Week 6 is upon us, and that implies 33% of the fantasy football season has come and gone. It will be an active waiver wire for Week 6, with four teams on bye and nine of the top ten Week 5 scorers being owned in 24% or less of IDP leagues. The teams on bye are the Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, and Minnesota Vikings. Get IDPs on those teams out of the lineup. The IDPs who performed well will be discussed in the risers, waiver wire, and matchups to capitalize on in week 6. But first, the IDP report card.
- DL Arvell Reese (NYG) 3 solo tackles, 6 assisted tackles, 1 QB hit, 1 tackle for loss, 1.0 sack
- LB Jake Hansen (HOU) 3 solo tackles, 3 assisted tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 2 passes defended, 1 interception, 19 interception yards
- DB Evan Williams (GB) 7 solo tackles, 5 assisted tackles, 1 fumble recovery
Grade: A+. Another stellar performance from the IDP Report. A. Reese, J. Hansen, and E. Williams combined for 27 tackles, and each made a big play. That is the expectation for Fantasy Alarm, but the report card spares no one. Jeremiah Trotter and Dre Greenlaw were ejected, which is less than ideal. Minkah Fitzpatrick put up double-digit fantasy football points, but wasn’t good enough to crack the IDP report card.
Fantasy Football IDP Risers Week 6
Defensive Lineman (DL) Gracen Halton, San Francisco 49ers.
The 107th pick of the 2026 NFL draft is really coming into his own. Gracen Halton had his best week of the season and is on a roll. The San Francisco 49ers are on a roll too, and look better than any Kyle Shanahan-led team… which is quite the statement.
G. Halton cracked the top-ten IDP scores of week five and will be a week 6 waiver wire target. He is rostered in 0% of leagues and has three consecutive weeks with three or more tackles. Although G. Halton rotates snaps, he played 34 snaps on the line last week, his most of the season. At 6’ 2” and 293 pounds, he is a great 4-3 defensive tackle. In fantasy football leagues that require a defensive tackle, he has added value. However, even in leagues that do not, he is an IDP that is rising up the board. Monitor his progress going forward.
Defensive Lineman/Linebacker (LB) Tavius Robinson, Baltimore Ravens.
The Baltimore Ravens had high expectations for Tavius Robinson when they selected him 124th overall in the 2023 NFL draft. He was trending upward each year, but only managed 10 games last year. It was still his career best with 4.5 sacks, but he’s on a pace to shatter his personal best. The 6’ 6” 258 edge specialist has played all but one snap on the line, and has a sack in three of the five games this season.
Trey Hendrickson was the Ravens’ big off-season addition, but he has been injured. Once he returns, T. Robinson will be freed up for more one-on-one pass rush opportunities. The Ravens are not on bye until week 13, and T. Robinson could be a valuable addition. He is rostered in just 2% of IDP leagues and is a riser that is worth a roster spot in almost all fantasy football leagues.
Defensive Back (DB) Roger McCreary, Detroit Lions.
Roger McCreary has been mentioned in the IDP Report when he was with the Tennessee Titans. That was in 2023, and R. McCreary is currently with the Detroit Lions after a one-year stint with the Los Angeles Rams. He has logged 67 or more snaps in three consecutive games and is expected to be a mainstay for the Lions going forward.
R. McCreary plays an almost 50/50 split at the slot corner and wide corner. In addition to that, over the last two games, he has played 13 snaps on the defensive line and 16 in the box. He has recorded 15 combined tackles this season, and he is heavily targeted in the pass game. R. McCreary deflected 6 passes last week! The Lions are on bye for Week 6, but keep an eye on this riser as a possible stash in order to have a rosterable IDP past his bye for the remainder of the season.
Fantasy Football Week 6 IDP Waiver Wire Targets
David Bailey, Defensive Lineman/Linebacker, New York Jets (24% ownership +/-)
David Bailey is part of the amazing 2026 IDP draft class, but Bailey came with big expectations. He was the second overall selection, behind National Champion-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The New York Jets already had a good defensive end room, but D. Bailey has quickly become a heavily used IDP. He has played in 252 defensive snaps this season.
D. Bailey is only owned in 24% of IDP leagues, and most of those are likely dynasty formats. He has recorded 5 sacks this season, including a three-sack performance last week. His tackle totals have increased the past three weeks, and the Jets play division rivals the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins the next two weeks. Get this phenomenal IDP off of the Week 6 waiver wire, and put him in fantasy football lineups for Week 6.
Quincy Williams, Linebacker, Cleveland Browns (13% ownership +/-)
Quincy Williams is a former New York Jet who is now a member of the Cleveland Browns. He has put forth an excellent season thus far, but is still just rostered in 13% of fantasy football leagues. He has 34 combined tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 passes defended, and leads the league with 3 forced fumbles.
Q. Williams has played 288 of his 322 snaps in the box and is in the middle of everything the Browns do defensively. Teammate and fellow starting linebacker, Carson Schwesinger, was injured last week, and Q. Williams could be asked to shoulder more responsibility versus their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens. Pick Q. Williams up for Week 6, and put him into starting fantasy football lineups.
Jacob Parrish, Defensive Back, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1% ownership +/-)
Jacob Parrish led the way for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ first victory of the season. They upset the Dallas Cowboys on the road to win as underdogs, and J. Parrish was the team’s leading tackler. He earned 9 combined tackles, 8 of which were solo tackles, and he has three consecutive games with 5 or more tackles. All but two of his 21 tackles have been solo tackles, which is worth considerably more points in most IDP fantasy football leagues.
He has lined up for 179 snaps at wide corner to just 2 in the slot. He does occasionally play in the box (15 snaps), which increases his opportunity to make big plays. He had 4 passes defended last week, and has 7 on the season to go with 1 interception.
Despite Tampa Bay only winning one game this season, they are only 1.5 games out of first place in the NFC South. J. Parrish plays against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6, who have been airing it out with Aaron Rodgers. A. Rodgers has 184 pass attempts and has thrown 4 interceptions this season. Pick up J. Parrish from the Week 6 waiver wire and plug this IDP into starting lineups.
NFL Week 6 IDP Matchups To Capitalize On
New York Jets vs New England Patriots, Sunday 1:00 PM ET
Elijah Ponder, Defensive Line, NE Patriots
Elijah Ponder is one of the leading IDPs of the 2026 season. Yet he is rostered in just 5% of fantasy football leagues. He has recorded 0.5 or more sacks in four consecutive games, and has 17 tackles on the season. He also has 2 fumble recoveries, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception, and 1 TD… enough big plays to last an IDP all season.
However, E. Ponder and the New England Patriots are just finding their rhythm. It was a rough start, but the Patriots look more like themselves over the past two weeks. Now they host their division rival, the New York Jets. Ponder has played 213 of his 221 snaps on the defensive line, and he will make a big play against Geno Smith and the Jets. Look for him to increase his sack totals; play him in week 6 with confidence.
Los Angeles Chargers vs Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday 4:25 PM ET
George Karlaftis, Defensive Lineman, KC Chiefs
George Karlaftis has quietly been the Chiefs' best IDP. Yes, even better than Nick Bolton… or at least as impactful. G. Karlaftis has 15 combined tackles, 10 QB hits, 2 tackles for loss, 2 passes defended, and 1 interception… as a defensive lineman. And the Chiefs have only played four games and are coming off of their bye.
IDPs often get dropped on their bye weeks, and G. Karlaftis is rostered in just 7% of sleeper fantasy football leagues. This week they host their division rival, the Los Angeles Chargers, who haven’t won a game and look out of rhythm. Their offensive line is injured badly, with 4 starters out/injured. Justin Herbert leads the league in interceptions and has been sacked 17 times this season. This is a feast game for G. Karlaftis and the Chiefs. Put this IDP in the starting lineup for Week 6.
Buffalo Bills vs Las Vegas Raiders, 4:25 PM ET
Jeremy Chinn, Defensive Back, LV Raiders
The Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams played a thrilling overtime game on Monday Night. The Bills could (and should) have lost, but won on the last drive of the game. They are staying out west to prepare for the Las Vegas Raiders, and Jeremy Chinn could benefit from this change in routine. J. Chinn is a defensive back for the Raiders and is having an outstanding season.
At one point, J. Chinn was a highly touted IDP, but went through somewhat of a lull with injuries. However, he returned with back-to-back seasons with over 100 tackles. This season, he has recorded 29 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 1 pass defended, 1 fumble recovery, 1 tackle for loss, and 1.0 sack.
He is a do-it-all safety who is all over the field. J. Chinn has logged 165 snaps at free safety, 110 snaps in the box, 28 snaps at slot corner, and 27 snaps on the defensive line. He is the perfect IDP to cover Josh Allen, and he could have his highest tackle total of the season. Look for the Raiders to neutralize J. Allen with J. Chinn’s location and involvement. Put Chinn in as a starter in all IDP fantasy football formats.
NFL Fantasy Football Week 6 IDP Injury Report & News
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