Fantasy football waiver wire: 10 players to add for NFL Week 6

Admin October 8, 2024

Offenses have seemingly started to come around in the NFL – and it’s only taken them five weeks to warm up!

But as injuries and bye weeks continue to wreak havoc, fantasy football managers are constantly in search of players they can add to their rosters to mitigate the damage. There were several who came out of the shadows in Week 5 to post strong performances and warrant consideration for starting spots in the weeks ahead.

Which ones have staying power and which ones might just be one-week wonders? We have a few thoughts on the subject in this week’s edition of our fantasy waiver wire recommendations.

Fantasy football players to add for Week 6

Due to the wide variance in types of leagues and individual team needs, the players listed here are in the lowest to highest availability rates in Fantrax leagues, which may or not match rates on other platforms. (Suggested bid values based on $100 budget for the season.)

RB Tyrone Tracy, New York Giants (32% availability)

With Devin Singletary sidelined by a groin injury, Tracy got his first NFL start and delivered. The rookie fifth-rounder had rushed for a total of 29 yards entering the game in Seattle, but he rolled up 129 on 18 carries (7.2 per carry). Singletary should be ready to return this week, but Tracy’s performance certainly earned him a larger role going forward. FAAB bid: $14.

RB Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars (36% availability)

Bigsby has gone from one of the least effective running backs last season to one of the most effective this season, leading the NFL in average yards after contact.

Starter Travis Etienne suffered a shoulder injury early in the game, giving Bigsby the opportunity to shine. Judging from his performance – and his 8.0 average per carry this season – it’s not hard to see him taking over a majority of the snaps on first and second down going forward. FAAB bid: $27.

WR Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts (55%)

All Colts receivers have gotten an upgrade with Joe Flacco taking over the quarterback duties. Pierce is a credible deep threat, catching a 65-yard TD bomb among his three receptions for 134 yards in Week 4. Josh Downs (17% available) led the team with nine catches, but Pierce is still a decent bye-week fill-in as long as Flacco is under center. FAAB bid: $6.

The Cowboys are throwing the ball more than any other NFL team, and with wideout Brandin Cooks sidelined by a knee injury, Tolbert stepped into the No. 2 receiver role with a bang. He caught the game-winning touchdown pass against the Steelers, one of his seven receptions for 87 yards. The Cowboys put Cooks on injured reserve, giving Tolbert plenty of runway to continue contributing. FAAB bid: $15.

Another injury, another opportunity. Rookie Malik Nabers was this season’s top fantasy wideout before missing Sunday’s game with a concussion. As a result, QB Daniel Jones leaned on the veteran Slayton heavily in Seattle for eight catches, 122 yards and a touchdown. Fellow wideout Wan’Dale Robinson also caught a TD pass, but he’s being used as more of a possession receiver. FAAB bid: $6.

QB Joe Flacco, Indianapolis Colts (69%)

The availability of quarterbacks on the waiver wire can vary wildly from league to league, depending on scoring format. Other potential adds – from Kirk Cousins to Daniel Jones to Bo Nix – could be better long-term bets. But Flacco’s brilliance in relief (for a second consecutive season) makes him an excellent short-term pickup, even in Week 6 against Tennessee’s top-ranked pass defense. FAAB bid: $4.

The Chiefs may be without top receiver Rashee Rice for the rest of the season, so QB Patrick Mahomes will need help from someone other than Travis Kelce in the passing game. They got it from Smith-Schuster on Monday night as he hauled in seven of his eight targets for 130 yards. (Though the one target he didn’t catch bounced off his hands and resulted in a red-zone interception.) The veteran has bounced around himself several times over his career, but Mahomes has a way of maximizing his receivers’ production. FAAB bid: $10.

TE Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars (77%)

It’s hard to say when Evan Engram will return from his nagging hamstring injury, but Strange’s success filling in could make it difficult to take him out of the lineup. He found the end zone for the second time in three weeks on Sunday, posting his highest fantasy point total of the season. If Green Bay’s Tucker Kraft (26% available) isn’t still on the waiver wire in your league, Strange is likely your best free agent option at tight end. FAAB bid: $6.

A hamstring injury to star wideout Nico Collins severely hampered the Texans offense over the final three quarters against Buffalo. However, Ogunbowale did see considerably more rushing and receiving action with Collins out. He carried the ball 15 times and saw seven targets – both season highs – on his way to racking up 87 total yards and 14.7 PPR points. He’s been around the 15-point mark each of the past two games, and could see his usage rise even further if Collins misses additional time, as expected. FAAB bid: $6.

The struggling Raiders offense is looking for any kind of a spark. It could come with a quarterback change or it could come out of necessity with starting running back Zamir White battling a groin injury. Abdullah was a bright spot in an otherwise dismal loss to Denver, rushing five times for 42 yards and a touchdown. He also caught all three of his targets in the passing game. If you’re in need of backfield help in deep leagues, he’s not a bad emergency add. FAAB bid: $2

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