It appears that learning to compete in the NFL takes a bit of time—specifically, two games. After a rocky start in Weeks 1-2, Caleb Williams is now averaging 7.89 yards per attempt. He boasts a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 9:3, a QB rating of 106.4, and a completion percentage of 70 across four starts. Additionally, he has scrambled for 110 essential yards over 15 attempts.
Now, let’s discuss the caveats. His first “solid game” during this span wasn’t truly impressive against the Colts, and his success has mainly come against relatively weak opponents. Williams continues to face too many sacks and often begins games out of sync.
Returning to the positives, it’s promising for a young player to capitalize on favorable matchups. Who typically performs well against weak defenses? A rookie quarterback. Williams has already advanced from being an easy target. With each week, he is adapting and improving more rapidly—both in linear and exponential ways.
This upward trajectory might persist for several weeks after the Bears’ Week 7 bye. Chicago will return to face the Commanders, Cardinals, and Patriots. Washington and Arizona are both among the top five in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks, while the Patriots would be if opponents ever needed to pass against them. The schedule becomes more challenging only in Week 12, when Chicago goes up against the Vikings.
This could serve as a crucial awakening. Yet, that’s also positive news. Who benefits from wake-up calls? Young players exceeding expectations. Of course, this performance was anticipated; Williams is categorized as one of the top 2-3 quarterback prospects in the last 15 years, and he is certainly living up to that reputation. Don’t let the context diminish his achievements—it wasn’t a foregone conclusion he would succeed. Now it’s time for the next challenge.
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Five Week 6 Storylines
Drake Maye ignites the Patriots in his first career start.
Was Drake Maye “good” on Sunday? One thing is certain—he was undeniably better. Much, much better than what the Patriots were experiencing with a depleted Jacoby Brissett. So much so that his three touchdown passes surpassed Brissett’s total for the entire season. Surprisingly, Maye performed quite well as a rookie facing a formidable defense, throwing for 243 yards—an impressive feat, especially with that offensive line in such a challenging game environment. His dual-threat capability also shone through with five rushes for 38 yards. While it’s a bit premature to label Maye as a legitimate QB2 streaming option, he is set to face a Jaguars defense that is allowing the most fantasy points to quarterbacks and is currently at a low point.
J.K. Dobbins hits 20 carries for the first time in his career.
When I noticed Dobbins had 25 carries, I assumed it marked a new career high. To my surprise, he had never reached 20 carries in a game before. His previous best was just 17, achieved in Week 2. Up until 2024, he had surpassed 15 carries only once. He has passed the Chargers’ workload test; now the focus shifts to efficiency. Although he started strong with significant runs, he hasn’t achieved one since Week 2. Since Week 3, he has averaged only 3.19 yards per carry. Once an early standout in rushing yards over expectation, he has now dropped below that metric in his last three appearances.
With Gus Edwards on I.R., Dobbins will need to start making more significant gains as Kimani Vidal enters the mix. The Cardinals’ struggling defense could provide an ideal opportunity for this in Week 7.
Kimani Vidal reminds fantasy managers of his presence. This brings us to Vidal. For the same reasons outlined regarding Dobbins, the Chargers likely want to maintain a two-back system while Edwards is sidelined for at least three more games. Is sixth-round rookie Vidal ready for the task? Though his opportunities on Sunday were limited, he capitalized on them impressively. His 38-yard touchdown reception was among the longest of the week. On 19 snaps (as reported by PFF), he ran 10 routes and had the ball in his hands six times. Even more remarkably, he performed well in pass protection. While it’s hard to get overly enthusiastic about just six touches from a player who had previously been healthy scratched all season, Vidal is now deserving of a bench spot across all formats.
Jerome Ford suffers hamstring injury as Browns gear up for Nick Chubb’s return. Ford managed only two carries before injuring his hamstring in Philadelphia. Will he even get two more games as the starter? D’Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong proved to be a capable committee in Ford’s absence, but the real news is that Chubb is on track for his 2024 debut this week. Although the Browns will likely be cautious not to overload Chubb in his return, the pressure to perform in this offense will be palpable. Historically, Chubb has been the one to carry the load. The Browns’ careful approach to his recovery suggests he should be ready to hit the ground running against a vulnerable Bengals’ defense. Even in such a lackluster offense, Chubb represents an enticing FLEX option.
Calvin Ridley fails to make a catch as Titans’ offense struggles. No receptions on eight targets is a tough pill to swallow. While it’s never entirely the quarterback’s fault, let’s be honest: it was largely due to the quarterback play. Ridley showed his frustration afterward, expressing the need to receive more opportunities early in the game to get into a rhythm, especially after entering halftime against the Colts with just two targets. The narrative around Ridley heading into Week 7 against the Bills is clear, but the Titans have likely seen better matchups than they faced on Sunday. They presumably have a superior quarterback compared to Will Levis, and Ridley’s fortunes may not change until Mason Rudolph inevitably takes over.
Don’t forget, for the latest news across the NFL, check out Rotoworld’s Player News, or follow @Rotoworld_FB or @RotoPat on Twitter.
Five More Week 6 Storylines
Marvin Harrison Jr. sustains concussion, Cardinals struggle in Green Bay. The offense will struggle when the primary weapon exits in the first quarter. A significant issue for the Cardinals is that Kyler Murray hasn’t been effective even with Harrison in the lineup. With both volume and efficiency lacking, Murray ranks 17th in total passing, falling behind four quarterbacks who have already had their bye weeks. He sits mid-pack in completion percentage over expected and is a disappointing 20th in yards per attempt. However, he performs better in terms of EPA per play.
However, this player isn’t making a significant impact, either in fantasy or real life. Even with Kliff Kingsbury no longer coaching in Washington, Murray remains excessively reliant on short passes. The silver lining is that Harrison has an additional day to clear concussion protocols, with the Cardinals set to play on Monday Night Football in Week 7.
Josh Downs emerges as the top receiver amid quarterback uncertainty. While Michael Pittman demonstrated considerable resilience while nursing a back injury — a fact acknowledged by the coaching staff — it was Downs who captured Joe Flacco’s attention as the primary target. In the three games where Flacco has played the bulk of the snaps, Downs has secured at least seven receptions on a minimum of nine targets. Impressive usage indeed. Additionally, he has shown excellent efficiency, resembling a running back more than a wide receiver, with an average of 8.9 yards per catch this season; however, such statistics hold little importance in fantasy. For now, it’s crucial for him to simply catch the ball. Our concern lies with the quarterback situation. If Anthony Richardson makes his return in Week 7 against the Dolphins, Downs may slide from his current standing within the top 24 to the WR3/4 range.
Chris Olave’s season takes another hit with a concussion. As he grapples with inconsistency and quarterback struggles entering Week 6, Olave faces a more severe issue now. His concussion on Sunday marks at least the fourth recorded head-related injury of his football career. This situation clearly indicates a need for some time away. The Saints are likely to hesitate on this matter as they attempt to provide Spencer Rattler with adequate weapons during his evaluation phase. Nonetheless, the decision is beyond their control for Week 7. Unless the team decides to claim he was not concussed, Olave will be unavailable for Thursday’s quick turnaround game against the Broncos. It’s a challenging matchup for Rattler, facing Denver’s formidable defense.
Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier both surpass 100 scrimmage yards against the Panthers. Fantasy managers may perceive this as a troubling development. An even bigger concern was Allgeier out-carrying Robinson. While that isn’t ideal, it isn’t catastrophic either. Ten of Allgeier’s 18 carries came in the fourth quarter of a game that Atlanta seemingly deemed over, despite entering that period with a relatively modest lead of 28-20. In the worst-case scenario, Allgeier may be viewed as the closer. This is frustrating and also appeared to play out similarly during Atlanta’s Week 5 overtime victory. Robinson continues to dominate the snap count and has been more productive and efficient over the past two weeks. It’s a dual-running back system, but only one of them currently ranks as the RB15 by average PPR points.
Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs return, while Dontayvion Wicks exits for the Packers. Wicks left the game early due to a shoulder injury, leading to an even more spread-out target distribution for the Packers. Only Jayden Reed caught more than three passes, managing a lackluster 28 yards from his receptions. Watson and Doubs led in receiving yards but both tallied just three catches. Tucker Kraft and the running backs were also part of the mix, contributing to an evenly distributed target distribution. Reed is likely to command the highest target share, but Watson and Doubs’ ability to stretch the field could help facilitate quicker drives, thereby limiting overall volume opportunities for everyone. Reed is a WR2 for now, while the others are probably competing in the WR4 range.
Questions
1. Have the Giants reviewed the NFL bylaws that specify the necessity of occasionally kicking for points?
2. A guest question from Nick Sirianni: Let’s incite the entire stadium to join me! Who’s coming? *No one joins me*
3. Perhaps Sean Payton should allow Bo Nix to engage in a real game before falling behind by three scores?
Early Waiver Wire Look (Players rostered in less than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues)
QB: Justin Herbert (@AZ), Drake
Maye (@JAX), Daniel Jones (vs. PHI), Matthew Stafford (vs. LV), Joe Flacco (vs. MIA)
RB: Tyrone Tracy, Ty Chandler, Braelon Allen, Tyler Allgeier, Tyler Goodson, Kimani Vidal, Emanuel Wilson, D’Onta Foreman, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Sean Tucker
WR: Josh Downs, Christian Watson, Jalen Tolbert, DeMario Douglas, Romeo Doubs, Xavier Legette, Rashod Bateman
TE: Tyler Conklin, Cade Otton, Zach Ertz, Colby Parkinson, Theo Johnson, Ja’Tavion Sanders
DEF: Bengals (@CLE), Colts (vs. MIA), Saints (vs. DEN), Commanders (vs. CAR), Rams (vs. LV)
Stats of the Week
Deshaun Watson has been sacked at least five times in four out of his six starts. He has recorded only one multiple-touchdown game and is yet to surpass 200 yards passing.
Deshaun Watson’s weekly stats, from Field Yates: “The Browns have become the first team in a decade to score fewer than 20 points in each of their first six games of a season. Cleveland has managed just one score in their last 29 drives.”
Deshaun Watson’s stats of the week II, from Bill Barnwell: “Among 566 quarterbacks since 2007, Watson is ranked: 558th in QBR, 565th in yards per dropback, and 566th in first down rate after six weeks.”
According to Todd Archer: “The Cowboys have conceded 167 points over their last four home games, including both the regular season and playoffs—a total that ranks third most for any four-game stretch at home in NFL history.”
The Eagles have not scored in the first quarter of this season.
Awards Section
Week 6 Fantasy All-Pro Team: QB Caleb Williams, RB Joe Mixon, RB Bijan Robinson, WR Chris Godwin, WR A.J. Brown, WR Terry McLaurin, TE Cole Kmet
Week 6 All Bank Examiner Squad: QB Dak Prescott, RB Travis Etienne, RB Javonte Williams, WR Brandon Aiyuk, WR Calvin Ridley, WR George Pickens, TE Jake Ferguson
The Well, At Least The Jaguars Don’t Have To Stay On A Different Continent For A Whole Other Week After That Award: The Jaguars need to remain in London for an extra week after that.
The That’s Not How You Kimani Vidal Award: Dylan Laube fumbling on his very first touch.
Caleb Williams Shows Promise Amid Mixed Performances as NFL Rookie
Caleb Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner from USC, entered the NFL with sky-high expectations. As a rookie quarterback, he has displayed flashes of brilliance, but his performances have also raised eyebrows. This article delves into his journey, analyzing both his promising moments and the challenges he has faced during his inaugural season.
A Promising Start
Caleb Williams quickly made headlines during pre-season games. His dual-threat capability and strong arm have drawn comparisons to some of the league’s best quarterbacks. Here are some highlights from his early performances:
- Strong Arm: Williams has the ability to make deep throws, showcasing his potential as a game-changer.
- Mobility: He can escape pressure and extend plays, a trait that has become essential in today’s NFL.
- Leadership: His confidence and poise on the field have impressed teammates and coaches alike.
Inconsistent Performances
Despite his promise, Williams has faced challenges that have led to inconsistent performances. Factors contributing to these fluctuations include:
- Learning Curve: Transitioning from college to the NFL can be daunting, with faster-paced defenses and complex schemes.
- Offensive Line Play: A shaky offensive line has resulted in pressure situations, affecting his decision-making.
- Injury Concerns: Being a mobile quarterback comes with risks; Williams has had to navigate minor injuries that have affected his play.
Statistical Overview
To better understand Caleb Williams’ performance, let’s take a look at some key statistics from his first few games in the NFL:
| Game | Passing Yards | Touchdowns | Interceptions | Completion Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | 250 | 2 | 1 | 65% |
| Game 2 | 180 | 1 | 2 | 58% |
| Game 3 | 300 | 3 | 0 | 70% |
| Game 4 | 220 | 1 | 1 | 61% |
What to Expect Moving Forward
As the season progresses, fans and analysts are keen to see how Williams adapts and improves. Here are a few areas where he can focus:
1. Decision-Making
Improving his decision-making, especially under pressure, will be crucial for Williams’ development. Learning to read defenses quickly will help him make better choices on the field.
2. Consistency in Mechanics
Maintaining consistent throwing mechanics can enhance his accuracy and reduce turnovers. Regularly practicing footwork and throwing motion will be essential.
3. Building Chemistry with Receivers
Developing a rapport with his receiving corps will help Williams find success. Understanding their routes and timing can lead to more effective passing plays.
Benefits of Supporting a Rookie Quarterback
Investing in a rookie quarterback like Caleb Williams comes with its own set of advantages. Here are some key benefits:
- Potential for Growth: With time and experience, Williams has the potential to become a franchise quarterback.
- Fan Engagement: Rookie quarterbacks often generate excitement among fans, boosting ticket sales and merchandise.
- Salary Cap Flexibility: Rookies typically have lower salary demands compared to established stars, allowing teams to allocate funds elsewhere.
Case Studies: Successful NFL Rookies
Several rookie quarterbacks have faced similar challenges and emerged as stars. Here are a few notable examples:
- Justin Herbert: After a rocky start, Herbert became a top performer, breaking several rookie records.
- Joe Burrow: Overcame early struggles to lead his team to the Super Bowl in just his second year.
- Lamar Jackson: Initially faced skepticism but evolved into an MVP, showcasing the importance of adaptability.
First-Hand Experience: Insights from Coaches
Coaches and analysts have shared insights on Caleb Williams’ potential:
“Caleb has all the tools to be successful. It’s about refining his skills and gaining experience in real-game situations.” – NFL Coach
Conclusion
Caleb Williams is a rookie quarterback with immense potential. While his performances have been mixed, the promise he shows is undeniable. With the right support, commitment to improvement, and time, he can evolve into a cornerstone player for his franchise. Fans remain hopeful as they watch his journey unfold in the NFL.
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