Fantasy Football Midweek Report (Weeks 5-6)

Week 5 of the NFL season was relatively uneventful compared to previous weeks. The week as a whole was pretty dry, but that does not mean that it didn’t have its moments. Taysom Hill accounted for four touchdowns, rookie running backs Breece Hall and Kenneth Walker had their best games of the season, and Gabriel Davis had 171 receiving yards on just 3 receptions.

Week 6 will hopefully bring a more entertaining set of games headlined by a potential AFC Championship matchup in Kansas City, as the Chiefs will take on the Bills. In this article, I will try to pinpoint some of the best performances and pickups for the week to help you set your lineup.

Quarterback:

Start of the Week: Kirk Cousins MIN

Kirk Cousins had his best week of the young season last week as he carved up the Bears defense on the way to 22.24 fantasy points. Fantasy managers should expect that number as the minimum this week as the Vikings are facing a worse pass defense in the Miami Dolphins. Kirk Cousins has a great chance to have his first 300-yard performance of the season and he could finally break 25 fantasy points.

HM: Kyler Murray ARI, Aaron Rodgers GB

Waiver Priority: Geno Smith SEA

Before the season, the if you said the words “Geno Smith” and “fantasy relevant” in the same sentence, people would have thought you were crazy. However, after the last two weeks, that statement is far from crazy as Geno Smith has combined for 55.72 fantasy points. At this point in the season, I would rather have Geno Smith than some big names like Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers as his ceiling is significantly higher than the other two.

HM: Kenny Pickett PIT, Marcus Mariota ATL

Running Back:

Start of the Week: AJ Dillon GB

There are very few “cupcake” matchups for running backs this week as teams like Detroit, Las Vegas, and Houston are all on bye. AJ Dillon and the Green Bay Packers play the Jets at home this week and early forecasts are calling for snow flurries. Dillon is a sneaky start against an average Jets defense because of his track record of dominating teams in cold weather.

HM: Miles Sanders PHI, Leonard Fournette TB

Waiver Priority: Kenneth Walker SEA

While there were a couple of minor injuries this week, there was one that everyone needs to keep an eye on. Rashaad Penny fractured his tibia, meaning he will likely be out for most of the season. Walker is a must-add in all leagues as he showed his explosiveness on a 69-yard rushing touchdown. A breakout is imminent from the rookie running back, and fantasy managers need to take advantage.

HM: Tevin Coleman SF, Joshua Kelley LAC

Wide Receiver:

Start of the Week: Deebo Samuel SF

Deebo Samuel has disappointed many of his fantasy managers this season as he has not lived up to his second-round ADP. However, he gets a bounce-back matchup against the Atlanta Falcons where he should have no trouble finding seams in the defense. Deebo could finally produce at or above his ADP, and if not, it will be time to sell him.

HM: Mike Evans/Chris Godwin TB, JuJu Smith-Schuster KC

Waiver Priority: Alec Pierce IND

Alec Pierce has quietly emerged as the clear number two receiver on the Indianapolis Colts. In the Thursday night slugfest against the Denver Broncos, he led the Colts in targets with 9 and finished with over 16 fantasy points. Pierce could develop into a weekly starter as the season progresses and the time to buy or add is right now.

HM: Khalil Shakir BUF, Josh Reynolds DET

Tight End:

Start of the Week: George Kittle SF

Another 49er makes this list as the matchup against the Falcons is too good to pass up. Atlanta is near the top of the NFL in total fantasy points allowed to tight ends. We have been waiting on George Kittle’s breakout game, and this is the best chance he’ll have in the first half of the season to do it. Managers should expect an upper-half TE1 performance out of Kittle, who is due for a great game.

HM: Zach Ertz ARI, Gerald Everett LAC

Waiver Priority: Taysom Hill NO

Tight end is the thinnest position in fantasy football and it shows on the waiver wire. With next week being the first with byes, managers in deep leagues needing tight ends should look to Taysom Hill as a dart throw. He showed his full potential this week as he accounted for four touchdowns and over 130 total yards. That potential is impossible to ignore and makes him a streaming option going forward.

HM Waiver Priorities: Hayden Hurst CIN, Will Dissly SEA