Week 6 Starts/Sits: Sparkling with Andre

Does it suddenly seem like almost every viable fantasy commodity is dealing with some kind of injury or another? We've arrived at the time of season when guys are missing practice left and right, and there's some name-brand talents (Calvin Johnson, A.J. Green leading the way) with a very real chance of missing week 6 altogether. To help you navigate the Week 6 mess, I offer you six players that are looking better than usual this week, and, on the flip side, six players that are looking worse than usual.

STARTS

QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pit @ Cle –  Big Ben faces a Cleveland defense that he threw for 365 yards against In Week 1, getting 15.9 yards per completion in the process. And the Browns corners (Joe Haden, Buster Skrine and rookie Justin Gilbert) all currently grade-out, according to ProFootballFocus, outside the top 80 in pass coverage among all corners that have played at least 25 percent of their team's snaps this season. To make matters worse, Haden is very questionable this week with a hip ailment. Count on Big Ben to take advantage and post QB1 fantasy numbers.

RB Andre Williams, NYG @ Phi – As I laid out in this week's Dissenting Opinions, I believe Williams finishes as a top 10 fantasy running back in Week 6. We've seen physical backs like Frank Gore and Ahmad Bradshaw shred the Eagles defense, and Williams is nothing if not physical. Also, the Giants are second in the league in red zone attempts, and they get a lot of opportunities at the goal line, a place where Rashad Jennings struggled (eight carries, two touchdowns) and where Williams has showed much promise (two touchdown on three goal line carries, including an impressive display of power on a three-yard plunge last week). I can see Williams scoring a touchdown (or two) to go with something like 80 rushing yards and 15 receiving yards.

RB Bishop Sankey, Ten vs Jac – I think we all jumped the gun on Sankey by a week, as he was widely predicted to break out in Week 5 against Cleveland. Of course, we found out that head coach Ken Whisenhunt's bond with RB Shonn Greene is not easily broken - and if he wants to go down with the plodding Greene as his lead back, I guess that's his prerogative. That said, Whisenhunt doesn't really have much of a choice but to turn Sankey loose this week as Greene has missed practice all week with a hamstring issue. Look for the highest drafted rookie RB to see 15-20 carries against a Jacksonville defense allowing nearly 170 yards from scrimmage per game to the RB position. There's RB2 upside here, even for a team that has struggled to run like the Titans have.

WR Mohamed Sanu, Cin vs. Car – Like Sankey, opportunity is knocking big time this week for Sanu, as Cincy go-to wideout A.J. Green is out with a toe injury. With Marvin Jones (ankle) still not ready to return to action, Sanu is the clear-and-present main option for Andy Dalton in the Cincy passing game. When Green was originally knocked out of action in Week 2 because of the toe woe, Sanu stepped up with 84 yards and a touchdown grab, and also contributed a pass completion to Brandon Tate of 50 yards. Facing a Carolina defense that has been much more generous across the board than in recent seasons past, Sanu could easily replicate his Week 2 success on Sunday.

[Make Sunday even more fun. Play in FanDuel's Week 6 fantasy football league, win cash]

WR James Jones, Oak vs. SDG –  Jones has been a garbage-time all-star, as 36 percent of his yardage (98 yards) and both of his touchdowns have come in the fourth quarter, and both his scores came with less than two minutes left in the game. And big plays have been part of the equation, as well, as Jones has a reception of 30-plus yards in three of his four games. San Diego (Jones' opponent), has allowed the fewest fantasy points to the WR position, but consider that the team has faced Geno Smith, Blake Bortles and E.J. Manuel in the past three games - not exactly murderer's row. And when it faced Russell Wilson in Week 2, it limited him to 17 minutes of time of possession - don't count on the Oakland defense making Philip Rivers and company take as much time to score this week as the Seahawks did. I think Jones will be good for 60-70 receiving yards and a TD on Sunday in another losing effort.

TE Jordan Reed, Was @ Ari –  Coming back from a hamstring injury, Reed is currently looking like he'll be questionable for Sunday. But the current prevailing sentiment is that he's going to play. And, if he does, I want a piece of that action. Niles Paul, filling in for Reed, is an absolute nightmare as a blocker, so Washington no doubt could get a nice boost from Reed in that regard - he graded out positively in both run and pass blocking last season, according to ProFootballFocus. But it's his potential aerial contributions that get me excited, as he faces an Arizona defense allowing the fifth-most yards per game to the tight end position. This is the same Arizona defense, now minus a few of its best players, that allowed was historically bad at defending tight ends last season. If Reed suits up, don't hesitate to turn him loose in your active roster.

SITS

Tom Brady, NE @ Buf –  Brady put up a slump-busting 292/2/0 line last week versus Cincy. But Brady owners shouldn't restore him to must-start status simply because of one promising performance, especially as he goes on the road this week to face a Buffalo defense that has allowed the 11th-fewest yards per pass attempt (7.0) and QB Rating (85.3). Including last season's playoffs, Brady has thrown for one TD or less in eight of his past 10 road games. Don't be surprised if he, once again, finishes in the bottom half of the fantasy QB field in Week 6.

Ronnie Hillman, Den @ NYJ –   Without really much of a clue as to how big a lead role Hillman will have in the Denver backfield now that Montee Ball is out, it's pretty hard to get behind him this week in New York against a Jets defense allowing just 3.4 yards per carry to the RB position. In fact, I'd be looking to sit Ball this week even if he was still healthy, and his lead role before injury was unquestioned. And it's not just the Jets. Denver hasn't been able to run on anyone this year, averaging just 3.6 yards per carry at the RB spot. It's a less than ripe situation for Hillman to be in, especially since there's a good chance that C.J. Anderson and/or Juwan Thompson will also be in the mix this week.

Doug Martin, TB vs Bal –   Bucs head coach Lovie Smith says he is "staying the course" with Martin as the team's lead back. Fantasy owners would be wise not to follow suit. Martin is averaging a woeful 2.5 yards per carry and runs into the best run defense he's yet to face in Baltimore in Week 6. And, despite what Smith said, I'd be surprised if he sticks to his guns long if Martin continues to struggle on Sunday. Backup Bobby Rainey has been much better than Martin in terms of yards after contact and missed tackles. He's simply a better fit for a team that has the offensive line struggles that Tampa does.

Terrance Williams, Dal @ Sea  –   If you're starting Williams, you're chasing touchdowns, as he already has five scores on the young season. But it's much preferable to chase volume (targets) and let the touchdowns follow. And in that regard, Williams sits just 53rd among receivers in total targets (27). And his matchup, at Seattle, is the wrong place to be fishing for big plays - even with DeSean Jackson's big Week 5 effort, Seattle has still allowed just 10 pass plays of 20-plus yards, tied for second-lowest in the league. And at home this season against two of the top passing offenses (Green Bay and Denver) only Randall Cobb, on a three-yarder in garbage-time, managed to score among opposing wideouts. Last season, in eight home games, Michael Floyd, Jarius Wright and Tiquan Underwood were the only players at the WR position that the Seahawks let splash paydirt. You get the idea, let's move on ...

Michael Crabtree, SF @ StL –   Unlike in past years, St. Louis hasn't been a green light for opposing fantasy wideouts this season. The Rams defense has yet to allow a receiver to reach 90 receiving yards this season, and it has allowed the fewest yards (500) and receptions (44) to the WR position, an impressive feat even allowing for the fact that it has played one fewer game than a lot of teams. As far as Crabtree goes, he's delivered 4.3 fantasy points or less in three of his five games, hardly the must-start material that so many want to claim him to be. Treat him as no better than a Flex option this week, as another sub-5.0 fantasy effort wouldn't be that surprising for a team that likes to be run heavy, and is socialistic when it comes to the passing game.

Heath Miller, Pit @ Cle –   I like the Pittsburgh aerial prospects this week, but not Miller in particular. The veteran tight end managed just three catches for 26 yards in the first meeting with the Browns in Week 1, making him a combined 10/84/0 in his past three games against Cleveland, going back back to Week 12 of last season. Jimmy Graham is the only player to do anything worthwhile from the TE position against Cleveland, and Graham is obviously the kind of player that you can excuse a defense for not being able to shut down.