Week 6 Matchups: Start 'em, Sit 'em

Start 'em

Quarterbacks

Jay Cutler at Lions: Cutler has thrown over 40 times in each of the last two weeks, totaling 533 yards, four TDs, and only one INT. The Lions have allowed the third-worst 7.9 net yards per pass attempt (NY/A). If Alshon Jeffery returns from his leg injury, Cutler is a top-8 play; if not, he is still a very safe start in 10-team leagues.

Brian Hoyer at Jaguars: I don't need to go into how bad Jacksonville's defense is, but Hoyer has a healthy Arian Foster and knows where his bread is buttered in DeAndre Hopkins. Hoyer is 5th in yards per completion (13.2), 7th in adjusted net yards per attempt (7.53 ANY/A), 8th in TD% (5.3) in the NFL. Hoyer-Hopkins is my #1 bargain stack in DFS play this week.

Blake Bortles vs. Texans: If you can't tell, this looks to be another shootout, similar to last week's Jaguars-Buccaneers game. The Texans have not allowed double digit fantasy points to any WR1 other than Mike Evans this season--and that required 17 targets--which is bad for Allen Robinson.

That said, T.J. Yeldon is nursing a groin injury, Julius Thomas is back in his arsenal, Allen Hurns should continue the trend of #2 WRs killing the Texans, and Robinson could still have his double digit fantasy points in 15 targets because the Jags really cannot run the ball with the line and a banged up Yeldon.

DFS studs to like: Tom Brady at Colts, Aaron Rodgers vs. Chargers, Matt Ryan at Saints, Carson Palmer at Steelers

Running backs

Demarco Murray vs. Giants: If you own Murray, it is very difficult to get away from him unless you've stacked a top-5 stud and got lucky with a Dion Lewis or Devonta Freeman lottery ticket. In DFS, Murray could still not be trusted because the season has gone so bad and the Giants run D has been so good.

Until last week, of course, when Carlos Hyde ran for 91 and a TD. Jon Beason is probably out for the G-men, and if Odell Backham, Jr. is out, the Eagles could have repeat of last week's blowout where Murray closes the game with volume to drive a boot in the Giants' hurt throats

LeGarrette Blount at Colts: Andrew Luck's status is still unknown, the Colts defense is super-terrible, and Tom Brady is on a murder mission with the Colts as Brady Enemy #1. The formula is perfect for a 1st half assault where Blount closes out the game with high volume and the solitary goal line option.

Antonio Andrews vs Dolphins: If you're really, really desperate, in a 16-team league, just hampered with bye weeks, or need a super-cheap contrarian flex in DFS, the Titans should be able to run wild on Miami. Dolphins are tied for 8th-worst in the league in yards per carry allowed (4.4) and 6th-worst in total yards allowed per play (5.9). This is a gamble that Andrews wins the job, but the risk, of course, is the three-headed monster of splitting with a totally inept Bishop Sankey and their best passing downs back, Dexter McCluster. In only two games, Andrews only has one less target than McCluster and more than half the carries as Sankey.

DFS studs to like: Eddie Lacy vs Chargers, Arian Foster at Jaguars, Dion Lewis at Colts.

Wide Receivers

Brandon Marshall at Washington: You were starting him anyway, but this is my DFS play of the week after Hopkins and A.J. Green, among the top-10 WRs, because he flies under the radar and is so guaranteed to get the ball. If you're playing Le'Veon Bell and/or Rob Gronkowski and need to save a buck or two, go Marshall.

Allen Hurns vs Texans: Bortles-Hurns was my stack of the week last week and that worked well. Of course, I only min-cashed, even where Doug Martin was stacked, because those who stacked the two with Allen Robinson won out. Bortles-Hurns should be a strong stack again this week.

Houston is allowing the third-most yards per game to teams' #2 WRs, according to FootballOutsiders.com (FO). This is a lesser matchup for Robinson and Hurns is consistently over 60 yards in every game this season, including 16 receptions for 232 yards and two TDs in 21 targets. Robinson-Hurns is one of the best WR1-WR1a duos in fantasy this year. Yeldon's injury will just up the passing volume.

Leonard Hankerson at Saints: The Saints have been the worst team in the NFL against the pass this year. Julio Jones is banged up, hobbled through Week 5, and may be on a limited snap count, tonight. Hankerson is clearly the next man up, second on the team in targets behind Julio.

Mike Wallace vs. Chiefs: The risk here is that Adrian Peterson is rode hard to build their huge lead and Teddy Bridgewater barely throws the ball at all. The reward is in that Wallace is the one who builds the huge lead, exploiting the best secondary in the NFL for WRs to accumulate yards and fantasy points against. The safety is in that Wallace's 24 targets lead the team and no other WR has more than 12. Even if Bridgewater only throws 24 times, that should be 6-8 targets for Wallace and that's all one needs against Kansas City.

Marquess Wilson at Lions: Regardless of whether or not Jeffery plays, Detroit is allowing a league worst 76.4 DVOA to WR2s and over 62 yards per game.

DFS studs to like: A.J. Green at Bills, Calvin Johnson vs Bears, Larry Fitzgerald at Steelers.

Tight Ends

Jacob Tamme at Saints: The Saints are allowing almost ten more yards per game (84.2) to TEs than the Raiders (74.7), and the Raiders are easily the worst in the NFL against TEs. With Julio banged up last week, Tamme benefitted with an 8/94/0 line in ten targets after only 8/104/0 in ten targets in the first four weeks, combined.

Zach Ertz vs. Giants: There is one other team allowing more YPG (78.9) to TEs and that's the Giants. Four of the eight passing TDs against the G-men have been caught by TEs, and the list isn't full of elite guys. Even Gavin Escobar scored and Garrett Celek scored on them. Ertz is not dependable, but you can do worse in deeper leagues. leagues.

DFS studs to like: Rob Gronkowski at Colts, Greg Olsen at Seahawks, Tyler Eifert at Bills, Antonio Gates at Packers

Sit 'em

Quarterbacks

Russell Wilson vs. Panthers: The Seahawks don't pass often, but they do so even less at home. In the regular season, Wilson has only thrown around 24 passes per game in 26 home games, compared to nearly 29 on the 27 road games in his career. He also has nearly 370 more rushing yards on the road. Add that Marshawn Lynch will be back and Josh Norman is becoming a shutdown corner, and the Seahawks' risk aversion puts a glass ceiling on Wilson.

Joe Flacco, Ravens: If you haven't noticed yet, the 49ers are terrible. They are allowing the 2nd-worst net yards per attempt (8.0) in the NFL and that is including a bad Week 1 performance by Teddy Bridgewater. When you take away Bridgewater's 5.81, they are the worst. Ben Roethlisberger, Carson Palmer, and Eli Manning torched them for 13.67, 9.30, and 8.17, respectively, but those games were on the road. Aaron Rodgers, like Bridgewater, struggled for less than six NY/A in San Francisco. In a vacuum, Flacco looks great, but you have better streaming options.

Josh McCown vs Broncos: Recent stud-like production and a projected blowout makes this start very tempting, but the Broncos are just too great a defense to justify the start this week. The only startable fantasy options in this game are the Broncos WRs, Gary Barnidge, and Duke Johnson, Jr. because the dink-dunk short game is all for which the Browns can hope.

Higher-priced QBs to avoid in DFS: Andrew Luck (shoulder) vs Patriots, Eli Manning at Eagles (if Odell Beckham, Jr. is a gametime decision or out), Cam Newton at Seahawks (because at Seahawks, duh)

Running backs

Marshawn Lynch vs. Panthers: This is similar to the Murray situation where it is difficult to bench Lynch unless you have been lucky with your other RBs, but Lynch is worse than even Murray and Blount this week. We're too unsure about the leg injury, Carolina is a decent run defense, and Thomas Rawls has proven he deserves a timeshare until Lynch proves himself to be healthy enough to not be so high-risk.

Jeremy Hill at Bills: Where Lynch is more of a bench-where-you-can scenario of 1st round picks, Hill is poison ivy. He is too TD-dependent, and the Bills--like the Panthers--are only allowing 3.8 yards per carry and have only given up two rushing TDs this season. Hill is barely averaging 3.0 YPC so far this season and has actually had a really good schedule.

All Broncos and Washington RBs: None of them can be trusted. Washington has the worst matchup against the Jets, and the roles of Alfred Morris and Matt Jones are too sketchy. Though, Denver has a great matchup, neither C.J. Anderson nor Ronnie Hillman (except one good run) have proven that matters. If you want to know where I consider starting Antonio Andrews, here are guys I can bench for him.

Ameer Abdullah vs. Bears: This may be tempting, but the Lions are a mess. The Bears are below average against the run, but... the Lions are a mess. Expecting a blowout here makes Theo Riddick a more legitimate play.

Jonathan Stewart at Seahawks: It's the Seahawks and he's Jonathan Stewart. Why is Jonathan Stewart still on your team? I shouldn't have to write this.

Higher-priced studs to avoid in DFS: T.J. Yeldon (groin) vs. Texans, Justin Forsett (ankle) at 49ers.

Wide Receivers

Antonio Brown vs. Cardinals: This is difficult, but in 10-team leagues where you only have to start two WRs, chances are you have two guys to start over Brown and if you're one of the lucky to have three decent RBs, get away from Brown. In DFS, he is the plague. Michael Vick is terrible and Arizona is on their game.

Pierre Garcon at Jets: He doesn't score TDs, Kirk Cousins is garbage, and Garcon should be on Revis Island.

Travis Benjamin at Broncos: Aqib Talib is among the best CBs in the NFL. What makes Benjamin so special?

Higher-priced studs to avoid in DFS: Julio Jones (hamstring) at Saints, Odell Beckham, Jr.(hamstring) at Eagles, Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders at Browns

Tight Ends

Jimmy Graham vs. Panthers: Carolina is only allowing 27.2 yards per game to TEs and Graham isn't getting the ball. A guy can't score fantasy points without the ball.

Delanie Walker vs. Dolphins: Only one TD in 19 targets so far this year and Miami's secondary is so bad that getting the ball to WRs shouldn't be a problem, which is why TEs are getting a league-low 5.4 targets per game against them. Add that Marcus Mariota's volume is so low, it is hard to see Walker starting to get the ball this week.

Higher-priced studs to avoid in DFS: Travis Kelce at Vikings, Gary Barnidge vs Broncos.

Stats vs. Pro-Football-Reference.com.