The Biggest Start/Sit Decisions for Week 6 (Fantasy Football)
Before I get into the Start/Sits for Week 6, I want to acknowledge the real-world challenges that have affected so many. My heart goes out to everyone who’s been affected by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. It’s been a rough time for so many, and while football is a welcome distraction for us, let’s not lose sight of what really matters — helping those going through so much more. Please consider donating to disaster relief efforts to support those in urgent need; you can make a difference by contributing. Now, shifting gears to football, it’s Week 6, and those lineup decisions are getting tougher. With injuries piling up and bye weeks prevalent, we can turn to the Fantasy Footballer’s Start/Sit tool to help us with those tough calls. So, let’s dive into who you should trust and who to bench this week!
Dontayvion Wicks or Jalen Tolbert?
Welp, last week didn’t go as planned for Dontayvion Wicks in fantasy — just two catches for 20 yards. Not great. The bright side? Jordan Love targeted him seven times, which is what we hoped for, but Wicks struggled to capitalize, dropping some easy balls. He’s currently third in the league for drops, according to PlayerProfiler. The Packers’ injury report will be crucial to watch heading into the weekend. Christian Watson returned to limited practice after missing time with an ankle injury, and both TEs Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft are dealing with injuries, showing up on Thursday’s report with limited and DNP tags, respectively. Romeo Doubs is back from his one-game suspension. If Watson, Musgrave, and Kraft are out, Wicks could see significant usage. However, the real question is whether he can haul in those targets, something he’s struggled with all season. His highest reception total so far is just five. Wicks does have a role in the red zone, which could salvage his fantasy value, but his inconsistency with catching passes is definitely concerning.
On the other hand, after seeing increased usage with Brandin Cooks on IR, Jalen Tolbert finished last week as a WR1. Yes, you heard that right, 21.7 fantasy points from Tolbert last week in full PPR leagues after going seven for 87 with a TD. That was against a formidable Steelers defense. He’s Andy’s Hungry for More pick this week and Mike’s Start of the Week. I’m all in on Tolbert this week as the Cowboys face off against the Detroit Lions in what should be a high-scoring game. Dallas will likely need to air it out to keep pace with the Lions’ offense. The Lions are also the fourth easiest matchup for wide receivers, having allowed 37.5 fantasy points in half PPR according to the Strength of Schedule tool.
Do you believe in Jalen Tolbert? pic.twitter.com/hQ4TDilJvq
— Fantasy Footballers (@TheFFBallers) October 10, 2024
Verdict: Jalen Tolbert – I know the Fantasy Footballers have Wicks winning this start/sit decision, but I’m going against the guys with this one. Tolbert is the WR2 in a highly proficient offense who will have to air the ball out to keep up with the Detroit Lions. He’s produced when given the opportunity, making him a trusted target for Dak Prescott. With Romeo Doubs and even Christian Watson back this week, I can’t predict Wicks will have the same target share he did in Week 5, especially after not capitalizing on the opportunity and dropping easy catches. I expect Love to lean on Doubs more, even though he may be in coach Matt LaFleur’s doghouse.
Tank Dell or Brian Thomas Jr.?
This has not been the fantasy season Tank Dell owners expected when they drafted him in August. Dell is currently the WR72 on the season. The Texans’ wide receiver room is crowded, with Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs commanding most of the targets. On top of that, injuries have played a significant role in Dell’s struggles. We must not forget what Dell overcame to be on the field. In Week 13 last season, he suffered a season-ending broken fibula, and during the offseason, he was shot in the leg after a fight broke out at a pool party in Florida. This season, he also missed Week 4 due to bruised ribs. The broken fibula alone is enough to give me pause on Tank Dell, as he just hasn’t looked the same this season as he comes back from this injury. Look at Tony Pollard — he had the same injury, and it took most of the season for his explosiveness to return. And, unlike Dell, Pollard didn’t have to deal with being shot. With Nico Collins landing on IR and the opportunity for more targets there, I understand the desire to want to push Tank Dell into fantasy lineups. We’ve seen the ceiling last season after he put up an impressive rookie year. We’ve seen Dell be the overall WR1 in a week. We drafted Dell to be a fantasy starter.
The matchup isn’t scary either – as the Texans take on the New England Patriots. My biggest concern, however, is that many fantasy managers need to consider Joe Mixon‘s health after missing Weeks 3-5 with an ankle injury. This is huge for the Texans’ offense. Before the injury, Mixon was being heavily utilized and looked very proficient with the work he received. The Patriots are the ninth easiest defense against the run, according to the Strength of Schedule tool. I don’t expect the Patriots, who are giving rookie QB Drake Maye his first start, to blow this game away. The Texans will beat the Patriots on the ground and with their defense, which won’t bode well for Tank Dell. I’m tempering expectations for Dell.
Brian Thomas Jr. is the current WR9 on the season. Last week, he scored 122 yards on five receptions and a touchdown. He’s averaging 16.2 fantasy points per game (full PPR). Why are we considering benching Brian Thomas Jr.? The matchup. The Jaguars are traveling overseas to London to face one of the toughest defenses in the league – the Chicago Bears. Hurricane Milton also delayed travel plans for the Jaguars, causing them to leave later than expected. Why is this important? They only had two days to adjust to the time change, and the Bears had a whole week. I understand concerns about Brian Thomas this week, but as the current WR9 on the season, I can’t advise you to bench him.
Verdict: Brian Thomas Jr. is my start this week over Tank Dell. There’s no way I’m benching BTJ, regardless of the matchup. He’s a must-start for me every week. Tank Dell has yet to show us anything over the first five weeks of the season to give us any confidence in him having a breakout this week just because the opportunity for more targets may be there. In a game I expect to be won defensively, and on the ground utilizing the running game for the Texans, I don’t expect the bump in targets to warrant a start over Brian Thomas Jr., who consistently shows he can get it done.
Caleb Williams or Justin Fields?
This one is easy for me. It’s Caleb Williams. The Bears are facing the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have been a fantasy goldmine for both wide receivers and quarterbacks, giving up the most points to both positions. Williams has shown steady improvement each week as he gets more comfortable in his rookie season. His yards per attempt have increased with each game, and his accuracy has sharpened as well. Plus, he’s taking much better care of the ball after some early struggles with multiple interceptions. All signs point to a big game for Williams against a vulnerable Jaguars defense in a game with an over/under of 44.5.
On the other hand, Justin Fields has now been on the losing end of two straight games, and the Steelers’ offense hasn’t exactly been lighting it up. The most they’ve scored in a given week is 24 against the Colts. A now healthy Russell Wilson is chomping at the bit to get the opportunity to show “he’s steel got it.” This week marks the first time Wilson has been listed as the Steelers’ QB2, and we know Mike Tomlin isn’t shy about making quarterback changes. He’s benched Mitch Trubisky for Kenny Pickett and Pickett for Mason Rudolph. The Raiders aren’t the toughest defense against QBs, but the Cowboys weren’t supposed to be either. With the Steelers’ implied team total sitting at a low 19.8 points, there’s little to get excited about in this offense right now.
Expected Points Added (EPA) per Pass Attempt
Joe Burrow was elite in their loss against the Ravens – leading all QBs in EPA per Pass Attempt
Caleb Williams continues to improve – second in passing efficiency in Week 5
[2] pic.twitter.com/j6NCrjUh7f— Marvin Elequin (@FF_MarvinE) October 7, 2024
Verdict: Caleb Williams. There’s even a chance Fields doesn’t finish the game as the starter. If there’s ever a week to roll with Caleb, it’s this one. He’s Mike’s Start of the Week, and I concur.
Tank Bigsby or Tyjae Spears?
The Tank Bigsby breakout is here. In his last game, Bigsby exploded for 129 yards on just 13 carries, capping off the performance with two rushing touchdowns. Meanwhile, Travis Etienne managed only 60 yards on six carries. With Bigsby seeing nearly twice the touches, are we witnessing a changing of the guard in Jacksonville? Etienne landed on the injury report with a shoulder issue, which Head Coach Doug Pederson cited as the reason for his limited workload. Still, Bigsby’s performance could make it tough to take him off the field going forward. Even if the coaching staff continues to have Etienne lead the team in carries, Bigsby has significantly closed the gap in their workload. His recent surge in production makes it harder for the Jaguars to ignore, and the backfield could see a more balanced split moving forward.
Tank Bigsby‘s rank among qualified RBs:
1st in yards per carry
1st in yards after contact per attempt
1st in breakaway rush rateTank set season highs in snaps (40%) and opportunities (14) in Week 5 against Indy pic.twitter.com/ls6UFmFoUU
— Fantasy Footballers (@TheFFBallers) October 9, 2024
Verdict: This is a tough call, but I lean towards Tank Bigsby. Both backs should see more action this week, but Tank has been far more efficient. He leads the NFL in yards per carry, breakaway run rate, and juke rate — he’s primed to take over this backfield, even if Doug Pederson isn’t saying it outright. Tyjae Spears, on the other hand, doesn’t lead in any key metrics and isn’t cutting into Tony Pollard‘s workload, he’s just supplementing it. Even though Spears has a dream matchup against the league’s worst run defense, I expect Pollard to feast on that. If Tank keeps up this kind of breakout efficiency, you won’t want those points sitting on your bench. Bigsby has more upside than Spears, so I’m going against the Ballers’ recommendation and starting Bigsby. Send in the Tank!
What tough Start/Sit decisions we’re facing! I didn’t see myself benching Tank Dell for rookie Brian Thomas Jr., but here we are. If you have any more crucial decisions heading into Week 6, check out the Fantasy Footballers’ Start/Sit Tool and Mike’s Sunday Morning Livestream on the YouTube page. And as always, please feel free to hit me up on X. Week 6, let’s get those wins!