Before we get into my favorite quarterbacks for fantasy football Week 6, let's take a look back at some of the players I liked in Week 5.

I'm just trying to set expectations appropriately low.

As of Tuesday evening, here's an early look at my (preliminary) favorite Week 6 QB fantasy plays— the guys who (in some combination)…

  • Might be high in my fantasy rankings relative to the industry consensus.
  • Need to be started in most season-long leagues.
  • Must be added if they are on waivers.
  • Possess underappreciated upside.
  • Have advantageous matchups.
  • Should be considered in daily fantasy.
  • Make for desirable dynasty acquisition targets.
  • Are on teams with player-friendly betting odds.
  • Catch my eye with their player projections.
  • Stand out in our player prop tool.

Some notes:

Updates: After I submit this piece, any changing opinions I have will be reflected in my rankings and my projections (accessible with a FantasyLife+ subscription), which I will update throughout the week.

Scoring & Ordering: All fantasy points are half-PPR scoring unless otherwise stated. Players are ordered within position roughly (but maybe not precisely) according to my rankings.

Abbreviations: Check out the end of the piece for abbreviations I might use.

Bye Week: This week, the Chiefs, Rams, Dolphins, and Vikings are off.

Sports Betting Data: Odds are as of 9:45 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Oct. 8, and based on the consensus lines in our Fantasy Life Odds Page.

For the rest of my favorite fantasy football plays for Week 5, sorted by position, see below:

Best QBs for Fantasy Football Week 6

Lamar Jackson (Ravens) vs. Commanders

  • Ravens: -6.5
  • O/U: 52.5
  • TT: 29.5

Lamar Jackson has been a top-10 fantasy QB each week with 20-plus points in every game but one. For the season, he's the No. 1 overall fantasy QB (25.1 FPPG). Despite winning MVP last year, Jackson might be playing even better this year.

  • 2023 (16 games): 8.4 AY/A | 5.5 yards per carry
  • 2024 (5 games): 8.9 AY/A | 6.8 yards per carry

The Commanders are No. 27 in defensive pass DVOA (21.3%, per FTN). Even though they held Kyler Murray and Deshaun Watson to under 150 yards passing each over the past two games, in Weeks 1-3 they allowed Baker Mayfield, Daniel Jones, and Joe Burrow to combine for 791 yards and nine TDs passing with no INTs and 9-57-0 rushing.

The Commanders are vulnerable, and the Ravens have the week's highest implied point total. I have bet on Ravens -6.5 logged in our free Fantasy Life Bet Tracker. With how well the Ravens have played on offense, I have them projected at more than a touchdown. 

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Kirk Cousins (Falcons) at Panthers

  • Falcons: -6
  • O/U: 47.5
  • TT: 26.75

Maybe it's the fact that I'm listening to Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here while writing this sentence, but it seems bad that the Panthers defense this week will be without key players at all three levels in DT Derrick Brown (knee, IR), LB Shaq Green-Thompson (Achilles, IR), and FS Jordan Fuller (hamstring, IR).

On top of that, they could also be without their top pass rusher in EDGE Jadeveon Clowney (shoulder) and their top remaining midfield defender in LB Josey Jewell (hamstring).

So they could be without five defensive starters … and they're No. 31 in defensive dropback SR (52.3%, per RBs Don't Matter).

And what do you need me to tell you about Kirk Cousins? He's coming off a 509-yard, 4-TD primetime passing onslaught, he's increasingly becoming more comfortable in the new offense and familiar with his new pass catchers, and now he enters this week with three extra days of rest and preparation.

Cousins has never looked sexier.

The Dropback

Jordan Love (Packers -5, TT: 27.25) vs. Cardinals: Love is No. 2 with 291 yards passing per game, and HC Matt LaFleur at home is 29-17 ATS (20.9% ROI) and 35-11 ML (16.9% ROI, per Action Network). The Cardinals are No. 32 in defensive dropback SR (57.4%).

Brock Purdy (49ers -3, TT: 26.25) at Seahawks: Even with 3 INTs in the past two weeks, Purdy has a stellar 8.4 AY/A, and the Seahawks are No. 1 in largest fantasy boost allowed to QBs (+4.7). 

Caleb Williams (Bears -2.5, TT: 23.5) vs. Jaguars (in London): Williams is incrementally improving—last week he had a career-best 11.9 AY/A in victory—and the Jaguars are No. 1 in most fantasy points allowed to QBs (23.4).

Daniel Jones (Giants +3.5, TT: 22.5) vs. Bengals: After a terrible Week 1 (186 yards passing, 2 INTs), Jones has been serviceable over the past month (7.6 AY/A, 28-93-0 rushing), and I expect him to get back No. 1 WR Malik Nabers (concussion). The Bengals are No. 3 in largest fantasy boost allowed to QBs (+4.3). 

More Fantasy Football Plays for Week 6

  • Running Backs for Fantasy Football Week 6
  • Wide Receivers for Fantasy Football Week 6
  • Tight Ends for Fantasy Football Week 6

Abbreviations

  • Fantasy Points per Game (FPPG)
  • Against the Spread (ATS)
  • Over/Under (O/U)
  • Team Total (TT)
  • Moneyline (ML)
  • Return on Investment (ROI)
  • Adjusted Yards per Attempt (AY/A)
  • Expected Points Added (EPA)
  • Success Rate (SR)
  • Completion Percentage Over Expected (CPOE)
  • Defense-Adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA)
  • AirYAC (Air Yards + Yards After Catch)
  • Weighted Opportunity Rating (WOPR)
  • Average Depth of Target (aDOT)
  • Short Down and Distance (SDD)
  • Long Down and Distance (LDD)