5 Start, 5 Sit for Week 6 of the 2024 NFL Season
Week 6! We’re getting into the meat of the 2024 season now, and the cream of this year’s crop is starting to rise. Some players that we thought would be dynamite this year have turned out to be pop rocks, and some undrafted guys have emerged as potential league winners. I’m going to take you through five guys I think you should be starting this week and five that you should leave on your bench.
Start:
Geno Smith vs SF – Start
Geno Smith has been one of the only quarterbacks this season that has been consistently getting close to 300 passing yards. Even though the Seahawks have a solid run game, they still throw the ball a ton. Through five weeks, Geno has the most pass attempts and completions in the league. This week, he gets the San Francisco defense, who have been tough, but not as tough as years past. I’m expecting somewhat of a shootout between these two teams and expect Geno to continue slinging it around. Geno has yet to throw more than one touchdown in a game, but I think this is the week.
Rico Dowdle vs DET- Start
In a relatively unsurprising turn of events, Rico Dowdle has taken the lead in the Cowboys running back room. His production has increased every week and he finally had a true break out last week against a stout Pittsburgh defense. Dowdle racked up 100+ yards from scrimmage while only playing 50% of the snaps. I don’t think Detroit’s defense is as good as the Steelers’, so if his volume remains the same, he should end up with steady, solid fantasy points going forward. With bye weeks in full swing now, Dowdle is a great choice to fill in this week.
Darnell Mooney vs CAR – Start
Mooney has been a fantasic addition to the Falcons’ offense this year. His production has been a bit boom-or-bust, but when he booms, he BOOMS. Last week in Tampa Bay he caught 9 of 16 targets for 105 yards and two touchdowns. With all of the dynamic weapons the Falcons have, you might not expect Mooney to rise above like this. I think that it’s because of those weapons that Mooney has been able to slip through the cracks. This weeks’ game against Carolina doesn’t present a huge challenge, but with division games, anything can happen. I like Mooney this week and as a great depth option for the rest of the season.
Dalton Schultz vs NE – Start
I mentioned a few weeks ago that Schultz probably would be productive unless something opens up a path for more targets. Unfortunately, the monkey’s paw has curled and Nico Collins is now on IR. Even in the game where Collins was injured, Schultz recorded a season high in targets and points. At least for the next few weeks, I think he will be a startable tight end option. New England is a difficult defense to face when you’re down your #1 receiver and running back, so I think the Texans are going to have to make things happen through the air. With Christian Gonzalez likely following Stefon Diggs around, Schultz should have more opportunities this week than ever.
Travis Etienne/Tank Bigsby vs CHI – Start
This recommendation is more about the matchup than the player and since Etienne is currently questionable to play, I’m including Bigsby here. Certainly though, Bigsby’s explosion last week helps his case even if Etienne does play. This season, Chicago has allowed running backs to have the best games of their season when playing them (except Joe Mixon who was injured in the game). Etienne has remained relatively quiet so far this year, likely due to the Jaguars always playing from behind. The Bears also have been inconsistent, so I’m expecting Etienne/Bigsby to be much more involved in this game.
Sit:
Justin Herbert vs DEN – Sit
The Chargers have been mostly a run first team this year and Herbert’s fantasy numbers can prove that. Herbert has fewer attempts and completions than Andy Dalton (who didn’t play until week 3) and is currently the 29th ranked quarterback. He also has yet to throw for more than 200 yards in a game. On top of having a very low caliber passing offense, the Chargers have to play arguably the best defense in the league this week. I’m pretty sure most of you are low on starting Herbert in general, but I think this week could result in a sub 10-point game.
Rachaad White vs NO – Sit
White has been pretty disappointing this season, especially after having such a great year last year. His volume has been getting lower with each week and rookie Bucky Irving has been eating into his touches. White’s big claim to fame last year was his effectiveness out of the backfield, but the new offensive scheme doesn’t seem to allow for the same production for him. The Saints’ defense has been pretty good this year and I think they will continue to keep White contained for another week.
Rashid Shaheed vs TB – Sit
On the other side of the ball, I would also shy away from Rashid Shaheed. Shaheed really started to do well once Derek Carr got comfortable in New Orleans. Now that Carr is going to be sidelined for a few games and Spencer Rattler will be making his first career start, I worry about the production of all of the Saints’ weapons. Much like the Saints, the Bucs’ defense has been pretty good this year and have been dealing with Shaheed’s deep routes twice a year for three years now. I think they’ll be able to keep him locked down and Rattler won’t be able to get him the ball like Carr could.
Dallas Goedert vs CLE – Sit
As well as Goedert has been playing with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith out, now that they’re back, I think he will take a step back. As an Eagles fan, I wish it wasn’t the case, but I think we have to wait and see how Goedert is going to be used going forward. The Eagles’ offense, even with their star receivers, have looked weak most of the time against defenses that really aren’t fantastic. I don’t think the Browns are a particularly scary opponent, but given how the team has played this year, I would not expect Goedert to match his points for the past few weeks.
J.K. Dobbins vs DEN – Sit
Dobbins started the season hot but has cooled off quite a bit since then. As soon as the Chargers started playing teams with good run defenses, his efficiency plummeted. This week, he gets to face another elite run defense in Denver. Combining this with my blurb about Justin Herbert above, basically you should just avoid the Chargers as a whole this week. After this week, the Chargers’ opponents get much easier, but for now, I’d keep dobbins on your bench.
If you want more offensive start/sit advice, follow me on X @TFFGRobbie. If you need IDP start/sit advice, give @ThePPRShow a follow as well.