Week 6 Smash Starts For Fantasy Football: All-In On Marvin Harrison Jr.
Mark Drumheller breaks down four smash starts for Week 6 fantasy football.
Bring on Week 6. The picture of each team's identity has slowly come into focus. It’s a little bit of give and take. The data is more robust, and so are the injury reports. Lineup decisions become increasingly more important as the waiver wire thins.
Our goal is the same—to dominate—every single week until we parade our championship in the group chat.
For those joining us for the first time, this is the home of the smash plays. “Smashes” are players that I expect to outperform their season projections in Week 6. We want these guys in our lineups, even as flexes. It’s not about giving out layups; we are making the hard decisions on players that have you crashing out. You know the rules. We don’t blink, we don’t flinch and we certainly don’t panic. We push these players into every possible lineup.
Week 6 Fantasy Football Smashes
Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are quickly learning that they have to win games via the arm of Matthew Stafford. Conceptually, it’s not the worst idea considering he's armed with one of the league’s most dangerous duos in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
Stafford has been fantasy gold over the last two weeks, posting back-to-back games with 375+ yards and a trio of touchdowns in each. The recent rise, along with his 19.9 FPPG, moves the veteran to QB9 overall (0.5 ppr). Now, he faces the league's worst defense.
In case you haven’t heard, it’s bad in Baltimore.
There isn’t a better matchup for a QB right now than the Ravens. Via our defense vs. position tool, QBs are averaging 25 FPPG against Baltimore. Over the last two weeks, it’s been worse. Let’s look at the massive numbers this defense has recently allowed.
Week 4: Patrick Mahomes | 27.3 FP
- 280 yards passing
- 4 TDs
Week 5: C.J. Stroud | 244 yds | 28.8 FP
- 244 yards passing
- 4 TDs
I don’t see any way that Stafford isn’t connecting all over the field, continuing his streak of games with 375+ yards and multiple touchdowns. Even if Kyle Hamilton returns, the Stafford-McVay tandem will relentlessly attack the weak links. Stafford is currently starting in only 47.2% of the leagues. I’m upgrading him to a smash play. Let’s get him in our lineups.
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Stefon Diggs, WR, New England Patriots
It’s official. Get the word out on these fantasy streets that Stefon Diggs is back up.
Last Sunday night, the Pats prize offseason acquisition eviscerated his former team for 12 receptions and 146 yards. Revenge is sweet, but let’s focus on the real story behind Diggs' 19.6 fantasy point outburst.
Diggs is the alpha WR1 for Drake Maye.
Despite Diggs’ current projections (WR20 ROS rankings), I’m convinced we are just scratching the surface with the New England passing game. Fantasy managers should be all-in on leveraging Diggs to ride the wave of Maye’s ascension. After a slow start working his way back from injury (13-112 through three games), Diggs has now posted consecutive 100+ yard games while settling into Josh McDaniels’ offense.
This week, he gets a favorable draw with the New Orleans Saints defense. The Saints appear to do a decent job at limiting opposing WRs, but Diggs is the toughest challenge they have faced since seeing Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Week 3.
How did that go for New Orleans? Not great. Not only did JSN slice through the Saints secondary for 5-96-1, but all but two yards of his production came in the first half of a 44-13 rout. In Seattle’s first possession, Smith-Njigba accounted for 41 of Seattle’s 55 yards while culminating the drive with a 12-yard touchdown reception. There was very little resistance.
The Saints aren’t stopping Stefon Diggs. This is a sneaky smash spot for Diggs, who should also have some positive touchdown regression headed his way.
David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns
Joe Flacco is wearing a different shade of Ohio orange, and Dillon Gabriel is now in the driver’s seat of Kevin Stefanski’s offense.
Why is that great news for David Njoku? And of course, those that roster him ...
A tight end is a rookie quarterback's best friend. A security blanket that they can turn to in the midst of complex coverage schemes, and stunting 250 lb. edge rushers.
That’s exactly what we saw in Gabriel’s debut against Minnesota, and I don’t expect anything different on Sunday.
Gabriel targeted Njoku a team-high nine times, and it led to his most productive day of the season. His 6-67-1 stat line earned 15.7 fantasy points, a huge uptick for a player previously averaging a paltry 4.95 FPPG through the first four weeks.
With Gabriel under center, Njoku’s UR (Utilization Score) rocketed to 95, the highest mark of any Cleveland pass catcher in 2025.
Admittedly, one-week data sets are like TikTok handicappers—hard to trust. However, this is the Browns new offense. Additionally, when I layer in the Steelers struggles against opposing tight ends, it elevates Njoku’s ceiling into smash territory.
Does anyone remember Hunter Henry completely butchering the Steelers for 90 yards and two tuddys on 11 targets? Pittsburgh’s defense has surprisingly allowed the third-most FPPG (13.4) to tight ends. It’s the soft spot in the defense, and it lines up perfectly with Gabriel’s strengths.
Njoku is only projected for 7.56 FPs this week, but I see an opportunity for him to have a monster game. If you don’t have an elite option, feel comfortable squeezing out some value from Njoku this week.
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals
There are two golden rules I try to remind myself of this time of year. Success is never linear, and breakout seasons don’t always begin in Week 1.
Marvin Harrison Jr.’s young career has been an enigma. The former fourth overall selection has all the tools, but has struggled with drops in critical situations. After putting up a season-high 98 yards receiving in Week 5, all signs are pointing to Harrison Jr. playing an even bigger role against the Colts.
On paper, the Indianapolis defense has held its own against the pass. Once we dig deeper, you will find a stark contrast between the strength of their opponents' passing attacks in recent weeks. Here are their ranks in Pass EPA (via SumerSports).
Week 3: Tennessee Titans (30th)
Week 4: Los Angeles Rams (8th)
Week 5: Las Vegas Raiders (28th)
The Rams, the only passing offense with a pulse mentioned above, torched the Colts for 375 yards passing behind a monster game from Puka Nacua (13-170-1). Taking into account that Indy also allows the fifth-most fantasy points to wide receivers, I see an opportunity for Arizona to get Harrison Jr. involved in a big way. Plus, there will be extra motivation considering his father’s ties to the Colts.
I don’t know if I am all-in, but I’m Week 6 in. Smash the start button.
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