NFL Week 6 delivered exactly two kinds of news for your fantasy football draft board: the kind that makes you feel like a genius, and the kind that makes you want to flip a table. Kansas City is a machine. Philadelphia is a dumpster fire. And Justin Herbert is stuck somewhere in between — talented enough to make you want to start him, broken enough to make you regret it. Let’s get into it.
Kansas City Is the Best Team in Football Right Now
Chiefs 22, Chargers 6. It was 19-3 at halftime. The game was over before most people finished their second cup of coffee.
Kenneth Walker ran 19 times for 128 yards and two touchdowns. He is scoring in virtually every game this season. At this point, you chalk him in for 120-plus yards and a score and move on with your life. Andy Reid has gone back to basics — hand the ball to your running back, take the pressure off your quarterback, and let the offense breathe. It is working.
Patrick Mahomes looks dramatically better as a result. When Kansas City’s running game was a disaster over the previous two seasons, Mahomes was throwing more interceptions and playing less efficiently. Because of that, the addition of Kenneth Walker has been transformative — not just for the run game, but for everything. Travis Kelce is benefiting too. Defenses cannot cheat toward him anymore. Furthermore, with a legitimate run threat in the backfield, Kelce is finding space between linebackers and safeties that simply did not exist when opposing defenses could pin their ears back and tee off on Mahomes.
The Chiefs are 5-0. They are the best team in the NFL right now.
Fantasy Football Implications
Kenneth Walker is a must-start every single week. If he is on your roster, he is in your lineup. No debate. If he is available in your league, you have already made a critical error. Moreover, Travis Kelce’s renaissance is real — his target share and yards-after-contact numbers are climbing as a direct result of the run game opening up. Start him with confidence.
As for Justin Herbert — this is getting difficult to watch. He came into the game looking discouraged. The offense looked lifeless. A tight end failed to make an effort on a catchable ball at one point. The Chargers are 0-6. Because of that, Herbert is an extremely risky fantasy start right now, regardless of matchup. The coaching situation with Mike McDaniel feels broken. Bench him until something changes.
The Eagles Are in Freefall
Carolina 25, Philadelphia 14. The Eagles have now lost four straight. Jalen Hurts was ruled out with a blood clot in his calf — a superficial clot that developed after he took a cleat to the leg against the Rams on October 4th. No timetable has been set for his return.
Tanner McKee started in his place. McKee is a 26-year-old sixth-round pick with two career starts. He threw for 187 yards. The Panthers, meanwhile, controlled the game from start to finish — 34:48 time of possession, 399 total yards, Chuba Hubbard running for 120 yards and a score. Bryce Young completed 20 of 39 for 281 yards and two touchdowns. Carolina looked like the more complete team on both sides of the ball.
The Eagles also traded center Cam Jurgens this week. Lane Johnson may be heading toward retirement. The offensive line that made Philadelphia dangerous is being dismantled piece by piece. Furthermore, 17 coaching candidates were interviewed for the offensive coordinator job this offseason and not one of them wanted it. The situation around this offense has been deteriorating for two and a half years.
Howie Roseman is elite. The front office has two first-round picks and two second-round picks in 2028. The ownership will spend. As a result, Philadelphia is still a desirable destination for the right head coach. But Nick Sirianni is almost certainly coaching out the string right now. The city is booing at 3-0 deficits. The fan base is done.
Fantasy Football Implications
Jalen Hurts owners are in crisis mode. There is no timetable for his return, and even before the blood clot, he was not playing particularly well. Drop your expectations significantly and explore your waiver wire immediately. Moreover, DeVonta Smith put up seven catches for 75 yards and a touchdown against Carolina — he is still a viable fantasy asset as long as he is getting targets, even in a broken offense. Start him in PPR leagues with caution.
Avoid Eagles running backs entirely until the situation stabilizes. With no offensive line cohesion and a backup quarterback who has two career starts, the ground game has nowhere to go.
Tonight: Commanders at 49ers on Monday Night Football
Week 6 closes out tonight on ESPN with Washington heading to San Francisco for a Monday Night Football matchup. The Commanders are coming off that wild Week 5 tie with the Giants. The 49ers have had their own injury troubles at key positions this season. Furthermore, this is a late-night West Coast game with significant fantasy implications for managers still in tight playoff races.
It is a big one. Make sure your lineups are locked before 8:15 ET.
Keep Your League Sharp With Commish Kit
Week 6 is proof that a fantasy football draft board is only as good as the information you are working with when you build it. At Commish Kit, we build fantasy football draft boards for commissioners who want their draft day to actually feel like draft day — not a glorified Google spreadsheet.
If your league is still figuring out its structure, check out how many teams should be in your league before you lock in next season. And for the full fantasy football setup guide, Thrillist has you covered on gear, tools, and everything else you need to run a league the right way.
FAQ
What happened to Jalen Hurts in Week 6?
Jalen Hurts was ruled out for the Eagles’ Week 6 game against the Panthers with a superficial blood clot in his calf. He sustained the injury when he took a cleat to the leg during Philadelphia’s October 4th game against the Rams. A mid-week ultrasound showed movement in the clot, and the team set no timetable for his return. Tanner McKee started in his place and the Eagles lost 25-14 for their fourth consecutive defeat.
Should I start Justin Herbert in fantasy football right now?
Probably not. Herbert and the Chargers are 0-6 after a 22-6 loss to Kansas City. The offense looked lifeless, Herbert came into the game visibly discouraged, and the coaching situation under Mike McDaniel appears to be deteriorating. Furthermore, Herbert has been sacked and hit at a significantly higher rate than is sustainable for a franchise quarterback. Until something fundamentally changes in Los Angeles, he is a boom-or-bust gamble at best and a bench candidate at worst.
Is Kenneth Walker worth starting every week in fantasy football?
Yes. Walker ran for 128 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries in Week 6 against the Chargers. He is scoring in nearly every game this season and is the centerpiece of Kansas City’s revamped run-first offensive approach. Because of that, he is a locked-in RB1 on every fantasy football draft board that has him rostered. Do not overthink it — he is in your lineup every week.
Why are the Eagles struggling so much in 2026?
Multiple factors. Jalen Hurts is dealing with a blood clot and has not been playing at his best even when healthy. The offensive line has been gutted by trades, retirement considerations, and injuries — Cam Jurgens was traded this week, and Lane Johnson’s future is uncertain. Moreover, no offensive coordinator candidate wanted the job this offseason; 17 people were interviewed and none accepted. Nick Sirianni is coaching an inexperienced backup quarterback with limited talent around him and an increasingly restless fan base. The infrastructure is still strong — Howie Roseman is excellent and ownership will spend — but the 2026 season appears to be a reset year.
Who plays on Monday Night Football in Week 6?
The Washington Commanders travel to San Francisco to face the 49ers on Monday Night Football tonight, kicking off at 8:15 PM ET on ESPN. It is the final game of NFL Week 6.
