Fantasy Football Starts & Sits for Week 6 (2023)

October 13, 2023 Drew Scott
2023 Starts and Sits Week 6 | Fantasy In Frames

Welcome to our sixth Start & Sit article at Fantasy In Frames for the 2023 fantasy football season!

This week, I will be giving you my start and sit recommendations on offense and defense/special teams. I know you are as excited as I am to kick off Week 6 of the fantasy football season. Therefore, here are my Fantasy Football Starts & Sits for Week 6 (2023).

Start  

1) Dak Prescott (at Los Angeles Chargers)

  • After an embarrassing showing against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5, Dak Prescott gets to go up against a Los Angeles Chargers defense that has given up the 4th most fantasy points to the QB position, in a game that has a good chance to end up in a shootout. 
  • FantasyPros Week 6 Expert Consensus Rankings (ECR) has Dak Prescott as the QB14 this week, but I’ve got him at QB12, making him a startable option in 1QB 12-team leagues this week. 
  • As I mention my personal rankings throughout the article, please keep in mind that you can find the Fantasy In Frames team’s Week 6 rankings at: https://fantasyinframes.com/weekly-fantasy-football-rankings/ 

2) Gardner Minshew (at Jacksonville Jaguars)

  • With Anthony Richardson now on IR, Gardner Minshew will be starting this week in a revenge game against a Jacksonville Jaguars defense that has given up the 6th most points to the QB position through 5 weeks. 
  • FantasyPros ECR has Gardner Minshew down at QB21 this week, but I’ve got him up at QB16, making him a solid streaming option and high-end QB2 in 2QB 12-team leagues.

Sit

  1. Geno Smith (at Cincinnati Bengals)
  • This week, Geno Smith has to travel to Cincinnati to play a Bengals pass defense that has given up the 15th-lowest amount of points to the QB position through 5 weeks.
  • The only two QBs that have had success against the Bengals defense so far this year have been Deshaun Watson and Lamar Jackson in Weeks 1 and 2. Watson had 45 rushing yards and 1 TD on the ground and Lamar Jackson had 54 rushing yards. So far through four games, Geno Smith is averaging 2 rushing attempts and 5.5 rushing yards per game. This hasn’t been the path to success for fantasy QBs against the Bengals defense so far this season. 
  • Likely due to the possibility of this game turning into a shootout, FantasyPros Week 6 FantasyPros ECR has Geno Smith at QB12, but I’ve got him down at QB14. 
  1. Jared Goff (at Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
  • This week Jared Goff will be traveling to Tampa Bay to play a Buccaneers defense that has given up the 10th lowest amount of points to the QB position through 5 weeks. 
  • Over the last two seasons when playing on the road, Jared Goff averages about 30 less passing yards/game and his TD% drops from 7.2% in home games all the way down to 2.4% in away games. 
  • FantasyPros ECR has Jared Goff at QB13 this week, but I’ve got him down at QB18.

Start

  1. Roschon Johnson (vs. Minnesota Vikings)
  • You’ll have to keep an eye out on the injury report for this one. Roschon Johnson is currently questionable for Week 6 due to the concussion he suffered in Week 5. However, with the injury taking place on Thursday Night Football, he has a little more time to get ready and has a decent chance to play. Speaking of injuries, this backfield is dealing with their fair share of them. Khalil Herbert, who has been the lead runner in this backfield for the majority of the season, injured his ankle in Week 5 and is not expected to play this week. 
  • The Minnesota Vikings defense has been pretty good against the RB position through 5 weeks, giving up the 10th lowest amount of fantasy points to the position. However, they have shown they can be beat. D’Andre Swift had a great game in Week 2, and Isiah Pacheco was solid last week as well. If Roschon Johnson sees starter volume against this defense, I believe you can start him. 
  • FantasyPros ECR has Roschon Johnson as the RB31 this week, but I’ve got him up at RB24, making him a borderline RB2 and solid flex option in 12-team leagues. Side note: If Roschon Johnson is out, I would also have a similar level of confidence in D’Onta Foreman for Week 6. 
  1. Tyjae Spears (vs. Baltimore Ravens)
  • Last week, Tyjae Spears played only 6% less snaps than Derrick Henry, and has played more than 50% of snaps for three straight weeks. Last week against the Indianapolis Colts, he turned 12 (7 rushing attempts and 5 targets) total attempts into 69 (nice) total yards and a TD. 
  • Spears will be going up against a Baltimore Ravens run defense that’s given up the 11th lowest amount of points to the position, however if the Titans fall behind to the Ravens, the game script could lead to more snaps to Tyjae Spears. 
  • In a week full of bye weeks and injuries at the position, I think he’s a startable flex option this week. I’ve got him at RB31 compared to the FantasyPros ECR of RB36.

Sit

  1. Rachaad White (vs. Detroit Lions)
  • We’re five weeks into the season now, and this Detroit Lions defense that Rachaad White is going to have to deal with in Week 6 looks legit. They’ve given up the 2nd least amount of points to the RB position, and have been in the bottom 12 in terms of fantasy points given up to RB four out of five weeks. 
  • It’s never going to be easy sitting a RB with the volume that Rachaad White is getting, but with his 6th-7th round ADP this offseason and the amount of RBs that have come available on waivers so far to start the year, there could be a chance where you have better options in a league where you only need to start two RBs. 
  • If you do need to start him, I would just temper expectations. He’s the RB21 according to FantasyPros ECR, but I’ve got him down at RB25. 
  1. Zack Moss (at Jacksonville Jaguars) 
  • This might sound weird coming off a performance with almost 200 total yards and two TDs last week, but I’m sitting Zack Moss if possible in Week 6. The Indianapolis Colts have to play a Jacksonville Jaguars defense this week that has given up the 7th lowest amount of points to the RB position. 
  • On top of the tough matchup, the Colts aren’t going to continue to give their $42 million RB 15% of the snaps much longer. Colts head coach Shane Steichen said that Jonathan Taylor will be ramped up more in Week 6, and while I don’t think Zack Moss is just going to go away in Jonathan Taylor’s second week back in action, I do expect it to be closer to an even split this week. 
  • The tough matchup combined with a split backfield (that I think Zack Moss finds himself on the lower percentages of weekly snaps sooner rather than later) has Moss down at RB28 for me compared to the FantasyPros ECR of RB24.

Start

  1. Zay Flowers (at Tennessee Titans)
  • Coming off a week full of drops for Zay Flowers, you should be confident firing him right back up against a Tennessee Titans defense that has given up the 8th most fantasy points to the WR position through 5 weeks. Chris Olave, Keenan Allen, Amari Cooper, and Ja’Marr Chase have all had strong weeks against this defense already, and Zay Flowers is the WR1 that’s up next. 
  • Through five weeks Zay Flowers is tied for 3rd among WRs in targets where the player was deemed open or wide open. He also has the most receptions in the league without a TD through five weeks. With how often he gets open and earns targets, against a beatable secondary, this could finally be the week Zay Flowers finds the end zone. 
  • Zay Flowers is the WR26 according to FantasyPros ECR, but I have him at WR20 for Week 6. 
  1. Gabe Davis (vs. New York Giants)
  • The Gabe Davis breakout season everyone was calling for last year might just have been one year late. Through five weeks he has three top 16 WR finishes and is the WR12 on the year. 
  • Now Gabe Davis, who has scored a TD in four straight games, gets a New York Giants defense in Week 6 that’s given up the 10th most points to the WR position. 
  • FantasyPros ECR has Gabe Davis as WR34 this week, but I’ve got him up at WR26.

Sit

  1. Deebo Samuel (at Cleveland Browns)
  • In a matchup against the Dallas Cowboys last week where he was a game-time decision, Deebo Samuel ended up with more rushing attempts than targets or receptions. This combined with him playing the lowest snaps of the season were likely due to him dealing with an injury, and I’m not 100% positive he’s fully healthy. 
  • Now he gets a matchup against a Cleveland Browns defense that’s given up the least amount of fantasy points to the WR position through five weeks. It’s always going to be tough to sit someone that’s a full time player in an offense as explosive as San Francisco’s has been this year, but you might have options you can pivot too this week. 
  • I’ve got Deebo Samuel down at WR26 this week, compared to the FantasyPros ECR of WR22.
  1. Marquise Brown (at Los Angeles Rams)
  • The Arizona Cardinals offense has been surprisingly productive to start the year, and Marquise Brown has been a big piece of that. He’s had 10 targets three different times this year, however his yards per target has dropped three straight weeks. 
  • Now he has to go up against a Los Angeles Rams defense that has given up the 5th lowest amount of points to the WR position and will be one of Hollywood’s toughest tests so far this year. 
  • FantasyPros ECR has Hollywood Brown at WR23 this week, but I’ve got him down at WR27.

Start

  1. Gerald Everett (vs. Dallas Cowboys)
  • Despite splitting snaps with Donald Parham, Gerald Everett continues to play more snaps and earn more targets, he just hasn’t gotten the TDs. Parham has three TDs on the year, compared to Everett’s 0. In a game that projects to be a shootout, this could be the week Gerald Everett finally finds the end zone. 
  • The Dallas Cowboys defense has given up the 12th most fantasy points to the TE position on the year, including George Kittle having his best game of the year last week. 
  • FantasyPros ECR has Everett down at TE19, but I have him up at TE14 making him a solid streaming option at the position this week. 
  1. Tyler Conklin (vs. Philadelphia Eagles)
  • It’s not that common that you find a TE that’s earning 5-6 targets each week outside of the top 12 in rankings, but that’s where Tyler Conklin is living right now. He’s had at least five targets in four straight weeks, and similar to Gerald Everett has yet to find the end zone. 
  • In a game where the New York Jets are likely going to have to pass the ball plenty to try to keep up with the Philadelphia Eagles offense, this could finally be the game that Tyler Conklin gets a TD against a Philadelphia Eagles’ defense that has given up the 9th most fantasy points to the TE position. 
  • FantasyPros ECR has Conklin down at TE21, but I have him up at TE16 on the week.

Sit

  1. Jake Ferguson (at Los Angeles Chargers)
  • I’ve already mentioned that I think this Cowboys vs. Chargers game could be a shootout this week, but I’d be looking at other options at the TE position if you can. The Chargers have been middle of the pack against TE’s, giving up the 14th lowest amount of points to the position on the year. 
  • Despite being TE13 on the year, Ferguson has only had one top 10 TE finish on the year, and just doesn’t offer much upside even in a high scoring matchup. If you’re favored in your matchup, he’s a safe play, but if you’re the underdog this week I’d be taking bigger swings at the position.
  • FantasyPros ECR has him at TE11 this week, but I’ve got him down at TE15 on the week, meaning that there should be better options in a 12-team league. 
  1. Darren Waller (at Buffalo Bills)
  • This one is tough. If you wanted Darren Waller on your team during draft season, you likely had to draft him as a top five TE. So far he’s only delivered on that draft price one week this year. This offense already hasn’t been what we expected coming into the year, and now Daniel Jones has been ruled out for this week’s game. 
  • On top of the injury concerns, the Giants play a Buffalo Bills defense that has given up the 3rd lowest amount of points to the TE position on the year. 
  • It might be unlikely that you have a better option on your roster, but I’ve got Darren Waller down at TE10 this week compared to the FantasyPros ECR of TE8. There are a couple of names like Logan Thomas and Cole Kmet ahead of him that you could have possibly grabbed on waivers at some point this year.

Start

  1. Atlanta Falcons (vs. Washington Commanders)
  • The Atlanta Falcons D/ST is only rostered in 20% of leagues, which is likely due to them only having one strong week so far this year, but this means there’s a high chance they’re available in your league as a streaming option this week.
  • They will be playing a Washington Commanders offense in Week 6 that is tied for 3rd in the NFL in turnovers, and has been the 4th best matchup on the year for opposing D/ST’s. 

       2. New England Patriots (at Las Vegas Raiders)

  • The New England Patriots D/ST is currently rostered in 43% of leagues, which sounds low for a Patriots defense but makes sense whenever you consider they’re the #26 ranked D/ST on the year. Their struggles also mean they could be available in your league as a streaming option this week. 
  • They play a Las Vegas Raiders offense that has been the 6th best matchup on the year for opposing D/ST’s. The New England Patriots themselves have also been the 2nd best matchup for opposing D/ST’s, so this could be a matchup where you choose either defense to play. In this matchup of two bad teams, I have a little bit more faith in the Patriots defensive personnel and Bill Belichick than I do the Las Vegas Raiders.

Sit

  1. Dallas Cowboys (vs. Los Angeles Chargers)
  • The #1 D/ST of the year, started in 98% of leagues, and I’m telling you to sit them? Yes, I am. While I do think the Cowboys are a legitimately good defense, they’ve also been slightly propped up by getting to play the Giants, Jets, Cardinals, and Patriots the first four weeks of the year. In Week 5 the San Francisco 49ers had no problem turning them into a D/ST you wish you wouldn’t have started. 
  • Now they have to play a Los Angeles Chargers offense that has been the 3rd toughest matchup for D/ST’s on the year. There are likely streaming options on the waivers that would be a better start this week. 

       2. Cleveland Browns (vs. San Francisco 49ers)

  • The Browns looked like a really strong D/ST option to start the year, but that was while going up against an injured Joe Burrow, Kenny Pickett, and Ryan Tannehill. They didn’t look like quite as tough of a matchup against Lamar Jackson and I think they might be closer to a middle-of-the-pack D/ST than an elite one. 
  • Now coming off a bye, they get a San Francisco 49ers offense that has been the toughest matchup for opposing D/ST’s to start the year. There should also be streaming options on the waiver wire that would be a better play for you this week.