Monday NFL Roundup: Week 6

Sometimes, the game means more. For Stefon Diggs, Sunday Night meant more. Diggs admitted as much after the game, when asked if the Bills' matchup was personal, Diggs responded, "100%."

Diggs was phenomenal.

His ten receptions and 146 yards in primetime against his former team were a career-defining performance. The game was a coming-of-age for Drake Maye, the second-year quarterback, who showed poise and creativity in leading the game-winning drive. 

One cannot overstate the leverage of this game. A Bills win would have put them three games up in the division with a head-to-head tiebreaker in hand. Instead, the Patriots sit just one game back, while holding the tiebreaker. Vegas will likely favor both teams for the next three weeks, with the Bills facing Atlanta and Carolina sandwiched by a bye, and the Patriots facing the Saints, Titans, and Browns. Suddenly, the Bills' November 2nd game against the Chiefs could be the difference between the #1 seed in the AFC or starting Wild Card Weekend on the road.

For David Montgomery, the game meant more.

Montgomery returned to his hometown, Cincinnati, for the first time in his seven-year career. Fox's Tom Rinaldi had the emotional story of Montgomery's return, where he got the chance to play in front of his sister for the first time since an accident left her paralyzed in 2024.

Montgomery threw his second career touchdown pass, while adding one on the ground in the Lions' win.

Add the Texans to the list of teams playing with a chip on their shoulder. The Texans entered the matchup with a 2-13 record against the Ravens. The last time the two played, the Ravens embarrassed them 31-2 on Christmas Day. Previously, the Ravens eliminated them from the 2023 playoffs with a 34-10 defeat.

Revenge was sweet.

The Texans dominated from the jump, winning 44-10 in a game that was not even that close. C.J. Stroud threw for four touchdowns, the second-highest total of his career. It is getting late early for the 1-4 Ravens, who face a talented Rams team in Week 6.

It meant more for the Saints.

Spencer Rattler was quickly climbing the list for the most starting quarterback losses to open a career. At 0-10, Rattler sat tied with Warren Moon, Derek Carr, Brodie Croyle, and Zach Mettenberger for the fifth most losses. One more would have tied him with Troy Aikman and Stan Gelbaugh, with just Jack Trudeau and DeShone Kizer's 0-15 career ahead.

Kellen Moore was also hunting for his first win. The Saints came through. Both the quarterback and coach can stop answering questions about streaks to start careers and focus on Week 6.

The week also meant more for the Titans. Their number one overall rookie quarterback, Cam Ward, had also not recorded a win. Their coach, Brian Callahan, earned the first pick in his first season, and his second looked worse. Trailing 21-3, the Titans never quit. The 18-point comeback was the fifth-largest comeback in franchise history.

The week started with two undefeated teams, Buffalo and Philadelphia, and three winless teams, New Orleans, Tennessee, and the New York Jets.

Now, just the Jets have a zero in their record. The Jets have Denver in Week 6. Jets general manager Darren Mougey took over in January 2025. Mougey started his career as an executive with the Broncos in 2012. He spent 13 seasons with the franchise, working his way up to assistant general manager before taking the Jets job.

That matchup is going to mean more.

And now, The Roundup.

Blind Resume

A group of receivers showed us not to stop believing.

Can you name them all?

Stats Of The Week

WR Puka Nacua, LA Rams - 10 Receptions, 85 Receiving Yards, 1 Receiving Touchdown / Season: 52 Receptions, 588 Receiving Yards, 2 Receiving Touchdowns

Nacua is the only player with 50 or more receptions through the first five games of the season. He has 52. There is still a lot of season left, but Nacua's season is starting to feel like when people were convinced no one could reach Roger Maris's 61 home runs, and Mark McGwire not only beat it but went on to hit 70.

RB Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco - 57 Rushing Yards, 8 Receptions, 82 Receiving Yards, 1 Receiving Touchdown

McCaffrey is back on his 50-50 stuff. This game would have tied his own record for five consecutive games, but he fell one rushing yard short in Week 4. He is on pace for 958 rushing yards, 132 receptions, 1,315 receiving yards, and 10 receiving touchdowns. McCaffrey is the only player with a 900+ rushing yard, 100+ reception, and 1,000+ receiving yard season in 2019 with Carolina. He is on pace to do it again.

McCaffrey needs 147 receiving yards to become the fifth player in NFL history with 5,000+ career rushing and 5,000+ receiving yards. He would join Marshall Faulk, Marcus Allen, Tiki Barber, and Lenny Moore. Faulk is the gold standard for all-purpose backs, with 12,279 rushing yards, 767 receptions, and 6,875 receiving yards.

RB Derrick Henry, Baltimore - 110 Rushing Touchdowns

After three weeks of trying, Henry got his 110th career touchdown and tied Walter Payton for fifth place on the career list. Adrian Peterson is fourth at 120, while Marcus Allen is third at 123.

WR Keenan Allen, LA Chargers - 1,000 Career Receptions

Allen became the fastest player to hit 1,000 career receptions, hitting the mark in 159 games and passing Marvin Harrison's mark of 167 games, per NFL.com.

RB Jahmyr Gibbs & RB David Montgomery, Detroit - 14 Games With A Touchdown

According to Adam Schefter, Gibbs and Montgomery tied Dallas's Daryl Johnston and Emmitt Smith for the most games in which running back teammates have both scored touchdowns. A special day all around for Montgomery.

WR Stefon Diggs, New England - 10 Receptions, 146 Receiving Yards

Diggs' yardage total was the tenth highest of his career, while it was the 18th time he hit double-digit receptions. The only other game he has hit double digits since Week 6 of 2023 was a matchup against another former team, when Houston played Minnesota in 2024. Jakobi Meyers is the only Patriots receiver with 140+ yards and double-digit receptions since Brandon Lloyd in 2013. Kayshon Boutte in Week 18 2024 and Week 1 2025 is the only other Patriot since Julian Edelman in 2019 to record consecutive 100-yard games.

WR Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay - 7 Receptions, 163 Receiving Yards, 1 Touchdown

Egbuka posted the third-highest total receiving yards for a rookie in team history. Mark Carrier's 212 yards in Week 13, 1987, were the most, and Mike Evans' 209 in Week 11, 2014, are second. His 445 yards through five games are the most by a Buccaneers rookie, topping Michael Clayton's 301 in 2004. They are the seventh most through five games in team history, regardless of rookie status. It's also the seventh most by a rookie through five games in NFL history.

WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle - 8 Receptions, 132 Receiving Yards, 1 Touchdown

Smith-Njigba's 534 receiving yards are the 66th most through the first five games of a season. It is the most in Seahawks history through that span. Smith-Njigba ranks second in the NFC West in receiving yards, behind Nacua's 588. D.K. Metcalf is the only other Seahawks receiver to surpass 450 yards through five games in franchise history, posting 496 yards in 2020.

RB Rico Dowdle, Carolina - 206 Rushing Yards, 1 Rushing Touchdown, 3 Receptions, 28 Receiving Yards

Per Dave Kluge, Dowdle's 234 scrimmage yards are the most by a player in 2025. Dowdle is the first player in Carolina history with 200+ rush yards and 25+ receiving yards in a game. McCaffrey came closest, with 176 rushing yards in a game in which he posted 61 receiving yards. Dowdle is the 32nd player in NFL history to have a 200-25 game; Saquon Barkley was the last, in Week 12 of 2024 against the Rams.

Houston Texans - 8 Different Players With A Rush Attempt

The Texans manhandled the Ravens and, in the process, had eight different players record a rush. Multiple teams share the record with 13 players recording a rush, all before 1950. The Packers had nine players record a rush in a Malik Willis start in early 2024. The Vikings had a game in 2019 with nine different players. No other team has hit nine since 1990. Ten different teams have had eight since 2015, most recently the Lions against Jacksonville in 2024.

RB Alvin Kamara, New Orleans - 588 Receptions

Kamara passed Marcus Allen for the fifth-most receptions from the running back position. Marshall Faulk holds the record for backs, with 767.

RB Javonte Williams, Dallas - 135 Rushing Yards, 1 Rushing Touchdown, 1 Receiving Touchdown

Williams joined Ezekiel Elliott as the only Dallas running backs to top 125 rushing yards with a rushing and receiving touchdown. Elliott achieved this feat twice in his Dallas career, in 2017 and 2018.

QB Josh Allen, Buffalo - 253 Passing Yards, 2 Passing Touchdowns, 53 Rushing Yards

Allen extended his own NFL record of 250-50 games to 18. Lamar Jackson is second with 14, while Cam Newton and Russell Wilson sit tied at 13. Allen's last 250-50 game was in Week 15 of the 2024 season against Detroit.

Deep Waiver Wire Names To Know

• RB Kendre Miller, New Orleans - Miller out-carried Alvin Kamara and frankly has looked better than Kamara. Kamara's future with the team may be short, and all leagues should roster Miller.

• RB Kimani Vidal / RB Hassan Haskins, LA Chargers - Omarion Hampton was in a walking boot, and our Adam Hutchison noted the uncertainty of his future. Expect a split between the backs, similar to the dual backfield the Chargers employed through much of 2024.

• TE Gunnar Helm, Tennessee - Helm outsnapped and out-targeted Chig Okonkwo. The coaching staff has shifted its focus to the rookie they selected in the fourth round.

• TE Darren Waller, Miami - Waller quickly moved past deep league attention after a blow-up two-touchdown spot in a Monday Island game. This performance demonstrates that he merits consideration as a Top 12 tight end for the remainder of the season.

• WR Isaiah Bond, Cleveland - Like many speculated, Bond was the WR2 for the Browns, joining Jerry Jeudy in two-receiver sets. The Browns do not often play three-receiver sets, which opens up value for Bond. Bond could top Cedric Tillman even when Tillman returns from injury. The Vikings are one of the most challenging matchups for receivers, and quarterback Dillon Gabriel was starting his first game, so Bond may still be off the radar in some leagues, given lower point totals. He could break out over the second half of the season.

• RB Raheem Mostert, Las Vegas - In case you missed it last week, Mostert replaced Zamir White and Dylan Laube as the handcuff to Ashton Jeanty in Week 4. Week 5 continued the usage.

• RB Keaton Mitchell, Baltimore - Mitchell made his season debut, likely as the Ravens look to load up offensive skill talent around quarterback Cooper Rush with Lamar Jackson out. The entire Ravens offense struggled, but Derrick Henry has averaged 37 yards per game and 3.21 yards per carry in four games since a Week 1 explosion against Buffalo. Henry has dominated Buffalo in his career, and Mitchell is a sign that the Ravens may be looking to open the rotation.

• WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine / WR Malik Washington, Miami - Westbrook-Ikhine outsnapped Washington but did not draw a target. My Thursday Night Live co-host, Matt Waldman, astutely pointed out that Washington's role may not change much in Tyreek Hill's absence, and it didn't. Westbrook-Ikhine looks to have nominally replaced Hill, but Jaylen Waddle, De'Von Achane, and Waller were the only focal points. We have seen this offense hyper-target its top players, and it starts and ends at that trio.

• WR Ashton Dulin, Indianapolis - Dulin is not worth adding, but the note about him starting over Adonai Mitchell is. Alec Pierce remained out, and Dulin was the outside starter in his absence, with Mitchell making multiple significant mistakes that proved crucial in the Week 4 loss. Pierce should be back in Week 6. There is an opportunity for Pierce.

• WR Beaux Collins / WR Jalin Hyatt, NY Giants - Darius Slayton left with a hamstring injury and could join Malik Nabers on the Giants' injury list. Our Adam Hutchison projects a Week 8 return for Slayton in his Injury Roundup. Hyatt has been a deep threat in his career, while UDFA Collins made the team in camp and may be the more intriguing volume bet. Ultimately, Slayton's absence strengthens the case for tight end Theo Johnson.

• WR Ryan Flournoy, Dallas - Flournoy is going to be a hot waiver name following a breakout week. Flournoy is a talented riser whom Dallas utilized at all three levels of the passing game. It is worth noting that KaVontae Turpin may have been earmarked for this performance. Turpin was a late-week scratch. Dak Prescott mentioned Turpin as a key player before the Packers game. While Flournoy gets the attention, Turpin may be the sharper pickup. The return of Jonathan Mingo is also looming.

• RB Isaiah Davis, NY Jets - Housekeeping here, but Braelon Allen was placed on IR following a Monday night injury. There has been trade speculation about Breece Hall on the 0-5 Jets. Most leagues should roster Davis as a player who could rapidly gain value. The Jets added Khalil Herbert to the roster following the move with Allen. If Hall were out, Herbert would likely handle some early down work with Davis, the player the coaching staff may want to see more of.

• RB Michael Carter / RB Bam Knight / RB Emari Demercado, Arizona - In that order. Carter started and got heavy volume; he was easily the winner of this week's running back waiver derby. Demercado could have made things interesting, but he had a costly fumble right as he crossed the goal line after an explosive play. Coach Jonathan Gannon chewed him out on the sideline. Demercado's mistake likely shifts Knight into the primary backup. That remains unsettled.

• WR Tez Johnson, Tampa Bay - Johnson has quietly closed the gap on Sterling Shepard as the third receiver. Shepard remains the starter and caught a touchdown, but the snap trends are noteworthy.

• WR Isaac TeSlaa, Detroit - It finally happened. Kalif Raymond handled 55% of the snaps in Week 4 with TeSlaa at 20%. In Week 5, Raymond played 3% with TeSlaa jumping to 34%. The Lions shifted to a heavier usage of two-tight end sets, with Brock Wright nearly doubling his snap count and Sam LaPorta clearly a more prominent part of the game plan, receiving multiple early targets. It may have been solely due to game planning against an overmatched Bengals opponent, but the shifts in the Lions' personnel usage were noteworthy.

Spike Week

Production comes from the most unlikely places. Reading the matchup tea leaves can flip weekly outcomes. The Spike Week is the holy grail for large field tournaments. These weeks could be signs of big things to come, or just a one-off blip because a safety took the wrong angle.

Surprise players who crushed this week:

• QB: C.J. Stroud, Houston - 28.8 points
• QB: Sam Darnold, Seattle - 28.6 points
• RB: Rico Dowdle, Carolina - 30.9 points
• RB: Javonte Williams, Dallas- 26.4 points
• RB: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington - 26 points
• RB: Rachaad White, Tampa Bay - 21.1 points
• WR: Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay - 27.8 points
• WR: Jaylen Waddle, Miami - 20 points
• WR: Stefon Diggs, New England - 19.6 points
• WR: Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans - 19.4 points
• WR: Kendrick Bourne, San Francisco - 16.1 points
• TE:  AJ Barner, Seattle - 20.8 points
• TE: Theo Johnson, NY Giants - 18.3 points

Take Note