We’re approaching mid-October now, with a full month of the 2024 NFL season behind us.
The end of the year is flying by; the leaves are changing, the weather is (hopefully) getting colder, and injuries are still decimating fantasy rosters across the board.
It’s been a rough season so far. With news this week of Nico Collins going on IR (joining the multitude of others league-wide), there’s been a scramble for waiver wire pickups, and being precise on who can successfully perform down the stretch is crucial. Through all of that, there are still many stars rolling through the season for their teams (and fantasy managers), and pinpointing the best/worst matchups for each player is all the difference.
Let’s jump right into it; here are my Boom & Bust picks for Week 6.
Booms: Week 6
Breece Hall, RB – New York Jets
Week 6 Matchup: vs. Buffalo Bills (MNF) (vs. RB – 32nd)
Last Week: at Minnesota Vikings (London, UK) (vs. RB – 2nd):
9 Carries, 23 Yards (2.6 Average) | 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 14 Yards
Breece Hall has not been his usual self over the past few games.
Whether it has been coaching, scheme problems, the offensive line, or some combination of issues, the star New York RB has just been in a slump, to say the least.
Hall put this on full display in London this past weekend, being stymied on the handful of runs the Jets actually called against a stout Vikings front seven. His 2.6 YPC is a horrendous average, but so too are the paltry 9 total carries and 12 overall touches for a player as talented as he is.
This week, we learned that head coach Robert Saleh is out, with defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich set to man the helm. It’s up for debate if that was the correct decision for a 2-3 team set to host their rival, where a win would put them in first place in the division, but what’s done is done. There’s an argument to be made that offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett is the real issue, with his stagnant design and predictable play calling. For the offense to finally get going, Hackett may need to see the writing on the wall for his own position.
Whatever the case may be, a player of Hall’s caliber can’t be held down for long. This week on Monday Night Football, he matches up at home against a Buffalo defense that allows the most points in the league to the RB position. The Bills may also be shorthanded with QB Josh Allen injured, further stifling their team. I fully expect Hall to be at the forefront of the attack and the main beneficiary of the fire lit under the Jets so early in the season.
Trey McBride, TE – Arizona Cardinals
Week 6 Matchup: at Green Bay Packers (vs. TE – 24th)
Last Week: at San Francisco 49ers (vs. TE – 10th):
9 Targets, 6 Receptions, 53 Yards
McBride came back from injury and fit right back into stride with QB Kyler Murray and the Arizona passing attack.
The young TE hasn’t quite lived up to expectations fantasy-wise so far this year, but his connection and target share in this offense is undeniable. He led all receivers this past weekend against a formidable 49ers defense with 9 targets and 6 catches, averaging 8.8 yards. They aren’t eye-popping numbers, but considering McBride had just come off of concussion protocol and was questionable with a rib injury late in the week, it’s a pretty good showing.
This week, the Cardinals travel to Lambeau Field to take on a Packers defense ranked towards the bottom third of the league in points allowed to TEs. With Marvin Harrison Jr. falling back to Earth of late and Murray already having a great rapport with McBride, I think he’s primed for a great performance in the early Sunday window.
Caleb Williams, QB – Chicago Bears
Week 6 Matchup: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. QB – 32nd)
Last Week: vs. Carolina Panthers (vs. QB – 27th):
20/29, 304 Yards (10.5 Average), 2 TDs | 5 Carries, 34 Yards
It looks like the #1 overall pick is finally putting it all together.
Williams was lethal against the Panthers on Sunday, carving them up for two scores on 338 total yards. Granted, yes, it’s the Panthers, but it was still an impressive showing. He hit six different receivers throughout the matchup and looked crisp doing it, complementing the Bears’ defense for a resounding win at home.
This week, the Bears travel for their “home game” in London against the struggling 1-4 Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags seem to be putting it together of late, racking up their first win last week in dramatic fashion against the Colts, but they still showcase the league’s worst-ranked defense against opposing passers. With the weaponry that Williams has around him in D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, and rookie WR Rome Odunze, he should have no issue continuing his streak of solid play.
The rookie should shine brightly across the pond this weekend.
Busts: Week 6
Chris Olave, WR – New Orleans Saints
Week 6 Matchup: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. WR – 27th)
Last Week: at Kansas City Chiefs (vs. WR – 8th):
4 Targets, 2 Receptions, 10 Yards
The Saints have not had an enjoyable week.
After a road loss on national television to the reigning champ Kansas City Chiefs, news quickly broke that starting QB Derek Carr would be forced to miss multiple weeks with an oblique injury. It’s a blow to what was looking like a pretty explosive unit and is sure to hinder the prospects of New Orleans’ offensive weapons.
Namely, that’s Chris Olave.
Even with Carr in the fold, Olave was having a rough day against the Chiefs’ secondary. He finished with just 10 total yards on 4 targets, well below fellow wideout Rashid Shaheed and his 9. The expectation is that the passing game will be even more grounded behind rookie Spencer Rattler, and against a division rival in Tampa Bay who have a decent defense of their own, that spells tough sledding for the Saints’ passing attack.
Olave is talented, but until I can see some stability with the Saints QB position, I’ll be steering clear.
Michael Pittman, WR – Indianapolis Colts
Week 6 Matchup: at Tennessee Titans (vs. WR – 1st)
Last Week: at Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. WR – 32nd):
8 Targets, 6 Receptions, 81 Yards ( 13.5 Average), 1 TD
Pittman has put together a string of solid games for the Colts over the last few weeks, but I fully expect that streak to come to an end Sunday against the Tennessee Titans – and specifically, it’s because of who will likely start at QB.
Anthony Richardson has been out for the last few weeks (right about when Pittman started producing – a bit of coincidence, huh?) but looks to be healthy enough to reclaim the QB position. Head coach Shane Steichen has said as much, even though veteran Joe Flacco has done well enough in relief to make the Colts look like a capable offense. Pittman languished to start the season, and it’s likely to return right back to that with Richardson leading the passing attack.
Combine that with a matchup on the road against an unusually stout Titans secondary that features CB L’Jarius Sneed and has allowed the fewest fantasy points to wide receivers through five games, and it’s likely to be a long day for the veteran wideout from USC.
UPDATE: With the news of Pittman’s injury coming after this article was written, consider the same logic for Pittman to apply to the other Colts’ pass catchers. The passing volume across the board will decrease with Richardson at the helm, making things more difficult for the likes of Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, and Adonai Mitchell.
Kenneth Walker III, RB – Seattle Seahawks
Week 6 Matchup: vs. San Francisco 49ers (TNF) (vs. RB – 15th)
Last Week: vs. New York Giants (vs. RB – 13th):
5 Carries, 19 Yards (3.8 Average) | 8 Targets, 7 Receptions, 57 Yards
Walker had a very weird game at home against the Giants this past weekend.
He was completely stifled on the ground against the New York front seven but corralled in 7 of 8 targets for 57 yards after Seattle abandoned the run game to play catch-up. This saved his day from a fantasy perspective but left a bitter taste in the mouths of many who expected more after a solid outing against Detroit the week before. The entire ordeal was interesting to see, and the inability to run or consistently move the offense hurt cost Seattle the game.
This short week features the Seahawks hosting the rival San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football, a game in which both squads desperately need to win to stay atop the division. The Niners have been middle of the pack in terms of stopping the run, but given how physical their defense is, I do expect them to key in on Walker and Seattle’s running game to make them more one-dimensional. It worked for New York and should work again for LB Fred Warner and company.
It will remain to be seen if coordinator Ryan Grubb makes the run a focal point in this key matchup, but regardless, I’m not very high on Walker in this one.
Photos courtesy of Icon Sportswire
Adapted by Kurt Wasemiller (@kurtwasemiller on Twitter / @kurt_player02 on Instagram)