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

While Week 5 of the 2020 NFL season was filled with its fair share of surprises, it featured some of the usual suspects at the top of fantasy stat sheets.

Few likely saw the Miami Dolphins' 43-17 beatdown of the San Francisco 49ers coming. However, plenty of folks probably anticipated big days from Raheem Mostert (three receptions, 119 scrimmage yards) or DeVante Parker (two receptions, 50 yards, one TD).

While games can always be unpredictable, some fantasy options tend to be reliable based on their workloads. This holds true for potential sleeper prospects who might still be available on the waiver wire heading into Week 6.

Here, we'll project the top 40 fantasy options for the upcoming week, based on points-per-reception scoring. We'll also run down some of the best waiver-wire targets.

Fantasy Football Top 40, Week 6

1. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys

2. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings

3. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Arizona Cardinals

4. Calvin Ridley, WR, Atlanta Falcons

5. Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers

6. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans

7. Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings

8. Allen Robinson II, WR, Chicago Bears

9. Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

10. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

11. David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears

12. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

13. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

14. Kenny Golladay, WR, Detroit Lions

15. Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens

16. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

17. Mike Davis, RB, Carolina Panthers

18. Kareem Hunt, RB, Cleveland Browns

19. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

20. Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills

21. Amari Cooper, WR, Dallas Cowboys

22. Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers

23. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

24. Todd Gurley, RB, Atlanta Falcons

25. DJ Chark Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

26. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Cleveland Browns

27. James Robinson, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

28. James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

29. Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Football Team

30. David Johnson, RB, Houston Texans

31. Diontae Johnson, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

32. A.J. Brown, WR, Tennessee Titans

33. Robby Anderson, WR, Carolina Panthers

34. Raheem Mostert, RB, San Francisco 49ers

35. Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

36. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens

37. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

38. DeVante Parker, WR, Miami Dolphins

39. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams

40. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

Week-5 Waiver-Wire Targets

Andy Dalton, QB, Dallas Cowboys

Unfortunately for the Dallas Cowboys and for countless fantasy managers, quarterback Dak Prescott is done for the season. The franchise-tagged signal-caller suffered a gruesome ankle injury against the New York Giants on Sunday and quickly underwent surgery to repair it.

This leaves Dallas looking to Andy Dalton at quarterback for the foreseeable future. For fantasy managers, this presents a golden opportunity.

While Dalton doesn't possess the upside of Prescott, he's a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback when he's at his best. He completed nine of 11 pass attempts for 111 yards with a fumble in a relief effort on Sunday.

With pass-catching weapons like Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup and Dalton Schultz at his disposal, Dalton should serve as a reliable streamer throughout the rest of the 2020 season. He's available in more than 95 percent of Yahoo and ESPN leagues.

Chase Claypool, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Don Wright/Associated Press

While Dalton should be a solid streaming option moving forward, Pittsburgh Steelers wideout Chase Claypool is close to being a must-start flex candidate. He's still somewhat matchup-dependent—he had just one reception in Week 3—but he has a tremendous amount of upside.

Claypool flashed his upside on Sunday, finishing with 110 receiving yards, six rushing yards and four total touchdowns.

"I think it's fair to wonder if he's already the club's best receiver," Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote.

Claypool may only be a full-fledged fantasy star in the right matchups, but he has a tremendous one in Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland ranks just 29th against the pass through the first four weeks.

Claypool is rostered in just 16 percent of Yahoo leagues and nine percent of ESPN leagues.

Travis Fulgham, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

The Steelers have Claypool as a breakout wide receiver. The Philadelphia Eagles have their own in second-year man Travis Fulgham.

Fulgham shined against the Steelers in a losing effort on Sunday. He finished with 10 catches for 152 yards and a touchdown. It marked his second-consecutive game with a touchdown catch.

While it's hard to consider Fulgham a must-start after just two strong games, it's also impossible to discount his emergence in the Eagles offense. He has quickly become one of Carson Wentz's top targets and should remain a terrific streaming option moving forward.

Fulgham has a mid-level matchup against the Baltimore Ravens and their 18th-ranked pass defense in Week 6. He's currently available in more than 95 percent of Yahoo and ESPN leagues.

*Yahoo and ESPN roster percentages from FantasyPros