Yahoo DFS Football: Week 6 Picks

Yahoo DFS Football: Week 6 Picks

This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Football series.

TOURNAMENTS (GPP – GUARANTEED PRIZE POOL)

QB: Kevin Hogan (CLE, $20)

From all signs, it looks like Hogan will get the start this week at Houston. With J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus out with injuries, the Texans' pass rush will be a shell of itself, and with a secondary that's been besieged by injuries, this is looking like a defense to attack. Of course, we won't be confusing Hogan with Aaron Rodgers, but he is a major threat as a runner. Although he ran for 30 yards when coming into last week's game, he ran for 104 yards and a TD in his lone start in 2016, and this defense gave up 39 rushing yards and two rushing TDs to Marcus Mariota recently. In addition, he was very efficient as a passer last week, as he completed all but three of his 19 passes for 194 yards and a pair of scores. Rostering him will allow fantasy managers to spend up elsewhere.

RB: Jerick McKinnon (MIN, $12)

Not only did Latavius Murray look bad during the preseason when he was recovering from ankle surgery, but he's yet to post more than 3.0 yards per carry in any game this year. McKinnon was the superior runner last week, and he was rewarded with 21 touches, turning them into 146 total yards and a TD. It's likely that Green Bay will put up enough points to ensure that McKinnon will see plenty of work as a receiver. He may not reach last week's numbers again, but with such a small salary this week, he has a great chance to crush value against a Packers defense that's far from elite.

WR: Terrelle Pryor (WAS, $19)

To say Pryor's been a disappointment this year would be a huge understatement. He also hasn't been targeted more than four times in any game since Week 1, so why the optimism? After catching a long TD in Week 4, it can be assumed that the Redskins coaching staff used the bye week to get Pryor and Kirk Cousins to build upon the small success they've had. Should that be the case, we could have a true number one receiver at a fraction of the cost. In addition, he's facing a 49ers defense that's been torched by Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods, Jaron Brown and T.Y. Hilton for at least 105 yards over the last three weeks.

Other Against-the-Grainers

QB: Carson Palmer (ARI, $27), Kirk Cousins (WAS, $31)
RB: Elijah McGuire (NYJ, $13), Jamaal Charles (DEN, $12), Marlon Mack (IND, $12)
WR: Amari Cooper (OAK, $16), Davante Adams (GB, $21), Robby Anderson (NYJ, $13)
TE: A.J. Derby (DEN, $11), Ryan Griffin (HOU, $12)
DST: Chicago Bears ($10), Arizona Cardinals ($10)

CASH GAMES (H2H, 50/50s and DOUBLE UPS)

Quarterback

Aaron Rodgers (GB, $39)

Although he's facing a solid Vikings defense, Rodgers is still a strong cash-game option. He's been on fire lately, having thrown at least three TDs in each of his last three games, and he's also gone over the 300-yard mark three times in 2017. He'll be facing a defense that's given up at least 291 yards to both Drew Brees and Jameis Winston, with both of those games being played in Minnesota. The beauty of starting Rodgers is that he always has one of the highest weekly floors of any QB.

Running Back

Todd Gurley (JAC, $38)

After struggling against the Seahawks last week, those who were burned by Gurley in 2016 might become a bit nervous to place him in Week 6 lineups. However, he's averaging 20 rushing attempts and six targets per week, and his volume makes him an excellent player to spend up on for plenty of bankable points. In addition, his matchup against the Jaguars is not imposing, as this defense has allowed five different RBs to post at least 92 combined yards this year.

C.J. Anderson (DEN, $22)

The Broncos will be facing the Giants, who were completely decimated at the wide receiver position this week, and will be severely undermanned playing in the Mile High city. Meanwhile, the main offensive beneficiary for Denver should be Anderson, who'll most likely be counted upon to kill the clock while they hopefully play with a second-half lead. He's received at least 20 rushing attempts in three of his last four games while averaging over four yards per carry in each contest. As a result, he should be plenty productive against a defense that was shredded by Jacquizz Rodgers for 108 total yards before coughing up 163 combined yards and a TD to Melvin Gordon last week.

Wide Receiver

Antonio Brown (PIT, $36)

The Steelers should come out trying to get their passing attack straightened out after their abysmal performance last week. Although Ben Roethlisberger's been struggling, Brown's been fine, as he's averaging 13 targets per game while posting at least 110 yards in three different games. His matchup against the Chiefs is hardly problematic, as they've given up at least 92 yards to four different WRs this year. Not much more to say here. Brown is a great option this week, as he is basically every week.

DeAndre Hopkins (HOU, $34)

Bankable volume is something to embrace in cash games, and Hopkins is the poster child for extreme volume. He's been targeted 12 times in each of his last two games, so he has a solid floor. He also has posted at least 73 yards in three of his last four games, and in the game he failed to reach that yardage total, he simply scored three TDs to compensate. He'll face a Cleveland defense that's given up big production to Antonio Brown, A.J. Green and T.Y. Hilton, so look for him to be the next receiver to post big numbers against them.

Golden Tate (DET, $19)

Although he hasn't seen the volume fantasy owners would've liked so far this season, Tate's been targeted at least eight times in two of the last three games. Unfortunately, he's failed to exceed 58 yards since Week 1, though in his defense, he's faced the Panthers, Vikings and Giants, which aren't exactly great matchups. He'll be in position to have a very productive game at a very reasonable price when the Lions travel to New Orleans, a place where points are typically easy to come by. As a result, Detroit will likely have to throw often to keep up with Drew Brees and company. With rookie CB Marcus Lattimore likely being sent to cover Marvin Jones, Tate should run wild this week.

Tight End

Zach Miller (CHI, $14)

Miller may lack the upside of many top TEs, but after posting at least 39 yards in four of five games to start the season, he's a perfect low-salary option in cash games. In rookie Mitchell Trubisky's first NFL start last week, Miller had an impressive seven targets while scoring his first TD of the year. Although facing the Ravens sounds like a tough matchup, they've given up at least 40 yards to three different TEs and they've also given up four TDs to the position through five games.

Defense/Special Teams

Denver Broncos ($15)

It doesn't get easier than this, and even though this'll be one of the 'chalkiest' plays ever, the salary makes them a must-start. Denver will be facing a Giants offense that suffered injuries to their top four WRs last week, and three of them are definitely out this week. Denver will be able to attack one of the weakest offensive lines in the league, and it's hard to imagine that they won't be the top scoring defense this week.

Honorable Mentions

QB: Drew Brees (NO, $32), Tom Brady (NE, $40)
RB: Le'Veon Bell (PIT, $34), Kareem Hunt (KC, $37)
WR: Adam Thielen (MIN, $18), Tyrell Williams (LAC, $11)
TE: Rob Gronkowski (NE, $28), Evan Engram (NYG, $18)
DST: Atlanta Falcons ($15)

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Jim Coventry plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: mvp1986, DraftKings: mvp1986.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jim Coventry
Coventry was a finalist for the FSWA football writer of the year in 2022. He started playing fantasy football in 1994 and won a national contest in 1996. He also nabbed five top-50 finishes in national contests from 2008 to 2012 before turning his attention to DFS. He's been an industry analyst since 2007, though he joined RotoWire in 2016. A published author, Coventry wrote a book about relationships, "The Secret of Life", in 2013.
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