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FFL: Week 6 | NFL: Week 6

The Weekly Bender: You Can Always Come Home

Fri Jul 5 6:00pm ET
By HOWARD BENDER
Fantasy Writer

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There is nothing better than winning your fantasy football league. Whether you’re playing against your friends in a home league or gearing up to take down the $500,000 grand prize in The Fantasy Championship, that euphoric feeling hits you in such a way that sometimes words can’t even describe. But it takes work. It takes tenacity. You don’t just stumble into a championship. You earn it. And that starts with your research here in July. Scouting talent is a top priority for you right now and it’s not just about the NFL players on the field. It’s also about which fantasy analysts you choose to trust each season.

Back in 2011, the folks here at RealTime Fantasy Sports led the way in premier scouting. During a raucous after-party following the FSTA Conference (currently the FSGA) in San Francisco, two of RTSports’ finest made their way to the bar and struck up a conversation with the guy slinging drinks. As it turned out, he also happened to be an aspiring fantasy analyst, freelancing for a couple of sites and looking for more work.

The conversation was light and friendly but intensified when opinions on players and teams came into play. The Giants had just won the World Series and baseball talk was buzzing in the Bay Area. The Green Bay Packers were in mini-camp looking to defend their Super Bowl championship and as we witness every year, the football frenzy was already taking over. With every lager and IPA that hit the bar, the men of RTSports also received formidable opinions, spicy hot takes, boatloads of sarcasm and some pretty entertaining jokes. By the end of the evening, a business card was handed across the bar with a firm demand: “We need a fantasy article written every week with these thoughts, these opinions and this kind of attitude.” With smiles all around and firm handshakes given, “The Weekly Bender” was born.

Yes, all of this, just to re-introduce myself to the community here at RealTime Fantasy Sports. What’s going on, everyone? I am over-the-moon with excitement about being back. In some ways, I never left. Though I was soon offered a full-time position at Fantasy Alarm and the Weekly Bender came to a close, I have remained very active on this website. For years, I hosted the Mock Draft Army here on RTSports and provided fantasy owners an opportunity to mock draft alongside dedicated fantasy players and industry analysts from all over. I’ve hosted numerous best ball drafts here for my audience at SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio and until my return today, have been logging plenty of time turning a profit in the RTSports DFS Pick ‘Em contests.

Yes, I am still over at Fantasy Alarm and you can find all of my fantasy football player rankings, cheat sheets (coming this Monday, July 8), draft strategies and my coaching scheme breakdowns in our Fantasy Football Draft Guide. The community over there is spectacular and I am sure that some of you reading this right now may already be over there. But RTSports has always been a home for me and now that I am back, I cannot wait to jump in.

In addition to the Weekly Bender, an article dedicated to providing winning strategies and picks with a hefty serving of snark, I will also be joining Jeff Paur on his weekly podcast/livestream, sharing videos with DFS Pick ‘Em contest picks, hosting mock drafts to get everyone ready for the 2024 NFL season and even setting up some “Beat Howard Bender” contests so that we can not only play against each other but also give you the opportunity to serve some of that smack-talk back to me.

When Thomas Wolfe wrote “You Can’t Go Home Again,” he was referring to the way nostalgia has us viewing the past in an overly-positive light. For those of you who remember the original Weekly Bender, you know we don’t look back at those pieces with rose-colored glasses. We crushed the research together, we ruled the waiver wire together and we shared championships together. It all comes full circle today and if Wolfe was sitting with me here right now, I’d let him know that you truly can go home again.

Here's to a spectacular 2024 season!

Bender, out!

Top Headlines
The Paur Report

Hot Plays, Fades and Sleepers: Week 6

Player Notes
Brian Robinson Jr. Oct 11 12:10pm ET
Brian Robinson Jr.

Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. (knee) will likely be a game-time decision on Sunday, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Robinson battled a knee injury heading into last week's game but was able to suit up. This week, he did not practice on Wednesday and Thursday with a similar knee injury and was also not seen during Friday's practice, which is not a promising sign for his status. Fantasy managers should monitor the injury report later on Friday, as the Alabama product will likely carry an injury designation into the weekend. The 25-year-old has enjoyed an excellent start to the season, scoring five touchdowns with 325 rushing yards. If Robinson can suit up, he should be locked into all lineups as an upside RB2. If he cannot play, Austin Ekeler should see the majority of opportunities out of the backfield and would become a must-start option.

From RotoBaller

Jordan Mason Oct 11 12:00pm ET
Jordan Mason

San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason (shoulder) is believed to have suffered a sprained AC joint during Thursday's night game, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Schefter further noted that the 25-year-old will undergo further testing later on Friday. Mason left Thursday's game in the first half and was only able to see one rushing attempt during the entire second half due to the injury. This opened the door for fourth-round rookie Isaac Guerendo to see a season-high 10 carries for 99 yards. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Mason's status ahead of their Week 7 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. If Mason were to miss an extended period of time, Guerendo becomes a priority waiver-wire target and a must-start option.

From RotoBaller

Malik Nabers Oct 11 11:50am ET
Malik Nabers

New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers (concussion) will not play on Sunday according to Pat Leonard of NYDN Sports. The LSU standout suffered a concussion in their Week 4 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and has not returned to the field since. Nabers did not return to practice this week and also did not show any significant progress through the concussion protocol. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status heading into next week as he could return to face the Pittsburgh Steelers. Last weekend, Wan'Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton led the Giant passing attack and should be expected to do so again on Sunday night against the Cincinnati Bengals. Both are high-upside flex options this weekend as the Bengals have allowed the 18th-most points to opposing wideouts this season.

From RotoBaller

D.K. Metcalf Oct 11 11:30am ET
D.K. Metcalf

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf had a poor game on Thursday night against the San Francisco 49ers. Metcalf finished the game with three receptions for 48 yards. Metcalf had been cruising this season and entered the game as the WR11 in fantasy. However, the 49ers more or less dominated the Seahawks and limited Metcalf's upside. Metcalf also had a couple of near-miss touchdowns in this game. Unfortunately, Metcalf's performance will set fantasy managers back heading into the weekend. However, there should be no panic or concern over his performance. Quarterback Geno Smith still threw for over 300 yards and Metcalf earned eleven targets. His catch rate was abysmal, but that kind of volume is sure to continue to translate to fantasy points. Metcalf will look to get back on track in Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons.

From RotoBaller

Brandon Aubrey Oct 11 11:20am ET
Brandon Aubrey

Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey remains the top kicker heading into Week 6's matchup with the Detroit Lions. Aubrey missed a kick last week, going 2-for-3 on field goals and 2-for-2 on extra points. He will look to bounce back this week in a dome environment in Dallas in what projects to be a high-flying offensive battle. The 29-year-old is the top kicker option this week and offers week-winning potential. Start him in all leagues that utilize kickers.

From RotoBaller

Noah Fant Oct 11 11:20am ET
Noah Fant

Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant matched his season-high catch total of six on Thursday night against the San Francisco 49ers. He also set a new season-high in receiving yards with 63. Fant has been a useless fantasy asset all season but if you happened to stream him this week then you were likely pleasantly surprised by the outcome. The Seahawks wound up throwing the ball 52 times, so it is no surprise that so many pass catchers were able to receive solid volume in this game. Even with a nice game from Fant, he is still too inconsistent to trust in fantasy football. However, if this trend continues then he would be worth an add off waivers.

From RotoBaller

Kenneth Walker III Oct 11 11:20am ET
Kenneth Walker III

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III was inefficient on the ground in Week 6 against the San Francisco 49ers. However, Walker earned eight targets for the second straight game. Walker is not known as a pass catcher. That is a role that typically falls to backup running back Zach Charbonnet. Even so, the new Seahawks regime seems to be changing that narrative. Walker has earned 24 targets in 2024 which is 13 off of a career high. The Seahawks have also found themselves trailing quite a bit over the last three weeks which could contribute to Walker's volume in the passing game. Still, the passing game work is giving Walker a nice floor in fantasy and propelling him into the high-end RB1 conversation. If this trend continues in Week 7, then it may be safe to say that Walker will see solid passing game volume all season.

From RotoBaller

Geno Smith Oct 11 11:20am ET
Geno Smith

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith had a rough outing on Thursday against the San Francisco 49ers. Smith threw for 312 yards and continued his 2024 trend of throwing for exactly one touchdown. However, he threw two costly interceptions as the Seahawks were unable to keep pace with a 49ers team that was opportunistic on turnovers throughout the game. The outing was disappointing for Smith as he was coming off two straight games with at least 22.56 fantasy points. However, Smith has now thrown for at least 312 yards in three of six games in 2024. At some point, the touchdown numbers should increase. Unfortunately, the Seahawks find themselves in a rut as they have lost three straight games. Smith often plays better when the Seahawks can play with a lead, which has not been the case lately. Hopefully, Smith can get back on track in Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons.

From RotoBaller

Jaxon Smith-Njigba Oct 11 11:20am ET
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba's target share continues to remain high. He seems to have found some consistency as Thursday's game against the San Francisco 49ers marked his third straight with at least seven targets. He has consistently kept pace with the targets earned by DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Smith-Njigba's only issue is that he has not scored many touchdowns. Quarterback Geno Smith has only thrown six touchdowns on the season and has thrown exactly one in every game so there have not been a lot of touchdowns to go around. Still, Seattle's offense continues to have to throw at a high rate to keep up with more challenging opponents as the season progresses. That will bode well for Smith-Njigba's volume throughout 2024.

From RotoBaller

Tyler Lockett Oct 11 11:20am ET
Tyler Lockett

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett earned eight targets on Thursday night against the San Francisco 49ers. Lockett turned those targets into four catches for 65 yards and his first touchdown of the season. Lockett had been solid for fantasy all season and it was great to see him score his first touchdown to deliver WR2 value this week. He finished tied for third on the team in targets but paced the pass catchers in receiving yards. Lockett continues to be a safety valve for quarterback Geno Smith. He has now racked up 40 targets in six games this season. His 339 receiving yards through six games puts him on pace for 960 on the season. If he can continue to receive solid volume and the touchdowns increase, Lockett could creep up the fantasy radar even farther.

From RotoBaller

Jake Ferguson Oct 11 11:10am ET
Jake Ferguson

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson is a no-brainer start heading into Sunday's matchup with the Detroit Lions. The home game has the highest implied point total of any game this week (52), and Dallas will lean into the passing game per usual with Detroit's third-ranked run defense on the other side of the ball. Ferguson has averaged over eight targets per game since returning from injury in Week 3 and will continue to see a healthy workload on Sunday. Start the 25-year-old in all formats, as he has TE1 overall upside this week.

From RotoBaller

Micah Parsons Oct 11 11:10am ET
Micah Parsons

The Dallas Cowboys' defense played one of their better games in Week 5, as they held Pittsburgh to just 17 points. They had three sacks and forced two fumbles, stringing together a solid fantasy outing after struggling the previous few weeks. This week, they welcome the red-hot Detroit Lions into town. Detroit is coming off of a bye having scored 42 points in their prior game against Seattle. They will be well-rested with plenty of time to prepare a game plan, creating a tough matchup. Trevon Diggs (ankle/illness), Eric Kendricks (calf/shoulder), and Micah Parsons (ankle) have all missed significant practice time this week and could cause Dallas to be short-handed on the defensive side of the ball this week. Look elsewhere for your fantasy defense for Week 6.

From RotoBaller

CeeDee Lamb Oct 11 11:00am ET
CeeDee Lamb

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb disappointed fantasy managers in Week 5 with five receptions for 62 yards. This week, Lamb is in a prime position for a big week. The Cowboys welcome the Detroit Lions to town in a game with the highest implied point total (52) of the week. Detroit's rush defense is sound, creating an environment where Dallas may lean even more into the pass than usual. They do not have a shutdown corner, meaning Lamb should draw favorable matchups. The 25-year-old grades as the WR1 overall this week and needs to be started everywhere.

From RotoBaller

Jalen Tolbert Oct 11 11:00am ET
Jalen Tolbert

Dallas Cowboys receiver Jalen Tolbert is coming off of the best game of his career in which he caught the game-winning pass against Pittsburgh. Tolbert is a strong flex option in Week 6's matchup with the Detroit Lions. Detroit's tough run defense will only lead Dallas to lean even heavier into the pass, creating plenty of opportunities for Tolbert to get involved with Brandin Cooks (knee) on injured reserve. Tolbert solidified himself as Dallas' WR2 last week and is a safe start with a high ceiling in a potential shootout this week.

From RotoBaller

Dak Prescott Oct 11 10:50am ET
Dak Prescott

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott remains a top fantasy option ahead of Week 6's matchup with the Detroit Lions. Prescott is currently third in the league in passing yards per game behind just Geno Smith and Jordan Love and should continue to put up big numbers against Detroit's softer secondary. The Lions' defense has been a pass-funnel defense all season long, as they rank third in run defense but sixteenth in pass defense. Their defensive weaknesses match up well with Dallas' offensive strengths, creating a potential shootout with many fantasy points to go around. Prescott should benefit, as he grades as one of the top quarterback options for Week 6.

From RotoBaller

Rico Dowdle Oct 11 10:50am ET
Rico Dowdle

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle has asserted himself as the workhorse running back over the past two weeks, most recently taking 65% of rushing attempts in Week 5's win. Although Dowdle should see a heavy workload in Week 6 against Detroit, the matchup is one of the toughest on paper. Detroit has allowed the seventh-least fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, likely making Dowdle a touchdown-dependent option this week. With that being said, there will likely be a lot of touchdowns in this game given that it has the highest projected point total of any game this week (52). Dowdle grades as a low-end RB2 option this week.

From RotoBaller

Ezekiel Elliott Oct 11 10:50am ET
Ezekiel Elliott

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has seen his role diminish in the past few weeks. Elliott has taken a clear step back to Rico Dowdle, who had 22 touches compared to his six last week. This week, Dallas draws a tough running back matchup against Detroit. With Elliott's diminished workload along with a tough matchup, he should not be started anywhere this week. Elliott can be safely dropped in most formats, as he now serves as Dowdle's handcuff.

From RotoBaller

Andy Dalton Oct 11 9:50am ET
Andy Dalton

Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton revived the offense for a couple of weeks until they ran into the Chicago Bears defense in Week 5. Dalton watched the end of the game from the bench as Bryce Young returned under center for a bit in the fourth quarter. In Week 6, the Panthers will take on the Atlanta Falcons who have some holes in their defense but haven't given up too many big fantasy outings to opposing quarterbacks. They're averaging 17.3 fantasy points allowed per game which slots them right in the middle of the pack. The Falcons offense, led by Kirk Cousins, will likely come out firing against a weak Panthers defense, so this game could turn into a huge passing effort from Dalton as long as he plays the entire contest. With a banged-up receiving corps, however, it doesn't seem too likely that Dalton will register a big week.

From RotoBaller

Jonathan Owens Oct 11 9:40am ET
Jonathan Owens

Chicago Bears safety Jaquan Brisker (concussion) has officially been ruled out for the team's Week 6 contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. Brisker has been one of the leaders of a very good defensive unit that has kept the Bears in striking distance every game. They enter this week as a top-four unit in terms of fantasy points scored so far this season. Elijah Hicks and Jonathan Owens are the next two safeties on the depth chart and Hicks will likely be the one to take over for Brisker in this game. The Jaguars finally bounced back with a win in Week 5, but Trevor Lawrence has proven to slip up more often than not, so this defense has serious potential.

From RotoBaller

Chuba Hubbard Oct 11 9:20am ET
Chuba Hubbard

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard has enjoyed some big fantasy success over the last few weeks since Andy Dalton took over as the starting quarterback. He's registered finishes of RB7, RB7, and RB5 in half-PPR formats across those weeks. After a brief offensive improvement to win their first game, the offense has slowly returned to the not-so-great version we've seen before. Now, Hubbard goes up against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6 who are the fifth-toughest defense against opposing running backs. They're only allowing an average of 15.9 fantasy points per game to backfields. Hubbard remains the best starting option from the Panthers' offense, but his upside is limited if the Falcons can get out to an early lead.

From RotoBaller