MarShawn Lloyd scored twice against Chicago in Week 5, turning 11 touches into 16.7 PPR points even though he managed just 31 yards on 10 carries. That sums up his season: the efficiency has been rough, but the Packers keep handing him the ball when it matters. With Chris Brooks now on injured reserve, he faces a Dallas run defense that has been giving up yards. Find out whether you should start or sit MarShawn Lloyd in Week 6.
MarShawn Lloyd Start or Sit Advice for Week 6
Lloyd leads this backfield, and the room behind him just got thinner. He owns 40.4% of Green Bay’s carries, ahead of Kaleb Johnson at 27.3%, and Brooks, who had handled 15.2% of the work, is on injured reserve with an ankle injury and not eligible to return until Week 9. Pierre Strong Jr. joined the rotation in Week 5 with eight touches, but Lloyd remains the clear first option.
His real value lives inside the 20. Lloyd has 11 red zone carries this season, more than every other Packers back combined, and he has turned his opportunities into three touchdowns, two on the ground and one through the air. Brooks had been the other short-yardage option with six red zone carries, so his absence should consolidate even more of that work in Lloyd’s hands.
He contributes as a receiver too. Lloyd has caught 10 of his 13 targets for 55 yards, giving him a modest floor on passing downs that Johnson, with one catch all season, cannot match.
The matchup looks inviting. Dallas allows 25.7 PPR points per game to running backs against a league average of 21.9, along with 4.65 yards per carry against a league mark of 4.13 and 118.0 rushing yards per game against 91.2. The Cowboys have also allowed 26 red zone carries, well above the league average of 18.3, which plays directly into Lloyd’s strength. Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown is still dealing with a hamstring injury after missing Week 5.
The Biggest Fantasy Risk for MarShawn Lloyd in Week 6
Lloyd has not been able to run the ball efficiently. He is averaging 2.8 yards per carry with a long run of just 12 yards, and he has only two broken tackles on 40 carries. Green Bay as a team is averaging 3.05 yards per carry and 60.4 rushing yards per game, so the problem extends well beyond Lloyd. Without touchdowns, his weekly lines would look thin.
Dallas’ run defense numbers also need context. The Cowboys have faced the Giants, Baltimore, Washington, Houston and Tampa Bay, and opponents have run for 50% more than league average against them. That is a brutal stretch of rushing attacks, so the per-carry figures are inflated by who they have played. Against a Green Bay offense that struggles to move the ball on the ground, the matchup may be closer to neutral than the raw numbers suggest.
Game script could also cut against him. Dallas scores 27.6 points per game, and if the Cowboys build a lead, the Packers may shift toward the pass. Lloyd’s receiving role helps, but Strong drew four targets in Week 5 and could siphon passing-down work.
The volume itself is modest. Lloyd is averaging 10.0 touches per game, which leaves his output dependent on finding the end zone. Weeks 1 and 3 produced 3.7 and 3.8 PPR points when the scores did not come.
Fantasy Outlook for MarShawn Lloyd in Week 6
Lloyd is a Start in Week 6 as an RB2 option. He leads the Packers backfield, owns the bulk of the scoring-position carries, and gets a Dallas defense that has given up plenty of red zone work to running backs. Brooks’ move to injured reserve only strengthens his hold on those opportunities.
The floor is the concern. His efficiency has been poor, Green Bay’s ground game has struggled, and the Cowboys’ numbers are inflated by a difficult schedule. Expect a touchdown-dependent line rather than a high-yardage afternoon.
Still, his path to the end zone is as clear as it has been all season. Fantasy managers dealing with byes from Minnesota, Miami, Cincinnati and Detroit should feel comfortable plugging Lloyd into the lineup and riding the red zone volume.