Rookies Worth Your Attention in Week 6

Which rookies deserve your attention in Week 6 of the 2018 fantasy football season? Corey Johnson looks at first-year players at QB, RB, WR, and TE to determine what role they should play on your fantasy team.

In this column, we will look at rookies who have either performed well the previous few weeks or who have a favorable matchup in the upcoming week. These may be high-profile names or under-the-radar depth players; the only thing that matters is that they are first-year pros ready to make a name for themselves.

Ideally, some of these names will help fantasy players get some roster depth which can minimize the negative impact of injuries and bye weeks.

For Week 6, we have included a couple of players that may be immediate fantasy help and some players that could be fantasy help later this season or in seasons to come.

The Producer

Christian Kirk, WR, Arizona Cardinals

Christian Kirk was selected in the second round by the Arizona Cardinals and has proven to be a legit pass-catcher and fantasy point producer over the first few weeks of the season. On 24 targets, Kirk has totaled 19 catches for 234 yards and a touchdown through the first five games. The Arizona offense has been well below- average this season but quarterback Josh Rosen has seemed to click well with Kirk. Kirk leads the team in receptions and receiving yards and it appears that veteran wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald may be taking a backseat to Kirk this season. Kirk is only owned in about 10% of leagues but there is a good chance that his ownership will increase steadily throughout the season; adding him sooner, rather than later, may prove to be beneficial. Kirk is a risky WR2/flex option due to the lack of fantasy production that comes from the Cardinals offense.

The Early Boomer

Will Dissly, TE, Seattle Seahawks

Will Dissly, the fourth round draft pick out of Washington, was an excellent addition to the Seahawks offense. In Dissly’s first four games he had eight catches for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately, Dissly was recently placed on the IR and will be out for the season with a knee injury. Regardless, Dissly is an interesting tight end to look at in all fantasy formats in future seasons; if Dissly comes back healthy next season he has a good chance of being a top-10 tight end. The Seahawks don’t have much depth at tight end and will certainly be looking Dissly’s way in bunches once he returns.

The One Of Many

Mark Walton, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals selected Walton in the fourth round of the 2018 draft to add to their already deep running back core. Walton has only seen snaps the last two week and has totaled nine touches for 40 scrimmage yards. Walton has running backs Joe Mixon and Giovani Bernard ahead of him on the depth chart which severely limits touches and potential fantasy upside. Even with injuries to Bernard and Mixon this season, Walton hasn’t been able to move into a relevant role. If Bernard or Mixon go down with a season ending injury, Walton may be an option to add; regardless, there is not indication that he will be productive. For now, Walton should be avoided.

The One To Watch

James Washington, WR, Pittsburg Steelers

James Washington was selected in the second round of the 2018 draft to add depth to the loaded Steelers receiving core. Through the first five weeks, Washington has five receptions for 49 yards and a touchdown. Washington has proven to be a solid wide receiver but has the disadvantage of Antonio Brown and Juju Smith-Schuster ahead of him on the depth chart. If Brown or Smith-Schuster get injured, Washington will become playable in all formats, specifically in PPR formats. At this point, Washington is more of an option in dynasty leagues than redraft leagues- his future his much more promising than his present. For now, he should be avoided if possible and only holds value as a flex play if he finds the end zone.

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