It took us six weeks to get here, but we finally got to see all three top picks from the 2024 NFL Draft in action — and the results were actually quite good. Caleb Williams led the Bears to victory in Week 6; Currently sitting at 4-2, the Bears are ready to compete in a tough NFC North matchup. Jayden Daniels had a strong performance against Baltimore and looked like a real fit for Lamar Jackson. Drake Maye made his first career start and immediately passed Jacoby Brissett, giving us a glimmer of hope that the Patriots can produce streak-breaking fantasy catchers.
Elsewhere, Spencer Rattler also made his first career start, and Bo Nix continued his progress. With five rookie quarterbacks in action, it seems like the perfect opportunity to conduct a “rookie QB briefing” to evaluate early season performances and impact 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 in good shape, earning a potential QB1 overall rating in anticipation of Week 6's primetime games. The Bears are on a three-game winning streak, outscoring their opponents 95-44 over the last three weeks. It's important to remember that their last four games were against Indianapolis, LA Rams, Carolina, and Jacksonville – all of which were relatively poor defensively. However, great matches don't always guarantee great performances. We want young quarterbacks to handle situations like this and exceed expectations, and for the most part, Williams has succeeded.
There have been a few mistakes here and there, but overall the Bears offense is thriving, which is a stark difference from the first few weeks when the defense led the team. The running game is finally finding its rhythm, with Williams distributing targets evenly throughout the offense. During the winning streak, Williams completed at least 69% of his passes and threw for seven touchdowns with just one interception. He also increased his efficiency on the ground, which proves his comfort in attack. Instead of panicking and running from the pocket, he effectively uses his legs to move the chains, giving fantasy managers a nice bonus in the field.
Pulse Check: Is Williams the weekly QB1 and can he maintain that production after the bye week?
The good news is that the road ahead of Chicago remains very friendly. After the bye, the Bears will face Washington and Arizona – two pass-friendly defenses – and then deal with injuries to New England before starting the tougher part of the schedule. We should expect borderline QB1 consistency with Williams upside in the top five.
In terms of audiences, inconsistency has been an issue and will likely continue to be. While Williams is thriving and scoring numerous touchdowns, the volume isn't particularly high. His maximum number of pass attempts over the last three weeks is just 29, and Williams continues to distribute the ball quite evenly. No catcher had more than five targets this week, with Keenan Allen leading the receiving corps and Cole Kmet being slightly better than him. DJ Moore dominated in Week 5, finishing as WR4 in mid-PPR. In Week 4, no catcher scored more than 10 fantasy points in the PPR half. In week three, Rome Odunze had a big week, finishing WR7 overall.
The offense works well with equal use across the board and I don't expect that to change. Cole Kmet remains a low-end TE1 with some inconsistencies, and DJ Moore remains a low-end WR2 with upside. Allen and Odunze are risky flex options.
Jayden Daniels, Washington's QB
The battle between Jayden Daniels and Lamar Jackson showed why they entered the week as the top two fantasy QBs. After uncharacteristically low efficiency in Week 5, Daniels bounced back, completing 24 of 35 attempts for 269 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. While Daniels' fantasy numbers were a bit weaker than expected – he only rushed six times for 22 yards, his lowest total of the season – it was still a solid day in a tough matchup on the big stage with the reigning MVP.
Outside of the first two weeks of the season, when Washington was still finding its identity, Daniels has provided consistent production both on the ground and in the air, and 20 fantasy points appears to be his foundation. For any point guard, let alone a rookie, this is fantastic reliability, and tough matchups don't seem to threaten this floor. This is extremely important for him and his catchers because the road ahead is not favorable. After a positive matchup against Carolina, Washington will face the Bears, Giants, Steelers, Eagles, Cowboys and Titans.
Pulse Check: If Daniels is a top-three ROS quarterback, what does that mean for Terry McLaurin?
We knew Daniels would have an upside at QB1 this coming season, but the big question was whether he could promote 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 the quarterback to unleash his potential.
Daniels seems to be that guy. After a slow start to the season, McLaurin has emerged as a WR1 over the past four weeks with two 100-yard games and four touchdowns, matching his total for the entire 2023 season. This production is real and I encourage you to trust him in future.
Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots
Let's keep this in mind: regardless of who is under center, the Patriots are a bad team. There's nothing they can do about it. The offensive line isn't good for any quarterback, and while the receiving corps shows promise, it's still probably the worst in the league. That said, the offense looked very different when Maye was the quarterback. Maye completed 20 of 33 attempts for 243 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions and added 38 yards rushing.
For a rookie, this performance was as good as could be expected. While there were mistakes, Maye showed spark and scored more touchdowns in one game than Brissett did in five games, a performance the latter didn't even come close to matching. Houston's defense was tough on the passing game, allowing just 212 yards to Anthony Richardson in Week 1 and allowing Caleb Williams, Sam Darnold, Trevor Lawrence and Josh Allen under 200 yards. Maye didn't seem overwhelmed and rose to the occasion.
Pulse check: What can we expect from the Patriots' upcoming receivers?
Regardless of any progress from Maye, the Patriots are still missing a true WR1. However, there are some fantasy resources that show promise.
DeMario Douglas is the most consistent receiver on the team. While consistency has been relative in New England, Douglas has scored nine times in three of the last four games, posting decent yardage and his first career touchdown in Week 6. Douglas showed potential last season but lacked consistent upside. With Maye at quarterback, Douglas appears to have a solid ceiling and could become a weekly flex option, especially as the Patriots face Jacksonville's weak pass defense next week.
Kayshon Boutte also found the end zone, but it appears to be more of a fluke than a clearance. Ja'Lynn Polk, the second most targeted receiver this week, managed just one catch for four yards. However, Polk and Maye have shown a bond in the preseason, so the rookie is worth monitoring.
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 yards rushing. While the raw numbers may seem disappointing, they don't tell the full story – Rattler looked competent and had a decent first start. Encouraging enough was the belief that the path forward would not be a complete disaster.
Mini Pulse Check: What are the Saints' prospects as Rattler moves forward?
Unfortunately, the Saints may be without Chris Olave next week due to a concussion. Rattler has the deep ball, but it may take him some time to develop chemistry with Rashid Shaheed, which will limit Shaheed's fantasy value. Alvin Kamara remains a solid RB1. Despite Tampa's stout run defense limiting his effectiveness on the ground, Kamara still caught five passes, giving him a solid performance as a low-end RB1.
The Saints will face a tough matchup against Denver next week. Even though Patrick Surtain II is out with a concussion, Denver's defense remains strong. This matchup is one to avoid, and Kamara is the only safe fantasy option.
Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos
Denver picked L today, but the Nix situation is becoming clearer. After starting his career with no touchdowns and four interceptions in his first three games, Nix turned things around last week in a matchup against Vegas in which Nix had three total touchdowns. He then had another solid performance this week, passing for over 200 yards with two touchdowns, one interception and 61 rushing yards, which boosted his fantasy and allowed him to finish as another QB1 finish.
Mini-pulse check: Can we trust Nix and the Broncos moving forward?
Denver's offense remains unreliable overall, making Nix a matchup-dependent streaming option. While there are occasional flashes from other receivers, Courtland Sutton is the only consistent option on a weekly basis.
