NFL Fantasy Football Reactions: Week 6

The biggest story of the day was that the two unbeaten teams, the 49ers and Eagles, both suffered their first defeat in road games against AFC opponents. Let's look at the Week 6 action.

Reactions

• It's difficult to have a strong reaction about the 49ers' offense after their loss to the Browns. Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey left with injuries (as did Trent Williams, though he later returned). San Francisco was also coming off a huge victory against the Cowboys and faced an AFC opponent starting a practice squad quarterback in PJ Walker. So, perhaps a letdown was in the cards. Yes, the Cleveland defense can be devastating, and it wasn't until the last drive of the game that Brock Purdy topped 100 yards passing. Still, I think it's senseless to draw any tangible conclusions from this week's performance.
• Clearly, the Cleveland defense won the game against the 49ers. The offense had little chance with PJ Walker at quarterback against the incredible San Francisco defense. It should be noted that Amari Cooper is one of the top receivers in the game. Despite shaky quarterback play and facing a tough secondary, he made two amazing catches to push him past 100 receiving yards. Once Deshaun Watson returns from injury, I'll find it difficult to rank Cooper outside of the top-15 receivers in most games. Also, aside from a couple big runs late in the game by Jerome Ford, Kareem Hunt was more consistent throughout the game. Hunt might be in game shape now, and he could be on the RB2 radar in PPR leagues.
• There was no single player with a dominant fantasy performance for the Ravens. Baltimore scored a single touchdown while settling for five field goals. Lamar Jackson has been great in terms of leading the Ravens to victories, but for fantasy, he hasn't been a consistent upside option. Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews will consistently lead the team in targets with each possessing a strong weekly scoring floor. Trusting any of the other options in fantasy is risky.
• Derrick Henry had an ordinary workload, but he posted 113 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. He was the only player with any type of fantasy success. DeAndre Hopkins was held to a single catch for 20 yards. When the Titans play the better defenses, it's likely that they'll struggle to be helpful for fantasy. The one player to start with confidence is Henry. Even though he's had his ups and downs this season, he typically gets enough volume to give him a chance for success. Although Hopkins has been solid in PPR formats, we saw this week that if a defense works to take him away, the team lacks other options to make defenses pay. Ryan Tannehill injured his right ankle, and if he misses substantial time the entire offense could be even worse than it's been.
• I was concerned that when defenses had a week to prepare for Gardner Minshew as the Colts starting QB, he would be in a lot of trouble. That was exactly the case against the Jaguars. However, the game got into garbage time very early. As a result, Michael Pittman and Minshew put up solid fantasy numbers.  When the game was in question, Minshew was unable to consistently move the offense, and the majority of successful passes were to his running backs. I do not have much confidence in any of the passing game components going forward unless the team has an extremely soft matchup. Also, the workload between Jonathan Taylor and Zack Moss was nearly even. I expect Taylor to get more work each week because the team paid him.
• It's difficult to take much away from the Jacksonville offense in its matchup against the Colts. The Jaguars jumped out to an early lead and played fairly conservatively for most of the game. Travis Etienne continues to be productive while seeing strong usage.
• The Texans played most of their game against the Saints with a lead. That led to C.J. Stroud throwing just 27 passes, so his fantasy numbers were simply adequate. But in terms of him leading his team, he did exactly what he needed to do. In a tough matchup, he took what the defense gave him, and didn't try to do too much. He leaned on Nico Collins and Dalton Schultz, especially with Tank Dell missing this game due to a concussion. Schultz has been outstanding going back to last week when Dell was injured. Schultz could lose some value when the rookie receiver returns to the lineup. Collins showed us that even in an extremely difficult matchup, he is one of the top receivers in the game. He's almost at the point where he's matchup proof when it comes to fantasy lineups.
• The Saints had a weird fantasy performance. Since they were trailing throughout the entire second half, they leaned almost exclusively on the pass. More than 67 percent of the offensive plays were pass attempts. So, even though Derek Carr threw just a single touchdown pass, he totaled 353 yards despite a lackluster performance in which the team generated just 13 points. The volume helped Chris Olave reach 96 yards. Rashid Shaheed continues to produce big plays on occasion, and it took him just four touches to surpass 100 yards while also finding the end zone. The anomaly in the game was that Taysom Hill had eight targets and tied for the team lead with seven receptions. That probably had much to do with the team's disappointing offensive performance on the scoreboard. Michael Thomas continues to be a strong floor play each week. Olave should be considered an auto start. Alvin Kamara is seeing great volume and is a top-20 RB in PPR leagues. Otherwise, the remainder of the offense is best viewed as matchup dependent.
• Sam Howell continues to be an odd fantasy player. His production doesn't always match his performance. He's had awful games in which he's been great for fantasy. Then there are games like this week where he was efficient and did his job but was bailed out by three short touchdown passes. Overall, he's gotten it done more weeks than not. As a superflex option, it's almost impossible to bench him. Curtis Samuel scored a touchdown, and he has been a solid fantasy option the last month. It makes sense to start him with the understanding there isn't a high ceiling but a reasonable floor. Even though there haven't been many ceiling performances, Terry McLaurin continues to be very productive in most of his games. Even when he has tougher matchups, it's difficult to sit him because he is an elite player.
• It was great to see Kyle Pitts and Drake London have strong fantasy performances. But for the second week in a row, Desmond Ridder threw multiple interceptions and was a major reason the Falcons lost. I assumed that he had the starting job because of his ability to avoid making critical errors. If that's the case, his drag on the offense is difficult to justify in relation to his limitations as a quarterback. The last two weeks, he's been the primary reason the Falcons lost. It wouldn't surprise me at all to see Taylor Heinicke get an opportunity to start in the near future.  There's no guarantee it'll happen, but adding Heinicke in superflex leagues might not be the worst idea. 
• Geno Smith has five touchdown passes in five games. While playing from behind in the second half, he attempted 41 passes, which allowed him to pass for 323 yards. Despite having the ball deep in Cincinnati territory on multiple occasions, the fact he couldn't throw a TD pass was highly disappointing.  He can't be recommended as a strong starter in leagues that start one quarterback. Both Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf put up solid fantasy performances, and that is most likely what we'll see in the majority of games. I am not optimistic there will be many ceiling games for them. Kenneth Walker continues to dominate the backfield  while being productive. Walker should not be the subject of start-vs.-sit question in most circumstances. He's a top-12 type option in PPR leagues.
• From my perspective, Joe Burrow seems completely healthy. I saw him run around on multiple occasions, and he looked very good doing so. He also showed the requisite drive on his passes to make me think the calf issue is mostly behind him. The Bengals go into their bye week at a perfect time. They climbed back into the divisional race, and they should have time to get everyone healthy and on the same page. I expect the passing game to be fully functional the next time. Cincinnati takes the field in Week 8. Joe Mixon appears to be a declining player, but his volume makes him tough to take out of weekly fantasy lineups. If the passing game does return to expected form, that could allow him more space to operate along with more opportunities near the goal line. 
• The Dolphins did exactly what they needed to do to put away the Panthers. Their four-star players each had big games while pounding their opponent into submission. There was nothing new that I learned about Miami while watching this game.
• For the fifth week in a row, Adam Thielen had an excellent performance. He is clearly Bryce Young's main option in the passing game. Of course, there will be an occasional game in which the receiver performs poorly. With the team trailing almost every week, and the rookie quarterback looking to find his way, there are very few circumstances in which I will recommend fantasy managers bench Thielen. There is no other player on the team whom I view as a reliable weekly fantasy option.
• The Vikings were unimpressive in their first game without Justin Jefferson. They had just one touchdown drive against a terrible Chicago defense. Going into this game, I saw this as a low-volume game between two uninspiring teams. and the Vikings' offense is often at its best when playing from behind, which clearly didn't happen this week. Defenses can approach Minnesota very differently without Jefferson, so there are going to be some real challenges for them against some of the better defenses. As long as the star receiver is out, recommending Kirk Cousins as a fantasy starter is a bit of a stretch.
• Justin Fields was unable to finish this game after suffering a hand injury in the second half. He was uncomfortable against the Minnesota blitz before exiting and had almost no success moving the football. Oddly enough, rookie Tyson Bagent engineered a scoring drive to give the Bears a late chance to compete. Near the end of the game, he also had the team close for a potential winning score but missed a connection to DJ Moore that resulted in an interception. If Fields missed time, the entire offense is likely in significant trouble.
• It was far from optimal that Zach Wilson had to face the best run defense in the league. That meant that the offense would likely fall on his shoulders. Even though the Eagles were beat up in the secondary, few matchups are great for Wilson. As usual, the  New York offense had very little ability to score TDs. The good news is that Garrett Wilson continues to see heavy target volume that allows him to retain a solid weekly scoring floor. He actually had a long reception called back due to an unnecessary block by Allen Lazard.
• The Eagles had a very difficult road matchup against a Jets defense that's been incredible on its home turf.  Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown did all they could, but a late INT cost them the game.  As we've seen throughout the season, Hurts and Brown remain the two players who have been strong fantasy options almost every week. Also, D'Andre Swift didn't have his best game, but his heavy involvement as a receiver allowed him to perform well for fantasy. I still believe this offense is a work in progress as offensive coordinator Brian Johnson finds his way. This unit still has the ability to reach its ceiling as we move closer to the fantasy playoffs.
• The big news with the Raiders is that Michael Mayer has now been involved as a receiver in each of the last two games. He led the team in receiving with five catches and 75 yards. It's possible the team had a plan to move him along slowly. It's also possible that his workload came out of nowhere. But for those desperate for help at tight end, the rookie is worth a flyer. And in case there was any question, Jakobi Meyers is firmly in the top-30 wide receiver discussion as teams dedicate heavy resources to slowing Davante Adams. The Las Vegas quarterbacks are happy to throw the ball to Meyers, who is often open, especially in the red zone.
• The only Patriots' pass catcher to post more than 28 yards was Kendrick Bourne. The veteran caught 10 passes for 89 yards. That alone speaks volumes about the state of the New England offense. It is difficult to have any trust in starting any of their players. 
• On a day that both the Eagles and the 49ers both lost, the Lions made their case to show that they belong with the other elite teams of the NFC. Despite playing most of the game without his top-two running backs, Jared Goff put the team on his back along with his top receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown on their way to an impressive victory at Tampa Bay. Goff often has his best games on his home field. Throwing for 353 yards and two touchdowns was an excellent road performance against a veteran defense that blitzes frequently. Sam LaPorta was less than 100 percent healthy, but as soon as he's healthy, he'll return to being a top TE option.
• The Buccaneers have been better than expected all year. They deserve a pass for a weak performance against the Lions. Detroit is excellent defensively. Tampa Bay lacks a legitimate running game, and when its forced to become one-dimensional against a strong defense, that will  cause it to struggle. Baker Mayfield should still be considered a viable option in superflex leagues. Otherwise, the offense is all About Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, who remain strong weekly lineup options.
• Emari Demercado was a popular waiver add and fantasy starter this week with James Conner on IR. That didn't end well. Keaontay Ingram and Damien Williams combined for 21 touches to just three for Demercado. The Rams dominated Arizona and no player had a solid fantasy performance. The air may be coming out of the early season balloon for the Cardinals. They simply lack the talent to consistently hang with good defenses. Things could get better when James Conner returns, but that could be a while. With Joshua Dobbs' running ability, he still retains value in multi-QB leagues.
• The targets between Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua remained close this week. However, the production was vastly different. Kupp played at his typical superstar level while Nacua failed to reach 30 yards. I don't think there's reason to panic, The rookie receiver has shown us plenty of ability, and don't forget, all receivers have down games. The target share seems to be heavily slanted toward the top-two receivers in this offense, and I expect that to remain the case. The Rams also had the game under control early in the second half, so they didn't have to play aggressively. Kyren Williams continues to see extreme volume, and he had yet another ceiling game. I always say that volume is king in fantasy football, and that means that Williams will continue to be a strong weekly fantasy factor.

Injuries

The following players injured and did not return Sunday:

• Christian McCaffrey injured his oblique. Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason both saw reps in his absence. 
• Deebo Samuel suffered a shoulder injury and Ray-Ray McCloud took on a couple extra targets after Samuel exited. 
• David Montgomery injured his ribs, and though X-rays were negative, Craig Reynolds stepped in for him.
• Justin Fields sustained a hand injury and Tyson Bagent took over. X-rays were negative. 
• Trevor Lawrence injured his knee at the end of the game. He appeared to be in decent shape, but he said he will gt his knee checked out soon.
• Jimmy Garoppolo sustained a back injury and Brian Hoyer finished the contest.
• Hunter Henry suffered an ankle injury. Both Pharaoh Brown and Mike Gesicki saw increased playing time.
• Ryan Tannehill injured his ankle and he'll have an MRI to determine the severity of the injury. Malik Willis finished the game.