Week 6 Rankings: Standard | PPR

It was fun to see Tom Brady back on the field in Week 5 after his four-game suspension, and he dominated the Browns as expected. Ben Roethlisberger was also dominant against the Jets, and Andrew Luck, Philip Rivers and Derek Carr also had standout performances.

But overall it was a bad week for quarterbacks, which was expected with Drew Brees and Russell Wilson on a bye and Cam Newton (concussion) and Carson Palmer (concussion) hurt. Sure, we got some surprise performances from Marcus Mariota, Sam Bradford and Blaine Gabbert, who all scored more than 20 Fantasy points in a standard league. But we also had Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan and Eli Manning score 19 points or less, which was disappointing. Clearly the latter three are started more than the former in most leagues.

This week, help should be on the way, especially with Brees and Wilson back (along with Blake Bortles and Alex Smith), and it looks like Palmer and Newton will return to action. And running back could get some reinforcements if Rashad Jennings (hand), Arian Foster (groin) and Jonathan Stewart (hamstring) are able to play in Week 6.

We appeared to avoid serious injuries to Eddie Lacy (ankle), Jeremy Hill (shoulder) and Randall Cobb (head), although you'll want to check their status during the week. And our only major injury news came from Steve Smith (ankle) and when the Buccaneers placed Charles Sims (knee) on injured reserve, which likely ends his season.

Now, just because some guys might be getting healthy shouldn't prevent you from being active on the waiver wire this week, and Minnesota and Tampa Bay are on bye. You can either speculate on some players with future upside like Bilal Powell, Devontae Booker or Tony Romo, or you can pick up some of the hot receivers from Week 5 like Chris Hogan, Cameron Meredith or Jeremy Kerley.

For our purposes here at CBS Sports, we only discuss players on waivers in 65 percent of leagues or fewer. But if you see guys like Zach Miller (72 percent ownership), Sammie Coates (67 percent), Cole Beasley (67 percent) or James White (66 percent) available, make them a priority at their positions.

Coates would be the No. 1 player to add at any position based on his performance for the Steelers the past two weeks when he had 19 targets for 12 catches, 218 yards and two touchdowns over that span. He's leaving too much production on the field with dropped passes, but he's benefiting from an elite quarterback in Roethlisberger and plenty of single coverage opposite Antonio Brown. Coates is worth at least 15 percent of your remaining FAAB budget.

Quarterbacks

Names of note on bye: Jameis Winston and Sam Bradford

Injuries of note: Cam Newton (concussion), Carson Palmer (concussion) and Trevor Siemian (shoulder)

Priority list

* - Add these players in this order, and they are owned in 65 percent of leagues or less on CBS Sports.

Brian Hoyer NE • QB • 2 Week 5 stats at IND CMP % 7,670.0 YDS 397 TD 2 INT 0 28 percent ownership View Profile

Hoyer has been mentioned here for the past two weeks after he took over for the injured Jay Cutler (thumb) and been outstanding against Dallas, Detroit and Indianapolis with at least 22 Fantasy points in a standard league each week. He's passed for at least 300 yards and two touchdowns in each outing, and he has a favorable matchup this week against the Jaguars. There's talk he could keep the job even when Cutler is back, which would be great given his recent level of play. But as long as he's starting and playing well, Fantasy owners should continue to trust him.

Marcus Mariota (54 percent): He faces CLE this week. Every QB vs. CLE this year has been awesome.

Alex Smith (35 percent): He's scored at least 20 FPTS in four in a row vs. OAK.

Trevor Siemian (33 percent): If healthy he faces a depleted secondary for SD.

Tony Romo (17 percent): He might be starting again as early as Week 8. Add him now.

Colin Kaepernick (3 percent): The 49ers should give him the job now. He could help in 2-QB leagues.

Drop list

* - If you need to make a move, these are players you can drop for this week.

Jameis Winston (93 percent): There's no reason to stash him while he's on a bye.

Joe Flacco (89 percent): He's not worth starting this week on the road at NYG.

Ryan Tannehill (70 percent): He continues to look worse each week. Is it Matt Moore time?

Running backs

Names of note on bye: Jerick McKinnon, Matt Asiata, Doug Martin and Jacquizz Rodgers

Injuries of note: Charles Sims (knee), Latavius Murray (toe), Eddie Lacy (ankle) and Jeremy Hill (shoulder)

Priority list

* - Add these players in this order, and they are owned in 65 percent of leagues or less on CBS Sports.

Bilal Powell NYJ • RB • Week 5 stats at PIT ATT 4 YDS 10 REC 6 REC YDS 41 47 percent ownership View Profile

There really isn't a running back to add this week who is a must-start option, Maybe it's Cameron Artis-Payne after his standout performance Monday night against Tampa Bay and his matchup in Week 6 at New Orleans. Or maybe it's Bobby Rainey in PPR leagues after his performance the past two weeks. If you need either guy, make him a priority, including James White. But if you just want to speculate on the next lottery ticket, add Powell now where available. Matt Forte has slowed down the past three weeks, and Powell has been better in the passing game with 18 catches to six over that span. If Forte gets hurt then Powell could be a star, and he's worth stashing now in all leagues. I would take White if he's available over Powell for the short-term production, but Powell is worth at least five percent of your remaining FAAB budget.

Devontae Booker (45 percent): He's cutting into C.J. Anderson's workload and remains a lottery ticket if Anderson gets hurt. Stash him now in all leagues, and he's right behind Powell in terms of a top add.

Cameron Artis-Payne (56 percent): I was wrong to put him on the drop list last week. He's a flex vs. NO after 85 yards and two touchdowns vs. TB on Monday night.

Bobby Rainey (9 percent): As we said last week, he's Shane Vereen's replacement with 13 catches in two games. He's a low-end starter in PPR leagues.

James Starks (33 percent): His value will rise if Lacy is out in Week 6 against the Cowboys. The problem is he's not that good and would only be a flex if he starts.

Jay Ajayi (55 percent): Foster could return this week but he also has a tough matchup vs. PIT. If he starts, he remains a flex option.

Jalen Richard (41 percent): DeAndre Washington played more snaps in Week 5 but Richard was better. We'll see what happens this week if Murray remains out, but both are flex options vs. KC.

Jacquizz Rodgers (38 percent): Martin is expected to return from his hamstring injury in Week 7, but Rodgers will replace Sims as the No. 2 RB. He had 139 total yards in Week 5 at CAR.

Mike Gillislee (12 percent): This is another lottery ticket running back in case something happens to LeSean McCoy.

Dion Lewis (36 percent): White has nine catches for 113 yards in his past two games. That could be Lewis if he's healthy in two weeks. He's worth stashing now.

Drop list

* - If you need to make a move, these are players you can drop for this week.

Charles Sims (89 percent): It's too bad his season ended early. Even with Martin healthy he had a role.

Thomas Rawls (72 percent): Christine Michael is the Seahawks starter. Rawls is not worth stashing.

Jeremy Langford (59 percent): Jordan Howard is the Bears starter. Langford is not worth stashing.

Wide receivers

Names of note on bye: Stefon Diggs and Mike Evans

Injuries of note: Steve Smith (ankle) and Mike Wallace (ribs)

Priority list

* - Add these players in this order, and they are owned in 65 percent of leagues or less on CBS Sports.

Chris Hogan NYJ • WR • 15 Week 5 stats at CLE TAR 5 REC 4 YDS 114 TD 0 48 percent ownership View Profile

Hogan is my No. 2 receiver to add this week if Coates is also available, but I'd rather have Hogan than Beasley. Hogan was one of my favorite late-round picks in every league because I expected him to be a viable part of this Patriots passing attack with Brady, and you saw those expectations come to life against the Browns. He had two passes of at least 43 yards (his long was 63), and he should see more than five targets each week if he continues to play like this. There will be some duds along the way because New England is loaded with weapons, but he's a great receiver to add and potentially start each week in three-receiver leagues. He's worth at least 10 percent of your remaining FAAB budget.

Cameron Meredith (2 percent): He flashed in the first game without Kevin White (leg) with nine catches for 130 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets. For now, Hoyer is allergic to feeding Alshon Jeffery, so Meredith could stay hot and will remain a starter with White on injured reserve.

Davante Adams (19 percent): He's scored a touchdown in three of four games and just had five catches for 85 yards vs. NYG. He's better as the No. 3 WR than what happened last year and is worth a look.

Jeremy Kerley (6 percent): I liked Bruce Ellington this year because he was expected to be the slot WR for SF before getting hurt. Kerley is that guy and has the only consistent targets in SF this year. That could change if Blaine Gabbert is benched, but he has two games in a row with at least 6-88-1.

Kenny Britt (12 percent): He's been the best WR for the Rams and has at least four catches for 75 yards in three of his past four games. He can be a decent reserve in PPR leagues if that keeps up.

Donte Moncrief (60 percent): This is the third week of what could be a 4-6 week absence with his shoulder injury. He could be a tremendous difference maker so add him now in all leagues.

Corey Coleman (44 percent): This is Week 3 of what could be a 4-6 week absence from his broken hand. He is worth stashing in deeper leagues since CLE needs help at receiver (and QB and everywhere).

Robert Woods (47 percent): He had a bad game in Week 5 at Los Angeles, but he's still the No. 1 guy for the Bills and has a favorable matchup against the 49ers at home in Week 6.

Breshad Perriman (6 percent): He and Kamar Aiken (8 percent) would benefit if Smith and Wallace are out. Perriman nearly caught a touchdown in Week 5.

Drop list

* - If you need to make a move, these are players you can drop for this week.

Michael Floyd (90 percent): We hope better games are ahead, but he's losing playing time to Jaron Brown and is clearly behind Larry Fitzgerald and John Brown. It's time to move on at this point.

Golden Tate (75 percent): The Lions said he would be more involved in Week 5, and he had only three catches for 39 yards on five targets vs. PHI. This looks like a lost year for Tate.

Phillip Dorsett (74 percent): Moncrief is coming back soon, and Dorsett has four games in a row with three catches or less. He also hasn't had more than five targets in any game over that span.

Tyler Lockett (54 percent): We've said for a couple of weeks now that if Jimmy Graham is playing well then Lockett will be limited. He's also hurt, and his breakout season likely won't happen this year.

Tight ends

Names of note on bye: Kyle Rudolph and Cameron Brate

Injuries of note: Julius Thomas (elbow), Eric Ebron (ankle), Tyler Eifert (back), Clive Walford (knee) and Larry Donnell (concussion)

Priority list

* - Add these players in this order, and they are owned in 65 percent of leagues or less on CBS Sports.

Jesse James DET • TE • 83 Week stats vs. NYJ TAR 8 REC 6 YDS 43 TD 1 58 percent ownership View Profile

James is coming off his best game of the season in targets, receptions and yards, and he did that against a team that has been abused by tight ends over the past three weeks with the Jets. But James has been consistent in finding the end zone with three in his past four games, and he has another favorable matchup this week at Miami. The Dolphins are just behind the Jets in terms of Fantasy points allowed to tight ends, so James is an excellent streaming option once again.

Charles Clay (28 percent): He has five catches in each of the past two games and has a favorable matchup this week against the 49ers. Two tight ends have already scored at least 10 FPTS vs. SF.

Hunter Henry (64 percent): He'll remain involved with Antonio Gates back, but it will be a little iffy to trust him. He had three catches for 74 yards and a touchdown in Week 5 on four targets.

Antonio Gates (61 percent): Gates returned with a touchdown against the Raiders in Week 5 with four catches for 30 yards on five targets. Touchdowns will save his production moving forward.

Richard Rodgers (17 percent): Jared Cook (ankle) is out until at least Week 8, but Rodgers is hard to trust. He does face DAL this week, and the Cowboys are No. 4 in FPTS allowed to tight ends.

Drop list

* - If you need to make a move, these are players you can drop for this week.

Jason Witten (79 percent): He hasn't scored a touchdown yet this year and has been under 50 yards in each of his past three games. He should get better once Romo is back.

Eric Ebron (52 percent): His ankle injury could linger, and he's not expected to play in Week 6. He's back in the streaming pool.

Jacob Tamme (44 percent): He only has six catches in his past three games, and he only has seven targets over that span. He's not worth starting in Week 6 at Seattle.

DST streamers

* - If you need a DST for this week, these teams have favorable matchups are worth starting.

Titans (11 percent) vs. CLE

Lions (25 percent) vs. LAR

Chiefs (57 percent) at OAK

K streamers

* - If you need a kicker for this week, these guys have favorable matchups are worth starting.