Keeping fantasy teams moving in the right direction once bye weeks begin can be tough. When you add the massive amount of injuries fantasy managers are navigating to the mix, getting lineups set just right is more essential than ever! As always, I’m here to go through a handful of matchups at each position ahead of Week 6 to help guide that decision-making process on your way to a fresh W!

Be sure to check out Andy, Mike, and Jason’s weekly rankings for more of their perspective on each player!

Quarterbacks

Josh Allen (BUF) at NY Jets

It’s hard to fathom having to even consider whether or not Josh Allen should be started for fantasy, but back-to-back poor fantasy weeks have to make fantasy managers at least complete the thought exercise. Allen has really been feast or famine this season for fantasy managers, either finishing inside the top two QBs for the week or being a hole in lineups as the QB20 or worse. What’s encouraging is that Allen has been avoiding throwing interceptions that plagued him last season, but it’s possible not having a full arsenal of receiving options could be catching up to the Buffalo offense. Allen has only thrown for more than 250 yards once so far this season, a mark he hit in half his games last year. So even with a strong baseline for rushing production, the Bills’ passing game should be concerning for fantasy managers.

If Allen is going to get back on track, he’ll have a tough test to do so this week against the Jets’ defense. New York’s defense has allowed the fewest passing yards among teams who have played five games this season and the second-fewest passing TDs. For fantasy, those numbers have translated to being one of the worst matchups for QBs. The Jets’ defense hasn’t allowed a QB to finish higher than the QB23 and has only allowed more than 10 fantasy points to be scored by an opposing QB twice this season. If Allen is going to get back on track as the great fantasy asset that he’s been over the past several seasons, it would certainly make a statement to do so this week. Given the matchup though, it may make sense for fantasy managers to look for a streaming option if they can.

Kurt would prefer to play: Kirk Cousins at Carolina.

Justin Fields (PIT) at Las Vegas

The Justin Fields experience in Pittsburgh has been a bit different than the QB6 fantasy season we got back in 2022. While the on-field product had a strong start to the season for the Steelers, Fields has only finished as a top-12 QB once this season when he finished as the QB1 overall in Week 4 against the Colts. Perhaps the biggest difference in what we’re seeing from Fields this season is the lower attempts and production in the running game. In each of the last two seasons, Fields has averaged at least 10 rushing attempts and 50 rushing yards per game and scored a rushing TD in about every other game on average. So far this year though, Fields has only hit that mark twice, which can create a lower floor for fantasy production overall, especially when he’s throwing for less than 200 yards on average.

It may be that Fields is more of a streaming option depending on the matchup, and a game with Las Vegas could be a great chance for him to be productive in lineups. The Raiders’ defense came into the season viewed as one of the better defensive units in the league but has not been as advertised so far. The biggest strength to the Raiders’ defense coming into the year was their defensive line, but that unit just lost star DT Christian Wilkins for the season and Maxx Crosby is still recovering from an ankle sprain. For fantasy, over their last three games, the Raiders have allowed a top-10 QB finish twice, including just last week to Bo Nix. Fields may not be the every-week start he once was, but fantasy managers looking for a streaming play this week could do much worse for Week 6.

Kurt would play Fields over: C.J. Stroud at New England.

Running Backs

Tank Bigsby (JAX) at Chicago

A breakout game for Tank Bigsby could be the sign of an emerging fantasy option for the Jacksonville offense that has struggled to start the year. Bigsby had a career day posting his first-ever top-12 RB finish as the overall RB1 for Week 6 on the back of a huge TD run. Not to rain on the parade, but outside of Bigsby’s 65-yard run, he had 12 carries for just 36 yards which would be a pretty disappointing fantasy day given the great matchup against the Colts’ defense. What’s worth noting is that Bigsby has clearly carved out a solid role in this Jaguars offense alongside Travis Etienne so if he continues to show he’s capable of making big plays when given the opportunity, it may be something that can become sustained fantasy success going forward through the year.

For the most part this season, a matchup against the Bears has been something to avoid for fantasy purposes, but we’re seeing a trend that favors playing RBs against them. Chicago’s defense has allowed a top-15 RB in four of their five games this season, with three of those RB finishes ending up in the top 12. It is worth noting the Bears haven’t allowed two strong RB finishes from the same game, but with Etienne possibly injured at the moment, it might be Bigsby who gets the chance to put up solid fantasy numbers again this week. Fantasy managers should view Bigsby as a flex option with upside, especially if Etienne doesn’t come off the injury report.

Kurt would play Bigsby over: Rhamondre Stevenson vs Houston.

Braelon Allen (NYJ) vs Buffalo

After a hot start to the season as the backup in New York, Braelon Allen has cooled off a bit for fantasy. Allen has been a staple in the Jets’ offense since Week 2 when he finished as the RB8 overall, punching in two TDs on just 11 opportunities. Since then, Allen has averaged nearly 10 opportunities a game behind Breece Hall. Interestingly enough, Allen’s best fantasy finishes come when the Jets win games (RB8 and RB29) so there could be some connection to him being game-script dependent. Fantasy managers haven’t been overly pleased with the production they’ve gotten from Hall though, so there could be room for Allen to continue chipping away at the RB work. There’s also the coaching change to consider in Allen’s usage, which could affect how he’s being used in the offense overall.

If there’s a team to target with an RB duo like the Jets have, the Bills are the one. While Buffalo’s defense hasn’t been terrible on the season overall, their numbers are a bit skewed by the 62 fantasy points they allowed to Ravens RBs in Week 4. While the Jets aren’t bringing the running game that Baltimore has, both Derrick Henry and Justice Hill were able to finish as top-12 RBs against the Bills. Likewise, the Jets have shown they’re going to function through both Hall and Allen on the ground, so there’s fantasy relevance to be had for both in this matchup.

Kurt would play Allen over: Trey Sermon at Tennessee.

Chase Brown (CIN) at NY Giants

Any debate about who was going to lead the Bengals’ backfield has to be rekindled after Chase Brown has been given new life over the last two weeks. Brown started the season with three straight stinkers, finishing lower than the RB34 in each of his first three games. However, over the last two weeks, Brown has seen a combined 33 opportunities and finished as the RB6 and RB13. While fellow RB Zack Moss is still seeing nearly two-thirds of the snaps, Brown has been more productive with his touches which could signal a turning of the tide in how the Bengals are going to handle their RBs. When you add in that Moss is currently on the injury report with a foot issue, Brown may get his chance to be the main option for the Cincinnati offense and further cut into the workload.

Even if Brown gets the Cincinnati backfield to himself in Week 6, the Giants’ defense poses a tough matchup for fantasy RBs. New York’s defense has been solid against opposing RBs this season, allowing an average of just 14.4 fantasy points allowed to opposing teams’ RBs in the last three weeks. Even though the Giants aren’t giving up a ton to RBs, they’ve allowed a top-30 RB in all of their games this season despite allowing just one rushing TD on the year. Brown could be a flex option for fantasy managers this week though, especially if Moss doesn’t play.

Kurt would prefer to play: Najee Harris at Las Vegas.

Wide Receivers

Chris Olave (NO) vs Tampa Bay

Fantasy managers who bought into the Chris Olave experience have had a rough ride to start the season. Olave has finished as a top-24 WR just once this season, though he’s scored 10+ fantasy points in three of his five games, so he hasn’t killed your week if he’s been in your lineup consistently. The biggest issue with Olave for fantasy is that there just aren’t enough TDs coming his way. The Saints have the second-most rushing TDs in the league and it feels like Rashid Shaheed is more likely to catch a bomb TD than Olave becoming a consistent target in the red zone for New Orleans. What complicates Olave for the immediate fantasy usage is Derek Carr’s injury. With Carr already ruled out for Week 6, the Saints are turning to rookie Spencer Rattler which creates a lot of uncertainty for the offense as a whole, much less Olave.

All the uncertainty around what the Saints’ offense will look like could be aided by a great matchup against the Tampa Bay defense. The Buccaneers have allowed the fifth-most passing yards on the season and gave up a whopping 83.7 fantasy points to Falcons WRs last week. The strong matchup might not be enough to instill confidence for fantasy managers to keep, but a talented WR like Olave could provide a safety blanket for Rattler in his debut. Fantasy managers should temper expectations for Olave, but I’d still consider him a low-end WR2.

Kurt would play Olave over: Diontae Johnson vs Atlanta.

Tank Dell (HOU) at New England

After a stellar rookie season that got cut short due to injury, Tank Dell has yet to find his footing in the Texans’ offense in 2024. Dell has eclipsed 50+ receiving yards just once this season and is only seeing 11% of the team’s targets, down from the 20% he saw as a rookie. The insertion of Stefon Diggs has definitely changed the dynamic of the target allotment in Houston, but a door may have opened for Dell to make his way back into fantasy relevance with Nico Collins headed to IR. With Collins sidelined for at least four weeks, Dell will have the chance to re-establish himself into the WR pecking order with C.J. Stroud in the passing game.

If Dell is going to get rolling, a matchup against the Patriots could be a pathway to get headed in the right direction. New England’s defense has traditionally been difficult for fantasy, but this isn’t the unit we’re used to seeing shut players down like in the past. The Patriots’ defense has allowed the eighth-most passing yards to start the season and is rated as the 24th-ranked defense according to PFF. For fantasy, that has translated into four top-24 WR finishes in their first five games, though they haven’t allowed a top-24 WR in the last two weeks. One downside to Dell’s matchup is the measly 38 expected point total, so his chances of scoring may be limited. Given the increased opportunity that should be headed in Dell’s direction in Week 6, if fantasy managers don’t see an uptick in usage, it may be panic time for him as a fantasy asset.

Kurt would prefer to play: Darnell Mooney at Carolina.

Jalen Tolbert (DAL) vs Detroit

It’s been a slow burn, but the time for Jalen Tolbert to emerge in the Dallas offense may have finally come. Tolbert had the best game of his young career in Week 5, finishing as the WR14 against the Steelers, and could be even more necessary in the Cowboys’ offense with Brandin Cooks set to miss more time while on IR. As long as Tolbert continues to be on the field for the massive amount of snaps he saw last week, there will be plenty of opportunity for him to continue being a strong option for fantasy lineups with an extremely high ceiling.

Detroit’s defense presents a great matchup for Tolbert to back up his big week. The Lions are extremely tough against the run, allowing the fourth-fewest rushing yards in the league which forces offenses to go to the air against them to move the ball. In every game this season, Detroit’s defense has allowed at least 30 fantasy points to opposing WRs and has allowed a top-24 WR in each game they’ve played this season. As one of the hot waiver wire names for this week, fantasy managers who spent the FAAB or waiver priority to get Tolbert this week should feel confident in him returning on their investment.

Kurt would play Tolbert over: Christian Kirk at Chicago.

Tight Ends

Cade Otton (TB) at New Orleans

Being a part of one of the teams with the highest passing rate in the league has benefitted Cade Otton to start the year. While Otton hasn’t been stellar, over the last three weeks he’s averaged seven targets for five receptions and nearly 50 yards receiving which is more than most TEs can hang their hat on. Otton has also become a consistent red zone target for Baker Mayfield with a target inside the 20 in each of his last four games. While none of those targets have converted into TDs, having that type of valuable involvement is worth noting going forward.

When it comes to playing TEs against the Saints, it’s either been feast or famine this season. New Orleans has allowed 16+ points to opposing teams’ TEs twice this season, but on the other hand, has held opposing TEs under one point in two other weeks. Fantasy managers are going to have to decide which side of that line Otton is going to fall on this week, and the chances are that he’s more likely to disappoint than continue his high involvement in the Tampa Bay offense.

Kurt would rather play: Zach Ertz at Baltimore.

Tucker Kraft (GB) vs Arizona

The hottest TE name in the fantasy game right now is Tucker Kraft. The second-year TE has been on fire, finishing as the TE2 and TE1 overall in consecutive weeks behind a combined 141 yards and three TDs. Kraft has been a huge part of the Packers’ offense since Jordan Love returned from injury in Week 4, averaging 18% of the team’s targets and 82% of the targets at the TE position. As much as Kraft has been on the field, it feels like he’s cemented himself into the offense’s workload regardless of either Christian Watson or Romeo Doubs returning to the lineup in Green Bay.

For Kraft to continue his hot fantasy streak, he’s got a decent matchup against the Cardinals in Week 6. Arizona’s defense started strong against opposing TEs, only allowing opposing teams’ TEs to score a combined 6.1 fantasy points in their first two games. Over the last three weeks though, they’ve started allowing more production to the position, including a TE3 finish to George Kittle just last week. Given the current hot streak that Kraft is on, it will be hard to sit him if you’ve spent the FAAB to get him on your roster, but it’s encouraging to know the matchup could play into his hands for another big week.

Kurt would play Kraft over: Dalton Kincaid at NY Jets.