As is with every fantasy football season, the waiver wire tends to dry up at a certain point. It feels like we’ve hit that point already with Week 6. That’s not to say there aren’t worthwhile players on the waiver wire. Nor is it to say there can’t be other players to present themselves a week or even a month from right now. Rather, the impact these players are expected to make is not one that you need to prioritize adding to your roster especially if you don’t have a player on your bench that’s easy to cut.
You may be dealing with injuries, bye weeks, or just need to cycle out players from your bench. Whatever the case may be, the waiver wire is there to help. There’s not always a need to put in a claim for players each week, but if you do, make it count. Below, we’ll look at players at each position, who are on 50% or less of most fantasy football rosters, that could be considered on the Week 6 waiver wire.
Week 6 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire By Position
Running Back
Jaleel McLaughlin, Denver Broncos
If you need a running back to pick up from the waiver wire and start in Week 6, it’s clearly Jaleel McLaughlin. He leads the waiver wire running back list for the second week in a row. That’s after his second straight top-10 finish in Points Per Reception formats. The Denver Broncos play Thursday night in Week 6. If Javonte Williams is unable to go again, McLaughlin deserves consideration in your starting lineup. On just 37 total snaps in Weeks 4 and 5, he has 22 touches and 37.3 fantasy points. He adds receiving upside which should factor in during a divisional matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans
Whether we want to admit it or not, Derrick Henry’s usage and effectiveness is declining however slightly. Behind him, rookie Tyjae Spears has played just 19 less snaps on the season, too. Spears set career-highs in Week 5 in a seven-point, divisional road loss to the Indianapolis Colts. That includes opportunities (12), touches (11), total yards (69), fantasy points (16.9) as well as scoring his first career touchdown. This may be the last call to grab Spears off of the waiver wire. In the event Derrick Henry’s season gets worse, or he’s traded away, Spears should and would factor in more to the game plan out of the Titans’ backfield.
Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears
Realistically, both the aforementioned McLaughlin and Spears aren’t available on your league’s Week 6 waiver wire. If that’s the case, look for rookie Roschon Johnson to be the priority add at running back. Yes, he left Week 5 with a concussion. In fact, he, Travis Homer, and Khalil Herbert all exited their Week 5 win with injuries. Most notably, Khalil Herbert will miss a few weeks with an ankle injury. He leaves behind a team-high 58.9% of running back snaps behind. Look for Roschon Johnson to fill that void once he clears concussion protocol. D’Onta Foreman is a deeper league add but he has been a healthy scratch each week since Week 1.
Other Running Backs to Consider
- Jeff Wilson Jr. could see a significant role in the Miami Dolphins’ backfield immediately upon returning from Injured Reserve. Unfortunately, rookie De’Von Achane is undergoing evaluation for a knee injury suffered in Week 5. That leaves Wilson to once again share the backfield with Raheem Mostert as the two did for most of last season. It likely relegates both to flex plays with upside given the all-around improvement from Miami’s 2022 run game to now.
- Emari Demercado is a player most fantasy managers will overlook on the Week 6 waiver wire. However, if you have lower waiver priority and need a running back, then submit a claim for the rookie out of TCU. James Conner is dealing with a knee injury that forced him to miss the entire second half of Arizona’s Week 5 loss. Demercado was the only running back to carry the ball after Conner’s exit. Conner accounts for nearly one-third of the Cardinals’ offensive touches this season averaging 13.7 points per game in four healthy games played.
Wide Receiver
K.J. Osborn, Minnesota Vikings
It should go without saying that if Vikings rookie receiver Jordan Addison is available on your league’s waiver wire, he is the top priority at the position ahead of Week 6. If not, look to add K.J. Osborn. He’s consistently had the edge over Addison in snaps played this season. Osborn will naturally see an even bigger role with Justin Jefferson heading to Injured Reserve. The Vikings have thrown the most pass attempts in the league this season, as well.
Josh Reynolds, Detroit Lions
The Lions were without wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown in Week 5. Regardless, they remained a run-first offense, especially given their early, steady lead that ultimately resulted in a 42-24 win over the Carolina Panthers. Without St. Brown, Josh Reynolds led all Lions wide receivers in targets (5), receptions (4) and yards (76) despite playing the third-most snaps among them. He even found the end zone for the third time this season. It’s clear Reynolds and Jared Goff have a solid connection from their time with the Los Angeles Rams. With or without Amon-Ra St. Brown active, Reynolds should be on most fantasy football rosters. He’s averaging 15.77 points per game.
Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts
You know the Week 6 waiver wire is sketchy when the second wide receiver I’m suggesting you pick up doesn’t even have a touchdown to his name yet this season. The Colts rookie does have 33 targets through five games, though, which is the second-most on the team. That’s with two different quarterbacks, Gardner Minshew and Anthony Richardson, of which the latter is expected to miss time with a shoulder injury. Josh Downs have at least five targets in four of five games this season and six or more receptions in two of his last three games. He’s doing all of this while playing the third-most snaps amongst Colts wide receivers. When he’s on the field, he’s going to produce. Pick him up and stash him if you have the room.
Curtis Samuel, Washington Commanders
After back-to-back games with 18.0 or more fantasy points, it would be irresponsible of me not to include Curtis Samuel on the Week 6 waiver wire. Samuel’s large point totals are a result of a rushing touchdown followed by a receiving touchdown in each of the last two respective games. He led all Commanders wide receivers in targets (7) in Week 5 with a 20% target share the week prior. Samuel and the Commanders do have a Week 7 Bye. However, if you need a wide receiver to start in Week 6, Samuel does get a matchup with a Los Angeles Chargers secondary allowing the most fantasy points per game to wide receivers.
Other Wide Receivers to Consider
- Quentin Johnston could be available on the Week 6 waiver wire following the Los Angeles Chargers’ bye in Week 5. If so, he’s worth adding in the event the team spent their week of rest prepping more playing time and touches for the rookie receiver. After losing Mike Williams to a torn ACL in Week 3, it’s possible Johnston does assume Williams’ role on this team eventually, perhaps as soon as Week 6. He’s worth stashing in case we see it sooner rather than later.
- Robert Woods is the 17th-most targeted player in the league through the first five weeks. His 40 targets lead all Houston Texans. Woods has at least six targets in every game with nine or 10 in three of the five played. Unfortunately, Woods is averaging just 8.62 points per game. He’s a touchdown-dependent flex with high enough volume that allows you to play him in more desperate situations.
- Darnell Mooney has just 24.4 fantasy points this season. That’s especially bad given that Justin Fields just had his best two statistical passing performances of his career over the last two weeks. Still, Fields should keep things rolling with a very favorable schedule over the next few weeks for any opposing passing attack. While I expected D.J. Moore and Cole Kmet to get most of the work through the air, don’t be surprised if Mooney emerges as a top contributor in this offense over the next three or so weeks.
Tight End
Logan Thomas, Washington Commanders
Following a season-high 20.7 PPR points in Week 5, Thomas becomes the priority tight end add on the Week 6 waiver wire. Thomas is one of 11 Commanders to draw a target in Week 6. Still, he managed a very strong 22.9% team target share which led them all. It’s not so much about Thomas’ recent success as it is about what he can do over the next three weeks. The Atlanta Falcons (Week 6) and Philadelphia Eagles (Week 8) both rank inside the top eight in points allowed to tight ends this season.
Zach Ertz, Arizona Cardinals
Whether he is available on the waiver wire or gets cut, adding Zach Ertz for Week 6 off of the waiver wire feels like a good opportunity for points. Ertz has three games with eight or more targets this season. Unfortunately, he has four and two targets respectively in his other two games. Next up is a divisional matchup with the Los Angeles Rams. They’re allowing the second-most points per game to tight ends. It’s worth noting they allowed a slumping Dallas Goedert to post an 8/117/1 stat line on nine targets just last week.
Quarterback
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Now that he has Cooper Kupp back in action, Matthew Stafford has the potential to return to his 2021 self of averaging 20.5 points per game, ranking inside the top 10 at the position. With Kupp and the league leader in targets, Puka Nacua, Stafford has two solid weapons to look for and utilize. In Week 6, Stafford and the Rams host the Arizona Cardinals. Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals just put 34 on the Cards with Burrow tossing three touchdowns with 314 yards.
Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
I doubt Brock Purdy is available on your league’s Week 6 waiver wire, but if so, add him! After working back from his elbow injury, Purdy started the season with two sub-17.0 point performances on the road. Since then, he has continued to ascend with 20.3, 21.32, and 26.08 scores respectively over the last three weeks. He heads back on the road with a tough test against the Cleveland Browns but then gets a Minnesota Vikings defense that’s allowing top-10 scores on average to opposing quarterbacks.
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Opposing quarterbacks have thrown the fourth-most collective pass attempts against the Detroit Lions’ secondary. Next up is Baker Mayfield, off of a Week 5 Bye, at home to take on the Lions. As far as picking up a plug-and-play quarterback for Week 6, you could find other options with a lot worse receiving weapons. It’s worth mentioning the Bucs will be rocking their orange creamsicle throwback jerseys in Week 6. All signs point to a big day from Baker. He’s averaging a respectable 17.34 points per game this season.
Week 6 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Half-PPR by Position | Flex Rankings | Positional Ranks w/ K & DST | Dynasty | Superflex Dynasty