Week 6 of the fantasy football season is upon us. This week on Amazon Prime, we get an NFC showdown as the Washington Commanders head west to take on the Chicago Bears. With no time to waste, here are the top start/sit plays for Week 6 Thursday Night Football.
Start: Carson Wentz, QB, Washington Commanders
I wonder if Jim Irsay is regretting the unceremonious exits of Carson Werntz yet? Wentz has been a surprise to many and is coming off his best day passing of the year, throwing for 359 yards on 66% passing with two touchdowns and an interception.
That’s now three out of five games where Wentz has multiple touchdowns and could make it four of six. Chicago struggles against the deep ball, sitting 29th in DVOA vs. deep passes (20+ yards). This happens to be Wentz’s strong suit, as both of his last week’s scores were on deep targets. So long as the Commanders’ offensive line keeps the pressure from getting into his face, Wentz has high-end QB2 upside as QB13 in our Week 6 fantasy QB rankings and could be s streaming option for those missing a QB due to the start of bye weeks.
Start: David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears
Although they might not know how to spell his name, Chicago told us one thing last week; when healthy, David Montgomery is the rock on which their house is built. Despite Khalil Herbert’s 234 yards and two TDs in the two previous weeks (6.0 ypc), he was an afterthought as Montgomery played on 72% of the snaps and saw 16 touches, totaling 82 yards. Most of those came via the air, recording 62 yards on four of four receiving.
MORE: Week 6 PPR Fantasy Football Rankings
That’s also the best way to attack the Commanders’ defense, as they have been brutal against RBs. They have the fifth-lowest EPA and sit fourth in explosive rush rate. Additionally, they have held RBs to the ninth-lowest yards per game. However, they are 18th vs. receiving RBs and have allowed the most receiving touchdowns. Montgomery is a mid-RB2 for Week 6.
Start: Brian Robinson Jr., RB, Washington Commanders
Brian Robinson Jr. coming out to “Many Men” by 50 Cent was the hardest thing I have seen in a long time. If you know the lyrics, you know exactly what I am talking about, too. Making his NFL debut, Robinson Jr., took over the backfield, leading it in attempts with nine, rushing for 22 yards on 22% of the snaps.
Was it pretty? No, but this was his first game, and the guy was literally shot multiple times just over a month ago and faced a tough Tennessee defense. I think we can cut the man some slack. That’s not the case com Thursday Night. Chicago has been a turnstile defense, letting people go right through them. They’ve allowed the second-most rushing yards a game, eighth-most fantasy points, and the 10th-highest rushing success rate. With the chance Robinson Jr. sees 15 or more touches, I’m starting him as an RB3 in my Week 6 fantasy RB rankings.
Start: Curtis Samuel, WR, Washington Commanders
I do not want to be facing Curtis Samuel in fantasy this week. He’s been a revelation this year, sitting as the WR20 in points per game after missing virtually all of the 2021 season with a problematic groin injury. Accounting for 21.7% of the targets, Samuel will be a matchup nightmare against Kyler Gordon as he aligns in the slot on roughly 70% of his snaps.
Gordon is a player teams are circling in pre-game planning as he’s faced the third-most target amongst slot corners. And there is a reason. He’s allowed an 81% catch rate and a 131.1 passer rating when targeted. On top of that, his 2.53 yards per route covered are the second-most in the league. With Jahan Dotson and Dyami Brown’s statuses up in the air, watch for Samuel to light up the scoring as a WR2 in my Week 6 fantasy WR rankings.
Start: Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders
Someone needs to tell Terry McLaurin to get it out of reverse because his value keeps slipping. I’d love nothing more than for him to put up fantasy numbers reflective of his talent, but that’s not happening. He’s the WR36 in PPR/game and has watched his target share and air yard drop from 24.5% and 42.57% to just 16.2% and 28.3%, respectively.
His average finish is the WR39 this year. Over his last 17 games, McLaurin’s average finish is WR44, and since the start of 2021, it’s WR41. I do feel this is one of his “good” games, and he has a plus matchup against either Kindle Vildor or Jaylon Jones, but it’s hard to trust him as more than a WR3 until something changes. Perhaps the absence of Dotson (hamstring) or Brown (groin) will allow McLaurin to regain his lion’s share of the deeper targets, which are a specialty of his.
Sit: Justin Fields, QB, Chicago Bears
Over the last 40 years, no offense in the NFL has had fewer passing attempts than the 2022 Chicago Bears (88). Not only that, but just in 2022, they have three of the bottom five games in attempts, and all five have been in the bottom 15 for all games played thus far. And you want to start their QB? Yeah, I’ll count myself out.
In fairness to Justin Fields, he can only work in the system that he’s in and run the plays that are called. There have been some signs of life, but even then, he’s averaged 191 yards on 21.5 attempts with one touchdown. His rushing is the only saving grace, averaging 49.5 yards on 7.5 rushes.
Watch for Washington to turn up the wick on Fields as they enter ninth in blitz rate and eighth in pressure. Good thing Fields is the second-most pressured QB in the league. Stay far away from Fields for fantasy until something seismically shifts in this 1960s-style offense.
Sit: Antonio Gibson, RB, Washington Commanders
Antonio Gibson’s upside was always short-lived. The minute Robinson Jr. was ready, assuming he would be, Gibson was going to have his role slashed. I hope managers took the advice to ship Gibson off, as things are ugly for him.
MORE: Fantasy Football Week 6 RB Injury Report
Robinson Jr. nearly out-snapped Gibson (32%), but the damage was done as Gibson touched the ball just six times for 39 yards. Only three of those were carries. For context, his previous four games had totals of 14, 14, 12, and 13 carries, as he accounted for 70% of the RB rushing volume. That was just 25% on Sunday. Now relegated to backup duty and fighting for targets with J.D. McKissic, Gibson can’t be trusted for fantasy. All you can do is stash and hope.
Sit: Darnell Mooney, WR, Chicago Bears
It’s hard to sit here with a straight face and recommend starting a WR after dismantling the Bears’ passing offense. I love Darnell Mooney. Like many, he was a favorite breakout. I mean, I have his autographed jersey for crying out loud. I am invested in this.
Sure, Mooney is acting like a No. 1 on paper, accounting for 24.4% target share and 44.2% of the air yards. But when you see 4.2 targets a game, it really doesn’t matter when there are WR3s that see more than that. There have been some signs of life, albeit faint. Over the last three weeks averaging 5.3 targets, 2.7 receptions, and 56.3 receiving yards per game but even that is only enough to net him a WR57 placement (8.3 PPR). We’re going to do what our parents told us to and just say no.
Sit: Cole Kmet, TE, Chicago Bears
Speaking of calls that turned up like spoiled milk, apparently hoping for a Cole Kmet breakout was asking too much. Similar to Mooney, some stats are positive. He’s got a 14% target share and 84% route participation, but he’s averaged only 2.4 targets and has been held to less than 20 yards in three of his five games. Washington has allowed the sixth-fewest receiving yards (33.6) and ninth-fewest points to the position (7.76 PPR).
In a game that’s not expected to be very high-scoring (36.5 O/U), I wouldn’t try to get too cute with reaches in your starting lineup. Sit Kmet in Week 6 and find a better option like Hayden Hurst or Taysom Hill off the Week 6 waiver wire.
