Fantasy Football Week 6 Waiver Wire
By Brandon Lane
QUARTERBACK
If available: Matthew Stafford (57%)
Sam Howell, Washington Commanders
*Roster Percentage: 33%
We recommended Howell as a streamer in Week 5 and if you went that direction you had to be happy with the result. Playing catch-up, the Commanders took to the air where Howell completed 37-of-51 passes for 388 yards and two touchdowns. He padded also his day running in a two point conversion. While this week’s match-up isn’t as tastee as the Bears in Week 5, the Falcons are not a team to shy away from. My main concern is the game ends up a slow-paced run heavy game script limiting Howell’s upside.
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Roster Percentage: 19%
The Buccaneers are coming off a Bye which hopefully lends itself to the return of Mike Evans who exited with a hip injury in Week 4. Mayfield has exceeded expectations so far this season and prior to the team’s Bye he threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns. Week 6 brings on shootout potential when Bucs face the Lions.
Gardner Minshew, Indianapolis Colts
Roster Percentage: 1%
Rookie QB Anthony Richardson will miss the next few weeks with an AC joint sprain which means Gardner Minshew will take over the reins for the foreseeable future. Minshew has proved to be more than capable in year’s past and the Colts are one of the best coached teams in the NFL right now. If you are struggling at QB then GIDDY UP and pick up the SHEW!
Others to Consider:
Joshua Dobbs (20% @ LAR)
RUNNING BACK
Roschon Johnson/D’Onta Foreman, Chicago Bears
Roster Percentage: 41/7%
Khalil Herbert looked like he had finally taken a hold of the Bears starting running back job before suffering a high-ankle sprain in Week 5. Prior to Herbert going down rookie Roschon Johnson suffered a concussion. If he can clear protocol Johnson should get first crack at the starting job. But veteran D’Onta Foreman will be brought back to the active roster this week to also get in on the action. I’d look to add both Johnson and Foreman this week to see how the workload is divided up, but Johnson is the priority.
Jeff Wilson Jr., Miami Dolphins
Roster Percentage: 27%
Rookie phenom De’Von Achane is set to miss multiple weeks with a knee injury. We’ve all seen what the Dolphins running backs have done in their high-powered system but the one thing they have been missing is the big-back roll — enter Jeff Wilson. He is now eligible to return from IR and while we are still waiting to hear if he is ready to return, he should be a top priority on waivers this week.
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans
Roster Percentage: 24%
Another week another Tyjae waiver blurb. Spears continues to see a healthy share of the touches for the Titans and in Week 5 carried the ball seven times for 34 yards and scored his first NFL touchdown. He also caught 4 balls for 35 yards making for a flex consideration in fantasy leagues. I suggest stashing Spears in all leagues.
Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens
Roster Percentage: 28%
The Ravens continue to give Hill a share of the backfield and he proved to be serviceable rushing seven times for 32 yards and a touchdown while catching all four of his targets for and additional 13 yards. I still prefer Gus Edwards over Hill but if you are looking for touches on a solid offense Hill can add depth to most fantasy rosters. Also, keep an eye out for updates regarding rookie Keaton Mitchell who lit up preseason and could return from IR this week.
Emari Demercado/Keaontay Ingram, Arizona Cardinals
Roster Percentage: 4/1%
James Conner (knee) has been placed on IR. The injury led to undrafted rookie Emari Demercado receiving 10 carries for 45 yards and a touchdown in Week 5. It’s possible the Cardinals see the return of Keaontay Ingram this week which could muddy the backfield touches moving forward. While there is value to be had if one of them wins the job, the situation might turn out to be a headache.
Others to Consider:
Antonio Gibson (49%), Ezekiel Elliott (43%), Elijah Mitchell/Jordan Mason (33/1% monitor knee injury), Chuba Hubbard (31%), Eric Gray (0% if Barkley is out again), Keaton Mitchell (26% could come off IR), Chuba Hubbard (25%), Tank Bigsby (20%), Kendre Miller (12%), Rico Dowdle (6%), Salvon Ahmed/Chris Brooks (0%)
WIDE RECEIVER
If available: Joshua Palmer (53%)
K.J. Osborn, Minnesota Vikings
Roster Percentage: 9%
The news broke today that superstar Justin Jefferson will be placed on IR. While rookie Jordan Addison is the preferred add here he is already rostered in 90% of leagues making K.J. Osborn the available option to go after. Osborne is no Jefferson but he did step up in Week 5 catching five balls for 49 yards. K.J. will move into the ‘X’ receiver role” giving him a big opportunity to step up. He’s my top add at WR this week.
Josh Reynolds/Detroit Lions
Roster Percentage: 41%
Last week we had the Reynolds vs Williams debate and I was on board for holding Reynolds if you needed production now. With Amon-Ra St. Brown being ruled out in Week 5 that moved Reynolds up the board to a WR2 for me. He went on to catch 4-of-5 targets for 76 yards and a touchdown. If St. Brown returns this week certainly lower your expectations, but Reynolds has been more than serviceable playing along side ASB all season long.
Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals
Roster Percentage: 48%
Last week I mentioned Boyd as a boring add that we have lived through before and WELLL… he lived up to the hype catching 6-of-7 targets for 39 yards in Week 5. However, what did change was seeing the Burrow of old slinging the rock on what had been, to this point, a broken offense. There is potential for some of that to trickle to Boyd in weeks to come but keep your expectations in check.
Curtis Samuel, Washington Commanders
Roster Percentage: 18%
The Commanders offense has a plethora of options to filter through but Samuel has continued to play well. In Week 5 he caught 6-of-7 targets for 65 yards and a touchdown. Washington also has been known to manufacture touches out of the backfield for Samuel giving him some added value. Samuel can be viewed as a WR4 with upside moving forward.
Others to Consider:
Rashee Rice (39%), Marvin Mims Jr. (35%), Quentin Johnston (33%), Zay Jones (30% questionable), Josh Downs (9%), Nelson Agholor (1%)
TIGHT END
If available: Zach Etrz (50%)
Logan Thomas, Washington Commanders
Roster Percentage: 26%
Lets keep the ball rolling with another Commander, good ‘ole Logan Thomas. When healthy he is someone who can be a solid option in this barren landscape of TE doom. Last week he saw a whopping 11 targets catching 9 balls for 77 yards and a touchdown. While that came against the funnel defense of the Bears, Thomas should be viewed as a back end TE1 in Week 6 when Washington takes on the Falcons.
Jonnu Smith, Atlanta Falcons
Roster Percentage: 16%
We finally had a Kyle Pitts sighting, but that didn’t crush the spirits of old man Jonnu. Smith reeled in six of seven balls for 67 yards. While the Falcons offense is hard to trust, Arthur Smith loves to target the tight end position. So go ahead and ride Smith until the wheel falls off.
Luke Musgrave, Green Bay Packers
Roster Percentage: 36%
The Packers struggled mightily in Week 5 but the rookie TE Luke Musgrave continues to see volume. He was able to bring in 6-of-7 targets for 34 yards. While those stats don’t win you a week, what could is a friendly match-up against a Broncos defense in Week 7 when the Pac returns from their Week 6 Bye.
Tyler Conklin, New York Jets
Roster Percentage: 6%
He does just enough each week to keep him popping up in the waiver column. In week 5 he caught four balls for 67 yards. The Jets will struggle to keep up with the high-powered Eagles offense in Week 6 so I expect THE CONK to continue to see his fair share of targets again this week.
Others to Consider:
Greg Dulcich (12% set to return from IR), Noah Fant (2%), Noah Gray (2% if Kelce is out)
DEFENSE
Jacksonville vs IND
Atlanta vs WAS
Las Vegas vs NE
Seattle @ CIN
*Roster percentages based on Yahoo
