Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s fantasy football outlook Week 6 vs. Bucs

Sunday AM update: Welcome back, Davante Adams! He immediately slots in as a starter in all formats. Bucs CB Carlton Davis is questionable with an abdomen injury. He’ll likely play but could be impacted by the injury. The Packerts are welcoming back Equanimeous St. Brown and it raises a question of how he might impact Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Adams will get his targets aplenty, but what of MVS?

After missing the Green Bay Packers’ past two games with hamstring issues, Pro Bowl wideout Davante Adams appears ready to return for Week 6’s matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While Adams’ return would raise the ceiling for the Packers offense, it recasts teammates like Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

Fantasy Football analysis: Packers WRs Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling

In the lead-up to the Packers’ last game in Week 5, Adams practiced on a limited basis each day. This week, that work has ramped up to full participation, leaving little doubt that the Pro Bowler will suit up in Tampa barring a setback.

And while the Packers have done a better job of spreading the ball around in 2020 than in past seasons, Adams should still command the lion’s share of the targets in the passing game. Head coach Matt LaFleur routinely calls plays specifically for Adams, moving him around formations to create more opportune matchups.

Necessarily, Adams return would mean a reduction in targets for Green Bay’s other pass catchers. That includes Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who saw a season-high eight targets in the team’s last outing.

However, Valdes-Scantling can do more with a target than perhaps any other receiver in Green Bay, as evidenced by his 17.5 yards per reception. While the third-year pro struggled when facing the top cover man in Adams’ absence, he should now see more favorable matchups and run deeper routes more frequently. These more efficient plays could negate the expected target reduction.

As for the matchup, the Buccaneers defense has done a commendable job slowing wide receivers, allowing an average of approximately 158 yards and 0.8 touchdowns to the position per week. Given the caliber of Tampa’s opponents — the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, and Los Angeles Chargers each had multiple play-making wideouts available in their tilts with the Bucs — the Packers will probably have a tougher time moving the ball than in past weeks.

Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendation

Adams is a must-start wideout every week. Start Valdes-Scantling as a low-end WR3/flex. Sit Equanimeous St. Brown until we have a better handle on his role.