The fantasy football season is almost at the midseason point, and many owners are coming to a crossroads with their season. Right now is the time to get your team on the right track and make sure that you’re making that playoff push. Injuries and bye weeks are providing extra layers of fantasy strategy. If your team is 4-1 or 3-2 you are more likely to play it safe with your lineup decisions, but if you’re your team is 2-3 or 1-4 you are definitely more likely to swing for the fences with the homerun fantasy threats. Week 6 will be very critical in determining if your team will stay in the pack or if you will be punting on the rest of the season. Pay close attention to detail and make sure you are playing the optimal lineup for your respective situation.
Quarterbacks to Start
Philip Rivers, Chargers: Phillip Rivers is right atop of the early league MVP ballot with the way he has played through 5 games this year. Rivers leads the NFL in Passer rating (116.8), QBR (84.4), and completion % (70.3). Rivers has been able to shine without a viable running game behind him, and has shouldered much of the offensive burden for the Chargers. For week 6 he gets a dream matchup, facing the cupcake Oakland Raiders, and should be able to take advantage of their poor secondary. Rivers should be started in all formats, as he is my start of the week.
Jay Cutler, Bears: You have to take the good with the bad when it comes to Jay Cutler, and luckily for fantasy purposes, it has been mostly good regarding Cutler’s output. QB interceptions only count for -2 for fantasy, and aren’t nearly as impactful for your team as it is for his Chicago Bears. Cutler should be able to bounce back with a big game at the Atlanta Falcons, who are giving up an average of 15.2 ppg to opposing fantasy QB’s.
Colin Kaepernick, 49ers: Kaepernick maybe has struggled as a passer this year, but his rushing numbers have kept him afloat as a QB1 option. Kaep is averaging 41.2 yards per game on the ground, and should be able to reach that number beating the blitz happy St.Louis Rams. Start Kaepernick with confidence this week, but don’t be alarmed when his production might look a little ugly,
Quarterbacks to Sit
Matthew Stafford, Lions: Expectations should be tempered for Stafford without his all-pro WR Megatron reportedly not playing this week. In 3 career games without Megatron, Stafford averages a little over 200 yards, and 0.67 TDs, it’s a small sample size, but I would not trust Stafford to buck the trend. Plus the Vikings rank 10th in giving up the fewest amount of points to opposing fantasy QB’s. If you can avoid plugging Stafford into your lineup, I would.
Cam Newton, Panthers: Newton is averaging just 11 fantasy ppg this season, and it’s mainly because he refuses to run the football. Newton’s rushing numbers made him a fantasy superstar for his first 3 seasons in the league and now he has just 42 rushing yards for the entire season. Until Newton regains his complete health, he should be on your fantasy bench. Look to waiver wire options like Eli Manning or Alex Smith to hold you over until Newton regains his normal form.
Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins: Tannehill is coming off of his best game of the season 2 weeks ago against the Oakland Raiders in London, but now he has to face a much better Green Bay Packers defense who has more interceptions (7) than allowed TDs (4) through the air. Unless you are in a 2 QB format, Tannehill should be on your bench for week 6.
Running Backs to Start
Andre Williams, Giants: With Rashad Jennings out a few weeks with a sprained MCL, Williams has emerged as a viable RB1 for fantasy football owners. Williams is a work-horse back who should be able to sustain a 20-30 touch workload in the surprisingly explosive Giants offense. Wiliams also benefits from a great matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles who are allowing 4.2 yards per carry on the ground this season.
Andre Ellington, Cardinals: My preseason darling is finally starting to come on as a viable fantasy RB option after pushing through his foot injury early on. Ellington exploded for 26 fantasy points last week against the Denver Broncos, doing most of his damage through the air with 112 yards receiving and a TD. This week Ellington gets the Washington Redskins who are giving up the 13th most allowed points to opposing RBs and have also appeared susceptible in the short passing game, which Ellington excels in.
Ben Tate, Browns: Tate came back from injury last week and put a strangle hold on the starting RB job in Cleveland. As long as he can stay healthy, he will be a factor for many fantasy teams to close out the season. The Browns gashed the Steelers in week 1 for 173 yards on the ground, and that was after Tate left with an injury. Tate should be able to get into a nice groove against the Steelers Sunday, and your fantasy team should just thank him in advance.
Running Backs to Sit
Alfred Morris, Redskins: Alfred Morris’ value continues to decline since he is completely incapable of contributing anything in the passing game and loses all of his hurry-up and passing down snaps to Roy Helu. Combine that with the fact that the Cardinals are 5th best in the NFL at giving up fantasy points to opposing RBs and only allow 3 yard per carry, Morris is a perfect candidate to ride the pine for your fantasy team this week.
Zac Stacy, Rams: Stacy has failed to get it going like he did during his successful rookie campaign, and that should not stop this Monday night against a stout 49ers defense. The 49ers allow the 9th fewest rushing yards to opposing RB’s and is coming off of a calf injury last Sunday. There are plenty other RB options to play ahead of Stacy and if he was in your flex spot, Id play virtually any starting WR in front of him.
Stevan Ridley, Patriots: Ridley is coming off of his best game of the season against the Bengals, but he now has to face the top ranked Buffalo Bills rushing defense, and their stingy front 7. Look for NE to attack the Bills through the air and for fellow RB Shane Vereen to receive a good portion of the workload as he is a much better receiver out of the backfield.
Wide Receivers to Start
Golden Tate, Lions: Tate is the main beneficiary of Calvin Johnson missing time with a reported high-ankle sprain. Over the last 2 games when Megatron has been primarily used as a decoy, Tate has exploded for 15 catches for 250 yards and 1 TD. As long as Megatron is out, Tate should be started in all fantasy formats.
Mohamed Sanu, Bengals: Sanu will emerge as the #1 receiving threat in the Bengals offense with AJ Green already being ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Panthers. Sanu is a big WR with very reliable hands, and should get plenty of target’s around the red zone. Sanu is responsible for a TD or 2point conversion in every game this season, and his production floor is high as his low output for the season is 6 fantasy points.
TY Hilton, Colts: Hilton has emerged as the most targeted player in the Colts offense, and should be able to take advantage of a great matchup against the Houston Texans who have allowed at least 20 points to opposing WR corps every game this season. Look for Hilton to get one of those patented deep balls on Thursday Night Football.
Wide Receivers to Sit
Andre Johnson, Texans: Andre Johnson has yet to score a TD this season, and Deandre Hopkins appears to have overtaken him as the #1 WR option in Houston. Look for Colts CB Vontae Davis to shadow Johnson and to make life extremely difficult for him. Sit Andre Johnson, and don’t worry about any repercussion.
Sammy Watkins, Bills: Insert WR facing Darrelle Revis.
Wes Welker, Broncos: It appears that Wes Welker’s role from last year has diminished quite a bit with the addition of Emmanuel Sanders. Sanders is also a diminutive quick WR who thrives on the underneath routes and is simply a better athlete than Welker. I would consider benching Welker until he proves that he has regained his old form.
Tight Ends to Start
Owen Daniels, Ravens: Owen Daniels has received 13 targets in the 2 games that he has started since Dennis Pitta has been lost for the year. He gets a prime opportunity to face the worst secondary in the league in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have allowed 20 TE receptions over the last 2 weeks.
Larry Donnell, Giants: Donnell is coming off of his worst game of the year against the Falcons who made it a specific point to not get beat by Donnell in the red zone. The Eagles secondary is probably their weak link and Donnell should be able to take advantage of his matchups against smaller defenders on Sunday Night. Start him with confidence, even if Donnell himself doesn’t.
Jordan Cameron, Browns: Cameron looks to be recovered from the injury that hampered him early in the season, the production just hasn’t caught up to him yet. Cameron had 7 targets last week against the Titans, and as long as he is going to be that involved in the offense he should be started in fantasy lineups.
Tight Ends to Sit
Dwayne Allen, Colts: Dwayne Allen has been a TD machine this season but has not really produced much in the yardage category, making him completely TD dependent for fantasy value. The Texans have only allowed 1 receiving TD to opposing TE’s this season and will key in on Allen around the goal line.
Zach Ertz, Eagles: This was suppose to be Ertz’s breakout year, but he has yet to have more than 4 catches in a game. Brent Celek is gaining on Ertz in the snap count, and the Giants have defended the TE better than any team in the NFL this season. Look for Ertz to be kept in check on Sunday night.
Defenses to Start
Chargers: Happy is the defense that plays Oakland.
Denver Broncos: Very Happy is the defense that plays Geno Smith.