Last week, Antonio Gates came back from his suspension in a big way with a two-touchdown performance on Monday Night Football, but we were forced to wait an additional week to see Martavis Bryant. Well, he certainly didn't disappoint in his debut, either. Bryant notched 137 yards and scored twice (one of which was all him on a gorgeous catch-and-run), helping spur the Steelers to an upset victory over the Cardinals. Get up to speed with all of the top scores and storylines from Week 6 of the fantasy season with our comprehensive recap below.
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles
Top performers:
» Eli Manning, QB: 200 pass yards, TD, 2 INT, 9.2 fantasy points
» Rashad Jennings, RB: 83 total yards, fmbl, 6.3 fantasy points
» Odell Beckham Jr., WR: 61 rec yards, TD, 12.1 fantasy points
» Sam Bradford, QB: 284 pass yards, TD, 3 INT, 9.86 fantasy points
» DeMarco Murray, RB: 109 rush yards, TD, 14 rec yards, 18.30 fantasy points
» Riley Cooper, WR: 76 rec yards, TD, 13.60 fantasy points
» Jordan Matthews, WR: 6 rec, 59 rec yards, fmbl, 3.90 fantasy points
» Eagles D/ST: 4 sacks, 2 INT, TD, 20.00 fantasy points
So ... how about that "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" trailer? Aside from that premiere during halftime (it was awesome, by the way), this game was kind of a snoozer. Odell Beckham Jr. did just enough to keep his owners happy, but disappeared in the second half. DeMarco Murray, on the other hand, got hot in the second half, racking most of his 109 rushing yards while the Eagles ground out the clock. Sam Bradford and Eli Manning were both crippled by back-backing interceptions, limiting their fantasy outputs to single digits. Ouch. The Eagles defense turned in a stellar performance, returning one of Eli's interceptions for a touchdown and sacking him four times. Rashad Jennings saw the most touches in the Giants backfield, but also lost a fumble. This committee remains a frustrating one in fantasy. Speaking of fumnbles, Jordan Matthews had one as well, while dropping a few other passes. His fantasy stock has been sinking while the likes of Miles Austin and Riley Cooper make plays down field. Sometimes, this game just doesn't make sense.
New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts
Top performers:
» Tom Brady, QB: 312 pass yards, 3 pass TDs, 1 INT, 22.48 fantasy points
» Rob Gronkowski, TE: 50 rec yards, 1 rec TD, 11.00 fantasy points
» LeGarrette Blount, RB: 93 rush yards, 1 rush TD, 11 rec yards, 1 rec TD, 22.40 fantasy points
» Julian Edelman, WR: 50 rec yards, 1 rec TD, 2 rush yards, 11.20 fantasy points
» Andrew Luck, QB: 312 pass yards, 3 pass TDs, 35 rush yards, 27.98 fantasy points
» Frank Gore, RB: 78 rush yards, 16 rec yards, 9.40 fantasy points
» T.Y. Hilton, WR: 74 rec yards, 1 rec TD, 13.40 fantasy points
» Donte Moncrief, WR: 69 rec yards, 1 rec TD, 12.90 fantasy points
» Griff Whalen, WR: 30 rec yards, 1 rec TD, 9.00 fantasy points
In what was forecasted to be a high scoring back-and-forth shootout, both the Colts and Patriots delivered on the offensive side of the ball, making things exciting for Week 6 fantasy matchups. Both Tom Brady and Andrew Luck threw for over 300 yards and each quarterback tossed three TD passes in the game. For Brady, it was his fifth straight game with at least 22 fantasy points, and for Luck, who returned after missing two games with a shoulder injury, it was his best fantasy game of the season thus far. Pretty much every player fantasy owners would have started in this game, save for Patriots running back Dion Lewis (39 total yards), produced here. Rob Gronkowski, LeGarrette Blount, Julian Edelman, T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief all scored receiving touchdowns in addition to #ThatHelpsNoOne candidate Griff Whalen in garbage time for the Colts. Maybe the biggest surprise from a fantasy perspective was the output of Blount as he posted over 100 total yards and scored twice, once on the ground and once through the air. We'll have to keep an eye on Lewis' health heading into Week 7 as he came into this one with what was listed as an abdomen injury which clearly limited him. Lewis saw just seven touches while Blount tallied 17. The other big story here is Luck. For the first time this season, he escaped with zero picks and had over 25 fantasy points, proving that the shoulder injury that kept him out the last two games should not be of any concern going forward. He'll be a solid QB1 option next week against the Saints.
Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks
Top performers:
» Cam Newton, QB: 299 total yards, 2 total TDs, 2 INTs, 19.76 fantasy points
» Jonathan Stewart, RB: 21 touches, 86 total yards, 2 TDs, 20.60 fantasy points
» Devin Funchess, WR: 2 catches, 24 yards, 2.40 fantasy points
» Greg Olsen, TE: 7 catches, 131 yards, 1 TD, 19.10 fantasy points
» Russell Wilson, QB: 292 total yards, 1 TD, 18.86 fantasy points
» Marshawn Lynch, RB: 18 touches, 54 total yards, 1 TD, 11.40 fantasy points
» Ricardo Lockette, WR: 2 catches, 41 yards, 1 TD, 10.30 fantasy points
» Jimmy Graham, TE: 8 catches, 140 yards, 14.00 fantasy points
The big-named players in this game came through for us. Cam Newton had a massive, clutch performance to win this one. He also proved that he's an every week QB1 play this season. This was really the last prohibitive matchup on his schedule, and he scored over 19 fantasy points. Jonathan Stewart got going today. Coming off four straight games with good matchups and ideal game scripts, Stewart was painfully unproductive. He goes on the road in Seattle and scores twice. Got it. Stewart looked refreshed off the bye week, and should certainly still be rostered. The Panthers pass catchers outside of Olsen didn't do much, but Devin Funchess did make two big catches on the final drive after committing several drops early on. The Seahawks offense looked about how we expect it to. The only difference was they figured out "what to do with Jimmy Graham" isn't that hard. They had him split out wide and follow Wilson on scrambles. He's back in our good graces with this performance.
Baltimore Ravens at San Francisco 49ers
Top performers:
» Steve Smith Sr, WR: 137 yards, 1 TD, 19.70 fantasy points
» Joe Flacco, QB: 343 pass yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 17.72 fantasy points
» Justin Forsett, RB: 101 yards, 10.10 fantasy points
» Colin Kaepernick: 340 pass yards, 2 TD, 10 rush yards, 22.60 fantasy points
» Torrey Smith, WR: 96 yards, 1 TD, 15.60 fantay points
» Anquan Boldin, WR: 102 yards, 10.20 fantasy points
It was a good day for wide receivers returning from injury. Steve Smith Sr. followed in the footsteps of Alshon Jeffery with a huge afternoon in a losing cause. The veteran caught seven passes for 137 yards and a touchdown -- all of which helped Joe Flacco post semi-respectable numbers. The elite (?) quarterback did have 343 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw a pair of picks. Justin Forsett took the bulk of the snaps for Baltimore and finished with 101 total yards.
Colin Kaepernick is a matchup-based quarterback, and in the last two weeks, he's exploited his good matchups. On Sunday, Kap ripped the Ravens for 340 passing yards and two touchdowns. We'll see if he can do the same against a Seahawks defense that has been his own personal Kryptonite. This week, it meant good things for the Niners pass-catchers. Former RavensAnquan Boldin and Torrey Smith combined for 198 yards and a score while Bruce Miller added 89 more receiving yards. Carlos Hyde had a lot of touches, but didn't offer a lot of production (23 touches, 60 yards).
San Diego Chargers at Green Bay Packers
Top performers:
» Aaron Rodgers, QB: 255 pass yards, 2 TD, 14 rush yards, 19.6 fantasy points
» James Starks, RB: 117 total yards, 2 TD (rush, rec), 23.7 fantasy points
» James Jones, WR: 2 rec, 30 rec yards, TD, 9 fantasy points
» Jeff Janis, WR: 2 rec, 79 yards, 7.9 fantasy points
» Philip Rivers, QB: 503 pass yards, 2 TDs, 28.12 fantasy points
» Danny Woodhead, RB: 8 rush yards, 5 rec, 63 rec yards, 7.1 fantasy points
» Keenan Allen, WR: 14 rec, 157 yards, 15.7 fantasy points
» Malcom Flord, WR: 5 rec 95 yards, 9.5 fantasy points
» Antonio Gates, TE: 9 rec, 95 yards, 9.5 fantasy points
Even if the Chargers had planned on trying to establish the run, that game plan went out the window in a hurry once they found success with the quick passing game. Philip Rivers had a clean pocket from his offensive line, hurling the rock an insane 65 times. He crossed the 500 mark in passing yards and found the end zone twice, too. Sadly, neither of those touchdowns were in the hands of Antonio Gates or Keenan Allen, though both posted solid yardage stat lines and great days in PPR (23 catches between the two of them). Allen did suffer a hip injury and missed the end of the game, so that will need to be monitored. In the backfield, Melvin Gordon fumbled, suffered a foot injury and spent much of the game on the bench. Branden Oliver (11 touches) and Danny Woodhead (14 touches) did the majority of the work with the rookie riding the pine.
The hits just keep on coming for the Green Bay offense. The team lost Ty Montgomery in this game with a knee injury, although X-rays showed that it's hopefully not serious. Still, it's understandable why the offense has been struggling when you realize Randall Cobb, James Jones and Eddie Lacy are all battling injuries, and the team is without Jordy Nelson and Andrew Quarless. However, as is the Packers way, their depth helped save the day. James Starks saw 11 touches to Lacy's six, and turned them into 117 total yards and two touchdowns. Jeff Janis also filled in at wide receiver, managing two big plays in the passing game. Rodgers was Rodgers, posting nearly 20 fantasy points in what many would consider an "off" game for him. The Packers head into their bye next week, hopefully getting healthier and figuring out some of these issues. Eddie Lacy owners were undoubtedly upset with his production this week, but don't hit the panic/eject button just yet. He's started slowly before, and there's a chance the team limited him today to allow him to heal fully through the bye. But your hands should be hovering over that panic button if he doesn't get going shortly after the team returns from it's break.
Arizona Cardinals at Pittsburgh Steelers
Top performers:
» Carson Palmer, QB: 421 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 1 INT, -1 rush yard, 16.74 fantasy points
» Chris Johnson, RB: 40 rush yards, 5 rec yards, 4.50 fantasy points
» Larry Fitzgerald, WR: 93 rec yards, 9.30 fantasy points
» John Brown, WR: 196 rec yards, 1 fumble lost, 17.60 fantasy points
» Michael Floyd, WR: 50 rec yards, 1 rec TD, 11.00 fantasy points
» Landry Jones, QB: 168 pass yards, 2 pass TDs, -1 rush yard, 15.50 fantasy points
» Le'Veon Bell, RB: 88 rush yards, 8.80 fantasy points
» Antonio Brown, WR: 24 rec yards, 2.40 fantasy points
» Martavis Bryant, WR: 137 rec yards, 2 rec TDs, 8 rush yards, 26.50 fantasy points
In a surprising result, Pittsburgh ousted Arizona by a score of 25-13 as both teams now stand at 4-2 on the season. One of the NFL's highest-scoring offenses was held to just one touchdown -- a catch by Michael Floyd. Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer spread the ball around to all of his receivers and racked up over 400 passing yards, including 196 to John Brown on the day. Larry Fitzgerald also had a respectable day, especially in PPR leagues with his 93 yards on eight receptions. Arizona's run game wasn't impressive though, as Chris Johnson, David Johnson and Andre Ellington combined for just 56 total yards on the ground. Fantasy owners shouldn't be too worried about this offense though, as they'll look to get back on track next week against Baltimore.
The Steelers welcomed back Martavis Bryant following a four-game suspension to begin the season and a missed game in Week 5. But boy was he worth the wait. Bryant was Pittsburgh's saving grace on offense, with two touchdowns and 137 yards including an amazing 88-yard catch-and run for a score from third-string quarterback Landry Jones that pretty much sealed the deal in the fourth quarter. Jones came into the game in the third quarter with the struggling Mike Vick sidelined with an injury. He threw two TD passes, both to Bryant. Unfortunately, Antonio Brown was smothered by Patrick Peterson all day and for the third straight game finished with single-digit fantasy points. Until Big Ben comes back, which may or may not happen next week, Brown needs to seriously be considered as a bench fantasy player. Le'Veon Bell did what he does and managed to pile up 88 yards on the ground but failed to score for the first time this season. He's still an every-week starter.
Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills
Top performers:
» Andy Dalton, QB: 243 yards, 3 TD, 21.52 fantasy points
» Jeremy Hill, RB: 69 total yards, rec TD, 12.9 fantasy points
» Giovani Bernard, RB: 73 total yards, TD, 13.3 fantasy points
» Marvin Jones, WR: 95 yards, TD, 15.5 fantasy points
» Tyler Eifert, TE: 30 yards, TD, 9 fantasy points
» EJ Manuel, QB: 263 passing yards, TD, INT, 22 rush yards, TD, 20.72 fantasy points
» LeSean McCoy, RB: 94 total yards, TD, 16.6 fantasy points
» Sammy Watkins, WR: 48 yards, TD, 10.8 fantasy points
» Charles Clay, TE: 62 yards, 6.2 fantasy points
This Bengals offense is fun to watch. With a full complement of offensive play makers at his disposal, Andy Dalton can attack and beat defenses in a seemingly endless number of ways. Both Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard found the end zone, and Tyler Eifert continued his dominance in the red zone with another touchdown in that space. A.J. Green was relatively quiet, but that's because it was Marvin Jones making spectacular plays. Also, as we've learned over the last few weeks, Dalton is basically matchup proof right now with this offense humming along at this pace. The Bills offense had spurts of competent play, including a nice touchdown drive before the half. Unfortunately, it was on that touchdown reception where Sammy Watkins suffered a lower leg injury. He was later seen on crutches and did not return. LeSean McCoy looked healthy in his return, making some vintage Shady jump cuts and stutter steps. He found the end zone, too, giving fantasy owners a solid day. Charles Clay racked up 62 yards, but his calf might have acted up, as Chris Gragg saw a bunch of targets in the second half.
Washington Redskins at New York Jets
Top performers:
» Kirk Cousins, QB: 196 yards, TD, 2 INT, 19.02 fantasy points
» Alfred Morris, RB: 11 rush, 21 yards, 2.1 fantasy points
» Chris Thompson, RB: 12 rush yards, 6 rec, 26 rec yards, 3.7 fantasy points
» Pierre Garcon, WR: 5 rec, 28 yards, TD, 8.8 fantasy points
» Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB: 253 yards, 2 TD, rush TD, INT, 25.22 fantasy points
» Chris Ivory, RB: 196 total yards, TD, 25.60 fantasy points
» Brandon Marshall, WR: 111 yards, TD, fmbl, 15.10 fantasy points
» Eric Decker, WR: 59 yards, TD, fmbl, 9.9 fantasy points
This one went pretty much as expected. Kirk Cousins committed a couple costly turnovers, while his skill position players weren't able to get anything done against the fierce Jets defense. Washington only scored one touchdown on offense (Pierre Garcon), with all of their points coming off of turnovers. The Jets offense looked good coming out of it's bye (minus the fumbles by Decker/Marshall). Chris Ivory is the truth, running hard and catching passes out of the backfield. He totaled 196 yards and looked great in the process. He's been one of the draft steals of the year. Speaking of steals, both Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker fell in drafts for no reason other than "Jets," but that was foolish. These two can ball, and they proved it again today. Ryan Fitzpatrick turned in a solid afternoon, getting into the end zone on the ground and twice through the air. He was an excellent streaming option if you were in need.
Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars
Top performers:
» DeAndre Hopkins, WR: 148 yards, 2 TD, 26.80 fantasy points
» Brian Hoyer, QB: 293 pass yards, 3 pass TD, 7 rush yards, 24.42 fantasy points
» Arian Foster, RB: 112 yards, 1 TD, 17.20 fantasy points
» Blake Bortles, QB: 331 pass yards, 3 TD, 3 INT, 37 rush yards, 22.94 fantasy points
» Allen Robinson, WR: 86 yards, 1 TD, 14.60 fantasy points
» Julius Thomas, TE: 78 yards, 1 TD, 13.80 fantasy points
» Jamaal Charles, RB: 58 rush yards, 26 rec yards, 8.40 fantasy points
Don't look now, but Brian Hoyer could be solidifying his spot as the Texans starting quarterback. After a nice outing last week, Hoyer followed up with 293 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. It certainly helps when you have DeAndre Hopkins to throw it to. Nuk is looking more and more like the best wideout in the NFL -- an opinion that won't be hurt by his 10 catches, 148 yards and two touchdowns. Arian Foster didn't have the biggest day on the ground, but you're not going to complain about 112 scrimmage yards and a touchdown.
It was a frustrating day for Blake Bortles. Fantasy owners are going to be pretty happy with a second consecutive 20-point day. But you'll also look at the three interceptions (all on questionable throws) and wonder what might have been. Fortunately, the Allen Brothers (Robinson and Hurns) both snagged touchdown passes and Julius Thomas notched his first score as a Jaguar. Without rookie T.J. Yeldon, Jacksonville didn't get much going on the ground with three running backs combining for 46 yards (Bortles added 37 rushing yards of his own). The aerial attack is there for the Jaguars, the ground game still needs some work.
Kansas City Chiefs at Minnesota Vikings
Top performers:
» Alex Smith, QB: 292 total yards, 1 TD, 16.28 fantasy points
» Charcandrick West, RB: 10 touches, 45 total yards, 1.90 fantasy points
» Jeremy Maclin, WR: 3 catches, 48 yards, 4.80 fantasy points
» Albert Wilson, WR: 3 catches, 57 yards, 1 TD, 11.70 fantasy points
» Travis Kelce, TE: 5 catches, 88 yards, 8.80 fantasy points
» Teddy Bridgewater, QB: 249 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs 9.46 fantasy points
» Adrian Peterson, RB: 27 touches, 57 total yards, 5.70 fantasy points
» Stefon Diggs, WR: 7 catches, 129 yards, 12.90 fantasy points
» Kyle Rudolph, TE: 2 catches, 9 yards, 1 TD, 6.90 fantasy points
With a combined 26 points scored between these two teams, there just wasn't much fantasy gold to be had here. The Chiefs offense looked as an uninspiring as we could have imagined without Jamaal Charles. Charcandrick West didn't exactly repay those who went hard after him on the waiver wire. He fumbled the ball, and generally didn't impress. We could see more of Knile Davis going forward, but neither are startable right now. Albert Wilson stepped up when Jeremy Maclin left the game with a concussion, and is a talented player. He's someone we need to remember in case Maclin's injury is serious, and just in long-term dynasty leagues in general. Adrian Peterson provided a massive letdown, averaging 2.1 yards per touch. The big development in this game was the emergence of Stefon Diggs. The rookie ran pristine routes once again, and led the Vikings in receiving. He needs to be owned everywhere, with all other Minnesota pass catchers mired in mediocrity.
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions
Top performers:
» Alshon Jeffery, WR: 147 rec yards, 1 rec TD, 20.70 fantasy points
» Jay Cutler, QB: 353 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 1 INT, 12 rush yards, 1 2PT conversion, 19.32 fantasy points
» Matt Forte, RB: 89 yards, 1 TD, 1 2PT conversion, 16.90 fantasy points
» Matthew Stafford, QB: 405 pass yards, 4 TD, 1 INT, 37 rush yards, 33.90 fantasy points
» Calvin Johnson WR: 166 yards, 1 TD, 22.60 fantasy points
» Lance Moore, WR: 106 yards, 1 TD, 16.60 fantasy points
Welcome back, Alshon Jeffery! After sitting out since Week 1 with a balky hamstring, he returns to catch eight passes for 147 yards and a touchdown. It's the moment we've all been waiting for. It also helped Jay Cutler to a decent fantasy day -- despite the obligatory interception. Matt Forte finally got a rushing touchdown today after several attempts, but the Bears used Jeremy Langford a surprising amount during the game.
Welcome back, Calvin Johnson! The Lions somehow remembered that they have one of the league's best receivers on their roster and decided to throw it to him down field. The result? He had 166 yards and a touchdown. Lance Moore also had 100-plus receiving yards and a score. We have no idea where that came from. Ameer Abdullah started the game for the Lions, but had yet another fumble. It wouldn't be surprising to see the rookie losing snaps to the much more consistent Theo Riddick. By the way, Matthew Stafford went over 400 yards with four touchdowns -- just when everyone had given up on him.
Miami Dolphins at Tennesee Titans
Top performers:
» Ryan Tannehill, QB: 266 pass yards, 2 pass TDs, 2 INTs, 14 rush yards, 16.04 fantasy points
» Lamar Miller, RB: 113 rush yards, 1 rush TD, 5 rec yards, 17.80 fantasy points
» Jarvis Landry, WR: 24 rush yards, 1 rush TD, 42 rec yards, 12.60 fantasy points
» Rishard Matthews, WR: 85 rec yards, 8.50 fantasy points
» Jordan Cameron, TE: 30 rec yards, 1 rec TD, 9.00 fantasy points
» Marcus Mariota, QB: 219 pass yards, 1 pass TD, 2 INTs, 2 fumbles lost, 4.76 fantasy points
» Dexter McCluster, RB: 23 rush yards, 19 rec yards, 1 rec TD, 10.20 fantasy points
» Delanie Walker, TE: 97 rec yards, 9.70 fantasy points
As promised by interim head coach Dan Campbell, the Dolphins committed to the run game early and when all was said and done, the team had rushed the ball more times (32) than they passed it (29). In a huge 38-10 win over the Titans. The heavy-run strategy paid off for fantasy owners, as Lamar Miller ran for over 100 yards and scored for the first time this season. Jarvis Landry also got into the end zone on a 22-yard run in the first quarter which salvaged his mediocre day as a receiver. Both of Ryan Tannehill's passing TDs were scored by tight ends, one to Dion Sims and one to Jordan Cameron. If this is a sign of things to come for Miami, Miller and Landry owners can breathe a sigh of relief. The Dolphins take on the Texans next week.
From a Titans team that scored just 10 points the entire game, there isn't much to say from a fantasy perspective. Mariota struggled with ball security and was responsible for four turnovers himself. The team's only touchdown was a pass from Mariota to Dexter McCluster. Delanie Walker was the team's leading receiver with eight catches for 97 yards on 10 targets. It'll be hard to recommend any Titans players in fantasy going forward.
Denver Broncos at Cleveland Browns
Top performers:
» Peyton Manning, QB: 290 yards, TD, 3 INTs, 9.60 fantasy points
» Ronnie Hillman, RB: 23 touches, 115 total yards, 11.50 fantasy points
» C.J. Anderson, RB: 17 touches, 66 total yards, 6.60 fantasy points
» Demaryius Thomas, WR: 10 catches, 111 yards, 11.10 fantasy points
» Emmanuel Sanders, WR: 4 catches, 109 yards, TD, 16.90 fantasy points
» Josh McCown, QB: 213 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, 11.82 fantasy points
» Duke Johnson, RB: 12 touches, 56 total yards, 5.60 fantasy points
» Isaiah Crowell, RB: 13 touches, 41 total yards, 4.10 fantasy points
» Travis Benjamin, WR: 9 rec, 117 yards, 11.70 fantasy points
» Gary Barnidge, TE: 3 rec, 39 yards, 2 TDs, 15.90 fantasy points
The Broncos won again, despite another miserable offensive performance for a large portion of this game. Peyton Manning shot out a few ugly passes, and gave the Browns plenty of opportunities for points off those turnovers. Ronnie Hillman was the lead back today, and went over 100 yards rushing. We'd advise not chasing this performance, as the Browns field one of the league's worst run defenses. This does make Anderson's less-than-stellar game particularly troubling. If you need a spot, he can be dropped, but don't do it just to do it. The receivers were as steady as ever. The Browns offense came back to earth, with Josh McCown depressing his day in the wake of multiple bone-headed turnovers. The running backs didn't do much, and Duke Johnson left early with a head injury. Travis Benjamin and Gary Barnidge had big fantasy days, and that was great to see. Given that they had startable games in a week where the offense wasn't firing on all cylinders, it's time to consider them every-week plays.
