It’s week six, and everything is on fire. Coronavirus is rampaging through the league and the NFL has done the prudent thing and has canceled the sea—hahaha, sorry couldn’t keep that up. The NFL consumed the schedule and vomited out a new one. Everything is a mess. It’s Schroedinger’s League. Everyone is on a bye, nobody is on a bye. Everyone has COVID-19, nobody has COVID-19. You know, the usual, normal NFL. Everything is a disaster and everything is fine. Anyway, fantasy football is fun to write about right now. That was sarcasm. Who should you start or sit this week among Kirk Cousins, Ben Roethlisberger, and Gardner Minshew?
Kirk Cousins vs Atlanta
At this point, we sort of know what both Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons are for 2020. Cousins can do fine-to-good in positive or neutral matchups (Seattle, Tennessee, Green Bay). He also, unfortunately, gets smashed by bad matchups (Indianapolis, Houston). We also know what the Falcons are: bad. Nick Foles had a whole 18 points in just the second-half of their game, and Teddy Bridgewater’s 20.82 fantasy points was the fewest points Atlanta’s given up this year. Let’s call that the floor for Kirk Cousins this week, which means that you should start Kirk Cousins this week. If you don’t start him this week, you never will. This has far more to do with Kirk Cousins hitting your squad for the best possible matchup than anything else: Team QB versus the Falcons are QB1 on the season.
Ben Roethlisberger vs Cleveland
Big Ben found his stride last week, connecting with Chase Claypool for three touchdowns and 239 passing yards. This gives him his fourth game of at least 19.1 fantasy points in four tries. It was also his fourth-straight game with multiple touchdowns. It doesn’t matter who he throws to, his wide receiver corps is deep and varied enough that someone will show up in any given week. This week, it could be multiple guys. It took the husk of the football player previously known as “Philip Rivers” to make the Browns defense look passable. Prior to last week, opposing QBs passed for 12 touchdowns and four picks in four weeks, while averaging 312 passing yards per game. You should start Ben Roethlisberger because at this point, he’s too hot not to, and the Browns are too… not, not to? Is that English?
Gardner Minshew vs Detroit
Due to byes, Gardner actually has a top-seven matchup this week. Or does he? The Lions added Jeffrey Okudah after week one, and they’ve had four interceptions in three games, while allowing just two touchdowns per game. They’re playing decently well against QBs, with Kyler Murray needing a rushing touchdown to top 20 fantasy points. The Lions held Drew Brees to 246 passing yards, two touchdowns, and a pick. Okay, that sounded more impressive before his Monday Night Football performance in week five.
That having been said… Gardner Minshew’s style leaves a razor-thin margin for error, and needs DJ Chark to survive. We all saw in week three against Miami what happens to Minshew without Chark (30/42 275 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT). Chark left week five with an ankle injury, and at this point, we still do not know if Chark will play. It seems like everything always balances on a razor’s edge with Minshew. This week I can’t risk it and I am going to sit Gardner Minshew.
The Verdict
If I am trying to decide who to start or sit among these guys, Minshew brings up the rear. From there, I would have to go Big Ben, and then Kirk Cousins. With Ben, you’re betting on a lot of weaponry and a great matchup. Kirk Cousins has the best matchup of the three, so if you snagged him for Seattle, I have no problem continuing to roll with him. If you have to choose who to start or sit, however, I would start Ben Roethlisberger, then Kirk Cousins, and hopefully, sit Gardner Minshew.
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