Watch Now: Fantasy Football Today: Start of The Week ( 0:48 )

More Week 6: Start 'Em and Sit 'Em – Cheat Sheet – Trade Values – Things To Know – Rankings – Streaming Options – Waiver Wire

There's no need for a fancy introduction this week. Let's just get right to the starts and sits.

After three rough Start of the Week suggestions over the past three weeks -- Cam Newton failing against the Saints in Week 3, Chris Carson breaking his ankle in Week 4 and Jay Ajayi fumbling against the Titans in Week 5 -- I'm ready to redeem myself and help you win your leagues.

Let's go.

Editor's Note: Projections are provided by CBS Sports and not Jamey Eisenberg.

Start of the Week

Kirk Cousins MIN • QB • 8 vs. SF Week 6 projections 23.3 Fantasy points View Profile

The NFL season is a grind. Even though teams only play once a week, each game wears on a player and makes them more vulnerable as the season goes on. The hope is the schedule is fair, but we know that's not always the case. And that brings us to the 49ers, who are playing their third road game in a row in Week 6 at Washington.

The three-game trip started in Arizona in Week 4, and moved on to Indianapolis in Week 5, and both of those games went to overtime. San Francisco lost both. The 49ers will have traveled nearly 10,000 miles over a 16-day period, according to the Mercury News, and they have already played 10 quarters before kicking off against Washington.

To make matters worse, the Redskins are coming off a bye. So we have a tired defense against what should be a fresh offense at home.

To quote Kirk himself:

Cousins has a great opportunity this week to be a Fantasy star, and he's coming off two solid performances before Washington's bye. He scored 32 Fantasy points against Oakland in Week 3 and 23 points at Kansas City in Week 4, is his best stretch of the season.

We expect Cousins to build off those previous outings, and the hope is his receiving corps finally starts playing at a high level on a consistent basis. The group of Jordan Reed, Terrelle Pryor, Jamison Crowder and Josh Doctson has been disappointing, whether due to inconsistent play or injury, but the bye week could be the cure.

Cousins scored 22 Fantasy points coming off his bye last year against Minnesota, and this game could be an audition of sorts for next year. Playing for San Francisco and head coach Kyle Shanahan, Cousins' former offensive coordinator in Washington, could be a possibility if he becomes a free agent in the offseason.

But we have time to worry about that down the road. For this week, look for Cousins to beat up a tired 49ers defense, which is allowing an average of 19.4 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks.

I'll take the over on those points for Cousins this week. He's rested and ready to go. And the 49ers aren't.

I'm starting Cousins over: Cam Newton (vs. PHI), Matt Ryan (vs. MIA), Alex Smith (vs. PIT), Carson Wentz (at CAR) and Matthew Stafford (at NO)

Quarterbacks

Start 'Em 24.0 Projected points Deshaun Watson Houston Texans QB All aboard the hype train. Watson has been fantastic over the past three games, and we don't expect him to slow down now, especially against the Browns. He's averaging 36.7 Fantasy points in that span against New England, Tennessee and Kansas City, and he should be able to dominate a Browns defense that is allowing 23.0 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks this year. Cleveland has allowed at least 29 Fantasy points in two of the past three games tp Jacoby Brissett and Andy Dalton, and Watson could be in that range against the Browns at home. Watson is a top-five Fantasy quarterback in this matchup. 19.6 Projected points Cam Newton Carolina Panthers QB I'll say the same thing about Newton this week that I said last week: I've been wrong about him in this column for three weeks in a row. He was a dud in Week 3 against New Orleans when he was the Start of the Week; then he went off the past two games for a combined 70 Fantasy points against New England and Detroit. I'm hoping to break the trend in Week 6, since I expect Newton to play well Thursday against the Eagles. He's put up 671 passing yards, six touchdowns and one interception and 15 carries for 44 yards and a touchdown on the ground over the last two games. The Eagles have allowed two quarterbacks in the past three games to score at least 23 Fantasy points, and Newton should stay in that range. He's a potential top-five Fantasy quarterback again this week. 20.5 Projected points Matthew Stafford Detroit Lions QB Stafford has played in New Orleans in each of the past two years, and he's been great in both outings, averaging 27.5 Fantasy points with 595 passing yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions over that span. He hasn't scored 20 Fantasy points since Week 1 this season, but this week should end that four-game drought. While the Saints have held their past two opposing quarterbacks to a combined 12 Fantasy points between Newton and Jay Cutler, they also gave up a combined 66 Fantasy points in the first two games to Sam Bradford and Tom Brady. Stafford could be in a position where he's chasing points this week on the road, and I love his upside in this potential shootout with Drew Brees. 21.6 Projected points Matt Ryan Atlanta Falcons QB In Ryan's last five games coming off a bye week, he's averaging 260 passing yards with 12 total touchdowns and four interceptions, and he's scored at least 21 Fantasy points in four of those outings. He should be ready after his bye in Week 5, and this should be Ryan's first game of the season with at least 20 Fantasy points. He's been a disappointment thus far and has just one game with multiple touchdowns, which was Week 3 at Detroit. But Julio Jones (hip) should be fine for this game, and the Dolphins have allowed two of four quarterback this year to score at least 19 Fantasy points. Ryan should do better than that, and he's still worth trusting as a No. 1 quarterback in all leagues. 20.2 Projected points Philip Rivers Los Angeles Chargers QB Rivers has been impressive the past two weeks against the Eagles and Giants, after he bottomed out in Week 3 against Kansas City with three Fantasy points. He scored at least 23 in his past two outings, and he has a good track record against the Raiders. Last year, Rivers averaged 26.0 Fantasy points per game against Oakland, and the Raiders have allowed three quarterbacks to score at least 18 Fantasy points this year. Look for Rivers to stay hot in this series with the Raiders, and he's worth trusting as a No. 1 Fantasy quarterback this week.

Sleeper quarterbacks

Carson Palmer (vs. TB): Palmer has been up and down with his Fantasy production this season, but this is a good matchup to trust him in, even with the Tampa Bay defense getting healthy with Lavonte David, Kwon Alexander and T.J. Ward back at practice this week. Two of the past three quarterbacks to face the Buccaneers have scored at least 31 Fantasy points, and Palmer has a good track record at home. In his past five home games going back to last year, Palmer is averaging 23 Fantasy points.

Jacoby Brissett (at TEN): Brissett has done well in the past two games where he's had favorable matchups, which were Week 3 against Cleveland and Week 5 against San Francisco. He scored at least 17 Fantasy points in each outing, and this game should put him in that range against the Titans. Two of the past three quarterbacks to face Tennessee have scored at least 40 Fantasy points, and Brissett is a solid streaming option in Week 6.

Josh McCown (vs. NE): McCown has yet to score 20 Fantasy points in a game this season, but he does have two games with at least 17 points in his past four outings. There's a a good chance the Jets will be chasing points Sunday against the Patriots, and New England has struggled with quarterbacks all year. All five quarterbacks to face the Patriots this season have passed for at least 300 yards, and only Jameis Winston in Week 6 has failed to throw multiple touchdowns against New England. McCown is a good one-week streamer given the matchup at home.

Sit 'Em 18.4 Projected points Derek Carr Oakland Raiders QB Carr is expected to return in Week 6 against the Chargers after sitting out Week 5 with a back injury, but it might be hard to trust him this week. The original timetable on his back injury was 2-6 weeks, and you have to hope he's not rushing back to action after Oakland has lost three games in a row. Carr also struggled before getting hurt with a combined 17 Fantasy points against Washington and Denver, and the Chargers are only allowing 17.6 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks this year. Carr also has 17 Fantasy points or less in three of the past five meeting with the Chargers. Carr is only worth starting in two-quarterback leagues this week. 14.9 Projected points Jared Goff Los Angeles Rams QB Goff faced a real defense for the first time in Week 5 against Seattle, and his wonderful start to the season ended in a hurry. After scoring at least 18 Fantasy points in three of his first four starts, which included matchups with Indianapolis, San Francisco and Dallas, Goff was held to seven points against the Seahawks with two interceptions and a fumble. It won't get any easier this week against the Jaguars, who are allowing an average of 5.0 Fantasy points per game to the position this year. Marcus Mariota in Week 2 is the lone quarterback with double digits in Fantasy points against Jacksonville when he scored 14. I'd be nervous starting Goff even in a two-quarterback league this week. 16.6 Projected points Carson Wentz Philadelphia Eagles QB Wentz is off to a great start this season with at least 22 Fantasy points in three of his first four games. But this week could be a struggle for him against the Panthers, especially with right tackle Lane Johnson (concussion) out. Last year, when Johnson was suspended for 10 games, Wentz had no outings with 20 Fantasy points, compared to four of those performances in the six games when Johnson was active. Carolina has allowed three quarterbacks in a row to throw multiple touchdowns, but only Brady and Brees had more than 19 Fantasy points. I expect Wentz to score fewer than 20 Fantasy points this week, and he's only a low-end starting option at best in the majority of leagues. 14.4 Projected points Trevor Siemian Denver Broncos QB Siemian was a Fantasy darling to open the season with at least 25 Fantasy points in each of his first two starts. Since then, he's scored a combined 20 Fantasy points in two outings, and it will be hard to trust him this week against the Giants. Despite New York's offense falling apart due to injuries, this Giants defense should remain tough. Siemian is, at best, an option in two-quarterback leagues this week.

Bust Alert

Alex Smith WAS • QB • 11 Week 6 projections 19.5 Fantasy points View Profile

Smith has been amazing so far this year, and he comes into this game as the No. 2 Fantasy quarterback, behind only Watson. He has three games with at least 28 Fantasy points, and he hasn't scored less than 18 points in any outing yet. But he's due for a letdown, which should happen this week. Smith has faced the Steelers four times over the past three seasons, and he's averaging just 255 passing yards in those matchups, with four total touchdowns and one interception. Smith is also 1-3 vs. Pittsburgh over that span. The Steelers have yet to allow a quarterback to score 20 Fantasy points this year, although they haven't exactly faced stiff competition from guys like Blake Bortles, Joe Flacco, Mike Glennon, Keenum and DeShone Kizer. Still, it's hard to expect a huge performance from Smith this week, and this will be his worst game of the season against the Steelers.

Running backs

Start 'Em 10.2 Projected points C.J. Anderson Denver Broncos RB Anderson loves playing at home. In three games in Denver this year, Anderson is averaging 22 carries for 98 yards, and he has one touchdown, with eight catches for 60 yards and a touchdown as well. He's facing a Giants defense this week that has allowed seven running backs to either score or gain 80 total yards. Four running backs have scored double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league, and the Giants defense might be lacking motivation after having to travel across the country as an 0-5 team. Anderson has top-10 upside this week. 8.8 Projected points Doug Martin Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Martin looked great in his season debut against the Patriots in Week 5 with 13 carries for 74 yards and a touchdown and one catch for 8 yards on limited snaps. That game hopefully shook off the rust for Martin, who should dominate touches this week against the Cardinals. It won't be an easy matchup, and Arizona has allowed just three running backs to score or gain at least 90 total yards. But I'm buying into Martin being a successful Fantasy option on a weekly basis, and I would start him in all leagues, even in this matchup on the road. 10.0 Projected points Javorius Allen Baltimore Ravens RB Linebacker Danny Trevathan is back this week for the Bears after serving his one-game suspension in Week 5 against Minnesota, but the rest of Chicago's linebacker corps is a mess. That should help Allen, who dominated touches in Week 5 at Oakland with 21 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown and four catches for 12 yards on five targets. This is now four games in a row with at least four catches, which boosts his value in PPR, and he's clearly the running back of choice ahead of Alex Collins with Terrance West (calf) banged up. The Bears have allowed a running back to score at least nine Fantasy points in a standard league in every game this season, and Allen has the chance for another big week in this matchup at home. I also would look at Collins as a sleeper in deeper leagues. 9.7 Projected points Marshawn Lynch Oakland Raiders RB The Chargers run defense is awful, and Lynch should have the chance for his third game this season with double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league, with the previous two coming at home. He's been at 13 touches or less in each of the past four games, which is troubling, but he has a touchdown in both home games this year. And the Chargers have allowed seven running backs to gain 80 total yards or score this year. It would be nice to see the Raiders feed Beast Mode based on the matchup this week, and that would take pressure off Carr and his bad back. Lynch is worth using as a No. 2 running back in Week 6. 10.6 Projected points Mark Ingram New Orleans Saints RB I'm fired up about Ingram after the Saints traded Adrian Peterson to the Cardinals. This is a boost for Ingram and Alvin Kamara (10.1 projected points), and both are worth starting this week against the Lions. Detroit has been tough against the run, but they have allowed three rushing touchdowns and four total scores to the position this year. And five running backs have at least three catches against the Lions, which should be good for Kamara. I consider Ingram a borderline-No. 1 running back this week against Detroit, and Kamara is a No. 2 option in standard and PPR formats.

Sleeper running backs

Andre Ellington (vs. TB): Fantasy owners are going to panic about Ellington with the Cardinals adding Peterson via trade, but that would be a mistake. Ellington is still the best running back in Arizona based on his role in the passing game. He has 32 targets in the past three games, which has resulted in 23 catches for 210 yards. He has yet to score this season, but that doesn't matter in PPR, where he is a must-start option. I like Ellington as a flex option in standard as well.

Jerick McKinnon (vs. GB): You saw what happened with McKinnon on Monday night in Week 5 against Chicago when he had 16 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown and six catches for 51 yards on six targets. He was the man despite Latavius Murray getting the start, and that shouldn't change this week. He now faces a Packers team that has allowed six running backs to either score or gain 100 total yards, including two receiving touchdowns. McKinnon should be considered a low-end starter in any format.

Tevin Coleman (vs. MIA): Coleman has been the pass-catching running back for the Falcons this year ahead of Devonta Freeman, and that should be a good role against the Dolphins. Miami has already allowed four running backs to catch at least four passes in four games, and Coleman comes into this matchup with 13 catches for 153 yards and a touchdown in four outings. Consider Coleman at least a flex option in standard leagues and a low-end starter in PPR.

Chris Thompson (vs. SF): The 49ers and their tired defense now get to chase around Thompson, and pass-catching running backs have done well against San Francisco this year. The 49ers are among the league leaders with 35 receptions allowed to running backs with 300 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Jonathan Stewart, Todd Gurley and Ellington have scored at least seven Fantasy points in a standard league just on their receiving stats alone against the 49ers, and the Redskins could be without Rob Kelley (ankle) this week. I would also consider Samaje Perine a sleeper this week if Kelley is out.

Theo Riddick (at NO): I like Ameer Abdullah this week as a No. 2 Fantasy running back, but Riddick has flex appeal, especially in PPR. The Saints have struggled with pass-catching running backs this year, with Rex Burkhead, James White and Christian McCaffrey all scoring at least eight Fantasy points in a standard league just on their receiving stats alone against the Saints. Riddick has been quiet this season with Abdullah staying healthy, but he does have four catches in two of his past three games. If the Lions get behind in this matchup then Riddick will be heavily involved in the comeback effort.



Sit 'Em 7.4 Projected points Frank Gore Indianapolis Colts RB Gore has actually been a better Fantasy running back than anticipated this year given Andrew Luck's absence all season with a shoulder injury. Gore has at least seven Fantasy points in four games in a row, and he's been more involved in the passing game lately with six catches for 72 yards in his past two games against Seattle and San Francisco. But after Marlon Mack came on strong in Week 5 against the 49ers with 93 total yards and a touchdown, and with Gore playing on the road against a good but not great run defense, we would only consider him a flex option this week. The same goes for Mack, who is still behind Gore on the depth chart. 6.5 Projected points Tarik Cohen Chicago Bears RB We hope Cohen remains a significant factor for the Bears moving forward, but the past two weeks have not been encouraging with Benny Cunningham taking him off the field. In Week 4 at Green Bay, Cohen played 18 snaps, compared to 16 for Cunningham. And then in Week 5 against Minnesota, Cohen played 17 snaps to 14 for Cunningham. Even more troubling was Cohen getting just one target compared to four for Cunningham. Oh by the way, Jordan Howard is still on this team, and he will dominate carries when healthy. Cohen cannot be started in any leagues, even with his big-play potential. 8.9 Projected points Isaiah Crowell Cleveland Browns RB I thought Crowell had a chance to help Fantasy owners last week against the Jets, but it was again another failure with limited production. And now you can't trust him as anything more than a flex option in most leagues. Crowell had 16 carries for 60 yards and two catches for 7 yards in Week 5. He's now averaging just 6.0 Fantasy points per game, and that's unlikely to improve against the Texans. Houston has allowed just one rushing touchdown this year, and this defense should be able to contain Crowell even with J.J. Watt (knee) and Whitney Mercilus (pectoral) out for the season. Duke Johnson (7.8 projected points) is a much better Fantasy option, and he's worth a flex spot in standard leagues and a starting spot in PPR. 8.0 Projected points Adrian Peterson Arizona Cardinals RB It's hard to know how the Cardinals will use Peterson in his first game with the team after being acquired from the Saints via trade Tuesday. You should expect minimal touches, which means there should be no rush to put him in your lineup if you picked him up off waivers. As stated above, I'd rather have Ellington, and the Buccaneers have allowed just one touchdown to a running back this year. Tampa Bay also is getting healthy on defense with David, Alexander and Ward back at practice, so Peterson is at best a low-end No. 3 Fantasy running back this week on the road. 8.3 Projected points LeGarrette Blount Philadelphia Eagles RB Blount has been great since Darren Sproles was lost for the season with a torn ACL in Week 3 against the Giants, and Blount has 42 carries for 277 yards and a touchdown in his past three outings. But this should be a tough outing for him in Week 6 against the Panthers. Carolina has yet to allow a running back to score double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league, including matchups with Carlos Hyde, LeSean McCoy, Ingram, Mike Gillislee and Abdullah. That even includes allowing three rushing touchdowns. I also fear that if the Eagles get behind in this game we could see Blount's playing time limited given his lack of involvement in the passing game. I would only use Blount as at best a flex option in standard leagues this week.

Bust Alert

Carlos Hyde SEA • RB • 30 at WAS Week 6 projections 9.6 Fantasy points View Profile

There's not a lot to like about Hyde this week, which lowers his upside to a flex option at best in the majority of leagues. He's still dealing with a hip injury for the past three weeks, and he's losing touches to rookie Matt Breida, with coach Kyle Shanahan saying he would use a hot-hand approach moving forward. That was the case in Week 5 at the Colts when Hyde played 33 snaps compared to 35 for Breida. This game could get lopsided quickly with the Redskins offense playing against a tired 49ers defense, which could take Hyde off the field. And the Redskins have allowed just one rushing touchdown for the season. I'm nervous about Hyde's outlook this week.

Wide receivers

Start 'Em 9.4 Projected points Michael Crabtree Oakland Raiders WR Crabtree came back from his one-game absence from a chest injury with a strong performance against the Ravens in Week 5. He had six catches for 82 yards and a touchdown on eight targets from EJ Manuel, and Crabtree should benefit this week with Carr expected back under center. Amari Cooper has been awful this year, so Crabtree has carried this receiving corps. And he has a great track record against the Chargers with a touchdown in each of the past four meetings going back to the past two years. 7.0 Projected points Devin Funchess Carolina Panthers WR Funchess is expected to play in Week 6 against the Eagles despite dealing with a knee injury, and hopefully he won't be limited on the field. He's been great since Greg Olsen (foot) went down in Week 2 with 27 targets in his past three games for 18 catches, 181 yards and three touchdowns. He's been a big part of Newton's turnaround in the past two games, and I like Funchess better than Kelvin Benjamin as a Fantasy option for the second week in a row. You can still start Benjamin (7.3 projected points), and both receivers should take advantage of this matchup with the Eagles, who allow the second-most Fantasy points to opposing receivers. 7.6 Projected points Golden Tate Detroit Lions WR Tate is due for a big game, and it could easily happen this week against the Saints. He has just one touchdown on the season and two games with double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league, but he's combined for just six Fantasy points in the past two games against Minnesota and Carolina. Tate loves facing the Saints, and he has 24 catches for 344 yards and four touchdowns in his past three meetings with New Orleans going back to 2014. I'm expecting this to be Tate's breakout game in 2017. 8.5 Projected points Will Fuller Houston Texans WR Fuller isn't going to score two touchdowns on a weekly basis, and his recent hot streak could easily end this week against the Browns. But it's worth the risk to keep him active in all leagues with the way Watson is playing in a matchup against Cleveland at home. Since being activated in Week 4 against Tennessee after being out with a broken collarbone to start the season, Fuller has six catches for 92 yards and four touchdowns on nine targets. He's averaging 16.0 Fantasy points a game, and he's been a tremendous pick up off waivers. We hope the fun doesn't stop this week, but Fuller is worth starting as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues. 7.6 Projected points Terrelle Pryor Washington Redskins WR One of the Redskins receivers is going to have a big game this week against the 49ers, and I hope it's Pryor. Maybe Josh Doctson (5.5 projected points) and Jamison Crowder (4.7 projected points) can also come through, as it's been a frustrating season all around this receiving corps. Thompson and Jordan Reed will also have a role, but Pryor finally scored in his last game against the Chiefs in Week 5 and will hopefully build off that performance of 13 Fantasy points in a standard league. The 49ers are among the league leaders in Fantasy points allowed to receivers and seven have either scored or gained 100 total yards against this defense. We hope Pryor and his teammates can deliver this week.

Sleeper wide receivers

Danny Amendola (at NYJ): He's been great for PPR owners in three of the four games he's been able to play this year, with at least six catches in three outings and either a touchdown or 77 receiving yards in those contests. In a standard league, Amendola has at least seven Fantasy points in three of four games. He's a solid No. 3 receiver in standard leagues and a starter in PPR.

John Brown (vs. TB): Brown has 14 targets in his past two games, and he scored his first touchdown of the season in Week 5 at Philadelphia. He's still dealing with a quad injury, which is something to monitor, but if he's able to play in Week 6 against Tampa Bay then he's worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver. The Buccaneers allow the most Fantasy points on average to opposing receivers this year.

Tyrell Williams (at OAK): The Raiders are prone to big plays, as Doctson caught a 52-yard touchdown in Week 3, and Mike Wallace went off for three catches for 133 yards last week. Maybe Travis Benjamin benefits from that in this matchup, but I don't mind trusting Williams as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week in all leagues.

Marvin Jones (at NO): Jones had a season high in targets (eight), catches (six ) and yards (54) last week against Carolina, and he could also have a big game like Tate this week against the Saints. You want to get people in this game on your Fantasy roster given the potential of offensive fireworks, and Las Vegas has this matchup as the highest-scoring game for the week at 51 total points. He doesn't have the best matchup given the Saints' cornerbacks on the outside, but he's still worth trusting based on the potential volume this week.

JuJu Smith-Schuster (at KC): With the narrative coming out that Martavis Bryant may play less this week, that should lead to Smith-Schuster getting a bump in targets. His season high is seven, which was last week against Jacksonville, and he's scored a touchdown in two of his past four games overall. If Smith-Schuster remains in the slot, he will likely match up with Chiefs cornerback Phillip Gaines, which is a matchup for Ben Roethlisberger to exploit. He's a potential No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week.

Sit 'Em 6.2 Projected points DeVante Parker Miami Dolphins WR Parker is dealing with an ankle injury, which could keep him out or limited this week. And it's hard to trust him given the state of Miami's offense coming into this game. Parker hasn't been awful this season with 18 catches for 230 yards and a touchdown on 27 targets in his first three games before hurting his ankle against the Titans. He's facing a Falcons defense that has allowed just two receivers to score double digits in Fantasy points, which were Davante Adams and Tate. Parker is just a No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week at best. 7.1 Projected points Sammy Watkins Los Angeles Rams WR If things weren't bad enough for Watkins already, he has a brutal matchup this week against the Jaguars on the road. Watkins has combined for nine Fantasy points in four of five games this season if you take away his explosion in Week 3 at San Francisco when he scored 22 points. He only has six targets in his past two games, and we hope coach Sean McVay sticks to his word of trying to get Watkins more involved. That's nice, but don't expect it to matter this week against Jacksonville, which has allowed one touchdown to a receiver this year. Watkins is a low-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver at best in this matchup. 6.9 Projected points Amari Cooper Oakland Raiders WR We hope Carr's return to health helps Cooper, who looks lost right now. He has no Fantasy points in his past three games combined, and he has just three points in his past four outings overall. Over that span, Cooper has eight catches for 56 yards and no touchdowns on 20 targets. Drops have plagued Cooper, and hopefully a turnaround is coming soon. But you can't trust him this week, and he should remain on your bench. However, owners looking to buy low on Cooper should do so now. In the event he plays well this week against the Chargers, it could ruin your potential to acquire him cheap. 7.3 Projected points Martavis Bryant Pittsburgh Steelers WR Bryant's had a hard time playing on the road in his career, and that makes him a risky start, along with all the other issues with the Steelers that have this team looking lost. I actually expect Pittsburgh's offense to play well this week against the Chiefs, but I still can't trust Bryant given his track record on the road. In 12 career road games, Bryant has combined for 37 catches for 555 yards and three touchdowns. Now, his lone road touchdown in 2015 came at Kansas City, so maybe he can recreate that magic again. I need to see it first before trusting him, and he's just a No. 3 Fantasy receiver at best this week. 6.9 Projected points Randall Cobb Green Bay Packers WR Cobb has had some good moments this year and is still worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week in the majority of leagues if needed. But he's not a must-start option given his track record against the Vikings. He also just had a dud game at Dallas in Week 5 with four catches for 29 yards on five targets, and he's been at fewer than 50 receiving yards in each of the past two games. In his past five games against the Vikings, Cobb has just 20 catches for 195 yards and two touchdowns against Minnesota, and he failed to score double digits in Fantasy points in any outing. Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams are the preferred Packers receivers in this matchup with Minnesota.

Bust Alert

Demaryius Thomas NYJ • WR • 18 vs. NYG Week 6 projections 7.6 Fantasy points View Profile

It's been 10 games since Thomas scored a touchdown going back to last year, and he has just one game with double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league over that span. He's still worth starting in all PPR leagues, but Thomas could struggle this week if he's matched up with Giants' cornerback Janoris Jenkins. Only one No. 1 receiver has scored against the Giants this year -- Mike Evans in Week 4, and that touchdown came against cornerback Eli Apple, not Jenkins. Thomas is just a No. 3 Fantasy receiver at best in Week 6.

Tight ends

Start 'Em 5.9 Projected points Austin Seferian-Jenkins New York Jets TE This is another great matchup against the Patriots for Seferian-Jenkins, who took advantage of a favorable situation last week against the Browns. He delivered a quality Fantasy outing against Cleveland with six catches for 29 yards and a touchdown on eight targets, and he should stay hot this week. The targets and catches were a season high in Week 5, and this was his first touchdown of the year. He's worth trusting again this week against the Patriots, who have allowed a tight end to score in four of five games this season. 5.9 Projected points Hunter Henry Los Angeles Chargers TE Henry is starting to get going lately, and he now has at least seven Fantasy points in a standard league in three of his past four games. He had a season-high eight targets in Week 5 at the Giants, and he finished with three catches for 42 yards and a touchdown. He has another favorable matchup this week against the Raiders, who have allowed three tight ends to score at least seven Fantasy points in a standard league this year. And in two games against Oakland last year, Henry combined for six catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns. 4.7 Projected points Ryan Griffin Houston Texans TE Griffin has missed out on the fun the past two weeks while Watson has passed for nine touchdowns against Tennessee and Kansas City, but that should change this week. Griffin, who only has four catches for 35 yards on nine targets in his past two outings, gets to face the Browns. Only the Giants allow more Fantasy points to opposing tight ends, and Cleveland has already allowed four tight ends to score at least eight Fantasy points this season. He's a great streaming option in Week 6.

Sleeper tight ends

George Kittle (at WAS): Kittle is starting to get more involved over the past two weeks, and he has 12 targets for nine catches, 118 yards and one touchdown over that span. This week, Kittle faces a Redskins defense that has allowed four tight ends to score at least nine Fantasy points on the season, with one in every game. Kittle is a great streaming option in all leagues.

A.J. Derby (vs. NYG): Derby is a great one-week flier based on the matchup. He faces the Giants in Week 6, and they have allowed the most touchdowns to opposing tight ends with six, with six tight ends reaching double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league. He's the leader in targets among tight ends in Denver with 13, but he only has one game with quality production, which was Week 4 against Oakland with four catches for 75 yards and a touchdown. Still, given the opponent, he's worth the risk if you need a one-week starter.

Zach Miller (at BAL): It was fluky how Miller got his first touchdown of the season in Week 5 when a tipped pass from Mitchell Trubisky that should have been an interception landed in Miller's lap in the end zone against the Vikings. But the nice thing about Trubisky's first start was he targeted Miller seven times, as Miller finished with his best Fantasy outing of nine points. We hope this is the start of something good with the rookie quarterback, and Miller is worth using as a low-end starter in Week 6 at Baltimore.

Sit 'Em 5.5 Projected points Coby Fleener New Orleans Saints TE With Snead expected to return this week, that should mark the end of Fleener as a quality Fantasy tight end. He's already started to slip in the past two games, which makes him risky against the Lions. After starting the season with a touchdown in each of the first two games, Fleener has just three catches for 42 yards on five targets in his past two outings against Carolina and Miami. He's just a No. 2 Fantasy tight end at best this week. 4.8 Projected points Eric Ebron Detroit Lions TE Ebron hit a new low in Week 5 against Carolina with one catch for 6 yards on four targets. His struggles were magnified to Fantasy owners with Darren Fells scoring two touchdowns against the Panthers. We have no faith in Ebron in the immediate future, and he's not even worth starting in a good matchup against the Saints. For the season, Ebron has one game with 10 Fantasy points, which was Week 2 against the Giants. In his other four games, he's combined for just two Fantasy points. 5.3 Projected points Jared Cook Oakland Raiders TE Cook has been a nice player for the Raiders this season, but he once again has not been a consistent Fantasy option. He has one game with double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league, which was Week 3 at Washington. Otherwise he's combined for just 11 Fantasy points in his other four outings. He scored no points in Week 5 against Baltimore with Manuel under center, so getting Carr back will help. But the Chargers have not allowed a tight end to score this year.

Bust Alert

Ed Dickson SEA • TE • 84 vs. PHI Week 6 projections 5.6 Fantasy points View Profile

Dickson seems to be a big reason for Newton turning things around, and he's played well the past two weeks with eight catches for 237 yards on nine targets. But don't chase his career game against the Lions and think that's the norm moving forward. He had five catches for 175 yards on five targets in Week 5, but you're more likely to get the six Fantasy points he scored in Week 4 against New England this week against the Eagles. Philadelphia has allowed one tight end to score double digits in Fantasy points this year, Travis Kelce in Week 2. We doubt Dickson gets to double digits in points this week, and he's just a low-end starting option at best in most leagues.

Defense/Special Teams

Start 'Em

Jaguars (vs. LAR) - 10.5 Projected points

The Rams played a real defense for the first time this season in Week 5 against Seattle, and we all saw the results. Goff had two interceptions, a season high, and the Rams scored a season-low 10 points. It was much different than the results from beating up Indianapolis, San Francisco and Dallas over the first month of the year. The Jaguars DST has been awesome, and just had their best performance in Week 5 at Pittsburgh with two touchdowns, five interceptions and nine points allowed. Jacksonville has limited three teams (Houston, Baltimore and Pittsburgh) to single digits in points, and this should be another dominant performance for the Jaguars DST.

Sleeper DSTs

Falcons (vs. MIA): The Dolphins offense, or lack thereof, has helped many opposing DSTs this year. The Jets, Saints and Titans have all scored at least 15 Fantasy points, as the Dolphins have scored 19 points or less in every game this year. The Falcons DST only has one game this year with double digits in Fantasy points, Week 2 against Green Bay, but this is a great streaming option given the matchup with Miami.

Redskins (vs. SF): You know the drill by now. The 49ers should be tired after three road games in a row, including two in overtime, and the Redskins defense should be well rested coming off a bye week. The 49ers have also allowed two DSTs this season to score at least 14 Fantasy points, and they have given up nine sacks in their past three games.

Patriots (at NYJ): Even though the Jets have won three games in a row against Miami, Jacksonville and Cleveland, the opposing DSTs for the Jaguars and Browns have still played well, with at least 13 Fantasy points in each outing. For the season, the Dolphins are the only opposing DST with fewer than 13 Fantasy points against the Jets, and they have allowed eight sacks in the past two weeks. The Patriots DST has been a disappointment so far this year, but this is a good matchup to trust them as at least a streaming option.



Sit 'Em

Rams (at JAC) - 9.8 Projected points

We've been trained so much to think of playing the DST against the Jaguars in recent years because of Blake Bortles and his struggles. But that hasn't been the case this year. The Jaguars are among the league leaders in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing DSTs, and the Titans in Week 2 are the lone team to score more than seven Fantasy points against them. Bortles isn't throwing enough passes to make mistakes, and he only has four interceptions. He's also been sacked just five times, and the Jaguars are averaging nearly 28 points per game on offense. The Rams DST has played well this season and comes into this matchup with an interception in three games in a row and 15 total sacks on the year. But given how the Jaguars have played this year, especially at home, you might consider avoiding the Rams DST this week.

Kickers

Start 'Em

Dustin Hopkins WAS • K • 3 vs. SF Week 6 projections 9.6 Fantasy points View Profile

Hopkins has made multiple field goals in each of his past three games, but he's yet to score double digits in Fantasy points this year. That should change this week. The 49ers allow the most Fantasy points to opposing kickers, and three kickers have made at least three field goals in a game against San Francisco this year. Four kickers have also scored at least 11 Fantasy points against the 49ers, who have allowed the most field goals on the season with 15. Hopkins should be a top-five kicker this week.

Sleeper kickers

Wil Lutz (vs. DET): Don't forget about Lutz coming off his bye week, as he should continue to be among the best Fantasy kickers this year. He's scored at least eight Fantasy points in every game, including two games with at least 12 points, with 10 field goals in four outings. The Lions have only allowed two kickers to score at least nine Fantasy points this year, but this game should be a high-scoring affair, which works out for Lutz. If he's still available on waivers, go get him and lean on him as your starter for the rest of the season.

Brandon McManus (vs. NYG): McManus has scored 10 Fantasy points in each of his past two games, as he's made six field goals over that span. The Giants allow the fifth-most Fantasy points to opposing kickers and are third in field goal attempts allowed with 14. Four of five kickers have also made at least two field goals against the Giants, and McManus is worth trusting this week.

Nick Novak (at OAK): Novak was perfect in his return to the Chargers in Week 5 against the Giants with two field goals and three extra points and no missed kicks. Maybe the Chargers should have never given up on Novak, their kicker from 2011-14, and he has a good matchup this week against the Raiders, who have allowed multiple field goals in every game this season. Novak is a great streaming option this week.



Sit 'Em

Chris Boswell PIT • K • 9 at KC Week 6 projections 6.6 Fantasy points View Profile

Boswell has just one game this season with double digits in Fantasy points, Week 2 against Minnesota. In fact, his two best games have come at home against the Vikings (14 Fantasy points) and vs. the Jaguars in Week 5 (nine points). Otherwise, Boswell has scored eight Fantasy points or less in three games on the road, and he's averaging just 5.3 points over that span. The Chiefs have yet to allow a kicker to score double digits in Fantasy points this year, and we doubt Boswell is the guy to do it given his track record on the road. He should not be started this week.