Monday Recap, Week 6

Another week is in the books—almost. We have an interesting Monday night battle between the Bills and Titans, and I’ll look more at that in a minute. First, it’s time to consider the week that we’ve had so far, which included our second London clash, our first set of bye weeks and more than a few blowouts. Before I look at tonight’s game I want to consider three takeaways from the rest of the Week 6 NFL action.

The Dolphins are in Trouble

Last season, the Dolphins won 10 games and narrowly missed the playoffs. Using a combination of rookie Tua Tagovailoa and veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick, the Dolphins seemed to be paying off a years-long rebuild effort. It looked like the Dolphins were poised to take another step forward in 2021. Prior to the season, I predicted the Dolphins would make the playoffs and hit double-digit wins again. The team beat the Patriots in Week 1 and haven’t sniffed a win since. With a 23-20 loss in London on Sunday the Dolphins fell to 1-5. For a team that was 10-6 in 2020, it’s a sharp decline. Worse yet, it’s hard to tell how they can fix it. Tua has been OK but the offense is inconsistent, injuries have piled up and the defense seems to have taken a step backward. The Dolphins were a trendy sleeper heading into the 2021 season but right now they just appear to be asleep.

Trevon Diggs is Incredible

Diggs has given the Dallas Cowboys’ something they lacked in 2020—a true star on the defensive side of the ball. He has seven interceptions in six games, having picked off at least one pass in each of the Cowboys’ games. And he’s making a big impact when he does it, such as his 42-yard interception return for a touchdown on Sunday that helped turn the tide in a close battle with the Patriots. Diggs has 10 interceptions and more than 25 passes defensed in 17 career starts. He’s the leader in the race for Defensive Player of the Year, and it’s not close right now.

The Bengals are Playoff Contenders

Every year we see a team go from worst to first in the NFL, the fun is trying to predict who it’s going to be. While the Bengals might not win the AFC North, at 4-2 they look like a potential playoff team. The Bengals have played tough, dropping close games to the Bears and Packers while winning four contests, including a blowout Sunday against Detroit. The Bengals still have four games with the Browns and Ravens, as well as a re-match with the Steelers. That will go a long way toward determining their fate, but with a frisky defense and an explosive offense featuring Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon and Ja’Marr Chase, the Bengals look like they’re in it for the long haul.

And now, on to the Monday night game.

Monday Night Preview

The Buffalo Bills entered the season with lofty expectations but stumbled out of the gate against the Steelers in Week 1. Since then, the Bills have won four straight, posting more than 40 points in Week 3 and Week 4, then hanging 38 on the Chiefs in a win on Sunday Night Football in Week 5. Now they head to Tennessee to battle the Titans.

The Titans, meanwhile, have had an up-and-down season, battling injuries and a defense that has been woeful at times. That isn’t a great recipe when hosting a red-hot Bills offense. The Titans will need a heavy dose of Derrick Henry, the best running back in the NFL. The Titans’ best chance is to slow the game down, keep it away from Josh Allen and hope for a few opportunistic plays on defense.

In terms of fantasy, Henry is a clear start, while A.J. Brown and Julio Jones could be flex plays and Ryan Tannehill is a consideration in Superflex. For the Bills, Josh Allen is one of the top quarterbacks in the game, Stefon Diggs is a strong start at receive and Dawson Knox looks like a Top 5 tight end through five games. Emmanuel Sanders is a flex consideration with his play, while Zack Moss is the running back I prefer of the two.

The Titans have some talent but I think the Bills will cruise in this one.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.