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NFL Week 6 top performers: Where does Cam Skattebo's game-changing performance rank?
Week 6 was the latest chapter in a still-young NFL season that has given fans a little bit of everything. It was a slate of games defined by statement wins, narrow escapes, and more of the huge upsets that fans have grown accustomed to.
Behind every one of those results were the players who delivered when it mattered most. The standout performers whose superhuman efforts and highlight reels have got fans talking.
Five players. Five game-changing performances. Ranked from one to five, here’s who stood out for me in what was an incredible Week 6.
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1. Rico Dowdle, RB - Carolina Panthers vs Dallas Cowboys
Four weeks into the season, Rico Dowdle was an afterthought. Seemingly resigned to a backup role behind Chuba Hubbard, the clear leader in the clubhouse after inking a four-year extension at the end of 2024. Even when Hubbard suffered a calf injury and seemed likely to miss time, many predicted Panthers head coach Dave Canales might lean on a committee approach involving Dowdle and rookie tailback Trevor Etienne.
How wrong those predictions were. Dowdle erupted in Week 5 with 234 all-purpose yards and a touchdown, lifting Carolina to a narrow victory over the Miami Dolphins. Not done there, Dowdle followed in Week 6 with 239 all-purpose yards and another touchdown, inspiring an improbable 30-27 upset over the heavily-favored Cowboys - his former team.
If you had Dowdle in your fantasy lineup, you undoubtedly dominated your opponent, much like he did the Dallas defense.
How could we not hand the number one spot to the player who broke a team record for the most all-purpose yards in franchise history? He left former greats such as Christian McCaffrey and Jonathan Stewart in his wake. That's some achievement.
2. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR - Seattle Seahawks vs Jacksonville Jaguars
When D.K. Metcalf was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this year, some of us wondered whether JSN could truly become the true WR1 that quarterback Sam Darnold needed him to be. The third-year wideout had demonstrated he belonged with his first 1,000-yard season in 2024, but replicating that feat while being the focal point of opposition secondaries would be a challenge, right?
Wrong. Not when you're as talented as JSN. He came into Week 6 with 534 yards, ranking second only to the Rams' Puka Nacua, and continued rolling in the win over the Jaguars, corralling eight of his 13 targets for 162 yards and a touchdown.
The Jaguars were riding high after winning three games on the bounce, including a shock victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5. By helping his team to win in what ended as a one-score 20-12 victory, JSN easily warrants inclusion at number two on this list.
3. Cam Skattebo, RB - New York Giants vs Philadelphia Eagles
The odds were stacked against Skattebo in Week 6. The game script would surely not work in his favor against an Eagles team that was expected to play with a lead. Tyrone Tracey was back in the fold after getting healthy, and frankly, Skattebo hadn't had much success on the ground - evidenced by his pedestrian 3.9 yards per carry.
None of that mattered when the clock hit double zeros on Sunday, and fans and pundits reflected on a performance for the ages. Skattebo put the Giants' offense on his back, rushing for 99 yards and three touchdowns, helping the Giants hand a 34-17 beatdown of the Eagles, marking the first time the Giants have beaten a reigning Super Bowl champion since 1998. And yes, that was well before Skattebo was even born.
4. Baker Mayfield, QB - Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs San Francisco 49ers
Ten quarterbacks threw for more yards than Mayfield in Week 6. Four had more passing yards. None of those who ranked above him in the box score embodied what it means to perform with the game on the line as the Bucs' QB did on Sunday.
The defining moment in the game came on third-and-14 with four minutes to play, with the Bucs needing to convert on downs to avoid giving the ball back to the 49ers. Mayfield miraculously broke out of what appeared to be a sack, rumbled forward, breaking several tackles, and stretched the ball past the sticks for a first down. It was a moment of pure magic.
That play helped the Bucs go on to win 30-19, and Mayfield's performance was consistent with what we've seen from the early MVP contender throughout the first five games.
5. Patrick Mahomes, QB - Kansas City Chiefs vs Detroit Lions
The Chiefs have not been their usual dominant selves this year. The Lions, save for one anomaly in the season opener, have been unbeatable. With that said, we knew not to count out this Mahomes-led Kansas City side.
His performance may have been eclipsed by the bizarre scuffle at the end of the game, but make no mistake about it, this night belonged to the three-time Super Bowl winner.
- Read next | Brian Branch slaps JuJu Smith-Schuster, sparking brawl after Chiefs defeat Lions
In a tense affair, against one of the best teams in the league, Mahomes completed 22 of 30 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns. Were that not enough, he also added 32 yards and a touchdown on the ground. The Chiefs ran out 30-17 winners thanks in large part to number 15.
Other deserving mentions
This list is as much fun as it is challenging, made more difficult by the countless players and performances that I have to relegate to this section each week.
A strong case could be made for the inclusion of the Denver Broncos' pass rush, Miami's De'Von Achane, George Pickens and Nick Herbig of the Steelers, Kendrick Bourne of the 49ers, Kimani Vidal of the Chargers, and many, many more. All had phenomenal weeks, but we have to draw the line somewhere. That's just the way this works.
