Fantasy Football Week 6 Waiver Wire Pickups

All players in this section are must-add free agents, regardless of your league's scoring or size.

RB Michael Carter, Arizona Cardinals | 43% | FAAB: 45-50%

Carter, not Emari Demercado, dominated the backfield split, though the latter proved his explosiveness (and lack of spatial awareness) late in the game. This backfield may boil down to whoever is the hot hand from week to week, and that makes for a frustrating fantasy experience, but Carter's 23 utilizations (18 attempts) are worth spending up for given the potential lengthy tenure ahead. He generated 18.3 PPR points on 51 rushing yards, one ground score, five catches, and 22 yards through the air. There's long-term utility to be had here, even if it could be inconsistent from week to week.

RB Kimani Vidal (96% | 20-22%) and Hassan Haskins (99% | 18-20%), Los Angeles Chargers

Running back Omarion Hampton was in a walking boot after the game and presumably will miss some length of time. The Chargers already lost Najee Harris for the year, and the latest backfield hit elevates Haskins and Vidal to fantasy relevancy. The latter is a more intriguing option in PPR formats, and Haskins has more upside for touchdown prospects. The amount gamers should invest boils down to how long Hampton is expected to miss, which we'll revisit, but the current thought is prepare for the rookie to be out a few games.

WR Kendrick Bourne, San Francisco 49ers | 82% | FAAB: 8-10%

The injury-riddled San Fran offense saw Bourne play out of his mind in Week 5, corralling 10 passes for 142 yards on 11 targets from QB Mac Jones. Regardless of whether it's Jones or Brock Purdy (toe) on the field in Week 6, Bourne stands to offer fantasy gamers utility against Tampa Bay as long as WRs Ricky Pearsall (knee) and/or Jauan Jennings (ankle, ribs) and TE George Kittle (hamstring) remain out of action. In the worst-case scenario, Bourne is a one-week rental, but he has short-term staying power depending on the aforementioned recovering players' availability.

Fantasy Football Waiver Picks to Stash

It would be wise to snag these guys for a rainy day, if you have the roster space.

RB Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans | 51% | FAAB: 4-6%

Spears returned to the field after missing the first four weeks of the season and was eased back in, rushing four times for 14 yards. He wasn't targeted in the passing game. Look for his workload to ramp up in the coming weeks, and stash him while Spears gets back up to speed.

TE Theo Johnson, New York Giants | 79% | FAAB: 3-5%

Last week, we included Johnson as a watch-list candidate, and he showed gamers enough to justify making him at least a stash, if not priority add. The Giants are running out of receiving targets with Malik Nabers (knee) done for the year and Darius Slayton (hamstring) getting injured late in this contest. Johnson caught six of seven targets for only 33 yards but found the end zone twice. Give him the benefit of the doubt for seeing that many looks, even though he failed to generate much yardage. Multiple scores is fluky, of course, but rookie QB Jaxson Dart will continue to look his way. Philly is the Week 6 opponent, a defense that had been lethal vs. TEs until giving up 44 yards and a score in Week 5, so there's maybe a sliver of hope if you're looking for a cheap play in the next game.

TE Mason Taylor, New York Jets | 67% | FAAB: 2-4%

The rookie is feeling his way through the early going of his NFL career after a late-summer injury derailed his on-field learning process. The last three games have seen Taylor's targets increase, going from six to seven and topping out at a dozen in Week 5. He has secured at least four passes in each of those outings but remains scoreless and has a high-water mark of 67 yards in any game. The Jets lack receiving weapons behind WR Garrett Wilson, and Taylor has begun his ascent toward weekly utility.

WR Tory Horton, Seattle Seahawks | 64% | FAAB: 1-2%

Horton has drawn 15 targets in the last four weeks, and he has at least 11.2 PPR points in 75% of those outings. The rookie has lived and died by the touchdown grab, getting into the end zone on an unsustainable one-third of his receptions. Seattle faces Jacksonville in Week 6, which brings another viable matchup into focus. Entering Monday Night Football, the Jags gave up a WR score every 13.3 catches, which may be worth gambling on in desperate situation. Overall, Horton is extremely risky and should be a stash play to help cover byes or injuries.

Week 6 Fantasy Football Streamers

Looking for a one-week rental to cover an injury, a bye week, or to exploit a matchup? These players belong on your short list of targets.

QB Mac Jones, San Francisco 49ers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 85% | FAAB: 4-6%

It remains unclear whether we'll see Brock Purdy (toe) under center this week, but there's no reason to rush him back with the way Jones has balled out. In Week 5, it wouldn't hurt toss a few bucks at the latter in case Purdy remains out. San Fran may get healthier at receiver, too. Tampa struggled with Seattle's passing game and also could put the 49ers into a negative game script, so this is a win-win scenario. The only real risk is you could be wasting money on Jones if we don't learn Purdy's status prior to waivers processing and he actually returns to the field. Gamers with Tuesday night waivers should err on the side of caution if they don't fully intend to start Jones, spending on the lower end of the range or avoiding him entirely.

TE Jake Tonges, San Francisco 49ers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 65% | FAAB: 2-4%

Are we going with a Jones-Tonges stack for Week 6? You bet! That is, of course, if Jones indeed starts. What we do expect, though, is Tonges getting another crack at it with TE George Kittle (hamstring) unlikely to be activated for this contest. The Bucs allowed only modest catches and yardage numbers to the position through the first month of play, but two TDs to Dallas Goedert in Week 4 was followed up with another pair of scores from Seattle's AJ Barner on Sunday. If you're in a tight spot at the position, Tonges is a viable dart throw.

WR Roman Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns | 94% | FAAB: 1-2%

Reiterating last week's inclusion, Wilson could be worth a small investment should Calvin Austin (shoulder) appear to be in danger of missing this game coming out of the bye. The X-rays came back negative, and his status remains unclear. There's a hint of flier utility if Austin misses Week 6, when the Steelers host the Browns -- a defense that allowed WRs to score a ridiculous once every 6.8 grabs on the season.

WR Ryan Flournoy, Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers | 99% | FAAB: 1-2%

With only two teams on bye this week, trotting out someone like Flournoy requires niche lineup needs, but there are still far too many wide receiver injuries that will factor in. Dallas alone is potentially down two of its top four receivers, which is why we're even discussing Flournoy. He wouldn't have been on the field enough to land six of nine targets for 114 yards and tack on two more rushing if not for CeeDee Lamb (ankle) and KaVontae Turpin (foot) being absent. In the event either or both miss Week 6, Flournoy has runway for a one-week rental, but there's far too much uncertainty early in the week to invest more than a couple bucks.

PK Nick Folk, New York Jets vs. Denver Broncos | 33% | FAAB: 0-1%

The seasoned veteran has made every FG attempted this year, attempting precisely two tries in all but one game. The Broncos have allowed 14 field goals in five games, and New York's offense is good enough to put the 40-year-old in range at least a couple of times. The last two games have seen opponents attempt only one kick apiece, but in the first trio of contests no fewer than three were booted through the pipes. It's risky but reasonable.

PK Eddy Pineiro, San Francisco 49ers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 38% | FAAB: 0-1%

Pineiro booted a 59-yarder in Week 5 to go along with three other field goals and has kicked at least two treys in every game this year. The veteran is perfect on the season. Tampa Bay has allowed nine attempts on the year, with seven made, and Seattle kicked five extra points after the Bucs struggled to contain the Sam Darnold-led passing game.

PK Daniel Carlson, Las Vegas Raiders vs. Tennessee Titans | 61% | FAAB: 0-1%

The veteran made two of three tries from distance in Week 5, marking the third time in five outings in which Carlson connected on at least two attempts. He has one or more field goal made in every game and attempted two-plus in all but Week 3. Tennessee has granted exactly two successful field goals in all four games leading into Week 5, but Arizona didn't even attempt one. The rising Titans and floundering Raiders align for what should be a three-point frenzy.

Tennessee Titans D/ST at Las Vegas Raiders | 96% | FAAB: 1-2%

The Titans erupted on defense in Week 5's first win of the season, producing three takeaways, three sacks, and a scoop-and-score. The Raiders' offensive line is struggling, and quarterback Geno Smith has been a turnover machine in the past month.

Fantasy Watch List

Anyone in this section may not necessarily be worth adding just yet, depending on your league size and scope, but gamers should take notice and be ready to pounce.

TE AJ Barner, Seattle Seahawks | 82%

Barner is going in this section for a lack of a better area to place him ... he has scored in consecutive games and has four TDs in the last month, but volume has been low overall. His season-high target tally (7) was in Week 5, which matched the prior three outings combined, so it's kind of fluky, especially since it was a shootout. Two teams have byes in Week 6 (MIN, HOU), and neither is a great source for fantasy tight ends, so the need will be lessened. Also, the Seahawks face Jacksonville next Sunday -- a midrange unit vs. the position, so even the matchup perspective isn't overwhelming. At best, Barner is a flier for a cheap TD if you're in trouble at the position.