The last time the well-traveled, journeyman quarterback Geno Smith started in an NFL game the head coaches for that Oakland Raiders-New York Giants tilt in 2017 were Jack Del Rio and Ben McAdoo. Cult hero Marshawn Lynch and less heralded Orleans Darkwa led their respective offenses in rushing. It was a while ago. Smith did not win the game and Eli Manning returned to quarterback the Giants the next week. Smith backed up Philip Rivers for the 2018 Los Angeles Chargers.
Smith returns to starting duties this Sunday night of Week 6 at Pittsburgh against the Steelers, and this new role figures to continue into November as well as starter Russell Wilson, one of the most durable players in the sport, is out for at least a month after finger surgery.
Fantasy managers will hardly gravitate toward Smith as a pickup this week, but they will worry about his effect on the other very relevant Seahawks fantasy options, led by wide receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, as well as running back Chris Carson. Smith played competently in relief of Wilson last Thursday, despite losing 26-17 to the Los Angeles Rams. Metcalf scored a pair of touchdowns, one coming from each quarterback, and Lockett saw 10 targets. Carson missed the game with a sore neck. Alex Collins filled in with 9.2 PPR points.
Smith, a second-round pick of the New York Jets in 2013, is 12-19 as a starter, but he certainly did not have the talented likes of Carson, Metcalf and Lockett as options in the past, either, so it is a bit difficult to evaluate him. Even as there should be some downgrading of those other players due to the change in quarterback, fantasy managers should hardly unilaterally sit them against the Steelers. As always, it depends on other options, but Metcalf is special. Play him always. A healthy Carson is often special. Lockett might be more of a flex option.
Meanwhile, on the Pittsburgh side
The last time Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger faced the Seahawks was in Week 2 of 2019, his last game of that season as he tore a ligament in his throwing elbow. Roethlisberger did not have a great 2020 season -- third in pass attempts, but only 16th in passing yards -- and his early 2021 numbers are rather tepid as well. Fantasy managers have noticed; Roethlisberger is rostered in a mere 21% of ESPN standard leagues. He scored 16 PPR points on Sunday, his best performance of a disappointing season, but not exactly a great outing or the start of a strong trend.
As with Seahawks wide receivers for the next month, Steelers wide receivers are more noteworthy than their quarterback is as well. The problem is guessing the hierarchy. Chase Claypool caught 130 yards worth of passes -- and a touchdown -- in Sunday's win over the Denver Broncos, his best game of the season. Diontae Johnson has scored touchdowns in three of his four games. JuJu Smith-Schuster left Sunday's game early with a shoulder injury, and he might not play in Week 6. Johnson generally gets the first nod in our rankings.
More injuries
Top running backs again will be the unfortunate position to watch this week. Neither Carolina Panthers star Christian McCaffrey (hamstring) nor Minnesota Vikings star Dalvin Cook (ankle) suited up for their Week 5 games. Backups Chuba Hubbard and Alexander Mattison each rushed for more than 100 yards. Who runs the football when the Panthers and Vikings meet in Week 6? Flip a coin! We advise you to keep Hubbard and Mattison around even if the starters return for Week 6, for the starters might continue to deal with durability woes.
Meanwhile, the Giants have a tough home matchup with the Rams, and might be missing all of their offensive skill players. No, really. Saquon Barkley suffered an ugly left ankle injury during the 44-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys when he stepped on the foot of an opposing player. Frustrated fantasy managers should prepare for a meaningful absence, with Devontae Booker the likely fill-in and among the top pickups this week. We lack clarity on Barkley, quarterback Daniel Jones (concussion) and most of the Giants wide receivers, including Kenny Golladay (knee). Rookie Kadarius Toney scored 29.6 PPR points against Dallas, but facing the Rams -- with Jones or Mike Glennon at QB -- is a different proposition.
Reminders
The first of the annoying bye weeks is Week 6, with the Atlanta Falcons and New York Jets, fresh off their relatively exciting London game, taking the week off. Joining them are the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers. Fantasy managers should look ahead to the Week 7 byes (there are six of them) as well, planning with advance pickups. The next London game is this coming Sunday morning, featuring the Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars. Yes, another Jaguars game in England. Poor Brits.
Monday night madness
The state of the Tennessee Titans' passing game is something to watch in Week 6 when the Titans host Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. While RB Derrick Henry runs wild over largely every defense he faces (he has eclipsed 25 PPR points in three of four games), fantasy managers could use a bit more scoring from QB Ryan Tannehill and WRs A.J. Brown and Julio Jones. They sure have yet to get big numbers in 2021.
Tannehill, a top-10 fantasy QB a season ago, still has yet to reach 22 PPR points in any 2021 game. Brown returned from a hamstring injury Sunday but did little in the 37-19 win over the feeble Jacksonville Jaguars, catching 3 of 6 targets for 38 yards. Jones has missed consecutive games with his own hamstring ailment. Maybe Henry can do it all alone, but fantasy managers would like the passing game to improve, too.