Fantasy football rankings Week 6: Sleepers, projections, starts, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Tyquan Thornton and more

Even though only two teams are on a bye in Week 6, it feels like we’re in a tough spot. The NFL injuries are piling up, and running backs went from being healthier than wide receivers to dropping like flies. Don’t worry, the Week 6 rankings, sleepers and notes have plenty of nuggets to help you fill out your lineup. Plus, something that’s always going to get the arguments started … a fun ranks about food/drinks.

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Week 6 Waiver Wire
Week 6 SOS Ranks (coming soon)
Fantasy 101 (weather, start/sit, trading, more)
🎙️All In Speed Run Podcast🎙️

WEEK 6 FANTASY FOOTBALL NOTES

Running Backs

• The leader in YPC (min. 25 touches)? Jacory Croskey-Merritt at 6.6. He’s also second, behind Bijan Robinson (7.1), in Yards Per Touch (YPT) at 7.0, and second in YAC at 4.40 (RJ Harvey at 4.45). JCM is also third in YBC at 2.19, with part-timers ahead of him in Miles Sanders (2.85) and Blake Corum (2.79). So, while it’s great to see Croskey-Merritt get the start, the YPC is unsustainable, so if someone is going to overpay at a fringe RB1 value, sell. Otherwise, enjoy the ride.
• As mentioned in waivers, now is a good time to stash Kyle Monangai if available. He could be a drop in two weeks, but coming out of the bye is an opportunity for a workload change, and D’Andre Swift has been volume-reliant. The most concerning? Monangai could eat into Swift’s 76.7% rush attempt share at the goal line.
• Speaking of concern and volume reliance, if Chuba Hubbard returns, Rico Dowdle made his case for a split backfield. It’s also concerning that Hubbard only had 3.8% of his runs go for 10+ yards, which is only ahead of last-place Chase Brown, at 1.5% (min. 50 carries).
• Back to waivers again, Kimani Vidal is slightly ahead of Hassan Haskins. Vidal has passing-game potential, but that’s also because Haskins’ bar is so low in that aspect. The risk is that Haskins could get all the goal-line work. Heck, it could surprise many and go the opposite way, but the reality is this likely ends up as a worse version of the Chiefs’ backfield.
• Assuming Jaylen Warren returns, the workload will likely revert to more of the split we saw earlier this season, given Kenneth Gainwell’s Week 4 performance and Warren’s injury. If Warren is out, Gainwell will be in the low-end RB2 range given a tough matchup.
• With Bucky Irving likely out again, Rachaad White remains in the fringe RB1 group. Though if Irving surprisingly returns, that tells us the Buccaneers are confident in his health and he should take his spot back.
• Over the past three weeks, Quinshon Judkins has an 80.0 RBTouch%, tied with Christian McCaffrey for fifth (Top 4: Saquon Barkley, Tony Pollard, James Cook, and Jonathan Taylor).
• Some boom/bust options if you’re valuing ceiling over significant risk: both Chargers running backs, Tyler Allgeier, RJ Harvey, TreVeyon Henderson.

Wide Receivers

• Deebo Samuel is fourth in EPA/TGT against man coverage (min. 10 targets) at 1.15 and FPs/TGT at 2.76. The Bears use man the second most (40.7%) … and their defense kinda stinks anyway.
• In one week, Ryan Flournoy jumped into the Top 10 for FPs/TGT and EPA versus zone coverage (2.17 and 2.32). Good news for a repeat — assuming no KaVontae Turpin — the Panthers use zone the fourth most at 79.9%.
• Figuring out whether it’s a Khalil Shakir or Keon Coleman week? This week should help make it easier, as Shakir is seventh in YPRR against Cover-3 (3.47) and fifth in FPs/TGT (2.42). Only the Raiders use Cover-3 more than the Falcons (50.0% to 49.5%). Oh, in those same metrics, Dalton Kincaid is third (3.29) and first (2.24), respectively, for tight ends.
• The Lions allow the highest AirYD/TGT at 9.96 and have already yielded 16 receptions of 20+ yards. Even with a minimum of just 5 targets, Tyquan Thornton still leads the league with a crazy 23.9 AirYD/TGT, with Jameson Williams second at 20.8.
• As seen with Ladd McConkey last week against the Commanders, taking advantage of teams that are weak against the slot can work. Even worse than the Commanders’ 2.14 YPRR allowed to the slot? The Bengals top the list at 2.16 (per Fantasy Points). Dontayvion Wicks has spent the most time there among Packers wideouts (51.0%) and saw a few more routes and snaps than Matthew Golden in Week 4.
• Meanwhile, the Eagles allow a league-low 0.84 to the slot (per Fantasy Points), which means Wan’Dale Robinson is going to carry more risk than usual, even with possible heavy volume.
• The Jets allowed the second-most YPRR to receivers out wide (2.44, per Fantasy Points), and as seen in Week 5 (Flournoy), the secondary wideouts can take advantage. Next up? Troy Franklin, who also gets the Giants and Cowboys the following weeks,
• Apparently the Colts weren’t kidding with the Adonai Mitchell punishment, which means even if Alec Pierce is out again (concussion), it’s hard to trust anyone but Michael Pittman and Tyler Warren in the passing game.
• How about that Rashid Shaheed play against the Giants last week? Next up? DeVonta Smith.
• Boom/bust plays: Xavier Legette (if Jalen Coker isn’t back), Thornton (see above), Isaiah Bond, Shaheed (again).

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Tight Ends

• With Brenton Strange on IR, a desperation tight end play would be Hunter Long, who saw a big bump after Strange’s exit, and the matchup against the Seahawks is favorable (banged up and already vulnerable to tight ends).
• Over the past two weeks, Jake Tonges has an 18.8 TmTGT% with a combined receiving line of 16-10-99-2, and the Buccaneers have given up two-touchdown games to back-to-back opponents: Dallas Goedert and AJ Barner.

Quarterbacks

• We can be hopeful for the Joe Flacco trade, but I’m not overly optimistic. Simply watching Flacco play hasn’t shown much reason to believe he’s a significant upgrade over Jake Browning, and yes, the receiving weapons are better in Cincinnati, but his metrics fall in line with our eyes. The time to throw isn’t much of a difference to argue Flacco will get it out quicker (2.79 for Browing, 2.71 for Flacco). Additionally, they have identical 7.3 AirYD/ATT, while Browning has a 0.8 TD/INT ratio with Flacco’s at 0.3. And their EPA per dropbacks aren’t much different at -0.44 for Browning and -0.32 for Flacco. The one good sign is more on-target throws — 12.0% off target for Browning and 8.1 for Flacco. But again, while this helps Ja’Marr Chase’s floor a bit and gives a glimmer of hope to Tee Higgins, it’s not a game-changer.
• If Lamar Jackson starts, boost everyone on the Ravens, including Derrick Henry. Jackson leads the league in TD/Att% at 10.5, with Jared Goff second at 8.3%. If Cooper Rush is at quarterback, Zay Flowers is the only receiver to risk, and starting Henry will feel as good as it has this year — not great, Bob!

FUN WITH RANKS

• Just like last week, a precursor to the rankings. I prefer zero everything. I’ve come to like the taste more, and if I’m already wrecking my body with soda, I’d rather pull back on the sugar and just wreck it with the fake stuff anyway.
• Secondly, my taste obviously skews fruitier than cola, which is why there is a lot of Mountain Dew. Or maybe I’m just all jacked up on it!

Best Sodas … in my opinion

1. Mr. Pibb/Pibb/Pibb Xtra — So many names, so many joyful tastebuds. If I find a FreeStyle machine with Pibb Zero in it, you can bet I’ll pay whatever stupid soda price they’re asking
2. Mountain Dew: Major Melon — I’m a big fan of strawberry and watermelon flavored anything … so this is always a win when I can find it
3. Mountain Dew: VooDEW — I originally thought it might taste like white Airheads, but it actually has some pink/strawberry to it — I’m a big fan
4. Barq’s Root Beer — My favorite root beer because yes, the bite — A&W and Mug are too soft
5. Mountain Dew: Baja Blast — I can’t see getting anything else while you’re at Taco Bell
6. Fanta: Orange — The wife likes Sunkist too, but Fanta has a bit more “orange” to it
7. Jarritos: Pineapple — The only thing on the list you can’t get “zero,” and I don’t care because this is like a beach vacation for your taste buds. If it had a “zero,” it might rank No. 2
8. Mountain Dew: Livewire — Orange again … this time with the Dew
9. Cherry Coke — As you can see, I like a bit more flavor than the “base versions”
10. Pepper Cherry — Pibb over Dr. Pepper every time, seeing as how Dr. Pepper goes flat before you can take a second sip, but the cherry version somehow is better … in taste too

Bonus: Mountain Dew: Gamer Fuel — Drank way too much of this during the Halo 3 days. I miss it. Bring it back in a zero form already! (and no, Code Red is really good too, but not the same, iykyk)

WEEK 6 FANTASY FOOTBALL RANKINGS

🚨 HEADS UP 🚨

• There is no perfect widget out there, sadly, still. I know many view this on your phone, but 1) use the rankings widget on a PC/laptop/etc. if possible or 2) open in your phone’s browser, especially for Android users, to get the scrolling to work (or Android people can try a two-finger scroll).
• ECR = “Expert” Consensus Ranking (which isn’t updated by everyone consistently, so take with a grain of salt).
• Updated regularly, so check up to lineups locking.

WEEK 6 FANTASY FOOTBALL PROJECTIONS

🚨 HEADS UP 🚨 These can differ from my rankings, and MY RANKS are the order I’d start players outside of added context, such as, “Need highest upside, even if risky.” Also, based on 4-point TDs for QB, 6-point rest, and Half-PPR

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