It would be difficult to talk about the quarterback options this week without mentioning Dak Prescott. The Dallas Cowboys superstar was ruled out for the season after he suffered a gruesome compound fracture to his ankle at the weekend. Our best wishes go out to Dak and we wish him a speedy recovery. The NFL is far better with him on the field. Andy Dalton steps in at quarterback for the Cowboys going forward.
Justin Herbert (27.36 fantasy points on Yahoo!) is the real deal. Not only did he become the first rookie to ever throw 4 touchdown passes on Monday Night Football, but more importantly for fantasy purposes, he has now eclipsed 20+ fantasy points in 3 of his first 4 games in the NFL. The weapons around Herbert are outstanding and if you followed our advice last week, you ended up starting the QB3 in fantasy scoring in week 5. Teddy Bridgewater (20.82 fantasy points) rewarded us with a second consecutive game with over 20 fantasy points after another accomplished performance in the Panthers 23-16 triumph over the winless Atlanta Falcons. Gardner Minshew (19.84 fantasy points). Kirk Cousins (15.16 fantasy points) provided good value in a decent performance that was marred by an erratic third quarter against the Seahawks in which he threw a terrible interception. It was a good week all around for our recommendations.
| QB | Matchup | % Owned (Yahoo!) | Fantasy Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teddy Bridgewater, Panthers | CAR at ATL | 19% | 20.82 |
| Justin Herbert, Chargers | LAC at NO | 16% | 27.36 |
| Gardner Minshew, Jaguars | JAX at HOU | 46% | 19.84 |
| Kirk Cousins, Vikings | MIN at SEA | 29% | 15.16 |
Who surprised us? Ryan Fitzpatrick (27.60 fantasy points) continues to be a maverick and all-around joy to watch. The Miami Dolphins signal-caller embarrassed the 49ers defense leading his team to a 43-17 rout of last year’s NFC champions and finishing as the second-highest scoring quarterback after Patrick Mahomes. Fitzpatrick gets the Jets in week 6, oh baby! Derek Carr (24.98 fantasy points) was also lights out at the weekend as the Las Vegas Raiders upset the Super Bowl champion Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
Now, let’s look at the lay of the land for Week 6. Dak Prescott suffered that horrendous ankle injury and is done for the season. Drew Lock and Sam Darnold are questionable with debilitating injuries. Both Kyle Allen and Jimmy Garoppolo were removed from the games at the weekend but are expected to start.
Quarterbacks on their bye weeks are Justin Herbert (sad face), Drew Brees, Derek Carr, and, sadly for many, Russell Wilson.
Remember, the caveat is that our recommended players for streaming are less than 70% owned in Yahoo! leagues.
| QB | Matchup | % Owned (Yahoo!) | Projected Fantasy Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andy Dalton, Cowboys | DAL vs. ARI | 3% | 18.66 |
| Gardner Minshew, Jaguars | JAX vs. DET | 51% | 19.61 |
| Kirk Cousins, Vikings | MIN vs. ATL | 32% | 19.00 |
| Ryan Tannehill, Titans | TEN vs. HOU | 48% | 18.90 |
| Teddy Bridgewater, Panthers | CAR vs. CHI | 55% | 17.39 |
“The New Dalton Line”
Andy Dalton, Cowboys vs. Cardinals
Thrust into the huge void left by Dak Prescott, Andy Dalton is perfectly placed to be a fantasy darling for owners through the next month. This is exactly why he was brought to Dallas in the off-season and with the NFC East likely to be wide open for the taking by the end of the year, this could prove to be the most shrewd piece of business Jerry Jones has done in some time. Dalton inherits an electric offense led by Ezekiel Elliot on the ground and Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and rookie CeeDee Lamb in the air. He won’t put up Dak numbers, but he is a sturdy top-15 option this week against the Cardinals defense who ranks a lowly 23rd in passing DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average) according to Football Outsiders.
“Matchup Making”
Gardner Minshew, Jaguars vs. Lions
We love the mustache man! Gardner Minshew is now averaging over 280 passing yards per game and now has 4 multi-touchdown outings in only 5 starts this season. Minshew continues to show excellent mobility, awareness, and plus decision-making when it counts.
Minshew makes magic on 4th and Goal! #DUUUVAL
📺: #JAXvsHOU on CBS
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/BGCKhfX8uY pic.twitter.com/YG6Ld6dmE4— NFL (@NFL) October 11, 2020
Minshew takes on the pathetic Detroit Lions defense who shed an average of 21.3 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. Keep an eye on the injury to primary target D.J. Chark, as this could affect his fantasy output with the lack of a deep receiving corps in Jacksonville.
Kirk Cousins, Vikings vs. Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons hapless defense gives up more fantasy points per game (33) to opposing quarterbacks than any other team in the league. Kirk Cousins is the lucky guy who draws this matchup in week 6, coming off the back of two good displays against the Texans and Seahawks. Cousins attempted 39 passes on Sunday Night Football, smashing his season’s high by 12 attempts. An injury to Dalvin Cook contributed to this increase alongside a clear gameplan from Gary Kubiak to expose the leaky Seahawks secondary.
97 yards later… @AThielen19's second TD puts the @Vikings ahead! #SKOL
📺: #MINvsSEA on NBC
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/fJGRlSb2nV pic.twitter.com/evBgnb1BfO— NFL (@NFL) October 12, 2020
Cousins is finding his balance in this offense, utilizing his dynamic receiving weapons in Adam Thielen, Justin Jefferson, and Irv Smith Jr. With the ailing Falcons there for the taking, expect him to ball out.
Ryan Tannehill, Titans vs. Texans
Barring another COVID-19 outbreak in the Tennessee Titans camp, Ryan Tannehill should be a solid option facing the Texans in Nashville. Tannehill threw 6 TDs over his first two starts before surprisingly laying a goose egg against the Vikings defense. Albeit he has looked the goods this year after signing a four-year extension with the Titans worth $118 million. Tannehill has dramatically reduced his turnover ratio in his time with the Titans making him a healthy option for streaming during bye weeks and favorable matchups.
One element of the matchup to be aware of is the potential game script, however. The Houston defense currently ranks 8th in the league in passing yards allowed per game compared to 30th in rushing yards allowed. The Titans could just simply feed Derrick Henry all day long and come away with the win. So, proceed with caution when thinking about starting Tannehill this week.
“Tough Road Ahead”
Teddy Bridgewater, Panthers vs. Bears
Teddy Bridgewater has been the feel-good fantasy surprise of the season down in Carolina. Matt Rhule is all-in on the loveable Teddy, building his play-calling and gameplan around the former first-round pick. The win over the Falcons on Sunday was Bridgewater’s second 20+ fantasy scoring game in a row. His chemistry with Robby Anderson has been a spectacular highlight so far.
Great throw. Great catch.
Teddy Bridgewater drops a dime to Robby Anderson! @teddyb_h2o @chosen1ra
📺: #CARvsATL on FOX
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/BGCKhfX8uY pic.twitter.com/mkBDtYueOO— NFL (@NFL) October 11, 2020
The trouble is that Teddy is facing the monstrous Bears defense this week who have allowed just a 57.4% completion rate to opposing quarterbacks – this is the lowest figure in the NFL by some distance. My argument is that the Bears are the worst 4-1 team in the league, and it is only a matter of time before that catches up with them. Teddy excels at the short-to-intermediate game, a rare weakness in this Bears’ defense as Roquan Smith can be caught being too aggressive from the linebacker position. The key will be in using D.J. Moore and Mike Davis to exploit the holes in what is otherwise a stout Chicago defense.
Don’t hesitate to give me your thoughts and hit me up for questions at @benjaminhaller1.
(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)