NFL Players You Should Start & Sit in Fantasy Football for Week 6

Oct 6, 2019; Carson, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon (25) runs the ball as Denver Broncos nose tackle Mike Purcell (98) defends during the third quarter at Dignity Health Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Ryan has been hit or miss this year. Last week, he was hit, completing 32-of-46 passes for 330 yards and three TDs to one INT against Houston. Ryan is now second in the NFL in passing yards, but Atlanta is 1-4 and desperate for a W.

Luckily for the Falcons, they’re facing one of the worst overall defenses in the league. Arizona has struggled in the secondary without Patrick Peterson, and in the DB’s last game out as he finishes up a six-game suspension, Ryan will exploit the opposing birds

Maybe Rex Ryan isn’t that far off? Mayfield is going through some second-year QB struggles at the moment. On Monday, he was dreadful in the Browns' 31-3 loss to San Francisco, completing 8-of-22 passes (36.3 percent) for 100 yards and tossing two picks. For the season, he has four touchdowns and eight INTs. Ouch.

However, Mayfield draws a favorable matchup this week. Seattle has a stout run defense but has struggled against the pass, a product of its poor pass rush. Despite the short week, a motivated Mayfield should bounce back.

In his big return to the gridiron, Melvin Gordon was...a big flop. Following his holdout through the first four weeks of the regular season, Gordon got 12 carries for 31 yards (a whopping 2.6 yards per carry) and four catches for 7 yards (1.8 yards per reception). He said he wouldn’t be rusty because he’d been working out hard, but...yikes. 

Nonetheless, count on a big night from Gordon in prime time against the Steelers. Pittsburgh has struggled to stop the run this season, and Gordon will be driven to prove himself—and disprove those clamoring for Austin Ekeler to be the No. 1 back—on the big Sunday night stage.

Breida exploded in Week 5, running 11 times for 114 yards and a score and hauling in three passes for 15 yards and another score. Previously, he hadn't reached the end zone yet this year, but he looked unstoppable Monday.

We’re not telling you to hurry aboard the Breida hype train, but the matchup—against the Rams—is right this week. LA has been average against both the run and pass, and has allowed big days to opposing backs in each of the past three weeks. Time for another big day for Breida.

This week we get a rematch between the Bucs and Panthers, which Tampa won, 20-14, amid some wild weather conditions in Week 2. And this time, they’re meeting at The London—err, playing in London.

In the first matchup between the two teams, Moore had nine catches on 14 targets, accruing 89 yards for his best fantasy game of the season. He’s proven to be Kyle Allen’s favored receiving weapon (next to Christian McCaffrey, of course), and Tampa has the worst passing defense in the NFL (323.6 yards per game).

Sit 'Em

No QB wants to face the 49ers’ pass defense right now. As we noted above, Mayfield looked horrendous against Richard Sherman & Co. on Monday night.

Goff is a step above Mayfield in the QB hierarchy, but he’s had an underwhelming 2019. He's had some big-yardage games and is third in the league in passing yards, but he’s also tossed seven picks to match his seven touchdowns. The 49ers lead the NFL in takeaways, and Goff is prone to turn the ball over in the afternoon matchup this Sunday.

Lindsay and Royce Freeman are never no-brainers, given their split workload, but that’s especially the case this week. The Titans have a solid run defense. Though they allowed Frank Gore to break through late this past week, they had the Bills’ run game on absolute lockdown for the vast majority of that defensive battle.

Lindsay had a great day against the Chargers last week, running 15 times for 114 yards and a score, marking perhaps his best effort of 2019. But, given the matchup, the 25-year-old is a tough play this week.

It’s not that the Steelers’ pass defense (No. 12 in the NFL) has been anything special, though Minkah Fitzpatrick has helped. It’s really just that Williams hasn’t shown us anything this year. What’s happening, Mike?!

Though he was an early pick in most drafts, the 25-year-old, who was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2017 draft, has only 14 catches for 231 yards and no touchdowns. He hasn’t played a starting-caliber game once this season, and until he shows some indication of life, you shouldn’t put him into your starting lineup.

Cook had a slow start to the season, but he had a strong Week 5, catching four balls for 41 yards and a touchdown. So, maybe some chemistry with Teddy Bridgewater is developing, and maybe you’re feeling inclined to give the vet a starting opportunity.

The chemistry may well be there, but the matchup this week just isn’t in his favor. The Jaguars have strapped up opposing tight ends. In the Panthers’ win last week, Jacksonville held Greg Olsen without a catch. Promising signs notwithstanding, Cook should be a sit this week.