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Chase Brown among 4 must-start Week 6 fantasy football running backs

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown (C) fights to break free from Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith (R) on Sunday at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. Photo by John Sommers II/UPI
1 of 5 | Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown (C) fights to break free from Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith (R) on Sunday at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. Photo by John Sommers II/UPI | License Photo

MIAMI, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- Chase Brown is among my four must-start fantasy football running backs for Week 6.

Bijan Robinson leads my Top-30 weekly fantasy football running back rankings. Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Tony Pollard and Alvin Kamara are my other Top 5 options.

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Jahmyr Gibbs, Josh Jacobs, James Cook, Breece Hall and Brown also should be considered Top-10 plays for Week 6.

Pollard, Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Tank Bigsby join Brown as my must-start plays. My rankings were compiled based on several factors, including likely workload, strength of opponent, previous matchup history, expected red zone opportunities and predicted game script.

Joe Mixon, Jonathan Taylor, Devin Singletary and stock owners for other injured players should continue to monitor their status leading into their respective kickoffs.

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Players from the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings should be benched or dropped, as those teams serve Week 6 byes.

San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks players, who played Thursday, were removed from my rankings.

My Week 6 quarterback and wide receiver rankings are available here. My top free agent targets for Week 6 are available here. All positional rankings will be updated throughout the week. Players will be removed from or adjusted within the rankings based on injuries.

Tony Pollard

Pollard was on bye in Week 5 and returns to my rankings as a No. 4 play. The Tennessee Titans running back recorded at least 94 yards from scrimmage in three of his four appearances this season. He also scored in two of those meetings.

Pollard totaled a season-high 24 touches for 102 yards and a score in the Titans' Week 5 win over the Miami Dolphins. He has two-consecutive great matchups ahead, starting with a Week 6 meeting with the Indianapolis Colts.

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The Colts allowed the fourth-most rushing yards per game (119) and fifth-most receiving yards per game (46.4) to running backs through five weeks. They also just surrendered 129 yards from scrimmage and two scores to Tank Bigsby in Week 5.

Look for Pollard to eclipse 100 yards from scrimmage and to find the end zone in this AFC South divisional matchup.

Chase Brown

Cincinnati Bengals starting running back Zack Moss is dealing with an ankle injury, which could lead to an increased workload for Chase Brown in Week 6.

The Bengals running back scored three touchdowns over his last two games. He also received 15 touches in Week 5 and 17 in Week 4.

Brown and the Bengals will face a New York Giants defense that allowed the fourth-most receiving yards per game (48.8) to running backs so far this season. I expect Brown to get more than 10 touches and to turn those opportunities to 100 yards from scrimmage. He is my No. 10 option.

Tyrone Tracy Jr.

Tracy's Week 5 outlook is tied his breakout Week 5 showing and to the game status of Giants starter Devin Singletary. If Singletary doesn't play in Week 6, I would plug Tracy in as an RB1 for a matchup against a Bengals defense that allowed the seventh-most rushing yards per game and tied for allowing the seventh-most rushing scores per game to opposing running backs.

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The Bengals allowed a touchdown to a running back in four of their first five games. Look for that trend to continue this week.

Tracy didn't reach the end zone in Week 5, but totaled the most rushing yards (129) of any running back in Week 5. He also received 19 touches in the Giants' win over the Seattle Seahawks.

Look for the Giants to again lean on the explosive rookie. He is my No. 19 option and can be plugged as an RB2 or flex play even if Singletary is active in Week 6.

Tank Bigsby

Bigsby, one of my top free agent targets for Week 6, sits at No. 20 in my positional rankings. As previously mentioned, the Jaguars ball carrier torched the Colts for 129 yards from scrimmage and two scores in Week 5. This week, Bigsby and the Jaguars will face a Chicago Bears defense that allowed the 10th-most fantasy points per game to running backs through five weeks.

The Bears surrendered at least 94 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown to a starting running back in four of their first five games. Look for that trend to continue with Bigsby, if he is given the opportunities, in Week 6. He can be deployed as a fantasy football RB2 or flex play.

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Week 6 fantasy football running back rankings

1. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons at CAR

2. Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles vs. CLE

3. Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens vs. WAS

4. Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans vs. IND

5. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints vs. TB

6. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions at DAL

7. Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers vs. ARI

8. James Cook, Buffalo Bills at NYJ

9. Breece Hall, New York Jets vs. BUF

10. Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals at NYG

11. D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears vs. JAX

12. Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys vs. DET

13. David Montgomery, Detroit Lions at DAL

14. J.K. Dobbins, Los Angeles Chargers at DEN

15. Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers vs. ATL

16. James Conner, Arizona Cardinals at GB

17. Brian Robinson Jr., Washington Commanders at BAL

18. Cam Akers, Houston Texans at NE

19. Tyrone Tracy Jr., New York Giants vs. CIN

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20. Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. CHI

21. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers at LV

22. Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NO

23. Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns at PHI

24. Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots vs. HOU

25. Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos vs. LAC

26. Alexander Mattison, Las Vegas Raiders vs. PIT

27. Trey Sermon, Indianapolis Colts at TEN

28. Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. CHI

29. Devin Singletary, New York Giants vs. CIN

30. Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NO

NFL: Ravens top Bengals in high-scoring contest

The Ravens' Justin Tucker kicks the game-winning field goal in overtime. Photo by John Sommers II/UPI | License Photo

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