Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Watch List for Week 6: Streaming targets, free agent sleepers

Billy Heyen

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Watch List for Week 6: Streaming targets, free agent sleepers image

The Week 5 waiver wire was pretty boring, so we're taking a look at Week 6 waivers with our weekly watch list in an attempt to find the next must-have pickups and free agent adds. Ronald Jones was probably the highlight of last week's watch list, as he carried the ball 19 times for 70 yards in Week 4 and shot above 50-percent owned in Yahoo leagues and off of watch list consideration for this week (although with Jones, you never know -- he might be back soon). We also hope you added Golden Tate and Phillip Dorsett -- Tate coming off suspension and Dorsett with a mouthwatering matchup for this week. Also, we were a week ahead of everyone on Dawson Knox.

This week's watch list definitely is lacking in the running back department. I always say, what would we do without Ronald Jones? Apparently the answer is filling our RB section of the watch list with such uninspiring names as Gus Edwards, Mark Walton, and J.D. McKissic. Receivers are definitely where this week's watch list shines. There are all sorts of playable options in the Week 6 Tua Bowl between the Dolphins and Redskins. We also have Dawson Knox back for another go round as he attempts to grab the notice of the casual fantasy player.

WEEK 5 NON-PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

If you're new to this, the premise is simple: There's definitely some scrub on your bench that you can't wait to drop. Instead of holding on to him until next week's waiver period, you can grab someone before rosters lock on Sunday to try and beat your leaguemates to the waiver wire. At worst, that guy can be dropped come waivers, and at best, you grabbed him before he was on anyone else's mind.

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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Watch List

Reminder: This list was put together in the lead-in to Week 4, looking forward to the players that could be waiver-wire targets in Week 5. If you have a roster spot to play with, these are options you could pick up early to beat the waiver buzz.

All these players are below 50-percent ownership on Yahoo unless otherwise specified. 

Week 6 Waiver Wire Watch List: Quarterback

Notable quarterbacks on a Week 6 bye: Josh Allen, Jacoby Brissett, Mitchell Trubisky/Chase Daniel, Derek Carr

Kirk Cousins, Vikings (42 percent ownership)

Cousins gets a great Week 6 matchup against a brutal Eagles' secondary. He might be coming off a ownership-boosting game against the Giants in Week 5, so if you can grab him ahead of schedule, you might get a QB with momentum heading into another promising matchup.

Sam Darnold, Jets (13)

When Darnold returns from mono, his ownership should rise closer to a third of leagues. He fits the bill as a low-end QB2 in two-QB or superflex leagues. His Week 6 matchup against the Cowboys isn't great, but if you're in a league where Darnold should be owned when healthy, now is the time to pounce.

Kyle Allen, Panthers (12)

The Buccaneers allowed more than 500 passing yards to Jared Goff in Week 4. Sure, the Panthers will run more than L.A. did in that game, but Allen should be able to move the ball down the field against Tampa, and it looks like Cam Newton will still be out a few more weeks.

WEEK 5 PPR RANKINGS: Running backWide receiver | Tight end

Week 6 Waiver Wire Watch List: RB

Notable running backs on a Week 6 bye: Devin Singletary/Frank Gore, Marlon Mack/Nyheim Hines, David Montgomery/Tarik Cohen, Josh Jacobs

Justice Hill, Ravens (10) | Gus Edwards, Ravens (8)

The Ravens let both Hill and Edwards figure more heavily into playing time of Week 4 against Cleveland than they had in the first three weeks. They're also matched up in Week 6 with a Bengals' defense that allowed James Conner and Jaylen Samuels to both be successful dual-threat backs in Week 4. If you're desperate, Edwards could have value as a standard-league FLEX while Hill could possibly work in PPR.

Jordan Wilkins, Colts (3)

Maybe Marlon Mack is the AFC version of Matt Breida and will always be hurt. He's currently nursing a calf/ankle injury and starting to miss practices every week. If that happens, Wilkins takes over the early-down work. That could happen as soon as Week 5 against the Chiefs, so stay tuned.

Mark Walton, Dolphins (0)

Walton outsnapped Kalen Ballage for the first time in Week 4, and with the trade deadline approaching, Kenyan Drake could soon be out of town. Walton would become the sleeper back to own for the Dolphins, as more attention would initially go to Ballage. But Walton is a better receiver and more effective on a per-play rushing basis, too.

J.D. McKissic, Lions (0)

McKissic came out of nowhere to play more than a third of the Lions' snaps in a close game against Kansas City in Week 4. Their Week 5 bye means we won't get more evidence of whether that will continue, but he rushed four times for 30 yards and had two targets in the passing game. Maybe he'll have deep-league value at some point in the near future.

WEEK 5:
Top waiver pickups | FAAB planner | Trade valuesSnap counts

Week 6 Waiver Wire Watch List: WR

Notable wide receivers on a Week 6 bye: John Brown/Cole Beasley, T.Y. Hilton/Zach Pascal/Parris Campbell/Deon Cain/Chester Rogers, Allen Robinson/Taylor Gabriel, Tyrell Williams

Jamison Crowder, Jets (45)

With Darnold soon back, Crowder will return to the intriguing possession receiver who received 17 targets in Week 1. After that week, his ownership percentage skyrocketed, and it could again if that connection looks as good upon Darnold's return.

Deebo Samuel, 49ers (27)

A Week 4 bye depressed Samuel's ownership after it had been rising for weeks, and if he was dropped in your league, he's a good option to pick back up. Samuel still shapes up as the best combination of consistency and explosiveness in the San Francisco receiving corps, and the Niners will face a reeling Rams' defense in Week 6.

Diontae Johnson, Steelers (25)

Two straight weeks with long touchdowns has put Johnson into the fantasy consciousness, but he still hasn't been bought into by the majority of owners, it seems. The Steelers targeted him the most among their wideouts in Week 4, and he obviously has the ability to beat players deep. If he does it again, the ownership will keep rising quickly.

Paul Richardson, Redskins (16) | Trey Quinn, Redskins (2)

They're playing the Dolphins. In a sense, it's that simple. Quinn is the preferred PPR option, while Richardson has a good chance of getting a touchdown for standard-league owners.

DeVante Parker, Dolphins (9) | Preston Williams, Dolphins (8)

They're playing the Redskins. In a sense, it's that simple. The Dolphins might have their best chance of a win all season in this game, and Parker and Williams should have enough room to operate in the Washington secondary to have solid games with chances of scoring. 

Antonio Callaway, Browns (3)

Callaway might have the most value he has all season in Week 5 with Jarvis Landry dealing with a concussion, which could thrust the returned-from-suspension Callaway into a temporary No. 2 role. He's a deep threat in an offense that has potential to be great, so there are worse speculative adds.

WEEK 5 DFS LINEUPS:
Y! cash | Y! GPP | FD cash | FD GPP | DK cash | DK GPP

Week 6 Waiver Wire Watch List: TE

Notable tight ends on a Week 6 bye: Dawson Knox, Eric Ebron/Jack Doyle, Trey Burton, Darren Waller

Chris Herndon, Jets (26)

Herndon returns from suspension in Week 6. He was our No. 12 TE in the preseason before his suspension came down the pipe, so we like him as a borderline starter (as long as Darnold is back from mono).

Vernon Davis, Redskins (25)

Still gotta find guys to play against the Dolphins, and Davis has been relatively productive and consistent this season. Count on a couple good end-zone looks for Davis in Week 6.

Noah Fant, Broncos (12)

The Chargers have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to tight ends in 2019. Fant has been involved in some capacity in the Broncos' offense every week so far, and so he provides a non-zero floor with a bit more ceiling in a good matchup this week. If he scores again, he'll be a popular pickup.

MORE WEEK 5 DFS: Stacks | Values | Lineup builder

Week 6 defense streamers and sleepers

Defenses with a Week 6 bye: Buffalo, Indianapolis, Chicago, Oakland

Carolina Panthers (29) | Week 6 matchup: vs. Buccaneers (in UK)
Kansas City Chiefs (28) | Week 6 matchup: vs. Texans
Washington Redskins (3) | Week 6 matchup: @ Dolphins


Those 9:30 a.m. Eastern starts in London could see anything happen, but counting on a couple Jameis interceptions is probably fair. The Chiefs figure to rack up sacks against the Texans' leaky O-line, and the Redskins play the Dolphins...'nuff said.

Billy Heyen