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Adam Koffler's fantasy football risers, fallers, sleepers, and busts heading into Week 6 of the 2025 season. He identifies players with rising and falling fantasy values.
We're back with another edition of Fantasy Football Risers and Fallers. It's crazy to think we're already over a quarter of the way through the season!
As we head into Week 6, there's a lot of good data to dissect. Some players have stepped up in the wake of injuries, and others have seen increased opportunities as a result of their early-season play.
As always, there are a handful of players who saw their stock rise and fall coming out of Week 5. Below, we'll highlight who those players are and what to make of their respective situations.
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Week 6 Fantasy Football Risers
Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB - Washington Commanders
How the turn tables have turned. "Bill" was one of the biggest fallers coming out of Week 4, but after a monster performance vs. the Chargers, it's the exact opposite.
Croskey-Merritt produced 150 total yards and two touchdowns on just 16 touches in Week 5. He usurped Chris Rodriguez Jr. in the backfield and looked elite every time he touched the football.
Bill Croskey-Merritt keeps getting yards
WASvsLAC on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/j0gXwwNO6n
— NFL (@NFL) October 5, 2025
Before Week 5, Bill was used sparingly in a timeshare with the other Commander backs, but Week 5 was different.
Before the last drive of the game, in which Rodriguez had four carries, Bill had an 80% RB opportunity share.
There's no reason to think this won't continue going forward. In fact, through five games, Croskey-Merritt ranks first in rush yards over expected per attempt (2.17), PFF grade (90.1), and yards per carry (6.58).
The Commanders' next two games are against two teams that rank in the bottom six in fantasy points allowed to running backs (Bears and Cowboys).
Washington is a 4.5-point favorite vs. Chicago in Week 6 with an implied point total of 27.2. Bill could run wild in that one.
Jaylen Waddle, WR - Miami Dolphins
Waddle has produced eye-popping numbers every time he's played without Tyreek Hill. Check this out:
Jaylen Waddle’s last two games without Tyreek Hill:
◻️ 6-110-1 on 9 targets
◻️ 8-142-1 on 9 targetsWaddle as a rookie in 2021 before Tyreek joined the Dolphins:
◻️ Career-high 104 receptions on 140 targets in 16 games pic.twitter.com/dENMOyrfCg
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) October 6, 2025
Hill is out for the season. 33-year-old Darren Waller (and running back De'Von Achane) are Waddle's biggest competition for targets.
In Week 5, Waddle was ninth among wideouts in first-read target share (34.6%), sixth in first downs per route run (0.194), and eighth in air yards share (46%), per Fantasy Points Data.
In comparison, Waddle ranked 23rd in first-read target share, 26th in first downs per route run, and 51st in air yards share in three full games with Hill this season.
It's Waddle's turn to be the unquestioned WR1 again in Miami (like he was in his rookie season). Buy high.
Stefon Diggs, WR - New England Patriots
Diggs had some added motivation in Week 5, playing in Buffalo against a Bills team that moved on from him in the offseason. He subsequently torched them, going 10-146 on 12 targets.
Stefon Diggs put up 10 catches for 146 yards in his return to Buffalo 🦬 pic.twitter.com/6Py9JVeMXd
— NFL (@NFL) October 6, 2025
Per PFF, Drake Maye had a 117.4 passer rating when targeting Diggs vs. his former team. Per Fantasy Points Data, the Patriots' WR1 has an ungodly 39.6% target share and 0.282 first downs per route run in his last two games.
Needless to say, Diggs is fully recovered (and thriving) after his ACL reconstruction surgery last season. His chemistry with Maye is growing by the week.
Up next are two favorable matchups vs. the Saints and Titans. Consider Diggs a must-start wide receiver until further notice.
Mason Taylor, TE - New York Jets
Only one tight end has over a 25% first-read target share and over a 0.125 first downs per route run rate over the last two weeks (per Fantasy Points Data).
You guessed it, the Jets' rookie tight end. The LSU product was also the highest-graded offensive player (79.3) for the team in Week 5.
Taylor has run a ridiculous 70 routes in those two games, garnering an impressive 19 targets, good for a 26% target share. He has become the clear number two behind only Garrett Wilson in the Jets' passing attack.
Mason Taylor had a big game for the Jets despite the loss tonight
- 5 catches on 7 targets
- 65 receiving yardsWas my 2025 TE3 pre-draft pic.twitter.com/jC9PIhMfub
— Prospect Film Room (@FilmProspect) September 30, 2025
The Jets' defense has also been really poor, allowing the second-most points per game this season (31.4). That means more passing than we're used to for Justin Fields, which is great news for Taylor.
He'll likely have a similar opportunity share and utilization in Week 6 with the Jets being 7.5-point underdogs vs. the Broncos in London. If you're looking for a tight end to fill the Brock Bowers void, it's Taylor.
Other Fantasy Football Risers:
- Rico Dowdle (obviously, but Chuba Hubbard is "day-to-day")
- Michael Carter
- A.J. Barner
- J.K. Dobbins
- Ryan Flournoy (although CeeDee Lamb and KaVontae Turpin could return in Week 6 or Week 7)
- Darren Waller
Week 6 Fantasy Football Fallers
R.J. Harvey, RB - Denver Broncos
Harvey was a big riser coming out of Week 4, surpassing backfield mate Dobbins in touches against the Bengals (18 vs. 17).
But then in Week 5, it was back to the Dobbins show, as he out-touched the rookie 21 to seven.
Dobbins has looked elite this season.
JK Dobbins with some insane patience and vision on this cutback on duo. Dobbins has quickly become one of my favorite skill position players Denver has had in recent memory. pic.twitter.com/m2VK0eniWj
— Frankie Abbott (@FrankiesFilm) September 30, 2025
Per Fantasy Points Data, his 5.22 yards per carry ranks sixth among running backs, while his explosive run rate of 9.1% ranks fourth.
Harvey hasn't been bad per se, but he's playing second-fiddle to one of the best running backs in football right now.
He remains a great stash on an above-average offense with a good offensive line, but his stock is down heading into Week 6 after Dobbins re-established himself in Week 5.
Jameson Williams, WR - Detroit Lions
Williams was supposed to explode this season. That hasn't happened, like, at all. Through five games, he's scored fewer than seven fantasy points in four of five games.
Jamo has only caught more than two balls in one game so far. At worst, he was supposed to be a boom-or-bust player. But that hasn't even been the case. He's just been flat out bad.
Williams' 15.3% first-read target share ranks 65th among wide receivers, while his 0.064 first downs per route run ranks just 61st.
With a target share of just 14.4% on the season, he's firmly behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, and Jahmyr Gibbs in the pecking order.
Heck, even rookie Isaac TeSlaa is siphoning some valuable red zone targets away from Jamo.
It's hard to trust Williams in managed redraft leagues, knowing he's got an extremely low floor in the 2025 version of the Detroit Lions' offense.
Derrick Henry, RB - Baltimore Ravens
King Henry hasn't been "bad," but he also hasn't been very good either. But maybe we've just become so accustomed to him breaking off long 80-yard runs for so long.
This season, he's gone for 50 or fewer yards in four of five games. He'll still score touchdowns, but he's getting no work in the passing game (just six targets this season).
The Ravens have also been giving up a ton of points, which means they're playing from behind, which means more Justice Hill.
Henry also isn't forcing many missed tackles when he does get the ball. Per Fantasy Points Data, he ranks just 27th out of 29 qualifying running backs in missed tackles forced per attempt (0.06).
In 2024, Henry averaged 0.20 missed tackles forced per attempt.
With Lamar Jackson likely out another week, King Henry could be in for another tough outing in Week 6 vs. the Rams. The Ravens are 7.5-point underdogs in that one with an implied team total of just 18.8 points.
Kenneth Walker III, RB - Seattle Seahawks
Zach Charbonnet continues to cramp KW9's style. Through five games, Charbs has three touchdowns on eight carries inside the 10-yard line, while Walker has two touchdowns on five carries inside the 10.
Additionally, Walker has only played more than 50% of the snaps in one of five games to start the season, and that's by design. Mike MacDonald continuously talks about having two number one backs, which is not what Walker fantasy managers want to hear.
Walker also hasn't been utilized in the passing game like he was last season. Through five games, he has garnered just eight targets. In his first five games last season, Walker already had 26 targets. What's a big difference!
He's looked good running the football, averaging a career-best 4.85 yards per carry, but he's losing high-value touches to Charbonnet every week.
Goal line work, third downs, and two-minute drill snaps are all going to Charbonnet. It might not be a bad idea to dangle Walker to a league mate to see if his name value holds any water.
Other Fantasy Football Fallers:
More Fantasy Football Analysis
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