FanNation Week 6 fantasy picks
A little bookkeeping out of the gate here ...
Prizes in the form of "One Team for the Cure" T-shirts were on the table for last week's FanNation contest. Time to pay up. The winners, with the three highest scores, were:
padmaheruka (93.14)
fan30531 (70.06)
fan58638 (66.14)
If one of those folks is you, come claim your prize on Twitter (@ChrisBurke_SI) or by shooting me an email (Chris.Burke@simail.com).
• Challenge your friends and win BIG in our weekly fantasy football game
As for this week's head-to-head contest, it can be found here. FanNation also offers you the option to play in head-to-head or group cash contests, if that's more your thing.
Time for a look at the Week 6 lineup I'll be putting up against the competition:
Quarterback:Matt Ryan (projected points: 21)
Also considered:Philip Rivers (23), Jay Cutler (20), Eli Manning (18)
In the Falcons' two home games thus far, Ryan has thrown for a combined total of 734 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions. He may not hang 448 yards on Chicago, as he did against New Orleans back in Week 1, but there should be plenty of opportunities through the air. Even more so if Cutler, another decent option this week on paper, gets hot early and turns this into a shootout.
Rivers is something of an obvious play, given his level of performance this season and the competition this week (Oakland). The concern would be San Diego jumping out to a big lead early and coasting, but Rivers threw for three touchdowns and 313 yards last week versus the Jets in a similar setup.
Manning has eight TDs to just one INT over his past three outings, all wins. This week, he draws a Philadelphia defense that has coughed up more passing touchdowns (13) than any other team in the league. The Giants are going to need Manning to lead the way on the road.
• Week 6 fantasy football stat projections | WR target report | Waiver wire
Running back: Andre Williams (projected points: 11)
Also considered:Matt Forte (20), Eddie Lacy (15), Darren Sproles (9)
With Rashad Jennings nursing an injury, Williams should handle most of the RB duties for New York against the Eagles. The bump up the depth chart makes him a nice find at 11 projected points -- he's topped that total each of the past two games (15.3 and 12.6, respectively, with a touchdown each outing). Another trip or two to the end zone certainly is not out of the question against the Eagles defense.
NFL Power Rankings: Chargers oust Bengals from No. 1 spot
scoring is), Forte's ability to come out of the backfield is invaluable.
Jumping on the Lacy bandwagon might not be the worst idea, even if Miami's front four is rather tough. The Packers' RB enjoyed a breakthrough outing last Thursday in Minnesota.
And Sproles is the value play here. Expect him to be far more involved in the passing game than he has been (zero targets last week), especially if the Giants generate some pressure up front early.
Wide receiver/tight end:Antonio Gates (projected points: 12)
Also considered: Antonio Brown (17), Julio Jones (17), Mohamed Sanu (8)
Gates has been rather boom or bust this season -- a two-TD Week 5 and three-TD Week 2 bookending a pair of games in which he caught four passes for 38 yards. The matchup with Oakland is too good to ignore, though.
Brown posted 116 yards and a touchdown against Cleveland back in Week 1. He might have to match or top that in Sunday's rematch if the Steelers are to swipe a road victory.
Jones is tied for the league lead with targets at 57, so he's seeing the ball no matter the opponent. Sanu has not had that luxury yet, but with A.J. Green likely out of the lineup this week and beyond, his role has to increase for the Bengals. An eight-point projection sets the bar pretty low -- he had 70 yards and a TD last week.