Week 6 highlights major backfield shuffles and rising-usage players for fantasy leagues. Vidal’s hot streak with the Chargers and Knight’s late-week surge for the Cardinals sharpen waiver priorities, while Carter and Haskins share a split at Arizona and KC’s backfield trend grows more two-man. The report also highlights Tyjae Spears, Stevenson’s two-man New England role, and Pacheco’s expanded workload with Hunt nearby. These shifts shape rest-of-season and DFS lineup decisions.

Dowdle erupts in Week 6 with 239 yards from scrimmage on 34 touches and a TD, elevating him as a potential league-winner if Hubbard’s injury lingers. The Panthers’ backfield becomes a high-ceiling, injury-dependent situation to monitor.

Arizona’s backfield stays split between Bam Knight and Michael Carter, with Knight outproducing Carter on the day. Vidal’s breakout in Los Angeles creates a plausible Week 7 lead-back scenario, while New England’s backfield remains murky as Maye shows off mobility and the passing game takes precedence. Pittsburgh’s Warren returns to lead a messy committee, with Gainwell and Johnson offering limited upside in deeper formats.

Patriots sit at 3-2 after a primetime upset of Buffalo, signaling a potential offensive reboot as Drake Maye grows more confident in an improving unit. With Antonio Gibson out, Rhamondre Stevenson and rookie TreVeyon Henderson shoulder a bigger workload, while New England’s defense has shown flashes of shutdown capability. New Orleans arrives 1-4 off Spencer Rattler’s first NFL win, aided by a defense that forced takeaways. This Sunday in the Superdome, the street-cred narrative leans toward a low-scoring, bite-sized fantasy-relevant affair.

Odds place New England by a field-goal edge in a 45.5-point total as Maye’s pocket poise, Stevenson’s expanded role, and Henderson’s acceleration become betting and DFS talking points. The Saints’ defense keeps reveling in turnovers, while their offense seeks cohesion behind Rattler. A true barometer game for both teams’ ceilings, especially for fantasy managers chasing upside from run-heavy schemes and opportunistic defenses.

Patriots visit the Saints as 3.5-point favorites after New England’s upset of Buffalo. Drake Maye flashed efficiency with 273 yards on 22-of-30, showing growth as Week 6 nears. Spencer Rattler has Saints firing on all cylinders, connecting with Rashid Shaheed and piling up two straight no-interception games while the defense clamps down. New Orleans’ defense is sturdy but imperfect against the run, inviting Rhamondre Stevenson to factor in the game plan. The SportsLine model projects a tight 21-20 Patriots win with a ~56% chance of the Saints covering.

Fantasy angles lean toward Maye’s steady floor, Stevenson’s workload against the Saints’ run-lean, and Shaheed’s big-play potential in a game that projects to stay closer than the generic line suggests.