We are halfway through the fall semester, excluding finals week, and have completed nearly a third of the NFL season! What does this mean exactly? Well, this signals a critical point for both academic and Fantasy Football success. So, if you’re looking to turn around your grades or maintain that 4.0, make sure to hit the library. And if you’re seeking a fantasy comeback or want to continue that win streak, then check out this week’s Fantasy Forecast.
The Valedictorians: Players in the 1 Spot
As we head into Week 6, injuries and upsets have caused several teams to completely fall apart. Although, if you look at the backfield of the Denver Broncos, you’ll see that running back J.K. Dobbins has been as steady as a rock. The fifth-year player has put up consistent fantasy performances all season and will look to continue that this Sunday against the New York Jets. His 20-carry, 79-yard performance this past week against a hardy Philly defense suggests he’ll have a walk in the park against the Jets. If Dobbins is one of your players, make sure he finds the starting lineup.
Check the headlines from last Sunday night’s game, and most will read something about ice melting in Maye. This clever pun alludes to the New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and his gritty showdown against the Buffalo Bills. The nail-biter highlighted all of Maye’s capabilities and boosted the team’s confidence as they look to battle a 1-4 New Orleans Saints.
While Boston celebrates the glitz and glamour of beating Josh Allen, they do so without running back Antonio Gibson, who suffered a torn ACL in the second quarter. This means fantasy users can expect to see more passing plays, making Maye a desirable start.
The best thing a team can wish for is an easy win after a bye week. For the Green Bay Packers, that may just come true in Week 6 as they welcome the Cincinnati Bengals to Lambeau Field. If Cincinnati’s secondary has taught fantasy users anything, it’s that opposing wide receivers have a good chance to secure easy targets and rack up their points. This means that Green Bay’s wide receiving corps, Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson, should have a field day against the Bengals. In addition to the lackadaisical opponent, Jayden Reed being on the IR means Doubs or Watson must find your lineup this Sunday.
The Low GPAs (Gridiron Performance Average)
The Carolinas are always looking for more tourists to walk along their white sand beaches and explore the Appalachian Mountains. They should also add a new starting QB to that list, as Bryce Young is not getting the job done. The Alabama alum has coughed up seven turnovers this season, four through the air and three on the ground. Apart from a breakout game early in Week 2, Young has yet to exceed 13 points in fantasy. As the Panthers clash with the Cowboys this Sunday, fantasy users should stray from Young and seek other options.
Sandcastles, cornbread and the Bengals’ offensive line all have something in common: they crumble easily under little pressure. While this has been an issue in Cincinnati for years, the O-line is showing its faults in full this season. This makes it hard for anyone in the backfield to do their job and, more importantly, harder to do it well. RB Chase Brown has fallen victim to this, and his fantasy records reflect that. The Bengals must face the Packers, who will be fresh off a bye and equipped with defensive star Micah Parsons. If you haven’t done so already, sit Chase Brown and look for alternatives.
Few NFL players can play past the age of 30. Even fewer dare to go past 40. In his ninth season, Cooper Kupp is showing he is no exception. The 32-year-old veteran is failing to display the fantasy performances he once did for the L.A. Rams. As the Seattle Seahawks’ number two wide out, Kupp has yet to score a touchdown all season or break double-digit receptions in a game. The Seahawks will look to go 4-2 this Sunday against the fairly matched Jacksonville Jaguars. If Kupp is sitting in your flex spot, perhaps it’s time to retire him to the bench and start someone else.
As always, best of luck Huskies.