NFL DFS Week 6 DraftKings Main Slate Look Ahead: Early Values in Our Projections

Week 6 has the smallest Sunday main slate of the NFL DFS season so far. With four teams on a bye week and an early game in London, the main slate still includes 10 games. Just like last week, seven games kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET, with three games in the late window. Let’s take a look at this 20-team slate and see which players the early projections are pointing to as values to target this week.

From a game-script perspective, the Los Angeles Rams have the highest implied team total on the board as they take on the Cardinals, while the Bills-Raiders game has the highest over/under. Players from those teams are worth considering in these potentially high-scoring spots. While kickoff is still a few days away, it’s never too early to start strategizing for your NFL DFS lineups for Week 6. Even in the middle of the week, some potential values are already popping in our early projections, and you definitely want to have them on your radar.

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Throughout the season, every Wednesday, I’ll be taking a look at the players who are standing out as top values for the coming week by using the early projections in our NFL Player Models. Of course, these models update frequently.

Things will likely change between now and Sunday, but it’s still good to have a plan of attack.

If there’s news between now and lock — and there will be — the models will update to reflect that.

As always, they’re powered by Sean Koerner — one of the most accurate fantasy rankers in the industry.

And don’t forget about the tools that FantasyLabs has to offer, like our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.

Or you can just use our NFL DFS sims to effortlessly create advanced lineups.

Finally, make sure to check out all the projections available for purchase within the FantasyLabs Models. Subscribers now have the option to purchase Derek Carty’s THE BLITZ from our Marketplace.

You can also combine them to create your own aggregate projections:

NFL DFS Quarterback Values

Josh Allen ($7,500) Buffalo Bills (-5) at Las Vegas Raiders (53.5 total)

In the FantasyLabs Consensus projections, Josh Allen has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at quarterback by a wide margin, even though he’s also the most expensive option on the slate. It’s important to remember that Plus/Minus compares projections to salary-based expectations, so even pay-up options can be good values if their projected production exceeds what their elevated salaries imply.

Allen has been doing more for the Bills this season, helping them to a 4-1 start by leading them to a thrilling Monday Night Football win over the Rams. Allen exceeded his salary-based expectations in that game by rushing for 121 yards and a touchdown while completing 12 of his 19 pass attempts for 210 yards and another touchdown.

He finished with 34.5 DraftKings points in Week 5 and has over 33 DraftKings points in three of his five games this season. He has been productive through the air, but he has added even more value by rushing for eight touchdowns in those five games, with at least one rushing touchdown in each contest.

Allen gets a very favorable matchup in Week 6, not just because the game is expected to be high-scoring, but because the Raiders have struggled against quarterbacks over the last few weeks. Drake Maye just had a monster game against Vegas last week, totaling 42.5 DraftKings points and five touchdowns. Vegas has now allowed the fifth-most DraftKings points per game to QBs this season.

It should be another favorable spot for Allen to deliver a big total, and his dual-threat production makes him a great pay-up play in one of the late games.

NFL DFS Wide Receiver Values

Tre Tucker ($4,700) Las Vegas Raiders (+5) vs. Buffalo Bills (53.5 total)

The wide receiver with the highest Projected Plus/Minus in the FantasyLabs Consensus projections comes from the other side of that matchup in Las Vegas. Tre Tucker of the Raiders has shown a very high ceiling and still comes at an affordable salary as he takes on the Bills.

Tucker has had at least four catches for at least 40 yards in each of the last four weeks. He has 28 targets this season, which is double the total of any other Raiders wide receiver. While Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer have been very involved as tight ends, Tucker is clearly the top option at receiver.

He showed his upside with 25.9 DraftKings points against the Chargers in Week 2, when he posted a season-high 119 yards and scored his lone touchdown of the season. He has been quieter over the last few weeks but has gotten steady enough work to be a breakout candidate at home this week.

The Bills have given up more DraftKings points to opposing wide receivers than any other team in the NFL this season, allowing nine WR touchdowns in five games, including three WR touchdowns in each of the last two weeks.

Since Tucker has such a high ceiling and a favorable matchup, he could bring massive value at a salary under $5,000 on Sunday’s slate.

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NFL DFS Running Back Values

Kyren Williams ($6,800) Los Angeles Rams (-12.5) vs. Arizona Cardinals (52 total)

Last week, our projections were very high on Jaylen Warren of the Steelers, who went off with a monster game. This week, the top value is Kyren Williams, who is in a similar price range and a smash spot against the Cardinals. He has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all running backs in the FantasyLabs Consensus Projections.

Williams matches a slate-leading 11 Pro Trends and has exceeded salary-based expectations in each of his five games this season. He also has a 93% Bargain Rating, indicating he is more affordable on DraftKings than on other DFS sites.

On Monday Night Football, Williams had 19.6 FPTS against the Bills, running for 49 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries and adding six catches for 27 yards. He has at least six receptions in each of his last three games, and his work as a receiver out of the backfield raises both his ceiling and his floor.

He did lose a rushing touchdown to Blake Corum against the Bills, but he has been playing the vast majority of snaps for the Rams this season and getting most of the important red-zone and third-down work as well.

The Cardinals gave up a huge game to Jahmyr Gibbs in last week’s loss to the Lions and also gave up a big game to Christian McCaffrey in Week 3. While they rank in the middle of the pack overall this season against running backs, elite running backs have been very good against them. That sets up Williams for a big game, especially if the Rams play from ahead, as the spread indicates is likely.

NFL DFS Tight End Values

Isaiah Likely ($4,800) New York Giants (+1.5) vs. New Orleans Saints (45.5 total)

Even with Trey McBride and Brock Bowers on the main slate, Giants TE Isaiah Likely has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at tight end this week in the FantasyLabs Consensus projections. Likely has been getting very high volume over the last few weeks, and he continues to click extremely well with Jameis Winston, who has started since Jaxson Dart was injured.

Likely had the top Projected Plus/Minus at the position last week as well, and he went off for 32.4 DraftKings points by hauling in 11 of his 13 targets for 94 yards and two touchdowns in the Giants’ tie with the Commanders. It was his first trip to the end zone since Week 1, and it showed his key role in New York’s passing game when it is at its best.

He has double-digit targets in three of his last four games and has two games over 27 DraftKings points this season. The Saints have been another top-10 matchup for tight ends this season, just like the Commanders were last week.

With so much volume and a favorable matchup, Likely should continue his breakout season. He brings the target share and ceiling of an elite tight end even though his salary is almost $3,000 lower than those of the very top options.

Pictured: Kyren Williams
Photo Credit: Imagn