We are approaching the midway point of the season for fantasy football managers, and it’s not too late to round out rosters and add needed depth for your playoff push — 2020 has shown that a strong contingency plan might be in your best interest! The gruesome ankle injury to Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is another reminder of how quickly things can change in one snap. Let’s take a look at the likely candidates on the Week 6 waiver wire, how the bye weeks affect the player pool and decipher the players to add to your fantasy squad and who to drop.
Waiver Wire Week 6 Pickups: Quarterbacks
Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings (vs. Atlanta Falcons)
Cousins has been a huge disappointment this season. Still, for the second week in a row, he is a solid streaming option, considering he is facing a Falcons defense that is allowing the most fantasy points to opposing gunslingers.
Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams (at San Francisco 49ers)
Why is Jared Goff still available to add in over 50% of fantasy leagues heading into Week 6 — teams have no one to drop? The dude has been tossing multiple TDs in three of his last four games and is good for a solid 20 points each week. The 49ers defense is still dealing with injuries. If you have Brees or Wilson on vacation this week, Goff could deliver for you.
Related | Start/Sit for Week 6 using Consistency Score analytics
Other quarterbacks to consider adding in Week 6
- Ryan Fitzpatrick, Miami Dolphins (vs. New York Jets)
- Teddy Bridgewater, Carolina Panthers (vs. Chicago Bears)
- Andy Dalton, Dallas Cowboys (vs. Arizona Cardinals)
Waiver Wire Week 6 Pickups: Running Backs
Alexander Mattison, Vikings (vs. Falcons)
If you didn’t secure your first round draft pick, Dalvin Cook, with his handcuff…shame on you! Now, Cook is dealing with a groin injury, and based on the eye test, it looked like one of the harsher ones.
Related | Dalvin Cook is out. Can Mattison & Boone help fantasy teams in Week 6?
Mattison is the next man up — he posted over 100 rushing yards after Cook left the game last week. Mattison can ball and has shown as such in his windows of opportunity the past two seasons.
Damien Harris, New England Patriots (vs. Denver Broncos)
I have been screaming from the mountain tops for fantasy players to grab Harris before he came off injured reserve. Hopefully, you did! If not, he is still available to add in over 50% of fantasy leagues heading into Week 6 — surely you have someone injured to drop. Combining the buzz from Harris in the preseason, and with Sony Michel on Injured Reserve, expect a solid workload for Harris and a higher floor than we typically expect from the cogs of the Patriots running back committee.
Chase Edmonds, Cardinals (at Cowboys)
At some point, Arizona will realize that Chase Edmonds is the better back and make the switch from Kenyan Drake. Edmonds has been producing with his limited shares, and consistent volume could turn the tide for the Cardinals offense. Don’t be the one holding the Drake bag while the plane leaves without you. Grab him, store him, and wait – hopefully, the wait won’t be too long!
Other running backs to consider adding in Week 6
- J.D. McKissic, Washington Football Team (at New York Giants)
- Nyheim Hines, Indianapolis Colts (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)
- D’Ernest Johnson, Cleveland Browns (at Pittsburgh Steelers)
Waiver Wire Week 6 Pickups: Wide Receivers
Chase Claypool, Steelers (vs. Browns)
Did you pick up Chase Claypool of the Pittsburgh Steelers last week? Genius! Posting a three-touchdown performance, Claypool said he did not expect to be such a huge factor in the Steelers game plan in Week 5. Regardless, how can he not be moving forward!? 6’4′, 240 pounds, 4.42 40-yard dash, and he reminds me of D.K. Metcalf.
Related | Is Chase Claypool a top Week 6 waiver wire target in fantasy football?
Diontae Johnson is dealing with a back injury that should open the door even further for more Claypool volume. I’m looking forward to this week’s matchup against the Browns…this will be a fun AFC North divisional tilt!
Henry Ruggs, Las Vegas Raiders (BYE WEEK)
Ruggs is heating up, and looked great against the Chiefs this past week, securing his first NFL touchdown (a 72-yarder, I might add). Damn, this dude can fly and looked smooth, returning to action! No wonder Gruden drafted him as the first wide receiver off the board in the 2020 NFL Draft. Raiders are on a bye week but get back into action Week 7 against the Buccaneers in Sin City.
With eleven targets in his three games, look for the Raiders offensive coaching staff to manufacture ways to get Ruggs the ball more.
Preston Williams, Dolphins (vs. Jets)
We saw how great the chemistry was between Williams and Fitzpatrick last season. It has taken a minute to rekindle the flame, but hopefully, this week’s performance is a sign of things to come. Sunday is a juicy matchup for Williams against a Jets team, let alone the defense, that can’t wait for the season to end.
Travis Fulgham, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. Baltimore Ravens)
“Fulgham, WHO??? Fulgham WHAT??? How do you spell his name? WTH is that?” — me last Sunday afternoon
Related | Is Travis Fulgham the top waiver wire priority for Week 6?
Until Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson get back into action, plug Fulgham in as your flex. 13 targets, 10 receptions, 152 yards, and a score…are you kidding me?! I don’t anticipate a repeat performance against the Ravens in Week 6, but worth an add if you can drop someone on your roster.
Other wide receivers to consider adding in Week 6
- Mecole Hardman, Chiefs (at Bills)
Week 6 Pickups: Tight Ends
Eric Ebron, Steelers (vs. Browns)
Ebron is getting a consistent share of targets from Big Ben. In three games, Ebron has amassed 14 targets, 9 receptions, 113 yards, and a score. Ebron will be needed this week to keep up with the Browns offense, which has scored 30+ in consecutive games.
Related | Week 6 Buy Low, Sell High Candidates for fantasy managers
If you have Darren Waller or Hunter Henry on a bye this week, Ebron could be an admirable plug and provide quality depth.
Other tight ends to consider adding in Week 6
- Robert Tonyan, Packers (at Buccaneers)
- Jimmy Graham, Bears (at Panthers)
- Austin Hooper, Browns (at Steelers)
- Trey Burton, Colts (vs. Bengals)
- Logan Thomas, Washington Football Team (at Giants)
When do waivers clear in Week 6 — when can I add and drop?
Let’s quickly review when waiver wires clear and how the process works. You may put in claims on players that are currently free agents, but you will not officially add any players until the waiver process concludes in the wee hours of Wednesday morning (in most leagues).
For most leagues, if multiple people put in a waiver claim for the same player, the fantasy manager with the worst record will be awarded the player. In some leagues, waivers are decided by free agency money allotted to each fantasy manager, and thus you must be careful how much and how early you are spending those dollars.
Any dropped player must be on waivers for 24 hours, and at that point, the waiver wire order will decide who is awarded the player, or if no one bid on the player, the player becomes an “undisputed” free agent.
Always check your league settings to understand all of your unique waiver wire details.
Anita Marks is the Chief Fantasy Analyst at Pro Football Network. Marks is also a gambling analyst for ESPN and appears on Daily Wager, which airs from 6-7 PM ET on ESPN 2. Her radio show – Weekend Wager – airs on ESPN New York (98.7) FM every Friday at 10 PM ET. Follow her on Twitter: @AnitaMarks.