Nerds! The Dynasty Nerds writers are here to provide you with weekly start/sit advice all season long. We will be making our recommendations based on weekly consensus PPR rankings. Here are the quarterback starts and sits from senior writer Mike Hicks.
One thing to keep in mind when making your start/sit decisions; it will ALWAYS depend on who your other options are. Don’t take the players below out of (or put them into) your lineup unless the alternatives are worth it.
NOTE: Rankings are sourced from FantasyPros expert consensus expert rankings (ECR) and our terminology is for a 12-team PPR league. So, saying RB2 means top 24, or RB1 means top 12, etc.
WEEK 5 QUARTERBACK RESULTS
| Player | FPts | Comp | Att | Yds | TDs | Int | Call | Rank | Result | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geno Smith | 22.6 | 28 | 40 | 284 | 1 | 0 | Start | 12 | 9 | +3 |
| Justin Fields | 15.9 | 15 | 27 | 131 | 2 | 0 | Start | 8 | 16 | -8 |
| Caleb Williams | 23.6 | 20 | 29 | 304 | 2 | 0 | Start | 18 | 6 | +12 |
| Joe Burrow | 34.8 | 30 | 39 | 392 | 5 | 1 | Sit | 9 | 2 | +7 |
| Andy Dalton | 4.7 | 18 | 28 | 136 | 0 | 1 | Sit | 21 | 28 | -7 |
1 QUARTERBACK START
Daniel Jones I V. CIN I 15.5 FPPG I ECR 15 I 90% Confidence
Daniel Jones is not a flashy play, but he might be exactly what you need in Week 6. Jones has 3 top-12 performances in 2024. In Week 5, he had 22.1 fantasy points and finished as QB11 even though the New York Giants were without their top weapon, Malik Nabers. According to Fantasy Points Data Suite Jones has the 7th best CPOE (completion percentage over expected)at 4.6% through Week 5.
The New York Giants and Daniel Jones will once again be without wide receiver Malik Nabers in Week 6. Even so, Jones should have a good performance against the Cincinnati Bengals defense, which has been soft against QBs. The Bengals are giving up 20.2 FPPG (FantasyPros), the 5th most in the NFL. It won’t be the scariest thing you do this month, go ahead and start Jones in all fantasy formats, including 1QB leagues.
1 QUARTERBACK SIT
Josh Allen I V. NYJ I 19.2 FPPG I ECR 8 I 85% Confidence
Many experts say that you should start your studs, but there is a point where that is no longer the case. The Bills have been an inconsistent offense this season, and Josh Allen is a major part of that. Allen has had 2 weeks as the overall QB1. However, Allen finished under 15 fantasy points in his other 3 weekly performances. Allen is averaging 10.9 FPPG on the road this season.
The Buffalo Bills are on the road against the New York Jets in Week 4. The Jets are the best in the NFL, giving up 8.3 FPPG to QBs (FantasyPros). The Bills lack the high-powered weapons they have had in past seasons, and Josh Allen’s numbers reflect their absence. That, along with facing a tough defense on the road, does not bode well for Allen. It is tough to sit a top pick, but I recommend sitting Allen in 1QB leagues and expect better performances in the future.
SUPERFLEX QUARTERBACK START
Spencer Rattler I V. TB I 0 FPPG I ECR 27 I 60% Confidence
The New Orleans Saints will be without Derek Carr for at least Week 6 and possibly more weeks to come. In his spot behind center will be rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler. Sometimes, the best thing for a rookie quarterback in his first-ever NFL start are players around him. Rattler will have Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, and Rashid Shaheed at his disposal this week.
The New Orleans Saints are facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs have given up 22.0 FPPG to QBs (Fantasypros), the 2nd most in the NFL in 2024. The Saints have the weapons to help them overcome having a rookie QB. With injuries and byes, sometimes desperate times require desperate measures. I recommend starting Spencer Rattler in Week 6, as he could be a top-20 QB this week.
SUPERFLEX QUARTERBACK SIT
Trevor Lawrence I V. CHI I 14.4 FPPG I ECR 18 I 55% Confidence
London is calling. The Jacksonville Jaguars are playing their first of two games across the pond. Lawrence seemed to get his season back on track with a top-10 performance in Week 5, finishing with 22.2 fantasy points. He has a 1st-read passing percentage of 73.1%, which is 5th most in the NFL (minimum 50 dropbacks per Fantasy Points Data Suite).
In London, the Jacksonville Jaguars will face the Chicago Bears. Yes, Lawrence had a good Week 5. However, his completion percentage has struggled all season. He is ranked 31st, only above 4 QBs, including Jacoby Brissett and Bryce Young. The Bears are giving up a completion percentage of 61.8% (FPD), 7th lowest in the NFL. The Bears are 2nd best in the NFL, only giving up 8.8 FPPG (Fantasypros) to QBs. This is not the matchup for Lawrence to continue getting back on track in 2024. I recommend sitting Lawrence in all formats, including Superflex.
QUARTERBACK SPOTLIGHT
Drake Maye I V. HOU I 0 FPPG I ECR 26 I 40% Confidence
It’s officially a changing of the guard in New England with Drake Maye being named the starting quarterback of the Patriots. Maye will look to show off the tools that made him the no. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. This game is bigger than just Drake Maye, but it is important for us as fantasy managers to monitor Maye’s Week 6 performance.
If Drake Maye can have a promising performance, he could be a weekly Superflex start in weeks to come. Along with his own outlook, Maye’s performance could also help the weapons he has at his disposal. I don’t recommend starting Maye unless you have to. However, I will keep my eye on him for the future.
If you enjoyed this micro view of our start/sit series, check out the full Positional Matchups chart from data Nerd Brad Custer (@MonCalFF) complete with IDP for every one of your starting spots.
