A Quick Glance Back
Week 5 was another crazy week around the league. It had upsets, unexpected blowouts, and games that came right down to the wire! As with every other week so far this year, I had some hits and some misses in Week 5.
But, as the saying goes, “There’s a reason the rearview mirror is so much smaller than the windshield.”
Let’s dig into some matchups as I unveil my start and sit suggestions for Week 6!
PlayerProfiler is home to award-winning dynasty rankings and tools. Our Dynasty Deluxe package includes complete Dynasty Rankings, Rookie Rankings, Trade Analyzer, Draft Planner, Mock Drafts, and more. Check it out.
Quarterback
Start: Jordan Love
Jordan Love‘s Explosive Rating
Fresh off the bye, and into our lineups! Jordan Love is currently boasting a True Passer Rating of 114.5, which is good for fourth in the league. The Utah State alumnus is also in the top five in Game Script and red zone attempts. These trends will continue as the Packers enter a matchup with an unfamiliar foe on Sunday at 4:25 ET.
Love is our QB9 on the week as the Packers host the woeful Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals are a plus matchup for every offensive skill position and rank 10th in points per game allowed to opposing quarterbacks. Look for Love to keep up his efficiency by spreading the ball around as usual, with emerging star tight end Tucker Kraft leading the charge.
Honorable Mention: Caleb Williams
Sit: Trevor Lawrence
The Jaguars just have not been able to find a groove offensively. Even when they’ve been successful at moving the ball and scoring, it has been beleaguered. Missed throws, dropped passes (thirteen of them!), and overall inefficiency have often made the squad difficult to watch.
Trevor Lawrence‘s Advanced Accuracy Metrics
In Week 6, the Jags host the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks are currently a neutral matchup for quarterbacks. But this ranking has been largely thrown off by last week’s matchup against Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the first week in which the Seattle defense allowed more than 20 points. Let’s keep T-Law on the bench, as the Seahawks’ defense is primed for a bounce-back week.
Honorable Mention: Michael Penix Jr.
Running Back
Start: Jacory Croskey-Merritt
While his 27-PPR-point performance last week was exciting as hell, we aren’t just chasing points here. Jacory Croskey-Merritt saw a significant uptick in snap share and volume in Week 5. The former Arizona Wildcat has the league’s best True Yards Per Carry, at 5.4. Merritt is also Pro Football Focus‘ No. 1 graded halfback at running the ball. The grade is a testament to the rookie’s vision, quickness, and ability to maximize the potential of each play.
In Week 6, the Commanders welcome the Chicago Bears to Northwest Stadium for Monday Night Football. The Bears are in the top five in points allowed to running backs per game.
JCM is our 21st-ranked running back for Week 6, which is about his floor if his usage stays the same. Should he see an increase in usage (his production last week could have easily earned this), a low-end RB1 finish would be in his Week 6 range of outcomes.
Honorable Mentions: Quinshon Judkins, TreVeyon Henderson
Sit: Chase Brown
The Bengals’ RB1 has yet to live up to his draft-day price, as owners are no doubt well aware. Chase Brown finished at RB22 in Week 1 and hadn’t sniffed an RB2 finish since then until last week, when he was able to squeak in at RB24. It’s a fair argument that Brown’s lack of production is at least partially due to a series of difficult matchups. The only problem is, it doesn’t get easier in Week 6.
Chase Brown‘s Efficiency Metrics
The Bengals will travel 500 miles north to take on the Packers in Green Bay on Sunday. On a per-game basis, the Packers are seventh-lowest in PPR points allowed to opposing running backs.
With his expected volume and opportunity share, Brown could come through as a flex option for those left with no other choice. But that’s about all we can expect in this tough matchup. Let’s hope for some improvement in future weeks as the Bengals’ schedule begins to relent.
Honorable Mentions: Jaylen Warren, Hassan Haskins
Wide Receiver
Start: Tetairoa McMillan
Tetairoa McMillan‘s Explosive Rating
The Panthers’ rookie wideout hasn’t exactly stormed out of the gate like many of us anticipated. However, he has certainly flashed at times and certainly belongs in the NFL. He is currently the 29th-ranked wide receiver in fantasy. But that isn’t where you drafted him. In late August/early September, McMillan was drafted as a mid-range WR2. Well, that price is about to pay off, and then some!
The Panthers are set to host the Dallas Cowboys and their banged-up secondary this Sunday, giving T-Mac the matchup of all matchups for wide receivers. There are only 10 wideouts ranked ahead of him in our weekly rankings this week. Fire him up without hesitation!
Honorable Mentions: Davante Adams, Calvin Ridley
Sit: Khalil Shakir
Khalil Shakir is part of a wide receiver corps that sees an inconsistent distribution of targets from quarterback Josh Allen. Though Shakir is atop the group with 29 targets through five weeks, he isn’t there alone. Second-year wideout Keon Coleman is right there with him, with 29 targets of his own. This is a fitting snapshot of the inner workings of the Buffalo passing game. The Bills’ offensive strategy is predicated on running the ball, as evidenced by Josh Allen‘s 152 pass attempts (15th among all QBs).
Week 6 pits the Bills against the Falcons down in Atlanta. The Falcons are stingy versus wide receivers, ranking sixth-lowest against the position in PPR scoring.
Buffalo’s passing game serves a small pie of targets, then they play musical chairs at the head of the table. Combine these factors with a tough matchup on the road, and we’re left hoping for a middling flex performance from the relatively steady Shakir. I’m avoiding him where I can!
Honorable Mentions: Keenan Allen, Jameson Williams
Tight End
Start: David Njoku
David Njoku saw a slew of targets last week, as the Browns handed the reins over to the first of two quarterbacks drafted this past April. The offensive game plan was geared to Dillon Gabriel‘s strengths, focusing on quick, short passes. This melded perfectly with where Njoku, who has an ADOT of 5.7 yards, does his work. Nine of Gabriel’s 33 pass attempts were intended for the former ‘Cane, who was able to take one in for a score. While the touchdowns aren’t expected to start miraculously flowing for the lowly Browns, the increase in volume is certainly intriguing.
In Week 6, the Browns clash with the Pittsburgh Steelers in what is sure to be a heated divisional contest. The Steelers give up the seventh-most PPR points per game to opposing tight ends. Add that to the fact that the Browns will need Njoku’s physicality Sunday, and you’ve got yourself a fine play if you don’t have one of the top guys at tight end.
Honorable Mention: Zach Ertz
Sit: AJ Barner
Barner put up an impressive stat line last week, catching all seven of his targets for 53 yards and two scores. While it could be tempting to chase that production and plug him into your lineup, I’m cautioning against it. Barner is buried in our ranks this week, all the way down at TE22! Last week’s shootout with the Bucs is the kind of game that will end up being (if it isn’t already) a glaring outlier at the end of the year.
This week, the Seahawks face the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags are just outside the top half of the league (19th) in points allowed to opposing tight ends. While the matchup might not be terrible, it certainly isn’t ideal. Besides, in the four games before last week’s barn-burner, Barner had only garnered nine targets. He is the definition of a touchdown-or-bust play, and probably not the best one, either.
Honorable Mention: Juwan Johnson
That’s it for this week! Feel free to hit me up on X, Instagram, and Bluesky with any comments, questions, or even some of your own lineup dilemmas!
Many Successes!
-Kyle
For more articles from PlayerProfiler, check out the fantasy home page – NFL Fantasy | PlayerProfiler – Fantasy Football News & Media
