Fantasy Football: Boom, bust performances to consider ahead of Week 6

• Emeka Egbuka owns the deep ball: He went off for 31.3 PPR points and is now the WR3 on the season. The rookie leads the NFL in 20-plus-yard catches (eight), deep yards (291) and deep touchdowns (four).

• Kenneth Walker III was efficient but snakebit: He logged 10 carries for 86 yards, but Zach Charbonnet snagged the lone rushing score in a pass-happy shootout.

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Estimated Reading Time: 4minutes

BOOMS

Egbuka is the PPR WR1 for Week 5 and the WR3 on the season, following a seven-reception, 163-yard, one-touchdown performance (31.3 PPR points) against the Seahawks. 

The rookie has dominated throughout the early part of the season, as his WR3 standing shows, and it’s going far beyond the box-score stats. He ranks fourth in explosive receptions and fourth in yards per route run and has been one of the best wide receivers this season on deep balls, if not the best.

Expect some target regression to kick in once Mike Evans returns to the lineup, but Egbuka’s clear chemistry with Baker Mayfield means the drop-off shouldn’t be steep. If you took the risk on drafting Egbuka in what looked like a crowded wide receiver room going into the season, you are reaping the rewards now. 

Temperature Check: High-end WR1; Mid-tier WR1 once Evans returns

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Dowdle was the waiver-wire hero of the week.

The veteran ripped off 206 yards and a touchdown en route to 32.4 PPR points, making him the week’s RB1.

Dowdle was not only the leading rusher this week, but his work after contact would have ranked second when compared to every other running back’s overall production.

The run won’t last unless Chuba Hubbard unexpectedly misses extended time. But Dowdle is quickly moving up the handcuff rankings and may be in line for more work moving forward.

Temperature Check: High-end handcuff

The revenge game was so, so sweet for Stefon Diggs — and even sweeter for fantasy managers. Diggs recorded 10 receptions, 146 yards and 24.6 PPR points on his way to being this week’s highest-graded wide receiver (93.0).

Diggs and quarterback Drake Maye have quickly gotten on the same page this season. The veteran wideout owns the third-highest adjusted target rate in the NFL (35.0%) and ranks 12th in the NFL in catchable targets (30). 

If Maye and the Patriots’ offense keep firing as they have over the past three weeks, Diggs has immense upside for the rest of the season. 

Temperature Check: Mid-tier WR2 with WR1 upside based on matchup

BUSTS

Many fantasy managers plugged Marks into their lineups due to byes, and after his boom performance in Week 4, he turned seven touches into just 2.4 PPR points in Week 5. 

The Texans’ backfield continues to be a headache. In Week 4, Marks handled a season-high 21 touches and appeared to have taken over the lead role. But Nick Chubb returned to out-touching Marks (11 to seven) this week. 

The game script didn’t work in either back’s favor, as quarterback C.J. Stroud threw all over the Ravens‘ defense. By the time the Texans were ready to run the ball, the game was well in hand and Dameon Pierce was getting carries. Pierce ended up with a much higher touch rate (43.8%) than Marks (28%).

Temperature Check: Matchup dependent, low-end RB2

Walker was the more efficient Seahawks running back in Week 5, but he reaped few rewards. Walker tallied 10 carries for 86 yards, while Zach Charbonnet turned nine carries into 36 yards and stole the lone rushing touchdown of the night. 

On top of that, the game script did not work in Walker’s favor. The Seahawks and Buccaneers were slinging the ball in a shootout, with quarterback Sam Darnold notching 34 pass attempts, 341 yards and four passing touchdowns. 

There’s not much to worry about with Walker outside of the usual concern that Charbonnet will get some touches and vulture the occasional touchdown. This week was more about the quarterbacks battling it out.

Temperature Check: High- or mid-tier RB2, depending on matchup 

Smith is the fantasy QB21 on the season and just put up a QB25 performance in Week 5. 

He has thrown an interception in all but one game this season, including multiple in three outings. The Raiders’ offensive line has not been good, but Smith has been worse. 

Smith isn’t even worth a bench stash at this point. It’s best to cut him loose from all rosters, unless you’re in a deeper superflex league.

Temperature Check: Cuttable; Low-end QB2 in superflex