Week 6 of the 2024 fantasy football season featured big surprises. Who were the big winners and losers? Which players received "A" and "F" grades?
Matt Bowen and Tristan H. Cockcroft offer their analysis, and Seth Walder provides his grades. We also asked NFL Nation reporters to answer questions about what happened in the Thursday, Saturday and Sunday games.
Jump to a topic:
Ranking winners | Ranking losers
Who got an A | Who got an F
Biggest injuries and what's next
Top questions from Week 6
Ranking fantasy winners of Week 6
1. Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Godwin logged a season-high 35.5 points, which led all players in the early window, during the Bucs' shootout win over the Saints. Godwin caught 11 of a team-high 13 targets for 125 yards, working multiple levels of the route tree, while also showing his catch-and-run ability on his 55-yard touchdown grab, which was his second of the day. Godwin has now scored at least 17 points in four of six games played this season, and it's pretty clear that he offers a much higher fantasy floor than teammate Mike Evans. Godwin, who is now the No.1 fantasy scoring wide receiver by 16.0 points over Ja'Marr Chase, gets the Ravens' defense next, and I'll have him ranked as a WR1. -- Bowen
2. Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears
Williams dropped a season-high 28.64 points on the Jags' defense over in London, throwing four touchdowns and also using his legs (56 yards rushing) on both designed carries and scramble attempts. Williams has now scored 23 or more points in back-to-back games, with multiple touchdown passes in each. He is driving the ball on timing throws right now, while using his creative ability to make plays outside of structure. The Bears head into the bye next week, but they return with two more positive matchups in Weeks 8 and 9 (@WASH, @AZ), putting Williams in the QB1 ranks. -- Bowen
3. Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
Robison's 25.5 points were a season high, and he found the end zone (twice) for the first time since back in Week 3. Yes, the Falcons did split backfield touches again, as Tyler Allgeier led the team with 18 carries. However, Robinson rushed for 95 yards on 15 carries, and he saw an increase in red zone work. Both of Robinson's rushing scores were on carries inside the 10-yard line. And while I would like to see more targets for Robinson in the pass game (3 of 4 targets, 10 yards receiving), his usage as a runner in scoring position is encouraging for a Falcons team that had just one rushing touchdown heading into Week 6. -- Bowen
4. Jordan Love, QB, Green Bay Packers
He completed multiple touchdown passes for the fourth consecutive game to begin his season and 10th straight game overall (playoffs included), scoring 25.62 fantasy points. Love was aligned for a big day thanks to the soft matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, but he stepped up as one should expect an elite fantasy quarterback to in that situation. He's continuing to shape up as a clear top-10 positional option and will continue to be one in Week 7 against the Houston Texans. -- Cockcroft
5. Joe Mixon, RB, Houston Texans
He returned from an ankle injury that cost him four weeks to play 45% of the Texans' offensive snaps, handle 13 of their 28 rushing attempts and score 27.2 PPR fantasy points in a dominating 41-21 win over the New England Patriots. Mixon totaled 55 yards over expected, per Next Gen Stats, and was clocked a game-best 20.8 mph on his best play of the day, a 59-yard, second-quarter run, both great signs of his return to prior form. He's one of the position's best touchdown bets and should be a borderline top-10 running back from this point forward. -- Cockcroft
6. Cole Kmet, TE, Chicago Bears
Kmet scored 24.0 points in the win over the Jags, logging two touchdown grabs, while catching all five of his targets for 70 yards. And I thought the Bears really made an effort to scheme for Kmet in scoring position. Kmet caught his first touchdown on a seam ball throw from Williams (off a double screen look), and he also saw an end zone target on a corner route for his second score. Kmet's usage here is encouraging, and he now has scored 20 or more points in two of his past four games played. He should be viewed as a starter in 12-team leagues when the Bears return from the bye in Week 8 versus the Commanders. -- Bowen
7. Josh Downs, WR, Indianapolis Colts
For the third straight game, Downs produced out of the slot with Joe Flacco at quarterback, catching seven of a team-high nine targets for 61 yards, and he added a 22-yard touchdown catch on a schemed wheel route. Downs has caught 24 of 30 targets over this three-game stretch, with at least 15 points in each. He'll remain a locked-in/high-volume starter if Flacco starts again in Week 7 versus Miami. -- Bowen
8. Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens
Flowers produced his best fantasy totals of the season, scoring 22.4 points in the Week 6 win over Washington. Flowers secured all nine of his targets for 132 yards, showing his ability to set up and separate versus man coverage, while finding open voids against zone. Flowers has caught 16 of 21 targets over his past two games, with at least 19 points in each. With his usage climbing, Flowers fits as a WR2 for the positive Week 7 matchup versus the Tampa Bay defense. -- Bowen
9. Romeo Doubs, WR, Green Bay Packers
After serving a team-imposed Week 5 suspension, Doubs rebounded with a two-touchdown game on Sunday, good for 19.9 PPR fantasy points despite his seeing only nine targets. He did, however, pace the team's wide receiver room by playing 73% of the offensive snaps and running 27 routes, good signs that there are no lingering concerns about his role as a result of the suspension. Doubs, as with all Packers receivers, can be tough to read from week to week, but he's a fantasy WR3/flex consideration most weeks and will have a fantastic matchup upcoming in Week 8 (@JAX). -- Cockcroft
10. Sean Tucker, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Sometimes blowouts get out of hand, and the backup running back winds up having a fourth-quarter field day, as Tucker did by scoring 34.2 PPR fantasy points in the Buccaneers' 51-27 victory over the New Orleans Saints. Congratulations to the lucky 0.72% of managers who started him in ESPN leagues this week! -- Cockcroft
Ranking fantasy losers of Week 6
1. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys
It was a nightmarish performance by both him and his team in many regards. Prescott's 3.22 fantasy points were his fifth fewest in any of his 120 career NFL starts, while his Cowboys' 47-9 defeat represented their worst loss at home since Nov. 13, 1988, and matched their fourth-worst home defeat in franchise history. Prescott performed uncharacteristically poorly on deeper throws in this one, completing only 4 of 12 pass attempts that traveled at least 10 yards beyond the line of scrimmage for 72 yards, no scores and two interceptions. The Cowboys' defensive struggles have put him in tough spots playing from behind as well, which is the greater long-term concern. Fortunately, they have their bye in Week 7, but a road assignment in San Francisco in Week 8 presents one of their toughest matchups yet. Expect Prescott to be a midrange QB2 for that game. -- Cockcroft
2. Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Barkley posted a season-low 7.4 points in the Week 6 win over the Browns, despite seeing a total of 20 touches. Barkley was held in check on the ground here, rushing for just 47 yards on 18 carries (2.6 YPC), while he caught both of his targets for 7 yards. The receiving totals remain limited for Barkley in this Eagles offense, as he has yet to catch more than four passes in a game this season. And without the explosive play rushes or touchdown production, Barkley has his worst day in Philadelphia. Barkley and the Eagles get the Giants' defense next in Week 7. -- Bowen
3. Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals
Murray, who lost his top target, Marvin Harrison Jr., to an injury (concussion) early in the game, did complete nearly 70% of his passes in the Week 6 loss to the Packers. However, with a lack of explosive play throws and only 14 yards rushing on seven carries, Murray turned in a subpar 11.96 points. Murray has now scored less than 15 points in three of his past four games. He'll look to rebound versus the Chargers' defense in the upcoming Week 7 matchup. -- Bowen
4. DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks
His was one of the most disappointing outputs from Thursday, scoring only 7.8 PPR fantasy points on 11 targets. Metcalf managed only three catches in the contest and could've easily had a much bigger score had he either managed to get both feet in bounds on an end zone target late in the second quarter, or had a prospective 52-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter not be nullified by penalty. It's in performances like these that Metcalf continues to establish he's more high-end WR2 than true fantasy WR1. -- Cockcroft
5. DJ Moore, WR, Chicago Bears
Fantasy managers know all too well the frustration of hearing your player's team scored 35 points in a massive blowout, only to see that he individually played little part in it. Such was the case with Moore, who scored 6.0 PPR fantasy points on five targets in the Bears' win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, a dream matchup for him and the team's passing game. Moore did miss a few snaps due to injury in the third quarter, and he had a touchdown ruled down at the 1-yard line later in the contest, however. On the bright side, the Bears have two more great matchups exiting their Week 7 bye (@WSH, @ARI), so he should rebound with fantasy WR2 numbers in those. -- Cockcroft
6. Calvin Ridley, WR, Tennessee Titans
Will Levis' poor play continues to have a devastating effect on Ridley's production, as the wide receiver was shut out on eight targets, managing only 9 yards' worth of offense on a single rushing attempt. Ridley warrants a good chunk of the blame, however, as Next Gen Stats had him with a 46% expected completion rate, despite his average depth of target being 18.1 yards. It's the third consecutive game in which he has been held beneath three PPR fantasy points, making him a big-time boom/bust performer -- and a tough one with which to gauge matchups -- for fantasy. It's tough to envisioning him garnering even a top-25 wide receiver ranking for a Week 7 matchup with the Buffalo Bills. -- Cockcroft
7. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
In his 12th career head-to-head meeting with Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore, Evans again had a quiet day, scoring only 5.4 PPR fantasy points on six targets. Interestingly enough, Evans wasn't shadowed by Lattimore, lining up across from the cornerback on only six of his 25 routes, though Evans did not garner a single target one-on-one against Lattimore. Chalk this one up more to the matchups, which do tend to hold Evans back at times. He'll be in a much better spot, and likely to rebound with near-if-not-top-10 numbers against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 7. -- Cockcroft
Injury impact
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals
What we know: He exited in the second quarter due to a concussion suffered when his head collided with the upper leg of Green Bay Packers lineman Isaiah McDuffie on Harrison's second target of the day.
What's next: Harrison will need to clear the league's concussion protocol in order to play in Week 7 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Trey McBride and Michael Wilson stepped up as Kyler Murray's top two targets following Harrison's departure, with Xavier Weaver seeing an expanded opportunity as the No. 4 receiver, an arrangement that would likely continue if the rookie misses additional time. -- Cockcroft
Jordan Mason, RB, San Francisco 49ers
What we know: Mason left with a shoulder injury in the second half of the 49ers' Thursday night win over the Seahawks, and he did not return. Mason finished with 73 yards rushing (on nine carries), and he added one reception for 9 yards.
What's next?: Mason has been listed as day-to-day with the shoulder injury ahead of the 49ers' Week 7 matchup against the Colts. If Mason can't go, however, then managers can turn to rookie Isaac Guerendo as a streaming option (0.9% rostered in ESPN leagues). Guerendo rushed for 99 yards on 10 carries versus Seattle, highlighted by a 76-yard run. -- Bowen
Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints
What we know: Olave suffered a concussion in the first half versus the Bucs, and he was ruled out of the game. Before the injury, Olave caught his only target for 5 yards.
What's next?: The Saints play in the Thursday night game this upcoming week, so that would be a quick turnaround for Olave to pass concussion protocol. If he is down for the Week 7 matchup versus Denver, Rashid Shaheed moves up here in the Saints' route tree, while rookie Bub Means (15.5 points in Week 6) can be targeted as a streaming option. -- Bowen
Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
What we know: Etienne left the game with a hamstring injury in the first half versus the Bears, and he did not return. Before exiting, Etienne failed to make any impact, logging just three carries for minus-1 yard, and he didn't record a catch on his lone target.
What's next: If Etienne is out for next week's game against the Patriots in London, Tank Bigsby will elevate to the lead role in the Jacksonville backfield with D'Ernest Johnson also seeing carries. Bigsby, who is available in over 50% of ESPN leagues, should be viewed as a priority waiver pickup in Etienne's absence. -- Bowen
Jerome Ford, RB, Cleveland Browns
What we know: He injured his hamstring after only two rushing attempts midway through the first quarter and was quickly ruled out for the day.
What's next: D'Onta Foreman (12 touches, 6.7 PPR fantasy points) and Pierre Strong Jr. (10, 9.8) shared the running back chores for the rest of the game, but Nick Chubb (knee, IR) is expected to be activated for Week 7. Chubb might be eased in slowly regardless of Ford's status, but any extended absence by Ford would only accelerate Chubb's prospects of a return to the lead-back role. -- Cockcroft
Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Green Bay Packers
What we know: He left Sunday's game in the first half due to a shoulder injury, ending his day with 1.9 PPR fantasy points on three targets.
What's next: Wicks' absence helped boost the roles of Doubs and Christian Watson, both of whom would be more appealing fantasy starters if Wicks needs to miss additional time. -- Cockcroft
Who earned an A this weekend?
Will Anderson Jr., Edge, Houston Texans
Production against the Patriots' offensive line is expected, sure. But Anderson took it to another level in Houston's blowout win over the Patriots: the second-year pass rusher sacked Drake Maye three times and delivered a monster 35% pass rush win rate.
Bobby Wagner, LB, Washington Commanders
Wagner recorded 12 tackles in the Commanders' 30-23 loss to the Ravens, including several nice stops against Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson. And the advanced numbers suggested the box score wasn't a fluke: Wagner's 60% run stop win rate was the highest by any player in the early Sunday window.
Who earned an F this weekend?
Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Barkley managed just 47 rushing yards on 18 carries, but that actually oversells the performance. The Philadelphia back recorded negative-23 rush yards over expectation and crucially negative-4 first downs over expectation, per NFL Next Gen Stats. That second number is especially costly, and both numbers were worst of any player through the early Sunday window. Barkley had just two receptions for 7 yards in the receiving game and had a pass block loss that resulted in a sack.
Brian Callahan, head coach, Tennessee Titans
Callahan deserves criticism for a really rough fourth-down decision at the end of the Titans' 20-17 loss to the Colts. Down three points with 2:26 left in the game at his own 25-yard-line, Callahan punted on fourth-and-7. In doing so, he reduced his team's chance to win by 5.4 percentage points with the choice alone, per ESPN's win probability model. The Titans needed just a 15% chance of success to justify going for it (and had a 42% chance of converting) per the model. Regardless of whether the Titans punted or failed going for it, they were going to need a quick stop and if they got it, would still have won with a touchdown of their own.
Lingering questions from Week 6's games
Two TDs this week for Terry McLaurin and now four for the season. What are you seeing about his connection with Jayden Daniels, and how have things changed and/or improved for McLaurin from previous years?
The connection between McLaurin and Daniels has evolved -- and will continue to get better. They're in constant communication -- texting often when away from the facility about various plays or routes, watching film together. The 6-yard touchdown Sunday was an example of their evolution. McLaurin and Daniels both read the same leverage by the defender, changing the route from a slant to a fade, and they connected on a back-shoulder pass for the score. Their connection will only improve. It's what McLaurin, in his sixth season with Washington, has wanted. "It's very exciting for me because I don't know if I've quite had that this early with a quarterback," McLaurin said. -- John Keim