NFL Week 6 fantasy football, betting cheat sheet: Nico Collins hits IR, George Kittle likely vs. Seattle

Thursday Night Football Live Blog: 49ers vs. Seahawks

Welcome to the Week 6 NFL fantasy and betting cheat sheet, a one-stop-shop for The Athletic‘s game previews, injury and weather updates, and expert analysis. Bookmark this page and check back often, as we offer regular updates Thursday through Sunday to assist with fantasy lineups and betting decisions.

The latest NFL news and headlines

Last updated: Noon ET, Oct. 10

Injury news | Weather report
Featured games | Week 6 best bets
Survivor pool strategy | Fantasy football player rankings

Injury news

Updated through Thursday, Noon ET

Houston Texans WR Nico Collins hit the injured reserve this week, opening opportunities for Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell. The Athletic’s Jake Ciely projects Diggs as WR12 and Dell as WR24 heading into Week 6 when the Texans face the Patriots. New England ranks 26th in opponent passing yards per game (239) and surrenders 33.7 PPR points a game to wide receivers, offering a good fantasy matchup for Diggs and Dell. Houston RB Joe Mixon carries a questionable tag going into Week 6 after missing the past few games.

On the other side of the matchup, if Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson can’t go, look for Antonio Gibson to have increased usage.

San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle put in a full day of practice Wednesday and should be available Thursday night against Seattle.

Las Vegas Raiders WR Davante Adams is officially listed as questionable but will likely sit in a game that has the Raiders, led by newly minted starting QB Aiden O’Connell, taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Raiders RB Zamir White is also questionable heading into Sunday’s game.

Arizona Cardinals K Matt Prater and Green Bay Packers WR Christian Watson are questionable going into a matchup where both teams need a win to remain playoff hopefuls.

The Buffalo Bills list WRs Khalil Shakir, Curtis Samuel, and RB James Cook as questionable for Week 6. If Cook and Shakir were to miss the game, Dalton Kincaid could get more short-yardage looks Monday against the Jets. The RB room lacks fantasy relevance though, with Ray Davis and Ty Johnson next in line after Cook.

According to The Athletic’s James Boyd, Indianapolis Colts WR Michael Pittman will miss “extended time” with a back injury, pouring salt on the wounds of a team already dealing with several injuries. Franchise QB Anthony Richardson, WR Josh Downs and RBs Jonathan Taylor and Trey Sermon are all questionable heading into Week 6. Receivers Alec Pierce and Adonai Mitchell should see additional targets when the Colts visit Tennessee, and RB Tyler Goodson is the only back on the depth chart outside of Taylor and Sermon.

Weather report

Outdoor games only

Hurricane Milton tore through Florida Wednesday night and into Thursday morning, bringing storms to the East Coast. While Milton’s real-life impact is severe, taking lives and leaving many without power, the Week 6 NFL slate should see few consequences.

The Miami Dolphins are on bye, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (New Orleans) and Jacksonville Jaguars (London) are on the road this week, leaving no games in the Sunshine State.

According to Rotowire, the only game that could be potentially impacted by precipitation is in Green Bay, where the Packers welcome the Arizona Cardinals (49% chance of rain). The expected temperature (51 degrees) is relatively mild for a city known for bitter temperatures during the fall and winter. 

Cardinals at Packers, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (Rain possible)

Green Bay Packers QB Jordan Love ranks 2nd in the NFL in passing yards per game, but when backup Malik Willis took the helm, Matt LeFleur proved how quickly he can transition to a run-heavy gameplan. With RB Josh Jacobs averaging 4.5 yards per carry on 90 carries and WR Jayden Reed as an end-around option, the Packers have what it takes to play in the rain.

On the other hand, the Cardinals have a scrambling quarterback in Kyler Murray, who is third in QB rushing yards behind only Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels, respectively. Combined with James Conner, who has racked up 379 rushing yards through Week 5, the Cardinals have a ground game that can compete with anyone.

While neither team needs to pass, the Cardinals would love to open the field by getting rookie WR Marvin Harrison Jr. the ball, and Green Bay’s Love thrives as a pocket passer.

Wondering what the weather impact is on fantasy production? Jake Ciely has you covered like a poncho in rainy season.

Check out our Week 6 previews here. Game-specific previews are available on the day of the game.

Thursday night

San Francisco 49ers (2-3) vs. Seattle Seahawks (3-2)

• Venue: Lumen Field — Seattle
• Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
• TV: Fox (local only)
• Streaming: Amazon Prime

Both teams are desperate for wins in this NFC West showdown, but the Niners even more so. The Seahawks lead the wide-open division, but the 49ers are just one game behind and favored despite sitting in second place.

San Francisco’s offense ranks second in offensive yards per game but 29th in red zone touchdown percentage, as quarterback Brock Purdy has struggled to finish drives this season. That’s all the more reason to lean on Jordan Mason against a Seattle defense that ranks 20th in rushing yards allowed per game.

On the other side of the ball, Geno Smith’s passing yard total (1,466) tops the league, aided by one of the best WR trios in the NFL in DK Metcalf, Tyler Locket, and Jaxon-Smith Njigba, all of whom are healthy. This game sets up to be a good one, as the Seahawks try to best the 49ers for the first time since 2021.

Sunday afternoon

Detroit Lions (3-1) vs. Dallas Cowboys (3-2)

• Venue: AT&T Stadium — Arlington
• Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
• TV: FOX
• Streaming: Fubo (try for free)

The Lions-Cowboys matchup is favorable from a fantasy points perspective, as both teams (each on a two-game win streak) rank inside the top 10 in offensive fantasy points per game. Facing the Cowboys’ 24th-ranked defense in rushing yards allowed per game, the Lions are healthy at the RB position and have one of the best rushing tandems in the league in Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery.

The Athletic’s Jake Ciely projects Amon-Ra St. Brown as WR4 this week, right behind Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb.

GO DEEPER

Betting for (by) dummies: Vikings to beat Rodgers, the Steelers to bounce back and more

The Lions are favored in this NFC matchup between two teams with a win-now mentality … and a noteworth point total line of 52.

Full preview coming Sunday.

Sunday Night Football

Cincinnati Bengals (1-4) vs. New York Giants (2-3)

• Venue: Metlife Stadium — East Rutherford
• Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
• TV: NBC
• Streaming: Peacock, Fubo (try for free)

Last week, Daniel Jones and the Giants won against the Seahawks without Malik Nabers and Devin Singletary. Will New York’s luck continue against the struggling Bengals, a team that held a players-only meeting earlier this week?

Look for Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase, Jake Ciely’s WR1 this week, to continue his fantasy league-winning season (21.7 PPR points per game) against a middle-of-the-pack Giants pass defense. Right behind him at WR2 is Nabers, assuming he plays. The second receiver taken in the 2024 NFL Draft, Nabers is far out-performing the first receiver off the board, Marvin Harrison Jr., and everyone else in his draft class, outside of Commanders QB Jayden Daniels.

Full preview coming Sunday.

Monday Night Football

Buffalo Bills (3-2) vs. New York Jets (2-3)

• Venue: Metlife Stadium — East Rutherford
• Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN
• Streaming: Fubo (try for free)

After firing Robert Saleh, the Jets are hoping for a morale boost that could lead to victory over a Bills team coming off a tough loss to the Houston Texans. Aaron Rodgers is dealing with a low ankle sprain, but if the Jets allow him to (and he can) run the up-tempo game that defines his career, an upset is possible. (Read what Austin Mock thinks in his “Best Bets” column). Jets WRs Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard could benefit from a new offensive strategy (if there is one), and the Jets’ backfield with Breece Hall and Braelon Allen could be dangerous — especially against a Bills defense ranked 26th in opponent rushing yards per game. 

Bills QB Josh Allen looks to get back on track after finishing with a 56.4 passer rating in Week 5. The Bills didn’t replace Stefon Diggs after trading him to the Texans and need to establish a true WR1 on the roster. If Khalil Shakir can’t go, look for Dalton Kincaid, Mack Hollins, and Keon Coleman to share targets. Coleman dropped a would-be TD pass from Allen against the Ravens in Week 4, but that’s his only drop this year. Bills RB James Cook is questionable coming into Week 6, and if he can’t play, Buffalo could struggle to move the ball on the ground.

Full preview coming Monday.

Bet picked Thursday: Washington Commanders +6.5 (-110) at Baltimore Ravens

Do I have concerns about the Commanders defense stopping the Ravens offense and Lamar Jackson? Absolutely. But I share the same concerns for the Ravens defense stopping the Commanders offense and Jayden Daniels. Daniels has been incredible in his short NFL career, and I’m not quite sure the market has caught up to them yet, as I was on Washington last week as well. Daniels is the type of quarterback that I enjoy being on as a decent-sized underdog because his legs are going to be able to keep drives alive which means 1) Lamar Jackson spends more time on the sidelines, and 2) sustaining drives is paramount for keeping the back door open. —Mock

• Worst line to bet: Commanders +6.5 (-115)

See all of Mock’s best bets for Week 6.

Survivor pool options are dwindling entering Week 6, and weekly NFL upsets have made for a tough season. But if you’re still in the mix, there are two teams favored by more than a touchdown in their matchups. The Philadelphia Eagles (favored by 8.5 points) host the Cleveland Browns, led by a floundering Deshaun Watson, and the Houston Texans visit New England (favored by 7 points) to take on the Patriots and rookie QB Drake Maye in his debut performance. The Eagles haven’t instilled much confidence this year, but that makes Week 6 an excellent opportunity to slot them in, and the Patriots (1-4) have only 62 points scored on the season, the second-worst in the NFL.

Our survivor columnists, Renee Miller and Adam Gretz, discuss other options, NFL survivor strategies, and contingencies for Week 6. May you be the sole survivor.

Get this week’s top survivor pool tip.

Lamar Jackson, Saquon Barkley, Ja’Marr Chase and George Kittle.

Get Ciely’s full Week 6 rankings. Plus sleepers and projections

(Top photo of George Kittle: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)