Rico Dowdle is lighting up defenses: The fill-in starter handled 34 touches and forced four missed tackles against the Cowboys. It was part of his second straight performance with 30-plus PPR points.
JK Dobbins has a letdown showing abroad: In a matchup with boom potential, Dobbins produced just 4.0 PPR points.
Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
BOOMS
RB Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers
Dowdle's back-to-back performances with 30-plus PPR points have powered the Panthers to two victories — including this past week in a revenge game against the Dallas Cowboys.
RICO DOWDLE REVENGE GAME 😤
🔹 239 Total Yards
🔹 1 Touchdown
🔹 33.9 PPR Points pic.twitter.com/K8vgRhZjBR
— PFF Fantasy (@PFF_Fantasy) October 12, 2025
Dowdle handled 34 touches against Dallas — nine more than the next closest player in Week 6. He turned that workload into four forced missed forced and 90-plus yards after contact. Dowdle didn’t have to do as much after contact as he did last week, as the Panthers' offensive line handled the Cowboys' pass rush with ease.
Usual starter Chuba Hubbard will be back sooner than later from injury, which could create a messy two-man backfield in Carolina. Both players might be tough starts going forward.
Temperature Check: RB1 without Hubbard; Mid-tier RB3 with Hubbard
WR George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys
Pickens is dominating without CeeDee Lamb in the mix. It's clear that quarterback Dak Prescott trusts Pickens in the lead role, leading to his 31.8-PPR-point performance in Week 6.
George Pickens in games without CeeDee Lamb
⭐ 19 catches
⭐ 359 yards
⭐ 4 TDs
⭐ 154.6 rating when targeted pic.twitter.com/7yQEtww6FA
— PFF (@PFF) October 12, 2025
Pickens' season has been a tale of two parts: with and without Lamb.
With Lamb (Weeks 1-3) Without Lamb (Weeks 4-6)
15.4% Adjusted Target Rate 28.9%
11.6 Yards Average Target Depth 14.5 Yards
13.9 PPR Points Per Game 26.3
Lamb's return is looming, though. While Pickens will not be a smash WR1 once the star is back, the Cowboys' defense is bad enough that the offense will likely need to continue throwing the ball enough to support both wideouts.
Temperature Check: WR1 until Lamb is back; High-end WR2 once Lamb returns
QB Drake Maye, New England Patriots
The Drake Maye breakout has arrived. Fantasy managers who picked up Maye late in drafts are likely in a winning position through six weeks.
He is currently averaging 21.0 fantasy points per game (sixth best), and pending Monday Night Football, he stands as the fantasy QB4 on the season.
The second-year passer owns a 10-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio, has made seven big-time throws and boasts the fifth-best PFF passing grade (83.7).
Maye has been a breath of fresh air for fantasy managers this season. Expect it to continue, but be cautious of the Patriots' more difficult schedule over the rest of the season.
Temperature Check: Mid-tier QB1; High-tier QB1 in good matchups
BUSTS
RB J.K. Dobbins, Denver Broncos
I highlighted Dobbins as someone who could have a smash week, yet it was anything but.
He logged 4.0 PPR points against the Jets in London, and the game script did not play out as expected, with the Jets managing to keep it close despite having -10 net passing yards. The Broncos' offense simply could not get going, on the ground or through the air, leaving every playmaker on either side to toil en route to fantasy mediocrity.
There isn't much more to say other than that we hope the Broncos‘ offense can get back on track next week at home against the Giants.
Temperature Check: Mid-tier RB2
WR Stefon Diggs, New England Patriots
Diggs followed up a revenge-game boom week with a return-to-earth showing in Week 6. He managed just 5.8 PPR points, although he did have a 51-yard grab negated by a questionable penalty.
The Saints simply did well to erase Diggs from the game plan, allowing Kayshon Boutte to enjoy a massive day. Diggs ended up sixth on the Patriots in adjusted target rate (17.6%) and hauled in all three of his targets for 28 yards.
Diggs still easily profiles as the Patriots' true WR1, with a 32.5% adjusted target rate (first on team), 32 receptions (first) and four red-zone targets (second). Unfortunately, we will see weeks like this where he is kept quiet due to the defensive scheme, but he should still be a steady option going forward.
Temperature Check: WR2
QB Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Stafford ended up with only 9.3 fantasy points in Week 6 against the Ravens, making him the slate's QB22.
Stafford lost his WR1, Puka Nacua, early in the game, and the Ravens‘ offense, while failing to score many points, kept the Rams off the field through plenty of work for running back Derrick Henry (24 carries for 124 yards).
This appeared to be a dream matchup for Stafford, facing a defense that had been allowing 24-plus fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Yet, he went 17-of-26 passing for 181 yards and only one touchdown. That's a fine stat line in reality — but a very, very weak one in the fantasy world.
Stafford is probably OK to drop back on the waiver wire, with a red-hot Jaguars defense up next and then a bye week.
Temperature Check: Matchup-dependent streamer