Week 6 fantasy rankings: Best, QB, RB, WR and TEs to start, sit

We’re past the quarter point of the 2023 NFL season is in the books, meaning we have more data points and film to put together our Week 6 fantasy rankings. As always, we’ll provide analysis and fantasy football advice for some of the top players at each position.

Fortunately, bye weeks won’t be much of a problem with only the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers on rest. However, the Week 6 NFL injury report features a lot of stars we’ll need to keep an eye on.

Related: 3 takeaways from Los Angeles Rams vs Philadelphia Eagles

Let’s dive into our Week 6 fantasy rankings. Matchup previews for the top-20 players at each of our positional fantasy rankings will be provided throughout the week.

Week 6 fantasy QB rankings

RANK	PLAYER	OPPONENT
1	Patrick Mahomes	vs DEN
2	Josh Allen	vs NYG
3	Tua Tagovailoa	vs CAR
4	Lamar Jackson	@ TEN
5	Kirk Cousins	@ CHI
6	Justin Fields	vs MIN
7	Trevor Lawrence	vs IND
8	Jalen Hurts	@ NYJ
9	Justin Herbert	vs DAL
10	Joe Burrow	vs SEA
11	Dak Prescott	@ LAC
12	Geno Smith	@ CIN
13	C.J. Stroud	vs NO
14	Matthew Stafford	vs LAR
15	Brock Purdy	@ CLE
16	Desmond Ridder	vs WAS
17	Jimmy Garoppolo	vs NE
18	Russell Wilson	@ KC
19	Baker Mayfield	vs DET
20.	Deshaun Watson	vs SF

Analysis and matchup previews for our Week 6 fantasy QB rankings will come on Monday.

1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs – While the Broncos’ defense hasn’t been as awful against the pass as it is when defending the run, Denver has still allowed 13 passing touchdowns in five games with an average 77.3% completion rate. Patrick Mahomes’ floor against Denver might be QB4 overall.
2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills – Even when Josh Allen and the Bills’ offense isn’t at its best, he still gives you three total touchdowns and over 300 passing yards. There’s nothing else left to say, Allen is playing his best football right now and the New York Giants’ secondary is one of its many problems.
3. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins – It wasn’t the cleanest performance from Tua Tagovailoa in Week 6, but fantasy managers will accept the point production. While Carolina is statistically one of the NFL’s top units against the pass, that was before injuries struck at cornerback.
4. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens – The box score with Lamar Jackson has been deceiving this year, but never more so than in Week 5. We can guarantee the Ravens’ receivers won’t drop seven passes, including would-be touchdowns on different drives. Oh, Tennessee is also allowing nearly 250 passing yards per game with a 72% completion rate to opposing quarterbacks.
5. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings – The uncertain status for Justin Jefferson in Week 6 means there’s a chance Kirk Cousins drops a few spots in the fantasy QB rankings. Assuming Jefferson is on the field, COusins is in must-start territory against Chicago (12 passing touchdowns allowed in five games).
6. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears – The volatile version of Justin Fields is back, with a 131.3 QB rating and 617 passing yards over his last two games. Fields is a major risk-reward play depending on the matchup, but the Minnesota Vikings defense (9-1 TD-INT allowed, 76.4% completion rate) is exactly the kind of opponent you want to start Fields against, especially with the projected game script.
7. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars – While the stats for Trevor Lawrence right now aren’t eye-popping, drops and some questionable play-calling are far more responsible for that than his play. In Week 6, Lawrence gets a rematch against the defense he tore apart in the season opener.
8. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles – For whatever reason, the Eagles’ offense still isn’t firing on all cylinders after five weeks. The issue should resolve itself long-term, but the decreased efficiency in the red zone and a matchup against the Jets’ defense (206.4 pass ypg allowed, 7-5 TD-INT) combine with it to drop Hurts in the Week 6 fantasy QB rankings.
9. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers – Austin Ekeler should be back in Week 6 and that’s the ultimate difference-maker for the Chargers offense. Assuming the star offensive weapon is out there, it also opens up the field more for Keenan Allen. Just respect that the Cowboys’ defense is much better than what we saw on Sunday Night Football against San Francisco.
10. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals – Joe Burrow took a step forward this past Sunday and all he needed was Ja’Marr Chase. With that said, the Seahawks defense has far more help in the secondary and juice in the front seven to pressure Burrow. Until he’s close to 100%, we’ll remain a bit hesitant with Burrow.
11. Dak Prescott, Los Angeles Chargers – Ignore the numbers in Week 6, Dak Prescott now gets to face a Chargers’ defense that is allowing 300 yards per game through the air after four games. Expect the Cowboys’ offense to use this as a bounce-back game, with Prescott leading the way.
12. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks – Geno Smith’s fantasy ceiling will be even higher once Abe Lucas and Charles Cross return at the tackle spots. For now, he’s a back-end QB1 against a Bengals’ secondary that has been very spotty (8-6 TD-INT, 7.0 ypa) this season.
13. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans – C.J. Stroud is quickly becoming one of the better young quarterbacks in the NFL. The chemistry with Nico Collins, Tank Dell and Dalton Schultz is on point, all while Houston’s offensive line starts getting healthier. New Orleans is tough defensively, but Stroud has proven himself enough to bet on even when facing tough opponents.
14. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams – Facing an Arizona Cardinals’ secondary that has allowed a 72% completion rate and 7.8 yards per attempt, Matthew Stafford will funnel targets to Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. He’s a fantastic DFS option for Week 6.
15. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers – In terms of rest of season fantasy QB rankings, there’s an argument to be made for Brock Purdy as a top-10 option. However, his ceiling is lowered in Week 6 against a Cleveland Browns defense that has allowed just 125 pass ypg with a 53.8% completion rate.
16. Desmond Ridder, Atlanta Falcons – Desmond Ridder looked good against Houston’s defense and the athletes around him mean he just needs to make on-target throws to rack up the counting stats. Washington has already allowed 10 passing touchdowns this season and Ridder could add a few points on the ground, too.

Week 6 fantasy RB rankings

RANK	PLAYER	OPPONENT
1	Christian McCaffrey	@ CLE
2	Bijan Robinson	vs WAS
3	Austin Ekeler (Q – Ankle)	vs DAL
4	Tony Pollard	@ LAC
5	Saquon Barkley (Q – Ankle)	@ BUF
6	Jonathan Taylor	@ JAX
7	De’Von Achane	vs CAR
8	Josh Jacobs	vs NE
9	Isiah Pacheco	vs DEN
10	Travis Etienne	vs IND
11	Kenneth Walker	@ CIN
12	Derrick Henry	@ BAL
13	D’Andre Swift	@ NYJ
14	David Montgomery	@ TB
15	Breece Hall	vs PHI
16	Joe Mixon	vs SEA
17	Alvin Kamara	@ HOU
18	James Cook	vs NYG
19	Kyren Williams	vs ARZ
20.	James Conner	@ LAR
21.	Raheem Mostert	vs CAR
22.	Alexander Mattison	@ CHI
23.	Brian Robinson Jr	@ ATL
24.	Dameon Pierce	vs NO
25.	Roschon Johnson (Q – Concussion)	vs MIN
26.	Gus Edwards	@ TEN
27.	Javonte Williams (Q – Quad)	@ KC
28.	Rachaad White	vs DET
29.	Jerome Ford	vs SF
30.	Miles Sanders	@ MIA

Analysis and matchup previews for our Week 6 fantasy QB rankings will come on Monday.

1. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers – If Week 5 was supposed to be Christian McCaffrey’s fantasy floor this season, managers should be delighted. He’s still getting every touch he can handle and that won’t change, even against a top-5 run defense.
2. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons – The lack of touches this past week was a disappointment, but Bijan Robinson once again proved he’s one of the best offensive weapons in the NFL. Facing a Commanders’ defense that has struggled this year (133.6 rush ypg, 4.8 ypc), roll with Robinson as an elite RB1.
3. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers – It’s been over four weeks since Austin Ekeler suffered a high-ankle sprain, so he should return in Week 6. If he’s back out there, it’s a sign Los Angeles believes he can handle a full workload. While the Cowboys’ have a great defense, CMC just proved great players who get a heavy workload can have success against Dallas.
4. Tony Pollard, Dallas Cowboys – Sunday Night Football was a letdown for Tony Pollard’s fantasy managers, but they can blame San Francisco’s defense. While the Chargers have improved at stopping the run, at least in comparison to 2022, they’ve still allowed opponents to average 4.1 yards per carry with five touchdowns in four contests.
5. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants – It sure seems like it’s going to be another game-time call with Saquon Barkley as he works his way back from a high-ankle sprain. Based on talent and workload, he cracks the top 5 fantasy RB rankings but no one with Barkley on their roster can feel very good about it right now.
6. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts – Indianapolis gave Zack Moss another week as the featured running back, but that won’t last. Now that Jonathan Taylor is one of the NFL’s top-paid running backs, he should start sliding back into his starring role and that’s what everyone wants, even against a top-five Jaguars’ run defense (3.7 ypc, 81.5 rush ypg).
7. De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins – If De’Von Achane is receiving double-digit touches, he’s a premium fantasy asset. One of the fastest players in the NFL needs just one play to go the distance. There’s a downside, but with a lot of disappointing fantasy running backs this season, at least Achane has proven himself already.
8. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders – Josh Jacobs isn’t game-script dependent, but he plays on a mediocre football team and that impacts his goal-line opportunities. In Week 6, Las Vegas faces a Patriots’ roster that looks even worse than it. Fire up Jacobs as an RB1, especially after what Alvin Kamara did to New England.
9. Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs – All we care about in Week 6 is Isiah Pacheco receiving 15-plus touches. If he gets that against a Broncos’ front seven allowing over 160 rushing yards per contest, Pacheco has a shot at a top-five finish with an explosive TNF performance.
10. Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars – Travis Etienne is the guy in Jacksonville and when you’re receiving 20-plus touches, you belong near the top of the fantasy RB rankings. As for the Colts’ run defense, it’s already allowed seven rushing scores in five games.
11. Kenneth Walker, Seattle Seahawks – It’s possible we see Zach Charbonnet more involved coming out of the bye week, but the Seattle Seahawks coaching staff still loves Kenneth Walker. Plus, the Cincinnati Bengals are allowing 5.3 yards per carry and 154 rush ypg.
12. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans – If the Tennessee Titans fall behind by multiple scores early, that’s essentially a wrap for Derrick Henry. Baltimore’s run defense is very good and they have the offensive firepower to win by two scores. However, the Ravens’ tendency to let opponents stay in games means Henry has a path to a top-10 finish.
13. D’Andre Swift, Philadelphia Eagles – D’Andre Swift is the guy in Philadelphia. In the past four games, he’s totaled 89 touches (22.25 per game). That’s more than enough to demonstrate this isn’t a committee. Even against New York, Swift is a borderline RB1.
14. David Montgomery, Detroit Lions – Based on what the broadcasters said this past Sunday, we won’t see Jahmyr Gibbs in Week 6. It means another Sunday with David Montgomery essentially having the backfield to himself. Behind this offensive line, even against Tampa Bay (94.8 rush ypg allowed), Montgomery is a must-start.
15. Breece Hall, New York Jets – Nathaniel Hackett finally gave the fantasy world what it wanted, Breece Hall unleashed. The second-year back turned 22 carries into an NFL-leading 177 rushing yards in Week 5. The only thing keeping Hall from being a top-10 player in Week 6 is the Eagles’ run defense (61.2 rush ypg allowed, 3.4 ypc).
16. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals – Joe Mixon received a season-high 29 touches on Sunday, turning those opportunities into a modest 94 yards (3.24 yards per touch). Behind a bad offensive line against Seattle’s above-average run defense (87.5 rush ypg, 3.2 ypc), Mixon is stuck as a mid-tier RB2.
17. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints – As long as Jamaal Williams is sidelined, Alvin Kamara will essentially be the only running back used by the New Orleans Saints. He might no longer be extremely efficient, but you can’t find many ball-carriers who are a safe bet for 20-plus touches per week.
18. James Cook, Buffalo Bills – It all came crashing down for James Cook in London. He only received five carries (-4 yards) and was outgained by Latavius Murray and Stefon Diggs. Cook’s passing game work keeps him as an RB2, but the past two weeks have made it clear Buffalo is sticking with its running back committee.
19. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams – With Cooper Kupp back on the field, carries are harder to come by for Kyren Williams. One positive for Williams is the fact that backup running back Ronnie Rivers (1 carry) was a non-factor. You can expect a better day from Williams this coming weekend.
20. James Conner, Arizona Cardinals – James Conner suffered a knee injury in Week 5m but the current belief is he isn’t dealing with a serious issue. The Rams vs Cardinals matchup should be close, providing Conner with a path to 15-plus touches against an average Los Angeles run defense (4.3 ypc, 120.6 rush ypg, 6 rushing touchdowns allowed)
21. Raheem Mostert, Miami Dolphins – While Achane is now more of the 1a in Miami, Raheem Mostert can still deliver value as a fantasy starter on 10-12 touches. Plus, this is a great matchup with Carolina allowing the most rushing touchdowns (nine) and the fifth-highest yards per carry (4.9) this fall.
22. Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings – The Minnesota Vikings essentially ignored the ground game last Sunday, with Mattison (eight) and Cam Akers (five) combining for 13 carries. Chicago is actually very good against the run (3.7 ypc, 98.2 rush ypg), so we might see a similar approach by Minnesota.
23. Brian Robinson Jr, Washington Commanders – Brian Robinson Jr’s fantasy value all depends on which version of the Commanders takes the field. Atlanta should be favored in Week 6 and if they get out to a solid lead, Robinson’s workload plummets.
24. Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans – Dameon Pierce (2.9) has one of the lowest yards per carry in the NFL among starting running backs, which seems to be a byproduct of a difficult schedule. Better days are ahead, but the New Orleans Saints (3.9 ypc, 1 TD allowed) are outstanding against running backs.
25. Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears – With Khalil Herbert (ankle) ruled out for Week 6, the hope is that Roschon Johnson clears the concussion protocol. If he does, Minnesota is allowing just over 100 rushing yards per game to opponents this year.

Week 6 fantasy WR rankings

RANK	PLAYER	OPPONENT
1	Justin Jefferson (Q – Hamstring)	@ CHI
2	Cooper Kupp	vs ARZ
3	Ja’Marr Chase	vs SEA
4	Tyreek Hill	vs CAR
5	Stefon Diggs	vs NYG
6	Davante Adams	vs NE
7	CeeDee Lamb	@ LAC
8	Amon-Ra St. Brown (Q – Abdomen)	@ TB
9	A.J. Brown	@ NYJ
10	Keenan Allen	vs DAL
11	Calvin Ridley	vs IND
12	DJ Moore	vs MIN
13	Brandon Aiyuk	@ CLE
14	Puka Nacua	vs ARZ
15	DeVonta Smith	@ NYJ
16	Jaylen Waddle	vs CAR
17	Chris Olave	@ HOU
18	Mike Evans	vs DET
19	Amari Cooper	vs SF
20	Deebo Samuel	@ CLE
21	Michael Pittman Jr	@ JAX
22	Nico Collins	vs NO
23	Garrett Wilson	vs PHI
24	Christian Kirk	vs IND
25	DK Metcalf	@ CIN
26	Zay Flowers	@ TEN
27	Terry McLaurin	@ ATL
28	Chris Godwin	vs DET
29	DeAndre Hopkins	vs BAL
30	Tyler Lockett	@ CIN
31	Marquise Brown	@ KAR
32	Adam Thielen	@ MIA
33	Gabe Davis	vs NYG
34	Drake London	vs WAS
35	Jordan Addison	@ CHI

Our matchup preview and analysis for this week’s fantasy wide receiver rankings will be delivered on Tuesday.

Week 6 fantasy WR rankings

RANK	PLAYER	OPPONENT
1	Travis Kelce	vs DEN
2	T.J. Hockenson	@ CHI
3	Mark Andrews	@ TEN
4	Sam LaPorta	@ TB
5	Dallas Goedert	@ NYJ
6	George Kittle	@ CLE
7	Darren Waller	@ BUF
8	Jake Ferguson	@ LAC
9	Cole Kmet	vs MIN
10	Evan Engram	vs IND
11	Zach Ertz	@ LAR
12	Dalton Schultz	vs NO
13	Tyler Higbee	vs ARZ
14	Logan Thomas	@ ATL
15	Kyle Pitts	vs WAS
16	Dalton Kincaid	vs NYG
17	David Njoku	vs SF
18	Taysom Hill	@ HOU
19.	Tyler Conklin	vs PHI
20.	Dawson Knox	vs NYG

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