Week 6 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Debating Difficult Fantasy Football Lineup Decisions
Week 6 got underway with a Thursday night game that featured both fantasy standouts and, unfortunately, another injury development.
Players like San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III both shined, but 49ers running back Jordan Mason suffered a shoulder injury.
Mason, of course, has been filling in for Christian McCaffrey, who has yet to take the field in 2024 because of an ankle/Achilles ailment. Injuries have led to some difficult lineup decisions throughout the season, and managers will face more of them in Week 6.
Also, the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings are on bye this week. Don't forget to adjust your lineups accordingly.
Here, you'll find a look at some of the difficult lineup decisions remaining in the week, along with a few start/sit recommendations.
All picks and analysis are based on point-per-reception (PPR) scoring.
Start: Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen doesn't have the most enticing matchup this week. He'll face the rival New York Jets on Monday night, and Allen has often struggled in New York.
The Jets defense has already been a problem for opposing quarterback this season. Through the first five weeks, no team has allowed fewer fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.
However, Allen's scrambling ability should give him a high enough floor to justify starting in Week 6. He's topped 40 rushing yards in two of his last three games and will likely need to rely on his legs to keep the Jets off-balance.
There is some risk here—Allen turned it over four times in last year's Week 1 loss in New York—but managers shouldn't need to sub in a substandard quarterback because of this matchup alone.
Sit: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
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Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence can also scramble, though he doesn't usually see the designed runs that Allen does.
Lawrence topped 40 rushing yards in Week 2 but has rushed for fewer than 10 yards in every other game this season. That's why we're fading Lawrence, even though he's coming off his best game of the year so far.
The 25-year-old threw for 371 yards with two touchdowns and an interception against the Indianapolis Colts. Of course, the Colts don't have a terrific pass defense, and Lawrence's upcoming opponent does.
The Chicago Bears have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in 2024. This game will also be played in London, where offenses tend to struggle. We're not fading every Jaguars player this week, but Lawrence—who has been a mid-level streaming option at best—can see the bench.
Start: Antonio Gibson, RB, New England Patriots
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There are several reasons to be concerned with New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson this week. The Patriots will be up against a stout Houston Texans run defense—Houston has allowed the ninth-fewest fantasy points to opposing backs—and New England is set to start rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
The Texans, presumably, will focus on defending the run and forcing the inexperienced signal-caller to beat them.
However, Gibson is also likely to see an every-down role in a run-heavy offense, which will provide a ton of opportunities. Starter Rhamondre Stevenson (foot) appears unlikely to play, though his absence may not be a long one.
"It doesn't look like running back Rhamondre Stevenson is going to play this weekend, but the Patriots don't expect to be without him for an extended period of time," Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk wrote on Friday.
Gibson, who topped 100 scrimmage yards back in Week 2, should see the volume needed to justify a start in Week 6.
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Sit: Brian Robinson Jr., RB, Washington Commanders
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While Stevenson appears unlikely to play, Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. (knee) is looking like a game-time decision.
"They'll take another look at him Saturday and 'take it up to the game,'" ESPN's John Keim posted on X.
Managers should go ahead and plan to sit Robinson against the Baltimore Ravens. While the 25-year-old did find the end zone twice in Week 5, he also logged a mere seven carries with no receptions. Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols will likely see the bulk of the backfield work, even if Robinson is active.
The Ravens who have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to opposing backs, present a tough challenge anyway. Robinson would be an iffy, touchdown-dependent option even if at 100 percent, and he's not.
Start: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
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While we're not about to trust Lawrence against Chicago in London, rookie Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. should be dependable enough this week.
Thomas is quickly evolving into Lawrence's favorite target, and his numbers are beginning to reflect that fact. The LSU product has caught at least five passes in each of the past three games and has reached the end zone in each of the past two.
Perhaps more importantly, Thomas has been targeted a whopping 26 times over the past three weeks. Regardless of how much Lawrence may struggle this week, he's going to funnel the ball to Thomas early and often.
Thomas will likely draw Jaylon Johnson in coverage, which does limit his ceiling, but his PPR floor should be solid. The Bears have allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to opposing receivers, but Thomas should deliver a serviceable outing.
Sit: Keon Coleman, WR, Buffalo Bills
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We're not inclined to trust Bills rookie receiver Keon Coleman this week. While the Florida State product has started to carve out a role in Buffalo's offense, he has yet to become one of Allen's go-to targets.
Coleman has caught touchdown passes in two of the last three weeks, but he's also seen just 10 targets and five receptions over that span. The rookie has not topped 51 receiving yards in a game this year.
The reality is that Joe Brady's offense relies on spreading the ball around, not forcing it to any one target. While managers can trust Allen and his dual-threat ability, it's hard to trust any one Buffalo pass-catcher.
Coleman is a touchdown-dependent receiver against a very stingy pass defense. The Jets have allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points to opposing wideouts this season.
*Fantasy scoring information from FantasyPros.
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