The 2023 fantasy football season is firmly underway. The NFL landscape is always shifting, and fantasy managers should always be looking to improve their rosters. Let’s take a look at the top Week 6 waiver wire targets and pickups that fantasy managers should consider adding to their rosters.
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Top Waiver Wire Pickups in Week 6 | Quarterbacks
Note: As always, all players are rostered in 50% or less of Yahoo leagues.
Sam Howell, Washington Commanders (33% Rostered)
I promise this isn’t point chasing. Sam Howell is only a waiver wire add because, between bye weeks and injuries to guys like Anthony Richardson, he has a very viable Week 6 matchup.
MORE: NFL Bye Weeks Schedule 2023
The Falcons held C.J. Stroud in check but still aren’t imposing. Howell just threw for 388 yards and two touchdowns. He’s now scored at least 16 points in four of his five starts. He is a very worthwhile streamer.
FAAB Recommendation: 4-8%
Top Waiver Wire Pickups in Week 6 | Running Backs
There are a couple of priority adds at the running back position off the waiver wire. Kendre Miller and Tyjae Spears are among them.
Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints (12% Rostered)
It’s admittedly risky to read too much into anything from this game, as the New England Patriots are an unserious football team. But there is no denying Kendre Miller is looking good as the team’s RB2 behind Alvin Kamara.
Miller carried the ball 12 times for 37 yards, but the real story is his four receptions for 53 yards. Sixteen opportunities is very encouraging. He is the clear RB2 now that the team finally realized Tony Jones Jr. has no business being on an NFL roster. There may be standalone RB3 value here, plus the contingent RB2 upside if Kamara were to go down.
FAAB Recommendation: 20-30%
Emari Demercado, Arizona Cardinals (1% Rostered)
James Conner left in the first half with a knee injury. He did not return. In his stead, Emari Demercado played nearly every snap. That obviously won’t happen every week, but if Conner has to miss time, Demercado sure looks like the next man up.
Every starting running back should be rostered. Demercado may be one. We don’t yet know how long Conner is out, if at all. So, I can’t give a concrete FAAB recommendation. Figure it would be somewhere in the 30-50% range, depending on how long Conner is out.
Roschon Johnson and D’Onta Foreman, Chicago Bears (41% Rostered and 7% Rostered)
It was a running back apocalypse for the Chicago Bears last Thursday night. Khalil Herbert was lost due to an ankle injury. Roschon Johnson was concussed. Even Travis Homer wasn’t immune.
The worst injury of them all belongs to Herbert, who is expected to miss 2-3 weeks with his ankle issue.
If Johnson is able to get cleared, he will start and could be an every-down back. If not, D’Onta Foreman would be active and likely start.
At this point, it is too early to know whether Johnson is going to play. As a result, fantasy managers would be wise to target both off the waiver wire.
FAAB Recommendation: 25-35% for Johnson; 10-20% for Foreman
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans (26% Rostered)
Tyjae Spears’ role continues to grow each week. He’s now seen at least four targets in four of his five games this season. This week, he caught four passes for 35 yards.
Spears’ ground role is staying about the same, but he found the end zone this week.
The main appeal of Spears is he’s the clear RB2 and would arguably be an RB1 if Derrick Henry went down. I definitely want him on my bench if possible.
FAAB Recommendation: 18-25%
Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens (28% Rostered)
The Baltimore Ravens played a very weird game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Justice Hill only handled seven carries, but he did rip off a respectable 32 yards. He also caught four passes for 13 yards.
Hill looked like the clear lead back ahead of Gus Edwards. Most notably, he was the preferred option near the goal line.
The volume is never going to be completely what you want, but the role is good enough to warrant being on fantasy rosters and startable during bye weeks.
FAAB Recommendation: 15-20%
Top Waiver Wire Pickups in Week 6 | Wide Receivers
We have a combination of wily veterans and some rookies worth stashing on the Week 6 waiver wire at the wide receiver position.
Josh Reynolds, Detroit Lions (41% Rostered)
With Amon-Ra St. Brown out, Josh Reynolds served as the de facto WR1 for the Lions. it wasn’t exciting, but Reynolds did catch four of five targets for 76 yards and an impressive toe-tapper touchdown in the back of the end zone.
Reynolds is a desperation Flex play with St. Brown in the lineup. Without him, he’s a legitimate WR3.
MORE: PFN Consensus Rankings
We have no idea how long ARSB might miss. He didn’t practice at all this week and did not appear particularly close to playing. Reynolds needs to be rostered.
FAAB Recommendation: 15-20%
Curtis Samuel, Washington Commanders (17% Rostered)
It’s been five weeks. We can now safely call Curtis Samuel the Washington Commanders’ WR2, well ahead of Jahan Dotson. The sophomore may have out-snapped Samuel, but Samuel continues to out-target him. Samuel caught six of seven targets for 65 yards and a touchdown. That’s back-to-back 18-fantasy-point outings from Samuel.
The former Carolina Panther has talent and has a decent weekly floor. He is a very viable Flex play as an injury or bye-week fill-in.
FAAB Recommendation: 8-15%
Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts (9% Rostered)
Josh Downs is the WR3 on this team, but he looks very good. This week, he caught all six of his targets for 97 yards.
The Indianapolis Colts are better off with Richardson, but the WRs might be better off in fantasy with Minshew II. AR’s injury did not look good, and it was to his right shoulder. We could be looking at an extended stretch of Minshew.
While Downs is currently the WR3, he’s better than Alec Pierce. I’ve seen enough to believe Downs can be a viable Flex option if things break right. I would stash him now.
FAAB Recommendation: 15-20%
K.J. Osborn, Minnesota Vikings (9% Rostered)
Justin Jefferson left the game in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury. It is unclear how severe it is, but if Jefferson has to miss any time, K.J. Osborn would play in two-receiver sets with Jordan Addison.
Given how prolific the Minnesota Vikings offense is, Kirk Cousins can make it work without Jefferson. It wouldn’t be ideal, but we’ve seen Osborn produce in the WR2 role before. He will be a Flex option during bye weeks.
FAAB Recommendation: 8-15%
Jonathan Mingo, Carolina Panthers (8% Rostered)
This one is purely an upside play. Jonathan Mingo returned from a one-week absence and saw seven targets. Adam Thielen is still clearly the top receiver on this team, but Mingo is the rookie. He could still come on strong as the WR2 over the second half.
Mingo is nowhere near being startable, but if you have a spot, now is the time to stash him.
FAAB Recommendation: 3-8%
Trenton Irwin, Cincinnati Bengals (0% Rostered)
With Tee Higgins out, Trenton Irwin was the primary WR3 for the Cincinnati Bengals behind Ja’Marr Chase and Tyler Boyd. Higgins isn’t going to be out much longer, and the Bengals won’t face the Arizona Cardinals every week.
Irwin’s name is here because he caught eight of 10 targets for 60 yards. But I would not recommend adding him.
FAAB Recommendation: 0%
Top Waiver Wire Pickups in Week 6 | Tight Ends
The tight end position is not in a good spot this season, but Logan Thomas looks like a priority add.
Logan Thomas, Washington Commanders (15% Rostered)
On Thursday, I was kicking myself for picking up Logan Thomas in two leagues and not starting him. But hey, at least I already have him on my teams because he is the top tight end pickup ahead of Week 6.
Thomas’ role is excellent. He’s playing over 80% of the snaps and is the clear TE1 for his team. On Thursday, he caught nine passes for 77 yards and a touchdown. In a year where it is difficult to even find 10 points a week at the position, Thomas has established himself as an every-week starter.
FAAB Recommendation: 10-25%
Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans (36% Rostered)
Dalton Schultz caught seven of 10 targets for 65 yards and a touchdown. It’s his second straight game with a touchdown, but his first game with more than four receptions.
MORE: Fantasy News Tracker
I don’t think there’s anything here with Schultz, but I would be doing you all a disservice to leave his name out of the waiver wire column. I would not recommend adding him.
FAAB Recommendation: 0-5%
Jonnu Smith, Atlanta Falcons (16% Rostered)
Somehow, Jonnu Smith has seen at least six targets in four straight games. His lowest fantasy outing over that span is 8.7 points. That’s quite usable at the tight end position. Smith caught six of seven targets for 67 yards against the Texans. Simply put: Why not?
FAAB Recommendation: 0-5%