NFL Week 6 DFS: Cheap Targets and Pricey Fades on DraftKings Daily Fantasy Football
Thursday night's game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos wasn't the friendliest for daily fantasy sports (DFS) managers. Travis Kelce shined, and Courtland Sutton caught a touchdown pass, but several stars struggled during the sloppy defensive battle.
The good news is that managers looking to start over with Sunday DFS games will have plenty of options. Only the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers are on bye this week.
We'll dive into the matchups here, and identify some top DFS values for Week 6, along with a few pricey options who can't be trusted.
Get the latest DFS values at DraftKings.
Quarterback
Target: Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams, $6,100
Don't look now, but Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams are back, sort of. While L.A. isn't winning consistently, it's been more competitive than most expected, and Stafford has been very productive.
The 35-year-old is averaging 290 passing yards per game and has thrown at least one touchdown pass in each of his last four.
With premier receiving options in Cooper Kupp and rookie star Puka Nacua, Stafford should continue to carry a high floor in Week 6. The Arizona Cardinals have allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, meaning Stafford has a fairly high ceiling this week too.
Fade: Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles, $8,200
Jalen Hurts' scrambling ability has allowed the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback to maintain a high DFS profile all season. He passed for 303 yards with a touchdown and an interception in Week 5, but he also rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown.
This week, though, Hurts will face a New York Jets defense that has started to come together over the past two weeks. New York is giving up yards, but it has also forced five turnovers in its last two games.
The Jets are at home and will be motivated to contain Hurts as a runner. This could be a very similar outing to the Eagles' Week 1 game against the New England Patriots, in which Hurts threw for just 170 yards and a touchdown with 37 rushing yards. There's still a solid floor here, but Hurts is the second-priciest QB of the week and not worth the price point.
Managers looking to spend big at QB should target Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen instead.
Running Back
Target: Raheem Mostert, Miami Dolphins, $6,400
Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert isn't a true sleeper, but his value should dramatically outpace his price point.
The Dolphins recently placed rookie running back De'Von Achane on injured reserve with a knee injury. This should make Mostert "the guy" for Week 6, and he has an extremely favorable matchup.
The Carolina Panthers are surrendering an average of 4.9 yards per carry, and they've given up the second-most fantasy points to opposing running backs.
Last week, Mostert tallied 65 yards and a touchdown on only 10 carries. Now, he's likely to get the bulk of the backfield work. There's an extremely high floor here, and with at least one reception in every game, Mostert has some solid point-per-reception (PPR) upside too.
Fade: Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts, $6,600
The Indianapolis Colts welcomed back Jonathan Taylor in Week 5. However, Taylor didn't see a ton of work, as Zack Moss led the committee against the Tennessee Titans. Tayor logged six carries for 18 yards and had one 16-yard reception.
Managers should expect Taylor to get more reps in Week 6, but Indianapolis has no reason to pull Moss from the rotation.
Against a Jacksonville Jaguars defense that has surrendered the sixth-fewest fantasy points to RBs, Taylor remains a risky DFS play. Even at a second-tier price point, Taylor is being overvalued in this matchup.
Wide Receiver
Target: Drake London, Atlanta Falcons, $4,800
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London is starting to gain steam as a viable DFS sleeper play. He caught his second touchdown pass of the season in Week 4 and had six catches for 78 yards last Sunday.
Desmond Ridder is beginning to settle into the Falcons' passing plan, and he should continue building chemistry with London in Week 6. Atlanta will host the Washington Commanders, who have played poorly on the back end.
Washington has given up the third-most fantasy points to opposing receivers. Consider London a fine flex sleeper in this matchup.
Fade: DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles, $7,000
Eagles wideout DeVonta Smith has had some strong DFS outings in 2023, but he has lacked consistency. He had four catches for 28 yards in Week 3 and just one six-yard reception last weekend.
This could be another down matchup for Smith, as the Jets have fared well against opposing wideouts. Only the Cleveland Browns have allowed fewer fantasy points to the position this season.
A.J. Brown will likely be fed the football, which gives him a solid PPR floor. He's caught no fewer than four passes in a game and has averaged seven receptions. Smith projects as much more of a boom-or-bust play in Week 6 and can be avoided at his current price.
Tight End
Target: Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, $3,200
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton continues to be a serviceable budget-tier tight end in the right matchups. He had a six-catch, 41-yard outing in Week 2 and a three-catch, one-touchdown game in Week 4.
Otton is facing another favorable matchup, with the white-hot Detroit Lions visiting Tampa this week. The Lions have been fantastic on both sides of the ball, but they have struggled against opposing tight ends.
Detroit has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends this season. There's a good chance that Baker Mayfield and the Bucs will be playing catch-up for much of this one, giving Otton a strong ceiling for Week 6.
Fade: Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams, $4,000
Rams tight end Tyler Higbee has been a solid budget option for much of the season. With Kupp back in the lineup, though, he's become more of an afterthought behind Kupp and Nacua.
Higbee was targeted only three times in Week 5 after being targeted 11 times the previous week. He finished last Sunday's game with two receptions and 20 yards.
It's unlikely that Higbee will fare much better against the Cardinals, who have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to tight ends. This is a very touchdown-dependent matchup for Higbee, who can be bypassed for other budget options in Week 6.
*Fantasy scoring information from FantasyPros.
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