Fantasy Football Week 6: Rankings, Projections and Waiver-Wire Tips

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles had negative fantasy points late in the first half against the Kansas City Chiefs due to a lost fumble and two interceptions. Although he finished the day with five turnovers, he also had 430 passing yards and a touchdown, which more than made up for his rough start for fantasy teams that roster him.

That's the odd part about fantasy football, though. From that perspective, Bortles did fine. From a reality perspective, the Jags offense has seen better days.

Jacksonville may want to burn the tape and look ahead to Week 6, and we'll do the same as we discuss Bortles' prospects and some waiver-wire tips below. On paper, he may be a borderline start/sit candidate for next week, so we'll offer some guidance and projections on him if you're trying to make some decisions.

Top-12 quarterback and tight end projections can be found below, in addition to top-24 running back and top-36 wide receiver lists. That's indicative of a typical lineup in a standard 12-team league with one quarterback, two running backs, three wideouts and a tight end. If you don't see a player on the list they're on the sit end of the start/sit spectrum.

Projections are based off full point-per-reception leagues. The list does not include players who missed Week 5 action (and whose Week 6 statues are unconfirmed) or those who may not play Week 6 due to injuries suffered on Sunday.

Week 6 Rankings

Top 12 Quarterbacks

1. New England Patriots QB Tom Brady (vs. Kansas City Chiefs): 31 points

2. Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers): 30 points

3. Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (at New England Patriots): 29 points

4. Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton (at Washington Redskins): 26 points

3. Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers (vs. San Francisco 49ers): 25 points

6. Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson (at Oakland Raiders in Wembley Stadium in London): 25 points

7. Los Angeles Rams QB Jared Goff (at Denver Broncos): 23 points

8. Cincinnati Bengals QB Andy Dalton (vs. Pittsburgh Steelers): 21 points

9. Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson (vs. Buffalo Bills): 21 points

10. Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins (vs. Arizona Cardinals): 20 points

11. Oakland Raiders QB Derek Carr (vs. Seattle Seahawks in Wembley Stadium in London): 19 points

12. Jacksonville Jaguars QB Blake Bortles (at Dallas Cowboys): 19 points

Top 24 Running Backs

1. Los Angeles Rams RB Todd Gurley (at Denver Broncos): 27 points

2. Carolina Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey (at Washington Redskins): 26 points

3. New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley (vs. Philadelphia Eagles): 26 points

4. New England Patriots RB James White (vs. Kansas City Chiefs): 22 points

5. Kansas City Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt (at New England Patriots): 21 points

6. Los Angeles Chargers RB Melvin Gordon (at Cleveland Browns): 20 points

7. Dallas Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars): 20 points

8. Arizona Cardinals RB David Johnson (at Minnesota Vikings): 20 points

9. Chicago Bears RB Jordan Howard (at Miami Dolphins): 19 points

10. Cincinnati Bengals RB Joe Mixon (vs. Pittsburgh Steelers): 17 points

11. Pittsburgh Steelers RB James Conner (at Cincinnati Bengals): 17 points

12. Cleveland Browns RB Carlos Hyde (vs. Los Angeles Chargers): 15 points

13. Indianapolis Colts RB Nyheim Hines (at New York Jets): 15 points

14. Seattle Seahawks RB Chris Carson (at Oakland Raiders in Wembley Stadium in London): 14 points

15. Washington Redskins RB Chris Thompson (vs. Carolina Panthers): 13 points

16. Atlanta Falcons RB Devonta Freeman (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers): 13 points

17. Houston Texans RB Lamar Miller (vs. Buffalo Bills): 13 points

18. New England Patriots RB Sony Michel (vs. Kansas City Chiefs): 12 points

19. Seattle Seahawks RB Mike Davis (at Oakland Raiders in Wembley Stadium in London): 12 points

20. Oakland Raiders RB Marshawn Lynch (vs. Seattle Seahawks in Wembley Stadium in London): 11 points

21. Green Bay Packers RB Aaron Jones (vs. San Francisco 49ers): 10 points

22. New York Jets RB Bilal Powell (vs. Indianapolis Colts): 10 points

23. Denver Broncos RB Phillip Lindsay (vs. Los Angeles Rams): 10 points

24. New York Jets RB Isaiah Crowell (vs. Indianapolis Colts): 9 points

Top 36 Wide Receivers

1. Atlanta Falcons WR Julio Jones (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers): 32 points

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Mike Evans (at Atlanta Falcons): 31 points

3. Kansas City Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill (at New England Patriots): 31 points

4. New York Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. (vs. Philadelphia Eagles): 28 points

5. Pittsburgh Steelers WR Antonio Brown (at Cincinnati Bengals): 27 points

6. Houston Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins (vs. Buffalo Bills): 25 points 

7. Los Angeles Chargers WR Keenan Allen (at Cleveland Browns): 25 points

8. Minnesota Vikings WR Stefon Diggs (vs. Arizona Cardinals): 25 points

9. New England Patriots WR Julian Edelman (vs. Indianapolis Colts): 23 points

10. Minnesota Vikings WR Adam Thielen (vs. Arizona Cardinals): 23 points

11. Cincinnati Bengals WR A.J. Green (vs. Pittsburgh Steelers): 23 points

12. Green Bay Packers WR Davante Adams (vs. San Francisco 49ers): 22 points

13. Los Angeles Rams WR Robert Woods (at Denver Broncos): 22 points

14. Cleveland Browns WR Jarvis Landry (vs. Los Angeles Chargers): 21 points

15. Seattle Seahawks WR Doug Baldwin (at Oakland Raiders in Wembley Stadium in London): 19 points

16. Denver Broncos WR Emmanuel Sanders (vs. Los Angeles Rams): 19 points

17. Pittsburgh Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (at Cincinnati Bengals): 19 points

18. Kansas City Chiefs WR Sammy Watkins (at New England Patriots): 18 points

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR DeSean Jackson (at Atlanta Falcons): 18 points

20. Arizona Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald (at Minnesota Vikings): 18 points

21. Seattle Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett (at Oakland Raiders in Wembley Stadium in London): 17 points

22. Baltimore Ravens WR John Brown (at Tennessee Titans): 17 points

23. Atlanta Falcons WR Calvin Ridley (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers): 16 points

24. Jacksonville Jaguars WR Dede Westbrook (at Dallas Cowboys): 14 points

25. Oakland Raiders WR Amari Cooper (vs. Seattle Seahawks in Wembley Stadium in London): 14 points

26. Chicago Bears WR Allen Robinson (at Miami Dolphins): 14 points

27. Philadelphia Eagles WR Alshon Jeffery (at New York Giants): 14 points

28. New York Jets WR Quincy Enunwa (vs. Indianapolis Colts): 13 points

29. New York Giants WR Sterling Shepard (vs. Philadelphia Eagles): 13 points

30. Cincinnati Bengals WR Tyler Boyd (vs. Pittsburgh Steelers): 11 points

31. Houston Texans WR Will Fuller V (vs. Buffalo Bills): 11 points

32. Jacksonville Jaguars WR Keelan Cole (at Dallas Cowboys): 11 points

33. Denver Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas (vs. Los Angeles Rams): 10 points

34. New York Jets WR Robby Anderson (vs. Indianapolis Colts): 10 points

35. Carolina Panthers WR DJ Moore (vs. Washington Redskins): 9 points

36. Tennessee Titans WR Corey Davis (vs. Baltimore Ravens): 9 points

Top 12 Tight Ends

1. New England Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski (vs. Kansas City Chiefs): 21 points

2. Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce (at New England Patriots): 20 points

3. Philadelphia Eagles TE Zach Ertz (at New York Giants): 20 points

4. Oakland Raiders TE Jared Cook (vs. Seattle Seahawks in Wembley Stadium in London): 17 points

5. Green Bay Packers TE Jimmy Graham (vs. San Francisco 49ers): 14 points

6. Washington Redskins TE Jordan Reed (vs. Carolina Panthers): 12 points

7. Chicago Bears TE Trey Burton (at Miami Dolphins): 12 points

8. Indianapolis Colts TE Eric Ebron (at New York Jets): 10 points

9. Cleveland Browns TE David Njoku (vs. Los Angeles Chargers): 9 points

10. Minnesota Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph (vs. Arizona Cardinals): 8 points

11. Atlanta Falcons TE Austin Hooper (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers): 8 points

12. Houston Texans TE Ryan Griffin (vs. Indianapolis Colts): 7 points

Jacksonville Jaguars QB Blake Bortles: Start 'Em

The Blake Bortles who threw for 388 passing yards and completed 76 percent of his passes in a 31-12 win over the New York Jets looked like one of the best quarterbacks in football.

The Blake Bortles who had 4.56 yards per attempt against the Tennessee Titans in a 9-6 loss and committed five turnovers against Kansas City does not look like one of the best quarterbacks in football.

However, a date with the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday presents an opportunity to right the ship on one condition. If the Jaguars offensive line can slow down the tough Cowboys pass rush led by end Demarcus Lawrence, Bortles can get comfortable and pick on a secondary that's been inconsistent this year (per Football Outsiders, the team's pass-defense efficiency ranked 26th heading into Week 5).

The Jags have done a good job keeping Bortles upright for the most part. They ranked third in adjusted sack rate allowed entering the Chiefs game, per Football Outsiders, although that ranking may drop as Bortles was sacked five times Sunday (granted, he attempted 61 passes, so there were more sack opportunities).

Still, Bortles has the weapons to bounce back. Wide receiver Keelan Cole torched the New England Patriots for seven catches, 126 yards and a touchdown. Wideout Dede Westbrook caught nine passes for 130 yards versus the New York Jets. And pass-catcher Donte Moncrief has amassed 185 yards in his past two games.

Running back T.J. Yeldon has fared well in starter Leonard Fournette's absence, accumulating 222 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns in two weeks.

Look for Bortles and the Jags offense to get on track Sunday.

Week 6 Waiver-Wire Tips

The key to making good waiver-wire pickups is basing your selections off a player's projected outcome, not his previous week's result.

For example, Green Bay Packers rookie wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling had seven catches (on 10 targets) for 68 yards and a touchdown Sunday versus the Detroit Lions. The fact that Valdes-Scantling was able to get double-digit targets is impressive and can foreshadow future opportunities down the road...if he gets them.

Valdes-Scantling is fourth on the wideout chart behind Davante Adams, Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison. Cobb and Allison missed Sunday's game due to injuries, which enabled Valdes-Scantling to be the next man up and deliver a solid performance.

When Cobb and Allison get back (their timetables are uncertain right now, although Allison was listed as questionable before eventually being ruled out), they could certainly take their spots back on the depth chart, bumping the rookie back down to the No. 4 spot. That means far fewer snaps and changes for Valdes-Scantling, to the point where he wouldn't be viable for fantasy rosters.

He is a good Week 6 option if Allison and/or Cobb are not back, but barring either one of those injuries being long term (and obviously the hope is that is not the case), it may be best to look for longer-term help elsewhere.

Some options after Sunday's games include Seattle Seahawks running back Mike Davis (he should get 10-15 touches per game at minimum in his new backfield timeshare with Chris Carson), Carolina Panthers rookie wideout D.J. Moore (playing time has increased as he caught a career-high four passes Sunday) and Houston Texans rookie wideout Keke Coutee (17 catches for 160 yards last two weeks).