Fantasy

10/17/22

14 min read

33 Fantasy Takeaways From Week 6

fantasy takeaways from week 6

Below you'll find 33 fantasy takeaways from Week 6. They'll be roughly organized in order of games played from Thursday/Sunday.

Commanders at Bears (12 - 7)

  • We now have a two-game sample size with Brian Robinson in the fold, and you cannot start Antonio Gibson or JD McKissic in fantasy anymore. Robinson was given all four red zone carries (including the lone goal line carry), and Gibson/McKissic chipped in five combined carries, with Gibson getting four targets out of the backfield. Robinson is in weekly RB3 range after garnering 17 carries and cementing himself as the red zone back.
  • While Dante Pettis had the big fantasy performance, I still lean Darnell Mooney's track record and overall target advantage. In deep leagues, you can pick up Pettis from waivers. However, the real takeaway here is that Mooney should be a weekly WR3/WR4 if he can pace the team in targets by a healthy margin each week. Their Week 6 numbers are below.
Player Routes Targets Rec Yards Air Yards PPR
Darnell Mooney 39 12 7 68 121 13.8
Dante Pettis 30 7 4 84 88 18.4

Ravens at Giants (20 - 24)

  • J.K. Dobbins re-injured his knee in this game, though indications are that his surgically repaired knee just tightened up during Week 6. There is a chance he can go next week. Kenyan Drake had a massive game in Dobbins' absence, rushing for 119 yards and a touchdown on ten carries.
mark andrews
BAL TE Mark Andrews (89) catches a
TD against NYG CB Fabian Moreau (37) & safety Xavier McKinney (29) during the 2nd half at MetLife Stadium. - Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
  • With Rashod Bateman absent the past two games due to a foot injury, Mark Andrews has back-to-back games of at least a 34% target share and 23 fantasy points. No wideout has reached 55 yards or 13 fantasy points in Bateman's absence.
  • NYG TE Daniel Bellinger ran a route on 55% of Daniel Jones' dropbacks in Week 5, and that number increased to 84% in Week 6. Bellinger caught all five of his targets (two red zone, one end zone), for 38 yards, putting up 14.8 fantasy points. If he continues to run 80% of the team's routes on a team devoid of WR talent, Bellinger could sneak into Top-12 territory at TE by midseason.

Jaguars at Colts (27 - 34)

  • This was a strange game for Trevor Lawrence, who completed 91% of his passes yet took the loss. The RB room continued to see a shift, with Travis Etienne once again being far more effective than James Robinson. Etienne had 108 total yards to Robinson's 55, despite Robinson having one additional touch. Etienne is an every-week RB2 type moving forward, whose role should either remain similar (or grow) in the coming weeks. Their per-game averages since Week 4 are below, as these are the three games Etienne has out-snapped Robinson.
Player Snaps Carries (RZ) Routes Targets Total Yards PPR
Travis Etienne 30 9 (1) 13 2.3 85 10.1
James Robinson 25 10 (2) 8 1 41 5.1
  • IND RB Deon Jackson was a bell cow in Week 6. He handled 12 of 15 RB carries, and ran 34 routes to Phillip Lindsay's 16. Jackson caught all ten of his targets for 79 yards, while Lindsay reeled in all three of his targets for five yards. Nyheim Hines should return in Week 7, and Jonathan Taylor likely does, too. However, Jackson is a great bench stash now that we know he'll be given a significant role any time injuries hit the Indy RB room.
  • While Parris Campbell had his first big game of the year, I would be careful blowing FAAB on him this week. Campbell's target share was still under 20% even though he had 11 targets, since Matt Ryan threw the ball an ungodly 58 times in this matchup. The real WR add continues to be rookie Alec Pierce, who brought in three of seven targets for 49 yards and a TD, running 71% of the routes. His route participation continues to tick up, and Pierce is a weekly flex option after four straight encouraging weeks of usage.

Patriots at Browns (38 - 15)

  • Rhamondre Stevenson had another massive game in Damien Harris' absence, carrying 19 times for 76 yards and two TDs. Stevenson also ran 25 routes, reeling in four of five targets for 15 yards. He had four red zone carries, two end zone carries, and two red zone targets. I had Rhamondre ranked as a Top-12 option in Week 6, and that will continue into Week 7 assuming Damien Harris remains sidelined due to injury.
  • Amari Cooper had his fourth game of the season with at least ten targets. He is an every week high-end WR2, who now has three games over 20 fantasy points. He is a great trade target, who could really explode when Deshaun Watson returns to the team.

Bengals at Saints (30 - 26)

  • Tee Higgins had his usual snap share and brought in six of ten targets for 47 yards. However, this was the Ja'Marr Chase explosion game. Chase brought in seven of ten targets for 132 yards and two TDs against a Saints secondary that was missing star cornerback Marshon Lattimore. While Chase had been disappointing heading into Week 6, the usage was there, and I continued to rank him as a Top-5 WR each week. His 32 fantasy point eruption in Week 6 validated that process. With WRs, we often need to be patient when we trust the talent and the situation.

ja'marr chase

  • Andy Dalton was missing Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, and Jarvis Landry, so his 162 passing yards were not surprising. Alvin Kamara had a phenomenal role once again, and is a mid-high-end RB1 rest of season. His per game averages since returning from injury two weeks ago reflect truly elite usage.
Player Snaps Carries Routes Targets Total Yards PPR
Alvin Kamara 52 21 21 7.5 159 21.9

Buccaneers at Steelers (18 - 20)

  • This was an embarrassing loss for Tampa Bay, who played a Steelers' defense missing multiple playmakers. Brady averaged a paltry 6.1 yards per pass attempt, and only threw one TD pass in this contest. Chris Godwin was the only WR with a target share above 11%, as he brought in 12 targets, eight more than any other receiver. Russell Gage had sneaky good usage in this game, too, and should remain on benches in moderately deep leagues. Week 6 stats below for the three main WRs.
Player Routes Targets (RZ/EZ) Rec Yards Air Yards PPR
Chris Godwin 38 12 (1/0) 6 95 135 15.5
Mike Evans 40 4 4 42 33 8.2
Russell Gage 33 4 (4/2) 2 20 40 4
  • Last week, I mentioned that if the Steelers let rookie Kenny Pickett drop back 56 times per game, he's going to get injured. Sure enough, Pickett left this game early with a concussion. Trubisky filled in admirably, completing 75% of his passes and averaging 12 yards per attempt. If Pickett misses Week 7 (expected), I would not feel comfortable starting any PIT WRs outside of Diontae Johnson, with Pat Freiermuth a borderline Top-12 option at TE.
  • Najee Harris had another rough game, only putting up 12.9 PPR points despite finding the end zone. The Steelers' offensive line is exposing Harris' lack of acceleration, and he still only has one game averaging above four yards per carry on the season. He lacks elite volume with RB Jaylen Warren in the fold, and Najee remains a low-end RB2 each week.

49ers at Falcons (14 - 28)

  • The 49ers trailed throughout this game, and they leaned heavily on the pass as a result. Jeff Wilson led the team with just seven carries. In the pass game, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, and Deebo Samuel all had nice games thanks to Jimmy Garoppolo's season-high 41 pass attempts. George Kittle led the team in routes, which was a very positive sign for his rest of season fantasy outlook. Week 6 stats below.
Player Routes Targets (RZ/EZ) Rec Yards Air Yards PPR
Brandon Aiyuk 39 11 (2/0) 8 83 103 28.3
George Kittle 40 10 (1/1) 8 83 34 16.3
Deebo Samuel 35 10 (1/0) 7 79 86 16
  • The Falcons are trying their hardest to avoid passing the ball. Drake London and Kyle Pitts combined for seven targets and 59 yards in this contest. On the ground, both Caleb Huntley (16) and Tyler Allgeier (15) topped 15 carries, and totaled 110 rushing yards. If the pass-catchers continue to run under 20 routes per game, Drake London and Kyle Pitts will no longer be startable. London is closer to approaching desperation flex territory, while Pitts' TE designation will keep him in fantasy lineups.

Jets at Packers (27 - 10)

  • Zach Wilson totaled 110 passing yards in this contest, and after three starts, it is clear the Jets will have a run-heavy approach when he is the starter. Breece Hall was ranked as a Top-10 option for Week 6, and will remain in that zone after totaling a season-high 20 carries, turning that into 116 yards and a TD on the ground. The Jets face the Broncos in Week 7, and I'd consider benching all the WR options for that contest. Check back tomorrow afternoon for my Week 7 fantasy rankings, free to view throughout the 2022 season.

aaron jones

  • After Aaron Jones out-touched A.J. Dillon 15 to six in Week 5, Dillon had ten carries and six targets in Week 6, while Jones had just nine carries and four targets. This backfield is frustrating on a week-to-week basis, and the overall passing offense has not been strong enough to stop defenses from keying in on the run game.
  • Randall Cobb is likely headed to IR with an ankle sprain. This further condensed the target tree in Green Bay, benefitting Robert Tonyan, Allen Lazard, and Romeo Doubs. All three had at least nine targets in Week 6, and Robert Tonyan becomes a borderline Top-12 option for Week 7 against Washington after bringing in ten of 12 targets for 90 yards.

Vikings at Dolphins (24 - 16)

  • The Vikings are a strange 5-1 team, as their point differential is only +21 (NYG is +14 for context). This is one of the more predictable fantasy offenses, and there are no major takeaways from Week 6. On the season, Justin Jefferson has ten red zone targets, Adam Thielen has nine, and Alexander Mattison is third on the team with four. Irv Smith (three) and KJ Osborn (two) remain fringe fantasy options who don't see enough consistent weekly work to make them a difference-making starter.
  • Five of six games, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle have combined for at least a 50% target share. While Mike Gesicki's breakout Week 6 game (seven targets, six catches, 69 yards, two TDs) was a pleasant surprise, because the Dolphins attempted 47 passes, Gesicki had a target share of just under 16%. He's worth a waiver add after back-to-back weeks of high route participation, but I am still not confident in him as an every week fantasy option in 12-team leagues.

Panthers at Rams (10 - 24)

  • D.J. Moore has led the Panthers' receivers in targets in five of six games, and is pacing for 124 targets on the season. Unfortunately, he's also pacing for just 578 receiving yards. With Robbie Anderson now in Arizona via trade, there is increased hope for Moore. Christian McCaffrey remains the only must-start fantasy option on Carolina, but Moore is still worth a bench spot, especially with Robbie Anderson and his 5.4 targets per game out of the fold.
  • With Cam Akers demanding a trade, there was some hopeful speculation that Darrell Henderson would receive a workhorse role in Week 6 - that speculation ended up being false. Henderson handled 12 carries, with 17 additional carries going to a mix of Matthew Stafford, two other RBs, and four WRs. Henderson did run 22 of 27 RB routes, but the Rams have not made a serious effort to actually target the RB position the past couple years, and Henderson only brought in two of three targets for nine yards. He is a TD-dependent option at the RB position, and a weekly RB2/RB3 type if he'll see double-digit carries and most of the red zone work. Henderson received two of the three RB goal line carries in Week 6 (Malcolm Brown received the other one).

Cardinals at Seahawks (9 - 19)

  • With James Conner and Darrel Williams OUT with injuries in Week 6, Eno Benjamin was given bell cow treatment. While the results weren't great, the usage was clearly there. Week 6 RB stats below.
Player Snaps Carries (GL) Routes Targets Total Yards PPR
Eno Benjamin 62 15 (1) 41 3 65 9.5
Keaontay Ingram 9 3 0 0 7 0.7
  • Marquise Brown is out at least six weeks with a foot fracture, and DeAndre Hopkins returns in Week 7 from a PED suspension. Robbie Anderson was just traded for as a Brown replacement. My best guess at the target pecking order for the next month would be: Hopkins > Ertz > Rondale > Robbie
  • Kenneth Walker had an every-down role in his first game as the starter. He handled 21 of 23 RB carries, and ran 15 routes (to DeeJay Dallas' zero). Walker had 110 total yards and a TD via his 21 carries (five red zone) and three targets. He is a low-end RB1 each week if he can handle nearly all the carries and mix in a sprinkle of receiving work.

Bills at Chiefs (24 - 20)

  • I ranked Devin Singletary as a Top-12 RB for Week 6 due to his outrageous splits in close games compared to blowouts. With another strong performance against KC, the splits remain absolutely nutty (three game sample for each).
Situation Snaps Carries (RZ) Routes Targets Total Yards PPR
Close Games 61 12 (2) 34 7 98 17.5
Blowout Wins 32 7 (0.3) 22 2.3 43 6
  • Isaiah McKenzie was not able to capture the full-time slot role in Week 6. I'd anticipate Khalil Shakir to continue to infringe on his routes, and possibly take over more work as the season goes on (rookies usually play more as the season goes along, historically). Routes run were 26 - 9 in favor of McKenzie, and targets were 5 - 2. While Gabe Davis once again had a low target share (just 16%), his chemistry with Josh Allen and involvement near the red zone bailed out his fantasy day, as he brought in three of six targets for 74 yards and a TD.

clyde edwards-helaire

  • Clyde Edwards-Helaire was not involved in the passing game in Week 6, a major concern if this is the start of a new trend. I would sell him now in redraft, even though you're doing it at a discount compared to prior weeks. He converted three of four red zone targets into TDs through four weeks, and that masked some low yardage totals (games of 33, 35, and 39 total yards). Week 6 usage for the KC RB room is below.
Player Snaps Carries (RZ) Routes Targets Total Yards PPR
Clyde Edwards-Helaire 27 9 (2) 0 0 33 3.3
Jerick McKinnon 25 2 (1) 20 3 30 6
Isiah Pacheco 9 2 6 2 18 3.8
  • While JuJu Smith-Schuster had his biggest game of the season (113 yards and a TD), his 14% target share in Week 6 was his second-lowest of the season. I'd recommend selling JuJu after this performance if possible in a redraft league. If you can coax Christian Kirk away from a frustrated fantasy manager, I'd take the Kirk side in a heartbeat.
  • Skyy Moore now has three straight games with at least three targets, and continues to be a high upside bench stash.

Cowboys at Eagles (17 - 26)

  • CeeDee Lamb had a 27% target share in Week 6 and continues to lead the NFL in metric at 33.3%. With Dak Prescott returning soon (maybe this coming game), target CeeDee Lamb in trades. The fantasy points per game (14.6 PPR) have already lagged slightly behind the underlying usage (15.6 expected PPR/game), and Prescott's return should elevate this entire DAL offense.
  • Miles Sanders, after multiple years of disappointing usage, is a workhorse back. His 2022 per game averages in every metric dwarf the other PHI RBs.
Player Snaps Carries (RZ) Routes Targets Total Yards PPR
Miles Sanders 43 17.5 (2.7) 18 2.2 88 14.6
Kenneth Gainwell 19 3.8 (0.8) 6 1.3 20 4.6
Boston Scott 12 4 (0.2) 2 0.2 12 2.9

We hope you enjoyed reading through these fantasy takeaways from Week 6. Be sure to check out my Week 7 fantasy rankings, dropping tomorrow afternoon to the site.


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