Wide receiver non-PPR rankings for Week 6 fantasy football

Final injury report

The most surprising news of Friday was Julio Jones not getting any final injury designation after missing two straight days of practice. He’ll play in spite of his hamstring injury. A.J. Brown, Davante Adams, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin all were also removed from the final injury report. D.J. Chark, Odell Beckham, Jarvis Landry, and Breshad Perriman all seem like true game-day decisions.

Out: DeSean Jackson (hamstring), Alshon Jeffery (foot), Diontae Johnson (back), K.J. Hamler (hamstring)
Doubtful: Auden Tate (shoulder)
Questionable: Miles Boykin (thigh), Chris Moore (finger, thigh), Curtis Samuel (knee), Odell Beckham (illness), Jarvis Landry (hip, rib), Julian Edelman (questionable), D.J. Chark (ankle), Breshad Perriman (ankle), Darius Slayton (foot)

Friday AM update

Diontae Johnson and JuJu Smith-Schuster both returned to practice on Thursday. Johnson was limited while Smith-Schuster was full. Julio Jones, Jarvis Landry, D.J. Chark, and A.J. Brown all remained DNPs on Thursday. Friday will be critical to them having a shot at playing this weekend. One notable addition was Odell Beckham Jr., who was sent home Thursday with an illness. It is not believed to be Covid-19, but he is getting checked and the Browns are being cautious.

Speaking of Covid-19, Friday morning saw the Indianapolis Colts close their facility due to multiple positive tests. They are working to confirm those positives and figure out next steps. We’ll keep an eye out for more information on the game status and potential impact on T.Y. Hilton, Zach Pascal, A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd, Tee Higgins, and more.

Wednesday injury report

NFL teams returned to practice on Wednesday to begin on-field preparations for Week 6. The wide receiver position has been the most banged up of any of the fantasy relevant positions. That being said, it’s also a position where Wednesday will tell us the least. For example, JuJu Smith-Schuster is turning into regular Wednesday DNPs who then is practicing in full on Thursday. Julian Edelman is listed as limited and will likely be listed as questionable on Friday — but we know he’ll play. On the other hand, Diontae Johnson was listed with a toe injury last week but now is dealing with a back injury he suffered on Sunday. He’ll be one to keep a particularly close eye no as the week progresses.

DNP: Julio Jones (hamstring), Auden Tate (shoulder), Jarvis Landry (hip, rib), Diontae Johnson (back), JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee), K.J. Hamler (hamstring), D.J. Chark (ankle), Laviska Shenault (hamstring), Mike Evans (ankle), A.J. Brown (knee)
Limited: Russell Gage (shoulder), Alshon Jeffery (foot), Curtis Samuel (knee), A.J. Green (hamstring), Julian Edelman (knee), Chris Godwin (hamstring), Scott Miller (hip, groin), Justin Watson (chest), Breshad Perriman (ankle), Darius Slayton (foot)
Full: DeVante Parker (ankle)

The two most surprising performances of the week each came from the Eagles outing on the road, against the Steelers. Rookie WR Chase Claypool out of Notre Dame posted historic game of 116 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns. He and second-year Eagles wideout Travis Fulgham dominated the box score with 152 receiving yards and a score.

Dolphins WR Preston Williams finally had his breakout game with 106 receiving yards and a score. He had a disappointing start to the season with just six receptions for 89 yards in his first four outings. The Dolphins dominated the 49ers on all fronts in Sunday’s game, but it does seem a bit risky to count on that production moving forward.

Injury news

Jaguars WR D.J. Chark left Sunday’s game after he suffered an ankle injury. Keelan Cole Sr. and LaViska Shenault Jr. should see the bulk of the team’s targets in his absence. Cole has been a surprisingly viable fantasy asset in 2020, ranking as the WR28 on the season in standard leagues.

Chargers wideout Keenan Allen exited MNF with a back injury, but luckily has a bye In Week 6 to provide further recovery time. If he misses time, it doesn’t look as though QB Justin Herbert will have any difficulties finding a viable receiver within the offense. He and WR Mike Williams connected for 109 receiving yards and two touchdowns in Williams’ first game returning from injury since Week 3.

Henry Ruggs III returned to the lineup following ankle and hamstring injuries that held him out of the previous two matchups. He and QB Derek Carr have come quite close to connecting on plenty of monstrous plays in their short time together, but they made two of them happen in this outing for 118 yards and a score. Ruggs will continue to be a problem for defenses, opening up the rest of the Raiders offense with his speed.

Bye weeks

We’ll see some big-time names out in Week 6 with bye weeks, including DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett with the Seattle Seahawks, Michael Thomas (and the team’s new superstar, Emmanuel Sanders) out with the Saints, and Keenan Allen and Mike Williams out for the Chargers.

The Las Vegas Raiders don’t roster any key fantasy assets to affect fantasy rosters in the week to come, but it may be worth making a claim for WR Henry Ruggs III. Ruggs missed Weeks 3 and 4 with knee and hamstring injuries, but he exploded for 118 receiving yards and a score in Sunday’s win over the Chiefs. He has seen just 11 total targets in his three games active, but he’s made some splash plays that make him an intriguing waiver wire add moving forward.

Streaming options

Ravens WR Marquise Brown

Marquise Brown hasn’t necessarily exploded onto the scene as he did in his rookie season, but he has been quietly productive. He’s posted more than 77 receiving yards in three of five games this season, and in Week 6, he’ll see a Browns secondary which has allowed an average of 211 receiving yards and two touchdowns to the wide receiver position through five weeks. The Browns also rank fifth-overall in yards after the catch allowed — a “Hollywood” Brown specialty considering his blazing speed.

Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman

Sammy Watkins left the Chiefs Week 5 matchup versus the Raiders with a hamstring injury, and he looks unlikely to return for several weeks. Second-year wideout, Mecole Hardman, has averaged just over 50 receiving yards and scored two touchdowns over the last three weeks. With Watkins’s six targets per game up for grabs, Hardman could be in for a big day against the Bills secondary, who have allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to the wide receiver position in 2020.