MIAMI, Oct. 10 (UPI) — Kirk Cousins and Caleb Williams are among my five must-start fantasy football quarterbacks for Week 6.
Lamar Jackson leads my Top-20 quarterback rankings, which are below. Jalen Hurts, Jayden Daniels, Josh Allen and Dak Prescott are among my other Top-5 plays. Joe Burrow, Brock Purdy, Cousins, Justin Fields and Jordan Love round out my Top 10.
My Week 6 running back and wide receiver rankings remain available for your preparation. My free-agent targets article is available here.
Anthony Richardson stock holders should continue to monitor his game status before plugging the injured quarterback in starting lineups. My positional rankings will continue to be updated for developments, including injuries.
Prescott, Daniel Jones and Baker Mayfield join Cousins and Williams as my must-start options. Several streaming options also can be found within my rankings.
Each of my must-start options land inside the Top 14 of my quarterback rankings. Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams players should be removed from lineups, as their teams have Week 6 byes.
Dak Prescott
Prescott is the No. 5 player in my Top 20 rankings for Week 6. The Dallas Cowboys veteran was a Top-10 option, in terms of fantasy points per game, through his first five games.
Prescott eclipsed 350 passing yards in two of his last three games. He also threw two touchdown tosses in each of his last three appearances.
This week, the Cowboys will face a Detroit Lions defense that allowed the fifth-most receiving yards per game (276) to quarterbacks so far this season.
Look for Prescott to eclipse 350 passing yards again in this meeting. I also expect at least two passing scores from the Cowboys quarterback.
Kirk Cousins
Cousins threw for a career-high 509 yards and tossed four touchdown passes in Week 5 against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense that allowed fewer than 225 passing yards in three of their first four games.
This week, the Atlanta Falcons quarterback will face a Carolina Panthers defense that allowed the sixth-most fantasy points, 11th-most passing yards and tied for allowing the most passing touchdowns (2.2) per game to opposing quarterbacks through five weeks.
The Panthers also just surrendered 304 yards and two scores to Caleb Williams in Week 5. I expect at least 300 passing yards and two scores from Cousins in this matchup. He is my No. 8 play.
Caleb Williams
Williams’ stellar Sunday showing isn’t an outlier, it’s a sign of things to come from the Chicago Bears rookie, who was the No. 6 fantasy football quarterback in Week 5.
Williams — who was among my Week 5 must-start options — totaled 267 yards between Week 1 and Week 2. He has since logged at least 300 passing yards in two of his last three games.
He also threw two touchdown tosses in each of those appearances and could find the end zone multiple times again in Week 6, when the Bears face a Jacksonville Jaguars defense that has allowed the most fantasy points to quarterbacks.
The Jaguars tied for allowing the third-most passing scores (2.0) per game and surrendered the second-most passing yards (298.8) per appearance through the first five weeks of the season. That stretch included 359 yards and three scores from Joe Flacco in Week 5, 345 yards and two scores from C.J. Stroud in Week 4 and four touchdown passes from Josh Allen in Week 3.
This is a fantastic matchup for Williams, who can be plugged in as a QB1. He is my No. 12 play.
Baker Mayfield
Mayfield is the No. 2 quarterback in fantasy football on a points-per-game basis, trailing only Lamar Jackson. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers veteran ranks second in touchdown passes (11), third in passer rating and 10th in passing yards.
He also just threw three touchdown passes in a single half against an Atlanta Falcons defense that entered that game with just three touchdown tosses allowed through their first four games.
Mayfield’s matchup is again expected to be tough in Week 6, when the Buccaneers travel for an NFC South meeting with the New Orleans Saints. The Saints allowed the fewest touchdown passes (0.2) per game through the first five weeks of the season, but surrendered the seventh-most passing yards (268) per game to the position, including more than 290 yards in three of their last four games.
The Buccaneers boast better pass-catching weapons than any team the Saints have faced this season, which should allow Mayfield to move the ball efficiently and potentially reach a high yardage total. He is my No. 13 option for Week 6.
Daniel Jones
Jones is a sold streaming option for Week 6, when his New York Giants host the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals have been among the most generous defenses to quarterbacks this season, allowing the fourth-most fantasy points and third-most passing touchdowns (2.0) per game to the position.
They surrendered at least two passing touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks for four-consecutive weeks and allowed a total of nine scores to the position over their last three games. They also allowed the second-most rushing yards (32.8) per game to opposing quarterbacks.
Look for Jones, my No. 14 option, to throw for at least 200 yards, while rushing for close to 50 more in this matchup. He could provide Top-10 value if he accounts for more than two scores.
Week 6 fantasy football quarterback rankings
1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens vs. WAS
2. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles vs. CLE
3. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders at BAL
4. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills at NYJ
5. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys vs. DET
6. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals at NYG
7. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers at SEA
8. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons at CAR
9. Justin Fields, Pittsburgh Steelers at LV
10. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers vs. ARI
11. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans at NE
12. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears vs. JAX
13. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NO
14. Daniel Jones, New York Giants vs. CIN
15. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals at GB
16. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions at DAL
17. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts at TEN
18. Will Levis, Tennessee Titans vs. IND
19. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers at DEN
20. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks vs. SF