There were more surprises and upsets this week in the NFL. The most shocking? The Jacksonville Jaguars won a game. The Bills Mafia did not see their team perform as well as they did from weeks one through three as they lost to the Houston Texans. The Chiefs beat the Saints for their fifth consecutive win, but the best part was that Jason Kelce was in attendance. 

Jacksonville finally won. Who would have thought?

The Jags finally won a game on Oct. 6, ending their four-week losing streak. Although the Indianapolis Colts started off strong in the first quarter, leading 7-0, Jacksonville was able to score 13 points and then seven in the second and third quarter, respectively. The Colts were only able to gain a field goal within that time frame — effectively being shut down by Jacksonville’s defense. The final quarter had its drama as the Colts clawed their way back into the game, scoring 24 points to the Jags’ 17. Unfortunately, the Colts were unable to secure a tie or lead, making them the only team that Jacksonville has beaten this season.

In terms of team statistic comparisons, the Jaguars beat the Colts in total yardage, passing yards, rushing yards and yards per play. The Colts were generally sloppy this game, with four sacks allowed on Joe Flacco and five penalties. Indianapolis can only hope for a better game next week against the Tennessee Titans, who are trailing them in the AFC South standings. Meanwhile, Jacksonville will try to keep this momentum rolling against the Chicago Bears Sunday, Oct. 13. 

The Cardinals fought back against the 49ers for their second win.

The Arizona Cardinals faced an NFC West rival, the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Oct. 6, and were able to come out with a victory. The Cardinals secured the first touchdown of the game, courtesy of Kyler Murray’s 50-yard run. This was Murray’s seventh touchdown of the season, proving his “dual-threat” quarterback status. The Niners scored a field goal just to get themself on the board, but were able to bounce back with a touchdown. 

The second quarter brought more back and forth between the teams: a Cardinals field goal, a Niners field goal, a Niners touchdown and another Cardinals field goal. The Niners touchdown was off a block by Jordan Elliott, and cornerback Deommodore Lenoir was able to snatch the ball and earn the 61-yard touchdown. The Cardinals were desperate to add to the score but unable to do so. The Niners tried to keep their distance from Arizona, but Mack Wilson Sr., a Cardinal linebacker, was able to intercept quarterback Brock Purdy’s pass, giving a boost of confidence to the team. The final quarter brought fierceness and perseverance from Arizona. 

The Cardinals got themself a touchdown, due to tight end Elijah Higgins, and successfully scored the two-point conversion, thanks to running back James Conner. The Cardinals were able to get the ball back, scoring a field goal, bringing them above the Niners 24-23. As a last possible attempt for San Francisco, Purdy tried to pass it to tight end George Kittle but misjudged Kittle’s run. Cardinals linebacker Kyzir White intercepted it, his first of the season. This ended the game with the new ranking of 2-3 Cardinals second in the NFC West and 2-3 49ers third. 

The Vikings and Chiefs remain lossless. 

The Minnesota Vikings and the Kansas City Chiefs are the only teams in both leagues with an undefeated record. Both now entering bye weeks, their undefeated streaks are safe for now, but are these teams at the top of their game? 

On Oct. 7, Chiefs and Saints matchup was the first game that hasn’t been a nailbiter for Chiefs fans, as every prior week they had only won by a singular touchdown or less. This week they had a bigger difference between the score of 13-26 — a surprisingly comfortable win with wide receiver Rashee Rice out for the season due to a LCL injury. Before his injury last week, Rice had 34 receptions and 288 receiving yards, making him a valuable asset on offense. On this week off, the Chiefs need to run through their red zone plays, because beside difficulty in the offense, they have been executing better than they have all season. If the Chiefs finish their drives, then another Chiefs Super Bowl appearance is certainly a possibility. 

The Vikings defense performed very well this week, but their offense? Not so much. Let’s start with the positives. The defense was able to sack Aaron Rodgers three times this past week, with one of these sacks from linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel ending in a 63-yard defensive touchdown. Rookie kicker Will Reichard had an amazing game, and he might as well be credited for the team’s win overall. He was able to convert the 54/53 to 41 yards, as well as the perfect score for field goals and extra points so far in his career.

Unlike Reichard, Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold just did not have a good game. In fact, it was one of the worst in his career. Just based on ratings, Darnold’s previous game scores this year are between 62-85%, but on Oct. 6, drastically dipped to 19.6%. He also missed many opportunities that could have brought the team further on the drive. At the end of the game, however, he did manage to get the passes to set up the field goal for the win. The offensive line did allow four sacks on Darnold, which also could have led to Darnold’s scrappy passes. 

The Dolphins are slowly winning without Tua. 

The Miami Dolphins have been disoriented without quarterback Tua Tagovailoa — who is out due to a concussion — but an ugly win against the New England Patriots on Oct. 6 advanced their record to 2-3. The Dolphins did not hold well offensively in the first half, securing only a field goal. Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez intercepted Miami’s quarterback and Tua’s replacement Tyler Huntley. The defense, however, did perform well as they were able to contain the Pats to a touchdown in the first quarter and no points in the second. 

After the half, the Dolphins were finally able to connect better passes and execute, although they were only able to earn two field goals. Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders was able to score these points for the team from the 32 and 47 yards, respectively. With this, the defense continued to keep the Pats restrained, only allowing a field goal, letting Miami shorten the gap in the score to 9-10. With less than 4:30 minutes in the final quarter, the Dolphins finally scored their first touchdown of the game with the handoff to fullback Alec Ingold. Although the Dolphins are 2-3, they have made better plays and decisions this week, which only some teams were able to execute. 

Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich replaces Robert Saleh. 

The New York Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh Sept. 8. This is the first head coach to be fired this season, and by the way some teams are performing, it won’t be the last (Nick Sirianni, I’m looking at you). 

Saleh was hired as head coach in 2021, following his successful career at the San Francisco 49ers as their defensive coordinator. Saleh was the first Muslim American and third Arab American head coach. He was given nothing when he took over the disaster that was the Jets. With the youngest team in the league, the Jets ended with a 4-13 record in Saleh’s debut year. The Jets have improved since 2021, but not by a significant amount, even when acquiring Aaron Rodgers, a four-time MVP  (Though NBC News reported there are rumors of tension between Saleh and Rodgers). 

Woody Johnson, the team’s owner, confirmed that Saleh’s interim replacement will be Jeff Ulbrich, the current defensive coordinator. Ulbrich played for the 49ers for a decade before coaching for UCLA, the Seahawks and then the Jets. Since being the defensive coordinator at the Jets, the defense has allowed 301.7 yards per game, on average. This is the second lowest in the league.. 

Week 6 Predictions: Who should you start and sit?

Week 5 had some outstanding games of football and fantasy performances — the main example being Oct 6’s instant classic between the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals — with the Ravens coming out of it with a 38-35 win. The Giants got a statement win in Seattle, while the Cardinals came back and narrowly beat the 49ers, 24-23, in Santa Clara, Calif. However, some projected top-tier players continue to disappoint, largely due to a lack of opportunity (Bijan Robinson, among others), and this fantasy season is as unpredictable as ever.

With that being said, here’s who you should start and sit for week six.

Start

Caleb Williams, D.J. Moore (QB/WR, CHI) (Playing JAX in London)

When playing the Panthers Oct. 6, Caleb Williams finally looked like the first overall pick and the answer to Chicago’s long-term issues at quarterback. Throwing for 300 yards and two touchdowns, Williams quieted the doubters in a stellar performance. There was no greater beneficiary of Williams’ success than his top target, D.J. Moore, who put up more than 27 fantasy points. Now, playing a Jaguars’ defense that has been torn apart thus far, this could be another statement game for the Bears duo.

J.K. Dobbins (RB, LAC) (Away vs DEN)

J.K. Dobbins started the season off on a tear, the first Chargers player in franchise history to run for 100 yards in both of the season’s first two games. Despite calming down in the Chargers’ last two matchups, Dobbins is the feature back and will continue to receive most work out of the backfield. The Chargers are also coming off their bye week, meaning Dobbins should be well-rested and ready for many touches. Don’t forget, this is still a Jim Harbaugh-coached Chargers team, meaning the team will prioritize the run game first and foremost. 

Dobbins will be facing a Denver defense that has given up 10-plus points to five different running backs already, including a combined 24 last week to a below-average Raiders running back room. The Broncos also don’t have a high-scoring offense, meaning this game is unlikely to be a shootout and could instead be one with a heavy emphasis on the run game. Therefore, Dobbins would be a good running back to start this week.

Daniel Jones/Tyrone Tracy Jr. or Devin Singletary/Wan’Dale Robinson (QB/RBs/WR, NYG) (Home vs CIN)

The Giants might very well have multiple startable players this week. Start whoever their running back is. If Devin Singletary is still inactive, Tyrone Tracy Jr. is a must-start. However, if Singletary is playing, and is starting, then he should be the starter. 

The Bengals’ run defense has been atrocious this season, giving up over 100 yards on the ground in every game, as well as a rushing touchdown in all but one game. The Giants’ offensive line has also been a welcome surprise thus far, with their starting running back putting up decent numbers most weeks. Overall, whichever running back starts should be started, and the other one should fade. 

With the number one pass-catching option, Malik Nabers, ruled out again, Wan’Dale Robinson becomes a very intriguing option in fantasy. He’s not a great real-life wide receiver, but he is much better in fantasy, largely due to his extremely high target share and his role as Daniel Jones’ safety blanket. 

Jones is also a startable quarterback in fantasy this week, having put up over 18 points in three of the last four weeks (including his best performance last week). Couple that with the fact that the Giants are playing a Bengals defense, the second-worst performing scoring defense in the NFL. Jones is also a credible threat as a runner, which the Bengals have been hurt by this season, making Jones a start. Lastly, the Bengals have a strong offense, meaning this game could very well become a high-scoring shootout, which would be beneficial for any Giants players in fantasy. Overall, the starting running back (either Tracy or Singletary), Robinson, and Jones could all be started this week.

Sit

Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed (WRs, NO) (Home vs TB)

Wide receiver Rashid Shaheed has had a great start to this season for the Saints, averaging 14.7 points per game (and that’s with a total dud in week three — take that out and he’s averaging 18.4 points a game), far surpassing all expectations. However, in almost every game, he’s been incredibly big-play reliant, with the majority of his points coming from just a few select plays. 

This isn’t very sustainable in the long term, especially with quarterback Derek Carr expected to miss a few games. With Shaheed being the supposed second-choice receiver, his prospects seem to be dwindling — fast. The same can be said about their WR1, Chris Olave. Olave has been disappointing thus far, averaging 11.2 points per game, which isn’t the output a consensus second-round pick should net. With Carr being out, and an unproven Spencer Rattler stepping in as quarterback, it feels unlikely that Olave will improve, making him another sit for the next couple weeks. 

Travis Etienne Jr. (RB, JAX) (Playing CHI in London)

Speaking of top-tier running backs losing touches, Travis Etienne Jr. got fewer carries last week than his supposed backup Tank Bigsby. The Jaguars’ matchup Oct. 6 against the Colts may have been a symbolic turning point in the depth chart for the Jaguars, making Etienne a significantly less promising option for the future. In addition, Etienne hasn’t had any standout performances yet, with Bigsby’s 25-point showing last week being substantially better than any of Etienne’s thus far. The fact of the matter is the Jaguars aren’t good enough to support two startable running backs in fantasy, and if trends continue, Bigsby may very well be the startable one. The Jaguars are also playing a decent Bears defense in a matchup at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Oct 13. Being across the pond could make this game even harder to predict, meaning one should probably fade Etienne for the time being. 

Josh Allen (QB, BUF) (Away vs NYJ)

Josh Allen may be the most talented quarterback in the NFL right now. Few can match his athleticism as a runner and his incredibly powerful arm. That being said, this hasn’t translated into super-consistent fantasy performances. Allen has almost matched his total weekly finishes outside the top 18 at quarterback for the last three seasons in this one alone (four between 2021-2023, three in 2024). Allen doesn’t have many great receiving weapons, and the Bills have been prioritizing the run game thus far. Additionally, they’re playing a Jets defense on Oct 14  that has done a great job of shutting down opposing quarterbacks, and this is likely to be a run-heavy game script. Overall, Allen looks likely to fail to play up to his potential yet again this week, meaning he should probably be a sit.