Fantasy Football Week 6 Start 'Em & Sit 'Em Running Backs: Isiah Pacheco, James Cook facing prime matchups
Running backs you want in Week 6 lineups, and who you should avoid
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1 min read
Thankfully, the running back bye weeks for Week 6 aren't so tough -- if you can't get by without what Najee Harris and AJ Dillon have given you so far this season, you've got bigger problems. That's a welcome relief after we had four teams on bye last week, and it should make your lineup decisions a little easier.
So should Jamey Eisenberg's Start 'Em & Sit 'Em calls for Week 6 at running back. 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' running back preview for more help with matchup notes, Week 6 numbers to know and more. Plus check out Heath's Week 5 premium projections over at SportsLine.
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Running Backs
RBs to Start
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Pacheco has been great so far this season, scoring at least 13.4 PPR points in three games in a row, and he should have the chance for another huge outing in Week 6 against Denver. The Broncos are No. 1 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and Week 5's Start of the Week Breece Hall became the fifth running back in the past four games to score at least 22.2 PPR points against Denver, joining Brian Robinson Jr., De'Von Achane, Raheem Mostert and Khalil Herbert. Jerick McKinnon and possibly Clyde Edwards-Helaire also have sleeper appeal given this matchup, but Pacheco is worth starting as a No. 1 Fantasy running back in all leagues.
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The Bears did a good job stopping Brian Robinson Jr. in Week 5, holding him to just 8.3 PPR points. Prior to that, six running backs in the first four games against Chicago (Aaron Jones, Rachaad White, Jerick McKinnon, Isiah Pacheco, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jaleel McLaughlin) scored at least 12.7 PPR points, and Mattison should follow suit in Week 6. While Mattison didn't have a great game in Week 5 against Kansas City with 46 total yards on just 10 total touches (two catches on three targets), he did catch a touchdown to score 12.6 PPR points. That gives him at least 12.6 PPR points in three of five games this year, and I like him as a No. 2 running back in all leagues against the Bears.
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Cook just had his worst game of the season in Week 5 against Jacksonville in London with five carries for minus-4 yards and three catches for 25 yards on four targets. He only scored 5.1 PPR points, after scoring at least 13.2 PPR points in each of his three previous games. He should return to that level of production in Week 6 against the Giants, who are No. 6 in most Fantasy points allowed to running backs. A running back has scored at least 13.9 PPR points against the Giants in every game this season (Tony Pollard, James Conner, Christian McCaffrey, Kenneth Walker III, De'Von Achane and Raheem Mostert), and I expect Cook to finish as a quality No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues against this defense.
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At some point soon, Jonathan Taylor will take over as the best running back for the Colts, and it could happen this week against the Jaguars. But Taylor is still working his way back from a long layoff due to his ankle injury, and the Colts can continue to lean on Moss until Taylor is 100 percent. We saw that in Week 5 against the Titans when Moss had 23 carries for 165 yards and two touchdowns, along with two catches for 30 yards on two targets. He's now scored at least 20.7 PPR points in three of his past five games, and I would still use him as a No. 2 running back in all leagues in Week 6. Jacksonville's run defense is tough, and the Jaguars are No. 7 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. But two of Moss' best games have come against the Ravens and Titans, so this matchup shouldn't be considered as daunting if he continues to get the work ahead of Taylor.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Demercado and Keaontay Ingram will share touches with James Conner (knee) on IR, and I like Demercado as a flex option in Week 6 against the Rams. We'll see how Arizona uses both running backs, but I'll give a slight edge to Demercado. And hopefully he can pick up where he left off in Week 5. Conner was hurt against the Bengals, and Demercado had 10 carries for 45 yards and a touchdown, along with one catch for 12 yards on three targets. Ingram was out for that game and missed the past two with a neck injury, but Demercado should have a bigger role in the passing game, which might matter more. This isn't an easy matchup against the Rams, who are No. 9 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, but three running backs in the past four games (Christian McCaffrey, Joe Mixon and D'Andre Swift) have scored at least 14.0 PPR points against this defense. Demercado will hopefully take advantage of Conner being out, and I like him as a flex option in Week 6.
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I'm more hopeful than anything that this is the week where Stevenson gets going, and I would start him as a low-end No. 2 running back against the Raiders. Las Vegas has only allowed four running backs to score at least 11.1 PPR points this season, but A.J. Dillon just had 20 carries for 76 yards and a touchdown against the Raiders on Monday night in Week 5. The Patriots need to lean on Stevenson to help get the offense back on track, and he had 19 carries for 172 yards and a touchdown at Las Vegas in Week 15 last year. Stevenson also just had three tough matchups in a row against the Jets, Cowboys and Saints, and it would be smart to get him back involved in the passing game. You'll have to have some faith to trust Stevenson, and I hope he delivers in this matchup. This is also a homecoming game for Stevenson, who is from Las Vegas.
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I hope we're not at the point where Derrick Henry is starting to slow down, but he's struggling of late, while Spears is starting to gain momentum. Spears has outscored Henry in PPR points in two of the past three games, and Spears has already played more snaps then Henry in two of five games this season. Spears also has one less rushing touchdown than Henry (2-1). I don't think that's a sign of Henry losing his job by any stretch, but it's clear the Titans want to get Spears on the field. In Week 6, if the Titans are trailing against the Ravens, we could see Spears once again play more than Henry, which puts Spears in play as a flex option in PPR.
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RBs to Sit
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Be patient with Ford, because after Week 6 we might have a must-start running back in all leagues. Starting in Week 7, Ford gets to face Indianapolis, Seattle and Arizona, and those are all favorable matchups after he's dealt with Tennessee, Baltimore and now San Francisco in Week 6 since he took over for the injured Nick Chubb (knee). While Ford did score 19.1 PPR points against the Titans with two touchdowns, he had just 41 total yards in that game, and he followed that up with 45 total yards against the Ravens. We'll see if Deshaun Watson (shoulder) plays against the 49ers, but San Francisco is a brutal matchup since only Kyren Williams in Week 2 has scored more than 10.8 PPR points against this defense. Ford should be considered a flex at best in most leagues for Week 6.
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Despite getting 21 total touches in Week 5 at Atlanta, Pierce only scored 9.2 PPR points with 66 rushing yards and one catch for 16 yards on one target. He still has just one touchdown this season and has scored 9.2 PPR points or less in three of five games. I hate this matchup for him in Week 6 against the Saints, who are No. 5 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and no running back has scored against New Orleans this year. Keep him reserved in most leagues if you can, but buy low now because his schedule lightens up following a bye in Week 7, starting with the Panthers in Week 8. Pierce will hopefully have a strong finish after a brutal start to his sophomore campaign.
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Williams is expected to play in Week 6 at Kansas City after being out in Week 5 against the Jets with a quad injury, and we'll see how the Broncos use him in a likely committee with Jaleel McLaughlin and Samaje Perine. It's a situation you likely want to avoid, and I hope McLaughlin continues to get more work in Denver since he's the most explosive running back for the Broncos. Williams has yet to score a touchdown this season, and he's been held to 9.7 PPR points or less in every game this year. The Chiefs also haven't allowed a running back to gain more than 74 total yards this season, and only David Montgomery in Week 1 scored a rushing touchdown, with Alexander Mattison also catching a touchdown against Kansas City in Week 5.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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White comes off his bye in Week 5 with a brutal matchup against the Lions, and he's a flex play at best in the majority of leagues. Detroit has yet to allow a running back to rush for more than 43 yards this season, and Bijan Robinson has the most total yards against the Lions with 60. White has one touchdown this year, and he has two games with 7.2 PPR points or less. Even though he's rested and Tampa Bay is at home, I wouldn't expect much from White in this matchup against Detroit.
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