As the player pool shrinks during the bye weeks, avoiding busts will only get more difficult. Sometimes, you feel like you “have” to slot a potential bust in your fantasy lineup simply because they get touches. We’ve all been there, but we’re here to remind you that even bona fide starting RBs and other assorted “big-name” players, like Najee Harris, Russell Wilson, and Taysom Hill, can hurt more than help based on matchups or other factors. At the very least, we want you to explore all options for your Week 6 start ’em, sit ’em decisions.
As we’re painfully reminded every week, even “must-start” stars bust on occasion (looking at you, Najee), but you won’t see those types of players among our “busts” unless we legitimately advise benching them. We gravitate toward the players on the start ’em-sit ’em bubble — not players who are going to be started no matter what and not players under 20 percent ownership. With injuries mounting and bye weeks upon us, you might not have the depth to bench players on this list without taking on more risk with alternatives. You also might just completely disagree with our choices. We don’t take it personally.
We nailed all of our RB picks last week (Tyler Allgeier, Caleb Huntley, Rashaad Penny, JK Dobbins), though we arrived at the right answer on Penny in the wrong way. We also hit on Jared Goff, Matthew Stafford, Romeo Doubs, Allen Robinson, Dalton Schultz, Pat Freiermuth (another injury casualty), the Rams D/ST, Chargers D/ST, and Eagles D/ST. We missed on a few players (Geno Smith, Tyler Lockett), but overall it was a successful week.
WEEK 6 FANTASY PICKS: Start ’em, sit ’em
We’ll look to turn things around with our Week 6 bust picks.
Week 6 Fantasy Busts: Running backs
Najee Harris, Steelers vs. Buccaneers (Vinnie Iyer). Don’t play him until it’s clear he can run well and actually be involved in the passing game again. No way vs. Tampa Bay.
Tyler Allgeier, Falcons vs. 49ers (Matt Lutovsky). Allgeier handled the bulk of the Falcons’ carries (13) and played the majority of snaps (59 percent) last week, but he managed just 45 rushing yards and wasn’t targeted in the passing game. Against the 49ers, who allow the second-fewest fantasy points to RBs, Allgeier is barely on the radar as a flex in 12-team leagues.
Michael Carter, Jets @ Packers (Nick Musial). Carter produced for fantasy owners in Week 5, scoring 17.3 fantasy points in PPR formats. However, he was largely ineffective on the ground (10 carries, 21 yards) but reached paydirt twice. Carter played in just 42 percent of snaps to Breece Hall’s 69 percent snap share, and with Hall shouldering a bigger workload in the backfield, it’s unlikely Carter replicates that type of efficiency this week.
WEEK 6 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Week 6 Fantasy Busts: Quarterbacks
Zach Wilson, Jets at Packers (Iyer). This might seem like a good idea after Daniel Jones had some success without the TDs, but expect the Packers’ defense to get its act together this week.
Matthew Stafford, Rams vs. Panthers (Lutovsky). It’s almost getting too easy to pick Stafford as a bust, and the truth is, he’s “due” for a good game soon. Even with that said, a “good game” for him at this point might be just 250 yards and two TDs. You’ll take that if you start him, but against a solid Panthers pass defense that could see a classic “fired-coach bounce,” Stafford remains a low-ceiling QB.
Russell Wilson, Broncos @ Chargers (Musial). It’s best to leave Mr. Unlimited on the bench as he enters Week 6 following a brutal showing in Denver’s 12-9 Week 5 loss to the Colts. Wilson has struggled with his accuracy, posting the 23rd-best clean pocket accuracy rating (7.6) and the 29th-best under-pressure accuracy rating (5.2). The Chargers pass rush may have their way on Monday Night, leading to another underwhelming performance from Russ.
WEEK 6 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Week 6 Fantasy Football Busts: Wide receivers
Jerry Jeudy, Broncos at Chargers (Iyer). This is a horrendous spot for him with the way he runs routes outside and the slot given L.A. is strong in both areas away from Courtland Sutton.
Michael Pittman Jr., Colts vs. Jaguars (Lutovsky). Pittman is tough to sit, especially in PPR leagues, but he’s no longer a must-start, at least in shallower leagues. He’s hauled in eight passes for 90 yards the past two weeks, and he hasn’t dented the end zone since Week 1. The Jaguars have allowed just one WR touchdown since Week 1, and they’ve yet to allow a 100-yard receiver all season.
Garrett Wilson, Jets @ Packers (Musial). In Zach Wilson’s first two starts of 2022, Garrett Wilson has scored fewer than seven fantasy points (both wins by the Jets). He draws a tough matchup against a solid Green Bay pass defense that ranks in the top third of the league in the fewest fantasy points per game allowed to wide receivers. With the Jets currently sitting as seven-point road underdogs, offense might be hard to come by this week, resulting in a third-straight underwhelming performance from Wilson.
WEEK 6 DFS LINEUPS: FanDuel | DraftKings
Week 6 Fantasy Football Busts: Tight ends
Gerald Everett, Chargers vs. Broncos (Iyer). Denver hasn’t been as bad vs. the tight end of late, and Everett is up-and-down anyway with his targets for Justin Herbert.
Taysom Hill, Saints vs. Bengals (Lutovsky). Hill has scored in three of his four games this year, so there’s reason to believe he always has a good shot at a touchdown because of his short-yardage role. That might be true, but you never know how many touches he’s going to get — and he’s certainly not going to get (m)any receptions. Hill has averaged 5.5 touches per game this year, so he’s the epitome of a touchdown-or-bust player. You might be fine with that at TE, but keep in mind that the floor is low, especially in PPR leagues.
David Njoku, Browns vs. Patriots (Musial). At a position with only a handful of consistent producers, Njoku’s been one of the few reliable TEs in fantasy football to begin 2022. Despite his consistent production in the Browns’ offense, there’s a chance he posts a dud in Week 6. While they haven’t defended tight ends as well as in past seasons, the Patriots’ defense is usually one of the better defenses in limiting production from the tight end position. New England did just hold T.J. Hockenson, who entered Week 5 as the overall TE3 in PPR formats, to just one catch for six yards. While it’s unlikely Njoku is limited to 1.6 PPR points, it’s possible he scores fewer than 10 fantasy points.
WEEK 6 DFS: Best stacks | Best values
Week 6 Fantasy Busts: Defenses
Buffalo Bills at Chiefs (Iyer). They haven’t produced well against better offenses with their injuries, and that’s the case vs. Patrick Mahomes.
Dallas Cowboys @ Eagles (Lutovsky). Dallas has been dominant this year, but the Eagles have turned it over just three times all year while allowing 11 sacks and scoring 25.8 offensive points per game. The ceiling is low for the Cowboys in this road prime-time matchup.
Denver Broncos @ Chargers (Musial). Denver enters Week 5 as the overall D/ST8 after holding the Colts’ offense to 12 points. While Denver’s going to need its defense to keep it in the game, replicating that output against the Chargers’ offense is unlikely. Los Angeles’ balanced offense could spell trouble for Denver as they’re arguably the best offense the Broncos have faced in the early season.
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