Beat the bye weeks with these quarterback streamers

Streaming quarterbacks in fantasy football is often a necessary tactic when the NFL hands us a week when 4-6 teams are on a bye.

Though just two teams are off in Week 6, many are still turning to potential waiver wire additions due to the rash of injuries combined with the overall decline in scoring production.

Pass attempts from year-to-year remain the same, but receptions and receiving yards are down, and those who drafted Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow or Brock Purdy probably didn’t think their season would come to this.

Nor did those who drafted Justin Herbert or Kyler Murray, yet here we all are looking for available options.

Fortunately, help is more than available.

Before you run out and start believing Joe Flacco is the savior of the Bengals or that Geno Smith versus Tennessee will be a positive experience, take a moment to understand they are not. 

The Bengals’ offensive line has been atrocious, and a flat-footed 40-year-old with the mobility of a refrigerator is not going to be gunslinging to Ja’Marr Chase downfield all day.

Smith’s play has not only been subpar, but with how soft the Titans’ run defense is, Ashton Jeanty should be the Raider eating most often. There are much better options available.

Start with Matthew Stafford.

He has two of the most gifted receivers in the game, and he is facing a Ravens defense that has had 40 points dropped on it twice already and is allowing an average of 35.4 points per game.

On top of that, much of their secondary remains questionable for the week.

Despite the travel concerns many have with West Coast teams heading east, Stafford is more than experienced enough to handle this.

Beyond Stafford, Sam Darnold and Mac Jones stand head and shoulders above quarterbacks like Smith or Flacco.

Darnold is coming off a spectacular performance against the Buccaneers and now faces a Jaguars team that is “feeling itself” coming off a big upset of the Chiefs, yet still allows the sixth-most passing yards per game. 

With a strong rushing attack to support him and one of the most prolific wide receivers in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Darnold is in a place where he doesn’t even need to overproduce to return strong value.

And Jones gets to face that same Buccaneers secondary that just allowed Darnold to throw for 341 yards and four touchdowns.

He has worked beautifully in Kyle Shanahan’s system doing everything Purdy does and has averaged over 300 yards per game thus far.

Add to it the possible returns of Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall, and you’re all set.

Should every one of those options remain unavailable, then Carolina’s Bryce Young is your next target.

The Dallas pass defense ranks dead last, its pass rush is minimal, and given how prolific its offense can be, this one might turn into a shootout.

---

Betting on the NFL?

---

Young also has a supportive ground game and is adding Jalen Coker to a receiving corps that already boasts assets like Tetairoa McMillan and Xavier Legette.

The depth at the quarterback position is cited year after year, and 2025 is no different.

Obviously, you would prefer to have your top starter available, but not having them shouldn’t cost you your week.

Play the right matchups and your fantasy team won’t miss a beat.

---

Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy football news and advice.