Welcome Fantasy friends and foes to my weekly Start and Sit advice column with the 2023 Fantasy Football Week 6 Start Sit.
Everyone has had a lousy day. Bad week. Week 5 was my bad week. Let's call it a Murphy's Law week. Anything that could go wrong went wrong.
Following up on poor performances by Calvin Ridley and Dallas Goedert, my suggestions to sit them look foolish now. The only ones that went my way were the start suggestions of Sam Howell and Breece Hall.
Well, enough complaining. Let's get back on the horse and ride this baby to victory this week with the 2023 Fantasy Football Week 6 Start Sit.
2023 Fantasy Football Week 6 Start Sit
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Quarterbacks
Start-Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams
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The bromance is back together, with Cooper Kupp making his season debut last week. All Kupp did was lead the team in receiving with eight receptions on 12 targets for 118 yards. And you can't forget about Puka Nucua, who still produced WR12 numbers with seven receptions on 11 targets for 71 yards.
The Rams take on the Arizona Cardinals, whose defense has allowed, on average, surrendering over 250 yards passing and two passing scores per game. Look for Stafford to be better than that and produce his first QB1 outing this season.
Other QBs to Start: Gemo Smith, Seattle Seahawks; Russell Wilson, Denver BroncosÂ
Sit-Sam Howell, QB, Washington Commanders
Fantasy managers will see the boxscore of the Commanders vs. Bears game on Thursday Night and jump on the Sam Howell bandwagon. Howell passed for 388 yards and two touchdowns on 51 pass attempts. The Commanders were trailing all game and ended up losing to a winless Bears team.
Howell was forced to pass and produced those stats based on volume alone. He was forced to dink and dunk up and down the field. The final result looked impressive, but let's not kid ourselves. Howell is still a QB2 at best.
This week, Washington will take on an Atlanta Falcons team that should lend itself to a competitive game against two mediocre teams. This is not the type of game that fantasy managers should be targeting. Leave Howell on your bench. Better yet, sell Howell based on his Week 5 performance.
Other QBs to Avoid: Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys; Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ersÂ
Running Backs
Start-Alexander Mattison, RB, Minnesota Vikings
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Yes, Alexander Mattison is still the lead back in Minnesota. The Vikings signed Cam Akers to at least share some of the running back duties, and he is slowly being worked into the offense. However, Akers has yet to make an impact. Mattison has been inconsistent and is not a game-breaker, but he provides RB2 numbers.
Mattison has a plus matchup this week against the Chicago Bears. In a matchup of two poor defenses, it is always primed for fantasy managers to plug every player in your starting lineup. Mattison is no different and should be in your starting lineup this week.
Start-Miles Sanders/Chuba Hubbard, RB, Carolina Panthers
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The Carolina Panthers backfield has been frustrating for fantasy managers. After his breakout season with the Philadelphia Eagles last season, Miles Sanders was signed in the offseason to take over as the lead back in the Panthers offense. Sanders has been inefficient and slowed down by injuries that have made a colossal disappointment this season.
Chuba Hubbard has relieved Sanders plenty but has not stepped up to take over the lead-back role.
This combo might have their best opportunity to succeed this week in their matchup against the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins run defense is among the worst in the league. The Panthers need to keep the explosive Dolphins offense off the field. The best way to do this is to eat up the clock by controlling the game via the running game. Each back should get plenty of volume. The question is, who will it be? Take your chance on whoever you roster.
Other RBs to Start: Jahmyr Gubbs, Detroit Lions;Â Aaron Jones, Green Bay PackersÂ
Sit-Rachaad White, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rachaad White entered this season on many sleeper lists. However, White has been relatively inefficient as the lead back for the Bucs. He has produced only 0.61 Fantasy Points per Opportunity, ranking 51st among all running backs. His -17.0 EPA (Expected Points Added) ranks a dismal 120th. The Bucs' offensive line is not doing White any favors either, but his production in the passing game allows fantasy managers to tolerate the running inefficient output.
The Bucs' first game after their Week 5 bye is up against the red-hot Detroit Lions, whose defense continues to ascend. They rank among the best versus the run, so if White does not excel in the passing game, he is worthless to fantasy managers. Do not take the chance, and sit White this week.
Sit-Gus Edwards, RB, Baltimore Ravens
It's hard to trust Gus Edwards in your weekly fantasy lineups. Edwards is recognized as the lead back for the Ravens, but is he? Not exactly. He shares touches with Justice Hill and, of course, Lamar Jackson.
Edwards is strictly used on running plays, which limits his opportunities. Sitting Edwards is always an option with those limitations, especially this week.
The Ravens take on the elite Tennessee Titans run defense that surrenders less than four yards per carry. Look elsewhere.
Other RBs to Avoid: Emari Demercardo, Arizona Cardinals; Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears Â
Wide Receivers
Start-Jordan Addison, WR, Minnesota Vikings
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The devastating news of the hamstring injury to Justin Jefferson leaves a gaping hole in the Minnesota Vikings offense. Kirk Cousins will funnel plenty of passes to tight end TJ Hockenson, but when he is looking to stretch the field, Cousins will seek out rookie wideout Jordan Addison.
The USC product already has three scores this season, including one last week against the Kansas City Chiefs, where he also produced six receptions on nine targets for 64 yards.
His Week 6 matchup against the Chicago Bears is a fantasy jackpot. The Bears have been coughing up yards and fantasy points to every offensive position. Fantasy managers will want to have a piece of the Vikings' offense this week, and there is no one better to start than their current top wideout.
Start-Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets
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Fantasy managers immediately wanted to shy away from Garret Wilson after the Week 1 season-ending injury to Aaron Rodgers. Not so fast. Yes. Zach Wilson is still the Jets quarterback, but he is improving every week, which leaves me to believe in his best passing option in Garrett Wilson.
The Wilson-to-Wilson connection should pay dividends this week when the Jets welcome NFC Champs Philadelphia Eagles to MetLife Stadium. The Eagles pass defense has been atrocious this season, coughing up 83 receptions, 945 yards, and eight touchdowns to wide receivers through five games. I see Garrett Wilson having an excellent game and finishing as a WR1 this week.
Other WRs to Start: Gabe Davis, Buffalo Bills; Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay BuccaneersÂ
Sit-Marquise Brown, WR, Arizona Cardinals
Marquise Brown has consistently been recognized as a boom-or-bust option in fantasy football. In the Arizona Cardinals offense, Brown is the WR1, albeit with an inexperienced quarterback in Joshua Dobbs. Brown has produced three touchdowns through five games and has three games of ten targets.
In an unfavorable matchup for Brown, the Cardinals will take on the Los Angeles Rams in Week 6. The Rams pass defense ranks among the best in the league and has allowed only one touchdown to wide receivers this season. The Rams will focus all of their attention on Brown, leaving the Cardinals wideout as someone not to have in your Week 6 lineup.
Sit-Joshua Palmer, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
Coming off their bye week, the Los Angeles Charges welcome the Dallas Cowboys to So-Fi Stadium for a Monday Night matchup. The Chargers had the opportunity to recharge and possibly reshape their offense during the bye, and it looks like we will see Austin Ekeler return to the lineup. The Chargers' running game has been non-existent without Ekeler, and a powerful running game is the best path to attack the Cowboys' defense.
The return of Ekeler and a focused ground attack game plan should leave minimal opportunities for the passing game outside of Keenan Allen and dump-offs to Ekeler and tight end Gerald Everett. In his last two games, Josh Palmer has had seven, then eight targets; look for that number to be cut in half, as well as his fantasy production.
Tight Ends
Start-Zach Ertz, TE, Arizona Cardinals
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Although in a negative game script, Zach Ertz was not getting targets in his matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. However, he produced his first touchdown of the season, which allowed him to finish as the TE11 in Week 5.
The Cardinals will continue to face negative game scripts, including this week's matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Look for Ertz to finish as a TE1 this week, with the Rams landing as one the best matchups for tight ends in the early season.
Other TEs to Start: Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears; Dalton Kinkaid, Buffalo BillsÂ
Sit-Chig Okonkwo, TE, Tennessee TItans
Chig came into this season as a massive sleeper after shining late last season. Unfortunately, he has gotten off to a slow start along with the rest of the Titans offense. In his Week 5 matchup against the Colts, Chig produced his best game of the season with five receptions on nine targets for 33 yards.
However, this week brings the Baltimore Ravens to Tennessee, where Chig will face off against the most formidable defense versus tight ends. No, thank you!
Other TEs to Avoid: David Njoku, Cleveland Browns; Jonnu Smith, Atlanta FalconsÂ
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