Fantasy managers head into Week 6 with four teams on a bye, with the Chiefs, Rams, Dolphins, and Vikings off. That’s a lot of star power missing for this scoring period.
We also had another prominent receiver get hurt with Nico Collins (hamstring), who is considered week-to-week and almost certainly out in Week 6. Derek Carr (oblique), De’Von Achane (concussion), Aaron Jones (hip), Zack Moss (ankle), and Xavier Legette (shoulder) are some of the other injuries to monitor, although Legette is expected to play, and Achane and Jones are on a bye.
Thankfully, we could be getting some injured players back, with A.J. Brown (hamstring) and DeVonta Smith expected to return to action in Week 6, as well as Evan Engram (hamstring). Others like Anthony Richardson (hip), Jonathan Taylor (ankle), and Malik Nabers (concussion) could also play this week, which is exciting.
But if you need replacement options, then we have you covered. So, let’s dive into these waiver wire options to make sure your lineups are set for Week 6.
Editor’s note: For this waiver wire column, we are mainly looking at players rostered in less than 65 percent of CBS Sports leagues.
Week 5 Waivers
Injuries: Anthony Richardson (hip), Aaron Rodgers (ankle), Tua Tagovailoa (concussion), Russell Wilson (calf), Will Levis (shoulder) and Skylar Thompson (ribs).
On a bye: Patrick Mahomes, Sam Darnold, Matthew Stafford and Tua Tagovailoa.
Check to see if available in shallow leagues: Anthony Richardson (87 percent rostered), Geno Smith (85 percent), and Caleb Williams (77 percent). Coach Shane Steichen said Monday that Richardson “is our starting quarterback” when healthy, and we’ll see if he can return in Week 6 at Tennessee. He still has the potential to be a top-10 Fantasy quarterback in all leagues, so pick him up and stash him where available, even if he’s out against the Titans. … Smith has yet to pass for multiple touchdowns in a game this season, but he has three games with at least 30 rushing yards and has scored at least 23.6 Fantasy points in consecutive outings. … Williams is taking advantage of the soft part of his schedule, and he scored a season-high 27.6 Fantasy points against Carolina in Week 5. He gets Jacksonville in Week 6 in London, and he should be considered a low-end starter in all leagues against the Jaguars.
Drop candidates: Deshaun Watson (65 percent rostered), Justin Herbert (57 percent), and Matthew Stafford (51 percent). Watson has scored a combined 24.6 Fantasy points in his past two games against Las Vegas and Washington, and now he has his third road outing in a row at Philadelphia. With one game this season over 15.4 Fantasy points, it’s easy to move on from Watson in one-quarterback leagues. And the Browns might decide to bench Watson soon in favor of Jameis Winston. … Herbert went into his bye in Week 5 with 15 Fantasy points as his best outing in the first four games of the season. There’s little reason to expect him to become a standout Fantasy option in this offense moving forward, especially in Week 6 at Denver, and he’s worth dropping in all one-quarterback leagues. … Stafford might get Cooper Kupp (ankle) back in Week 7, which is exciting. But while Stafford is on a bye in Week 6, you can drop him in all one-quarterback leagues. He also has yet to score more than 16.7 Fantasy points in any game this year.
Add in this order:
Week 6 Waiver Priority List
WAIVER WIRE
Running Backs
Injuries: Christian McCaffrey (calf), Jonathan Taylor (ankle), Nick Chubb (knee), Jonathon Brooks (knee), Joe Mixon (ankle), Isiah Pacheco (leg), Aaron Jones (hip), De’Von Achane (concussion), Zack Moss (ankle), Devin Singletary (groin), Zamir White (groin), Jaylen Warren (knee), Cordarrelle Patterson (ankle), Clyde Edwards-Helaire (illness), Kendre Miller (hamstring) and MarShawn Lloyd (ankle).
On a bye: Kareem Hunt, Carson Steele, Samaje Perine, Kyren Williams, De’Von Achane, Raheem Mostert, Jaylen Wright, Aaron Jones, and Ty Chandler.
Check to see if available in shallow leagues: Zach Charbonnet (83 percent rostered), Braelon Allen (83 percent), Raheem Mostert (83 percent), Jonathon Brooks (83 percent), Justice Hill (77 percent), Trey Sermon (71 percent), Antonio Gibson (69 percent) and Tyler Allgeier (66 percent). Charbonnet is clearly the No. 2 running back in Seattle when Kenneth Walker III is healthy, but Charbonnet should still be rostered in all leagues. He has lottery-ticket upside whenever Walker is out, which has already happened twice this year. … Allen hasn’t done much in the past two games against Denver and Minnesota, but neither has Breece Hall. Allen remains one of the best lottery tickets to roster and is worth stashing in all leagues. … Mostert returned from his three-game absence with a chest injury and had 98 total yards in Week 5 at New England. De’Von Achane suffered a concussion against the Patriots, and we’ll see what his status is after Miami’s bye in Week 6.
Mostert should have a prominent role whether Achane is healthy or not, so Mostert should be rostered in all leagues. … We don’t know when Brooks (knee) will start practice, but he has the potential to be a league-winner when healthy, even if he’s sharing touches with Chuba Hubbard. I want to stash Brooks in all leagues where he’s still available. … Hill is not going to be a consistent Fantasy option as long as Derrick Henry is healthy, but Hill has two games this season with six receptions. Hill is worth rostering in all PPR leagues, and I like him as a flex in Week 6 against Washington. … Sermon did well in place of Jonathan Taylor (ankle) in Week 5 against Jacksonville with 18.3 PPR points. He scored a rushing touchdown and caught six passes for 25 yards on six targets.
If Taylor is out again in Week 6 at Tennessee, then consider Sermon as a flex option in all leagues, especially if Joe Flacco remains the starting quarterback for the Colts. … Gibson, despite starting in Week 5 against Miami, remains the No. 2 running back for the Patriots behind Rhamondre Stevenson. In deeper PPR leagues, Gibson can be a flex option, and he has scored at least 10.9 PPR points in two of his past four games. He’s also worth stashing in all leagues in case Stevenson were to miss any time due to injury. Allgeier is worth rostering in all leagues as a handcuff for Bijan Robinson, who has dealt with shoulder and hamstring injuries in recent weeks. Robinson has played through those minor ailments, but if he were to miss any time, then Allgeier would have top-20 upside in all formats. And Allgeier has at least nine total touches in tandem with Robinson in each of the past two games.
Drop candidates: Zamir White (66 percent rostered), Ezekiel Elliott (46 percent), and Gus Edwards (40 percent). White was out in Week 5 at Denver with a groin injury, and we’ll see if he can return in Week 6 against Pittsburgh. When healthy, White might be third on the depth chart now behind Alexander Mattison and Ameer Abdullah, and White can be dropped in the majority of leagues. … Elliott is clearly behind Rico Dowdle now, and Elliott can be dropped in the majority of leagues. He has eight total touches or less in four games in a row, and he had a season-low 1.7 PPR points in Week 5 at Pittsburgh. … Edwards has combined for nine total touches in his past two games against the Steelers and Chiefs, and we’ll see what his role is behind J.K. Dobbins coming off the Chargers’ bye in Week 5. Edwards has scored 5.9 PPR points or less in every game this season, and it would be nice if Kimani Vidal earned a bigger role after the bye. It’s safe to drop Edwards in all leagues.
Add in this order:
Week 6 Waiver Priority List
WAIVER WIRE
Wide Receivers
Injuries: Nico Collins (hamstring), Rashee Rice (knee), Christian Watson (ankle), Malik Nabers (concussion), Davante Adams (hamstring), Puka Nacua (knee), Cooper Kupp (ankle), A.J. Brown (hamstring), DeVonta Smith (concussion), Khalil Shakir (ankle), Xavier Legette (shoulder) and Adam Thielen (hamstring)
On a bye: Xavier Worthy, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, Demarcus Robinson, Jordan Whittington, Tutu Atwell, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
Check to see if available in shallow leagues: Calvin Ridley (83 percent rostered), Courtland Sutton (82 percent), Jakobi Meyers (78 percent), Keenan Allen (74 percent), Rome Odunze (72 percent), Darnell Mooney (72 percent) and Ladd McConkey (66 percent). Ridley has been a terrible Fantasy receiver this season with one game over 8.0 PPR points, but he has a great matchup against the Colts, who are No. 8 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. … Sutton had a down game in Week 5 against Las Vegas with 5.2 PPR points, but prior to that he scored at least 13.8 PPR points in each of his previous two outings. He should be considered a No. 3 receiver in Week 6 against the Chargers and rostered in all PPR leagues. … Meyers just had the best game of any true No. 1 receiver against Denver in Week 5 with six catches for 72 yards on nine targets, and he should be considered at least a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues moving forward with Davante Adams expected to be traded.
Allen and Odunze haven’t been great Fantasy assets this season, but I want to roster them for at least one more week. You can consider both No. 3 receivers in Week 6 against the Jaguars, who are No. 1 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. Mooney is my favorite player on this list, and I wrote in this column that he was the No. 1 receiver to add in Week 2. He has three games this season with at least seven targets and 14.6 PPR points, and he’s worth starting in all leagues heading into Week 6 against the Panthers, who are No. 10 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. … McConkey has two games this season with at least 14.9 PPR points, and I expect him to continue to improve as his rookie campaign rolls on. He should be added in all leagues and should eventually become a consistent No. 3 PPR receiver on a weekly basis.
Drop candidates: Rashee Rice (90 percent rostered), Jauan Jennings (87 percent), and Christian Watson (53 percent). ESPN and the NFL Network reported Monday that it’s unlikely that Rice (knee) will play again this season even though he didn’t suffer a torn ACL. You can stash Rice on IR with the hope he somehow returns for the Fantasy playoffs, but it appears safe to drop him in the majority of leagues. … You can hold onto Jennings in 12-team leagues, but it’s safe to drop him in 10-team leagues since everyone is healthy for the 49ers’ main receivers. Jennings just had one catch for 13 yards on four targets in Week 5 against Arizona. … Watson (ankle) might be able to return for Week 6 against Arizona, but that’s not guaranteed. He’s worth holding onto in 12-team leagues if you have the roster space, but you can drop him in all 10-team leagues while he’s hurt.
Add in this order:
Week 6 Waiver Priority List
Injuries: David Njoku (knee), Evan Engram (hamstring), Taysom Hill (ribs), and T.J. Hockenson (knee).
On a bye: Travis Kelce, Colby Parkinson, Jonnu Smith, and T.J. Hockenson.
Check to see if available in shallow leagues: Isaiah Likely (80 percent rostered), Tucker Kraft (77 percent), T.J. Hockenson (71 percent), and Evan Engram (69 percent). Likely scored two touchdowns in Week 5 at Cincinnati and finished with 16.3 PPR points, but he only had three catches for 13 yards on three targets. Still, that’s two huge outings on the season, and he’s tied to Lamar Jackson. Likely isn’t a must-add player, but he’s also someone who can win you a week when he’s involved in the red zone like this. … Kraft has now scored at least 17.3 PPR points in each of his past two games against the Vikings, and Rams, and he should continue to be viewed as a No. 1 Fantasy tight end in all leagues moving forward. I like Kraft as a top-five Fantasy tight end in Week 6 against Arizona. … Hockenson is getting closer to a return from last year’s torn ACL, and he could play as early as Week 7 after Minnesota’s bye. When healthy, Hockenson will be a low-end No. 1 Fantasy tight end in all leagues.
Drop candidates: Cole Kmet (79 percent rostered), Zach Ertz (75 percent), and Mike Gesicki (48 percent). Kmet scored 25.7 PPR points in Week 3 at Indianapolis, but he’s been at 8.7 PPR points or less in every other game this season. It will be tough to trust him when all the receivers in Chicago are healthy, which is the case heading into Week 6 against Jacksonville in London. … Ertz has yet to score a touchdown this season, and he just had three PPR points in Week 5 against Cleveland despite a season-high eight targets. Jayden Daniels isn’t relying on Ertz, and he’s an easy drop in non- and 0.5-PPR leagues heading into Week 6 against Baltimore. … In the past three games with Tee Higgins active, Gesicki has combined for just 13.9 PPR points, with eight targets over that span. Erick All is taking targets away from Gesicki, and he’s not worth holding in most Fantasy leagues heading into Week 6 against the Giants.
Add in this order:
Week 6 Waiver Priority List
DST streamers
Texans (62 percent rostered) at NE
Eagles (27 percent rostered) vs. CLE
Buccaneers (27 percent rostered) at NO
Chargers (28 percent rostered) at DEN
Falcons (15 percent rostered) at CAR
Kicker streamers
Chase McLaughlin (42 percent rostered) at NO
Jake Elliott (32 percent rostered) vs. CLE
Austin Seibert (42 percent rostered) at BAL
Cameron Dicker (23 percent rostered) at DEN
Greg Joseph (2 percent rostered) vs. CIN
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