What You Need to Know from Week 6

What You Need To Know distills each week's action into concise, practical fantasy takeaways. Each game will have takeaways for each team and sometimes offer advice on how to act on that development. The article also considers how the developments can create positive or negative momentum with next week's matchup in mind.

SF @ SEA

• Jordan Mason left with a shoulder injury. The backfield work was split between Isaac Guerendo, who had a long run to ice the game, and Patrick Taylor Jr., who might be favored on passing downs. Both are flex plays or emergency RB2 plays for Week 7 if Mason is out.
• Brandon Aiyuk faded into the background while Deebo Samuel Sr. had the bigger wide receiver game, but only because a Seahawks safety tried to jump a route, which led to one of Samuel’s three catches going for a 76-yard score. Both receivers will be inconsistent but with peaks that justify riding out the valleys.
• George Kittle scored twice and is far and away the #1 fantasy tight end going into Week 7.
• Brock Purdy was efficient and productive, reinforcing his high-floor QB1 profile. Seattle appears to be a defense we should pick on when setting lineups after they looked better than expected early because of an easy schedule.
• Geno Smith threw over 50 times for the second time in three weeks, and has thrown 40 or more times in four of the last five games. The Seahawks' poor defense is going to keep him among the league leaders in attempts and in starting consideration in 1QB leagues.
• Ken Walker III isn’t getting going as a runner, but Smith relies on him as a frequent checkdown target, so he remains a PPR RB1 going forward.
• Tyler Lockett had the biggest day of the top three Seattle wide receivers, but overall, the production from the position was disappointing, considering the pass volume. Consider Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba WR3/Flex plays and DK Metcalf a WR2 play against the Falcons in Week 7.
• Noah Fant had his best day of the season and second six-catch game of the season, but he’s still only a desperation play in Week 7. Travis Kelce will face the 49ers pass defense this week.

JAX vs CHI - London

• Travis Etienne Jr. left with a hamstring injury and is likely out for Week 7. D'Ernest Johnson got more work than Tank Bigsby after Etienne went out. Johnson and Bigsby are flex plays against the Patriots in London this week.
• Evan Engram returned and dominated targets for the Jaguars. He’s going to be a strong TE1 if this persists.
• Engram’s return took the wind out of Brian Thomas Jr. and Christian Kirk’s sails, but Thomas had his hands on at least one possible score. Stick with Thomas, but be willing to move on from Kirk if he doesn’t do anything in the next 2-3 games.
• Gabe Davis caught two garbage time scores but is probably still only a desperation play going forward.
• Trevor Lawrence struggled until the game got out of hand. It appears the Bears defense will be a limiting factor for opposing offenses as they go into their bye.
• Caleb Williams had his second straight strong game as a passer after a slow start to the season. He was also productive as a scrambler and has leveled off as a fantasy QB1 going into his bye. The Jaguars defense is wilting and should set up rookie Drake Maye for a good game in Week 7.
• D'Andre Swift got the one-yard touchdown over Roschon Johnson and is the clear lead back on a defense-led team with a good offense. He is a solid RB1 heading into the bye after a start to the season that had some ready to drop him.
• Cole Kmet scored twice and goes into the bye as a possible top-five tight end option based strictly on his weekly ceiling with Williams dealing.
• Keenan Allen scored twice as it appears this pass offense can support 2-3 strong plays in good games from Williams, but the offense will leave a target or two out in the cold in the box score. This week it was DJ Moore and Rome Odunze. Still, overall, like the rest of the Bears offense, the outlook is sunnier for their receivers than it was a month ago.

NO @ TB

• Spencer Rattler didn’t look overwhelmed in his first NFL start and appeared to be a very good fifth-round pick by the Saints. He should be rostered in all superflex dynasty leagues and is likely to start against Denver on Thursday but is only a desperation play in 2QB/Superflex because he’ll be without Chris Olave. Olave left with a concussion and will almost certainly miss Week 7 because of the short rest period.
• Fellow rookie Bub Means caught Rattler’s first NFL touchdown pass, and it was Means' first NFL touchdown, too. Means is a what-the-heck flex against the Broncos, who will be missing shutdown corner Patrick Surtain II, who also suffered a concussion in Week 6.
• Baker Mayfield started 9-for-9 but had to shrug off three interceptions by a game Saints defense to eventually pull away and help fuel a 51-point game for the Bucs. Mayfield remains a high-floor QB1 with a great matchup against the Ravens this week.
• Bucky Irving ran well and scored with Rachaad White, but 2023 UDFA Sean Tucker stole the show with chunk gains as a runner and receiver to post one of the biggest surprise fantasy breakouts of the season. The team said he may have turned this into a three-headed RBBC when White returns. It’s terrible for fantasy predictability, but Tucker is worth an add while we wait to see how this shakes out.
• Chris Godwin again paced the passing game and goes into Week 7 as the #1 wide receiver in PPR leagues among players who haven’t missed a game yet.
• Mike Evans was quiet against Marshon Lattimore, but bigger days are coming with Mayfield and the pass offense humming.
• Cade Otton only caught two balls, but he scored and has put together four straight decent to good weeks in PPR leagues. He’s rosterable and a solid Week 7 option in what should be a high-scoring game.

WAS @ BAL

• Jayden Daniels was good, but not good enough to keep up with the juggernaut Ravens offense. He’s still one of the biggest success stories of the year heading into a plum matchup with the Panthers.
• Terry McLaurin scored twice, including once on a fourth down trust throw from Daniels. He’s on his way to a top-10 season at this rate.
• Austin Ekeler and the running game couldn’t get in gear against a strong Ravens run defense. The Bucs backfield will try to break through the Ravens' front line in Week 7. We’ll see if Brian Robinson Jr. can return from his knee injury against the Panthers. If not, Ekeler (who was productive as a receiver) will be a borderline RB1 play, with Jeremy McNichols a what-the-heck flex after the Panthers gave up 200 rushing yards and three rushing scores to the Falcons backfield.
• Noah Brown led the team in targets and could be an add in deep leagues, if not a what-the-heck flex against Carolina. He could be emerging as the #2 wide receiver.
• Zach Ertz was getting open downfield and still has some juice. He’s a what-the-heck tight end play for Week 7.
• Lamar Jackson was merely very good for fantasy because the Ravens were able to be conservative in the second half and turn the game over to Derrick Henry. Jackson is still the #1 fantasy quarterback heading into Week 7.
• Henry was unstoppable again and is now the #2 running back overall in 2024. His season couldn’t be going any better, but he does face a tough Bucs front seven in Week 7.
• Zay Flowers set a career-high in receiving yards and it only took the first half. He is clearly an every-week play after a slow start due to run-heavy game scripts.
• Rashod Bateman was getting open downfield and should be a what-the-heck flex (and waiver add if available) for Week 7.
• Mark Andrews scored and mostly looked like his old self. The road will be bumpy, but it is going in the right direction to merit a fantasy start for Week 7. He and Isaiah Likely each got four targets, but Andrews is the better play going forward.