Week 6 of the fantasy football season brings bye weeks, giving a new element of strategy for managers to play. Hopefully, your carefully curated roster is in good shape after the devastating slew of injuries that have affected the NFL. You’re in the right place if you’re in a tough situation with your start/sit questions.
We’ve dug through the latest roster percentages to identify fantasy football players who you must either start or sit. Our three start options are currently being started in around 40% or less in leagues, whereas our two sit players are at around 80% or higher. We’re also looking at players owned in a majority of leagues.
Week 6 Fantasy Football Start ’ems
Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings
It might sound strange to recommend starting a player posting the lowest yards per reception and yards per game of his last three seasons, but the matchup opportunity for Adam Thielen is that good.
The Vikings have a distinct advantage through the air against the Miami Dolphins. With Xavien Howard likely to see plenty of Justin Jefferson, the Vikings would be wise to increase Thielen’s target share to take advantage of the Dolphins’ wounded secondary.
Thielen has been productive when given the workload. He’s averaged 7.5 targets a game over the last four and played 97% of the offensive snaps. The offense simply hasn’t prioritized using him on intermediate routes like in past years, but Thielen has been effective.
Miami ranks as a bottom-five pass offense in yards allowed and pass defense EPA. They’ve allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to receivers, notably allowing unusually high yards per reception. Everything points toward Thielen being a great Flex option, and he could reward us with a terrific return if he scores a touchdown.
James Robinson, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
After a hot start to the season, James Robinson has quickly cooled off as the young Jaguars have hit a wall. With only 18 carries for 56 yards and two receptions for 12 yards total against Philadelphia and Houston, Robinson was unplayable. However, before those games, Robinson had totaled 51 carries for 230 yards and three touchdowns, plus six receptions for 33 yards and another score.
He faces a tough matchup against the Indianapolis Colts this week, but it’s not as intimidating as it seems. Sure, the Colts rank fourth in run defense EPA, but they’re middle of the pack in allowing backs to rack up fantasy points. Offenses have had success throwing to their backs and converting scoring opportunities even if their yardage is low.
This bodes better for the Jaguars with Robinson than most teams since Doug Pederson will run the ball regardless of effectiveness. The Colts have also allowed at least 125 rushing yards in each of the last two weeks, clearly trending downwards after a hot start to the season.
Jerry Jeudy, WR, Denver Broncos
For as many issues as the Denver Broncos have endured on offense this season, there have been some positives from individual contributors.
While we certainly need to see more consistency and scoring from the unit, quarterback Russell Wilson and wide receiver Jerry Jeudy have shown more chemistry than common opinion may suggest. Considering Jeudy’s favorable matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6, he’s a sharp start candidate.
MORE: Week 6 WR Fantasy Football Rankings
The Chargers haven’t been able to maximize their talented defense despite the brilliant additions of Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson. It’s a middling pass defense harmed by losing Joey Bosa for a few weeks. Denver should quickly figure out some of their internal problems as they face the NFL’s 30th-ranked scoring defense.
Jeudy is averaging the highest yards per catch (16.9) of his career and is near his average of 50.3 yards per game. The last two weeks have brought more consistency, as he’s been targeted 13 times for seven catches, 106 yards, and one touchdown. We could see Jeudy put that stat line up this week alone considering how the Chargers struggled last week against a similar player in Amari Cooper.
Week 6 Fantasy Football Sit ’ems
Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins
It didn’t take long for Miami’s WR market share to burst once Tua Tagovailoa suffered his disturbing concussion against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4. I had concerns this offense wouldn’t be able to sustain two WR1s even with Tua, and while that appears to be incorrect, Skylar Thompson and Teddy Bridgwater certainly cannot replicate the success Tua had.
It’s time to bench Jaylen Waddle until it’s Tua Time once again. In the last two weeks, Waddle has seen his targets bottom out, receiving only nine combined after averaging 10 per game with Tua playing the entire game.
MORE: Garrett’s Week 6 Start’em Sit ’em
Waddle’s produced only 62 yards and zero scores in that time frame. I wouldn’t go so far as to say he’s unplayable regardless of your roster, but he’s a candidate to disappoint once again. The Vikings have a decent pass defense but not a bad enough one to be overly enthusiastic.
Ranking 21st in pass defense EPA and 15th in fantasy points allowed to receivers, the Vikings are a ho-hum unit. But it’s hard to have faith in Thompson suddenly looking competent enough to take advantage of the possible weakness considering the weak offensive line he plays behind and his own inexperience.
If you have a viable player to bench Waddle for, you should do it until Tua is back for Miami.
Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts
I hate listing a guy we’ve continued to be high on since being drafted, but Michael Pittman Jr. isn’t in an ideal situation to produce for fantasy managers in Week 6. He’s been quiet over the last two weeks, finishing with eight receptions for 90 yards. This isn’t so much of a Pittman issue as it is a functionality of an offense suffering from bad blocking.
Unfortunately, we don’t get points added to Pittman’s fantasy output when the rest of the unit is struggling and bogging his numbers down. Quarterback Matt Ryan was supposed to feast working off an elite rushing game with Jonathan Taylor leading the way, but the team continues to face setbacks. Taylor even missed Week 5 with a knee injury but is expected back for Week 6.
Facing Jacksonville this week won’t help Pittman suddenly find success. The Jaguars rank third in pass defense EPA and seventh in fantasy points allowed to receivers. This secondary lacks household names in it, but they’ve performed well behind a solid pass rush. With Ryan sure to have Travon Walker or Josh Allen in his lap often, Pittman will again be left to make the most of his limited target share.
Barring a touchdown making up for his yardage and receptions dips, Pittman is sliding in our receiver rankings until we start to see more life from the unit.
