With almost one-third of the NFL season already behind us, we are finally starting to get a better idea of which players to trust and which to avoid for fantasy football.
Of course, you still don’t want to give up on those who were taken early in drafts. Assuming they are still healthy and have the same role they had earlier in the year, it’s too soon to give up on top talents around the league.
This includes players such as Todd Gurley or DeAndre Hopkins, two players who are still capable of exploding any day now.
Combining the hope for better days along with what we know to this point creates the latest rankings for Week 6.
Quarterbacks
While it was against the Cleveland Browns, Tom Brady looked as good as ever in his first game back from suspension. The All-Pro passer threw for 406 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions, showing that he is once again one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
The scary part was Brady’s self-assessment after the game.
“I think there was plenty of rust out there. I can do better in a lot of areas,” the quarterback said Sunday, per Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk.
The Cincinnati Bengals are a major step up in competition, but Brady should be able to keep up his high numbers throughout the year.
Andrew Luck and Matt Ryan also have tough matchups in Week 6, although their consistency to this point of the year makes them worth keeping in your lineup.
If you are looking for a potential streaming option or a fill-in, Marcus Mariota showed his upside in Week 5 with three passing touchdowns and a rushing score. He now gets a chance to rack up his numbers even more against a terrible Browns defense.
Running Backs
We might have expected the first few names on the board coming into the season, but players such as DeMarco Murray and LeSean McCoy have made it clear they still have talent, while younger stars like Melvin Gordon and Jordan Howard have proved they can get it done at this level.
While Howard has shot up the rankings quickly after earning the starting job for the first time last week, Scott Barrett of Pro Football Focus notes how well he has played:
With a full workload in the Chicago Bears’ offense, Howard has a chance to continue putting up big numbers as the season progresses.
Meanwhile, don’t expect Murray to stop producing any time soon either. The schedule only gets easier for the former rushing champion, per JJ Zachariason of NumberFire:
Derrick Henry was supposed to take away touches this season, but Murray had 27 carries and five receptions in Week 5. He is clearly going to keep getting work in a run-heavy offense with some favorable matchups coming up.
Although there are more question marks about a player like T.J. Yeldon, he carried the ball 14 times before the team’s Week 5 bye and now gets to face the Bears inconsistent defense. Continue to trust players who get the ball, which includes the second-year player out of Alabama.
Wide Receivers
It’s difficult to find consistency at the receiver position. Even the best in the league can follow up a dominant showing with a quiet one.
A.J. Green went from 173 receiving yards in Week 4 to 50 in Week 5. Julio Jones had an even bigger drop, from an incredible 300 yards two weeks ago to just 29 yards Sunday.
Those who have Hopkins are even more upset, like Nerdy Football’s Mike Freeman:
Hopkins finished last game with 56 yards and a touchdown, although most of it came after the game was well in hand.
While you obviously want someone who will produce points every week, you also want to look at upside at the position. This is what makes Jones and Green such a threat, making them worth keeping in your lineup regardless of the matchup.
This high ceiling is also available for a player such as Will Fuller, who gets plenty of chances at deep balls with the speed necessary to put up big numbers on one play. Although he wasn’t able to do anything against a tough Minnesota Vikings defense, it will be easier against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 6.
The same could be said about Alshon Jeffery, who hasn’t quite broken out yet but could have his chance against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
Tight Ends
All of a sudden, this list looks close to what it did a couple of years ago.
Rob Gronkowski is back, thanks mostly to the return of Brady. Although Martellus Bennett scored three touchdowns for the Patriots in Week 5, Gronk still had by far his best game of the year with 109 receiving yards. Those who drafted him early are likely to finally see the big returns.
Jimmy Graham is also back from the dead, reaching 100 yards in back-to-back games before the Week 5 bye.
These two players have obvious talent, and now they each seem healthy and ready to dominate at the level they once did.
Although Zach Ertz didn’t have a big return from his own injury with just three catches for 37 yards on Sunday, he still has the opportunity to be one of the top players at his position. He is worth keeping in your lineup for at least another week to see what he can do.
Defensive/Special Teams
As usual, defense in fantasy is as much about the opponent as the team you are picking.
While the Seattle Seahawks have one of the toughest defenses in the NFL, trusting them against the red-hot Atlanta Falcons isn’t necessarily a wise choice.
On the other hand, you might want to play just about any defense against offenses like the Browns or Miami Dolphins this season. The Dolphins offensive line has struggled all year, allowing 17 sacks already in 2016, while Cleveland can’t hold onto the football thanks to the endless parade of different quarterbacks under center.
The Buffalo Bills’ defense has also been one of the best in the league in recent weeks and can have a huge showing against a struggling San Francisco 49ers offense that hasn’t done much since Week 1.
Kickers
There are no real scientific ways to choose the best kickers available. There is some logic, but plenty of luck is involved when a player really goes off with a big day.
The best strategy is to simply grab players on high-powered offenses who will get plenty of opportunities for points, whether that is via field goals or extra points.
There is a bit of concern over Stephen Gostkowski after he missed a field goal Sunday for the second game in a row, but he is still a quality kicker playing for one of the best teams in all of football. He should be just fine in your lineup going forward.
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