Week 6 Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

It has finally happened. For once, a fantasy season has gone exactly as predicted. The players we thought would do well have. The guys we thought would bust…

Never mind. I can't even type that it's so preposterous.

Five weeks into the season, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel "Indiana" Jones has more fantasy points than Lamar Jackson. The first running back to rush for 200 yards in a game this season has spent most of the year holding down a bench with his butt. Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston has more PPR points than Ja'Marr Chase.

The season has been madness. Chaos. Anarchy. So, in other words, just like every season.

Navigating another year of fantasy pandemonium can be tough. It helps to have some help—a map of sorts to aid you in starting players set for a big week and keeping this week's duds Gorilla Glued to the bench.

Man, if only we had a guide like that.

That would be cool.

Author's Note: "Starts" have a started percentage at NFL.com of less than 60 percent or do not exceed a maximum DFS salary threshold at DraftKings. "Sits" have a started percentage over 70 percent or exceed a minimum salary threshold. "Sleepers" have a started percentage of less than 30 percent or don't exceed an even lower salary threshold.

Quarterbacks

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott

Start 'Em

Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers (vs. CIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,200]

Love barely ranks inside the top-15 fantasy quarterbacks in points per game, but he's coming off his best statistical effort of the season—337 passing yards and three scores two weeks ago against the Dallas Cowboys. The Bengals have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season.

Drake Maye, New England Patriots (at NO) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,900]

Maye is quietly having a solid season for fantasy managers—the second-year pro is seventh in fantasy points among quarterbacks after five weeks. The Saints have been a plus matchup for the position—New Orleans is surrendering the seventh-most fantasy points per game to signal-callers.

Sit 'Em

Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts (vs, ARI) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,000]

Writing anything negative about the Golden God that is Daniel Jones is a fantasy felony in 2025—he's eighth in fantasy points among quarterbacks. But the Cardinals have been a surprisingly poor fantasy matchup for quarterbacks this season, giving up the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to the position.

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (at CAR) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,500]

Prescott has been a productive fantasy asset, at least in part because the Dallas defense can't stop anyone, so Prescott has to try to win shootouts every week. That's probably not going to be the case in Carolina this week, so Prescott's passing stats likely won't be as gaudy in Week 6.

Sleeper

Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers (vs. DAL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,800]

Young is a tough player to start in fantasy right now—he's had one fantasy-relevant outing in five games. But the Dallas "defense" has made every quarterback they have played look good—the Cowboys are allowing a whopping 284.6 passing yards per game, far and away the most in the league.

Running Backs

AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.

Commanders RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Start 'Em

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders (vs. CHI) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,600]

"Bill" had himself a game last week against the Los Angeles Chargers, racking up 111 rushing yards and two scores on just 14 carries. The rookie is firmly entrenched as Washington's No. 1 running back heading into a matchup with a Bears team giving up the fourth-most PPR points per game to running backs.

Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers (vs. DAL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,800]

With Chuba Hubbard sidelined by an injured hamstring, Dowdle carried the ball 23 times for a whopping 206 yards last week against the Miami Dolphins. The sixth-year veteran appears in line to start once again in Week 6 against a Cowboys defense surrendering 127.4 yards per game on the ground.

Sit 'Em

Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals (at GB) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,600]

After talking up Brown as a value pick in the backfield all summer long, this analyst needs therapy after watching the third-year pro average 2.5 yards per carry through five games. So far this season, the Packers have allowed the eighth-fewest PPR points per game to running backs. Joe Flacco isn't saving the day here.

Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints (vs. NE) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,700]

There are multiple warning signs present with Kamara this week. The veteran ball-carrier picked up an ankle injury this week. Kendre Miller and Kamara had almost a 50/50 split in backfield touches in Week 5. And the Patriots have surrendered the fifth-fewest PPR points per game to running backs in 2025.

Sleeper

TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots (at NO) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,200]

Antonio Gibson is out for the season with a torn ACL. Rhamondre Stevenson lost yet another fumble last week against the Buffalo Bills. At some point, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is going to have to give Henderson more than a handful of touches—and that point is Sunday at the Superdome.

Wide Receivers

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr.

Start 'Em

Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals (at IND) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,300]

Harrison set a season-high last week with 98 receiving yards. The second-year pro has been targeted 15 times over the past two weeks. Harrison has topped 13 PPR points in three of five games this season. And the Colts have allowed the fifth-most PPR points to wide receivers in 2025.

Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers (vs. DAL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,000]

McMillan has yet to find the end zone in the NFL. But McMillan has eclipsed 60 receiving yards in every game but one this season. He's been targeted at least eight times in every game. And this week the Panthers host a Dallas Cowboys team allowing the most PPR points per game in the league to wide receivers.

Sit 'Em

Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers (at MIA) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,700]

McConkey is already mired in a down season (relative to last year)—he has been outscored by both Quentin Johnston and Keenan Allen with the Chargers this year. Now he faces a Miami Dolphins team that has given up the eighth-fewest PPR points to wide receivers this season.

Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins (vs. LAC) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,100]

Waddle is coming off his best game of the season—six catches for 110 yards and a touchdown last week against the Panthers. But with Tyreek Hill out for the year, Waddle will be the focal point for a Chargers defense surrendering the fourth-fewest PPR points per game to wide receivers in 2025.

Sleeper

Marquise Brown, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. DET) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,800]

Brown saw eight targets last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars—his most since he had 10 receptions in the season opener. The Chiefs are going to have to score early and often to beat the Lions Sunday, and Detroit has allowed the seventh-most PPR points per game to wideouts this year.

Tight Ends

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

Browns TE David Njoku

Start 'Em

Evan Engram, Denver Broncos (at NYJ) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,900]

Engram finally showed some signs of life last week, finding the end zone for the first time this season against the Philadelphia Eagles. Now he and the Broncos face a New York Jets defense that has been kind to opposing tight ends, allowing the ninth-most PPR points per game to the position.

David Njoku, Cleveland Browns (at PIT) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,500]

If his first start in London was any indication, Dillon Gabriel is going to lean heavily on his tight ends—Njoku's nine targets against the Vikings led the team. Now the Browns face a struggling Pittsburgh Steelers defense that has surrendered the seventh-most PPR points per game to tight ends.

Sit 'Em

Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills (at ATL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,400]

Sitting fantasy football second-highest scoring tight end after five weeks isn't an easy thing to do. But the Atlanta Falcons are dead last in PPR points per game given up to tight ends so far this season at just 4.2 per contest. So, at the very least, fantasy expectations need to be tempered for Kincaid this week.

Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions (at KC) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,600]

LaPorta was big last week against the Cincinnati Bengals, hauling in five passes for 92 yards and a touchdown. Matching that production Sunday in Kansas City won't be easy—only the Falcons and Buffalo Bills have allowed fewer PPR points per game to tight ends than the Chiefs.

Sleeper

Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints, (vs. NE) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,000]

Hill is always a dice-roll in fantasy—he's as likely to post a goose-egg as he is to run for a score and throw for another. But the Patriots are giving up the fifth-most PPR points per game to tight ends, and Alvin Kamara's ouchie ankle could mean some more touches for Hill is Week 6.

Team Defenses

AP Photo/Zach Bolinger

Raiders EDGE Maxx Crosby

Start 'Em

Las Vegas Raiders Defense (vs. TEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,200]

The Raiders haven't been good defensively, but the Titans have been even worse on offense—Tennesssee is 31st in total offense, 32nd in scoring offense, lead the AFC in sacks allowed and have given up more points per game to fantasy defenses than any team not named the Cincinnati Bengals.

Dallas Cowboys Defense (at CAR) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,000]

The Dallas defense has been mostly terrible through five games this season. But the Panthers haven't exactly been an offensive juggernaut—Bryce Young has thrown for 200 yards in all of one game this season and Carolina has surrendered the seventh-most fantasy points per game to defenses in 2025.

Sit 'Em

Detroit Lions Defense (at KC) [DraftKings DFS Value: $2,800]

The Lions have quietly been a decent fantasy defense this season—Detroit is eighth in fantasy points at the position after five weeks. But last week's bizarre pick-six aside, Patrick Mahomes and the Mahomies aren't a good fantasy matchup—the Chiefs are still 27th in fantasy points per game allowed to defenses even after that gaffe.

Seattle Seahawks Defense (at JAX) [DraftKings DFS Value: $2,700]

It's surprising that Seattle is still a top-five fantasy defense even after last week's shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There's another down week in the offing in Week 6—the Jaguars are riding high after last week's win over the Chiefs and Seattle is traveling a long way for a 1 PM start time.

Sleeper

Tennessee Titans Defense, (at LV) [DraftKings DFS Value: $2,400]

It takes some serious guts to start the Tennessee Titans defense in fantasy—almost as much as it will take to actually endure watching this turkey of a game. But while you were reading this column, Raiders quarterback Geno Smith threw three more interceptions—at the grocery store.

Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow Gary on X at @IDPGodfather.