Monday Night Football may clinch a few matches in your fantasy league, as there are plenty of strong fantasy performances to be had as we reach the end of Week 6. Two top-ten fantasy quarterbacks will be facing one another as Andrew Luck and Philip Rivers square off in Qualcomm Stadium. The emergence of several young San Diego receivers may leave some owners swinging for the fences against a solid Colts defense. Perhaps a few owners are hoping for a big game from newly acquired Trent Richardson.
Either way, we're here to break down the implications for Monday's match up. Let's take a look at what you can expect from the final game of Week 6.
Colts
Andrew Luck: He's now put up two consecutive strong performances - one of which was against a tough Seattle defense. The Chargers have given up the 2nd most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. Luck will be a solid QB1 even in shallow leagues. Start with confidence.
Wide receivers: Reggie Wayne still leads Colts receivers in targets, averaging close to eight per game. He's a low-end WR1 against a Chargers defense that has allowed the third-most fantasy points to wide receivers. Because the Chargers are allowing 335 yards per game in the air, T.Y. Hilton should see his share of work on Monday. He's a solid WR3 start following up on a 140 yard and two touchdown Week 5. Darrius Heyward-Bey continues to be a non-factor in fantasy. He's fallen on the depth chart and isn't seeing enough targets to justify starting him even in deeper leagues.
Running backs: While the Chargers are weak against the pass, they've held it together against the run. Trent Richardson has taken command of the Colts backfield with Ahmad Bradshaw out of the season. Richardson is a low-end RB2 that will likely see plenty of carries to assist in his Week 6 value. He's the only Indianapolis running back worth starting.
Tight ends: Aside from Reggie Wayne and T.Y. Hilton, Coby Fleener is likely the next beneficiary in targets. He has yet to string together productive fantasy weeks, but seems to follow up a rough week with a strong one. He had a rough week against Seattle. He's too difficult to trust as a TE1, but he may be the best TE2 option out there against the Chargers. He's worth streaming if you're benching another mediocre tight end against a tough defense.
Defense/ Special Teams: Indianapolis' defense has been a pleasant surprise for fantasy owners over the past several weeks. The Chargers are averaging 25 points a game on the scoreboard, which doesn't bode well for the Colts in Week 6. Of course the Colts have opportunities to turn the ball over, but Rivers will likely score enough to make them a very shaky start. There are simply much better match ups in Week 6.
Chargers
Philip Rivers: He's been playing well all season and the Colts, although solid against the pass, have their share of holes that a veteran like Rivers can exploit. The Rivers resurgence will likely continue on Monday, making him a low-end QB1 for fantasy owners.
Wide receivers: Vincent Brown is sporting some value in PPR leagues with seven catches in each of the last two games. He hasn't seen the end zone since Week 1, making Brown more of a WR4 in standard leagues. Keenan Allen should be picked up off the waiver wire in most fantasy leagues by now. He's a great stash, but he's a WR3 at best as we continue to monitor his consistency. Eddie Royal has become a bit of an afterthought with Brown and Allen emerging over the past few weeks. He's still seeing a decent share of targets, but his lack of big plays is making him a desperation play outside of deep PPR leagues.
Running backs: Ryan Mathews is listed as probable for Monday's game,but he's a low-end flex option as Danny Woodhead continues to be the more productive back. Mathews is only a borderline start due to how many fantasy points the Colts have allowed running backs over the past five weeks. Woodhead continues to be a low RB2 option with exceptional upside in PPR leagues.
Tight ends: Rivers' revival has done wonders for Antonio Gates' fantasy production. Gates is currently a top-five tight end averaging eight targets a game. He'll continue to be a must-start against the Colts.
Defense/ Special Teams: The Colts are averaging nearly 28 points on the scoreboard each week. They recently scored 34 points on the Seahawks in Week 5. San Diego's defense hasn't been much of a fantasy option all season, and this match up is certainly not changing things.
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