Week 6 Studs/Duds
Eight players, four positions, one stud and one dud at each. Here’s who delivered on Sunday, and who left fantasy managers hanging.
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Now, on to the picks…
🔥 STUD QB: Tyler Shough (NO)
One week after a 96-yard, two-interception dud against Minnesota, Shough answered with a four-touchdown day in the Saints’ 34-27 win over the Giants.
Three passing TDs and one on the ground: 16-of-30 for 144 yards and three scores through the air, plus five carries for 32 yards and a tush-push touchdown
Played through pain: He’s dealing with broken bones in his non-throwing hand, which showed in a 4.8 yards-per-attempt day where he missed open receivers
Legs add a floor: He was also tackled inside the five on another run, so the rushing upside moving forward is real
The passing efficiency won’t win any awards, but Shough’s volume after the first quarter keeps his fantasy floor high. He’s a high-end QB2 heading into Week 7 against the Steelers.
🧊 DUD QB: Patrick Mahomes (KC)
The Chiefs handled the winless Chargers 22-6, but Mahomes’ managers didn’t get much out of it.
No touchdowns: 23-of-30 for 272 yards, zero TDs and one interception
Walker took the spotlight: Kenneth Walker ran 19 times for 128 yards and both Kansas City touchdowns
A drop from his early pace: Mahomes threw multiple TD passes in each of his first four starts and averaged 8.3 yards per attempt through Week 3
Kansas City didn’t need Mahomes to be great in this one. The concern is that a run-heavy script was part of the summer debate around his outlook, and Sunday showed what that looks like.
🔥 STUD RB: Bhayshul Tuten (JAX)
The Texans defense had held every back except for Javonte Williams under 11.2 PPR points. Tuten beat that mark easily, and he did it as a receiver.
Perfect through the air: 4 catches on 4 targets for 48 yards and two touchdowns
Still the lead back: 12 carries for 39 yards on 40 of the team’s 72 snaps
It could’ve been bigger: A rushing TD was wiped out by what looked like a phantom holding call. Two more TDs (44 and 3 yards) were also called back on holds in Week 4
When this is what a “down” rushing day looks like, managers can feel good about him. Tuten heads into his Week 7 bye as a firm RB2.
🧊 DUD RB: Cam Skattebo (NYG)
Skattebo went into Week 6 with a smash matchup against a Saints defense allowing an NFL-high 30+ fantasy points per game to backfields. He finished with nothing.
Zero touches: Najee Harris started after Skattebo’s fumbling issues, including a lost fumble in overtime against Washington in Week 5
Fourth in line: Just six snaps, the fewest of the Giants’ four running backs
Wasted matchup: No Giants back topped 20 rushing yards against that soft Saints run defense
John Harbaugh insists Skattebo wasn’t benched, but it’s hard to read it any other way. He’s a cautious RB3 until he’s out of the doghouse.
Still ahead: a big-name receiver whose return went badly, and a tight end who’s quietly getting more targets than almost anyone at his position. 👇
🔥 STUD WR: Tre Tucker (LV)
The Raiders lost a 33-30 shootout to Buffalo, but Tucker came through for his managers.
Big stat line: 5 catches on 7 targets for 97 yards and two touchdowns
Steady volume: He now has at least four catches in five straight games
Deep-ball ceiling: He’s the Raiders’ primary downfield option, which showed in Week 2 with 119 yards on two catches of 40+ yards
Tucker is in the final year of his rookie deal and playing like it. In a high-scoring game, he showed he can be more than a boom-or-bust FLEX.
🧊 DUD WR: A.J. Brown (NE)
Brown played for the first time since spraining his ankle in Week 1, and it went about as badly as possible for managers who were looking forward to his return.
Poor efficiency: Just 3 catches on 10 targets for 27 yards in the win over the Jets
Repeated drops: At least three official drops, possibly four or five once stat corrections come in. One potential long score went straight through his hands
Not fully healthy: He looked stiff moving side to side, a sign the high-ankle sprain is still bothering him
The good news is the targets were there. Next up is a short-week Thursday matchup with a leaky Bears defense, which is a solid plus matchup for a guy who’s supposed to be an alpha. He needs a bounce-back.
🔥 STUD TE: Isaiah Likely (NTG)
Likely has become one of the most reliable target-earners at the position, and he cashed in again in the loss to New Orleans.
Strong stat line: 6 catches on 11 targets for 99 yards and a touchdown, plus a two-point conversion, all in the fourth quarter from J.J. McCarthy
Heavy volume: Double-digit targets in three straight games and four times this season, for an average of 9.8 per game
Scoring: Five touchdowns on the season, including three over the last two games
Likely is a locked-in TE1. Week 7 is tough, though: Houston has been strong against fantasy football TEs, so expect volume to carry him rather than efficiency.
🧊 DUD TE: Harold Fannin Jr. (CLE)
The Browns beat Baltimore, but Fannin’s slump continued.
One catch again: 1 catch on 3 targets for 9 yards, after 1 catch for 4 yards in rainy New Jersey the week before
Two-week total: 2 catches, 13 yards and no TDs on just 7 targets
Struggling offense: Cleveland’s QB was sacked five times, and Fannin sits behind Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion for targets
This is the same player who finished as the TE6 as a rookie with 107 targets, so the talent is still there. With four teams on bye and the Titans up next, he stays in the low-end TE1 conversation, but on a short leash.
That’s the list. Come back tomorrow for my weekly list of waiver wire targets.
-Joe
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