Seattle enters 3–2 after four turnovers in a 32–29 loss to San Francisco. Denver is also 3–2, but Pat Surtain II and Talanoa Hufanga are out. Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Leonard Williams are cleared for Seattle; linebacker Drake Thomas is out. Our 4DK focus: Sam Darnold’s ball security and whether Seattle can exploit an undermanned secondary without opening the door to Denver’s rush.
Jacksonville is 4–1 after Trevor Lawrence’s 331-yard performance and Cam Little’s 57-yard winner over Philadelphia. Houston shut down Tennessee 26–3 and can keep the AFC South race interesting. London adds an extra layer: sleep, travel and a neutral-field routine. The 4DK swing factor is early-down control: who stays out of third-and-long?
Tennessee’s offense produced three points against Houston, with Carnell Tate unable to rescue a broken rhythm. Indianapolis comes off a 34–22 defeat at Pittsburgh. The team that protects the ball and sustains early drives can change the game before the first deep shot. Our question: can either club generate clean play-action looks?
Philadelphia lost 19–17 to Jacksonville in London after a last-second field goal; Carolina returns from a bye. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles must get more help from the ground attack after producing only 22 rushing yards. Philadelphia’s reputation won’t win this; they must protect the quarterback and finish red-zone possessions.
Pittsburgh beat Indianapolis 34–22; Tampa Bay comes off its road win over Dallas. The Steelers have an opportunity to make this a field-position game and force a young Buccaneers quarterback into difficult reads. Tampa must counter with a credible rushing attack and better protection. The 4DK key is who controls third downs.
Baltimore won in overtime at Atlanta with Tyler Huntley filling in for Lamar Jackson. Lamar is day-to-day with an ankle injury; there is no guarantee he plays. Cleveland fell to the Jets 17–12 after allowing eight sacks. The Browns’ protection versus Baltimore’s front and the Ravens’ quarterback availability are the two storylines that can completely change the game plan.
New Orleans managed just 142 offensive yards against Minnesota in a 23–13 defeat. The Giants let an overtime opportunity slip away and settled for a 27–27 tie with Washington. Our focus is execution, not preseason reputation: which offense can win first down, and who can close a tight fourth quarter without handing away the ball?
Green Bay rolled Chicago 31–7 while Atlanta lost a hard-fought overtime game to Baltimore. Both teams have quarterback-health considerations. Bijan Robinson remains Atlanta’s answer when rhythm is missing, but the offense cannot be only one player. Chicago needs better balance and pass protection if the quarterback is returning to action.
The Jets won 17–12 over Cleveland on the strength of eight sacks, with rookie David Bailey responsible for three. New England just dropped 45 on Las Vegas, led by Drake Maye’s five total touchdowns. The question: can the Jets’ rush disrupt Maye before New England’s receivers isolate their matchups? The Patriots are also monitoring key injuries.
The Rams lost an exhausting 37–34 overtime game in Buffalo; Arizona was thrashed 45–21 by Detroit. Matthew Stafford’s performance cannot become meaningless because of one result, but the Rams need better situational football. Arizona must contain explosives and protect the ball or the Rams’ offense could turn this into a track meet.
Kansas City returns 4–0 after a bye; Los Angeles is winless after the 23–17 defeat to Denver. The Chiefs can attack with Mahomes and Kenneth Walker III, but familiarity can keep divisional games unpredictable. The 4DK question is simple: can an injury-hit Chargers line give Justin Herbert enough time to generate any explosive plays?
Allen had 210 passing yards and 121 rushing in the overtime win over the Rams. Las Vegas gave up 45 to New England, and its ground game has lacked consistency. A potential Raiders upset starts with forcing third-and-long and controlling possession; otherwise Buffalo has too many ways to exploit the defense with Allen outside the pocket.
Dallas is under scrutiny after losing a winnable home game against Tampa Bay. Green Bay enters with momentum after a decisive 31–7 win over Chicago; Jordan Love threw for 367 yards and two scores. For the Cowboys, defensive leverage and fourth-quarter discipline will determine whether this is a bounce-back or another missed opportunity.
San Francisco is 5–0 after Purdy and Evans led two late scoring drives in Seattle. Washington comes off the bizarre 27–27 tie with the Giants. Purdy’s chemistry with Evans, CMC’s workload, the Niners’ depleted defensive depth and the Commanders’ late-game judgment all deserve scrutiny. Monday night is an opportunity to prove that the 49ers can sustain a long unbeaten run, not a guarantee they will.
Seattle–Denver is shaped by the Broncos’ absences: Surtain II and Hufanga are out, while Riley Moss is questionable. Seattle has Jaxon Smith-Njigba available, but Drake Thomas is out. Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson missed Wednesday practice with an ankle injury and remains day-to-day. New England opened A.J. Brown’s practice window, which does not guarantee his return. All other injury situations must be checked again as final designations become available.
Our October 13 preview centered Seattle’s response to the 49ers, Denver’s field-position edge, Jacksonville’s AFC South test, the offensive health of Chicago and Atlanta, Baltimore’s quarterback question, and San Francisco’s chance to extend a 5–0 start against Washington. The Week 6 schedule above preserves all fourteen originally covered matchups and adds the verified Week 5 results and late injury developments. All kickoff times remain Pacific. The original October 13 preview remains available separately in the archive.