MIAMI, Oct. 9 (UPI) — Jalen Tolbert and Darnell Mooney are among my five must-start wide receivers for Week 6 of the fantasy football campaign.
CeeDee Lamb leads my Week 6 Top 50 rankings, which are listed below. Brandon Aiyuk, Ja’Marr Chase, D.J. Moore and Chris Godwin also land inside the Top 5 of my rankings.
Amon-Ra St. Brown, D.K. Metcalf, Terry McLaurin, Drake London and Zay Flowers join those pass catchers in my Top 10. McLaurin, Calvin Ridley and Rome Odunze join Tolbert and Mooney as my five must-start plays.
Those who roster Malik Nabers, Davante Adams and other players dealing with injuries should monitor their status before plugging them into starting lineups. Nico Collins, who leads the NFL in receiving yards — but was placed on injured reserve Wednesday — should be benched.
Wide receivers from the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings also should be benched or dropped, as those teams serve Week 6 byes.
Players also will be removed from or adjusted within the rankings based on injuries. My free agent targets article for Week 6 is available here.
Terry McLaurin
McLaurin most likely should never leave lineups, but will be an especially effective play in Week 6 when his Washington Commanders take on the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens have the No. 1 defense in the NFL, but are primarily great at stopping the run. They allowed the second-most passing yards in the NFL through five weeks.
The Ravens allowed the third-most fantasy points and receiving yards — 193.6 per game — and tied for allowing the second-most touchdown catches — 1.6 per game — to wide receivers so far this season. They also just surrendered a combined 19 catches for 276 and four touchdowns to Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in Week 5.
McLaurin totaled a season-high 112 yards on four catches last week. He hauled in touchdowns in Week 3 and Week 4. He also recorded at least 100 receiving yards in two of his last three appearances.
The Commanders veteran, who is averaging 7.2 targets per game, should again be a top target in Week 6. Look for another 100-yard, one-score performance from McLaurin, who sits at No. 8 in my rankings.
Darnell Mooney
Mooney is the No. 22 option in my Week 6 rankings. The Atlanta Falcons playmaker was the No. 20 fantasy football wide receiver through the first five weeks of the season in terms of points per game.
Mooney was the No. 3 option in Week 5, trailing only Ja’Marr Chase and teammate Drake London. He also tied his a career-high, with 16 targets in Week 5, when he hauled in nine catches for 105 yards and two scores.
Mooney totaled 37 targets over his last four appearances. He also scored three touchdowns during that span.
This week, Mooney and the Falcons will face a Carolina Panthers defense that tied for allowing the second-most touchdowns — 1.6 per game — to wide receivers through five weeks. They also just surrendered 10 catches, 145 yards and two scores to Chicago Bears wide receivers D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze in Week 5.
Mooney can be plugged in as a low-end WR2 or high-end WR3.
Jalen Tolbert
Tolbert is another player worthy of WR2/WR3 consideration in Week 6. The Dallas Cowboys playmaker was the No. 12 player at his position in Week 5, when he totaled seven catches for 87 yards and a score on 10 targets in a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Tolbert’s role grew last week because of Brandin Cooks’ injury absence. His increased usage should continue with Cooks on injured reserve.
This week, Tolbert and the Cowboys will face a Detroit Lions defense that allowed a league-high 19.5 catches and 218.3 receiving yards and the fourth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers so far this season.
I expect this game to be a shootout, with Tolbert seeing another 10 targets. Tolbert, my No. 28 option, is a near lock for at least 60 receiving yards and could be a Top 20 play if he reaches the end zone.
Rome Odunze
Odunze is a bit of a dart-throw fantasy football option in Week 6. The Chicago Bears rookie was a Top 50 option last week, when he hauled in five catches for 40 yards.
Odunze, who logged at least three targets in every game this season, totaled 25 over his last four games. This week, the Bears will face the Jacksonville Jaguars, who allowed the most fantasy points, second-most receiving yards — 210.4 per game — and tied for allowing the third-most catches — 16.4 per game — to wide receivers so far this season.
Odunze should catch at least five passes for 60 yards in this matchup. He also has a great shot to find the end zone. He is my No. 29 play and can be plugged in as a WR3.
Calvin Ridley
Ridley was not a Top 50 wide receiver — in terms of points per game — through the first five weeks of 2024, but deserves starting consideration in Week 6. Ridley and the Tennessee Titans are set to face an Indianapolis Colts defense that surrendered the sixth-most receiving yards — 180.2 per game — to wide receivers through five weeks.
The Colts also just allowed a combined nine catches for 210 yards and a score to Jaguars wide receivers Brian Thomas Jr. and Christian Kirk. They also allowed at least 100 yards and/or a touchdown to at least one wide receiver in every game this season.
Ridley, my No. 31 option, is a risky play, but I expect at least 50 yards and a score from the Titans target in this great matchup.
Week 6 wide receiver rankings
1. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys vs. DET
2. Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers at SEA
3. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals at NYG
4. D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears vs. JAX
5. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NO
6. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions at DAL
7. DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks vs. SF
8. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders at BAL
9. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons at CAR
10. Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens vs. WAS
11. Stefon Diggs, Houston Texans at NE
12. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles vs. CLE
13. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NO
14. Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars at CHI
15. Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts at TEN
16. Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers vs. ARI
17. Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals at GB
18. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals at NYG
19. Diontae Johnson, Carolina Panthers vs. ATL
20. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles vs. CLE
21. George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers at LV
22. Darnell Mooney, Atlanta Falcons at CAR
23. Darius Slayton, New York Giants vs. CIN
24. Garrett Wilson, New York Jets vs. BUF
25. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers at SEA
26. Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions at DAL
27. Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys vs. DET
28. Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears vs. JAX
29. Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns at PHI
30. Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders vs. PIT
31. Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans vs. IND
32. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks vs. SF
33. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints vs. TB
34. Tank Dell, Houston Texans at NE
35. Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars at CHI
36. Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans Saints vs. TB
37. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos vs. LAC
38. Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns at PHI
39. Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers at DEN
40. Allen Lazard, New York Jets vs. BUF
41. DeAndre Hopkins, Tennessee Titans vs. IND
42. Xavier Legette, Carolina Panthers vs. ATL
43. Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers at SEA
44. Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts at TEN
45. Keenan Allen, Chicago Bears vs. JAX
46. Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers vs. ARI
47. Dontayvion Wicks, Green Bay Packers vs. ARI
48. Tre Tucker, Las Vegas Raiders vs. PIT
49. Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals at GB
50.
