Upgrades For Week 6 Quarterback Rankings: Jordan Love Bombs Away Vs. Cowboys

Let's get into the Week 6 QB edition of Freedman's Favorites, where I highlight guys I'm upgrading because of …

Favorable betting factors and situational spots
Advantageous defensive matchups (perhaps aided by injury)
Increased usage expectations (again, maybe aided by injury)

For process notes regarding this series, see the end of this piece. Also, check out the rest of my Week 6 favorites and fades.

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Week 6 Quarterback Rankings (Top 20)

Rank	Player
1	Josh Allen
2	Brock Purdy
3	Matthew Stafford
4	Drake Maye
5	Lamar Jackson
6	Jordan Love
7	Patrick Mahomes
8	Jayden Daniels
9	Bryce Young
10	Caleb Williams
11	Tyler Shough
12	Dak Prescott
13	Trevor Lawrence
14	Kirk Cousins
15	Jameis Winston
16	Jalen Hurts
17	Aaron Rodgers
18	C.J. Stroud
19	Jacoby Brissett
20	Bo Nix

Week 6 Matchup Upgrades: Brock Purdy vs. Commanders & Jordan Love vs. Cowboys

There are a few "flow chart" defenses so bad that they provide automatic upgrades to whatever QBs they face. If a guy is playing one of them, I aggressively move him up my ranks. If not, I carry on.

Based on the numbers I see in our Fantasy Life DvP (Defense vs. Position) Matrix as well as RBs Don't Matter and FTN, the Commanders and Cowboys are two of the biggest flow chart defenses for QBs.

Commanders: No. 2 in most fantasy points allowed to QBs (23.2)
Cowboys: No. 32 in defensive dropback EPA (0.382)

Bang a gong.

Brock Purdy (49ers) vs. Commanders: Purdy has been a fantasy fade for me in each of the past two weeks, and while he hasn't been great in that timespan (64.4% completion rate, 7.5 AY/A), he also hasn't been full-on fadable. So this week I make amends. For the season, Purdy has played at an MVP level in terms of both pure production (23.7 fantasy points per game, 1,196 yards passing, 13 TDs, 2 INTs with 25-128-1 rushing) and elite efficiency (69.0% completion rate, 9.6 AY/A). I expect that to continue now against the Commanders, who have traveled more than almost any other team over the past month (10,944 miles), whereas the 49ers are on their fourth home game in five weeks.

Jordan Love (Packers) vs. Cowboys: Love has been a scattershot passer this year (60.5% completion rate), but his efficiency (8.0 AY/A) is in line with what we saw in two prior seasons (8.1), and last week he had his best performance of the campaign (25.3 fantasy points, 367 yards passing, 2 TDs, 0 INTs). His setup isn't perfect: On offense, he could be without five starters in RT Zach Bako-Bewele (knee, IR), RG Jacob Monk (quadriceps), LG Aaron Banks (toe), WR Jayden Reed (neck, IR), and RB Josh Jacobs (Commissioner Exempt List). On top of that, the Cowboys have three extra days off following Thursday Night Football. But also … it's the Cowboys, who have traveled more than any team over the past month (11,434 miles) and yield an amplified home-field advantage to the Packers because they're outside division, on grass (vs. turf) and outdoors (vs. indoors). It's just a bonus that the Cowboys in the back seven could be without LB DeMarvion Overshown (hamstring), CBs Joey Porter (illness) and Decobie Durant (hamstring), SS Jalen Thompson (hamstring, IR) and No. 3 S P.J. Locke (foot, IR).

Week 6 Scoring Upgrades: Matthew Stafford vs. Cardinals & Drake Maye vs. Jets

Sometimes upgrades are as simple as: "This team is going to score a lot of points, so I need to bump up the QB."

This week, the Rams are No. 1 in implied team total (32.5 points); the Patriots, No. 5 (26.0).

Upgrades warranted.

Matthew Stafford (Rams) vs. Cardinals: Let's set aside anything to do with year-to-date performance. Doesn't matter. Here's what matters: 1) The Cards are No. 31 in defensive dropback EPA (0.370). 2) They're without No. 1 CB Will Johnson (neck, IR) and might not have FS Andrew Wingard (knee). 3) They're on their third road game in four weeks. 4) The Rams are on their second straight home game. 5) HC Sean McVay has historically done well in division (35-23-1 ATS, 16.4% ROI, per Action Network).

Drake Maye (Patriots) vs. Jets: The Pats have a drastically reduced home-field advantage in this spot because the Jets play in division on a similar turf surface in a similar outdoor stadium … but over the last 16 games they have the league's No. 2 HFA (+9.90, per NFElo), and Maye has been his best in division (9-2 ATS, 56.0% ROI). After a rough first three games of the season, Maye has been dominant over the past two weeks (33.4 fantasy points per game, 643 yards passing, 7 TDs, 1 INT with 15-79-1 rushing), and for the year he's the No. 2 QB with a 50% goal-line rush share (per our Fantasy Life Utilization Report).

Week 6 Indoors Upgrades: Kirk Cousins vs. Bills & Daniel Jones vs. Titans

In general, I want to be heavy on QBs playing indoors, where they don't need to worry about wind, temperature nor precipitation. Here are two such QBs who stand out.

Kirk Cousins (Raiders) vs. Bills: Cousins had only modest production last week on the road against the Patriots (13.7 fantasy points, 243 yards passing, 1 TD, 0 INTs), but he has done well for the season (19.3 fantasy points per game, 1,269 yards passing, 12 TDs, 4 INTs), and now he's in an exploitable spot indoors at home against the Bills, who are on a one-day deficit off Monday Night Football and playing their second straight West Coast road game.

Daniel Jones (Colts) vs. Titans: I said last week that I would "never again" feature Jones as a fantasy favorite. Well … that was before I saw the 0-4 Texans put up 26 points and C.J. Stroud look competent (76.5% completion rate, 8.3 AY/A) on the road against the Titans, who are No. 31 in defensive pass DVOA (42.9%). I want to be clear about this: Jones sucks (61.4% completion rate, 5.1 AY/A). But the Titans probably suck more, and they could be down three secondary starters in CB Cor'Dale Flott (chest), SS Amani Hooker (concussion) and FS Kevin Winston (quadriceps). If you're a sicko (and we both know you are), you might be able to get away with starting Jones in Guillotine Leagues^TM this week.

Week 6 Defensive Injury Upgrades: C.J. Stroud vs. Jaguars & Jameis Winston vs. Saints

Here are a couple QBs who get upgrades because of defensive injuries.

C.J. Stroud (Texans) vs. Jaguars (in London): The Jags have a significant travel edge in that they're playing their second straight game in London, whereas the Texans are flying there this week (league-worst 4,200 miles). Even so, I like Stroud, who this season has quietly been efficient (8.2 AY/A) and competent (17.8 fantasy points per game, 1,402 yards passing, 6 TDs, 0 INTs with 15-71-1 rushing). The Jags could be without CB Montaric Brown (hamstring) and FS Eric Murray (concussion).

Jameis Winston (Giants) vs. Saints: I highlighted Winston as a fantasy favorite last week (25.7 fantasy points, 326 yards passing, 3 TDs, 0 INTs with 5-27-0 rushing), so … I guess I'll do it again until the YOLO merchant we currently see disappears. The Saints are No. 28 in defensive dropback SR (51.1%) and might be without three starters in DTs Vernon Broughton (illness) and Nathan Shepherd (illness) and LB Kaden Elliss (calf).

Notes

Week 6 Favorites & Fades: Here's the full series.

Introduction
QB Favorites
QB Fades
RB Favorites
RB Fades
WR Favorites
WR Fades
TE Favorites
TE Fades

Byes: This week, the Lions, Bengals, Vikings and Dolphins are off.

Market Odds: As of Monday afternoon.

Injuries: Since I write Freedman's Favorites on Monday and Tuesday, I have incomplete injury information. After I submit this article, any updated thoughts I have regarding injuries will manifest in my rankings. For our quick fantasy thoughts every day, subscribe to the Fantasy Life newsletter.

Schedule: This season, I have the following rankings schedule.