The NFL and fantasy football seasons are over a month into the year and not slowing down anytime soon. Fantasy managers are now adjusting and tweaking their rosters based on what we’ve seen through the league’s first few weeks.
Working the waiver wire is the best way to better your team and find a weekly advantage. To aid in that, here are some of the top Week 6 waiver wire claims fantasy football managers should consider.
Top QB Waiver Wire Pickups in Week 6
Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks (32.5% Rostered)
Are we sure Seattle didn’t know what they were doing when they traded Russell Wilson to the Broncos? However you want to slice it, Geno Smith is the QB Denver thought it was getting. Smith has been sensational, and that continued on Sunday, throwing for 268 yards with three touchdowns (16 of 25) in the loss to the New Orleans Saints.
Smith has thrown for at least two touchdowns in four of five games and is utilizing both D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett anytime and anywhere. They’ve turned into incredible values based on their ADP.
With three straight top-eight finishes in fantasy, Smith, the QB6 on the year, is on the short list of waiver wire QBs in Week 6 as they take on the 25th-ranked Cardinals defense (19.52 PPR).
Carson Wentz, Washington Commanders (47.7% Rostered)
Take your favorite roller coaster and remove all the safety features. That’s what it is like watching Carson Wentz play football. One moment he is ripping your heart out with bad plays, and the next, he is tossing 50-yard dimes down the field.
That was on full display Sunday, with Wentz throwing for 359 yards on 25 of 38 passing with two touchdowns and an interception. With Jahan Dotson out, he showed an instant connection with Dyami Brown, a former 1,000-yard receiver at UNC, connecting on a 75-yard score and a 30-yard one in the third quarter.
It was a much-needed bounce-back for Wentz, who averaged 27.7 PPR over the first two weeks but only 7.8 between Weeks 3 and 4. Wentz will always have his ups and his downs, but the Commanders get a vulnerable Bears defense in a short week.
Thursday Night games can be hit or miss, but I can at least guarantee more touchdowns than were seen last week. And I’d be willing to bet Wentz‘s arm was responsible for a few of them.
Other QBs To Consider on the Week 6 Waiver Wire
- Jameis Winston
New Orleans Saints (20.1%) - Kenny Pickett
Pittsburgh Steelers (10.0%) - Jimmy Garoppolo
San Francisco 49ers (11.2%) - Justin Fields
Chicago Bears (26.8%)
Top RB Waiver Wire Pickups in Week 6
Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks (47.5% Rostered)
Nothing else in this article matters. I mean, it does, and I’d appreciate it if you kept going, but honestly, Week 6 is the fight for Kenneth Walker III. It is not hyperbole for me to say he is the most important waiver wire option we have seen all year. I hope that drives the point home a little bit more.
With Rashaad Penny suffering a broken tibia and done for the year, Walker III carried the rock for Seattle, which showed off his immense upside. Walker III rushed eight times for 88 yards on Sunday, most coming on his 69-yard score, harking back to his first touch at Michigan State, where he took a carry 75-yards for a TD against Northwestern.
MORE: Week 6 PPR Fantasy Football Rankings
For those who aren’t aware of who this guy is, let me just say this: Walker III is special. Walker III was No. 1 in the NCAA in yards after contact (1,169) and broken tackles (89) in 2021. He would have been 19th in the nation in rushing on his after-contact yardage alone.
Additionally, Walker III was No. 1 in the FBS in carries of 10+ yards (46) and 15+ yards (30). He was the Javonte Williams of his class and, in my opinion, the best rusher as well, even over Breece Hall from a technical standpoint.
Whatever FAAB you have, spend it. Do not get stingy. This is why you have saved it or your No. 1 waiver wire priority. Walker II is a top-15 ROS RB and jumps into high-end RB2 range out of the gates. Say it with me — Kenneth Walker III, no matter what.
Brian Robinson, Washington Commanders (44.8% Rostered)
How long have I been saying to pick up Brian Robinson Jr. before it was too late? It’s been, at minimum, four weeks. Don’t worry, it’s not too late…yet.
While Washington did limit his snaps, we already saw the impact Robinson will have on this backfield. Making his regular-season debut, Robinson led the Commanders’ backfield, rushing nine times for 22 yards, leading Antonio Gibson in both rushes (3) and also yards (6). Gibson did have the edge in the receiving game, catching three of four targets for 33 yards.
Like others, I do expect Robinson Jr. to take over this backfield from a rushing perspective, leaving Gibson and McKissic to fight it out for targets. With bye weeks starting in Week 6, Robinson Jr. is the kind of waiver wire addition who could turn into an RB2 or high-end RB3 for the remainder of the season.
Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (17.5% Rostered)
Although not a 1B to Leonard Fournette quite yet, Rachaad White is trending in the right direction. After very little in the first three weeks, White’s snap share has jumped to 39% over the last two weeks.
White caught all five targets for 50 yards in Week 4 while adding a TD on three carries (six yards) but saw more overall volume in Week 5, rushing five times for 14 yards with three receptions on four targets for 28 yards.
For the first three quarters, White and Fournette were near even in snaps, but they relied on Fournette in the fourth quarter when Atlanta was making a comeback. That’s a trust thing more than anything else, but the increased role earlier in the game suggests more and more opportunities for White down the line.
Given his second-gear and open-field wiggle, that could be a significant addition to managers’ benches, especially if something happened to Fournette, which is possible due to his unsustainable 85% snap share.
Other RBs To Consider on the Week 6 Waiver Wire
- Raheem Mostert
Miami Dolphins (68%) - Eno Benjamin
Arizona Cardinals (6.8%) - Mike Boone
Denver Broncos (26.8%) - Alexander Mattison
Minnesota Vikings (42.8%) - Latavius Murray
Denver Broncos (11.1%) - Tyler Allgeier
Atlanta Falcons (45.0%) - Isiah Pacheco
Kansas City Chiefs (18.1%) - Jaylen Warren
Pittsburgh Steelers (3.9%) - Damien Williams
Atlanta Falcons (3.7%)
Top WR Waiver Wire Pickups in Week 6
Jakobi Meyers, New England Patriots (48% Rostered)
After being listed as questionable during the week, Jakobi Meyers had no issues being involved from the get-go Sunday. Meyers hauled in seven of eight targets for 111 yards and one touchdown against the Detroit Lions in Week 5.
Meyers missed the last two games due to a knee injury but returned to surpass the 100-yard mark for the first time this season. He’s now scored 10.2, 18.5, and 24.1 PPR points in his three games and led the Patriots in snaps, routes run, and targets last week. Meyers was disrespected all last year despite ending as the WR29, and fantasy managers are already falling into the same trap again.
MORE: Week 6 Fantasy Football Start/Sit Recommendations
Bailey Zappe has many wondering if he has taken Mac Jones’ job with his play, and while I don’t know what will happen, I know that Meyers will be the top target regardless of who is under center.
Meyers is, at minimum, a WR3 for fantasy. He’s the top WR waiver wire claim for Week 6 ahead of a matchup with the Cleveland Browns.
Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts (8.6% Rostered)
After a slow start, that’s now three weeks in a row where Alex Pierce has impressed. With 81 receiving yards in Week 5, Pierce has 80-yards or more in back-to-back weeks thanks to eight of nine receiving against the Broncos as the lone bright spot in an otherwise awful game.
Pierce was QB Matt Ryan’s top weapon, leading the team in targets, receptions, and receiving yards in a game where both offenses left a lot to be desired. Pierce continues to improve his game and become a more well-rounded WR than we saw at Cincinnati.
He should remain the No. 2 in this Colts offense, but they need to become more consistent for Pierce to move from a waiver wire claim to a weekly starter. With that said, I want that maturation to happen with him already on my roster.
Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys (51.2% Rostered)
Dallas knew what they were doing with Michael Gallup and, when ready, showed little hesitation with him. In his first game back (Week 4), Gallup caught two of his three targets for 24 yards and a score with an 83% route participation. In Week 5, Gallup hauled in four of his five targets for 44, which might not sound like much, but Dallas was very rush-heavy in Week 5.
Cooper Rush has played well, no doubt, but he is not Dak Prescott. There is a legitimate chance we see Dak back in Week 6, which instantly raises the floor of the entire roster. Jalen Tolbert was never able to make an impact when given the chance, locking Gallup into the No. 2 role. He has top-36 weekly upside.
Rondale Moore, Arizona Cardinals (19.6% Rostered)
The building blocks for Rondale Moore were laid in Week 4, playing 86% of the snaps while running a route on 94% of dropbacks, relegating Greg Dortch to his backup role. Moore was busy again in Week 5 as his health improved, catching seven passes off eight targets for 68 yards.
We will see DeAndre Hopkins return next week, but the utilization of Moore is a hopeful sign of things to come. But for him to surpass sleeper status, we have to bank on Kliff Kingsbury using Moore are more than a dump-off.
So far, so good, as Moore carries an 8.4 aDOT compared to his 1.7 aDOT last year, which was bottom of the league at wideouts.
Other WRs To Consider on the Week 6 Waiver Wire
- Josh Reynolds
Detroit Lions (25%) - Romeo Doubs
Green Bay Packers (65%) - Tyler Boyd
Cincinnati Bengals (56%) - Jameson Williams
Detroit Lions (22.2%) - Treylon Burks
Tennessee Titans (40.3%) - Jarvis Landry
New Orleans Saints (46.5%) - Nico Collins
Houston Texans (11.9%) - Kadarius Toney
New York Giants (44.1%) - Isaiah McKenzie
Buffalo Bills (26.1%) - Velus Jones Jr.
Chicago Bears (1.0%) - Marvin Jones Jr.
Jacksonville Jaguars (29.7%) - Khalil Shakir
Buffalo Bills (0.8%)
Top TE Waiver Wire Pickups in Week 6
Hayden Hurst, Cincinnati Bengals at NO
Second on the team in targets, Hayden Hurts was third in snaps (51) against the Ravens, catching six of seven targets for 53 yards with a score. Through five games, Hurst is one of just four tight ends with 20-plus receptions, 150-plus yards, and two-plus touchdowns on the season, joining Mark Andrews, Travis Kelce, and Zach Ertz.
He also ranks top-four in routes run despite the Bengals’ offense yet to live up to our lofty expectations and with room to grow in the red zone.
Tee Higgins left the game with an ankle injury and is likely questionable for Week 6 against New Orleans. If he is limited or even misses, Hurst could be treated as a low-end TE1.
With startable TE options few and far between, Hurst is a welcome oasis in an otherwise dry waiver wire.
Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars at IND
The Jaguars really disappointed me last week. They were in a prime position to have a great game against a reeling Houston, but that didn’t happen. Well, for the most part. It wasn’t Trevor Lawrence, Christian Kirk, or even James Robinson, but Evan Engram, who had a noteworthy performance in Week 5.
Engram saw a season-high in targets with ten looks from Lawrence, hauling in six for a season-high 69 yards. Nice. It’s quite the change from his back-to-back one-catch games in Weeks 3 and 4.
Engram has yet to score in a Jaguars uniform, but volume like that suggests not only trust between him and his QB but the TE-friendliness of Doug Pederson’s offense.
The skills and role are there for Engram to become a borderline weekly starter, but for now, I’ll recommend Engram as a waiver wire addition for those who might have a bye week or have Dalton Schultz on their roster.
Others to consider:
- Taysom Hill
New Orleans Saints (11.8%) - Irv Smith Jr.
Minnesota Vikings (33.1%) - Cade Otton
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1.5%) - Logan Thomas
Washington Commanders (27.3%) - Robert Tonyan
Green Bay Packers (27.6%) - Greg Dulcich
Denver Broncos (0.3%)