Fantasy football: Six must-start QBs for Week 6

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Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) avoids New Orleans Saints defenders Sunday at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Photo by AJ Sisco/UPI | License Photo
MIAMI, Oct. 13 (UPI) — Geno Smith and Kirk Cousins are among my six must-start quarterbacks for Week 6 of the 2022 fantasy football season. Each of my must-start passers rank inside the Top 14 in my Top 20 weekly rankings, meaning that they should be started in leagues with at least 14 teams. My full Top 20 weekly rankings are listed below. Advertisement
Kyler Murray is another high-end QB1 play this week. My list of six must-start quarterbacks also features some streaming options or injury fill-ins.
Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Tom Brady, Murray and Patrick Mahomes make up the Top 5 of my weekly rankings. Cousins, Joe Burrow, Aaron Rodgers, Jalen Hurts and Matthew Stafford also are inside my Top 10.
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Jared Goff, Derek Carr, Ryan Tannehill and Davis Mills should be benched or dropped due to Week 6 byes for the Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans.
Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield also shouldn’t be considered, and can be dropped, because of his Week 5 injury.
Josh Allen
Allen is an NFL MVP candidate and should never leave fantasy football lineups, but he could singlehandedly lead your team to a Week 6 win due to a great matchup, expected game tempo and his consistent production.
The Buffalo Bills star leads my Week 6 quarterback rankings. Allen provided at least two total touchdowns in 11 of his last 12 games, dating back to last season and including the playoffs. That streak also includes seven games with at least three touchdown passes.
Allen leads the NFL with 1,651 passing yards and is averaging 3.2 total touchdowns and 2.8 passing touchdowns per game. He will battle the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in Kansas City, Mo. Allen threw for 329 yards and four touchdowns in his last game against the Chiefs, a playoff loss Jan. 23 in Kansas City.
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I expect a similar performance Sunday against the Chiefs, who allowed the seventh-most fantasy points, tied for allowing the most passing touchdowns and allowed the sixth-most passing yards to quarterbacks.
Look for Allen to total close to 400 passing yards and find the end zone for three total scores.
Kyler Murray
Murray is my No. 4 option for Week 6. The Arizona Cardinals quarterback leads the NFL in pass completions and attempts, but totaled just six passing scores through five games.
Look for Murray to provide elite QB1 production this week, when his Cardinals face the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks allowed the eighth-most fantasy points and the ninth-most passing yards to quarterbacks through Week 5.
Murray, who also provides value as a runner, should throw for at least 250 yards and two scores, while also finding the end zone on the ground.
Kirk Cousins
Cousins is my No. 6 play for Week 6. The veteran quarterback led the Minnesota Vikings to a 4-1 start. He also threw for at least 250 yards in four of his five appearances.
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Cousins totaled at least two touchdowns in three of those games, but has yet to throw three scores in a game. I expect that to change when the Miami Dolphins host the Vikings on Sunday in Miami Gardens, Fla.
The Dolphins allowed the fourth-most fantasy points and fifth-most passing yards to quarterbacks through five games. They also allowed at least 200 passing scores and/or 300 passing yards to quarterbacks in three of their last four games.
I expect Cousins, who logged 296 passing yards and two total touchdowns in Week 5, to eclipse 300 passing yards and throw for three scores against the Dolphins. He should be started in all leagues.
Geno Smith
Smith leads the NFL in passer rating and completion percentage. He also threw at least two touchdown passes in four of his five games this season. Smith went off for 268 passing yards and three touchdowns in Week 5. He eclipsed 320 passing yards in Week 3 and Week 4.
This week, the Seahawks will meet the Cardinals, who allowed the eighth-most fantasy points through five weeks. The Cardinals also just allowed 300 total yards and two scores the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
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Look for Smith to total at least 250 passing yards. He also should find the end zone for two total touchdowns. Smith is my No. 11 option for Week 6.
Jimmy Garoppolo
Garoppolo was one of my favorite waiver wire targets this week. The San Francisco 49ers quarterback is a fantastic streaming option if your normal starter is on a bye, has a tough matchup or is struggling.
Garoppolo threw for a season-high 253 yards and two scores in Week 5. He also totaled at least 200 yards in each of his three starts this season.
The 49ers will face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in Atlanta. The Falcons allowed the 10th most fantasy points and fourth-most passing yards through their first five games.
Garoppolo is a near lock for at least 250 passing yards. He is No. 14 in my rankings, but could move into the Top 10 if he finds the end zone twice.
Week 6 fantasy football quarterback rankings
1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills at KC
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2. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens at NYG
3. Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at PIT
4. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals at SEA
5. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs vs. BUF
6. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings at MIA
7. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals at NO
8. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers vs. NYJ
9. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles vs. DAL
10. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams vs. CAR
11. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks vs. ARI
12. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers vs. DEN
13. Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers at ATL
14. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars at IND
15. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears vs. WAS
16. Daniel Jones, New York Giants vs. BAL
17. Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos at LAC
18. Skylar Thompson, Miami Dolphins vs. MIN
19. Andy Dalton, New Orleans Saints vs. CIN
20. Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. TB
This week in the National Football League