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Tuesday newsletters are for fantasy. If you read last Tuesday, you were rewarded with Kareem Hunt (18.2 points), Trey Sermon (15.3), Tank Bigsby (25.4) or Tucker Kraft (22.8).
Elsewhere, on the podcast, Dianna and Chase answer the question everyone in Cleveland is asking.
Week 6 waivers, buys and sells
Ja’Marr Chase led all players in scoring this week, posting 36.2 half-ppr points on 10 catches, 193 yards and two touchdowns. That’s no surprise.
It was more shocking (though it made our recommendation look good) to see Jaguars RB Tank Bigsby lead his position in fantasy points, scoring two touchdowns and posting 101 rushing yards on 13 attempts. Bigsby out-snapped (and continued to out-produce) starter Travis Etienne, closing out Jacksonville’s Week 5 win. If that trend continues, you might have an RB1 in Bigsby. He’s my No. 1B waiver add this week, because it’s likely that Etienne, who was injured on Sunday, sticks around.
My other must-add players for Week 6, assuming Rico Dowdle and Josh Downs — whom we’ve begged you to add — remain unavailable:
No. 1A: Bengals RB Chase Brown, who is averaging 5.6 yards per carry (ninth-best), instantly becomes a must-add after the inefficient Zack Moss (3.7 YPC) injured his ankle on Sunday. If Moss misses time, the explosive Brown is also a must-start against a Giants defense allowing 115.4 rush yards per game.
No. 2: Giants WR Darius Slayton. I’m targeting him after his eight-catch, 122-yard and one-touchdown performance against Seattle, a sentiment that could be shared by WR-needy teams like the Chiefs and Bills. If the underrated Slayton gets traded to either, he skyrockets up rankings.
No. 3: Cowboys WR Jalen Tolbert. With Brandin Cooks on the IR (knee), Tolbert bested CeeDee Lamb’s production to finish with 10 targets, seven catches and 87 receiving yards. He gets a prime matchup against the Lions’ beatable secondary in Week 6 and could remain the WR2 when Cooks returns.
No. 4: Patriots WR Ja’Lynn Polk. Despite the return of Kendrick Bourne, Polk played 100 percent of New England’s offensive snaps for the first time in his career. The production wasn’t there (one catch for 13 yards), but he’s separating, has seen 13 targets over the past two weeks and had a potential game-winning touchdown called back (questionable call, see below). They’re also considering QB Drake Maye, who would bring life to this offense and give the second-round pick a chance to produce. Now’s the time to add.
Deeper leagues: Panthers WR Jalen Coker impressed all preseason, then had four catches for 68 yards after Xavier Legette (shoulder) went down. Dolphins RB Jaylen Wright showed explosiveness after De’Von Achane was concussed, though Miami has a bye this week. Vikings RB Ty Chandler would start if Aaron Jones misses time, though Minnesota’s on bye as well. Raiders rookie RB Dylan Laube could eventually see touches in an offense desperate for an RB1.
I’m buying: WR Brian Thomas Jr. As Michael Salfino writes in his Week 5 fantasy takeaways, Thomas looks like a league-winner: Since Week 3, the first-round pick is averaging 8.7 targets and 85.3 yards, plus has two touchdowns. If you’re also buying, wait until after this week’s matchup against a Chicago defense allowing the sixth-lowest passing yards per game (174.0).
I’m selling: WR Garrett Wilson. This week’s 22-target, 13-catch and 22.6-point half-ppr performance was inflated by the Jets’ early 17-0 deficit and 51 pass attempts. Thankfully, it makes it easier for you to package Wilson for CeeDee Lamb, Christian McCaffrey, Amon-Ra St. Brown or A.J. Brown. And do it now, before any Davante Adams trade materializes.
Thoughts vs. Reality: Bijan Robinson, RB2?
Thought: Drafting Bijan Robinson early in fantasy was a terrible mistake. Reality: Yes, it was. He has only 12 more rushing yards than Tank Bigsby (despite seeing twice as many carries) and sees just 17 attempts per game. His best weekly finish this season has been RB15, and his upside is limited, with Tyler Allgeier playing nearly 40 percent of Atlanta’s offensive snaps the past two weeks. Still, Robinson should bounce back against the Panthers defense (144.6 rushing yards allowed per game) this week. If not, abandon ship.
Thought: Drafting Breece Hall wasn’t much better. Reality: After what I’ve seen from Braelon Allen, I’m more worried about Hall than Robinson. Hall’s season began with three 18-plus points from Weeks 1-3, but he’s averaged four points per game since. He’s still seeing twice the number of touches as Allen (12 to six in Week 5), but is averaging 2.3 yards per carry over the last three weeks (Allen is at 4.2). After he lost a combined 37 touches to Allen since Week 2, it could look worse if the Jets reassess after their bye. It’s notable that there are calls for Hall to be benched.
Thought: I’m thinking of starting Daniel Jones. Reality: Why not? As KC Joyner writes, Jones is one of five QBs with three games of 18-plus points, and his production may be sustainable. Jones is not overly reliant on rushing touchdowns (zero this year) and had his best game (22 points) without Malik Nabers. His upcoming schedule features four games against teams ranked 19th or lower in QB points allowed. It feels crazy, but you could do worse than Jones.
Thought: I need to trade for an RB. Reality: The cheapest players worth buying are Najee Harris and Javonte Williams. They’re both likely disappointing their managers, but offer eight-point floors. In Pittsburgh, Harris’ competition (Jaylen Warren and Cordarrelle Patterson) is banged up, while he ranks sixth in the NFL with 82 rushing attempts. In Denver, Williams looks like his former self after posting 100-plus yards for the first time this season. They’re both due to hit paydirt soon, and though I prefer Harris’ matchup this week in Las Vegas (allowing 131.8 rushing yards per game), Williams is the much better back and the preferred target:
Most touches without a touchdown this season:
1. Najee Harris (94)
…
2. Javonte Williams (70)
3. Rachaad White (68)— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) October 7, 2024
For more:
What Dianna’s Hearing: Davante Adams update after Chiefs win
After last night’s win over New Orleans, the Chiefs stand strong at 5-0 despite missing key players on offense. WR Rashee Rice is scheduled for exploratory arthroscopic surgery on his knee this morning in Dallas. The team hopes for good news but plans for Rice to miss the rest of the season. Meanwhile, Isiah Pacheco is on injured reserve with a fractured fibula, and there’s a chance that Marquise “Hollywood” Brown could also miss the season due to a sternoclavicular injury.
The Chiefs consider themselves a longshot to land Raiders WR Adams in a trade, but they believe the longer the Raiders hold on to him, the better their chances become. In the Adams sweepstakes, all eyes remain on the Jets and Saints for the next few days.
Back to you, Jacob.
Ask The Athletic: League median scoring
Q: What is one rule change that every fantasy football league should make?
💬 The Athletic’s fantasy expert Jake Ciely:
“Obviously, #BanKickers is high up my list, but regardless of half-PPR, fixing D/ST scoring, SuperFlex, etc. etc., there is an easy rule that should be in ANY league no matter the size, format or setup: Doubleheaders against the league median.
“It happens almost weekly: The second-best score faces the top score and gets a loss, while a team scoring 30 points lower gets a win. It’s fantasy, matchups are random. A second W/L should be determined by the league average score for the week. Worst case for the second-best score is going 1-1. Best case for second-lowest score is also 1-1.
“At the end of the season, you have a much truer representation of the best teams in the standings. All sites offer it now, and truthfully, it should be the default setting for every league.”
Do you have a fantasy football question? One about your favorite team? Each week, we compile and answer reader questions for a future newsletter. Submit yours here.
Yesterday’s most-clicked: Inside the heated sideline exchange between Sean Payton and Bo Nix.
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Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)
