Now that Week 5 is in the rearview mirror it is time to focus on the Week 6 action. And part of that is figuring out which team(s) to take in survivor/knockout leagues. The bad news is the byes start this week so four teams will not be in action and one team on a bye is the New York Jets. The good news is there are still solutions as to which teams it is wise to have faith in heading into this week. Here are some NFL Week 6 survivor league top picks.
Top Picks for NFL Week 6 Survivor League
Dallas Cowboys at New England Patriots
After being overrated for years the Dallas Cowboys might actually have something going this season. Their offense can go run-heavy and feature Ezekiel Elliot and Tony Pollard running the ball or be pass-happy and have Dak Prescott throwing the ball to various talented receivers, including Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb. Or, more impressively, they can have a balanced offensive attack within a game. In addition, their defense is much improved from last season. They are forcing a lot of turnovers, and a big part of that is cornerback Trevon Diggs who has at least one interception in every game this season (six in total). It feels like Trevon Diggs has caught as many balls on the season as his brother, Buffalo Bills wide receiver, Stefon Diggs, has. Teams may want to just stop throwing at Trevon Diggs.
The Patriots have shown signs of life at times this season, and the future might be bright, but they just are not that good right now, despite the money they spent in free agency. They struggled to beat the lowly Houston Texans last week. The defense ranks fifth in scoring (18.4 points per game) but three of their games haven’t been against offensive juggernauts (Miami Dolphins, Jets, and Texans) and their offense ranks 26th (19.2 points per game).
The Cowboys are 4-1 and have won four straight games while the Patriots are 2-3 on the season. But somehow the Cowboys are favored by only four points. The only explanation for that is the fact that New England has won six straight contests against Dallas and this game is being played in New England. But players on these teams are much different than in past matchups and the Patriots are actually 0-3 at home this season. Take the Cowboys in survivor and give the points if you are in the mood to place a wager on the game. Dallas is 5-0 against the spread this season and that trend will continue this week when they win by more than four points since the only area where the Patriots have a clear advantage is at head coach.
Buffalo Bills at Tennessee Titans
After a stunning Week 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers that now seems like an aberration, the Bills have ripped off four straight wins, including a 38-20 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs last week. The Tennessee Titans have Derrick Henry who can strike fear into any opposing defense, but their offense just doesn’t have the overall firepower most people thought it would coming into the season. The Bills offense ranks first in the league with 34.4 points per game. The Titans offense comes in at 10 with 26.4 points per game. Buffalo’s defense is also tops in the NFL since they are allowing only 12.8 points per game. Tennessee’s defense ranks 21st in the league with 26.0 points per game.
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It is possible the Titans cover, but the Bills are the best team in the NFL right now and they are going to win this game. It could make sense to save the Bills for an even worse opponent (Jets twice, Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins still to come) especially with easy games (at least on paper) on the docket in Weeks 8, 9, and 10. But for anyone in a bind due to teams they have already used, the Bills are a smart play this week.
Cincinnati Bengals at Detroit Lions
For anyone who hasn’t taken the Cincinnati Bengals yet, this might be the week to select them. The rest of their schedule, save a Week 8 matchup against the Jets, is not exactly a cakewalk. The one caveat here is that Joe Burrow has to be healthy and cleared to play. If Burrow is not ready to go, then stay away from this game and take the Bengals in Week 8 when Burrow would presumably be healthy and the Bengals get the Jets.
But assuming Burrow is ready to go the Bengals will roll in Week 6. And a number of Bengals offensive players, including Burrow, Joe Mixon, Ja’Marr Chase (or really any Bengals wideout) could have a nice fantasy day too, given the fact that the Lions defense is struggling. Detroit’s defense ranks 25th in scoring (27.6 points per game), 17th against the pass, and 23rd against the run. The Lions are coming off of an emotional loss to the Minnesota Vikings last week and that could linger. The spread is Bengals -3.5 and if Burrow is healthy they will cover. Take Cincinnati in survivor, give the points and start at least Mixon in fantasy, but Burrow and Chase are smart picks too.
If the Cowboys, Bills, and Bengals are no longer available, taking the Indianapolis Colts over the Houston Texans would make sense. The only hesitation is the Colts just played a tough game against the Baltimore Ravens (a tough loss for Indy) on Monday night. It is always difficult to go “all in” on a team that is playing on a short week, but the Colts are the better team and playing at home so taking them makes a lot of sense.
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