Bring in the Backups: Bench Players You Can Start in Week 6 Fantasy Football

With bye weeks starting to ramp up – four teams are off in Week 6 – bench options will become increasingly necessary when assessing your fantasy football starting lineup.

There are also a number of key players injured, with stud wide receiver Davante Adams set to sit once again in Week 6, while Todd Gurley is now at risk of missing a huge game due to a quad issue.

Here are three players, likely on your bench, to consider for Week 6 in fantasy football.

1. Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings (Started in 19 Percent of Yahoo! Leagues)

Earlier in the season, Kirk Cousins was looking like a hands-off player in fantasy, as the Minnesota Vikings were operating one of the most run-heavy offenses in football. Now, after his two stud wide receivers voiced their frustration, Cousins is suddenly relevant again. He turned a corner in Week 5, throwing for a season-high 306 passing yards and two touchdowns against the New York Giants. Another good matchup awaits in Week 6 against the Philadelphia Eagles, who are allowing the fifth fewest fantasy points to running backs, but have a very burnable secondary currently riddled by injuries. Cousins could be in line for a big week with another favorable matchup.

2. Kenyan Drake, RB, Miami Dolphins (Started in 23 Percent of Yahoo! Leagues)

Up until this point of the season, starting any Miami Dolphin in fantasy football has generally proven to be a fool's errand. The league's lowest scoring offense (6.5 points per game) is not conducive to strong fantasy production, which has been bad news for Kenyan Drake. Luckily for him, the Dolphins are coming off a bye with arguably their most winnable game of the season, at home against the similarly dreadful Washington Redskins. In what has been described as the Super Bowl of tanking, Drake will enjoy his best matchup to date against a Skins defense that gives up the eighth most fantasy points to running backs.

3. Auden Tate, WR, Cincinnati Bengals (Started in 11 Percent of Yahoo! Leagues)

The Cincinnati Bengals are one of four winless teams this season, any they may extend that losing streak on the road against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6. The team has frequently found themselves in pass-heavy scripts playing from behind, while injuries to A.J. Green and John Ross have left them hurting for receiving options. This has allowed Auden Tate to step up as the No. 2 WR behind Tyler Boyd. Tate, a second-year wideout from Florida State, scored his first TD last week, and now draws a favorable matchup against the Ravens. Baltimore's secondary has been less than stellar this season, giving up the 10th most fantasy points to wide receivers.

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