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USATSI

The Indianapolis Colts insist there is no quarterback controversy. When healthy, Anthony Richardson is their starter. Fantasy managers who are rostering Josh Downs and Michael Pittman may wish that was not the case. Joe Flacco played 80% of the snaps in Week 4 and all last week, and the difference was stark. 

Flacco attempted 70 passes in those two games for 527 yards and five touchdowns. In three-plus games, Richardson attempted 77 passes for 654 yards and three scores. He does not have a game with more than 212 yards passing. The pie is much larger when Flacco is the quarterback.

At least part of the volume difference is the fact that Flacco's intended air yards per pass attempt is 8.7 while Richardson's is 12.7. That creates more PPR potential for the receivers and a higher completion percentage. It also benefits Pittman's style more; he's never had an aDOT above 10. 

This qualifier is needed because we're opening the week with Flacco projected as the starter. In the projections, that means both Pittman and Downs are going to show up in the top 20. I lowered them a bit in the rankings on the risk that Richardson is cleared. They're number three wide receivers if their starting quarterback is healthy.

Here is the rest of the Week 6 WR Preview:

Week 6 WR Preview
WR Preview
Who's Out

The following players are not being projected to play Week 6 at this time. Here's what it means:

HOU Houston • #12
Age: 25 • Experience: 4 yrs.
Stefon Diggs is a must-start wide receiver, and Tank Dell is a fine flex if Collins is out.
WR Preview
Numbers to Know
  • 24.6 -- Jayden Reed is averaging 24.6 PPR FPPG in three games with Jordan Love. That would make him WR1 overall.
  • 2.78 -- Brian Thomas Jr. is averaging 2.78 yards per route run, fourth best amongst receivers with at least 25 targets this season.
  • 28.1% -- Wan'Dale Robinson has a 28.1% target share this season, the fifth-best mark in the league.
  • 59% -- George Pickens played a season-low 59% of the offensive snaps in Week 5. 
  • 10 -- Chris Olave had 10 yards receiving in Week 5, his second game with 11 or fewer yards.
  • 31.7% -- Jakobi Meyers has earned a 31.7% target share in two games without Davante Adams.
  • 11.72 -- Marvin Harrison's average route depth of 11.7 is the highest in league amongst players with at least 25 targets. That profile is going to make him a boom-or-bust option. 
  • 34.5% -- Dontayvion Wicks has a 34.5% catch rate, barely half of his 2023 rate. 
WR Preview
Matchups that matter
Matchups that matter
Projections powered by Sportsline
BAL Baltimore • #4
Age: 24 • Experience: 2 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs WAS BAL -6.5 O/U 52.5
OPP VS WR
14th
PROJ PTS
12.5
WR RNK
17th
YTD Stats
REC
24
TAR
39
REYDS
269
TD
1
FPTS/G
11.9
WAS Washington • #17
Age: 29 • Experience: 6 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ BAL BAL -6.5 O/U 52.5
OPP VS WR
24th
PROJ PTS
13.4
WR RNK
21st
YTD Stats
REC
23
TAR
36
REYDS
303
TD
2
FPTS/G
12.7
LAC L.A. Chargers • #1
Age: 23 • Experience: 2 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ DEN LAC -3 O/U 35.5
OPP VS WR
9th
PROJ PTS
10.2
WR RNK
NR
YTD Stats
REC
11
TAR
18
REYDS
142
TD
3
FPTS/G
10.9
ATL Atlanta • #1
Age: 27 • Experience: 5 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ CAR ATL -6 O/U 47.5
OPP VS WR
16th
PROJ PTS
13.6
WR RNK
25th
YTD Stats
REC
24
TAR
40
REYDS
330
TD
3
FPTS/G
15
NYG N.Y. Giants • #17
Age: 23 • Experience: 3 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs CIN CIN -3.5 O/U 48.5
OPP VS WR
2nd
PROJ PTS
14.6
WR RNK
23rd
YTD Stats
REC
32
TAR
47
REYDS
230
TD
2
FPTS/G
13.8
NYJ N.Y. Jets • #5
Age: 24 • Experience: 3 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs BUF BUF -2.5 O/U 41
OPP VS WR
2nd
PROJ PTS
14.6
WR RNK
9th
YTD Stats
REC
33
TAR
56
REYDS
292
TD
2
FPTS/G
14.5
WR Preview
Waiver Wire Targets
Week 6 Adds (WR Preview)
NYG N.Y. Giants • #17
Age: 23 • Experience: 3 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs CIN CIN -3.5 O/U 48.5
OPP VS WR
8th
WR RNK
23rd
ROSTERED
64%
YTD Stats
REC
32
TAR
47
REYDS
230
TD
2
FPTS/G
13.8
Robinson was my top WR add last week, but he's still available in more than a third of leagues. He has at least eight targets in four of his five outings and at least 13 PPR Fantasy points in each of his last three games. He's a must-start top-20 guy if Malik Nabers remains sidelined and a borderline WR2 if Nabers is back.
IND Indianapolis • #1
Age: 23 • Experience: 2 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ TEN IND -1 O/U 43.5
OPP VS WR
7th
WR RNK
22nd
ROSTERED
59%
YTD Stats
REC
20
TAR
26
REYDS
173
TD
1
FPTS/G
14.4
We'll like Downs more if Flacco is the starter, but he's our favorite Colts wide receiver regardless. He has seen a team-high 28.6% target share since he debuted in Week 3, and he leads the Colts pass catchers with 14.4 PPR FPPG. He's a must-start with Flacco and a good number-three receiver with Richardson.
DAL Dallas • #1
Age: 25 • Experience: 3 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs DET DET -3 O/U 52.5
OPP VS WR
21st
WR RNK
33rd
ROSTERED
10%
YTD Stats
REC
20
TAR
29
REYDS
247
TD
2
FPTS/G
11.3
Tolbert scored 21.7 PPR Fantasy points in his first game without Brandin Cooks, the second time this season he's seen at least nine targets. We're expecting a shootout with the Lions in Week 6, and it's much easier to pass against that defense than run. It should be a high-volume game for Dak Prescott, which makes Tolbert a high-upside WR3.
Stashes (WR Preview)
KC Kansas City • #9
Age: 27 • Experience: 8 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ SF SF -1.5 O/U 46.5
OPP VS WR
28th
WR RNK
NR
ROSTERED
8%
YTD Stats
REC
9
TAR
12
REYDS
147
TD
1
FPTS/G
5.9
Smith-Schuster and the Chiefs are on bye in Week 6, so he's not immediate help, but he may be the best available wide receiver for the rest of the season. He earned a 23.5% target share in the team's first game-planned game without Rashee Rice and turned that opportunity into 20 PPR Fantasy points. Rice is out for the season, and I would expect Smith-Schuster to be a WR3 at worst for as long as he can stay healthy.
WR Preview
DFS Plays
Top DFS Play
Projections powered by Sportsline
GB Green Bay • #11
Age: 24 • Experience: 2 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs ARI GB -5.5 O/U 49.5
OPP VS WR
31st
PROJ PTS
17.6
WR RNK
6th
YTD Stats
REC
21
TAR
28
REYDS
414
TD
3
FPTS/G
18.3
Reed has a great matchup in Week 6, and his price is still being held down by the Malik Willis games. He's a top-12 wide receiver every week and the rest of the season, with the ability to score from anywhere on the football field and a small role in the running game.
Contrarian DFS Play
Projections powered by Sportsline
LV Las Vegas • #16
Age: 27 • Experience: 6 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs PIT PIT -3 O/U 36.5
OPP VS WR
15th
PROJ PTS
12.8
WR RNK
27th
YTD Stats
REC
25
TAR
36
REYDS
273
TD
1
FPTS/G
12.1
Meyers gets another difficult matchup in the Steelers and Joey Porter Jr., but he just scored 13.2 PPR Fantasy points in a more difficult matchup against Patrick Surtain and the Broncos. He has 28 targets over the past three weeks. His QBs don't seem to care who is covering him, Meyers is getting peppered with targets and way too cheap for his role.
WR Preview
Heath's Projections

My full set of Week 6 Fantasy football projections for every position are now available on SportsLine. Find out which of my favorite plays are projected to score higher than consensus rankings and which don't live up to their draft hype, at least in Week 6. Projected stats for all starting wide receivers are available, so be sure to check out the full set of projections at SportsLine.