Fantasy Football Week 6 position previews
BOSTON -- We're nearly a third of the way through the 2022 NFL season (it gets a bit complicated with an odd number of games), so fantasy-wise, you're either really enjoying yourself or you're ready to retire from the pretend sport for the rest of your life.
Granted, that's just an empty threat that everyone makes at some point. But with a bunch of injuries hitting the league, especially among top running backs, it really isn't helping those frustrated fantasy owners every week.
That's why we turn to CBS Sports' fantasy football expert Heath Cummings, who passes along an in-depth breakdown of each position every week. It makes life a lot easier on anyone stressing out about building their fantasy lineup.
So stop sweating/cursing/crying and study up for Week 6.
Quarterback
Buffalo's Josh Allen (@ Kansas City), Baltimore's Lamar Jackson (@ NY Giants), Philadelphia's Jalen Hurts (vs. Dallas), Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes (vs. Buffalo), and L.A. Chargers' Justin Herbert (vs. Denver on Monday Night Football) are the top QB plays in Week 6.
But it's hard to ignore Geno Smith's success in Seattle, and Cummings says to start him until he cools off.
"He leads the NFL with a 75.2% completion percentage and a 113.2 passer rating. And while I'm not certain he'll remain a starter all year long, there's no doubt you should start him in Week 6 against a Cardinals defense that has been mediocre at best this season," he wrote. "In fact, I would start him over the opposing quarterback in that game, Kyler Murray."
Smith has averaged 23.2 fantasy points per game this season, which is fifth-best in the league.
Read Cummings' full quarterback preview here.
Running Back
We mentioned all the injuries to running backs, so here's a quick rundown of the guys who won't be playing this weekend (and in some cases, many, many weekends ahead) or likely won't play this weekend: Seattle's Rashaad Penny, New England's Damien Harris, Arizona's James Conner, and Indianapolis' Nyheim Hines.
Stay away from those guys. Don't even think about it.
But there are the guys you should start at running back: New York Giants' Saquon Barkely ( vs. Baltimore), L.A. Chargers' Austin Ekeler (vs. Denver on MNF), Carolina's Christian McCaffrey (@ L.A. Rams), New England's Rhamondre Stevenson (@ Cleveland), and Tampa Bay's Leonard Fournette (@ Pittsburgh).
Stevenson is fresh off running wild for 161 yards against the Lions, and will be the lead back this weekend with Harris set to miss the game with a hamstring injury. The second-year back is still available for a bargain price, and he has an incredible matchup against the Browns and the 28th ranked rush defense in the NFL on Sunday.
"Stevenson should see 20-plus touches in a good matchup and he's still priced like a No. 2 running back," wrote Cummings.
Check out Cummings' full running back preview here.
Wide Receiver
L.A. Rams' Cooper Kupp (vs. Carolina), Buffalo's Stefon Diggs (@ Kansas City), Minnesota's Justin Jefferson (@ Miami), Arizona's Marquise Brown (@ Seattle), and Denver's Courtland Sutton (@ L.A. Chargers on Monday Night Football) are the top receiver plays this week.
Cummings really likes Brown's matchup against the Seattle secondary.
"This may be the last week for it, but Brown is locked into double-digit targets against one of the worst defenses in football," he writes. "He's a top-five wide receiver for me this week and he's considerably cheaper than everyone else I can say that about."
If for whatever reason Patriots wide receiver Jakobi Meyers is available in your league, go get that man -- even if you're in a non-PPR league.
"Meyers should be rostered and started every week in full PPR leagues. In that format, he's worth up to 15% of FAB. In half-PPR he's still a good add and a weekly WR3," writes Cummings. "You might need to start him this week in non-PPR because of the byes, but that's his worst format for sure."
Check out Cummings' full wide receiver preview here.