Whether we like it or not (we don’t), the bye weeks are upon us. Such an occasion normally sends fantasy managers into an uncontrollable hissy fit after repeated grueling attempts to field a roster full of active players, but this week is just different. Week 6 has some marquee matchups that are so profoundly riveting, it’s as if Seneca Crane from “The Hunger Games” is at the controls.
We on the west coast were relieved to learn that there is no London game this week, after waking before dawn to watch American footy on the telly through bleary eyes the past two Sundays. The arrival of bye weeks finally signals the beginning of real fantasy football, where those pesky auto-drafted teams whose managers never check their miraculously-undefeated rosters turn into mere speed bumps on the schedule for the 2-3 squads that have blown all their FAAB dollars to overcome a woefully underwhelming draft (exhale). This is where all those painstaking hours are finally worth it. Buckle up; it’s still going to be a bumpy ride from here on out.
Check out all of our Week 6 fantasy football content 
Rookie RB Harvest SZN
All three of my favorite rookie RBs entering the 2022 season are now bona fide starters. Breece Hall has been “as advertised” for the Jets. His rushing attempts have increased each game, along with his fantasy scoring. The “Beast” from Iowa State is currently the RB9 in PPR scoring and most recently dropped a near 30-burger on the Miami Dolphins with his 69% snap share (nice). In the preseason, I was the most aggressive ranker for FantasyPros, tabbing Hall as RB15. As it turns out, I still might have been too conservative.
Dameon Pierce set a record on Sunday. The bruising tailback, who was criminally neglected at the University of Florida, forced 17 missed tackles versus the Jaguars. According to PFF, that’s the most they’ve ever recorded by one player in a single game. Lovie Smith kept his bulldozer on the trailer in Week 1, but Pierce was unleashed in Week 2 and has been overwhelming opposing defenses ever since. He has over 100 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in three consecutive games and is currently RB11 in PPR scoring. Houston enters their bye this week, but all signs are pointed skyward for Dameon Pierce afterward.
It’s gross to look back on the meager pittance of a snap share given to Kenneth Walker until last week when Rashaad Penny was lost for the season to a fractured fibula. The Seahawks’ passing game has been a revelation this season, with Geno Smith lighting up the scoreboard as a fantasy QB1. Penny exploded in Week 4 for 28.7 fantasy points and left only eight meaningless carries to the Michigan State rookie to scratch out 29 yards. When Penny went down, Walker seized the opportunity with eight carries in the second half, including a 69-yard go-ahead touchdown run in the fourth quarter. KWIII, as the fantasy community is dubbing him, is a home run hitter. He will have his share of struggles with getting tackled for losses while hunting for the big play. It is all worth it when he breaks loose and runs amok in the open field. This league-winning RB was available on waivers in over half of Yahoo leagues until this week.
Rematch on Coin’s Edge
I have watched a lot of football games in my lifetime. Last season’s AFC Divisional Round between the Chiefs and Bills was easily in the top five I’ve ever laid eyes on. Even my wife and father-in-law, the most casual football fans I know, were left gasping for air in the overtime thriller. The rematch is set for Week 6. These teams are hardly the same as in 2021, but it’s still “Josh Allen vs. Patrick Mahomes.” The media loves to dramatize the game by pitting the QBs against one another, but both of these teams are excellent.
Last season, it could be argued that the Chiefs won the game because the overtime coin flip went in their favor. I would argue that the Bills lost the game by allowing Mahomes and Travis Kelce to connect at the end of regulation to set up the game-tying field goal. They only had 13 seconds to make that kick possible. Buffalo fans were devastated yet again. In their minds, the Bills were the team of destiny. We are hearing a similar refrain in 2022. I would love to see this game live up to half of what that playoff game was. If given another chance, would Allen continue his flawless evisceration of the Chiefs’ defensive backfield? The Bills lost despite pitching a perfect game on offense. I would expect them to enter this game ready to light it up.
The Mahomes-led Chiefs weren’t supposed to be as explosive on offense this season. Tyreek Hill took his talents to South Beach, and Kansas City used a Money Ball approach to try and replace him. Kudos to the MVP QB because the Chiefs have been even more efficient this season. Travis Kelce has gone full tsunami in his quest to regain the TE1 crown from Mark Andrews. Clyde Edwards-Helaire has been the Prince of Purity with five touchdowns in as many games. Orlando Brown and the offensive line have been incredible. The WRs have been abysmal, but it has not mattered in the slightest. I thought the Chiefs would have a hard time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defense, and they hung 41 points on them. The Bills are also very stout on defense, but it would be foolish to take the under in this game after what we witnessed nine months ago.
Latter Day Legend
What position does Taysom Hill play? The correct answer is “Yes.” He was supposed to be a tight end this season… or at least that’s what New Orleans listed him as. Hill did it all in Week 5. By all, I mean everything. “The Mormon Missile” scored three rushing touchdowns on 112 yards, threw a 22-yard touchdown pass, returned three kickoffs and recovered a fumble on punt coverage. Can fantasy managers trust him to be a viable starter going forward? I haven’t the foggiest idea. One would think that seeing him lined up as a Wildcat QB would signal an obvious run play on a keeper, but the man keeps making plays anyway. The “TE” has only been targeted in the passing game once in his four games, so the average of five carries per game will have to suffice. The bigger question will be whether or not his insane touchdown efficiency will continue or inevitably regress.
It is very risky to start Taysom Hill on your fantasy team. On the same token, most fantasy TEs who were available on waivers before Week 5 don’t have 30+ point upside. Unless your starting TE is Travis Kelce or Mark Andrews, it would be hard to argue against the logic. That is until Hill continues to defy logic and follows up a massive Week 5 with four-consecutive duds. Maybe he is properly listed as a TE, even if he hardly ever lines up as one.
Cowboys & Eagles: Thumb-thing Has to Give
It is being reported that Dak Prescott is “testing” his right thumb in advance of the huge divisional showdown with the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles. The growing opinion is that it would take a meteor strike to keep Dak from playing in this game. More rational people have suggested that he would be better suited to sit out one more game and rejoin the Cowboys in Week 7 against the Detroit Lions. Whatever the case is, this game will be an absolute war.
Nick Sirianni is making a strong early case for Coach of the Year in 2022. His offense is humming along with scary balance and efficiency. Jalen Hurts has made leaps and bounds as a passer and decision-maker from previous years. He also has the benefit of a nasty assortment of playmaking weapons. AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith are both extremely stressful on opposing defenses, and their skill sets complement one another wonderfully. Miles Sanders has dominated the backfield to this point, but Kenneth Gainwell is also a very dangerous player with the ball in his hands. Dallas Goedert has also been very good at pressing the seam and offering a big target for Hurts over the middle of the field. The Eagles’ offensive line is among the best in the NFL and is the team’s heartbeat.
All of this still might not be enough to beat the Dallas Cowboys, whose defense has been downright filthy. Dallas leads the NFL with 85 pressures on opposing QBs and is second in the league with 20 sacks. They legitimately have five players in the rotation who can get to the QB at a furious rate. The linebackers, Leighton Vander Esch and Anthony Barr, are very instinctive and outstanding tacklers. The secondary is aggressive and opportunistic. Trevon Diggs is doing all the intercepting again this season, except his propensity to get burned has been quelled significantly. Jalen Hurts will have his hands full on Sunday night.
The Eagles’ defense is much improved but still has some question marks. If Dak Prescott is active, loading the box to stop the lethal rushing attack of Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard is out of the question. The secondary has been excellent this season for Philly. They will need to turn the Cowboys over multiple times to win this huge divisional game. I don’t know how this will shake out in primetime, but I hope Prescott’s thumb is good to go. I want to see the very best of these two teams since this might be the first of three meetings this season.
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