Welcome back to FanDuel Picks Week 6, your one-stop shop for the best daily fantasy football advice. If not for the Falcons, Week 5 could have been a banner week for you faithful followers. Unfortunately, we had to put up with a surprise stinker and settle for a middling day. A few silver linings first. The RB heavy approached again played a pivotal role in collecting major cash, seeing FanDuel selections Todd Gurley (31.3), Melvin Gordon (20.0), James Conner (32.5), David Johnson (20.1), and T.J. Yeldon (22.2) all enjoy high-end performances. As a creature of habit, I tend to stick to the phrase “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, so once again we will be spending the majority of our cap dollars on high-end, high-volume runners. As a note, these picks are based on Sunday only leagues, so players on Thursday, Sunday night, and Monday night will be ignored.
Quarterbacks
- Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons ($8,300) – Sticking with the old man sayings in this article, “Fool me once, shame on…..shame on you. Fool me…can’t get fooled again.” Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons again have a prime matchup against a poor pass defense, welcoming the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the Georgia Dome. The Bucs have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season, and each quarterback has thrown for at least 330 yards, and three times has the defense allowed a 25+ point fantasy performance in four games. Oh, and passers have a 13:1 TD:INT ratio. In Ryan’s three home games this year, he has accounted for a whopping 12 total touchdowns, and has turned the ball over just once. The Falcons have the highest implied team total this week at just over 30 points, so Ryan could really light up this horrendous Tampa Bay secondary.
- Andy Dalton, QB, Cincinnati Bengals ($7,500) – The Pittsburgh Steelers allow the second most points to opposing quarterbacks, and this week travel to Cincinnati to take on the NFL’s biggest surprise team. The Bengals (4-1) are lead by the Red Rocket himself, Andy Dalton, who has thrown for multiple touchdowns in four of his five games this year. A shootout is brewing in this divisional rivalry matchup with the second highest game total this week (52.5). Look for Dalton and his elite weapons to manhandle a struggling Steeler defense.
Running Back
- Todd Gurley, RB, Los Angeles Rams ($9,500) – At this point, you know the drill. Week 2? Yup. Week 3? You betcha. Week 5? Naturally. Todd Gurley has appeared on each iteration of the weekly FanDuel article, except Week 1 (his second lowest point total this year, nice swerve by yours truly) and Week 4 (could not be selected on Thursday night). And really, why shouldn’t I recommend him every week? Gurley has scored at least 22.1 FanDuel points in each game this year. He has yet to receive less than 20 touches, and in the one game in which he totaled less than 100 yards, he scored three times. As the best and most consistent player in the fantasy world (and maybe the NFL), expect this potential League MVP to keep trucking against a Denver defense that just allowed Isaiah Crowell and Bilal Powell to rush for 318 yards on 35 carries, good for a decent 9.09 yards per carry.
- Melvin Gordon, RB, Los Angeles Chargers ($8,800) – Another weekly staple, Melvin Gordon should again receive heavy volume Week 6 on the road against an up-and-coming Browns team. The Chargers only project as a 1 point favorite, meaning a positive game script and serious high volume could be in store for the Charger’s premier player. While lacking the mega-point consistency of Gurley, Gordon still can be relied on for a high floor and endless ceiling as he has scored at least 15.4 FanDuel points in all five of his games, 4 times topping the 20 point mark. Gordon ranks second to Keenan Allen in targets, receptions and receiving yards, and ranks first on the team in receiving TDs (3). His all purpose usage makes him a weekly elite RB1.
- Tevin Coleman, RB, Atlanta Falcons ($6,300) – With Devonta Freeman‘s (foot) status in question Week 6, Tevin Coleman immediately becomes an undervalued FanDuel player with RB1 potential in a shootout with the Bucs. Coleman performed admirably while Freeman was out prior, and will continue to reel in heavy volume if Freeman were to miss Sunday’s affair.
- Jordan Howard, RB, Chicago Bears ($6,200) – The surprise Chicago Bears travel to Miami as a three point road favorite (the Bears! a road favorite!), where possession and clock management will be their keys to victory. Jordan Howard, lead-dog running back in the Bears offense, saw his FanDuel price plummet after a disappointing 11 carry, 25 yard performance Week 4 against Tampa. However, the Dolphins have allowed the fifth most fantasy points to opposing running backs. While Tarik Cohen has serious and sneaky boom potential, Howard has the guaranteed volume and major upside due to his running prowess.
- Ronald Jones II, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($5,600) – In case you would prefer a sneaky, dark horse option to go along with a top end back, I would be comfortable rolling Ronald Jones II. The Falcons have allowed the third most fantasy points to opposing running backs this year, most recently by the aforementioned James Connor for a beautiful line of 25 touches for 185 total yards and 2 scores. We told you about Jones a while ago, highlighting Peyton Barber‘s struggles and the potential for a role reversal coming off the bye. I feel it, down in my plums.
Wide Receiver
- A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals ($8,800) – Well, since we love Dalton so much, it only makes sense to stack with with superstar wideout A.J. Green. Green continues to be Dalton’s non-red-headed love child even through the emergence of Tyler Boyd as Green has seen at least 8 targets in every game this year. True, besides that Thursday night 3 touchdown performance Green has been relllllllatively quiet, but the ultra-talented Green has serious FanDuel potential in a track meet matchup against Pittsburgh.
- Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons ($8,500) – The third ranked wideout in terms of receiving yards this year has yet to score a touchdown. How can that be? Julio Jones is an all world wideout, and arguably the best in the game. And while he has twice put on dazzling performances of 169 yards or more, he has yet to show the consistency of a true WR1 talent. He beat Tampa like a drum last year to the sweet tune of 12-253-2 TDs in the Georgia Dome. With monstrous upside, I want all of Julio I can get. And on that note, lets watch the greatest drummer of all time John Bonham rock out to the greatest drum solo of all time in Moby Dick.
- Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Denver Broncos ($6,700) – Usually not a good idea to go up against one of the stingiest pass defenses in the league, but as a touchdown home underdog, Case Keenum and the Broncos will likely abandon all hopes of the run in efforts to keep pace with the juggernaut LA Rams. And while Emmanuel Sanders has cooled off since Week 1, he still has the volume (team leader in targets, receptions, and receiving yards) and big play potential (6 receptions of 20+ yards) to put up points in a hurry.
- Robby Anderson, WR, New York Jets ($5,500) – With all that spending, we need to find a cheap wideout option with serious boom potential. Oh, hello Robby Anderson, my old friend. Anderson burst onto the scene and into fantasy relevance in 2017, but has yet to find that rapport with quarterback Sam Darnold. Well in Week 5, they definitely found it. Darnold and Anderson connected for an eye-opening 123 yards on just 3 receptions and two touchdowns, good for 25.8 FanDuel points. The boom is there, and at his price he is one of the better plays Week 6 against a leaky Colts secondary.
Tight End
- C.J. Uzomah, TE, Cincinnati Bengals ($5,100) – C.J. Uzomah more than doubled Tyler Kroft‘s snaps Week 5 (55 to 24), proving he is the lead TE dog in Cincy. In Week 6, Uzomah gets a Steelers defense that has allowed the second most points to opposing tight ends, most recently a 9-77 game by Austin Hooper. With Green likely to garner a lot of attention, Uzomah could fly freely in the middle of the field.
- Cameron Brate, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($4,500) – O.J. Howard (knee) was a limited participant at practice Wednesday, but I see no chance of him suiting up Sunday. So “backup” tight end Cameron Brate will take over the lead tight end duties for at least Week 6. We all know about Jameis Winston‘s love affair with Brate, and that will only continue with the Bucs and Falcons flying up and down the Georgia Dome.
Defense
- Houston Texans DST ($4,700) – Who is playing the Bills? OK, add them to your FanDuel roster! This week the Houston Texas DST gets to sink its defensive claws into the anemic Buffalo Bills offensive attack. The Bills are projected for the lowest team total Sunday (just 15.5 points), so the ravenous Texans should score early and often at home as double digit favorites.
- Indianapolis Colts DST ($3,500) – A surprising pick here given the complete ineptitude of the Indianapolis Colts DST. But we again spent like drunken sailors at RB above, so we need to save cash. The Jets have allowed opposing defense to score 8 or more FanDuel points in 4 of 5 contests this year, and (quite surprisingly) the Colts have registered at least 8 FanDuel points in 3 of their 5 games. Some silver linings here, but again, caveat emptor.
And that’s a wrap for Fanduel Week 6 analysis. Remember to always look at the matchups and Vegas totals, which are always telling, and do not be afraid to admit they know more than you, because they usually do. Until next time, good luck and don’t forget to tip me 10% of your earnings. Thanks in advance.
To contact me with any questions or general fantasy football discussion, please email me at redsocker45@gmail.com or tweet me @AJGamballer.
