Winners and losers: Dowdle makes case to keep starting; time to sack Fields?

Week 6 of the 2025 fantasy football season featured several big performances and also quite a few disappointing ones.

Who were the big winners and losers?

Matt Bowen and Tristan H. Cockcroft offer their analyses.

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Ranking winners | Ranking losers
Biggest injuries and what’s next

Ranking fantasy winners of Week 6

1. Rico Dowdle, RB, Carolina Panthers: Wow, 32-plus PPR fantasy points in back-to-back weeks, and this from a player who was available in 85% of ESPN leagues at the beginning of the month. Dowdle has totaled 66.3 points, 10 explosive runs, 140 more rushing yards than expected, and a 60.4% rushing success rate in his two starts, filling in for the injured Chuba Hubbard (calf). Though that’s a wholly unsustainable level of performance, not to mention Hubbard is important enough to the Panthers’ offense to reclaim at least some semblance of his former starting role, there’s no question that Dowdle has a clear place in this backfield. If he gets the call against the Jets again in Week 7, he’d be a fantasy RB1. — Cockcroft

2. De’Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins: He’s doing remarkably well for a running back on a team that has averaged only 289 total yards per game while running 57% of its offensive plays while trailing on the scoreboard. Achane scored a season-best 31.0 PPR fantasy points, thanks in large part to his top-shelf speed — his 13.8 mph average speed, per Next Gen Stats, is fastest among running backs with at least 20 carries — and contributions in the receiving game. His team’s struggles and likelihood of being trade deadline sellers make Achane more risk/reward than you might want from a fantasy RB1, but he has the skills to finish 2025 as one. — Cockcroft

3. Cam Skattebo, RB, New York Giants: His «Thursday Night Football» performance was significant from a couple of angles. First, he took a trio of goal-to-go carries (4, 1 and 1 yards) in for touchdowns, alleviating fantasy managers’ possible worry about his ability in that regard after he had scored on only one of six such tries entering the night. Second, Skattebo played a significantly greater percentage of offensive snaps (72%) and had more total touches (21) than Tyrone Tracy Jr. (30% and 4) in what was the latter’s return from a shoulder injury. Skattebo has quickly shaped up as a high-end fantasy RB2, with the quarterback switch to Jaxson Dart helping diversify the Giants’ offense. The team’s task is more challenging in Week 7 against the Denver Broncos, but Skattebo should be started with confidence, nevertheless. — Cockcroft

4. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks: Smith-Njigba scored a season-high 30.2 points against the Jacksonville defense in the Week 6 win. Smith-Njigba, who caught eight of a team-high 13 targets for 162 yards and a touchdown, showed his traits at every level of the route tree, including his scoring grab on a 61-yard vertical throw. Smith-Njigba has now posted 20 or more points in three of his past four games. He’ll remain a solid WR1 — even in a tough matchup — for the Week 7 game versus Houston. — Bowen

5. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs: It had been 31 games since Mahomes scored 30-plus fantasy points, but on Monday night, he was the offensive star of the Chiefs’ 30-17 win over the Detroit Lions, scoring 31.48 points. That gives him four games with at least 26 points in six weeks, an accomplishment that is all the more impressive when you consider that Rashee Rice has served a suspension all season and Xavier Worthy missed two games due to injury. Mahomes should again be an upper-tier fantasy QB1 in Week 7 against the Las Vegas Raiders. — Cockcroft

6. Josh Jacobs, RB, Green Bay Packers: For the second consecutive game, Jacobs exceeded 30 PPR fantasy points; his 32.0 on Sunday coming after the 31.7 he had the week before the Packers’ Week 5 bye. This was Jacobs’ best game yet in 2025, as he averaged 5.2 yards per carry, had four explosive runs and continued to hold the crown as the best goal-line running back in football, turning a 3-yard opportunity into a score in the second quarter. He’s the NFL’s leader with 46 carries, 18 touchdowns and a 5.0 yards-per-carry average on goal-to-go plays since the beginning of last season. Jacobs should continue to perform like an RB1 against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 7. — Cockcroft

7. George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys: Pickens’ 31.8 points led all wide receivers through the early window, when he caught nine passes for 168 yards and a touchdown in the Week 6 loss to the Panthers. Pickens showcased his playmaking traits here, plus we saw how quickly he can get up to top speed on his touchdown catch. Take the slant route and erase the defensive angles after the catch. With at least one touchdown reception in five straight games, Pickens will be in the WR1 discussion for the Week 7 game versus Washington if CeeDee Lamb (ankle) is still out. — Bowen

8. Kimani Vidal, RB, Los Angeles Chargers: If Week 6 was any indication, there was little doubt as to who is the Chargers’ No. 1 running back in Omarion Hampton‘s (ankle) absence. Vidal played 68% of the offensive snaps, had 18 of the team’s 24 rushing attempts and totaled 21 touches to Hassan Haskins‘ six, scoring a career-best 22.8 PPR fantasy points. Vidal had four explosive runs and 58 more rushing yards than expected, per Next Gen Stats. He needs to be added in the remaining 72.9% of ESPN leagues in which he’s available, even with his next opponent, the Indianapolis Colts, having performed well against running backs the past three weeks (17.7 PPR FPTS per game allowed). — Cockcroft

9. Drake Maye, QB; Kayshon Boutte, WR, New England Patriots: Maye scored a season-high 27.24 in Sunday’s win over the Saints, and he was dialed in as a thrower. Maye completed 18 of 26 passes for 261 yards and 3 touchdowns, and he also added 28 yards rushing on nine carries. Boutte caught all five of his targets in this one for 93 yards, with two of those receptions going for touchdowns. Maye will remain a QB1 with a positive Week 7 matchup versus the Titans, while Boutte, who is available in over 90% of ESPN leagues, could be a potential waiver pickup/streaming option in deeper formats. — Bowen

10. Tyler Warren, TE, Indianapolis Colts: He scored double-digit fantasy points for the fifth time in his first six NFL games, benefiting significantly from Daniel Jones‘ rebound season. Warren, who matched his Week 4 seasonal best with 18.3 PPR fantasy points this week, leads the Colts in targets (40), receptions (29), receiving yards (370) and red zone targets (7), effectively being Jones’ go-to receiver. Consider the rookie a fantasy TE1, even in Week 7 against a tough Los Angeles Chargers matchup. — Cockcroft

11. Brian Thomas, Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars: After a slight uptick in fantasy numbers over his past two games, Thomas posted his best totals of the season in the Week 6 loss to the Seahawks. Thomas finished with 23.0 points, catching eight of a team-high 10 targets for 90 yards, plus he brought in his first touchdown catch. Thomas has caught 17 of 23 targets over his past three games, and we are seeing more efficient throwing from quarterback Trevor Lawrence when targeting his No.1 receiver. The arrow is pointing up on Thomas heading into the Week 7 game versus the Rams. — Bowen

12. Dallas Goedert, TE, Philadelphia Eagles: Goedert played a volume role in the Thursday night loss to the Giants, producing season highs in receptions (nine), targets (11), receiving yards (110) and fantasy points (26.0). And even though Godert’s recent touchdown grabs have a gadget-like feel to them, he has found the end zone at least once in four straight games. This Eagles pass game needs some work, but Goedert continues to post numbers as an underneath option for quarterback Jalen Hurts. And those are high-percentage throws to the tight end. Goedert sticks in the midtier TE1 range for the Week 7 game at Minnesota. — Bowen

Ranking fantasy losers of Week 6

1. Justin Fields, QB, New York Jets: In a bad football game in London, Fields scored just 4.9 points during the 13-11 loss to the Broncos, finishing with as many completions as sacks (nine). Fields added 31 yards rushing on seven carries; however, his inability to play on time as a thrower, plus his poor pocket awareness versus pressure, contributed to his rough final line (9-of-17 passing, 45 yards). With an 0-6 record and Fields regressing as a passer, the Jets could make a move to backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor for the Week 7 matchup versus Carolina. Stay tuned. — Bowen

This game was a statistical nightmare. Fields’ 4.90 fantasy points were his worst in any game he played to completion since his 1.16 in Week 7 of 2021, the fifth career start during his rookie campaign. The Jets totaled 24.5 PPR fantasy points from their skill-position players (QB, RB, WR and TE), the fewest by any team in a game since the Arizona Cardinals totaled 17.2 in a 27-0 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 9 of the 2023 season, in Clayton Tune‘s only career NFL start. — Cockcroft

2. Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles: Barkley scored a season-low 8.7 points in the Thursday night loss to the Giants. After a strong start on an opening drive that featured two rushes of 10 or more yards, Barkley was limited by the Giants’ defense. The Eagles’ offensive tackles (and tight ends) failed to win the edges, and I didn’t see enough vertical displacement to create running lanes for Barkley on zone run schemes. Barkley, who finished with 67 total yards on 14 touches, gets the Vikings’ defense in Week 7. And there’s a lot to fix with this Eagles offense. — Bowen

3. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions: Playing from behind for the entirety of the second half of Sunday night’s 30-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Gibbs scored 7.5 PPR fantasy points, the third-worst output in any of his 38 career games. He managed 18 touches, but only once had a gain of greater than seven yards. Gibbs should rebound to his usual RB1 self in a better matchup back home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7. — Cockcroft

4. Matthew Stafford, QB, and Davante Adams, WR, Los Angeles Rams: Puka Nacua‘s injury (see below) set the Rams’ passing game back, despite what was an extremely favorable matchup on paper, as Stafford and Adams mustered only 9.34 and 7.9 PPR fantasy points, respectively. Adams had to tangle with CB Nate Wiggins, by far the Ravens’ most effective defender in coverage this season, as the veteran wideout managed only two catches for 29 yards on five targets with Wiggins the nearest defender. Even if Nacua can’t play in Week 7 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the matchup is every bit as favorable (if not more so), meaning Stafford and Adams should rebound in a big way. — Cockcroft

5. Javonte Williams, RB, Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys’ well-regarded offensive line couldn’t open any holes for him, especially up the middle, as Williams was stuffed at or behind the line four times, had 27 fewer rushing yards than expected, and scored a season-worst 8.4 PPR fantasy points against the Carolina Panthers. It was his most disappointing performance as a Cowboy, and he was started in 81.0% of ESPN leagues. Williams has good odds of a rebound against the Washington Commanders in Week 6, however. — Cockcroft

6. Quinshon Judkins, RB, Cleveland Browns: Judkins had a season-worst 3.6 points in Sunday’s loss to the Steelers. Judkins had 12 carries, but he averaged 3.0 yards per rush and failed to record a reception for the first time this season. With Pittsburgh controlling the line of scrimmage, plus Cleveland’s lack of explosive play ability, Judkins was a nonfactor. He’ll look to rebound next week with a positive run game matchup versus the Dolphins. — Bowen

7. Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jacksonville Jaguars: After four straight games with double-digit production to start the season, Etienne has cooled off over the past two weeks. Etienne, who scored 8.8 points in the Week 5 win over Kansas City, managed 9.5 points in Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks. Though Etienne caught four passes for 28 yards, he had only 27 yards rushing on 12 carries (2.3 YPC). With another tough matchup in Week 7 against the Rams’ defense, Etienne will stay in my Flex ranks. — Bowen

8. Michael Pittman Jr, WR, Indianapolis Colts: Pittman posted season lows across the board in the Week 6 win over the Cardinals. Pittman had just three targets, catching two for 20 yards (4.0 points). With quarterback Daniel Jones playing like a point guard, distributing the ball to seven different players, Pittman had a quiet day. However, Pittman had seen at least five targets in each of his first five games played this season, and he’ll remain a high-floor WR3 for the Week 7 matchup versus the Chargers. — Bowen

9. Chase Brown, RB, Cincinnati Bengals: Game flow played a factor in Brown’s usage during the Week 6 loss to the Packers, as he finished with 42 yards rushing on nine carries, plus he caught two passes for 7 yards (8.9 points). However, Brown hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 1 (with Joe Burrow under center), and the switch to Joe Flacco on Sunday didn’t boost his numbers. Given the consistent lack of rushing production for Brown this season (2.7 YPC), he will remain a lower-tier Flex for the Week 7 matchup versus Pittsburgh. — Bowen

Injury impact

Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

What we know: Egbuka departed the game because of a hamstring injury in the second half versus the 49ers, and he did not return. Egbuka finished with two catches (on four targets) for 24 yards.

What’s next:If Egbuka is out for the Week 7 game at Detroit, he would potentially join Mike Evans (hamstring), Chris Godwin, Jr. (fibula) and Jalen McMillan (neck) as Tampa receivers who are out because of injuries. Managers will need to stay on top of the injury reports out of Tampa this week, as Sterling Shepard and Tez Johnson could serve as streaming options versus the Lions. — Bowen

Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals

What we know: Harrison left the game because of a head injury in the second quarter versus the Colts, and he was eventually declared out because of a concussion. Before exiting, Harrison caught both of his targets for 32 yards (5.2 points).

What’s next: If Harrison is out for Week 7, managers can pick up Cardinals wide receiver Zay Jones for the matchup versus the Packers. Jones’ usage increased with Harrison out, catching five of eight targets for 79 yards (12.2 points). And Jones is available in over 90% of ESPN leagues. –Bowen

Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams

What we know: He suffered a lower leg injury while falling hard on the ground while attempting a second-quarter catch in the end zone. Though he returned to the game in the third quarter, he played only seven more offensive snaps. Rams coach Sean McVay said afterward that Nacua has an ankle injury that casts doubt on the star receiver’s status for Week 7 against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London.

What’s next: The Rams couldn’t get much done passing without Nacua, as Tyler Higbee scored a team-best 10.6 PPR fantasy points after the injury. Davante Adams would step up as Matthew Stafford’s top target, with Jordan Whittington and Konata Mumpfield Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, if Nacua can’t play. — Cockcroft

David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns

What we know: He injured his knee shortly before halftime, and despite briefly returning multiple times during the second and early part of the third quarters, he was removed from the game for good early in the fourth quarter.

What’s next: The severity of Njoku’s injury is unknown, so he’ll be a player to monitor entering the practice week. Rookie Harold Fannin Jr., who has more targets (37), receptions (28) and PPR fantasy points (59.8) than Njoku (36, 23 and 51.3), would benefit most and elevate to fantasy TE1 status for Week 6 against the Miami Dolphins, should Njoku miss additional time. — Cockcroft