Finally, the offensive explosion we have been waiting for manifested itself in Week 5. Certain games such as Bengals/Ravens or Jaguars/Colts provided a lot of fantasy fun. It seems as though teams have finally hit their stride as players and coaches get acclimated to the regular season.
In an age where it is uncommon for starters to play in the preseason, it may become a common stance for the NFL to get off to a slow offensive start each season. Now that many teams seem to have broken through offensively, fantasy managers can buckle up and get ready for a fun ride ahead.
With Week 5 in the rearview mirror, it is time to look ahead to Week 6. There is a solid slate of games ahead that has the potential to provide more fantasy fun. Let's check out the best and worst matchups coming up this week.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:- Quarterback fantasy football rankings
- Running back fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
- Tight end fantasy football rankings
- Kicker fantasy football rankings
- FLEX fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Superflex fantasy football rankings
- IDP fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Fantasy Football Quarterback Matchups We Love
Jordan Love - Green Bay Packers
Opponent: ARI
Opponent Rank vs. QB: 24th
Arizona has been a fantastic team to start quarterbacks against. Almost every quarterback to play this team in 2024 has had a great fantasy day. Love has not been amazing to begin this season, but this feels like a game in which he can capitalize on a poor defense.
Love has thrown for multiple touchdown passes in every game this season. He should be able to do so again in Week 6. The Cardinals have been able to score at a high rate in 2024, which should push the Packers to keep the ball in the air. Start Love with confidence in Week 6.
Dak Prescott - Dallas Cowboys
Opponent: DET
Opponent Rank vs. QB: 22nd
Prescott has not been the player you wanted him to be in 2024. After a season in which he threw for 4,516 yards and 36 touchdowns, Prescott is falling short of expectations. However, the parallels to the 2023 season are apparent.
Last season, Prescott got going in Week 6 as the Cowboys were heading into their bye week. This year, the Cowboys have an excellent matchup against the Detroit Lions in Week 6 and then enter their bye week. Prescott will have several great matchups ahead of him following the Cowboys' bye and it feels like he may be on the cusp of unleashing himself yet again.
The yardage is there. Prescott has already thrown for 1,424 yards. Now, fantasy managers just need the touchdowns to flow and the rushing totals to come up.
Fantasy Football Quarterback Matchup to Temper Expectations
Josh Allen - Buffalo Bills
Opponent: at NYJ
Opponent Rank vs. QB: 2nd
Allen finds himself in the temper expectations category for the first time this season. There is no denying that Allen is not delivering the same fantasy magic in 2024 that he has in years past. He has two games with 30.92 or more fantasy points and three games with 14.64 or less fantasy points.
Allen has struggled in tough matchups and thrived in great matchups. The Jets present as a tough matchup. The Jets have not played the most elite quarterbacks this season, but they have done well to shut them all down. This is a team you run on, and Buffalo may lean more heavily into running back James Cook in this one.
Josh Allen on Sunday
9-30 for 30% comp pct
The lowest comp pct in a single game in over 30 years, for a QB with 30+ attempts pic.twitter.com/iJUshF20DS
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 6, 2024
Fantasy Football Running Back Matchups We Love
Jahmyr Gibbs / David Montgomery - Detroit Lions
Opponent: at DAL
Opponent Rank vs. RB: 27th
The sweet combination of Gibbs and Montgomery faces a Cowboys defense that has been improved against the run in recent weeks. However, this defense has not experienced the machine that is the Detroit Lions running game.
This game should be a track meet and the Lions should find themselves in plenty of scoring positions throughout the day. Montgomery will likely score his weekly one-yard touchdown and Gibbs should continue to deliver low-end RB1 value. Start both with confidence.
Breece Hall - New York Jets
Opponent: BUF
Opponent Rank vs. RB: 32nd
The Jets find themselves reeling after two straight bad losses in recent weeks. Hall has suffered as a result. He has recorded 55 total yards in the last two games, albeit against two of the best defenses in the league.
I refuse to believe that Hall is going to score in the single digits all year after scoring 18.3 or more fantasy points through the first three weeks. The Bills have not been horrible against the run but they have not been great, either. In a game the Jets could keep close with excellent defense, Hall should be able to get right in this one.
Fantasy Football Running Back Matchups to Temper Expectations
Brian Robinson Jr. - Washington Commanders
Opponent: at BAL
Opponent Rank vs. RB: 5th
Brian Robinson Jr. has thrived in 2024 on the back of five rushing touchdowns. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury's favorite play to run at the goal line is a run straight up the middle. While the Commanders should have goal-line opportunities once again in Week 6, Robinson is likely to be a disappointment if he does not score.
The Ravens are one of the best rushing defenses in the league. They are only allowing 60.4 rushing yards per game to opposing teams. This is in part because teams have to throw to keep up with a great offense, but there simply are no rushing lanes to be had against this team.
Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Matchups We Love
DJ Moore - Chicago Bears
Opponent: JAX
Opponent Rank vs. WR: 22nd
DJ Moore finally came through in a big way for fantasy managers in Week 5. He caught five passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Caleb Williams is starting to settle down and has tossed a touchdown pass to Moore in two straight games.
The Jaguars are one of the worst defenses in football. They just got torched by Joe Flacco and are allowing a league-leading 287.8 passing yards per game. With no pass rush to bug Williams, he should have plenty of time to throw to Moore in this game.
Terry McLaurin - Washington Commanders
Opponent: at BAL
Opponent Rank vs. WR: 29th
Unlike his teammate at running back, McLaurin has a great matchup in Week 6. The Ravens are allowing 280.2 passing yards per game. This matchup comes just as rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is finding a supreme level of confidence.
McLaurin started the season slowly, but he has quietly put together three straight solid fantasy days. He has at least 100 receiving yards or a touchdown in each of the last three games. McLaurin should be in lineups in Week 6.
Terry McLaurin after the game…”the vibes are really high in here” pic.twitter.com/KiBCpc5TD2
— Scott Abraham (@Scott7news) October 6, 2024
Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Matchups to Temper Expectations
Brian Thomas Jr. - Jacksonville Jaguars
Opponent: at CHI
Opponent Rank vs. WR: 7th
Thomas has been electric to start the season. He has clearly become the Jaguars' No. 1 wide receiver and shows no signs of slowing down. His talent is apparent and he is turning into a must-start.
Unfortunately the Jaguars find themselves with an extremely difficult matchup this week as they travel to London to play the Chicago Bears. The Bears have an excellent pass rush that should have no problem with the Jaguars' poor offensive line. They are also seventh against opposing wide receivers in fantasy in 2024.
The good news is that Thomas was a late-round pick in fantasy. As such, you likely have a pivot option that you drafted in an earlier round. Thomas may still yet have value in this game but do not expect the big numbers he has been putting up lately.
Fantasy Football Tight End Matchups We Love
Zach Ertz - Washington Commanders
Opponent: at BAL
Opponent Rank vs. TE: 29th
The tight-end position has been a fantasy wasteland in 2024 but the timeless Ertz continues to get things done. He has been an excellent safety valve for quarterback Jayden Daniels.
The Ravens are quietly one of the worst teams against tight ends in fantasy. This team just has all kinds of issues containing pass-catchers. Ertz could push for 10 fantasy points in this game, which is a lot more than can be said for many others at the position.
Zach Ertz almost had a 99 yard touchdown, but Jayden Daniels missed him 🧐 pic.twitter.com/cJUyatQ5yj
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) October 6, 2024
Fantasy Football Tight End Matchups to Temper Expectations
Dalton Kincaid - Buffalo Bills
Opponent: at NYJ
Opponent Rank vs. TE: 3rd
Kincaid has not been anywhere close to the breakout player fantasy managers wanted him to be coming into his second NFL season. He is entering a matchup with a New York Jets team that does not surrender much through the air.
With Kincaid's quarterback on the temper expectations list, Kincaid deserves to be here as well. He is coming off a tough matchup with the Houston Texans in which he scored 5.4 fantasy points. Kincaid has exceeded 9.7 fantasy points only once this season. Do not bank on this week being a breakout performance.
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