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AJ MassESPN Staff Writer
- Fantasy football, shot and assemblage hoops contributor.
- Author of book, "Yes, It's Hot successful Here."
So overmuch changes from week to week astir the NFL, and we're present to marque definite you're connected apical of it each heading into Week 6 of the 2022 NFL season.
The play phantasy shot cheat expanse provides a rundown of the champion tips from each the fantasy shot content that ESPN has posted implicit the past 7 days. You'll find answers to the biggest start/sit questions of the week and different pertinent matchup proposal from our team, including Field Yates, Mike Clay, Eric Karabell, Tristan H. Cockcroft, Matt Bowen, Seth Walder, Al Zeidenfeld, Eric Moody, Liz Loza, Daniel Dopp, DJ Gallo and ESPN Insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano, positive each of NFL Nation. It's each the champion proposal successful 1 useful article.
Here's what our experts are saying astir Week 6 successful the NFL:
Which wideouts tin we trust on?
The bye weeks person begun and that means phantasy managers are going to person to spell deeper into their benches successful bid to tract afloat lineups connected a play basis. Several members of our NFL Nation squad took a look astatine wide receivers this week, giving their forecast -- for some the abbreviated and agelong word -- arsenic to which options mightiness beryllium worthy keeping astir for the adjacent fewer games and which ones you shouldn't beryllium locking into lineups rather yet.
Can we fastener successful some Seahawks receivers play similar we did during the Russell Wilson days? "Yes. A week ago, determination was inactive crushed to proceed with immoderate caution with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. They had conscionable 1 touchdown betwixt them implicit the archetypal 4 games. That seemed similar a relation of a passing crippled that was mostly getting by with abbreviated and intermediate throws and not the heavy shots that were a staple of Seattle's discourtesy nether Wilson. But Geno Smith has been uncovering much occurrence down the tract of late, particularly Sunday against New Orleans with 2 heavy touchdown passes to Lockett. Both are connected gait to apical 1,200 receiving yards." -- Brady Henderson
Brandin Cooks has been underwhelming and present is losing measurement ... immoderate anticipation for a bounce backmost from him?
"Quarterback Davis Mills and Cooks' transportation hasn't been large passim the twelvemonth arsenic he's catching lone 57% of his targets successful 2021, tied for a vocation low. But ever support religion successful Cooks bouncing back. He has totaled 8,152 vocation receiving yards successful 9 seasons for a reason. He's inactive the Texans' champion receiver and inactive leads the squad successful targets (42) which is 15 much than the adjacent receiver, Nico Collins. Once Cooks and Mills get backmost connected the aforesaid page, Cooks' accumulation should summation substantially." -- DJ Bien-AimeIs Darius Slayton worthy a phantasy roster spot? "Slayton had 1 drawback earlier Sunday's matchup with the Packers. So determination isn't overmuch of a way grounds that this caller authorities wants to diagnostic him agelong term. But determination is simply a way for Slayton inactive being a origin successful the adjacent aboriginal with Kenny Golladay (knee) and Kadarius Toney (hamstring) not adjacent afloat health. And adjacent if Wan'Dale Robinson (knee) returns this week, helium volition apt spot into Richie James' snaps successful the slot. That makes Slayton a imaginable fill-in enactment for different week oregon two. Otherwise, it's hard to spot he's going to lend consistently. -- Jordan Raanan
Who bash you deliberation volition beryllium the astir invaluable Steeler the remainder of the way? "George Pickens. He was mostly ignored successful the archetypal 2 weeks of the season, but successful Kenny Pickett's archetypal start, helium led Steelers receivers with 83 yards and six receptions connected 8 targets. But due to the fact that of Pittsburgh's reddish portion woes, it's risky to commencement immoderate Steelers violative accomplishment player." -- Brooke Pryor
Field Yates discusses wherefore helium doesn't spot phantasy upside for DJ Moore with PJ Walker being the starting quarterback.
Looking for the latest wounded quality starring up to kickoff? Check retired each of the Week 6 inactives here.
Are we having amusive yet?
To get from Nickelback: "Never made it arsenic a omniscient man. I couldn't chopped it arsenic a mediocre antheral stealing. Tired of livin' similar a unsighted man. I'm sick of show without a consciousness of feeling." Our phantasy experts each look to privation to speech astir 1 happening successful Week 6. With that successful caput and with that tune stuck successful your head, folks, this is however you Rhamondre.
Field Yates starts america disconnected with his take connected what mightiness hap if Damien Harris (hamstring) has to beryllium retired again: "Rhamondre Stevenson -- who was already providing worth arsenic a beardown flex -- moves into must-start territory against a Browns defence that has allowed 440 rushing yards implicit the past 2 weeks. ... While it would basal to crushed that the Patriots volition person Pierre Strong Jr. progressive and perchance bring up different backmost from the signifier squad if Harris is out, Stevenson could beryllium utilized likewise to however helium was past twelvemonth against the Browns: helium had 24 full touches and amassed 114 yards. He's conscionable extracurricular my apical 10 moving backs for Week 6."
Tristan Cockcroft echoes the affirmative expectations of New England's moving back: "Stevenson broke retired successful a large mode successful Week 5 portion mounting vocation highs by playing 89% of the violative snaps and totaling 27 touches. ... Expect him to grip the lion's stock of the Patriots' rushing chores, an antithetic happening successful the Bill Belichick era. Even if Ty Montgomery steps successful for immoderate passing downs, determination should beryllium much than capable for Stevenson to beryllium a top-15 positional enactment for truthful agelong arsenic Harris is sidelined."
After his weekly movie study, Matt Bowen is besides successful Stevenson's camp: "Stevenson is up to RB13 this week successful my PPR rankings. Stevenson dropped 19.5 PPR points connected the Lions successful Week 5, and we saw his quality to gaffe tacklers successful that game. He's an casual mover astatine 230 pounds. Stevenson has besides logged 10 receptions successful his past 3 games. There's RB1 upside here."
And, arsenic acold arsenic the DFS market is concerned, the $6,000 terms tag connected DraftKings has Al Zeidenfeld convinced, too: "The Patriots are expected to beryllium without Harris this week and Montgomery isn't yet acceptable to instrumentality from IR, opening up a monolithic workload for Stevenson successful Week 6. Cleveland is allowing conscionable nether 6.0 RB yards per transportation and a touchdown connected each 17.5 RB carries."
Catching connected with the Saints?
Chris Olave suffered a nasty concussion past week and his presumption for Week 6 mightiness beryllium connected however rapidly helium tin permission the league's protocol for specified injuries. Still, the rookie has already intrigued phantasy experts with his 25 catches implicit the archetypal 5 games of his career. Here's what they're saying astir him and the remainder of the New Orleans Saints' discourtesy for Week 6.
"If Olave sits, Michael Thomas would spot an uptick successful targets. Thanks successful ample portion to the play of cornerbacks Chidobe Awuzie (minus-14.4 Targeted EPA, third-best per Next Gen Stats among those with astatine slightest 125 sum snaps) and Eli Apple (minus-5.2 Targeted EPA), the Cincinnati Bengals person limited opposing wide receivers to conscionable 1.33 PPR phantasy points per target, second-fewest successful the league. Tyreek Hill (25.9 PPR phantasy points successful Week 4), Noah Brown (20.1 successful Week 2) and Lamb (15.1 successful Week 2) are the lone idiosyncratic wide receivers to person exceeded 13 PPR phantasy points against the Bengals frankincense far." -- Cockcroft
Mike Clay explains wherefore the Saints wide receivers volition person a pugnacious clip against the Bengals antiaircraft backs.
"The Bengals person been elite against perimeter receivers this season, allowing the third-fewest phantasy points. They've besides allowed the fifth-fewest phantasy points wide to receivers (fewest implicit expected). Despite facing 103 WR targets (11th most), the Bengals person allowed 709 yards (10th fewest) and lone 1 TD to the position. Thomas (80% perimeter) is expected backmost from wounded this week and some helium and Olave (79%), assuming he's cleared, volition person their hands afloat against Awuzie and Apple. Top country Awuzie would apt shadow Thomas if Olave is ruled out." -- Clay
"Taysom Hill's 34.09 PPR points successful Week 5 -- and his violative deployment successful the crippled program -- should pique your interest. Hill logged 121 yards rushing retired of Wildcat sets connected Sunday with 4 full touchdowns (three rushing, 1 passing). Now, the telephone expanse could displacement if some Thomas and QB Jameis Winston instrumentality for Week 6, which mightiness bounds Hill's wide usage. However, if you play successful a deeper 12-to-14-team league, I would inactive take a chance connected Hill versus the Bengals this Sunday. He's present seen 14 carries implicit his past 2 games (with 4 full rushing scores), and the Wildcat schemes are a captious portion to what the Saints bash successful the debased reddish zone." -- Bowen
Quick hits, starts and sits
Start Bills wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie. Manning the slot successful the Bills' discourtesy has proved fruitful. McKenzie produced 3 touchdowns and 153 yards earlier entering the concussion protocol successful Week 4, and rookie Khalil Shakir held it down with 75 yards and a touchdown successful Week 5. Assuming McKenzie is cleared for the Chiefs game, helium should instrumentality to unfastened patches of writer and yards. -- Fowler
Downgrade Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce vs. Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars fertile 3rd successful EPA per dropback allowed this season, sandwiched betwixt the Bills and Eagles. This is simply a truly bully unit! ... It volition marque for a pugnacious time for Pierce to effort and repetition his breakout Week 5 performance. -- Walder
I'm expecting a George Kittle breakout crippled for the 49ers. Kittle has been a immense disappointment truthful acold this year, adjacent since coming backmost from injury. He has being asked to bash a batch of things successful the Niners' discourtesy that aren't adjuvant to his phantasy numbers. But I'm betting he's a bigger portion of the pass-catching crippled program this week against an Atlanta squad that's allowing the fourth-most phantasy points per crippled to choky ends. -- Graziano
Field Yates and Stephania Bell sermon the roar oregon bust successful starting George Kittle successful Week 6.
Russell Wilson has struggled retired of the gates successful Denver. He has 1 roar week with much than 27 phantasy points, but 3 games with 11.06 oregon fewer. Wasn't going to Denver expected to mean Wilson would instrumentality his crippled to caller heights? Not truthful fast. The violative cognition is disorganized successful Denver, the violative enactment is struggling (16 sacks successful 5 games) and the receiving radical isn't arsenic dynamic arsenic it looked connected paper. Wilson has a rapport with Courtland Sutton, but that's astir it. ... Visions of Wilson reestablishing himself among the phantasy elite this play are a distant thought. -- Yates
In the lack of DeAndre Hopkins, Zach Ertz has done perfectly thing but nutrient each play long. The Seahawks are allowing a league-high 3.0 points per thrust implicit the past 2 weeks, resulting successful a whopping 84 points connected the NFL scoreboard. Ertz has had 4 games with six-plus catches -- the lone choky extremity successful 2022 who tin assertion specified a feat. If you're not consenting to wage up for Kelce, Ertz provides the champion worth enactment nether $5,000 connected DraftKings. -- Zeidenfeld
Najee Harris is connected the proverbial blistery seat for phantasy managers, contempt his lofty draft-day concern and the bye weeks starting (no Lions, Titans, Raiders, Texans this week). Undrafted Oklahoma State alum Jaylen Warren handled overmuch of the 2nd fractional successful the blowout nonaccomplishment astatine Buffalo, though it astir apt meant little, and immoderate telephone for him to grip a larger role. Will it substance against the Buccaneers, 1 of the toughest teams for moving backs to accrue phantasy points against? Perhaps not. Perhaps this volition beryllium a mislaid play for Harris, too. Nobody should driblet him, of course, but it's getting tougher to spot him arsenic an RB2, and surely to commercialized for him. -- Karabell
James Conner is expected to miss Sunday's crippled (and perchance adjacent longer) against the Seahawks with a rib injury. Darrel Williams, the Cardinals' backup moving back, is besides expected to miss the crippled owed to a genu injury. Jonathan Ward, who injured his hamstring, has besides been placed connected IR by the Arizona Cardinals. Eno Benjamin is expected to capable the void near by Conner. He accumulated 53 full yards and a touchdown connected 11 touches against the Eagles past week. The Seahawks' defence has allowed 170.2 rushing yards per game. -- Moody
Fantasy (and fandom) is genuinely a week-to-week proposition. And we tin beryllium some close and incorrect astir a subordinate successful the aforesaid season. I try, for my ain sanity, to absorption connected what's straight successful beforehand of maine ... but it's decidedly hard not to spiral. For example, I've gotten a ton of questions astir Jaylen Waddle and whether it's clip to freak out. Ultimately, though, what does freaking retired do? Are you truly going to driblet (or adjacent bench) a feline who averaged 114 yards and scored 3 TDs implicit the archetypal 3 weeks of the play earlier his QB was sidelined successful humanities fashion? I conjecture it depends connected the options disposable that peculiar week. -- Loza
Against a Pittsburgh defence that is reeling close now, let's spell with Rachaad White of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (24.3% rostered) arsenic a PPR enactment successful deeper leagues. The rookie has present caught each 8 of his targets implicit his past 2 games, and QB Tom Brady volition see Cover 2 from the Steelers' defence connected Sunday. That means much underneath level and check-down options for White, who should get immoderate enactment successful the tally game, too. -- Bowen
Outside of Kenny Pickett taking connected Brady and supplanting him arsenic the top backmost of each clip -- oregon astatine slightest throwing his archetypal NFL touchdown walk -- it volition beryllium hard for thing to lucifer the Chiefs-Bills this week. You cognize Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen volition effort to enactment connected a show. In fact, if you are facing anyone successful phantasy this week who has Mahomes oregon Allen arsenic their QB, conscionable instrumentality the nonaccomplishment now, remainder your starters and springiness it different changeable again successful Week 7. -- Gallo
AJ Dillon is simply a tackle busting monster who dominates connected carries up the middle. That's wherefore he's recorded 28 specified opportunities to Aaron Jones' 11. As it turns out, the Jets let the fifth-most yards earlier interaction to opposing RBs connected runs up the middle. So, Dillon figures to bully his mode past the archetypal enactment of defenders and rumble done the 2nd level earlier yet (if ever) getting caught. I similar him for OVER 50.5 rushing yards (-117). -- Loza