NFL Week 6 Starts and Sits. by Logan Lepiscopo

NFL Week 6 Starts and Sits

By: Logan Lepiscopo

Back with another week of starts and sits! Week five was a good week for starts and sits, selecting 8/12 players correctly. I apologize for not having any reasoning for the players last week but do not worry that will be back this week! Player matchups always go into starting or sitting a player but sometimes it does not always go the way that we hope for. Always trust your gut and use this article to potentially get reassurance on your decision. 

Quarterbacks:

Start ‘em – Kirk Cousins (@ MIA) Projected: 19.9

Kirk Cousins has not been the most consistent QB so far this season, but he still finds himself ranked as a top 12 fantasy quarterback. The Miami Dolphins give up the second most fantasy points to quarterbacks on a per game basis, just behind the Raiders. Cousins is averaging an interception a game which is obviously something that should excite you but last week against the Chicago Bears Cousins played very well, and Justin Jefferson had a field day. Xavien Howard is coming off of multiple limited practices and Jefferson will exploit that and allow for Cousins to have a great day passing. 

Sit ‘em – Matthew Stafford (vs. CAR) Projected: 18.0

Matthew Stafford has been playing awful so far this season, currently ranked as the QB23 (FantasyPros) in fantasy football. The Panthers do not have a tremendous pass defense, but Matthew Stafford is averaging two turnovers a game through five weeks of the season. Stafford also has Cam Akers out for this game and his star receiver Cooper Kupp has been dealing with a foot injury that has caused him to log a DNP (did not practice) on Wednesday and an LP (limited practice) on Thursday. Stafford is a player that had some concerns coming into the season, but I do not think anybody projected for him to be ranked behind guys like Marcus Mariota, Jacoby Brissett, and Daniel Jones. Take Stafford and move him to your bench, the risk is not worth the reward. 

Running Backs:

Start ‘em – Eno Benjamin (@ SEA) Projected: 14.5

It is time for Eno Benjamin to shine, both James Conner and Darrel Williams have been ruled out for this very favorable Seattle Seahawks matchup. Eno Benjamin showed some promise last week scoring 14.3 PPR points. This weekend he is projected slightly above that, and his matchup from the Eagles to the Seahawks is so much better. The Seahawks are allowing 28.4 PPR points to running backs per game through five games, and with Eno Benjamin having the backfield to himself expect him to explode past this projection! While Benjamin may not have the greatest rushing day he will make up for that with his receptions out of the backfield. 

Sit ‘em – Najee Harris (vs. TB) Projected: 12.3

I was incredibly skeptical of Najee Harris this season, and each and every week Harris continues to disappoint not only me, but everyone else that used a first-round pick on him. Back-to-back to weeks now Harris has had less than 10 PPR points, and with a matchup against the Buccaneers it seems like it is trending towards a third week in a row of <10 PPR points. This Steelers offense looks completely lost this season, and what a bright point in the offense Harris was last season the bulb has turned dark. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are allowing the second fewest PPR points to running backs this season (16.5) and Harris has not hit a game above 14 PPR points. Another knock-on Harris this week is that the team has announced a plan to allow Jaylen Warren to get more playing time in an attempt to relieve Harris of any unnecessary work. I know it is hard to sit a first-round pick but this might be the week that it works out in your favor. (Start Eno Benjamin, Rhamondre Stevenson, or even Darrell Henderson in his place). 

Wide Receivers:

Start ‘em – Isaiah McKenzie (@ KC) Projected: 11.9

This Buffalo Bills offense is lethal, last week against Pittsburgh the Bills showcased all of the talent in its wide receiver room. McKenzie was not part of that group as he was out last week but expect him to make up for that missed game and bounce back big in one of the Bills most important games of the season. The Chiefs are very generous towards wide receivers in fantasy football giving up roughly 39 PPR points per game, the Bills are averaging 51.2 between Diggs (24.0), Davis (15.0), and McKenzie (12.2). Khalil Shakir may take reps away from McKenzie but I think now being back fully healthy that McKenzie is constantly on the field taking very little breaks in what should be a shootout. 

Sit ‘em – Christian Kirk (@ IND) Projected: 13.5

Despite the Indianapolis Colts being very underwhelming this season the team is looking to take revenge against the Jaguars after a week two loss. In that game Christian Kirk had 78 receiving yards and two touchdowns, but since that game Kirk’s production for fantasy managers has gone down significantly. The past two weeks against the Eagles and Texans Kirk COMBINED for 10.4 PPR points, both teams giving up a significantly larger amount of fantasy points to wide receivers compared to the Colts. Indianapolis is looking to get back into the playoff race and silence all of the critics, obviously the offense is not the greatest but hopefully the Indianapolis defense can make some stops and shut down this Jaguars offense. 

Tight Ends:

Start ‘em – Will Dissly (vs. ARZ) Projected: 6.7

Will Dissly has quietly been putting up top 15 TE numbers, the TE13 to be exact. The Arizona Cardinals defense gives up 19.5 PPR points to tight ends on a per game basis, Dissly is projected less than his fellow teammate and tight end Noah Fant but he has been a big time weapon for Geno Smith so far this season. Dissly is averaging 9.1 PPR points so far this season, though last week was quiet with just 4.1 points Dissly was playing one of the best tight end defenses in the league. Noah Fant is slowly getting more involved in the Seahawks offense, but I think this is the week that Dissly shows and reminds Fant that he is the top tight end on the team. I think that 6.7 PPR point projection is easily achievable. 

Sit ‘em – Kyle Pitts (vs. SF) Projected: 9.4

If you haven’t been already this week is all more the reason to put Kyle Pitts on the bench. The Falcons offense is no longer in a regime that puts Kyle Pitts out wide to catch passes, which is very unfortunate for us fantasy football managers. Pitts is still questionable leading up to game time, and his game log for this season is not giving me any reason to even think about starting Pitts this week against one of the best defenses in football. The 49ers are allowing just 7 PPR points per game to tight ends and have yet to allow a single point to a tight end when the opponents are in the red zone. Pitts is becoming a waste of a top four draft pick for the Atlanta Falcons by not incorporating him in the passing game more, and even more of a waste of a fantasy football draft pick. Just keep Pitts on your bench this week, despite all of the defensive injuries to the 49ers last week it is still going to just leave Pitts in formation to block. 

D/ST:

Start ‘em – Los Angeles Chargers (vs. DEN) Projected: 5.1

The Broncos offense sucks, to put it in the simplest terms. I understand the Chargers defense is not the greatest either, being the 29th ranked defense (FantasyPros) but playing a lackluster offense should lead to success for the Chargers. The team has logged two negative point performances (ESPN), the Broncos are without Garrett Bolles as he fractured his leg and will be done for the rest of the season. Bolles being out leaves a backup left tackle in for veteran Khalil Mack to have a favorable matchup (double-teams are very likely for Mack in this game), had Joey Bosa been in this game it would be a nightmare for Russell Wilson. The Chargers defense is going to cook, leaving Russell Wilson and the Broncos offense to have to dethaw after yet another ugly primetime performance. 

Sit ‘em – New England Patriots (@CLE) Projected: 4.2

The Browns are going to run the ball all over the New England Patriots, Chubb and Hunt should easily combine for 200 rushing yards in this game. The Patriots have a fairly good defense holding running backs to just 18.1 PPR points this season and less than 0.5 a point in the red zone. In terms of yardage the Patriots allow 128.8 rushing YPG and 211.0 YPG, the Browns will be able to exceed both those numbers with ease and bring the Patriots back down to earth after a 29-0 shoutout win over the Detroit Lions. 

Kickers:

Start ‘em – Jason Myers (vs. ARZ) Projected: 7.8

The Seahawks have a top seven scoring offense averaging 25.4 PPG. The team has scored a total of 127 points this season and Jason Myers accounts for 37 of those points, which is 29.1% of the teams scoring this season. Myers is tied with Chris Boswell and Riley Patterson for the number 13 kicker this season (FantasyPros), this week against a below average Cardinals defense I expect Myers to fulfill his 7.8 projection. Myers gets almost two field goal attempts per game, and almost three extra point attempts per game, that average would be a minimum of nine fantasy points assuming Myers went 5/5 kicking. Also not to mention Myers is averaging 8.2 points per game, so 7.8 is very much doable on a per game basis. 

Sit ‘em – Chris Boswell (vs. TB) Projected: 6.8

The Steelers offense is terrible, horrendous, egregious if you will. I do not expect the Steelers to get very many points in this game, and Boswell is coming off of a three-point game with two missed field goals. Boswell is a very consistent fantasy kicker option every year but now with a new offense it is hard to see Boswell getting very many chances to prove that this season. Boswell’s weak performance last week, and the Steelers offense as a whole having a poor performance leaves me to suggest sitting Chris Boswell.