Waiver Wire Pickups Week 6 – Fantasy Football
Welcome to this week’s edition of fantasy football waiver wire pickups for your fantasy football leagues. We’re already on to Week 6 of the 2024 NFL season. Whether you have the top waiver wire priority this week or you’re not sure how much FAAB to spend, we’ve got you covered. Here are this week’s top waiver wire pickups for your fantasy football leagues.
Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 6
With our expert fantasy football advice, you’ll be able to determine who to pay up for on the waiver wire and who to avoid. Follow along with us all fantasy season long and we’ll help you win your fantasy football league this year. Continue reading for our top waiver wire pickups as we head into Week 6 of the fantasy football season.
Keep in mind, that rostered percentages are from early Monday morning.
Quarterbacks
Daniel Jones, QB, New York Giants (16%)
Despite a 2-3 start, the New York Giants have some close games under their belt and could very well have beaten the Browns and Cowboys. Meanwhile, Daniel Jones has been putting up solid numbers and has three top-12 weeks to his name.
In three games this year, he’s thrown for 2 touchdowns and no interceptions. Additionally, he’s thrown for 236, 281, and 257 passing yards in his last three games. That’s despite tough defensive matchups with the Seahawks, Browns, and Cowboys. This week, Jones gets the Bengals who have all sorts of issues this year. Jones can be picked up and started this week if you need someone. – Aaron Schill @aaron_schill
Kirk Cousins, QB, Atlanta Falcons (41%)
Starting the season slow, Kirk Cousins had only one game with 15 or more fantasy points and through the first four weeks, he tallied a total of 36.1 points.
That all changed on Thursday Night Football in Week 5 when the veteran quarterback threw for 509 yards and had four passing touchdowns. That eye-opening performance resulted in 34.4 points scored.
That sounds even more impressive when considering that the Buccaneers, up until last week, had only had one game where they allowed an opposing quarterback to score more than 20 points.
Up next for Cousins is a Panthers team that is allowing the sixth-most points to the position. As if that is not enough, Cousins will get another crack at the Buccaneers in Week 8. – Mike Hauff @TheFFRealist
Derek Carr, QB, New Orleans Saints (37%)
After a ridiculous first two weeks of the NFL season, Derek Carr has come back down to earth. He’s now racked up four straight games with an interception and his passing yards have been going down as well.
However, this week Carr has a chance to bounce back at home against the Buccaneers. The way these two teams have been trending, it could be a high-scoring one and Carr could very well end up throwing multiple touchdowns. If you need a streaming option for Week 6, there’s a chance he’s on the waiver wire and can be started immediately. – Aaron Schill
Running Backs
Tank Bigsby, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars (31%)
Heading into the season, Travis Etienne appeared to be the clear-cut RB1 for the Jaguars. Through five games, Etienne has yet to surpass 68 rushing yards in a single game and his snaps are going down every week.
Through 5 games, Etienne’s snap percentages have been 70%, 72%, 69%, 52%, and a season-low 38% last week. For reference, last season he never saw less than 61% of the offensive snaps. Second-year running back Tank Bigsby, however, has three games with 73 or more rushing yards and is averaging an impressive 8.03 YPC to Etienne’s 4.36.
Additionally, he’s only ran for two touchdowns and hasn’t been the threat to catch passes that he was last year either. Meanwhile, Bigsby ran for two rushing touchdowns last week alone against the Colts. He also took 13 carries for a career-high 101 rushing yards. That was good for the RB1 overall in PPR in Week 5.
At this point, Bigsby has excellent standalone value. He’s much more than just a handcuff and should be a viable option for Week 6 and beyond. – Aaron Schill
Tyrone Tracy, RB, New York Giants (34%)
Devin Singletary may be the Giants’ RB1, but he lacks the elite talent to secure a firm grip on the position. Singletary is a volume-dependent runner in fantasy, with a concerning 83.9% positive run rate and 2.6 yards after contact—both ranking low according to the metrics.
Enter Tyrone Tracy, who has a real chance to carve out a meaningful role in New York’s backfield. Tracy was impressed with 7.2 yards per carry on 18 attempts for 129 yards against Seattle, including two explosive runs over 20 yards—which equaled Singletary’s total in four games. If you’re looking for a stash with potential RB1 upside, Tracy could be a breakout candidate down the line. – Michael Hauff
Ty Chandler, RB, Minnesota Vikings (36%)
Ty Chandler is set to be a popular waiver wire target heading into Week 6, largely due to the uncertainty surrounding Aaron Jones‘ hip injury. As of now, the extent of Jones’ injury is still unknown, but it could open the door for Chandler to take on a significant role.
Jones is a crucial piece of the Vikings’ offense, contributing not only in the running game but also as a key receiver on screens and short passes, helping keep the offense two-dimensional and alleviating pressure on Sam Darnold. If Jones is sidelined, Chandler is expected to step into a similar role.
Although Chandler struggled against the Jets’ strong run defense, rushing for only 30 yards on 14 carries and catching two targets for nine yards, his 16 touches show the usage is there—something we always chase in fantasy football.
While the Vikings have their bye in Week 6, now is the time to get ahead of the curve and add Chandler before the news on Jones becomes clearer. If Jones misses time, Chandler’s value will skyrocket, potentially offering RB2 upside. Don’t wait until Week 7 when the demand for him could be through the roof.
Antonio Gibson, RB, New England Patriots (50%)
Heading into the 2024 season, Rhamondre Stevenson was being drafted as a low-end RB1. After a bit of a slow start and leading all running backs with 4 fumbles, the Patriots have leaned more on Antonio Gibson.
Thankfully for Stevenson, he bounced back this week. He found the end zone and finished as the RB5 in PPR this week. Meanwhile, Gibson was announced as the starter prior to the matchup against the Dolphins this week.
All things considered, the Patriots could potentially have a short leash on Stevenson. While Gibson may not offer the highest ceiling so long as Stevenson is active, he’s certainly worth stashing for the time being. Overall, he’s worth a roster spot, but not necessarily a ton of your FAAB. – Aaron Schill
Wide Receivers
Xavier Legette, WR, Carolina Panthers (54%)
Coming off a dud performance where he left early with a shoulder injury, the rookie wide receiver is still a top waiver wire priority. Xavier Legette still very much has the talent and the opportunity to become the WR1 for the Carolina Panthers, however bad they might be.
Last week, Legette was a top waiver wire priority in many leagues. After this game with just one catch for 8 yards, there’s probably a decent chance he’s getting dropped. Don’t be afraid to pick up Legette and stash him. I don’t believe he’ll end up missing time, but there’s certainly a chance he does. Either way, he’s still absolutely worth a roster spot. – Aaron Schill
Josh Downs, WR, Indianapolis Colts (53%)
Josh Downs has been stellar in his past two games with Joe Flacco, putting up at least 15 PPR points in each. Despite being third in snaps behind Alec Pierce and Michael Pittman Jr., Downs has emerged as Flacco’s go-to wide receiver, seeing nine and 12 targets in those outings.
While Downs should be a priority waiver add, it’s important to temper expectations in the short term. His value could take a hit if Anthony Richardson returns as the starting QB, as their chemistry isn’t as established. Additionally, four of Downs’ next six matchups are against top-6 defenses in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers (TEN, MIA, BUF, NYJ), making his schedule tougher moving forward. – Michael Hauff
Darnell Mooney, WR, Atlanta Falcons (65%)
Many might not have expected this but five weeks into the season, Darnell Mooney is second among the Flacons with a 24% target share. He has even played in 97% of the team’s snaps, more than any other skilled position player on the team.
If fantasy players didn’t pay attention to those numbers, they sure noticed in Week 5 when Mooney had nine of 16 targets for 105 yards and two touchdowns. That offensive onslaught had Mooney finishing as a top-5 wide receiver on the week.
With the exception of the season opener, Mooney has not less than six targets in a game. If you need more of a reason to pick up the Falcons pass-catcher, Mooney will face teams that are top-10 in points allowed to wide receivers in two out of his next three games. Mooney is a top waiver wire priority at this point and needs to be rostered in every league. – Mike Hauff
Jalen Tolbert, WR, Dallas Cowboys (17%)
Jalen Tolbert should be a top waiver wire priority heading into Week 6. In the Cowboys’ Week 5 win over the Steelers, Tolbert played a full-time role, hauling in seven receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets, racking up 21.7 PPR points.
With Brandin Cooks on IR, Tolbert is set to be a key weapon for the next few weeks. There’s even a case to be made that Tolbert could maintain the No. 2 wide receiver spot in Dallas beyond Cooks’ return.
Tolbert has been productive throughout the season, recording at least 13.2 PPR points in two other games and seeing nine or more targets in two outings. In a Cowboys offense that relies on a high-volume passing attack, Tolbert is an ascending must-start option.
Even better, three of the next four games are against defenses ranking in the bottom 10 in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers, making Tolbert a potential difference-maker in fantasy lineups. – Michael Hauff
Tight Ends
Tyler Conklin, TE, New York Jets (29%)
After a slow start, Tyler Conklin is starting to gain momentum. Over the past three games, he has seen 23 targets, including back-to-back outings with at least eight looks, and has delivered 11.5 PPR points in two of those contests. With the Jets struggling to establish a consistent run game, their reliance on the passing attack should continue, boosting Conklin’s appeal as a volume-driven fantasy option.
His next three matchups against the Bills, Steelers, and Patriots are against defenses that rank in the middle of the pack for fantasy points allowed to tight ends, making Conklin a solid streaming option with consistent usage in a pass-heavy offense. – Michael Hauff
Zach Ertz, TE, Washington Commanders (48%)
Veteran Zach Ertz has solidified a nice role with rookie Jayden Daniels and this Commanders offense. The biggest knock on him this year is simply not finding the end zone yet. Unfortunately, he has zero targets in the red zone this year.
With a streaming tight end option such as Ertz, you’re really just banking on him finding the end zone. With the volume coming fairly consistently, Ertz should find the end zone soon enough. Considering how bad the TE landscape is becoming, Ertz is a solid streaming option. – Aaron Schill
Cade Otton, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (44%)
Coming off his third game in a row with 44 or more receiving yards, Cade Otton is becoming a possible target off the waiver wire. Similar to Ertz, he’s yet to find the end zone, which is the biggest thing holding him back from having a big week.
In the last three weeks, Otton has 21 targets and caught 16 of them for 143 yards. Moving forward, Otton gets four weeks in a row against teams that have struggled against opposing tight ends. The Buccaneers get the Saints, Ravens, Falcons, and Chiefs. Look for Baker Mayfield to continue to give Otton enough volume to put him in the streaming TE conversation. – Aaron Schill
Streaming DSTs
Philadelphia Eagles DST
Next three opponents: Vs. Browns, @ Giants, and @ Bengals.
Houston Texans DST
Next three opponents: @ Patriots, @ Packers, and vs. Colts.
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