Kickers, what are they good for? According to me, and probably many others, absolutely nothing. This week, Robbie Gould missed his lone field goal attempt, and Mason Crosby missed four of five field goal attempts. Both Gould and Crosby are usually dependable kickers, which shows that there’s no dependable way to guess how a kicker is going to do in any particular game.  

Starting one of those guys makes you wonder: why do we even draft them in the first place? They’re typically not drafted until the last two rounds in the draft, and they’re unpredictable, so they essentially just add another factor of luck into a luck-driven game. If I were creating a new league, I would consider kicking the position out.

I will never tell you which kicker to start, but I will take a stab at the other positions.

Quarterback – Jameis Winston

In this week’s edition of “Who Plays Atlanta’s Defense?” we have the Buccaneers, who will start Jameis Winston for the first time this season. In the past, “Crab Legs” Winston hasn’t been the most dependable quarterback, but he’s shown flashes of excellence, and he has an arsenal of pass-catching talent on his roster to work with this season. Winston is available in most leagues, and he has the upside this week to be one of the top finishers at his position. Another QB you might find available is Andy Dalton, who faces the Steelers in what should be a pass-heavy game script.

Running Back – T.J. Yeldon

With Leonard Fournette and Corey Grant in the nurse’s office, T.J. Yeldon is going to be Jacksonville’s lead back again in Week 6. With that role, I’m comfortable starting him as a RB1, given his guaranteed volume and his presence in the passing attack. The Jaguars play in Dallas this week, but Yeldon’s floor is high enough that he should be started as long as he maintains his current position. Another safe start this week is Nyheim Hines, who is emerging as the Colts’ workhorse back. The Colts play in New York against the Jets this week.

Wide Receiver – Keke Coutee

Since Coutee took Bruce Ellington’s spot in the slot in Week 5, he’s been targeted by Deshaun Watson 22 times. I expect the Texans to continue Coutee’s heavy usage moving forward, considering that DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller are both downfield targets and Coutee is a short-range target. On a related note, now might be the right time to trade Fuller. The Texans play against the Bills in Week 6, so I expect the Texans to utilize their short-range offense as the game goes on. Taylor Gabriel of the Chicago Bears is also worth a look this week, as the Bears take on the Dolphins in Miami.

Tight End – Cameron Brate

Last season, Brate was a TE1 and solidified himself as one of Winston’s favorite targets in Tampa. Given the matchup against Atlanta this week, I expect the Buccaneers to pass frequently. O.J. Howard will miss Week 6, which makes Brate the clear pass-catching tight end on the offense. There are only a handful of players I would start over Brate this week. If Brate is taken in your league, stick with this matchup and pick up Austin Hooper. Even if Hooper is the Falcons’ fourth or fifth best offensive option, he’s catching passes from Matt Ryan in Atlanta, which makes him a worthy streaming option.