Week 6 Waiver Wire
Note: Every suggestion will be pulled from either the Yahoo or ESPN rostership, and everyone in these articles will be less than 50% rostered on at least one of those sites. Only some leagues are cut and dry the same so this is just a template for a 12 team full PPR league. There may be players that would have made this article but are rostered in over 50% of the leagues on both sites so they were not included because you’re either in a smaller league or bigger league. If you have questions, please get in chat and ask. Going forward, I will list the bye week schedule below as it is going to become more important as we plan for that moving forward.
Week 5: DET, LAC, PHI, TEN
Week 6: KC, LAR, MIA, MIN
Week 7: CHI, DAL
Week 8: NONE
Week 9: PIT, SF
Week 10: CLE, GB, LV, SEA
Week 11: ARI, CAR, NYG, TB
Week 12: ATL, BUF, CIN, JAX, NO, NYJ
Week 13: NONE
Week 14: BAL, DEN, HOU, IND, NE, WAS
QB
Daniel Jones (New York Giants) – 3%
Daniel Jones has been quite good recently, putting up totals of 18.3, 19.5, and 22.1 in three of his last four matchups with a 9.5 point performance in Week 4 against Dallas. He has at least 20 rushing yards in three of his last four games and has at least two scores in those same three games. This week the Giants host the Bengals who just got shredded by Lamar Jackson for 348 passing yards and four scores with Lamar adding 55 rushing yards on top. They are allowing the 9th most passing yards per play (6.6) and have the 4th worse EPA/Pass (+.14).
Derek Carr (New Orleans Saints) – 1%
In Week 6 the Saints will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who we just saw get ripped by Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons for 509 passing yards. The Bucs have now allowed the 5th most passing yards per game (258.4) and offer a great matchup for the Saints to get back on track and get Carr back to 21+ fantasy points.
Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins) – 0%
The Miami offense has been pitiful without him and he is slated to return in Week 8. Worth stashing in any league you need a QB a few weeks ahead of when he returns.
BONUS: Snag Russell Wilson and see what happens. He averaged 17.1 PPG in 2023 in an offense that wasn’t tailored to his strengths, finishing as the QB15. Fields continues to display why he is not the answer at QB and all the tea leaves indicate Russ gets the job in the next week or two. He is worth the stash, especially in deeper leagues where you’re hurting or in 2QB league where he is an afterthought.
RB
Tank Bigsby (Jacksonville Jaguars) – 20%
For the third time in four games Tank Bigsby has vastly out performed Travis Etienne. In Week 1 Bigsby ran the ball 12 times for 73 yards where Etienne ran it 12 times for 44 yards and a score. Bigsby missed in Week 2 and when he came back in Week 3, Etienne saw the Cow share, taking 11 carries for 68 yards whereas Bigsby only carried it twice for nine yards. In Week 4, however, it went back to Bigsby out performing Etienne as he ran the ball seven times for 90 yards compared to Etienne running it 11 times for 50 yards. In Week 5, Bigsby buried Etienne, running it 13 times for 101 yards and two scores whereas Etienne ran it six times for 17 yards. It is worth noting that in Week 5 we saw Etienne catching six balls for 43 yards whereas Bigsby caught one pass for 28. This could very well shape up to Bigsby being the starter with the majority of the rushing work and goal line work and Etienne spells him as the 3rd down/receiving back. The Jaguars play at Chicago in Week 6 and it will put to the test how good these backs really are in this offense and who produces in this tough matchup will be telling.
Tyron Tracy (New York Giants) – 10%
I’m sure everyone will react normally to the Week 5 performance for Tyrone Tracy who ran the ball 18 times for 129 yards ultimately ending in 14 fantasy points. Tracy got the start in this game with Devin Singletary missing and played very well, ending up with a 62% snap share and 58% of the rushing attempts while getting a 43% route participation and earning a 12% target per route run. If Singletary misses again in Week 6, Tracy has a great matchup against the Bengals. Once Singletary is back, Tracy is nothing more than a long shot FLEX option and a middle of the road handcuff, which is why I’m hesitant to go nuts and I’m prepared to let that one leaguemate go nuts for him.
Ty Chandler (Minnesota Vikings) – 5%
I’m sure you won’t have the winning bid on Chandler but I can’t get around on pushing in a lot of chips for him. In Week 5 Aaron Jones suffered a leg injury which early reports suggest he misses a few weeks. With Jones out, Chandler saw almost every snap in the backfield for the Vikings and I would presume that would be the case if Jones misses any time. The issue I have is that the Vikings have a Bye in Week 6, so we miss the immediate start and then in Week 7 the Vikings play the Detroit Lions, who have one of the best run defenses in the NFL. So if we get a game without Aaron Jones (he may be active Week 7), it is an awful matchup and we are now stashing Chandler for Week 8 against the Rams, which is a phenomenal matchup. I still love having Chandler on my team even as a handcuff but there is a strong chance someone blows their budget on Chandler and you’ll be unable to snag him this week and have him for the potential Week 8 matchup against the Rams, if Jones even misses that week.
Blake Corum (LA Rams) – 1%
Blake Corum finally got some playing time this week against the Packers. It wasn’t much, but it was an indicator that he is in fact now the direct RB2 behind Kyren Williams if anything were to happen to Kyren. He gets bumped back up in the handcuff rankings and is by far the best handcuff available behind Ty Chandler. He ended up with a 18% rush share in this one with a 10% route participation, which isn’t much, but it put Ronnie Rivers to the bench. Don’t expect weekly use out of Corum unless Kyren misses time.
Top RB Handcuffs
- Braelon Allen (New York Jets)
- Zach Charbonnet (Seattle Seahawks)
- Tyler Allgeier (Atlanta Falcons)
- Ty Chandler (Minnesota Vikings)
- Blake Corum (LA Rams)
- Tyrone Tracy (New York Giants)
- Bucky Irving (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
- Antonio Gibson (New England Patriots)
- Trey Sermon (Indianapolis Colts)
- Ray Davis (Buffalo Bills)
WR
Juju Smith-Schuster (Kansas City Chiefs) – 20%
Juju was used as the WR1 in Week 5 and looked like his old self, something we haven’t seen in a while. I’ll take the chance that he actually is the reliable, over the middle slot WR in this offense. He had a 66% route participation with a 28% target per route run, resulting in eight total targets for seven receptions and 130 yards including a 50 yard catch and run where he looked fluid and quick. If Juju is actually healthy and playing well, he is going to be a consistent contributor for this offense for the rest of the year. They have a bye in Week 6 so if you need immediate production and your season is hanging by a thread, look elsewhere to a guy like Tolbert.
Josh Downs (Indianapolis Colts) – 15%
I’m a little reserved about blowing my budget on Downs and it is mainly because of the growing pains we’ll experience with Anthony Richardson. When this offense is at its core with Richardson and Taylor, they’re run first. However, beyond that, Downs does fit the style of Richardson passing in the deep slot and Downs is flat out a playmaker. In the three games he has played this year he has a 70% route participation with a ridiculous 35% target per route run and 30% share. He has atl east nine targets in each of his last two games and has fully emerged as this team’s WR1.
Jalen Tolbert (Dallas Cowboys) – 5%
Tolbert had great usage in Week 5 with Brandin Cooks sidelined with a knee issue. He saw season highs in route participation (89%), Target Per Route Run (25%), and target rate (26%) all while catching the game winning TD late in the game. With cooks out for at least a couple more games, we have a great matchup for Tolbert in Week 6 at home against the Detroit Lions. Fire him up confidently this week.
Michael Wilson (Arizona Cardinals) – 5%
Michael Wilson has arrived? Feels weird to say but he is pacing Marvin Harrison Jr. right now out in Arizona. Over the last three games Wilson has a 90% route participation with a 25% target per route run and 27% target share, all matching Marvin Harrison Jr.’s numbers. He has a solid 11.2 ADOT and 32% of the team’s air years. It seems he has locked himself in as the 3rd target earner on this team even with Trey McBride healthy and has seen at least six targets each of the last three games and has scored 12.8 or more in two of those three games. The Cardinals visit the Packers in Week 6, a game in which they’ll likely be forced to throw above expectations.
TE
Tyler Conklin (New York Jets) – 0%
This Jets offense is obnoxious but Tyler Conklin is benefiting. He now has at least an 18% target share in each of his last three games (6 or more targets in each) while having a 77% route participation or higher in every game this year. Since Week 3 Conklin has averaged 10.5 PPR points per game which has put him as the TE10 over that span. Volume alone makes him a backend TE1 for the rest of the season as he has done this without even scoring a single TD.
Noah Fant (Seattle Seahawks) – 0%
It seems the Seahawks are being stubborn when it comes to throwing the ball and Noah Fant is carrying a 12% target per route run this year with a 66% route participation that hit a season high 72% in Week 5. It isn’t much but he now has at least three targets in three of his last four games, hitting six targets in Week 3. Seattle hosts the 49ers on a short week in Week 6.
Hunter Henry (New England Patriots) – 0%
Henry is still widely available in fantasy leagues and his usage continues to be inspiring but the fantasy points just haven’t arrived. One the season he has an 80% route participation with a 18% target share, hitting 14% or higher in all but one game. With Drake Maye supposedly right on the cusp of getting his first NFL start, Henry should see a bump in efficiency. After a gauntlet of defenses to start the year, the Patriots have one last tough matchup against the Texans at home before facing the Jaguars, Jets, Titans, Bears, Rams, Dolphins, Colts, and Cardinals the next eight games.
DST
Houston Texans – 0%
So far this year Houston’s defense has been middle of the pack with the 16th rated EPA/Play (-.08) allowed overall and have scored as the DST19 so far on the year but they play the Patriots in Week 6. The Texans will either get a battered and bruise Jacoby Brissett with a swiss cheese offensive line or a deer in the headlights rookie in Drake Maye making his first start. The Texans have blitzed the 7th most in the NFL to date with the 7th highest sack rate. Good luck New England.
Philadelphia Eagles – 0%
The Eagles have crushed anyone who has started them in fantasy so far this year, averaging only 3.5 points per game and and currently being the DST28 on the season. Their defense has been equally as bad, sporting the 6th worst overall EPA/Play (+.06). However, in Week 6 the Eagles will be coming off of a bye and will be hosting the Cleveland Browns. So far on the season, three of the five opponents for the Browns have scored 13 or more points and the other two were the LV Raiders who scored nine and the Jacksonville Jaguars who scored three. The Giants, Commanders, and Cowboys have all scored 13 or more and none of them pose a major threat overall with the Eagles being right up there as a team who should do the exact same to the Browns this week. High floor, high ceiling play.
Indianapolis Colts – 0%
The Colts defense has been bad (DST22) this year and just got nuked by the Jacksonville Jaguars but they have the joy of a journey to Tennessee to take on banged up Will Levis, who is coming off of a Bye. Every team to face the Titans so far this year has scored at least nine fantasy points except the Dolphins in Week 4 when Mason Rudolph played most of the game and the Titans played with a lead. The other three games resulted in the Jets DST racking up 9 fantasy points, the Bears getting 22 and the Packers getting 21. The injury to Will Levis is a right AC Joint sprain and Head Coach Brian Callahan said he will be starting Levis as long as he is healthy and all reports indicate he will be ready to play.
