While there have been plenty of notable fantasy football performances from unexpected quarterbacks this NFL season (Sam Darnold and Taylor Heinicke, just to name a couple), the reality is that most weeks the top 10 or so quarterbacks in our rankings are going to be a pretty consistent group.
If you figure that Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Kyler Murray, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Dak Prescott, Jalen Hurts, Matthew Stafford and Justin Herbert are likely to land in those 10-ish spots (in some order), it lines up that in a 10-team league, you don't see much quarterback movement.
But on Thursday night of Week 5, Wilson went down with a finger injury that is likely going to cost him as few as four weeks but perhaps a bit longer. Wilson being out is literally uncharted territory -- he hasn't even missed a practice in his career -- and has a trickle-down impact in fantasy. The most direct one is how those who have been starting Wilson will fill their quarterback voids.
Here's to hoping Wilson makes a speedy and full recovery, as the game is always better off when he is at his best.
Until he returns, we'll deliver the names you need to know at quarterback and otherwise.
Here's the Week 6 ESPN fantasy football waiver wire.
Note: All players in this column are available in more than 50% of leagues on ESPN.
Week 6 byes: 49ers, Falcons, Jets, Saints
Kadarius Toney, WR, New York Giants (10.7% rostered): The Giants have been decimated by injuries on offense in a way that is hard to believe. They finished Week 5 without Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley, Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton on the field, prompting even more opportunity for the already exciting rookie ankle breaker. He finished with an electric 10 catches for 189 yards, despite leaving the game once because of injury (which we'll monitor through this week) and again after being ejected for punching an opposing player. The talent is way too obvious, and the opportunity should be there now too. Add!
Devontae Booker, RB, New York Giants (3.8%): It was devastating to see Saquon Barkley leave the game for the Giants early after suffering an ankle injury that did not look good. Booker wound up leading the Giants in rushing attempts in Week 5 and finished with 42 rushing yards and 20.8 fantasy points after finding the end zone both as a runner and a receiver. He's obviously not the player that Barkley is, but Booker's workload should be large enough to expect borderline RB2 value until Barkley returns, especially considering that he's an adept pass-catcher. He's a must-add.
Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots (5.8%): The hits kept coming for the Patriots' backfield in Week 5, as Damien Harris left the game on two occasions and did not return after the second time. Stevenson handled 11 carries in Week 5, though he managed just 23 yards. With that being said, volume and talent are essential in fantasy football and Stevenson would likely be in line for double-digit touches if Harris misses any time. Stevenson can handle work in the passing game and is a powerful runner. What would unlock the potential to handle a big workload would be proving he is capable of holding up in pass protection. He should be added in all leagues, too.
Mecole Hardman, WR, Kansas City Chiefs (42.4%): The Chiefs dealt with a rash of injuries on Sunday night, including Tyreek Hill, who is now dealing with an undisclosed knee injury. We have no word on the severity as of this writing, including whether it would prevent him from being on the field in Week 6 against the Washington Football Team. That being said, Hardman would be the Chiefs wide receiver I most prefer if Hill misses any time.
Tim Patrick, WR, Denver Broncos (29.8%): I've long felt Patrick was an underrated player, and he has a unique opportunity right now to prove it while both Jerry Jeudy (ankle) and KJ Hamler (torn ACL) are unavailable for Denver. Patrick has been busy in the two games since Hamler went down, as he has 15 targets and a total of 10 catches. Patrick has scored double-digit fantasy points in four of his five games this season and should remain a fixture in the Denver passing game until Jeudy returns. He's an add in leagues of 12 teams or larger.
Quarterbacks section: Names to consider in the event you roster Russell Wilson, who is expected to miss at least the next four weeks after suffering a finger injury in Week 5.
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars (42.9%): Lawrence is starting to make some strides, even if the numbers are not eye-popping as of yet. Over his past two games, two of the most encouraging signs are his accuracy and decision-making. He has completed better than 70% of his passes with zero turnovers, and he has rushed for a touchdown in back-to-back weeks. The matchup across the pond in London against the Dolphins isn't one that strikes major fear, as while Miami has a strong cornerback room, the defense just hasn't been nearly as good as it was a season ago.
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins (24.7%): This comes with the obvious caveat that we don't yet know if Tua will play in Week 6, but he is eligible to do so and the team has been targeting that date for his return. The matchup is a juicy one against a Jaguars defense that frankly hasn't done much to impress this season. In the event that Tagovailoa is unavailable, I do believe Jacoby Brissett has a comparable chance for a good enough day to justify the stream.
Taylor Heinicke, QB, Washington Football Team (12.5%): It might sound ironic to list Heinicke this week given how he played in Week 5 (fewer than 10 fantasy points), but I do believe that was an atypical dud game for him. He had three straight games with at least 20 fantasy points prior to that, and while Heinicke may be error prone, he is a playmaker with his legs (40 or more rushing yards in back-to-back games) and seems to find a way much more often than not.