If you thought the NFL season was erratic and unpredictable for fantasy football before, just wait until the Week 6 games begin Sunday.
Worrying about Bijan Robinson’s carries or Tyreek Hill’s targets will be nothing in comparison to the aftershocks we expect to see from the quarterback upheaval we are about to witness.
Superflex leagues are going to force some uneasy decisions, but so will making wide receiver lineup decisions in every format.
For starters, there will be three new quarterbacks making their starting debuts this week.
The Raiders are benching Gardner Minshew in favor of Aidan O’Connell.
The Patriots have decided the upside of developing rookie Drake Maye outweighs anything Jacoby Brissett does on the field, and the Saints are forced to turn to rookie Spencer Rattler in the wake of Derek Carr’s oblique injury.
Expectations for all three aren’t particularly high, so how we handle our relevant starts/sits will be important.
No one, outside of deep, 16-team leagues, was starting any of the Patriots wide receivers.
Maybe tight end Hunter Henry was being considered, but keep an eye on rookie Ja’Lynn Polk as his relationship with Maye develops.
Your Raiders pass-catchers don’t really change in value, so if you’ve been using Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers, continue.
As for your Saints, specifically Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, you may want to back off for the week and see what develops.
Rattler hasn’t taken many snaps with either and could turn to someone like Mason Tipton, to whom he’s been throwing since the preseason.
But the QB issues don’t end there.
The Colts are still waiting to see if Anthony Richardson is able to play or if Joe Flacco will be needed again.
Michael Pittman Jr. is out and Josh Downs may be as well, so putting your trust into Adonai Mitchell and Alec Pierce is a risky proposition.
Make it a game-time decision and only if you have to use them.
Can we trust in the Chargers receivers against Denver with Justin Herbert making his way back from injury?
Against the Broncos secondary, Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey might need to go to the bench.
Joshua Palmer as well.
In your best Dirty Harry voice, ask yourself if you’re feeling lucky with George Pickens or Pat Freiermuth.
The Steelers are expected to start Justin Fields, but does he finish?
Russell Wilson is back at practice, and a change could come even before halftime.
The Browns are in a similar situation, as we could see a switch from Deshaun Watson to Jameis Winston.
Betting on the NFL?
This might be the only time we’re gung-ho for the receivers as Winston is a huck-it-chuck-it type of guy, which should be great for Amari Cooper and maybe even Jerry Jeudy.
The quarterback shuffle is going to turn fantasy leagues upside down this week.
We could see some bad football being played.
Good luck! You’re going to need it.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy football news and advice.
