We’re rapidly approaching the halfway point of the fantasy football season.
Time continues to make fools of us all. A long, tedious offseason of waiting, hot takes, and name-calling culminates in another NFL season that appears to be moving too quickly.
Bye weeks and injuries continue to wreak havoc on fantasy teams as teams relying on the likes of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Justin Jefferson may be looking elsewhere.
Nailing those start/sit questions is essential, especially for running backs!
Week 6 features a slew of RB starts that might require a little extra fortitude to submit. It’s paramount to appropriately gauge floors, upside, and exploitable matchups.
As always, remember this is just a game. There’s no need to target NFL players on social media for lackluster fantasy performances (ok, maybe sometimes).
Fire up The Wolf’s Week 6 Rankings and LET’S GO!
WEEK 6 RUNNING BACK START ‘EM
EMANUEL WILSON, SEA, VS. DENVER BRONCOS
Ignore the team name; this isn’t the 2025 Broncos. This defense actively promotes the “running back? Who cares” approach to its defense.
Vic Fangio has to be less than enthused about his defense’s ability to contain running backs, allowing 5.4 yards per touch to the position.
In fact, opposing backfields have averaged 25.3 fppg through five weeks, including four touchdowns on the ground and one through the air.
Wilson, while not impressive by any means, continues to handle the lion’s share of the backfield and is in a strong position to capitalize on a defense allowing 0.82 fantasy points per opportunity.
Still, over the last two weeks, Wilson has averaged 21.1 fantasy points per game, scoring three touchdowns on nearly 24 opportunities.
With Jadarian Price and Zach Charbonnet both sidelined, the odds are high that Wilson will have another strong fantasy day against a Broncos defense allowing the fourth-highest expected points added (EPA).
MARSHAWN LLOYD, GB, VS. DALLAS COWBOYS
I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Come close. *Whispers* The Dallas Cowboys are a bad defense.
Similar to the Broncos’ defense, the Cowboys have rolled out a proverbial welcome mat for opposing running backs, allowing seven TDs through five games.
Lloyd is not a smash play by any means. He’s managed only 2.8 YPC while operating as a primary cog in the Packers’ unimpressive ground game.
This season, Lloyd has only managed to force a missed tackle on 17% of his rush attempts while only 6% of his rushes go for more than 10 yards.
With what appears to be a reasonable hold on the backfield, Lloyd is still in position to put up good fantasy numbers.
Dallas has allowed the 7th-most fantasy points to opposing RBs, including nearly 18 fppg on the ground alone.
CAM SKATTEBO, NYG, VS. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
The questions are starting to grow. Is Skattebo actually a good RB, or is that gruesome leg injury he suffered last season still affecting him?
This season, Skattebo has produced -65 rush yards over expectation and has failed to distinguish himself from Najee Harris in terms of efficiency.
Fortunately, the Saints’ defense is literally the worst in football against the position, allowing 1.05 fantasy points per opportunity and per touch.
Over the last two weeks in particular, the Saints have surrendered 358 total rush yards.
Skattebo has a high likelihood of finding paydirt. The Saints have surrendered 10 rushing scores through five weeks.
Yes, you read that right. Skattebo is a strong play this week.
Other RB starts: Braelon Allen vs. NE, D’Andre Swift vs. ATL
WEEK 6 RUNNING BACK SIT ‘EM
JEREMIYAH LOVE, ARI, VS. LOS ANGELES RAMS
Love stunk up the joint last week against the Lions. Hazmat crews are still working to fumigate the area after what Love left on the field.
Managing just 22 yards on 12 carries and a goose in the receiving department is not going to cut it.
“I wasn’t too confident in terms of getting into some of those ‘scat’ protections and stuff like that and five-man protections. We wanted to have that extra body in there,” head coach Mike LaFleuer said of Love and the decision to prioritize Tyler Allgeier over the talented rookie.
There were a couple of times where I wanted to get him on some choice routes and stuff like that, but like I said I didn’t feel confident that we were going to be able to execute at the level that we needed to.”
Love’s managed fewer than 8 PPR points in three of his past four games, and the Rams have only allowed one running back (James Cook) in the end zone.
The Rams have only allowed 20.3 points per game to the position all season.
Now, with reports of Love missing practice and LaFleur wanting to get his ankle right and “do it the right way,” all signs point to Love being an easy fade this week.
At best, he’s a flex option.
JK DOBBINS, DEN, VS. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Punt the whole Broncos backfield like the offense has frequently done with Bo Nix and Sean Payton.
The Broncos rank 28th in points per drive (1.70), just ahead of the Cleveland Browns (1.55) and right behind the Philadelphia Eagles (1.74).
In other words, this offense STINKS.
Dobbins is coming off his best game of the year, with 18 carries for 68 yards and a score.
The Seahawks have allowed more fantasy points to the running back through the air (10.6 ppg) than on the ground (10.2).
While RJ Harvey only saw one target last week, it seemed like Payton was riding the hot hand more than anything.
Six running backs have eclipsed 11 fantasy points against Seattle, and Harvey has at least four catches in three of his last four.
Dobbins is likely the wrong running back in the backfield.
WOODY MARKS, HOU, vs. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
This is a volume play only. The Jaguars are a force against the running back position, allowing the third-fewest points to the position (16.3) and the eighth-fewest points per opportunity (0.70).
Only two running backs have scored double digits on the Jaguars all season.
Marks is coming off a 19-touch game against Tennessee, which he turned into 12.5 fantasy points.
Given his usage was worth an expected 16.3 fantasy points, he is a fringe RB2 play next week.
Other RB sits: Alvin Kamara vs. NYG, Omarion Hampton VS. KC
