With Week 5 nearly in the books (there’s still a Monday night game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Green Bay Packers), it’s time to take a look at the best fantasy football waiver wire options for Week 6.
We’ll see two more teams on a bye in Week 6 in the Pittsburgh Steelers and Packers. Neither team is exactly a bastion for fantasy-relevant players, but there are some owners may need to replace.
Buy Titans TicketsHere’s a look at the most fantasy-relevant players from each team.
Green Bay Packers: QB Jordan Love, RBs Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon, WRs Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed
Pittsburgh Steelers: QB Kenny Pickett, RBs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, WR George Pickens, TE Pat Freiermuth (injured), Steelers D/ST
Now, a look at the best fantasy football waiver wire pickups at each position for Week 6.
Note: all players listed are owned in 50 percent or less of ESPN leagues. Point totals are based on PPR scoring and positional rankings are courtesy of Fantasy Pros and CBS Sports.
QB Sam Howell, Washington Commanders
If you take out his Week 3 game against the Bills, Howell is averaging 20.9 fantasy points per contest over the other four. Even with that game included, he ranks as QB13 overall. He had his best showing in Week 5 with 26.4 fantasy points.
Howell is quickly becoming an every-week option, although he draws a somewhat tough matchup in Week 6 against an Atlanta Falcons defense giving up the 12th-fewest points per game to the position.
QB Gardner Minshew, Indianapolis Colts
With it looking like Anthony Richardson will miss time with a shoulder injury, Minshew will take the reins of the Colts’ offense for the foreseeable future, giving fantasy owners another streaming option and potential multi-week solution.
Minshew didn’t do much in the two-plus quarters he played in Week 5, but he does draw a matchup in Week 6 against a Jacksonville Jaguars defense that is one of the more giving units in terms of fantasy points allowed to the position. Not to mention, it’s a revenge game.
QB Desmond Ridder, Atlanta Falcons
Another streaming option, Ridder had his best showing of the 2023 campaign in Week 5 after scoring twice and posting 329 yards through the air against a middle-of-the-road Houston Texans pass defense, giving the Falcons signal-caller his second 20-plus-point performance of the year.
Admittedly, Ridder is a shaky option because of how low his floor has proven to be, but he gets an ideal matchup against the Washington Commanders, a defense ceding the third-most points to QBs.
RB Jaleel McLaughlin, Denver Broncos
McLaughlin is somehow still available in more than half of ESPN leagues. The rookie back proved he wasn’t a fluke with another strong showing in Week 5, totaling 89 scrimmage yards and a touchdown.
Javonte Williams’ eventual return is a concern, but McLaughlin, who is also getting work in the passing game, should continue to have a role and he’s proven he doesn’t need a ton of touches to produce.
He should be rostered in all formats.
RB Jeff Wilson Jr., Miami Dolphins
With De’Von Achane set to miss multiple weeks and possibly go on injured reserve, Wilson, who the Dolphins are expected to designate to return from injured reserve this week, will likely split work with Raheem Mostert in the rookie’s absence.
He’s a must-add this week, especially for Mostert and Achane owners.
RB Samaje Perine, Denver Broncos
Perine split work almost evenly with McLaughlin and led the team in receiving yards in Week 5, finishing with 95 scrimmage yards.
However, he won’t be a viable option unless Williams misses more time. McLaughlin has the better long-term outlook, making him the better add.
RB D'Onta Foreman, Chicago Bears
With Khalil Herbert set to miss multiple weeks and Roschon Johnson dealing with a concussion, Foreman has a chance to lead the Bears’ backfield in Week 6, and quite possibly beyond.
But he won’t be quite as attractive if Johnson can overcome his concussion prior to Sunday’s game, as the rookie has been the preferred choice to back up Herbert this season.
The status of Travis Homer, who injured his hamstring last week, also bears monitoring, as he’s been active over Foreman this season. However, he’s likely been the preferred choice because of special teams.
If Johnson doesn’t play, Foreman is deployable as a volume-based flex option this week.
RB Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears
Like Foreman, Johnson has a chance to lead the Bears’ backfield in Week 6 now that Herbert is set to miss time. However, a concussion might hold him out, paving the way for a massive workload for Foreman.
If he plays, Johnson figures to lead the backfield after jumping Foreman on the depth chart this season.
RB Emari Demercado, Arizona Cardinals
James Conner’s early exit paved the way for Demercado to get 10 carries for 45 yards and a touchdown. It isn’t clear if Conner will play next week after a knee injury, but Demercado has a chance to lead the backfield if he doesn’t.
That may also depend on the status of backup Keaontay Ingram, who was inactive due to injury in Week 5.
RB Keaontay Ingram, Arizona Cardinals
Ingram is supposed to be Conner’s backup and the first man off the bench at running back, but he was inactive in Week 5 due to an injury. It remains to be seen if he’ll be ready to play in Week 6, but he has a shot to lead the backfield if he suits up and Conner doesn’t.
RB Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans
Even though he’s sharing a backfield with a workload monster like Derrick Henry, Spears has split snaps almost evenly with The King and has still found a way to be productive, both on the ground and through the air.
Spears found the end zone for the first time in Week 5 and tallied four receptions and 69 scrimmage yards. The rookie is going to have standalone value in PPR some weeks and is a must-have handcuff for Henry owners.
WR K.J. Osborn, Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings might not have Justin Jefferson after he sustained a hamstring injury in Week 5. Osborn, who tallied five catches for 49 yards on Sunday, will be the next man up if that happens and will be worth a look as a flex option in Minnesota’s second-ranked pass attack if Jefferson misses time.
WR Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts
Downs had the best performance of his young career in Week 5 with six grabs for 97 yards. We need to see more before deploying him in lineups, but the rookie is worth a look as a stash for receiver-needy teams.
WR Josh Reynolds, Detroit Lions
Reynolds continues to be a reliable target for Jared Goff, with the Lions wide receiver tallying 12 fantasy points or more in three of fives games this year.
His second-best best showing of the season came in Week 5, when he reeled in four receptions for 76 yards and one touchdown with Amon-Ra St. Brown out.
If St. Brown sits again, Reynolds, who has now scored three times this season and is second on the team in receiving yards, will be a flex option in Week 6.
TE Logan Thomas, Washington Commanders
Thomas went off in Week 5, tallying nine receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown. Add him to the messy pile of tight ends to consider starting moving forward. What separates Thomas a bit is the fact that he’s TE11 overall despite missing one game this season.
TE Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans
Once one of the better fantasy tight ends, Schultz was quiet in his new home in Houston over the first three games, but he’s since come alive in the last two.
Schultz showed signs of life in Week 4 with 13.2 fantasy points, which was his best showing of the season at that point. But then he really came alive in Week 5, finishing with 19.5, which puts him at TE12 overall.
There will still be down weeks, of course, but Schultz is now a starting option in 12-team leagues or deeper.
TE Jonnu Smith, Atlanta Falcons
We go from TE11 (Thomas), to TE12 (Schultz), to TE13 in Smith, who has put together back-to-back solid performances.
Smith has yet to score fewer than 8.7 fantasy points in a game this season, which is actually good in the tight end abyss. But the last two weeks have been even better, with Smith tallying 15.5 in Week 4 and 10.7 in Week 5.
Even when Kyle Pitts finally had a good game on Sunday, Smith was still productive. He’s worth a look and is a starting option until he’s no longer consistent.
Las Vegas Raiders D/ST
The Raiders are typically not an option most weeks, but they draw a very favorable matchup against a lost New England Patriots offense that has scored just three points the last two games.
New England has also given up the second-most fantasy points to D/ST units this season.
