Fantasy football Week 6 start/sit: Who should, should not, be in your lineup?

Well, let’s hope your fantasy season is going better than the Giants’ real season. Let’s hope you’re making the best roster decisions to help that continue. Let’s take a look at start/sit for Week 6.

Running back

Start: Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks

When Carson has been healthy, he’s been getting the carries in Seattle’s backfield. He had 32 carries for 102 yards and a touchdown in Week 3 and 19 carries for 116 yards against the Rams last week. The Seahawks are favored — more likely a run-heavy game script — and Carson will run against a Raiders defense that has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs.

Start: Alfred Morris, San Francisco 49ers

There are not many other options in the San Francisco backfield, even though I suggested Kyle Jusczyzk as a possible waiver wire add this week. With Matt Brieda out, Morris should get most of the carries. While that might not mean a lot while the Niners trailing, there’s the potential for volume and Morris is going to be the one to see it.

Sit: Adrian Peterson, Washington Redskins

Once Washington starts to trail, the offense abandons Peterson in the run game. He had just four carries for six yards Monday night in the blowout against the Saints and had just 11 carries for 20 yards in the 21-9 loss to the Colts in Week 2. Peterson returned to practice on Thursday after getting banged up on Monday night, but there might not be much opportunity for him to get the ball.

[Sunday morning update: Chris Thompson has been ruled out, if you can (you probably can) and you’re desperate, Kapri Bibbs could get some run in this game in the backfield for Washington].

Sit: Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta offense is clicking, but it hasn’t really worked in the running backs. Freeman has been hurt, but returned last week for disappointing results — eight carries for 32 yards and two receptions for nine yards. The matchup is good against a Buccaneers defense that hasn’t stopped anything this season, but there’s a potential the Falcons could be pass-heavy because that’s what works the best. Freeman is also nursing another foot injury and while it’s not a long-term concern, it definitely is for Week 6.

[Sunday morning update: Freeman has officially been ruled out, so yea, definitely don’t start him. Ito Smith is likely to get some play, but if you need a back like that, Bibbs might till be the better play with Tevin Coleman getting the majority of the snaps for the Falcons].

Wide receiver

Start: John Brown, Baltimore Ravens

Only Julio Jones has a higher percentage of his team’s targeted air yards than John Brown through five weeks, per Next Gen Stats. Brown has undoubtedly become Baltimore’s No. 1 receiver on an offense that has been better than expected, last week’s dud aside. Brown hasn’t had fewer than seven targets since Week 1. Right now Brown is a perfect combination of volume and big-play upside.

Start: Mohamed Sanu/Calvin Ridley, Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons passing game has been able to support three fantasy relevant wide receivers for the past few weeks. While that’s not going to last all season, don’t be afraid to start any of them against the Buccaneers, who rank last in defensive DVOA, 30th against No. 2 receivers, and 24th against “other” receivers. The Bucs have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers and are one of four teams to allow nine touchdowns to receivers despite being the only one of the four that only played four games.

Sit: Devin Funchess, Carolina Panthers

Funchess is getting the targets (at least seven in the past three games) and getting targeted downfield enough (12.0 aDOT), but the production hasn’t been consistently there. Funchess has only cracked 70 yards once and he’s averaging a career-low 13.2 yards per reception. He’ll face a Washington defense that was quite good in the secondary before whatever happened in New Orleans. There’s a floor with the volume, but there’s better upside elsewhere.

Sit: Quincy Enunwa, New York Jets

Enunwa was a target monster in the Jets’ first two games — 21 targets — and while he’s still getting a decent share, the production has declined. Last week against Denver, Enunwa was held catchless on five targets. Robby Anderson, who has half of Enunwa’s targets, has potentially found a groove and already has a higher share of the team’s air yards than Enunwa. The Colts have also been surprisingly competent on defense, allowing the 11th-fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers.

Tight end

Start: Austin Hooper, Atlanta Falcons

The theme here is if your main role is to catch passes for the Falcons, you should be started against the Buccaneers. Hooper is an immensely talented tight end, who doesn’t often see high volume in the passing game because of the other receiving options. Last week, he got 12 targets and turned into nine receptions for 77 yards. The Buccaneers are the worst defense against tight ends, allowing more than one fantasy point per game more than the next worst defense.

Sit: Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers

Olsen was a full participant in practice Thursday and looks to be in line to play for the first time since Week 1. But with so much time off, it’s hard to trust he’ll be a major factor immediately in his return, especially when considering how erratic the Panthers passing game has been, non-Christian McCaffrey division.