Yahoo fantasy football is running a $1,000,000 contest with a $20 entry fee and 42,500 entries, which means they are adding $150,000 to the prize pool. Generally, this flagship daily fantasy tournament does not fill more than 95% in the sixth week, which provides extra value for gamers. Let’s get into some Yahoo Daily Fantasy Picks for NFL Week 6, including Lamar Jackson, Kareem Hunt, CeeDee Lamb and more.
Week 6 NFL Yahoo Daily Fantasy General Strategy & Picks
The critical thing to remember is that this is a half-PPR site, and the minimum salary is $10, with an average salary per player of $22. This week, Patrick Mahomes and Kyler Murray are at the top of the salary list at $40. The complete scoring parameters can be found here.
One of the most valuable features of the Awesemo.com premium content is the personal player rankings from Alex Baker, for all of the main sports. The players grade out separately for each DFS site with ratings for both “projected points” and “value,” receiving an A through E report card-style grade. This week, as a special treat, Awesemo is also adding in the “Roster%,” which is the projected percentage a player will be used in the large-field tournaments.
Quarterback
If you have played daily fantasy football on Yahoo or Yahoo fantasy baseball, you know that the strategy is to look for the cheapest quarterback or pitcher that is tolerable so you can look for more secure points and upside elsewhere. In the recommendations below, I will be highlighting several discount options at the other positions so you can build a framework that will allow lineup construction for a top-shelf quarterback, along with his favorite target and still have enough salary cap to run it back with the top option on the opposing team.
Lamar Jackson – Baltimore Ravens vs. Los Angeles Chargers – $33
Awesemo Grade: Points A, Value A, Roster% 34.2%
Sunday we are getting an excellent value with Lamar Jackson, who is nestled in as the fifth-most spendy signal-caller. Jackson is coming off an excellent showing on Monday Night Football having tossed four touchdowns along with 442 yards with another 62 on the ground for good measure. Los Angeles is daring opponents to run against it, with its 31st-ranked rushing DVOA and other teams have obliged rolling up 157.2 rushing yards per game, which is, by far, the highest mark in the league. Currently, Jackson is eighth in the league with 68.2 rushing yards per game and is on pace for a third consecutive 1,000-plus yard season. Buoyed by his Week 5 performance, Jackson is fifth in the league with 303.8 aerial yards and while he has just eight touchdowns, we know those can course correct in a hurry. Sammy Watkins (hamstring) has been ruled out, however, rookie Rashod Bateman ($10) has been activated from the injured reserve and is expected to see his first NFL action on Sunday.
Patrick Mahomes – Kansas City Chiefs at Washington Football Team – $40
Awesemo Grade: Points A, Value C, Roster% 17.5%
So far this season, the Washington Football Team has allowed the most fantasy points in the league to opposing signal-callers. They also have the 29th-ranked passing DVOA, which should play right into the hands of Patrick Mahomes. Kansas City has lost three of its last four games, and while those have come against likely playoff teams (at Baltimore, vs. Los Angeles Chargers, vs. Buffalo), going 2-4 historically has crushed playoff hopes and dreams.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire (knee) is on the injured reserve and Tyreek Hill (quad) was only able to practice in limited fashion on Friday. While this may seem like doom and gloom, it also means that Mahomes is going to have to shoulder a bigger share of the offense if that is even possible. Even if Hill is out, Travis Kelce ($30) and Mecole Hardman ($13) can pick up the slack along with veteran running back Darrel Williams ($17) in a fantasy-friendly matchup.
Taylor Heinicke – Washington Football Team vs. Kansas City Chiefs – $28
Awesemo Grade: Points B, Value A, Roster% 8.2%
On the other side of Mahomes, we have erstwhile starter Taylor Heinicke, who has been filling in for Ryan Fitzpatrick. Kansas City has allowed the second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season making Heinicke a prime discount dandy. In his last two outings, Heinicke is averaging a tick shy of 270 passing yards while rushing for another 40-plus in games against New Orleans and Atlanta. Though he only has three touchdowns in this window, he has three multi-touchdown games on the season, and we know that he is going to need to sling the ball for Washington to keep pace as touchdown underdogs at home.
Running Back
We want to keep in mind that while running backs are very important, Yahoo fantasy uses half-PPR, which will not penalize running backs that are not as active in the passing game.
Jonathan Taylor – Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans
Awesemo Grade: Points B, Value C, Roster% 26.8%
On Monday, Jonathan Taylor rolled up 169 yards on just 18 touches along with two scores. While we should not expect to see 116 receiving yards on three receptions again, he should be in the mix for 100-plus combined yards and a multi-touchdown game is on the table against the Texans. The Colts are double-digit favorites and they are likely to rely on the running game as they attempt to notch their second win of the season.
Kareem Hunt – Cleveland Browns vs. Arizona Cardinals – $19
Awesemo Grade: Points A, Value A, Roster% 17.5%
Now that Nick Chubb (calf) is officially ruled out, we should see Kareem Hunt’s popularity surge leading up to kickoff. Though Hunt only logged one limited practice this week, he is expected to be a full go and his wrist/knee issues should not dissuade us from employing his services. While the Arizona rushing defense is in the top third of the league, Cleveland has the best rushing offense. Baker Mayfield should be able to at least keep the defense honest, which will open things up both inside and outside for Hunt.
Darrell Henderson Jr. – Los Angeles Rams at New York Giants – $20
Awesemo Grade: Points B, Value B, Roster% 33.3%
This has been a solid season so far for Darrell Henderson Jr. despite missing Week 3 with injured ribs. In his four games, he has double-digit Yahoo fantasy points in each while notching a touchdown or 100-plus combined yards in each appearance. Los Angeles is favored by a touchdown despite heading across the country to take on the Giants. Henderson should be good for around 20 touches and is likely to find the end zone at least once.
Wide Receiver
The top-shelf Yahoo fantasy options are typically priced in the low-to-mid-$30 range. Often, they are best paired with their quarterbacks for tournament upside rather than risking downside as solo plays.
Davante Adams – Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears – $38
Awesemo Grade: Points A, Value D, Roster% 17.9%
Clearly there is no salary relief with Davante Adams as he is up 15% over the prior two weeks. Of course a 200-plus yard performance will do that and while in a vacuum this feels like a hefty salary cap hit, there are plenty of prudent value plays in this article that will allow us the luxury of rostering Adams. The former Fresno State stalwart leads the league in targets, receptions, yards and first downs. It is only a matter of time before he adds to his two touchdown total.
Ja’Marr Chase – Cincinnati Benglas at Detroit Lions – $24
Awesemo Grade: Points A, Value B, Roster% 16.6%
Rookie Ja’Marr Chase has been off to a hot start with touchdowns in four of his first five games. Though that pace will be hard to maintain, it has been difficult for defenses to focus on stopping him with teammates Tyler Boyd ($17) and Tee Higgins ($20) drawing a fair amount of attention themselves. All three are very much in play against the Lions, who have a bottom-five passing DVOA. Chase does have the higher upside, though that comes with more popularity than his counterparts as well.
CeeDee Lamb – Dallas Cowboys at New England Patriots – $19
Awesemo Grade: Points A, Value A, Roster% 11.1%
The only concern with CeeDee Lamb is that he has just 14 targets over the last three weeks. This is in line with Amari Cooper ($22) and behind only tight end Dalton Schultz ($15), who has 23 in the same timeframe. New England does have a top-10 passing defense, however, Lamb is too talented to let that be a deterrent.
Michael Pittman Jr. – Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans – $15
Awesemo Grade: Points B, Value A, Roster% 8.2%
This has been a nice season for Michael Pittman Jr., who has been excellent over his last four games. In this stretch he is averaging 9.8 targets, 6.5 receptions and 84.8 yards. Though he has only reached pay dirt once, this is a very favorable salary for a receiver slated to produce in the mid-teens for Yahoo fantasy points against the lowly Texans.
Tight Ends
Mark Andrews – Baltimore Ravens vs. Los Angeles Chargers – $21
Awesemo Grade: Points B, Value D, Roster% 35.8%
While the Awesemo value grade is not particularly kind, Mark Andrews is tied for with Marquise Brown ($17) with a team-high 38 targets this season. Though it would be folly to expect another baker’s dozen like he saw on Monday Night Football, approaching double digits is not out of the question. We know that Jackson does not throw to his running backs and without Watkins in the mix, he is likely to lean on Andrews in high leverage situations.
Ricky Seals-Jones – Washington Football Team vs. Kansas City Chiefs – $11
Awesemo Grade: Points C, Value A, Roster% 15.2%
This is a nice matchup for Ricky Seals-Jones against one of his former teams. Last week, he saw nine targets bringing in five for 41 yards. This week, he is just a dollar off the Yahoo minimum salary in a great matchup in an incredibly fantasy-friendly game environment.
Travis Kelce- Kansas City Chiefs at Washington Football Team vs. – $30
Awesemo Grade: Points A, Value D, Roster% 20.6%
If Hill (quad) is out, we should expect Travis Kelce to land on nearly one-third of all rosters. On the season, Kelce has been steady with at least 100-plus yards or a touchdown in four of his five games. Washington has been average against opposing tight ends, but allowing the second most fantasy points to wide receivers this season. We know that Kelce is more of a receiver than a tight end, but his size and position allow coach Andy Reid to scheme for mismatches which allow the 32-year-old veteran to thrive.
Defense/Special Teams
This week, there are a couple of intriguing bargain options.
Los Angeles Rams at New York Giants – $13
Awesemo Grade: Points B, Value C, Roster% 26.7%
The Giants will be without Saquon Barkley and Kenny Golladay on Sunday. Additionally, Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton have been plagued with hamstring issues. Kadarius Toney was a limited participant in practice this week while nursing an ankle injury. The only good news for New York is that Daniel Jones practiced in full on Friday. Though the Rams have been a middle-of-the-pack defense, they have had a long week after playing on Thursday Night Football. It is not particularly hard to envision Danny Dimes doing his best Eli Manning impersonation while watching Los Angeles take one to the house after one of his turnovers.
Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears – $13
Awesemo Grade: Points B, Value C, Roster% 14.1%
For the second week in a row, Green Bay is a recommended defense. The Yahoo salary algorithm is particularly fickle when it comes to defenses and generally, the cheaper the better since it is very hard to predict fantasy production. Plus a return score wildly increases the range of potential outcomes. Though the Packers are horrible against the pass and marginal against the run, they are facing a rookie quarterback and a potentially decimated running back corps with David Montgomery on the injured reserve and Damien Williams testing positive for COVID-19. That would mean sixth-round rookie Khalil Herbert is the next man up in the backfield and he has just 21 carries for 82 yards and nine kickoff returns to his name. Enjoy!
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