With injuries and bye weeks upon us, and an ever-increasing catalogue of data to work from, picking your fantasy lineup is an evolving mix of science and speculation.

With only the Minnesota Vikings and Houston Texans on bye this week, though, there will be far more difficult weeks to navigate down the road. Week 6 doesn’t come without its question marks, though, and here are some pointers to help you make the big start/sit decisions.

Some will need to search waivers to make it through the week, with C.J. Stroud, T.J. Hockenson, and the Houston and Minnesota defenses unavailable. For those fantasy managers, you can find my Week 6 streamer article here.

Week 6 Starts and Sits

START: Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers

Bryce Young showed everyone that he could succeed as a franchise NFL quarterback down the stretch last year. The former first-overall pick resurrected his career with a stellar run of dual-threat performances, having previously been written off as a flop.

To start the 2025 season, Young has often looked more like the deer in headlights he had been earlier in his career. Strange decision making when under pressure, and some all-round disappointing performances, have left many writing off his late 2024 revival.

However, a Week 5 comeback win over the Miami Dolphins has renewed some hope, and Young is set to get some intriguing weapons back, potentially this weekend.

The loss of Adam Thielen just before the season was no doubt a huge blow to the Panthers quarterback, who had relied heavily on the veteran. Young’s inexperienced receiving corps has taken time to find its feet, but Jalen Coker and Ja’Tavion Sanders could both return in Week 6.

Young faces a Dallas Cowboys defense that had allowed the most passing yards in the NFL through five weeks (1,423), and the most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks (28.7).

If he fails against Dallas, it will be a while before I can trust Young, who I heavily promoted as a sleeper this offseason. I’m confident he can do it, though, in a game that has enormous shootout potential.

SIT: Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals

Kyler Murray has performed better than Young to start the year, but has perhaps been more disappointing, given his preseason ADP (QB9). The Arizona Cardinals quarterback is yet to record a top-15 fantasy finish at the position this season, and I don’t expect things to improve this week.

Murray has missed multiple practices this week with a foot injury, but is likely to start Sunday’s game in Indianapolis, having returned to practice on Friday. Regardless, with him nursing a foot injury throughout the week, Murray’s mobility, a key factor in his fantasy value, will likely be decreased.

The Colts are a very strong defense, and have ended 17.4% of opposition drives with a turnover, the fourth-best defensive turnover rate in the NFL. The vibes in Arizona are on the ground after an embarrassing throwaway loss to the previously winless Tennessee Titans in Week 5.

Murray has struggled so far, and the team’s Week 8 bye can’t come soon enough.

START: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Washington Commanders

After an impressive preseason, Jacory Croskey-Merritt looked set to take over the Washington Commanders backfield. Those suspicions grew stronger when Brian Robinson Jr. was traded to San Francisco, but the transition wasn’t as smooth as many expected.

Veteran back Austin Ekeler became the team’s clear RB1 before his Week 2 Achilles tear against the Green Bay Packers. Even then, Croskey-Merritt was stuck in a three-way time share with Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez.

Entering Week 6, though, the rookie looks to have asserted himself as the clear lead back, playing almost 50% of the teams snaps in Week 5. That number should increase on Monday night, after he exploded for 150 total yards and two touchdowns against the Chargers.

The Chicago Bears defense has allowed 31.1 fantasy points per game to the running back position this year, tied for third-most in the league. The Bears have also allowed six touchdowns to running backs in just four games, making Croskey-Merritt and easy RB2-Flex this week.

SIT: Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Kenneth Gainwell enjoyed a stellar week against the Minnesota Vikings in Ireland before the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 5 bye. The former Eagle tallied 99 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries, and caught six of six targets for an additional 35 yards.

However, starting quarterback Jaylen Warren has practiced in full this week, after missing the game in Dublin through injury. Despite Gainwell’s impressive performance in his place, Warren should return to a leading role in Week 6.

There is a chance that both running backs share work fairly evenly against Cleveland, after Gainwell staked his claim for more opportunities. However, the Browns defense has allowed just three yards per rush attempt this season, the fewest in the NFL.

If Warren was still sidelined, Gainwell would be a flex option on workload alone, but a supporting role against the Browns is far from ideal. Warren is a flex option this week, given his likely RB1 role, but Gainwell’s fantasy value may have already come and gone.

START: Calvin Ridley, WR, Tennessee Titans

Calvin Ridley was being discussed as a drop candidate ahead of Tennessee’s Week 5 matchup with the Cardinals. Ridley had been outproduced by rookie Elic Ayomanor to start the year, as Cam Ward struggled to gel with his receivers.

However, that changed last weekend, with Ward connecting with Ridley for 131 total yards against Arizona, as the Titans produced an unlikely comeback win. This week, the Titans face the 0-4 Las Vegas Raiders, and Ridley will be looking to pick up where he left off.

Pete Carroll’s Raiders defense has allowed 40.3 fantasy points per game to the wide receiver position. As the alpha receiver on the team, there is no reason Ridley can’t claim half of that least half of that production.

Ridley is still yet to find the end zone this year, something that shouldn’t take long to change if he can build on his connection with Ward. The veteran receiver hasn’t worked his way into reliable WR2 territory yet, but he is a solid option for your WR3 or Flex spots this weekend.

START: Tyquan Thornton, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

With star receiver Rashee Rice set to return to action in Week 7, Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions might be the last fantasy-viable week for Tyquan Thornton.

The former New England Patriots receiver has shone for the Kansas City Chiefs in the absence of Rice, and at times, Worthy, through five weeks of the year. This weekend, the speedy deep threat faces a Lions defense that has given up some big plays already this season.

Detroit has allowed eight pass completions of at least 30 yards so far this season, the second most in the NFL. Over the past two weeks, disappointing quarterbacks Joe Flacco and Jake Browning both completed two passes of 30 or more yards against the Lions.

Patrick Mahomes is far more talented than both Flacco and Browning (argue with me all you want, I stand by that statement), and Thornton should be set for a big play or two on Sunday.

One 30-yard reception won’t make Thornton fantasy relevant, but the receiver has three touchdowns in five games so far. He also has three double-digit fantasy weeks to his name ,including one WR2 finish and two WR3 finishes.

The Lions have ruled out star cornerback Terrion Arnold for Sunday’s game, while Avonte Maddox, Brian Branch, and Kerby Joseph are all questionable, and all missed practice on Friday. For this week at least, Thornton is an easy start at Flex in a potential shootout.

START: David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns

David Njoku has had a slow start to the 2025 season, but his numbers in Week 5 offered some hope for fantasy owners. With rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel making his first start, Njoku was targeted nine times, the most he’d been targeted all year.

He caught six of those targets for 67 yards and a touchdown, as the Browns came close to defeating the Vikings in north London. Back on American soil, the freakishly athletic tight end will look to build upon his breakout week of the year.

Despite a relatively promising debut start for Gabriel, who I was higher on than most pre-draft, there were some areas that will need cleaning up. But if Njoku is going to be a key target for his young quarterback, I’ll continue to back him to produce in fantasy, starting this week against Pittsburgh.

START: Evan Engram, TE, Denver Broncos

Finally, I’d be starting Denver Broncos tight end Evan Engram this week. The fantasy favorite hasn’t exactly hit the ground running since joining Denver in the offseason.

Engram caught just four passes for 33 yards in his opening two games of the season, before missing Week 3 through injury. Since returning in Week 4, though, his targets have shot up to 6.5 per game, and he scored his first Broncos touchdown in Week 5.

He isn’t collecting many yards with his receptions, but his role is clearly building in Denver’s offense, and quarterback Bo Nix is looking for him more often. This week, he’ll face the New York Jets defense, and could easily register his best fantasy week of the season.

Over the las two weeks, the Jets have allowed two different tight ends, on two different offenses, to score two touchdowns against them. After Darren Waller stepped off the coach to score twice against New York in Week 4, Jake Ferguson caught seven passes for 49 yards and two scores against them last weekend.

Engram isn’t a must-start over the more elite options at the position, but has a fairly high floor and ceiling this weekend.

That’s it for this week’s starts and sits. If you’re in need of a streamer at QB, TE, Kicker or Defense this week, scroll up and follow the link to my weekly streamers article for PFSN.

You can also subscribe, for free, to receiver email notifications whenever I post a new article, which will be three times a week for the rest of the season. Thank you for reading this far, I’ll be back on Sunday morning with a betting preview for the rest of this week’s games.