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Hayden's fantasy football risers, breakouts, waiver wire sleepers for Week 6 of 2025. Are these unexpected booms legit for Rico Dowdle, AJ Barner, Kendrick Bourne, others?
With Week 5 nearly in the books, we can say that it has been a fun one. It started with the 49ers defeating the Rams in overtime on Thursday night, and the action only ramped up from there. The Panthers and Titans both pulled off impressive comebacks, the Buccaneers won a dramatic shootout over the Seahawks, and the Patriots upset the Bills in Buffalo on Sunday Night Football.
Several big names also turned in great performances for fantasy managers. Colts running back Jonathan Taylor totaled 86 yards and three touchdowns in a 40-6 rout of the Raiders. Star rookie wideout Emeka Egbuka had a big day as well, catching all seven of his targets for 163 yards and a touchdown in Tampa Bay's win.
Some more surprising players were also among the top fantasy contributors this week, however. Let's take a look at five of these unexpected booms, beginning with a veteran receiver who showed out hugely on Thursday.
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Kendrick Bourne, WR, San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers have been ravaged by injuries this season, especially at the wide receiver position. Both Ricky Pearsall (knee) and Jauan Jennings (ankle, ribs) missed San Francisco's game versus the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football. Brandon Aiyuk has opened the year on the PUP list as he recovers from an ACL tear, and tight end George Kittle has also been out for good measure.
Thus, San Francisco had to turn to an unlikely hero to be their top target. 30-year-old wideout Bourne, who spent the previous four seasons on the Patriots, tied for the team lead with 11 targets and paced the squad with 10 receptions. He tallied 142 receiving yards on the night, helping the 49ers to a thrilling 26-23 overtime victory.
Kendrick Bourne gets the @49ers in the red zone!
SFvsLAR on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/brMseYzIZE— NFL (@NFL) October 3, 2025
Bourne scored 19.2 points in half-PPR leagues on Thursday, making him this week's WR9 entering Monday. This was his best fantasy performance since Week 1 of 2023 with New England. Bourne demonstrated what he can do when given an opportunity to start, but his fantasy value will be heavily dependent on the availability of his teammates.
For waivers this week, Bourne is a reasonable target. If Pearsall and Jennings cannot suit up for Week 6, Bourne is worth a look for your lineups; if they can, Bourne will be a bench stash at best. Be sure to monitor the news coming out of San Francisco throughout the week to plan your approach appropriately.
Rico Dowdle, RB, Carolina Panthers
The Panthers also were not at full strength this week. Starting running back Chuba Hubbard was unavailable for Carolina's matchup with the Dolphins on Sunday. In his place, 27-year-old Dowdle got the nod atop the backfield. Dowdle spent five years on the Cowboys before arriving in Carolina, where he had just 83 rushing yards through four games this season.
That number changed dramatically after game five. Dowdle shredded Miami's defense to the tune of 23 carries for 206 yards and a touchdown. He also added three catches for 28 yards on four targets in the passing game. Dowdle was the engine of the team's offense as the Panthers overcame an early 17-0 deficit to prevail 27-24.
Rico Dowdle will not go down 😤
MIAvsCAR on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/K7NlxXYmFB
— NFL (@NFL) October 5, 2025
Through Sunday's games, Dowdle stands as the RB1 for the week with 30.9 half-PPR points. He also stood alone on the stat sheet; the Panther with the next-most carries was rookie RB Trevor Etienne with just four. Dowdle's eruption both confirms his status above Etienne and raises interesting questions about his role when Hubbard returns to the lineup.
Dowdle should be prioritized on waivers this week ahead of Week 6. Hubbard may miss Carolina's next game versus Dallas, which would make Dowdle the workhorse against a favorable matchup once again. Moreover, even if Hubbard is back, Dowdle absolutely did enough on Sunday to warrant a fantasy roster spot.
C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans
Texans QB Stroud had a stellar rookie season in 2023. That year, he threw for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, and just five interceptions en route to being named AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. He regressed last year, though, as his fantasy points per game dropped from 18.7 to only 13.7. His struggles continued through the first four weeks of 2025, too, as he was averaging only 13.9 fantasy points per game.
A date with Baltimore's reeling defense works wonders, however. Stroud picked apart the Ravens on Sunday, completing 23 of 27 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. He also did his best Lamar Jackson impression on a 30-yard scramble while Jackson missed the contest for Baltimore with a hamstring issue.
C.J. Stroud takes it himself down near the goal line!
HOUvsBAL on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/DNnEZ2dph2
— NFL (@NFL) October 5, 2025
Stroud finished the 44-10 demolition with 28.76 fantasy points. The elite outing made him Week 5's tentative QB1 despite exiting the game early in the fourth quarter with the outcome no longer in doubt. Stroud had not even finished inside the top-10 QBs since Week 4 of last season. The game could give him and Houston the spark they need moving forward.
The Texans have a bye in Week 6, but Stroud is still worth considering on waivers if he is available. The Seahawks, Houston's Week 7 opponent, have also yielded some great performances to opposing quarterbacks this season. A QB-needy team scooping up Stroud before another manager does would be a prudent move.
Sam Darnold, QB, Seattle Seahawks
After reviving his career with the Vikings last season, Darnold continued playing well in his first four games with Seattle this year. He boasted a 116.8 true passer rating through Week 4, third-best in the NFL, and the Seahawks were 3-1.
Darnold's fantasy production was lacking, however. He averaged only 14.0 fantasy points across those four games, and he had not yet reached 20 fantasy points in a single game.
Week 5 certainly broke that trend. Darnold connected on 28 of his 34 pass attempts for 341 yards and four touchdowns in a high-scoring battle with the Buccaneers. Sadly, his lone interception in the game came with about a minute remaining and led to a game-winning Tampa Bay field goal.
Tory Horton gives the @Seahawks the lead!
TBvsSEA on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/VPKbqmGv4r
— NFL (@NFL) October 5, 2025
Darnold's stat line amounted to 28.64 fantasy points, putting him in the QB2 slot for the day. He had season-highs in completions, pass attempts, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. Darnold spread the wealth around, too; Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, and AJ Barner all had at least six catches.
Moving forward, Darnold is a viable fantasy quarterback. He should be considered one of the top QB options on waivers this week, where available. Although Darnold will not provide much rushing production, if any, he has tossed multiple touchdowns three times this year and eclipsed 200 passing yards in four straight weeks. He would be a valuable addition to fantasy rosters needing attention at QB.
AJ Barner, TE, Seattle Seahawks
One of Darnold's top targets on Sunday was someone who had been largely ignored in fantasy football. Tight end Barner was rostered in a few fantasy leagues entering Week 5, and yet he finished with seven grabs on as many targets for 53 yards. Most importantly, Barner also scored two touchdowns, doubling his season total.
Show 'em how it's done @_ajbarner_ 🤝
First multi-touchdown game of his career.📺: @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/GGXpbgEgtz
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) October 5, 2025
Through four games, Barner had seen only nine targets, of which he had caught seven. The second-year player out of Michigan did have three games with at least an 80-percent snap share, though, and he earned his fourth on Sunday per PFF. Barner was also coming off a game in which he set season-highs in catches (three) and yards (32). He, of course, smashed both of those marks versus Tampa Bay.
Barner totaled 20.8 half-PPR points in Week 5. Pending Monday Night Football, Barner is the week's TE1, narrowly edging out Jake Ferguson. He was also second on the Seahawks in receptions and third in targets. Barner's elite finish will put him squarely on the fantasy radar ahead of Seattle's Week 6 contest versus Jacksonville.
Barner is a sleeper target on waiver wires this week. He has done most of his damage by scoring touchdowns, but Barner's increased target share indicates that he may no longer be a TD-dependent fantasy option. While other tight ends like Darren Waller and Mason Taylor may be more appealing, Barner is worth a dart throw.
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