Fantasy Football Points Allowed: Best & Worst Matchups (Week 6)

We are officially in the full swing of the fantasy football season now. With byes and injuries decimating lineups, it’s key to put your best foot forward every single week. With that in mind, we can lean on FantasyPros’ fantasy points allowed tool to help make tough start/sit decisions for Week 6.

The majority of matchups aren’t too impactful, but there are always a few obstacles at every position that should make you think twice before starting (or benching) a player. Without further ado, here are the players at every position with the most important fantasy football matchups to know for Week 6.

Fantasy Points Allowed: Best & Worst Matchups (Week 6)

Week 6 Quarterback Fantasy Football Matchups

Good Matchup: Matthew Stafford (QB – LAR) @ Baltimore Ravens

Matthew Stafford is on a tear, with back-to-back outings of at least 25 fantasy points. He has a great opportunity to make it three in a row this week, as the Ravens rank second in the league with 24.6 points per game given up to opposing quarterbacks.

Especially important for Stafford, given that he is an immobile pocket passer, Baltimore also leads the league with 2.6 passing touchdowns given up per game. Even though his floor is still relatively low, Stafford is a worthwhile streaming option in this matchup.

Bad Matchup: Justin Fields (QB – NYJ) vs. Denver Broncos

Like Matthew Stafford, Justin Fields is also coming off back-to-back big games. However, he does not have a good situation in which to keep it rolling this week, as he faces a Broncos defense allowing just 13.2 points per game to opposing quarterbacks.

Denver also ranks dead last with a grand total of three rushing yards per game given up to opposing quarterbacks. That’s despite them having faced three at least vaguely mobile quarterbacks in Daniel Jones, Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts.

Of course, Fields is one of the league’s best rushing quarterbacks and consistently sees more volume than any of the aforementioned names. But rushing volume alone is not enough to provide a quality fantasy outing. Remember, Fields was well on his way to an absolute fantasy stinker in Week 2, with fewer than five points in over three quarters. In a tough matchup where New York has just a 17.5-point team total, his shockingly low floor might rear its ugly head again.

Week 6 Running Back Fantasy Football Matchups

Good Matchup: Ashton Jeanty (RB – LV) vs. Tennessee Titans

I wasn’t sure if Ashton Jeanty even qualified for this column, as the first-round rookie may already have established himself as a fantasy must-start. But if he hasn’t already, he should this week. The Titans rank third in the league with 28 points per game given up to opposing backs, and they would be even higher if Emari Demercado had held onto the ball.

Meanwhile, Jeanty has truly cemented himself as the Raiders’ bell cow back, with 35 attempts and eight targets on a 63% snap share over the last two weeks. At home in the dome in Vegas, he should have a big game against this very exploitable Titans defense.

Bad Matchup: Derrick Henry (RB – BAL) vs. Los Angeles Rams

There’s a chance I’m going to come at the king and miss here, but I’m worried about Derrick Henry this week against the Rams. After a big Week 1, the 31-year-old has averaged just 7.2 half-PPR points over the last four games. After easily leading the league in Pro Football Focus (PFF) rush grade last season, he ranks 56th out of 58 qualified backs so far this season.

Meanwhile, the Rams’ defense has allowed the second-fewest points per game to opposing backs. They have allowed the seventh-fewest yards per game on the ground and have yet to allow a rushing score to a running back. Especially if Lamar Jackson is out again (which seems likely), Henry may find it tough to find open running lanes.

Henry has also been game-script-dependent even at his peak, and the Ravens are 7.5-point underdogs in this one. Put it all together, and benching the King this week is a more reasonable decision than it might seem at first glance.

Week 6 Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Matchups

Good Matchup: Tetairoa McMillan (WR – CAR) vs. Dallas Cowboys

So far this season, the first-round rookie has been just OK from a fantasy perspective. He has averaged 9.4 half-PPR points per game, tied for 32nd among receivers. However, his usage has been excellent: A 23% target share and a 42% air yards share. In fact, he also ranks 14th at the position in receiving yards. The real issue has been touchdowns, as Tetairoa McMillan has yet to record his first NFL score.

Luckily, McMillan is in a perfect position for that to change this week. The Cowboys are tied for the league lead with exactly two touchdowns per game given up to opposing wideouts. Even if McMillan doesn’t hit pay dirt, Dallas’ defense also ranks first in yards per game allowed. At home against a beatable Dallas defense, the Panthers have a healthy 23.5-point total. If they’re going to get there, McMillan will certainly be involved. Fire him up with confidence as a WR2.

Bad Matchup: Khalil Shakir (WR – BUF) @ Atlanta Falcons

Funny enough, Khalil Shakir is actually the player tied with Tetairoa McMillan in points per game. However, he has gotten there in the opposite way, with two touchdowns on mediocre usage. Mediocre might be generous, as Shakir has just an 18% target share and a 10% air yards share on a 73% route participation rate for the season.

Of course, playing with Josh Allen makes it easier to score on mediocre usage (just ask Dalton Kincaid). However, this is an especially terrible matchup for Shakir. Not only do the Falcons rank as the sixth-toughest matchup for receivers, but they have allowed just 19.9 points to players lined up in the slot, easily the lowest number in the league (albeit in one fewer game than most teams).

That’s not good news for Shakir, who has run 66% of his routes this season out of the slot. He’s normally a viable boom/bust Flex, but Shakir looks more likely to bust than boom this week.

Week 6 Tight End Fantasy Football Matchups

Good Matchup: Tucker Kraft (TE – GB) vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Sometimes, things are simple. The Bengals lead the league with 15.2 points per game given up to opposing tight ends. Tucker Kraft is sometimes lost in the shuffle in Green Bay’s offense, but he still ranks sixth so far this season in points per game. Fire him up with confidence as a TE1 this week.

Bad Matchup: Dalton Kincaid (TE – BUF) @ Atlanta Falcons

I didn’t realize it at the time, but I guess I was foreshadowing this pick in Khalil Shakir’s writeup. Just like Shakir, Dalton Kincaid has gotten by this season despite mediocre usage (a 16% target share on a 56% route participation rate) thanks to touchdowns (three). Just like Shakir, Kincaid runs the majority of his routes (56%) from the slot, where we already know Atlanta’s defense is legit.

Making matters worse, the Falcons have actually shut down tight ends no matter where they line up. Tight ends against Atlanta’s defense have scored a miserable 3.2 points per game. The Falcons haven’t faced any truly elite tight ends, but that stat does include respectable matchups with Zach Ertz and T.J. Hockenson. Kincaid could still score another touchdown, in which case none of this matters. But if he doesn’t, bad usage and a brutal matchup will likely combine to result in a rough fantasy outing.

Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | TuneIn