Travis Etienne Jr. | JAC | @ CHI |
| 22.) | Rico Dowdle | DAL | vs DET |
| 23.) | Devin Singletary | NYG | vs CIN |
| 24.) | Jerome Ford | CLE | @ PHI |
| 25.) | Rachaad White | TB | @ NO |
| 26.) | Najee Harris | PIT | @ LV |
| 27.) | Cam Akers | HOU | @ NE |
| 28.) | Trey Sermon | IND | @ TEN |
| 29.) | Zack Moss | CIN | @ NYG |
| 30.) | Tank Bigsby | JAC | @ CHI |
| 31.) | Javonte Williams | DEN | vs LAC |
| 32.) | Bucky Irving | TB | @ NO |
| 33.) | Roschon Johnson | CHI | vs JAC |
| 34.) | Braelon Allen | NYJ | vs BUF |
| 35.) | Austin Ekeler | WAS | @ BAL |
| 36.) | Zach Charbonnet | SEA | vs SF |
| 37.) | Tyjae Spears | TEN | vs IND |
| 38.) | Justice Hill | BAL | vs WAS |
| 39.) | Alexander Mattison | LV | vs PIT |
| 40.) | Zamir White | LV | vs PIT |
| 41.) | Antonio Gibson | NE | vs HOU |
| 42.) | Dare Ogunbowale | HOU | @ NE |
| 43.) | Tyler Allgeier | ATL | @ CAR |
| 44.) | Emanuel Wilson | GB | vs ARI |
| 45.) | Gus Edwards | LAC | @ DEN |
| 46.) | D'Onta Foreman | CLE | @ PHI |
| 47.) | Miles Sanders | CAR | vs ATL |
| 48.) | Jaleel McLaughlin | DEN | vs LAC |
| 49.) | Tyrone Tracy Jr. | NYG | vs CIN |
| 50.) | Tyler Goodson | IND | @ TEN |
Quick Takeaways
- While it won't help managers in Week 6, considering the Chiefs are on bye, Kareem Hunt is clearly the lead runner in Kansas City. On Monday night vs. the New Orleans Saints, Hunt recorded a gaudy 27 carries for 102 rushing yards and a score. Rookie Carson Steele fumbled again, and Samaje Perine saw just two targets with a carry all game. It might be a good idea to make an offer to the manager who rosters Hunt in your league, assuming you can take the blow of no production next week. If that manager is struggling and needs a win in Week 6, you can pull off a steal.
Trending Up
- Kudos to Rico Dowdle for his continued ascension. Since Week 3, the former UDFA is averaging 77 scrimmage yards on 15 touches per game. In fantasy terms, he’s yielding 13.7 points per game in point-per-reception (PPR) scoring, good for 18th among runners in that span. The only thorn in Dowdle’s side is that in the past two weeks, FB Hunter Luepke has registered a 37.3 percent snap rate, per Fantasy Points Data, and a 32.9 percent route participation rate that exceeds Dowdle’s. That prevents Dowdle from being ranked any higher, but congratulations if you acted early on waivers and added him.
- I’ve long been a fan of Kenneth Walker III. The aspect of his game that’s prevented me from being a bigger fan in fantasy football is that he’s never been much of a pass-catcher (his career high in targets is 29, for context). The ability to catch passes is crucial to PPR success. This season, Walker III is averaging 5.3 targets per game in this pass-happy Ryan Grubb offense (+6.8 percent PROE, first in the NFL). Doing a little math, Walker III could end the season with 80 targets at this pace. Should this uptick hold, he’ll be a weekly RB1 from here on out.
Trending Down
- What in the world is going on with Breece Hall? The superstar that managers were promised with a summertime first-round pick hasn’t shown up much lately. According to TruMedia, Hall is charting either a first down or a touchdown on just 16.1 percent of his rushes (%P1FDTD), the eighth-worst mark among all running backs with at least 20 carries.
- In Hall’s defense, the Jets’ offensive line ranks third-worst in Adjusted Line Yards (3.84) and Stuff Rate (24 percent), per FTN. Solving this chicken vs. egg problem doesn’t take a rocket surgeon; it’s the offensive line letting him down. Still, we’re at a point where he cannot be trusted as an RB1.
- Calling back to that rushing success metric from before, Zamir White has the lowest %P1FDTD among qualified running backs (7.1 %). He missed last week due to a groin injury, and while it's unclear if Alexander Mattison performed well enough to usurp the starter’s role, Week 6 vs. the Steelers could mark the changing of the guard. The duo is ranked closely due to relative ambiguity, but I will go ahead and call my shot that this is the week Mattison wins the job. White is droppable if this comes true.
Week 6 Wide Receiver Rankings
| Rank | Name | Team | Opponent |
| 1. | Ja'Marr Chase | CIN | @ NYG |
| 2. | Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET | @ DAL |
| 3. | CeeDee Lamb | DAL | vs DET |
| 4. | Malik Nabers | NYG | vs CIN |
| 5. | Drake London | ATL | @ CAR |
| 6. | Jayden Reed | GB | vs ARI |
| 7. | DJ Moore | CHI | vs JAC |
| 8. | A.J. Brown | PHI | vs CLE |
| 9. | Brandon Aiyuk | SF | @ SEA |
| 10. | Stefon Diggs | HOU | @ NE |
| 11. | DK Metcalf | SEA | vs SF |
| 12. | Marvin Harrison Jr. | ARI | @ GB |
| 13. | Chris Godwin | TB | @ NO |
| 14. | Chris Olave | NO | vs TB |
| 15. | Mike Evans | TB | @ NO |
| 16. | Davante Adams | LV | vs PIT |
| 17. | Zay Flowers | BAL | vs WAS |
| 18. | Deebo Samuel Sr. | SF | @ SEA |
| 19. | Garrett Wilson | NYJ | vs BUF |
| 20. | Terry McLaurin | WAS | @ BAL |
| 21. | Tee Higgins | CIN | @ NYG |
| 22. | Diontae Johnson | CAR | vs ATL |
| 23. | DeVonta Smith | PHI | vs CLE |
| 24. | Amari Cooper | CLE | @ PHI |
| 25. | Jameson Williams | DET | @ DAL |
| 26. | Michael Pittman Jr. | IND | @ TEN |
| 27. | Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA | vs SF |
| 28. | George Pickens | PIT | @ LV |
| 29. | Brian Thomas Jr. | JAC | @ CHI |
| 30. | Wan'Dale Robinson | NYG | vs CIN |
| 31. | Darnell Mooney | ATL | @ CAR |
| 32. | Rashid Shaheed | NO | vs TB |
| 33. | DeAndre Hopkins | TEN | vs IND |
| 34. | Tank Dell | HOU | @ NE |
| 35. | Calvin Ridley | TEN | vs IND |
| 36. | Christian Kirk | JAC | @ CHI |
| 37. | Dontayvion Wicks | GB | vs ARI |
| 38. | Josh Downs | IND | @ TEN |
| 39. | Ladd McConkey | LAC | @ DEN |
| 40. | Khalil Shakir | BUF | @ NYJ |
| 41. | Michael Wilson | ARI | @ GB |
| 42. | Keenan Allen | CHI | vs JAC |
| 43. | Jauan Jennings | SF | @ SEA |
| 44. | Courtland Sutton | DEN | vs LAC |
| 45. | Jakobi Meyers | LV | vs PIT |
| 46. | Allen Lazard | NYJ | vs BUF |
| 47. | Rome Odunze | CHI | vs JAC |
| 48. | Xavier Legette | CAR | vs ATL |
| 49. | KaVontae Turpin | DAL | vs DET |
| 50. | Jalen Tolbert | DAL | vs DET |
Trending Up
- Terry McLaurin is slowly building a case to move up higher in the weekly rankings after a trio of solid performances. Since Week 3, the veteran wideout has averaged five receptions, 88 receiving yards, and 17.2 PPR points per game, which ranks tied for 13th with Packers WR Jayden Reed. What’s helped McLaurin a lot is that rookie QB Jayden Daniels is willing to sling it to him further downfield. In 2024, McLaurin leads all wideouts in air yards share (55.1 percent) ahead of Malik Nabers and Justin Jefferson. It took until his sixth season, but the McLaurin breakout seems to be happening.
- Josh Downs saw heaps of praise in my Week 6 waiver wire article, but it’s worth reiterating that he is tied for second among all pass-catchers with at least 50 routes run in targets per route run (0.36), per Fantasy Points Data. Whatever feelings you have about his fantasy prospects once Richardson returns are valid, but it’s hard to overlook the concentrated effort to get him the ball.
- Jayden Reed ranks second among receivers in fantasy points per route run this season (0.76). The next closest player, Nico Collins, is nearly a full tenth of a point lower at 0.68. For as much credit as Collins has received for his breakout, it’s time to give more shine to Reed.
Potential Breakout
- Speaking of Collins, he’s dealing with a hamstring injury that’s being considered a week-to-week issue. Speedster Tank Dell stands to benefit significantly from Collins’ potential absence and make managers who’ve held onto him feel great. Remember, Dell ranked 17th in yards per route run (2.40) and 18th in PPR points per game (15.0) among wideouts with at least 50 targets as a rookie in 2023. This is why he was picked so high in drafts this year to begin with. Get ready for delayed gratification.
Week 6 Tight End Rankings
| Rank | Name | Team | Opponent |
| 1. | George Kittle | SF | @ SEA |
| 2. | Trey McBride | ARI | @ GB |
| 3. | Dallas Goedert | PHI | vs CLE |
| 4. | Brock Bowers | LV | vs PIT |
| 5. | Jake Ferguson | DAL | vs DET |
| 6. | Sam LaPorta | DET | @ DAL |
| 7. | Dalton Kincaid | BUF | @ NYJ |
| 8. | Pat Freiermuth | PIT | @ LV |
| 9. | Tucker Kraft | GB | vs ARI |
| 10. | Mark Andrews | BAL | vs WAS |
| 11. | Tyler Conklin | NYJ | vs BUF |
| 12. | David Njoku | CLE | @ PHI |
| 13. | Kyle Pitts | ATL | @ CAR |
| 14. | Brenton Strange | JAC | @ CHI |
| 15. | Isaiah Likely | BAL | vs WAS |
| 16. | Cole Kmet | CHI | vs JAC |
| 17. | Cade Otton | TB | @ NO |
| 18. | Mike Gesicki | CIN | @ NYG |
| 19. | Dalton Schultz | HOU | @ NE |
| 20. | Zach Ertz | WAS | @ BAL |
| 21. | Noah Fant | SEA | vs SF |
| 22. | Juwan Johnson | NO | vs TB |
| 23. | Chig Okonkwo | TEN | vs IND |
| 24. | Hunter Henry | NE | vs HOU |
Quick Takeaways
- One thing I’ve been consistent about this season is holding steady with the tight end position. Yes, it’s been weird, but you probably feel a little goofy if you hastily dropped Mark Andrews before his five-catch, 55-yard performance in Week 5 vs. the Cincinnati Bengals. Same with Kyle Pitts of the Atlanta Falcons, or Sam LaPorta, etc.; you just have to be patient until we see the NFL sustain this uptick in passing.
Trending Up
- In the past four weeks, Brenton Strange has been a quality stand-in for the injured Evan Engram. The second-year pass-catcher ranks 10th in PPR points per game (9), with an average of 4.5 targets per game in that span. If Engram’s hamstring ailment holds him out again in Week 6, it’d be difficult to argue against Strange as a TE1 option.
Trending Down
- Erick All Jr. lost some playing time to Drew Sample in Week 5, registering a meager 30.2 percent route participation while netting two targets. As disappointing as that was, the risk associated with the rookie was readily apparent, given the 27.2 route participation rate he registered three weeks prior. Perhaps my optimism for All Jr. is better served for dynasty purposes, but maybe not for 10 or 12-team redraft leagues.
