This is Week 6 NFL Takeaways! We are already six weeks into the 2023 season. It’s insane how different the fantasy football landscape has shifted over the past couple weeks. Guys like DeVon Achane, Anthony Richardson and Justin Jefferson, dudes who have been stellar for your squads, are all out for the foreseeable future.
However, we have a few rising stars that may be flying under the radar.
But before we dive into that, it’s time for America’s favorite fantasy football segment!
So, without further ado, here is the “I have to at least mention it Fantasy Lineup”
I Have to At Least Mention It Fantasy Lineup
(This segment might have a new name next week, I’ll do some workshopping.)
QB: Lamar Jackson and the Ravens passing offense – still mid.
RB: Raheem Mostert, my god is he electric.
RB: Alvin Kamara continues to see an absurd number of touches.
WR: You cannot trust any Chiefs WRs.
WR: Puka Nacua was just a rebound. Cooper Kupp is Stafford’s main piece.
TE: Is Taysom Hill an actual tight end now!?
FLEX: How about Emari Demercado? NOT!
SFLEX: Brock Purdy is human, and may struggle a bit if Deebo Samuel, Trent Williams, and CMC miss time.
Takeaway No. 1: Michael Pittman is on the Launch Pad and is Ready for Takeoff.
At the time I’m writing this, it appears that Anthony Richardson is going to miss the rest of the regular season due to the shoulder injury he sustained in Week 5. This is not great if you are a Richardson manager, but it is great if you are a Pittman manager.
In the two games where Gardner Minshew has been the starter this season, Michael Pittman has seen an average of 12.5 targets, nine receptions, and 93 yards per game. Now I know that’s only a two-game sample size, but those 12.5 targets would be good for No. 2 among all wide receivers in terms of average targets per game.
Also, I know the touchdowns may not be there yet. However, I feel confident saying that if Minshew continues to pepper Pittman with this type of volume, the week-winning stat lines will come sooner rather than later.
The bottom line is that Gardner Minshew just feels like the more reliable quarterback for Michael Pittman. Plus, as the Colts start to craft game plans around Minshew, and Jonathan Taylor starts to get back to the player we have seen in years past, this offense is going to become more explosive and efficient. That’s good for all parties, especially Pittman.
If you can trade guys like Puka Nacua, Calvin Ridley, Mike Evans and/or Zay Flowers for Michael Pittman, I would strongly consider pulling the trigger on that type of transaction.
Takeaway #2: Sell Derrick Henry (At All Costs)
I have been holding out hope for Derrick Henry this season. After today, I have no choice but to hop on the Derrick Henry Sell Train.
If you take away his 63-yard run, Henry would have had just 11 carries for 34 yards (and a touchdown). He also added two catches for 16 yards.
Now I know what you are thinking, “Tyler, you can’t just pick and choose which plays you count toward Henry’s stats.”
My answer to that is this. Yes, I can because this isn’t the same Derrick Henry we have seen in years past.
Since Derrick Henry became the starter in Tennessee, Henry has never less carries per game than he has in 2023. Not only that, but his yards per attempt is also the lowest of his career. Some say it’s his age, which could definitely be a factor, but there’s no doubt in my mind that rookie running back Tyjae Spears is the biggest factor to Derrick Henry‘s fantasy downfall.
Tyjae Spears
Tyjae Spears obviously has a chokehold on the pass-catcher role. That’s not the whole problem. The problem is that Spears has played more than 50-percent of the snaps in five of six games. Additionally, he has actually out-snapped Derrick Henry in two of six games this season.
We have never seen a running back keep Derrick Henry off the field this much since 2018. If that wasn’t bad enough, the fact that this offense is just terrible hurts Henry just as much.
They are averaging fewer yards and points per game than they did last year. These are two statistical categories they were bottom-three and bottom-five in last year, respectively.
So just to recap, through six games, Derrick Henry is getting less carries, less snaps, he’s less efficient, and is in a bottom-tier offense.
Now I’m not saying that he is “washed” by any means but forgive me if I’m not sold on Derrick Henry for the rest of the season based on all of the stats I just presented.
That is why I’m going to be moving heaven and earth to try and sell as high as I can. The hope is to sell him to a manager who sees his Week 6 stat line and thinks he’s the same eclectic Henry from years past.
If I can get guys like Alvin Kamara, Kyren Williams(+), D’Andre Swift(+), and Adam Thielen(+), I’m definitely exploring those options.
Takeaway No. 3: I may have been wrong about Sam Howell and Desmond Ridder.
I’m a big fan of accountability and a couple weeks ago I said that Terry McLaurin, Kyle Pitts and Drake London were guys that you should sell and get rid of because of their quarterback play.
Well, over the past three weeks Sam Howell is averaging 38 passing attempts, 276 passing yards and two TDs per game. Despite that, McLaurin is averaging just six receptions for 62 yards and has no receiving TDs over the last three weeks.
With that being said, Howell as his own entity has been very solid and has even given guys like Logan Thomas and Curtis Samuel some decent games. It’s just unfortunate that McLaurin hasn’t capitalized on Howell’s superb counting stats. And please, don’t even get me started on Jahan Dotson.
As for Desmond Ridder, he has had back-to-back 300 yard passing games. Because of this, Kyle Pitts managers have been sleeping just a tad better these past two weeks as he saw a season highs in catches (7) and yards (87) last week. He even caught his first touchdown of the season this week.
Not only has Pitts been a little more reliable, but Drake London has been pretty awesome as well. In Week 6, London saw season highs in targets (12), receptions (9), and yards (125).
Desmond Ridder Hot Seat
However, Desmond Ridder could be on the hot seat, as he threw three terrible interceptions in Week 6. Additionally, he has had his fair share of struggles through the first six weeks of the season. However, if he does remain as the starter, at least we know that he is capable of uplifting Pitts and London to fantasy success.
The worst-case scenario is Ridder gets benched. Then, we would get to experience the boom-and-bust weeks of Taylor Heinicke. Sign me up for that!
In conclusion, McLaurin, London, and Pitts are all guys that you can at least feel decent about holding on to. But if you need to hype up their recent stats a little bit to land a bigger fish, I would definitely be okay shipping them off.
Those are the NFL Week 6 Takeaways. I wish nothing but health and productivity to your fantasy players!
