We’ve arrived at Week 6, and if you’re looking to play some cash games this weekend, we’ve got you covered. The goal in cash games is to finish among the top 50% of entrants in order to win some money. With that in mind, we’re looking for players with solid floors and relatively high ceilings here. These guys are not the boom-or-bust risky types you might employ for GPPs. For this slate, I’m rolling with a super stack of three Vikings against a soft Atlanta defense, David Montgomery in a smash spot, and a pair of elite defenses with solid matchups. Best of luck with all of your lineups this weekend – let’s get to it!
Win $1 Million playing FanDuel’s NFL Sunday Million 
Quarterbacks
Kirk Cousins (MIN): $7,100 vs. Atlanta Falcons
Time to ride with Captain Kirk this week? You better believe it. Cousins gets the friendliest draw in all the land with a home matchup against the lowly Atlanta Falcons defense. Just how bad is Atlanta’s defense? This squad has surrendered 345.6 passing yards and 3.6 total touchdowns per game to opposing signal-callers this season, and Cousins is the next man up. You like that!?!?
Ben Roethlisberger (PIT): $7,600 vs. Cleveland Browns
Cleveland’s defense is one of three teams to allow over 300 passing yards per game this season, and the Browns rank eighth in fantasy points allowed to opposing QBs. That’s good news for Big Ben, who’s having one of the best statistical runs of his illustrious career. Through four games, Roethlisberger is completing a career-high 69.9 percent of his passes and sports a 110.4 QB Rating – another career best. Pittsburgh’s signal-caller has a safe floor and a high ceiling in this one and should be rock solid in cash lineups.
Other notables: Gardner Minshew (JAC): $7,200 vs. Detroit Lions
Running Backs
Alexander Mattison (MIN): $7,000 vs. Atlanta Falcons
No Dalvin Cook? A weak defense? An athletic back with a hefty workload? Aw yeah, we’re talking Alexander Mattison. After Dalvin Cook went down with a groin injury in Week 5, Mattison stepped in to rumble for 112 rushing yards with 24 receiving yards. Cook has been ruled out for Week 6, leaving Mattison to be the bell-cow in a ridiculously-friendly matchup. Atlanta has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing RBs this season, and the team is tied with Carolina for most receptions allowed to the position (8.6). That sets up Mattison – a three-down back – to have a big week.
David Montgomery (CHI): $5,900 at Carolina Panthers
Montgomery makes a great play in cash lineups this weekend, but he’s also a huge value at just $5.9K. Carolina’s defense has allowed the most fantasy points to running backs on the year, yielding over 5.0 yards per carry – good news for Monty, who has averaged just 3.9 this season. More good news? Carolina is tied for most receptions allowed to running backs (8.6), and Montgomery has become a regular part of the passing game since Tarik Cohen was lost for the season. C0ming off a seven-reception game in Week 5, Montgomery should be understandably chalky in a smash spot.
Other notables: James Robinson (JAX): $6,500 vs. DET; Ronald Jones II (TB): $5,800 vs. GB
Wide Receivers
Adam Thielen (MIN): $7,400 vs. Atlanta Falcons
Fantasy’s WR1 facing one of the most generous defenses in the NFL? There’s only one word for that: cash. The Falcons rank inside the top-10 in most points allowed to the position and allow the second-most yards to WRs this season. Thielen has seen at least eight targets in four of five games this season, and that kind of volume gives him a high floor. Over his last two games, Thielen has racked up a massive 17/194/3 line on 23 targets, and he’ll look to keep that momentum going Sunday. If you’re looking for a cash-game hero, I’m “hooked on a Thielen” for Week 6.
Jamison Crowder (NYJ): $6,600 at Miami Dolphins
Crowder has been the model of consistency this season, providing about as safe a line as you can hope for from a wide receiver. In three games, Crowder has seen at least 10 targets, grabbed at least seven receptions, and gone for at least 100 yards in every contest. Gang Green should continue to be underdogs in every game they play, and the Jets will likely be chasing points against Miami this week, too. Crowder should be the focal point of the offense, especially with Le’Veon Bell out the door, no semblance of a run game, and one of the weakest receiving corps in football.
Other notables: Calvin Ridley (ATL): $8,600 at Minnesota Vikings; Allen Robinson (CHI): $7,000 at Carolina Panthers
Tight Ends
Jonnu Smith (TEN): $5,800 vs. Houston Texans
Smith has broken out this season and currently rocks an 18/221/5 receiving line through four games (nearly mirroring Mark Andrews‘ stats in one fewer contest). This season, Smith has seen at least five targets in every game and at least seven in three of four. He’s finding the end zone with regularity and has become a favorite target of the hyper-effective Ryan Tannehill. Keep rolling with Smith against Houston, a team that’s been middle-of-the-road against TEs this season.
T.J. Hockenson (DET): $5,700 at Jacksonville Jaguars
Over the first three weeks of the season, Hock was one of only a handful of TEs to go for at least 4/50 in every contest. He fell back to earth in a smash spot against New Orleans in Week 4 with just a 2/9 receiving line, though he still found the end zone. Jacksonville currently allows the third-most yards (70.4) and the eighth-most fantasy points per game to the position. Hockenson is a sturdy play for Sunday’s slate.
Other notables: Eric Ebron (PIT): $5,200 vs. Cleveland Browns
Defense/Special Teams
Baltimore Ravens: $4,900 at Philadelphia Eagles
Fantasy’s top-scoring defense gets another juicy matchup, as Baltimore will travel up I-95 to face an Eagles’ offense that has struggled mightily this season. Philly has surrendered the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing defenses, thanks in large part to Carson Wentz‘s league-leading nine interceptions thrown. Another reason the Eagles are friendly to opposing D/STs? Carson Wentz is the second-most sacked QB in football this year (19). Combine that with Baltimore’s 3.2 sacks per game (fifth in the NFL), and you’ve got a recipe for success.
New England Patriots: $4,800 vs. Denver Broncos
Despite playing only four games, New England ranks as the D/ST6. This weekend, the Pats face Denver, a team allowing the most fantasy points to opposing D/STs. That’s right, Denver has allowed more fantasy points to opposing D/STs than the Jets. If that’s not enough to sell you, New England has averaged 3.0 takeaways per game at home this season, while Denver is giving up 2.0 takeaways per game. Even if Drew Lock is back in the lineup, New England is in a great spot at home in Foxborough.
Other notables: Miami Dolphins: $4,400 vs. New York Jets
Win $1 Million playing FanDuel’s NFL Sunday Million
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
Beyond our daily fantasy football content, be sure to check out our Daily Fantasy Football Tools. From our Value Plays – which allows you to identify players who are projected to outperform their salaries – to our DFS Cheat Sheets – that helps you get a quick read on the day’s players – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.
Zachary Hanshew is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Zachary, check out his archive and follow him @zakthemonster.
