Fantasy football: Brandon Aiyuk among must-start wide receivers for Week 6

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San Francisco 49ers wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk (R) can each be in fantasy football starting lineups in Week 6. File Photo by John Sommers II/UPI | License Photo
MIAMI, Oct. 12 (UPI) — Brandon Aiyuk and DeVonta Smith are among my must-start wide receivers for Week 6 of the 2022 fantasy football season. Each of my must-start pass catchers ranks inside the top 42 of my rankings, which means they should be in lineups for leagues with at least 14 teams that can start up to three wide receivers. Advertisement
Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson is the top player in my overall Top 50 wide receiver rankings for Week 4. Stefon Diggs, Cooper Kupp, Ja’Marr Chase and A.J. Brown also are in my Top 5.
Chris Godwin, Tyreek Hill, DK Metcalf, Gabriel Davis and DeVonta Smith are among my Top 10 options and should be in every starting lineup.
Davante Adams, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Brandin Cooks are among the wide receivers who should be out of fantasy football lineups as the Las Vegas Raiders, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans will each serve Week 6 byes.
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Gabriel Davis
Davis logged 88 yards and a score in Week 1, but struggled in his next two appearances this season. He rebounded with 171 yards and two scores on three catches in the Buffalo Bills’ Week 5 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Bills offense ranks No. 1 in the NFL overall, led by quarterback Josh Allen’s top-ranked passing attack. This week, they will battle the Kansas City Chiefs in what is expected to be a shootout.
The Chiefs allowed the eighth-most fantasy points and tied for allowing the third-most receiving scores to wide receivers through five games. I expect Allen and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to throw for more than 300 yards apiece in this meeting of AFC powers.
That prolific passing duel should lead all of their pass catches to fantasy football relevance. Davis should find the end zone again. I also expect at least eight targets for the Bills weapon.
He is my No. 9 option for Week 6.
DeVonta Smith
Smith is my No. 10 wide receiver for Week 6, joining Philadelphia Eagles teammate A.J. Brown in my Top 10. Smith caught a season-high 10 passes for 87 yards in Week 5. He also hauled in eight catches for 179 yards and a score in Week 3.
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Smith received more targets than Brown in two of the last three weeks. This week. the Eagles will battle the Dallas Cowboys. I expect Cowboys All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs to lock onto Brown for most of this game, leading to more targets for Smith.
Look for at least 12 targets for 10 catches and 100 yards from Smith in this matchup. He is a low-end WR1 or high-end WR2 this week.
Adam Thielen
Thielen is another player off to somewhat of a slow start, for fantasy football purposes. The Minnesota Vikings wide receiver did not eclipse 72 yards and scored just one time through his first five games.
Thielen, who scored 24 touchdowns over his two previous season, will likely find the end zone again soon. His eight targets per game over his last three appearances is a positive sign that he continues to hold an important role in the Vikings offense.
This week, the Vikings will battle the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins allowed the sixth-most fantasy points and ninth-most receiving yards to wide receivers through five weeks. I expect Thielen and Justin Jefferson to provide a lot of fantasy points in this matchup Sunday in Miami Gardens, Fla.
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Thielen is my No. 15 option and can be used as a WR2 or WR3.
Brandon Aiyuk
Aiyuk is the second-most targeted San Francisco 49ers pass catcher this season, trailing only Deebo Samuel. He totaled 27 looks and 17 catches through his first five games. He also found the end zone once.
Look for Aiyuk and 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo — one of my top waiver wire targets — to connect at least eight times against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in Atlanta.
The Falcons allowed the seventh-most fantasy points, tied for allowing the third-most catches and allowed the seventh-most receiving yards to wide receivers through five weeks. They also just allowed more than 60 yards to three different Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receivers and 351 passing yards to Tom Brady in a Week 5 loss.
Look for Aiyuk, my No. 19 option, to be Garoppolo’s top target in Week 6. He can be used as a low-end WR2 or high-end WR3.
Alec Pierce
Pierce was one of my favorite wide receiver targets this week on the waiver wire. The Indianapolis Colts offense struggled in Week 5, but Pierce provided positive output when quarterback Matt Ryan looked his way.
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The rookie wide receiver logged a season-high nine targets last week’s win over the Denver Broncos. Those targets translated into eight catches for 81 yards.
Pierce’s usage in the Colts offense is trending up after two-consecutive weeks with at least six targets and 80 yards. This week, the Colts will battle the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Look for this game to have somewhat of a slow tempo, as both teams attempt to establish their running games. Pierce will likely be a better option in points-per-reception formats, as I expect at least eight catches for 75 yards. He is my No. 33 option this week and can be plugged in as a fringe WR3.
Week 6 fantasy football wide receiver rankings
1. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings at MIA
2. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills at KC
3. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams vs. CAR
4. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals at NO
5. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles vs. DAL
6. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at PIT
7. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins vs. MIN
8. DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks vs. ARI
9. Gabriel Davis, Buffalo Bills at KC
10. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles vs. DAL
11. Mike Williams, Los Angeles Chargers vs. DEN
12. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos at LAC
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13. Marquise Brown, Arizona Cardinals at SEA
14. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins vs. MIN
15. Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings vs. MIA
16. Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints vs. CIN
17. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at PIT
18. Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys at PHI
19. Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers at ATL
20. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers at ATL
21. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks vs. ARI
22. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders at CHI
23. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys at PHI
24. George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. TB
25. D.J. Moore, Carolina Panthers at LAR
26. Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers vs. NYJ
27. Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars at IND
29. Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns vs. NE
30. Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. TB
31. Jakobi Meyers, New England Patriots at CLE
32. Jerry Jeudy, Denver Broncos at LAC
33. Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts vs. JAX
34. Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers vs. NJ
35. Rondale Moore, Arizona Cardinals at SEA
36. DeVante Parker, New England Patriots at CLE
37. Josh Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers vs. DEN
38. Mecole Hardman, Kansas City Chiefs vs. BUF
39. Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts vs. JAX
40. Garrett Wilson, New York Jets at GB
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41. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons vs. SF
42. Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals at NO
43. Darius Slayton, New York Giants vs. BAL
44. Curtis Samuel, Washington Commanders at CHI
45. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kansas City Chiefs vs. BUF
46, Darnell Mooney, Chicago Bears vs. WAS
47. Dyami Brown, Washington Commanders at CHI
48. Isaiah McKenzie, Buffalo Bills at KC
49. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kansas City Chiefs vs. BUF
50. Devin Duvernay, Baltimore Ravens at NYG
This week in the National Football League