It took us six weeks to get here, but we finally got to see all the top three picks from the 2024 NFL Draft in action – and the results were actually pretty good. Caleb Williams led the Bears to victory in Week 6; the Bears, now with a 4-2 record, are poised to compete in a tough NFC North. Jayden Daniels had a strong performance in a competitive game against Baltimore and looked like he really belonged with Lamar Jackson. Drake Maye got his first career start and immediately produced Jacoby Brissett, giving us a glimmer of hope that the Patriots can produce fantasy pass catchers.
Elsewhere, Spencer Rattler also stepped in for his first career start and Bo Nix continued his progress. With five starting quarterbacks in action, this feels like the perfect opportunity to do a “rookie QB check-in” to evaluate early-season performance and the effects on pass catchers from a fantasy perspective.
Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears
After starting the season as QB31 and QB29 respectively in his first two games, Caleb Williams is on pace for a potential overall QB1 performance ahead of Week 6’s primetime games. The Bears are on a three-game win streak and have outscored their opponents 95-44 over the past three weeks. It’s important to recognize that their last four games have been against Indianapolis, the LA Rams, Carolina and Jacksonville – all of which are relatively weak defensively. However, great matchups don’t always guarantee great performance. We want young quarterbacks to thrive in these situations and exceed expectations, and for the most part, Williams has done that.
There have been a few mistakes here and there, but overall the Bears’ offense is flourishing, a big difference from the first few weeks when the defense carried the team. The run game has finally found its rhythm and Williams is spreading the targets evenly throughout the offense. During the win streak, Williams has completed at least 69% of his passes and thrown seven touchdowns with just one interception. He has also added production on the ground, which is an excellent sign of his comfort level on offense. Instead of panicking and jumping out of the pocket, he uses his legs effectively to move the chains, providing a nice bonus on the ground for fantasy managers.
Pulse Check: Is Williams a weekly QB1 and can he maintain this production after the bye week?
The good news is that the road ahead remains very friendly to Chicago. After the bye, the Bears face Washington and Arizona – two pass-friendly defenses – followed by an injury-riddled New England team before starting the tougher part of their schedule. We can expect borderline QB1 consistency with top-five upside from Williams.
When it comes to receivers, inconsistency has been a problem and will likely continue. While Williams is thriving and the touchdowns are flowing, the volume isn’t particularly high. His maximum pass attempts over the last three weeks are just 29 and Williams continues to spread the ball around fairly evenly. No pass catcher had more than five targets this week, with Keenan Allen leading the receiving corps and Cole Kmet slightly outperforming him. In Week 5, DJ Moore dominated with an overall WR4 finish in half PPR. In Week 4, no pass catcher had more than 10 fantasy points in half PPR. In Week 3, Rome Odunze had the big week with an overall WR7 finish.
The offense is functioning well with similar usage across the board and I don’t expect that to change. Cole Kmet remains a low-end TE1 with some inconsistency and DJ Moore remains a low-end WR2 with upside. Allen and Odunze are risky flex options.
Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders
The battle between Jayden Daniels and Lamar Jackson showed why they entered the week as the top two fantasy QBs. After an uncharacteristically low efficiency performance in Week 5, Daniels rebounded by completing 24 of 35 attempts for 269 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. While Daniels’ fantasy production was a bit lower than expected (he rushed just six times for 22 yards, his lowest rushing total this season), it was still a solid day in a tough game on a big stage against the reigning MVP.
Aside from the first two weeks of the season, when Washington was still finding its identity, Daniels has provided steady production both on the ground and in the air, and 20 fantasy points appear to be his floor. For any quarterback, let alone a rookie, that’s fantastic reliability and tough matchups don’t seem to threaten that depth. This is crucial for him and his pass catchers, because the road ahead is not favorable. After a plus game against Carolina, Washington will face the Bears, Giants, Steelers, Eagles, Cowboys and Titans.
Pulse Check: If Daniels is a top-three quarterback ROS, what does that mean for Terry McLaurin?
We knew Daniels had the edge at QB1 this season, but the big question was whether he could elevate the talent around him, especially Terry McLaurin. McLaurin’s fantasy value has been limited by poor QB play throughout his career and fantasy managers – myself included – have been waiting for a quarterback to unlock his potential.
Daniels seems to be that guy. After a slow start to the season, McLaurin has become a borderline WR1 over the past four weeks, with two 100-yard games and four touchdowns, matching his touchdown total for the entire 2023 season. This production is real and I urge you to to have confidence in.
Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots
Let’s get this out of the way: Regardless of who is under center, the Patriots are a bad team. They can’t help it. The offensive line doesn’t suit any quarterback and while there is some promise in the receiving corps, it may still be the worst in the league. That said, the offense looked drastically different with Maye at quarterback. Maye completed 20 of 33 attempts for 243 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions and added 38 rushing yards.
For a rookie debut, this performance was as good as you could expect. While there were mistakes, Maye showed a spark, throwing more touchdowns in one game than Brissett did in five games at a volume that the latter never came close to. Houston’s defense was tough on the passer, allowing Anthony Richardson for just 212 yards in Week 1 and holding Caleb Williams, Sam Darnold, Trevor Lawrence and Josh Allen to under 200 yards. Maye didn’t seem overwhelmed and stood up for the moment.
Pulse Check: What can we expect from Patriots receivers moving forward?
Regardless of any improvements from Maye, the Patriots still lack a true WR1. However, there are some fantasy assets that show promise.
DeMario Douglas was the team’s most consistent receiver. While consistency is relative in New England, Douglas has seen nine goals in three of his last four games, with decent yardage and his first career touchdown in Week 6. Last season, Douglas showed potential but lacked a consistent advantage. With Maye at quarterback, Douglas appears to have a real ceiling and could become a weekly flex option, especially as the Patriots face Jacksonville’s porous pass defense next week.
Kayshon Boutte also found the end zone, but this seems more like a fluke than a breakaway. Ja’Lynn Polk, the second-most targeted receiver this week, managed just one catch for four yards. However, Polk and Maye showed a connection during the preseason, so the rookie receiver is worth keeping an eye on.
Spencer Rattler, QB, New Orleans Saints
Rattler completed 22 of 40 attempts for 243 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in his debut, adding 27 rushing yards. While the raw numbers may seem disappointing, they don’t tell the full story: Rattler looked competent and had a good first start. It was encouraging enough to believe that the path forward will not be a complete disaster.
Mini-pulse check: What are the Saints’ prospects with Rattler moving forward?
Unfortunately, the Saints may be without Chris Olave next week due to a concussion. Rattler has a deep ball, but it may take some time for him to develop chemistry with Rashid Shaheed, limiting Shaheed’s fantasy value. Alvin Kamara remains a solid RB1. Despite Tampa’s strong defense limiting his ground production, Kamara still caught five passes, giving him a solid low-end RB1 performance.
The Saints face a tough matchup against Denver next week. While Patrick Surtain II is in the concussion protocol, Denver’s defense remains strong. This matchup should be avoided as Kamara is the only safe fantasy option.
Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos
Denver took the L today, but things are becoming clearer with Nix. After starting his career with no touchdowns and four interceptions in his first three games, Nix turned things around last week in a matchup with Vegas, where Nix had three total touchdowns. He followed that up with another solid performance this week, passing for over 200 yards with two touchdowns, one interception and 61 rushing yards to increase his fantasy output for another QB1 finish.
Mini Pulse Check: Can we trust Nix and the Broncos moving forward?
Denver’s offense remains generally unreliable, making Nix a matchup-dependent streaming option. While there are occasional flashes from other receivers, Courtland Sutton is the only consistent weekly option.
