Fantasy football: Walker, Garoppolo lead add/drops for Week 6

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo can be used as a fantasy football streamer in Week 6. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo
MIAMI, Oct. 11 (UPI) — Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III leads my fantasy football waiver wire priority list for Week 6 of the 2022 NFL season. Week 5 was the second-consecutive week to feature a starting running back who sustained a season-ending injury, with Seahawks star Rashaad Penny breaking his leg. Penny’s injury means that Walker will take over the backfield workload in Seattle. Advertisement
He should be added in all leagues and has a great schedule right away. Walker can be plugged in as an RB2 until further notice.
Several other backup running backs are among my other top targets, due to frequency of injuries at the position. Penny, Matt Ryan and Tyler Conklin are among the players who can be dropped.
Week 6 is also the first week of the season with teams on byes. Players from the Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee Titans should be benched or released, as their teams take the week off.
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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce, New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill and the Cincinnati Bengals defense/special teams unit are among my other top waiver wire targets.
Waiver wire and free agency additions also give you a chance to pick up players who made an impact early on, in hopes that they remain consistent.
Several of the top options — including Walker — could reach RB1 territory due to injuries to the starting running back on their respective team.
Here are my top players to add and top players to drop for Week 6:
ALL-ADD TEAM
QB | Jimmy Garoppolo, Justin Fields; RB | Kenneth Walker III, Eno Benjamin; WR | Alec Pierce, Rondale Moore, Jakobi Meyers; TE | Taysom Hill, Irv Smith Jr.; D/ST | Bengals; K | Graham Gano
HONORABLE MENTIONS
QB | Zach Wilson, Daniel Jones, Carson Wentz; RB | Mike Boone, Rachaad White, Deon Jackson; WR | Marquez Valdes-Scantling; TE | Hayden Hurst, Evan Engram,; D/ST | Browns; K | Mason Crosby
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TOP DROPS
QB | Matt Ryan, Cooper Rush; RB | Rashaad Penny ; WR | Joshua Palmer; TE | Tyler Conklin; D/ST | Bills; K | Ka’imi Fairbairn
QUARTERBACK
This isn’t a fantastic week for quarterbacks on the waiver wire, but Derek Carr and Jared Goff owners who won’t have their services due to bye weeks should take a look at Jimmy Garoppolo and Justin Fields as fill ins. Garoppolo and Fields also are solid streaming options if your low-end starter will face a tough matchup in Week 6.
Garoppolo provided increased yardage totals in each week so far this season. He threw for a season-high 253 yards and two scores on 30 attempts in Week 5.
This week, Garoppolo and the San Francisco 49ers will battle the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons allowed the fourth-most passing yards to quarterbacks through five games. Look for Garoppolo to total at least 250 passing yards and find the end zone twice for the second-consecutive week. He will be within the Top 14 of my positional rankings for Week 6.
Fields is a lower-end streamer for Week 6, but should only be in your lineup if you are extremely desperate. The Chicago Bears quarterback threw for a season-high 208 yards and threw a touchdown pass in Week 5. He also ran for 47 yards on eight carries and had a 52-yard rushing score called back due to a penalty.
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Fields’ improvement as a passer and consistent rushing production should lead to several starter-worthy weeks in fantasy football. This week, the Bears will battle the Washington Commanders.
The Commanders tied for allowing the third-most passing scores and allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks through five games. Fields is a fringe QB1 this week, but only in leagues that include at least 14 teams.
RUNNING BACK
Walker will be a fringe RB1 option in great matchups for the rest of the season. The rookie is in line to be the work horse of the Seattle Seahawks backfield.
Walker erupted to 88 yards and a score on eight carries, including a 69-yard rushing touchdown in Week 5. This week, the Seahawks will face the Arizona Cardinals.
The Cardinals are decent at defending opposing running backs, but I expect this game to be a shootout. Look for Walker to get at least 15 touches. His ability as a playmaker should lead to several explosive sequences. He is a safe RB2 play, but could find his way into the Top 14 if he finds the end zone again.
Eno Benjamin is another backup running back who should be added in all leagues. Cardinals running back James Conner sustained a rib injury in Week 5, but could still play in Week 6. Cardinals running back Darrell Williams also sustained a knee injury in Week 5.
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Benjamin is in line to get more work if either Benjamin or Conner miss time. He could even earn a start in Week 6 if Conner can’t play. Benjamin logged 53 yards and a score on 11 touches last week. He should see north of 10 touches again when the Cardinals battle the Seahawks.
Benjamin is a bench addition for now, but could develop into a valuable depth piece or RB2/flex option down the road.
WIDE RECEIVER
Alec Pierce was a Top 20 fantasy football wide receiver in Week 5. The Indianapolis Colts pass catcher totaled at least 80 yards in two-consecutive games. He also earned at least five targets in each of his last three appearances.
Pierce went off for a season-high eight catches for 81 yards last week. Look for the Colts playmaker to continue his emergence when he battles the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday in Indianapolis.
The Jaguars are decent at defending opposing wide receivers, but I expect the Colts to have more offensive rhythm this week.
Pierce should provide WR3 value for the rest of the season, but could be somewhat inconsistent until he starts finding the end zone.
TIGHT END
Taysom Hill was one of my must-start recommendations in Week 5. The New Orleans Saints tight end rewarded his fantasy football stock owners with 112 rushing yards and three rushing scores — in addition to a pass touchdown — in a win over the Seahawks.
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Hill’s creative usage and recent production should keep him in fantasy football lineups for leagues that require starting tight ends.
The Saints will host the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in New Orleans. The Bengals allowed the fourth-most receiving yards to tight ends through five games. Hill accounted for six total touchdowns in four appearances this season. I expect him to get another 6 to 8 carries and find the end zone for the fourth time in five games this weekend in New Orleans.
He will be among my Top 14 tight end plays for Week 6.
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