Kyle Yates’ Week 6 Fantasy Projections (2020 Fantasy Football)

Denver Broncos vs New England Patriots

Date/Time: October 18, 1:00pm ET
Odds: Patriots -400
Over/Under: 45 points
Implied Vegas point totals: Patriots 27.5, Broncos 17.5

Denver Broncos

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New England Patriots

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Quarterback

Denver: Lock appears to be on track to play in this game, which is good news for the remaining receiving options. However, Lock isn’t someone that you can trust right out of the gates in this matchup. He’s a low-end QB2.

New England: Newton appears to be good to go and ready to get back to being a top-tier fantasy QB option. This matchup shouldn’t scare fantasy managers away and Newton always has the potential to find the end zone on a rushing attempt. Assuming that he’s active and ready to go, Newton’s a mid-range QB1.

Running Backs

Denver: With the news that Gordon is unlikely to suit up in this matchup due to being charged with a DUI this week, Lindsay’s fantasy stock skyrockets. Lindsay should easily see 12-15 touches in this game and he’s always shown that he has the talent to make his carries count. Assuming that he’s fully healthy and ready to roll, Lindsay should be viewed as a low-end RB2. Freeman gets a bump up with Gordon out for this matchup, but he’s not worth considering as anything more than a desperation FLEX play.

New England: Harris should be the lead back again for this game, but with Newton back in the lineup, it’s hard to see how Harris sees enough work to return RB2 value. With Newton being utilized as the goal-line back, Harris has little upside. He’s a RB3 this week. White should get back to seeing a significant number of targets out of the backfield with Newton behind center and should be a safe RB3 option in Full PPR formats. Burkhead could see some touches in this game, but it’s going to be hard to trust him as anything more than a deep league desperation play.

Wide Receivers

Denver: Jeudy wasn’t heavily targeted with Brett Rypien at QB, but he now gets an upgrade at the position with Lock back. Jeudy should be viewed as a solid WR3. Patrick has been quietly producing for fantasy rosters throughout the past couple of weeks. Now, in a matchup that Stephon Gilmore is likely to miss, Patrick should be viewed as a sneaky FLEX option. With Lock back at QB, Patrick has some upside this week.

New England: Edelman disappointed two weeks ago, but he should bounce back to a fine WR3 option with Newton back in the lineup. Harry should be more involved in this offense with Newton back, but he’s nothing more than a FLEX play this week that you’re hoping finds the end zone.

Tight Ends

Denver: Fant seems on track to play in this matchup, but we have no idea how effective he will be coming off of his injury. He’s still worth starting with the way the TE landscape looks right now for fantasy, but expectations need to be managed here.

New England: None of the Patriots tight ends are worth considering for fantasy this week.

FantasyProjection Buster: Any of the Patriots RBs any given week can come out and destroy my projections. It all depends on the usage that they get in this offense, which is nearly impossible to predict.

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New York Jets vs Miami Dolphins

Date/Time: October 18, 4:05pm ET
Odds: Dolphins -375
Over/Under: 47 points
Implied Vegas point totals: Dolphins 28.25, Jets 18.75

New York Jets

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Miami Dolphins

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Quarterback

New York: Flacco’s back at QB this week for the Jets, but he’s not worth looking at for fantasy football.

Miami: It’s a revenge game for Fitzpatrick here, but we can say that about many, many teams with him. Fitzpatrick has been dominant for fantasy football over the past year and a half and there’s no reason to doubt him in this matchup against a Jets secondary that can’t stop anyone. Fitzpatrick should be viewed as a low-end QB1 with upside yet again.

Running Backs

New York: With Bell now out of town, Gore gets the nod as the next man up. However, he’s nothing more than a bye week fill-in in this offense. He’s a low-end RB3. Perine should get more of an opportunity in this offense with Bell’s departure, but he’s nothing more than a stash right now.

Miami: Gaskin has been a steady contributor over the first several weeks of the season, but he’s lacked upside due to not being utilized around the goal line. With Jordan Howard being a healthy scratch last week, Gaskin was utilized as the main option in those situations and he was able to cash in. Moving forward, Gaskin needs to be viewed as a solid RB2 every single week. Breida is seeing just enough work now to be viewed as a bye week fill-in option, but nothing more yet.

Wide Receivers

New York: Crowder is the only Jets receiver that you need to be looking at for fantasy football right now. With Bell’s departure, Crowder could easily see an absurd target share in this offense. He’s been viewed as a non-sexy WR3 every week, but he’s produced more than that every time he’s been on the field. It’s time to start viewing Crowder as a solid WR2 for your lineup.

Miami: Parker wasn’t needed much last game, but he was still able to produce for fantasy football by finding the end zone. Parker’s a solid WR2 every single week, but he has ridiculous upside in this matchup against the Jets corners. Williams was a disappointment the first several weeks of the season, but he bounced back with a dominant performance in week five. While Parker is going to be the clear lead option in this receiving corps, Williams has an excellent chance of producing solid numbers this week against the Jets secondary. Williams is a fine FLEX play for your lineup this week.

Tight Ends

New York: Herndon’s not on the redraft radar.

Miami: Gesicki has been up and down this season, but he certainly brings more upside than some of the other names at the TE position. He’s worth rolling out as a high-upside low-end TE1 this week.

FantasyProjection Buster: As mentioned, Gesicki has the tendency to disappear. There’s certainly the possibility that he breaks away for a long touchdown or simply just doesn’t get targeted at all.

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Green Bay Packers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Date/Time: October 18, 4:25pm ET
Odds: Packers -109
Over/Under: 55 points
Implied Vegas point totals: Packers 28, Bucs 27

Green Bay Packers

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Quarterback

Green Bay: Rodgers has been unstoppable this season. This is all without having his full assortment of receivers at his disposal. While the matchup is tough on paper for opposing QBs, Rodgers is simply performing too well to sit. He’s a mid-range QB1 this week.

Tampa Bay: This game could quickly turn into a shootout, which bodes well for Brady’s fantasy outlook. With the possibility that Brady will have all his receivers back and healthy in this game, he should be viewed as a high-end QB2 with upside.

Running Backs

Green Bay: Jones simply belongs in your lineup every single week. While the matchup isn’t the best, which downgrades Jones slightly, he’s still a rock-solid RB1. Williams is an intriguing play moving forward as a low-end RB3 due to his involvement in the passing game. The Packers need him to step up and he’s delivered so far.

Tampa Bay: Jones has looked incredible on the ground the past few weeks, but he’s still a liability as a receiver out of the backfield. If Fournette does indeed come back this week, Jones becomes an extremely risky option to plug into your lineup. It seems that the Bucs are simply waiting for the moment that they can bench Jones for Fournette. This is probably just a backfield that would be best to avoid right now if you can.

Wide Receivers

Green Bay: Adams should be back this week, which means that he can immediately be plugged back in as a top-tier WR1. MVS has a huge opportunity in front of him in this offense, but he’s simply just an average wide receiver that needs the ball put perfectly in his lap. Rodgers can certainly do that, but it doesn’t exactly instill confidence for plugging MVS into your lineups. If you do, he should be viewed as a FLEX play at best.

Tampa Bay: At the time of writing, Godwin appears to be on track to play in this matchup after getting limited practices in this week. If he does play, he’s worth firing up as a low-end WR2 due to the injury unknowns. However, when he’s on the field, he’s going to soak up targets over the middle of the field. Evans has been dominant this season, but he loses some of his shine if Godwin does come back into the lineup. Evans moves back to a low-end WR2 if Godwin plays, but can be fired up as a low-end WR1 if Godwin isn’t able to go.

Tight Ends

Green Bay: Tonyan has emerged as as good a dart throw at the tight end position as anyone else right now. He obviously can find the end zone with Rodgers at QB, but we shouldn’t be expecting that every single week. Tonyan’s a mid-range TE1 this week though based on the other options at the tight end position.

Tampa Bay: Gronkowski continues to be on the field for a high snap count percentage and he always has the potential of finding the end zone. Gronk should be looked at as a high-end TE2 this week.

FantasyProjection Buster: Was Tonyan’s breakout a one game occurrence? Or is he actually a big part of this offense moving forward? I’m projecting more of the latter, but this is a situation worth monitoring.

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Los Angeles Rams vs San Francisco 49ers

Date/Time: October 18, 8:20pm ET
Odds: Rams -167
Over/Under: 51 points
Implied Vegas point totals: Rams 27.25, 49ers 23.75

Los Angeles Rams

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San Francisco 49ers

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Quarterback

Los Angeles: Goff has been a good NFL QB so far this season, but this team simply isn’t throwing the ball enough this year to push Goff over the edge into streaming QB consideration.

San Francisco: After what we saw from Garoppolo in week five, there’s no way you can trust him anywhere near your starting lineup in week six.

Running Backs

Los Angeles: It looks like McVay fixed his mistake from week four and put Henderson back in the lead back slot in this offense. However, with Akers and Brown still behind him, it’s hard to trust Henderson as anything more than a low-end RB2/high-end RB3. Akers saw a significant workload for his first week back off of injury, but he’s clearly the second option behind Henderson. Akers is a fine RB3 option for teams that need a bye week fill-in, but otherwise he’s not someone that you should be clamoring to plug into your lineup.

San Francisco: Mostert came back last week and took over the majority of the touches in this backfield. He’s a fine RB2 option this week and every week moving forward. McKinnon was not involved in the offense once Mostert came back and he can’t be plugged into your starting lineups this week.

Wide Receivers

Los Angeles: Woods doesn’t have an incredibly high ceiling week in and week out with the Rams wanting to lean on their run game more, but he’s still worth rolling out as a fine WR2 option. He always has the chance of finding the end zone and he still comes with a safe floor. Kupp and Woods are in the same territory for fantasy this year. Both are solid WR2s, but it’s going to take a touchdown for them to move up into the top-12. Kupp can be started as a safe WR2 this week and he always comes with the built in upside.

San Francisco: Samuel looks to be back to full health, and he’s involved in this offense, but the QB play is holding him back. Samuel only reeled in two of eight targets this past week and this is a very tough matchup for opposing WRs. Samuel’s a FLEX option this week and nothing more. Aiyuk’s involved in this offense enough to be rolled out as a FLEX option, but it’s hard to see him finishing much higher than that in this matchup against the Rams pass defense. Aiyuk’s a high-end WR5 this week in my rankings.

Tight Ends

Los Angeles: Higbee is a touchdown-dependent TE2 at this point and he’s been a major disappointment so far this season for fantasy managers. Everett continues to be utilized in the passing game, but he’s not running a ton of routes in this offense. He’s not worth looking at as anything more than a low-end TE2.

San Francisco: Kittle struggled last week, along with the rest of the 49ers passing attack, but he’s still worth starting every single week that he’s healthy. Fire him up as a top-tier option in week six.

FantasyProjection Buster: We believe that we have clarity on how the Rams want to utilize their running backs now, but that could easily change on a week-to-week basis. It’s nearly impossible to project how this backfield will look.