The quarterback position in Fantasy Football has been a bit of a roller coaster so far this season, with some of our preseason favorites like Joe Burrow struggling, while the likes of Brock Purdy and Anthony Richardson have thrived. Unfortunately, Richardson is on IR with a shoulder injury, so he won't be much help for a while, but at least the Week 6 byes won't have us missing out on too much -- Kenny Pickett and Jordan Love are strictly 2QB-league types at this point.
Jamey Eisenberg's Start 'Em & Sit 'Em calls for Week 6 are here to help you make your toughest lineup decisions. His Waiver Wire column can also direct you to the best options that may be available in your leagues. And don't forget to check out Heath Cummings' quarterback preview for more help with matchup notes, Week 6 numbers to know and more. Plus check out Heath's Week 6 premium projections over at SportsLine.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Quarterbacks
QBs to Start
Projections powered by
Sportsline
I wrote in Start 'Em & Sit 'Em last week that I needed to see Burrow look like Burrow again before we could start him with confidence. Well, he's back, and hopefully the best is yet to come. Burrow lit up the Cardinals for 317 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception in Week 5, with all three scores going to Ja'Marr Chase. For the first time this season, Burrow didn't seem to be bothered by the calf he originally injured at the beginning of training camp, and he should have another quality outing against Seattle on Sunday. Two of the past three quarterbacks to face the Seahawks (Jared Goff and Andy Dalton) have scored at least 27.5 Fantasy points.
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Lawrence only scored 17.7 Fantasy points in Week 5 against Buffalo in London, but he had his best game throwing the ball this season with 315 passing yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, and he added 31 rushing yards. He lost two fumbles, his trend of failing to throw for multiple touchdowns continued, as it has happened in four games in a row. His best Fantasy output of the season was Week 1 at Indianapolis when he had 21.7 points -- and threw two touchdowns -- and he should have another quality outing in the rematch. Two other quarterbacks have topped what Lawrence did against the Colts, who allow an average of 20.7 Fantasy points per game to the position. And Lawrence is averaging 23.4 Fantasy points per game in his past four meetings with Indianapolis.
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Cousins lost Justin Jefferson (hamstring) for at least the next four games after he was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, but Cousins should still be considered a No. 1 Fantasy quarterback against Chicago in Week 6. He has enough weapons in T.J. Hockenson, Jordan Addison and K.J. Osborn to score well against the Bears, who allow the most Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks at 27.2 Fantasy points per game. All five quarterbacks against Chicago have scored at least 20.4 Fantasy points, including Jordan Love, Baker Mayfield, Russell Wilson and Sam Howell. Cousins only has one game this year with fewer than 20.5 Fantasy points, and he's scored at least 21.6 Fantasy points in four of his past six games against the Bears going back to 2020.
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Purdy doesn't have an easy matchup in Week 6 at the Browns, who are No. 3 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. The only quarterback with more than 12.3 Fantasy points against Cleveland is Lamar Jackson (32.9 points) in Week 4, but that might be because of the competition the Browns have faced in their other three games against an injured Joe Burrow in Week 1, Kenny Pickett in Week 2 and Ryan Tannehill in Week 3. Cleveland does have a quality defense, but I'm not sure it's better than San Francisco's offense right now, especially with how well Purdy is playing. He's scored at least 20.8 Fantasy points in four of five games this season, including three in a row with at least 23.3 Fantasy points. I'll stick with Purdy while he's hot, even on the road against the Browns.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Sportsline
Minshew should start for the Colts for the foreseeable future with Anthony Richardson (shoulder) hurt, and this is a great week to consider Minshew a low-end starter in one-quarterback leagues. He's a definite starter in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues at Jacksonville since he's facing his former team. It helps that the Jaguars have allowed four of five quarterbacks this season to score at least 22.9 Fantasy points, including Richardson in Week 1. Minshew started for the Colts in Week 3 at Baltimore and scored just 15.1 Fantasy points, but this is a much better matchup in a trip to his old neighborhood.
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It will take some guts to start Prescott in one-quarterback leagues after the way he played at San Francisco in Week 5 with just 153 passing yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. And he's scored 16.4 Fantasy points or less in all but one game this season. But this is a good bounce-back spot for Prescott against the Chargers, who are No. 4 in most Fantasy points per game allowed to opposing quarterbacks at 24.4 points. Only Aiden O'Connell subbing for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 4 failed to score at least 23.0 Fantasy points against the Chargers this season, and Prescott should be considered a borderline No. 1 Fantasy quarterback in this matchup on Monday night.
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Deshaun Watson in Week 1 and Lamar Jackson in Week 2 each scored at least 22.7 Fantasy points against the Bengals, but Cincinnati clamped down on its next three opponents, holding Matthew Stafford, Ryan Tannehill and Joshua Dobbs to 14.7 Fantasy points or less. The Bengals should make things tough on Smith, but I expect this game to be a shootout, which is why I like Smith as a low-end starter in all one-quarterback leagues. He only has one game this season north of 20 Fantasy points, which was Week 2 at Detroit (27.1), but I expect this to be another quality outing for Smith as he goes head-to-head with Joe Burrow.
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QBs to Sit
Projections powered by
Sportsline
The Falcons cooled Stroud off in Week 5, holding the rookie to 16.2 Fantasy points, which snapped a three-game streak of him scoring at least 24.6 points. I expect the Saints to also keep Stroud in check in Week 6. Safety Marcus Maye returns to the New Orleans secondary after his three-game suspension, and we'll see if the Saints can be the first team to get an interception off Stroud. He also hasn't been sacked in three games in a row. The key will be if Stroud gets a second touchdown or not if he remains without a turnover (he hasn't fumbled since Week 2), and rookie receiver Nathaniel Dell (concussion) could be out in Week 6. I would only start Stroud in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues in this matchup.
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Wilson has been a nice surprise for Fantasy managers this season, scoring at least 22.7 Fantasy points in three of five games, including two in a row against the Bears and Jets. But I'm not sure this is a great matchup for him against the Chiefs on the road. While Kansas City has allowed Zach Wilson and Kirk Cousins to each score at least 23.2 Fantasy points in the past two games, those were on the road. In two games at home this year, the Chiefs held Jared Goff and Justin Fields to 16.0 Fantasy points or less in each outing. Wilson is still worth starting in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues, but I would bench him in all one-quarterback leagues on Thursday night.
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The Falcons have done a great job against opposing quarterbacks so far this season, with Jordan Love and Jared Goff the lone passers to eclipse 20 Fantasy points. In the past two games, Atlanta has held Trevor Lawrence and C.J. Stroud to 18.5 Fantasy points or less, and the Falcons should be able to contain Howell. He's done well as a Fantasy asset for most of the season, scoring at least 21.6 Fantasy points in three of his past four games. But I would only start him in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues against Atlanta given how well the Falcons pass defense has done through most of the first five games.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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The Buccaneers come off their bye in Week 5 looking to remain a tough opponent for opposing quarterbacks. Kirk Cousins (20.5 Fantasy points) in Week 1 and Jalen Hurts (21.9) in Week 3 are the lone quarterbacks to score more than 20 Fantasy points against Tampa Bay, and both barely eclipsed that mark. For the season, the Buccaneers have allowed just four passing touchdowns compared to six interceptions, and now they get Jared Goff on the road. He's scored 16.0 Fantasy points or less in two road games this season at Kansas City and at Green Bay, and he's been under 17.0 Fantasy points in 13 of his past 14 road games going back to 2021. Goff is only worth starting in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues in Week 6, especially if Amon-Ra St. Brown (abdomen) remains out.
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