Fantasy Football position previews: Top plays for Week 6
BOSTON -- As we hit Week 6 of the NFL season, you're either loving life as a fantasy football owner or questioning everything. If you're in the latter group, then a win would really boost your morale for the rest of the way.
Before you set or create your roster for Week 6, be sure to check out the position rankings from CBS Sports' Chris Towers. Beyond the top 5 at each position, Towers brings you some players further down his rankings that are worth playing in Week 6 -- and a few you want to avoid like an oncoming pass rusher.
Quarterbacks
1. Patrick Mahomes vs. Denver
2. Josh Allen vs. NYG
3. Jalen Hurts Hurts @ NYJ
4. Justin Fields vs. Minnesota
5. Lamar Jackson @ Tennessee
Fields replaces Tua Tagovailoa in top 5 this week, with the Miami QB sitting at No. 6 this week with a matchup against the winless Panthers. Cincinnati's Joe Burrow is slowly getting back to his usual self, but Towers is still being cautious with the quarterback and has him at No. 9 this week.
"I'm not so sure we can just say Burrow is back to normal. He still completed just one pass of more than 15 air yards Sunday on four attempts, and he remains the worst passer in the league on those attempts," writes Towers. "I think the Bengals success in the passing game in Week 5 was more about Ja'Marr Chase's individual brilliance than Burrow necessarily playing at an incredibly high level – and a still-pretty-bad Cardinals defense certainly played their part."
As for Sunday's Patriots-Raiders matchup in Vegas, you're better off staying away from the two quarterbacks. Jimmy Garoppolo checks in at No. 26 in this week's QB rankings, while Mac Jones sits at No. 28.
Check out Chris Towers' full rankings for fantasy football quarterbacks in Week 6
Running Backs
1. Christian McCaffrey @ Cleveland
2. Austin Ekeler vs. Dallas
3. Bijan Robinson vs. Washington
4. Tony Pollard @ L.A. Chargers
5. David Montgomery @ Tampa Bay
Outside of the top 5 -- well outside that is, at No. 25 -- is New England's Rhamondre Stevenson. He was the best playmaker on the Patriots last season, but is he a viable option for your fantasy roster anymore? Towers wants to see him chip into his workshare with Ezekiel Elliott a little more before recommending Stevenson to take up a spot in your backfield.
"I'm pretty confident that Stevenson is a better player than Elliott at this point in their careers, but he just hasn't really shown it yet," writes Towers. "The sooner he changes that, the sooner his role will grow; if you're confident in Stevenson as a player, you should probably bet on him taking on a bigger share of the RB work than his 60% rush share and his 44% share of the RB targets."
Check out Chris Towers' full rankings for fantasy football running backs in Week 6
Wide Receivers
There's a huge shakeup at wide receiver with Justin Jefferson landing on IR. The top receiver in the NFL is no longer in the mix, so everyone else jumps up a peg in this week's rankings.
1. Tyreek Hill vs. Carolina
2. Stefon Diggs vs. New York Giants
3. Cooper Kupp vs. Arizona
4. Ja'Marr Chase vs. Seattle
5. Keenan Allen vs. Dallas
Logic would tell you to go grab Jefferson's replacement in Minnesota: KJ Osborn. But Towers doesn't see him as a must-start in Week 6, putting him at No. 37 on his rankings.
"Part of the problem for Osborn is the earning targets part, and just because Jefferson might be out this week doesn't automatically mean Osborn is going to be locked into seven targets. He's only done that 11 times in 48 tries in the NFL," writes Towers. "Yes, he's played most of those games alongside high-end receivers like Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson, but he also averaged 11.4 points on 5.5 targets per game in four with Thielen inactive prior to this season. That's not bad, but it's not must-start territory, necessarily, especially with only 43.8 yards per game to go along with it."
As for Sunday's Patriots-Raiders matchup, Davante Adams is the No. 6 receiver this week while Jakobi Meyers sits at No. 33 as he gets set to take on his former team. Only Kendrick Bourne cracks the rankings for the Pats, sitting at No. 48.
Check out Chris Towers' full rankings for fantasy football wide receivers in Week 6
Tight Ends
1. Travis Kelce vs. Denver
2. Mark Andrews @ Tennessee
3. Sam LaPorta @ Tampa Bay
4. T.J. Hockenson @ Chicago
5. Dallas Goedert @ New York Jets
New England's Hunter Henry is the No. 16 tight end this week, while the Raiders don't have a Top 25 tight end.
Check out Chris Towers' full rankings for fantasy football tight ends in Week 6
