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McFarland: Week 6 Fantasy Football Rankings & Tiers

Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs (14) runs with the ball after a catch against the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter at Bills Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

It's time to set our Week 6 fantasy football lineups and identify our favorite DFS plays and fades.

Below, you'll find tiers and rankings for every position, including analysis, implied point totals, betting spreads and more.

For adjustments after the timestamp below, check out PFF's weekly rankings and projections.

Last updated: 9:15 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 17

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KEY:

  • SOS: PFF's Fantasy Strength of Schedule (SoS) metric provides a league-wide, season-long view of opponent matchups for each fantasy position.
  • OL Pass-Block Advantage (OL PBA): offensive-line pass blocking matchup; derived from the OL/DL Matchup tool (pass blocking advantage — the higher the number, the better the matchup for the offensive line, and vice versa).
  • OL Run-Block Advantage (OL RBA): offensive-line pass blocking matchup; derived from the OL/DL Matchup tool (run blocking advantage — the higher the number, the better the matchup for the offensive line, and vice versa).
  • WR/CB Matchup Advantage (WR/CB MU): wide receiver versus cornerback matchup; derived from the WR/CB Matchup tool (matchup advantage grade — the higher the grade, the better the matchup for the receiver, and vice versa).
  • TE Matchup Advantage (TE MU): tight end versus linebackers and safeties; derived from the TE Matchup tool (matchup advantage — the higher the number, the better the matchup for the tight end, and vice versa.
  • Projections: from PFF projections tool.
  • Injuries: Q = Questionable; D = Doubtful (typically removed from ranks on Saturday); GTD = game time decision

JUMP TO A POSITION RANKING:

QB | RB | WR | TE

QUARTERBACKS

Tier Rank Player Opponent Total Spread Implied Points QB SOS OL PBA PPR Injury Status
1 QB1 Josh Allen @TEN 53.5 -5.5 29.50 4.5 9 23.8
2 QB2 Lamar Jackson LAC 51.0 -2.5 26.75 2.7 -6 23.4
2 QB3 Patrick Mahomes @WAS 54.0 -6.5 30.25 5.2 -42 23.4
2 QB4 Tom Brady @PHI 52.5 -6.5 29.50 3.2 3 23.0
3 QB5 Kyler Murray @CLV 48.5 3.5 22.50 0.0 13 18.6
3 QB6 Justin Herbert @BLT 51.0 2.5 24.25 3.5 -14 18.6
3 QB7 Jalen Hurts TB 52.5 6.5 23.00 4.0 -4 17.4
4 QB8 Dak Prescott @NE 50.5 -3.5 27.00 5.8 7 19.1
4 QB9 Matthew Stafford @NYG 48.5 -8.0 28.25 5.2 19 18.7
4 QB10 Aaron Rodgers @CHI 44.0 -6.0 25.00 5.3 -6 19.6
4 QB11 Joe Burrow @DET 46.5 -3.5 25.00 10.0 -2 22.7
5 QB12 Ryan Tannehill BUF 53.5 5.5 24.00 1.9 -20 18.0
5 QB13 Sam Darnold MIN 45.5 2.5 21.50 0.7 -26 17.2
5 QB14 Kirk Cousins @CAR 45.5 -2.5 24.00 3.2 -44 16.3
5 QB15 Derek Carr @DEN 43.5 4.0 19.75 2.6 -27 17.4
5 QB16 Trevor Lawrence MIA 47.0 3.0 22.00 5.2 0 16.4
6 QB17 Daniel Jones LA 48.5 8.0 20.25 1.8 -69 16.7
6 QB18 Tua Tagovailoa @JAX 47.0 -3.0 25.00 7.2 -14 18.2
6 QB19 Taylor Heinicke KC 54.0 6.5 23.75 3.8 42 16.5
6 QB20 Geno Smith @PIT 42.5 5.0 18.75 3.0 -42 17.0
6 QB21 Justin Fields GB 44.0 6.0 19.00 2.0 1 15.8
6 QB22 Baker Mayfield ARZ 48.5 -3.5 26.00 2.9 -30 16.4
6 QB23 Carson Wentz HST 43.5 -10.0 26.75 5.2 12 16.9
6 QB24 Teddy Bridgewater LV 43.5 -4.0 23.75 2.6 -7 16.8
6 QB25 Ben Roethlisberger SEA 42.5 -5.0 23.75 4.2 11 15.4
6 QB26 Mac Jones DAL 50.5 3.5 23.50 5.3 -10 17.0
6 QB27 Jared Goff CIN 46.5 3.5 21.50 3.0 -18 16.1
6 QB28 Davis Mills @IND 43.5 10.0 16.75 3.4 3 15.3

Tier 1 – Josh Allen draws the second-highest implied points and second-best game total in a decent matchup. The Bills remain pass-heavy in all game situations, but they play with a leading script more often than any other team, which means Allen has untapped upside despite ranking as the QB5 for the season.

Tier 2 – Patrick Mahomes pulls the largest implied points and game total on the slate in a matchup against the Football Team that looks far easier than we anticipated when the season began. The league's superstar is looking super chalky in DFS without many bring-back options if Terry McLaurin can't play, which makes him a fade for me in tournaments.

Tier 2 – The Ravens rank third in pass dropbacks over the past three games, throwing the ball more in all game scripts in 2021. Lamar Jackson could push for the QB1 overall, with the Ravens dropping back to pass only 2% below the NFL average of 63%. Jackson handles more designed-rush attempts (26%) than any other quarterback — 21 percentage points above the NFL average  and scrambles the fourth-most.

Jackson could steam past Mahomes to lead this slate in rostership if Tyreek Hill ends up out.

Tier 3 – Kyler Murray draws the most challenging QB SOS matchup on the Week 6 slate and is battling a shoulder injury that limited him in practice. However, from a DFS perspective, this could be an excellent week for the dual-threat quarterback with rostership projecting under 5% on DraftKings.

Tier 3 – Justin Herbert will look to play in a shoot-out alongside Jackson and the Ravens, with the game garnering the fourth-highest total. He has three or more touchdown passes in his past three starts while playing in one of the healthiest fantasy environments in the NFL. Herbert offers another sub-5% option on DraftKings, but stacks will need creativity if Keenan Allen steams past his current 11% projection.

Tier 3 – Jalen Hurts is matchup proof. He plays in a pass-heavy offense and handles more designed-rush attempts than any other quarterback not named Lamar Jackson.

Tier 4 – Dak Prescott's passing attempts are down thanks to the Cowboys' return to a run-heavy approach, but he pulls the fifth-best game total and the fifth-highest implied points in an above-average matchup. For now, Prescott's rostership projections aren't too crazy, offering some value to overweight versus the 8% field expectation – especially with a healthy Amari Cooper.

Tier 4 – Joe Burrow ascends into the top 12 due to the best QB SOS in the NFL, facing the Detroit Lions in Week 6. Zac Taylor could still short-circuit the outcome we covet with the league-worst play-per-minute offense and run-heavy approach. Burrow's rostership projects under 7% for DFS purposes on DraftKings.

Tier 6 – Taylor Heinicke could be without Terry Mclaurin (questionable) due to a late-week hamstring injury. He will already be down Logan Thomas and Curtis Samuel. Dyami Brown is also questionable, leaving him as a fade for me in DFS despite the nice matchup with rostership projecting over 5%.

 

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