The waiver wire is rarely rich at the QB position. We are now in Week 6. At this point, the surprise QB1s have already been added. Unfortunately, that’s all we really have now. Fantasy football managers will need to either make a trade or make do with what’s available.
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Top QB Waiver Wire Targets in Week 6
More Waiver Wire Targets: RBs | WRs | TEs
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.
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%
Gardner Minshew, Indianapolis Colts (1% Rostered)
There is nothing Gardner Minshew can realistically do to keep the Colts starting job. The instant Richardson is healthy, he’s going right back out there.
With that said, we’ve seen Minshew post QB1 numbers before. He was an elite QB1 in his first start with the Eagles last season.
MORE: PFN Consensus Rankings
Richardson is expected to miss at least a month with a serious AC joint sprain to his right shoulder. The Colts have a Week 11 bye. My guess is Minshew starts the next five games, and AR returns in Week 12.
Minshew has already gotten into three games this season and looked competent in all of them. But he hasn’t been a fantasy producer. With upcoming matchups against the Jaguars, Browns, Saints, Panthers, and Patriots, it’s mostly tough sledding for Colts passing game. As a result, I would not advise adding Minshew off the Week 6 waiver wire.
FAAB Recommendation: 0%
Which QBs Should You Roster in Fantasy Football?
Should You Roster Sam Howell or Russell Wilson?
I have to give Russell Wilson credit. Through five weeks, he has yet to flop completely. Wilson has posted at least 15 fantasy points in every game this season. While he’s not necessarily carrying any fantasy teams (or the Broncos) to victories, he has never been the reason you lost.
Howell, on the other hand, has thrown in a matchup-losing disaster in Week 3. But that’s just one week. In his other four starts, he scored no fewer than 16 fantasy points and topped 20 twice.
Howell is coming off his best fantasy outing of the season, with elite QB1 numbers at 26 fantasy points. It was almost identical to Wilson’s best game, which came back in Week 2.
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Going forward, these are two very similar fantasy quarterbacks. Both are startable in their next two contests but then tough sells beyond that. It is difficult to pick between them, but if forced to choose, I lean ever so slightly in Howell’s direction.
Should You Roster Gardner Minshew or Dak Prescott?
It’s difficult to paint any sort of picture about Dak Prescott’s fantasy value this season. He’s been an outright disaster.
However, Minshew is a backup quarterback thrust into a starting role. As mentioned above, he hasn’t really produced for fantasy purposes when on the field, and the Colts have a very difficult schedule coming up.
Prescott’s been a massive disappointment, but the Cowboys still haven’t played a normal game against a solid, good team. They’ve played three of the worst teams in the NFL, blowing them all out. They lost to the Cardinals in an anomalous stinker. And they played the best team in the NFL, getting blown out by them.
This week’s Monday night contest against the Chargers should be their first normal game — their first game decided by one score. The Cowboys should be plenty capable of scoring points, and they should have to in order to keep up with Justin Herbert and the Chargers. Stick with Prescott for one more week.