Welcome to the Fantasy Football Waiver Wire for Week 6! Week 6 already? Yup. Week 6 already. Time flies when you’re watching your prized Week 5 Waiver Wire pickup casually drop the ball on the goal line, after he finally got a carry and busted it for 72 yards. More on that debacle later.
The season is rolling along, and the waiver wire continues to be an important source of roster assistance to those who pursue it. If you aren’t aggressively and regularly doing add/drops, you’re giving away a big advantage to your league-mates. With the Bye weeks upon us and lots of players sidelined with injuries, fantasy managers need help right now.
Warning — repeat announcement incoming. When managing through the Bye weeks, it never hurts to look ahead a week and get a jump on the competition, and especially at the “onesie” positions (QB, TE, PK, and D/ST). Getting your pick of the litter beats fighting for scraps.
The Process: Each week, I try to identify the top Waiver Wire targets and evaluate the short- and long-term prospects of those players. I also do my best to reveal which players who are coming off a big week are fool’s gold. Finally, I look at streamers who might help you in a pinch. Note that I’m writing this column BEFORE the Week 5 Monday night game (KC@JAC).
Some players discussed won’t be available in your league. I try to list players who are available in more than 50% of leagues. But what does that even mean? A 10-team league with six bench spots will have a much larger Free Agent pool than a 14-team league with eight. Most leagues fall somewhere in between. This isn’t “one size fits all.” By way of example, I won’t list Rico Dowdle, Woody Marks, Raheed Shahid, or Darren Waller, among others who probably aren’t available in any of your leagues.
WEEK 6 BYES: HOU, MIN
Week 6 Waiver Wire
Quarterback:
QB availability will vary widely between 1-QB and Superflex leagues.
Matthew Stafford, Sam Darnold, Michael Penix, Jr., Trevor Lawrence, Tua Tagovailoa, Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Jaxson Dart, Aaron Rodgers, and Spencer Rattler won’t be available in most Superflex leagues. They’re the obvious places to start if you need long-term help or an injury replacement in a 1-QB league. I like them roughly in this order for the rest of the season, but in terms of streaming them, check the matchups for a given week and target them accordingly. Note that Stroud is not available this week (Bye).
The Vikings are on a Bye this week and it’s unclear if J.J. McCarthy will be back for Week 7, and despite what the team has said, if he’ll immediately supplant Carson Wentz when he does return. The passing game weapons make the Vikings’ QB fantasy-relevant, whoever it is.
Dillon Gabriel was competent in his debut, but I don’t think he offers a ton of fantasy upside, for now. He’s worth rostering in Superflex leagues (as is almost any starting QB).
Running Back:
Michael Carter got picked up in a lot of leagues last week but if nobody grabbed him in your league, he’s a priority pickup as he appears to have the lead role while Trey Benson is out, and perhaps longer. As for Emari Demercado, he also got scooped up in lots of leagues last week but might still be available in some leagues, and I don’t know what to say about his prospects going forward. He only got three carries, busted one of them for what should’ve been a long, game-sealing TD, and then dropped the ball Adonai Mitchell-style as he crossed the goal line. He’s explosive, but appears to be buried on the depth chart even with the #1 and #2 backs out with injuries. That bonehead play didn’t help.
Kendre Miller is worth rostering for several reasons. First, he’s getting some decent run. Second, if Alvin Kamara gets traded (as has been rumored), Miller should step into a lead-back role.
Kenneth Gainwell is available in more leagues than he should be, after what he did in Week 4. I get it: He took advantage of Jaylen Warren being a surprise inactive and then was on a Bye. Warren is expected back this week, but Gainwell is a good stash regardless.
Keep an eye on the updates for Omarion Hampton, who was seen in a walking boot after the Chargers’ loss to the Commanders. Kimani Vidal and Hassan Haskins would be the options if Hampton misses time. Haskins would probably get the goal-line work but Vidal might get more of the rest.
Depth adds: Tyjae Spears (saw his first game action in Week 5 and should continue to ramp up), Tyler Allgeier, Ollie Gordon, II, Zavien Scott, Bhayshul Tuten, Kyle Monangai, and Blake Corum.
Wide Receiver
The free agent cupboard continues to be unusually bare at wide receiver.
Romeo Doubs may have fallen off the radar after a Week 5 Bye, but he scored three TDs in Week 4 and with Jayden Reed out for multiple weeks and still no Christian Watson, he’s the #1 wideout on a very good offense. He’s a great add if available. Watson is a sneaky stash if you have an IR spot available.
Keon Coleman made some big-time catches on Sunday night, and I’m one of those who keeps expecting him to become a thing. But he’s also had plenty of dud games. I like him for depth.
Kendrick Bourne became the latest in a long line of players to come in off the bench for Kyle Shanahan and excel. Bourne took advantage of the absence of multiple pass-catchers on the 49ers and turned it into a 10-142 night. His opportunity going forward will depend on the availability of his teammates, but this wasn’t the first time he’s produced for fantasy. Grab him if you can.
Darius Slayton didn’t do much in Week 5, but he’s the Giants’ top outside receiver in the wake of the Malik Nabers injury and should see some volume as Jaxson Dart gets more comfortable. Slayton left the Week 5 game late with a hamstring injury and with the Giants on a short week, might not be available in Week 6. I can’t recommend the next men up for Big Blue.
Who is Ryan Flournoy? Great question, and while Jalen Tolbert was blanked on Sunday, Flournoy came out of nowhere and led the Cowboys’ receivers with six catches for 114 yards on nine targets. With CeeDee Lamb and Kavonte Turpin both possibly out for a little more time, Flournoy is an interesting flier in a great passing offense. But be careful chasing this stat line, which feels flukey.
Others to consider for depth: Tyquan Thornton, Travis Hunter, Calvin Austin III, Malik Washington, Christian Kirk, Tutu Atwell, Troy Franklin, and Parker Washington.
Tight End:
Two tight ends in New York are stepping up on offenses that don’t have great receiving weapons, and need to throw a lot due to game-script: Mason Taylor and Theo Johnson. Johnson has three TDs in two games with Jaxson Dart, and Taylor has 14 catches on 19 targets the last two weeks. I think decent production should be sustainable for both.
Jake Tonges should continue to produce for as long as George Kittle is out, which should be at least one more week according to reports.
Others you can consider for depth: Dalton Schultz, Chig Okonkwo, Juwan Johnson, and Tommy Tremble.
PK and D/ST Streamers, Week 6: (ranked outside the Top-14 for the week):
PK: E. Pineiro (@TB), Colts’ kicker (TBD) vs. ARI, C. Boswell (vs. CLE).
D/ST: NE (@NO), LV (vs. TEN).
Good luck with your waiver claims!
***This column appears each Monday right here at Big Blue View. Each Thursday, my weekly fantasy preview with my rides, fades and sleepers (start/sit) appears here, and on Fridays you can find my weekly Giants Props of the week, also right here. ***
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