Setting your Fantasy football lineups on a weekly basis can be stressful, but the possibility for positive coronavirus tests and postponements at any moment has added to the difficulty. The Titans took 17 unexpected days off while dealing with an outbreak at their facility in Nashville, but Derrick Henry owners were happy to have their first-round pick back in Week 5 as he rushed for a pair of touchdowns. He'll be near the top of the Week 6 Fantasy football rankings with a juicy matchup against Houston's 31st-ranked run defense.
Unfortunately, Vikings running back Dalvin Cook won't be in the lineup after he suffered an adductor strain a week ago. Should you target backup Alexander Mattison with your Week 6 Fantasy football picks? Before you lock in your lineups, be sure to check out the latest Week 6 Fantasy football rankings from the advanced computer model at SportsLine.
When it comes to ranking players, their model beat human experts in Fantasy football last season when there were big differences in ranking. Over the course of a season, that could literally be the difference between winning your league or going home empty-handed.
Last week, the model was extremely high on Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf, saying he'd finish as a top-10 player at his position. The result: Metcalf hauled in six passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns against the Vikings. Anybody who had him in their lineup was well on their way to a huge week.
Now, the model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, has revealed its Fantasy football rankings for Week 6 of the 2020 NFL season. Head to SportsLine now to see them.
Top Fantasy football picks for Week 6
One player the model is extremely high on this week: Titans tight end Jonnu Smith. After being drafted in the third round in 2017, Smith showed promise in 2018 and 2019 as starting tight end Delanie Walker battled injuries. Now, Smith is an upper-echelon talent at tight end for Tennessee.
Smith has 18 catches for 221 yards and five touchdowns in the first four games of the season and should fare well against a Texans squad that has already given up double-digit scoring days to Travis Kelce and Eric Ebron. Smith's 21.6 percent target share is the fourth best among tight ends. That number balloons to 35.3 percent in the red zone, which is why the model ranks him solidly inside the top 10 of its Week 6 Fantasy football tight end rankings.
That's why the model ranks him as a top-10 running back for Week 6 against a Rams defense that allows 4.7 yards per carry (23rd in the NFL).
And a massive shocker: Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, who threw for 359 yards and three touchdowns last week against the Jaguars, stumbles big-time and doesn't even crack the top 15 at his position. Watson is coming off his best performance of the season, completing 71.4 percent of his passes for over 350 yards and three scores in Houston's victory over Jacksonville. Watson has now thrown two or more touchdowns in each of his last three games. However, Watson and the Texans face a stiff test on the road against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
Tennessee's defense has recorded multiple interceptions in three consecutive games this season. In addition, Watson has failed to eclipse 250 passing yards in his last two outings against the Titans. With such a tough matchup on Sunday, Watson is a player to consider putting on the bench in Week 6.
How to set your Week 6 Fantasy football rankings
The model is also calling for a surprising quarterback you aren't even thinking about to finish in the top 10 of its Fantasy football rankings. This pick could be the difference between winning big and going home with nothing. You can see who it is here.
So who should you start and sit this week? And which surprising quarterback could lead you to victory? Visit SportsLine now to get Week 6 Fantasy football rankings for every position, plus see which QB is going to come out of nowhere to crack the top 10, all from the model that out-performed experts big-time last season.
