The Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks kick off Week 6 of the fantasy football (and NFL) season. Both the Broncos and Seahawks have key players who should see fantasy lineups. As always, the question is, “Who do I start?” The Broncos offense has been a tad underwhelming under offensive coordinator David Webb. Head coach Sean Payton has stepped back into the offensive play-calling fray and will call the offense for the foreseeable future. On the other side, the Seahawks are a little nicked up but should be at near full strength for the contest. Let’s look at which players from each team should grace fantasy lineups at the start of Week 6.
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Thursday Night Football Fantasy Preview
Denver Broncos
Starting at quarterback, Broncos QB Bo Nix hasn’t gotten off to a great start for fantasy managers. Last season, Nix was one of the top fantasy quarterbacks, averaging nearly 18 fantasy points per game. Now, after five weeks, Nix is averaging just 13 fantasy points per game. You may be able to lay the blame on OC David Webb, but last week, Nix wasn’t any better with Payton having the call sheet. Nix is averaging 5.8 yards per pass attempt and isn’t using his legs to supplement fantasy production. Nix has just 18 rush attempts for 35 yards and one touchdown. For this matchup, fantasy managers may want to avoid using Bo Nix. The Seahawks are one of the higher-ranking defenses against the pass this season, allowing just 150 passing yards per game. The Seahawks are also allowing just 21 points per game. For fantasy, the Seahawks are giving up just 14 FPPG, the sixth-fewest FPPG in the league for fantasy quarterbacks.
J.K. Dobbins checks in as the next potential option for fantasy managers. Dobbins has been bad to begin the season, too. Dobbins is averaging 3.8 yards per attempt rushing heading into Week 6. Dobbins also has only two games with 15+ carries. Last week’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers helped him get back on the good side of fantasy football. Against the Chargers, Dobbins finished with 80 yards on 18 rushing attempts and a touchdown, for 15.4 fantasy points. The Seahawks are allowing just 3.7 yards per attempt to running backs. But the Seahawks defense is allowing nearly 21 fantasy points per game to running backs. That might seem like a lot, but the Seahawks are allowing the 15th-fewest points per game to the position. If you don’t have any better options, you may have to start Dobbins against the Seahawks… But you aren’t going to feel great about doing it.
At wide receiver, the top two options are Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle. You also have Evan Engram at tight end. I’ll get this one out of the way. Don’t start Evan Engram. Engram is averaging just 5.6 FPPG and hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 1. Engram is not seeing the target volume to be a viable tight end for fantasy football. Engram is a player who you can leave alone, even if he has a crazy game this week. Sutton and Waddle have also underwhelmed to begin the season. Neither receiver has done anything to warrant a lineup spot this season. Both receivers aren’t averaging 10 FPPG. Now they get a Seahawks defense allowing just 25.5 FPPG (fourth-lowest). If I had to pick a receiver to do anything for this game, I’m going with Jaylen Waddle. At the very least, Waddle could finally crack the ceiling and score over 10 FPPG.
Check out all of our Week 6 Rankings: Flex Rankings | QB Rankings | RB Rankings | WR Rankings | TE Rankings | MOP Rankings
Seattle Seahawks
Sam Darnold hasn’t been much better than Bo Nix for fantasy managers this season. Darnold, since returning from an early-season injury, is averaging just 12.4 fantasy points per game. Week 5 against the San Francisco 49ers was his worst game, throwing for under 200 yards and two interceptions. Darnold was another fantasy quarterback who was hot last season but hasn’t lived up to the hype this season. Darnold does have one thing going for him this game that may be appealing to fantasy managers this week. He won’t have to face Patrick Surtain. Top Broncos corners Patrick Surtain and Riley Moss are both dealing with injuries. Surtain has already been ruled out, and Moss is listed as questionable for Week 6. The Broncos defense has been tough on opposing quarterbacks, allowing just 15 fantasy points per game. Maybe that can change with Patrick Surtain out of the game.
The Seahawks’ run game has been a two-headed monster with George Holani and Emanuel Willson leading the charge. Wilson has been the one receiving the larger share of the workload, so he’s the player you should consider for your lineups. Wilson has outrushed Holani in attempts, 73 to 26, leading up to this game. Here is where a weakness can be exploited for fantasy football. The Broncos are allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to the position prior to this game. With the kind of volume Wilson is getting, he’s a better option than most in this game.
Seattle has only one real receiving threat for fantasy football, and that is Jaxon Smith-Njigba. I shouldn’t have to sell you too much, as JSN is a weekly must-start candidate. Jaxon Smith-Njigba ranks as a top-5 fantasy wide receiver, averaging nearly 28 fantasy points per game. If you have JSN on your fantasy roster, you’re going to start him in most matchups over guys like Rashid Shaheed and Cooper Kupp. The other options have not been viable sources for consistent fantasy production and should be left off your fantasy radars and lineups.
FInal Thoughts
Out of everyone mentioned to start in this article, you may be more comfortable with just Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Emaule Wilson. Both are getting the majority of carries or targets in the Seahawks offense. For the Broncos, Dobbins is the player that you hope finds the end zone to help his bottom line. The Broncos receivers can’t be trusted just yet. I don’t like picking either Sutton or Waddle for this contest. The Seahawks are solid against the defending wide receivers and the overall passing game. Seattle is going to make the Broncos’ receivers work for these fantasy points. And similar to J.K. Dobbins, you’re just hoping that Wilson manages to get into the end zone for a touchdown. Play at your own risk.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 6 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!
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