Fantasy Football Week 6 Starts, Sits: Filling Running Back Void Amid Byes
It's time to get Geno Smith into your lineup
Fantasy football managers will have their first run-in with the NFL bye week, as Week 6 marks the first time this season owners will have to really test their depth with usual starters sent to the bench.
The running back position might be tested the most of any with the Detroit Lions’ Jamaal Williams, the Houston Texans’ Dameon Pierce, the Las Vegas Raiders’ Josh Jacobs and the Tennessee Titans’ Derrick Henry — all of whom have been top-20 plays the last few weeks — not taking the field. The quarterback and receiver position might not be missed as much besides obvious mainstays including Davante Adams and Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Anyway, here are a few starts and sits fantasy football managers should consider this week.
STARTS
Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots
The Patriots second-year running back might very well be the “Start of the Week” for fantasy football managers. Stevenson, who touched the ball 27 times for 175 yards in Week 5, benefitted from the in-game exit of Damien Harris and should do so again with Harris expected to miss Sunday’s clash against the Cleveland Browns. The Browns have allowed the third-most points to running backs this season, prompting Stevenson to be Yahoo’s RB8 entering Week 6.
Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets
It was a slow start to the season for the Jets rookie, but he’s come into his own the last two weeks while taking over the lion’s share in the backfield with 66% and 69% of offensive snaps during Week 4 and Week 5, respectively. With Hall’s production the last two weeks — he scored 27.70 points in Week 5 and 15.80 points in Week 4 — he’s a top-10 running back in average scoring. He’ll now go up against a Green Bay Packers defense that ranks in the bottom half in rushing yards allowed and has given up 17.8 points per game to running backs, making him a top-10 option on Yahoo.
Geno Smith, QB, Seattle Seahawks
It’s time to not only add Smith off the waiver wire, but to get him into the starting lineup. Smith ranks sixth among quarterbacks in total points this season and is making some incredibly impressive throws while helping the Seahawks to a top-10 offense in points and yards. With so much uncertainty around quarterbacks, Smith is going up against an Arizona Cardinals defense that has allowed the eighth-most points to QBs, making him well worth the start. Yahoo has Smith ranked QB9 entering Week 6.
Evan Engram, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars
Admittedly, this is a bit of a reach play considering Engram is owned in just 28% of Yahoo leagues. But if you’re an owner with a tight end on a bye week — T.J. Hockenson, Darren Waller — Engram has a matchup with an Indianapolis Colts defense that has allowed the fourth-most points to players at the position. He is also coming off a Week 5 outing in which he turned 10 targets into 9.50 points, his best output since he compiled seven catches on eight targets for 46 yards against the same Colts defense in Week 2. He’s viewed as TE10 on Yahoo.
SITS
Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
It’s very reasonable for fantasy owners to not want any piece of the Steelers’ offense, especially in their Week 6 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs allow the third-fewest fantasy points to running backs and Harris, despite his high expectations entering the campaign, has averaged just 10.32 points in full-point leagues this season. He has just five rushes of 10-plus yards and one rushing score in five games. Shockingly, there are better options out there than Harris, who’s viewed as RB18 on Yahoo.
Cam Akers, RB, Los Angeles Rams
In consecutive games, Akers averaged 1.63 yards per rush in Week 4 (eight carries, 13 yards) and 2.54 yards per rush (13 carries, 33 yards) for the Rams, who continue to struggle up front. It’s also coincided with a decrease in snaps, playing just 31% of snaps in Week 5 against the Dallas Cowboys. Despite ranking 38th in touches, Akers averages the 64th-most points among running backs. Yahoo views Akers as RB31 entering a Week 6 matchup with the Carolina Panthers.
Russell Wilson, QB, Denver Broncos
Fantasy football managers undoubtedly are starting to question Wilson and the Broncos offense after another primetime failure in Week 5. Denver’s red-zone troubles have hindered Wilson’s fantasy stock, with him compiling less than 15 points per game on average, which ranks 17th among signal-callers. Now, he goes up against a Los Angeles Chargers defense that ranks in the middle of the pack in points allowed to quarterbacks. Yahoo ranks Wilson as QB15 entering the contest.
