Week 6 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Fantasy Football Stars to Play and Bench

Week 6 will begin with a battle between teams that made the NFL's final four last season. The Denver Broncos will host the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football.

Thursday's matchup figures to be a star-studded affair, but fantasy managers may find many of their biggest stars absent in Week 6. Injuries have heavily impacted the fantasy landscape to this point, and the Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, and Minnesota Vikings are on bye this week.

Here, you'll find some start/sit recommendations for second-tier stars in Week 6 based on factors like past performances, projected roles, individual matchups, and point-per-reception (PPR) scoring.

Quarterback

AP Photo/Mike Roemer

Jordan Love

Top 5 Plays

1. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
3. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
4. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
5. Drake Maye, New England Patriots

Start: Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love looked like a low-end streamer for most of the early season. Then, he exploded for 25.3 fantasy points in a Week 5 romp over the rival Chicago Bears.

Love is still projected as a matchup-based play, but he has a tremendous matchup this week against a struggling Dallas Cowboys defense. Dallas has surrendered the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing QBs this season.

The list of other quarterbacks to start in Week 6 includes:

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints

Sit: Bo Nix, Denver Broncos

Broncos quarterback Bo Nix has gotten off to a rocky start, too, though he's unlikely to rebound as Love did on Sunday. Denver's offense is in disarray, and Nix hasn't been making up for his struggles by scrambling as much as he's done in the past.

To this point, Nix has reached 16 fantasy points in only one of five games. He's facing a tough situation on a short week against a terrific Seattle defense.

Other QB sits:

Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks

Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns

Running Back

AP Photo/LM Otero

Javonte Williams

Top 5 Plays

1. Kenneth Walker III, Kansas City Chiefs
2. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
3. Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens
4. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
5. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers

Start: Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys

While the Packers' offense got going against the Bears, their defense remains a work-in-progress. Green Bay has been particularly vulnerable to the run, which is part of the reason why Cowboys starter Javonte Williams is a strong start this week.

The Packers have surrendered the third-most fantasy points to opposing RBs.

The other piece of the equation is the reality that Dallas' defense isn't good. The Cowboys should lean on the run in order to keep Love and Co. off the field.

Other Week 6 RB starts:

Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers

Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots

MarShawn Lloyd, Green Bay Packers

Sit: Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers

Like the Broncos' offense, the Los Angeles Chargers offense is still trying to find a rhythm. The marriage between Justin Herbert and new OC Mike McDaniel hasn't gone well so far, and the rest of the unit has suffered.

McDaniel has tried to spark the unit by getting other running backs involved, to the detriment of starter Omarion Hampton. The 2025 first-round pick has only reached double-digit fantasy points twice, is coming off a 4.9-point outing, and faces a stout Kansas City Chiefs defense that is coming off the bye.

Other Week 6 RB sits:

Tyler Allgeier, Arizona Cardinals

J.K. Dobbins, Denver Broncos

Bhayshul Tuten, Jacksonville Jaguars

Wide Receiver

AP Photo/Scot Tucker

Mike Evans

Top 5 Plays

1. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
2. Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers
3. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
4. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks
5. Malik Nabers, New York Giants

Start: Mike Evans, San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans hasn't quite returned to the must-start territory he was in earlier in his career. However, he's inching close to it, and the loss of Deebo Samuel to a hamstring strain will only further cement his status as San Francisco's No. 1 receiver.

Evans delivered 26.3 fantasy points last week and has reached double digits in four of five games. This week, he'll face a Washington Commanders defense that has surrendered the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing WRs.

Other Week 6 WR starts:

Parker Washington, Jacksonville Jaguars

Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals

Matthew Golden, Green Bay Packers

Sit: Romeo Doubs, New England Patriots

New England Patriots receiver Romeo Doubs has been very hit-or-miss in his first season with the club. He's reached double-digit fantasy points twice and had 23.8 points in Week 4. However, he had no production at all in the season-opener and is coming off of a 2.6-point outing.

Doubs is unlikely to surge this week against an underrated New York Jets defense. New York has surrendered the ninth-fewest fantasy points to opposing WRs, and the fact that A.J. Brown could return for the Patriots this week only further impacts Doubs' value.

Other WR sits for Week 6:

Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars

Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers

Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos

Tight End

AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh

Tyler Higbee

Top 5 Plays

1. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders
2. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
3. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals
4. Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts
5. Isaiah Likely, New York Giants

Start: Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams

Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee played a huge role in the team's offense on Monday night. While he didn't do enough to give L.A. a win over the Buffalo Bills, he finished with five catches for 83 yards and 13.3 fantasy points.

In Week 3, Higbee topped 20 fantasy points, and he's reached double digits in three straight games. This week, he'll face an Arizona Cardinals defense that has surrendered the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing TEs.

Other TE starts for Week 6:

Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints

Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills

Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs

Sit: Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts hasn't been as involved in Kevin Stefanski's offense as most might have expected. He delivered 15.2 fantasy points in Week 5, but that marked his first double-digit performance of 2026.

This week, the Falcons will host the Chicago Bears, who have surrendered the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing tight ends. Pitts is a matchup-based play with a bad matchup who should be avoided in Week 6.

Other TE sits for Week 6:

Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys

Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans

Darren Waller, Carolina Panthers

*Fantasy scoring information from FantasyPros.