Flex Options for Week 6 (Fantasy Football)
To everyone rostering Bengals, Lions, Dolphins, Vikings, IR Studs, early-season busts, and those relying on the play calling of Mike McDaniel, welcome to the flex life! Week 5 saw some bad beats with KC Concepcion leaving early (only to have Isaiah Bond then lead the Browns in receiving yards), Brian Robinson forgetting how to play football, Jacory Croskey-Merritt remembering how to play football, and no WRs with the last name Meyers being invited to play football. New hope abounds as the calendar flips, revealing a new week to find some value among the RBs ranked outside the top 24 and WRs ranked outside the top 36 in the Fantasy Footballers weekly rankings.
Here are some names to consider:
JK Dobbins, RB, Denver Broncos
After starting the season slower than he hoped due to a training camp soft tissue injury, Dobbins had a great Week 5. During the first week Head Coach Sean Payton took over play-calling duties, Dobbins led the RBs in snap percentage, touches, and yards while dominating red zone opportunities. It is worth noting that RJ Harvey was healthy and active. Denver hosts the Seattle Seahawks, who are looking to move past a tough loss to the 49ers. With Payton calling the shots and managing the game, Dobbins should see the workload to outperform the RB26 rank on Thursday night.
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Germie Bernard, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
The rookie WR is the name to know this week in fantasy and for good reason. Aaron Rodgers has no problem targeting receivers he trusts, and Bernard appears to make the grade. Week 5 saw Bernard play 92% of the Steelers’ snaps and catch six of his nine targets for 80 yards against a soft Colts defense. This was Bernard’s second game of the season with at least eight targets, and he has earned a red zone target each of the last two weeks. Bernard’s fantasy stock is going up while the rest of the Steelers WR room is dropping like flies. In addition to Michael Pittman Jr. on IR, the Steelers have already announced Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek will be out Week 6, leaving Bernard to join DK Metcalf at the top WR targets. With a consolidation of targets, Germie Bernard should have the opportunity to outperform his rank of WR39 against a good Buccaneers defense. Bonus: TE Pat Freiermuth has the same opportunity as Bernard to outperform his current rank of TE13 in Week 6.
Patriots WR2 (Romeo Doubs or Efton Chism), WR, New England Patriots
The Patriots host the New York Jets on Sunday, which should spell success for their WR2. The Jets defense has displayed a pattern of blanketing the opposing WR1, forcing opponents to utilize alternative options. Please allow me to illustrate:
Week 1: With no clear WR1 for the Titans, WanDale Robinson and Carnell Tate tied in receiving yards.
Week 2: Matthew Golden led the Packers in receiving yards over Christian Watson despite Watson having 11 targets.
Week 3: Amon-Ra St Brown was stifled to 19 receiving yards while Isaac Tesla had 66, Jamison Williams had 49, and Sam LaPorta had 44.
Week 4: Rome Odunze outperformed Luther Burden by a considerable amount, to the tune of 94 receiving yards, while Colston Loveland put up his season high in receptions and receiving yards.
Week 5: With KC Concepcion leaving the game due to injury, Isaiah Bond had more receiving yards than Denzel Boston for the first time this season.
And in Week 6, the Patriots WR2 should have more yards than the Patriots’ top WR. With AJ Brown reportedly returning from IR, Romeo Doubs would fit the description. Should Brown not be ready to play, Efton Chism, ranked WR56, should be considered. Chism had a career high in targets and receptions in Week 5 while helping Drake Maye get his groove back. Maye should have the opportunity for some deep shots as well, so if you want to target DeMario Douglas, WR47, for the upside explosive plays instead, be my guest. Bonus: Don’t sleep on Hunter Henry, TE17, as an option to receive some of the alternative pass-catching fruits as seen by the Jets’ opponents in Week 3 and Week 4 this season.
Marvin Harrison Jr. (or Jaylin Noel), WR, Houston Texans
The Houston Texans may have a 1-4 record, but CJ Stroud has shown decent QB play. It is no secret Harrison has looked mentally checked out this season, but there was a blip of life with a Week 4 TD before sitting out Week 5 due to the trade. The Texans hope reuniting Stroud and his favorite college WR will rekindle their explosiveness. With the belief of the front office behind him, it is all but certain Stroud will look for opportunities to get the football to his buddy, currently ranked WR54. In the event that Harrison Jr. is not up to speed and sits out, Jaylin Noel is a name to check out. Ranked the WR52, Noel has a similar target share to Kayshon Boutte; however, the team has manufactured touches for Noel, including having one carry for the past four weeks. Add in Noel’s work as a returner, and he has a decent chance to beat his current rank.
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Brian Robinson Jr., RB, Atlanta Falcons
There is no sugarcoating the fact that Brian Robinson Jr. did wrong by believers in Week 5. After the callout in last week’s flex article, Robinson Jr. put up season lows in touches and yards per carry in an overtime game against Baltimore. That being said, Week 6 is geared up for some explosive rushing matchups, and the Falcons should be one of the teams with rushing success. Head Coach Kevin Stefanski’s run-heavy team hosts the Chicago Bears, who are ranked in the bottom third of the league in fantasy points above expectation allowed to opposing RBs. Despite a down week, Robinson Jr. maintained the pace seen so far this season of receiving a third of the rushing work of superstar teammate Bijan Robinson. Week 6 will be a good indicator of Robinson Jr’s usage going forward, but if he returns to the yard per carry seen in the first four weeks of the season, he has the opportunity to outperform his rank of RB32.