Before we get into my favorite fantasy wide receivers for 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 WR 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 WRs for Fantasy Football Week 6

CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys) vs. Lions

  • Cowboys: +3.5
  • O/U: 53
  • TT: 24.75

The reports of Lamb's death are greatly exaggerated. There's nothing terrible about 413 yards and two TDs from scrimmage on 41 targets and seven carries through five games. For his career, he has averaged 9.1 yards per target. This year, 9.2.

And yet… he's doesn't have more than 100 yards receiving in any game this season. Last season, he had nine such performances in 18 games (including playoffs). This year, he's had no more than 10 targets in any game, and he's hit that mark just once. Last year, He had 10-plus targets in 11 games.

Lamb isn't playing poorly, but he's unlikely to lead the league again with 135 receptions. 

Even so, he could look like his 2023 self this weekend against the Lions, who are No. 3 in largest fantasy boost allowed to WRs (+6.9).

In every game, the Lions have allowed No. 1 WRs to put up numbers:

  • Cooper Kupp (Week 1): 14-110-1 receiving | 21 targets
  • Chris Godwin (Week 2): 7-117-1 receiving | 8 targets
  • Marvin Harrison (Week 3): 5-64-1 receiving | 11 targets
  • D.K. Metcalf (Week 4): 7-104-0 receiving | 12 targets

With his inside/outside functionality, Lamb should find advantageous matchups across the formation against three starting CBs who weren't with the Lions last year and are still adjusting.

In an indoor home game with the week's highest total, the underdog Cowboys should be motivated to pass the ball.

Jayden Reed (Packers) vs. Cardinals

  • Packers: -5
  • O/U: 49.5
  • TT: 27.25

The sample is small, but in Reed's three games this year with QB Jordan Love he has massively impressed with 409 yards and three TDs on 20 targets and four carries. 

And in his two games with backup QB Malik Willis, he still amassed a respectable 115 yards on eight targets and four carries.

With his ability to line up all over the formation and contribute as a receiver, runner, and even returner, Reed looks like the second coming of 2014 Randall Cobb — except better.

Although he's not an every-down player, Reed's route rate of 80% is sufficient enough to support his production, especially since he has been so efficient with his opportunities throughout his career (9.9 yards per target, 12.1 per carry), and last week — without WR Christian Watson (ankle), whom I expect to sit out again — he had season-high marks with a 90% route rate and 37% share of air yards.

The Cardinals are No. 29 in defensive pass DVOA (25.1%) and could be without slot CB Garrett Williams (groin), who missed last week.

Terry McLaurin (Commanders) at Ravens

  • Commanders: +6.5
  • O/U: 52.5
  • TT: 23

I've highlighted McLaurin every week this year in the "Deep Route" section, and now I feel he warrants the bump up to the main stage.

He was absolutely dreadful in Weeks 1-2 (39 yards, 3.3 yards per target)… but there was no way — given his talent and the high-functioning offense he's in — that his production would continue to disappoint so markedly; in the three games since he's made amends with fantasy investors by amassing 266 yards and two TDs on 24 targets and a carry.

He has four straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons and an NFL-high 54% share of air yards. He's a legitimate alpha receiver, and he could see a bump in target volume this week as a large road underdog against the Ravens, who are No. 1 in most fantasy points allowed to WRs (37.6) and No. 2 in largest fantasy boost allowed to WRs (+8.5).

Tank Dell (Texans) at Patriots

  • Texans: -7
  • O/U: 38
  • TT: 22.5

Before the season started, I wrote up Dell to lead the league in receiving yards at +10000. Clearly, I was wrong. I picked the incorrect Texans WR to back.

But that guy — Nico Collins (hamstring) — left last week early, and I expect him to miss Week 6, so maybe we'll see Dell get an expanded role and do something with the extra opportunities.

He already sees steady playing time with an 82% route rate overall and at least a 75% route rate in every game this year. And with his usage he's already theoretically ahead of teammate Stefon Diggs.

  • Dell (4 games): 25% air share | 17% endzone target share
  • Diggs (5 games): 20% air share | 11% endzone target share

And last year Dell was impressive. If we remove the games Dell missed or those in which he played less than half the snaps (so his NFL debut in Week 1 and his injury-shortened appearances in Weeks 5 & 13), he averaged 77.3 yards receiving per game with a smoking 9.2 yards per target as a rookie.

And in the seven games in which he and Collins both had a 50% snap rate, they were comparably productive and involved in the offense.

  • Dell (With Collins): 80.3 ReYds per game | 7.6 targets per game
  • Collins (With Dell): 85.9 ReYds per game | 7.4 targets per game

I like that Dell often gets 1-2 extra opportunities each game via the rushing attack, too.

While he has disappointed to date with just 167 scoreless yards on 21 targets and six carries in four games, Dell has the talent (and maybe now the opportunity) to turn his season around.

The Patriots are No. 28 in defensive pass DVOA (21.3%).

The Deep Route

Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals -3.5, TT: 26) at Giants: He entered Week 3 with just 10-97-0 receiving on 11 targets. In three games since, 19-396-5 on 25. He's still Chase — and the Giants are No. 28 in defensive pass DVOA against No. 1 WRs (16.2%).

A.J. Brown (Eagles -8.5, TT: 26) vs. Browns: Coming off the bye, Brown (hamstring) is a candidate to return to action, and I like the situational spot. The Eagles are rested and at home, the Browns are playing their third straight road game, and No. 1 CB Denzel Ward (hamstring) is dealing with an injury.

D.J. Moore (Bears -2.5, TT: 23.5) vs. Jaguars (in London): After a quiet Weeks 1-2 (103 scoreless yards), Moore has rebounded with 199 yards and three TDs on 24 targets and a carry in three games. The Jaguars are No. 1 in largest fantasy boost allowed to WRs (+10.4) and without No. 1 CB Tyson Campbell (hamstring, IR).

D.K. Metcalf (Seahawks +3, TT: 23.25) vs. 49ers: After a forgettable Week 1 with new OC Ryan Grubb, Metcalf has 25-392-2 receiving on 39 targets in four games. Lining up most often wide left, he has an advantageous matchup against right CB Isaac Yiadom, a journeyman on his sixth team in as many years.

Marvin Harrison Jr. (Cardinals +5, TT: 22.25) at Packers: He disappointed in his first NFL game with just one four-yard reception on three targets, but in the four games since he has looked like a bonafide stud with 16-275-4 receiving on 32 targets. The top overall player in Dwain McFarland's WR Super Model, Harrison has a good matchup against the Packers, who are No. 30 in defensive dropback SR (51.9%) and might be without No. 1 CB Jaire Alexander (quadriceps, groin) for a third week in a row.

Zay Flowers (Ravens -6.5, TT: 29.5) vs. Commanders: Even in a run-heavy offense, Flowers has seen 10-plus targets in an NFL-high three games. The Commanders are No. 4 in most fantasy points allowed to WRs (34.3).

Amari Cooper (Browns +8.5, TT: 17.5) at Eagles: With the exception of Week 3 (7-86-2 receiving), Cooper has disappointed this season… but he still has eight-plus targets in every game and 47 on the year. If I didn't mention him in this article, he'd go off. That's how fantasy football works. The Eagles are No. 32 in defensive pass DVOA against No. 1 WRs (32.1%).

Wan'Dale Robinson (Giants +3.5, TT: 22.5) vs. Bengals: Even if No. 1 WR Malik Nabers (concussion) returns to action, Robinson should still have a solid role, given his 38 targets in Weeks 1–4 with Nabers. The Bengals are No. 29 in defensive dropback EPA (0.212), and they could be without slot CB Mike Hilton (knee), who neither practiced nor played last week. 

More Fantasy Football Plays for 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)