Week five of the 2024 NFL season is over and bye weeks are killing us all. I’ve seen people complain about scoring the second-most points in their league and losing, but I just scored the second-most points in my league and tied. Somehow, this feels worse. But I will not give up because I know the waiver wire exists to save you from the cruel and unforgiving fantasy football gods. I’m going to provide you with the best options available. If I don’t mention someone whom you think I should be talking about, just know there are many reasons why I overlooked them. Maybe they are owned in most leagues. Maybe they are so bad I don’t even consider them. Maybe it’s because your opinions cannot be trusted. After all, you are here. So let us examine our best week six waiver wire players for your championship run…
Week Six Waiver Wire Quarterbacks
Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons (49% rostered)
Kirk Cousins was the QB1 of week 5 and the hero of my Jalen Hurts bye. With 509 passing yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception, I was a big fan of Cousins to Atlanta in the offseason, but I caution people not to read too much into this. So far, Cousins has only had 2 QB1 weeks this season and Tampa Bay is giving up the second most fantasy points to quarterbacks. The good news is he gets Carolina next week, so if you need a quarterback right away, Cousins is probably a good option. Just be sure to temper your expectations.
Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears (33% rostered)
Now that I’ve advised caution on Cousins, I will let my blatant Bears homerism run rampant. In week 5, Caleb had 304 passing yards and 2 touchdowns, along with 34 rushing yards. And yes, he did this against the Carolina Panthers. Over the last two weeks, Caleb has shown significant improvement. I’ve always felt that Caleb could be a guy who comes on in the second half of the season. Even if he isn’t that guy, his next three games are against the teams giving up the 1st, 2nd, and 4th most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. If you don’t trust the player, trust the match-up. My core betting philosophy has always been to bet on players who are going up against bad teams.
Week Six Waiver Wire Running Backs
Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars (16% rostered)
After his 129 all-purpose yards and 2 touchdown performance, everyone will tell you the number one waiver wire pick of week five has to be Tank Bigsby. I am not the biggest fan of the player, but there is no denying his usage. Bigsby is seeing 31% of the rushing attempts on Jacksonville, compared to Etienne’s 48%. Moreover, that number has steadily increased throughout the season. Jacksonville loves running its backs up the middle and that is not Etienne’s game. There are a lot of good arguments for Bigsby. My concern is that everyone not named the Chicago Bears has looked like a hall-of-fame running back against the Indianapolis Colts. This feels like the Isaiah Likely hype of week one and I’m not investing a lot of FAAB on a mid-running back on a bad offense. I will take a flyer though because he’s a running back with a pulse.
Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings (32% rostered)
With Aaron Jones getting an MRI for a hip injury, I am looking very hard at Ty Chandler. The problem is no matter how hard I squint, he still looks like Ty Chandler. After Jones left the game, Chandler had 14 carries for 30 yards. His 2 catches for 9 yards didn’t help his fantasy numbers either. While Chandler leaves a lot to be desired, the Vikings are the number six scoring offense in football and I want the lead back on every top ten offense.
Tyrone Tracy, New York Giants (21% rostered)
In week four, Tyrone Tracy had 18 carries for 129 yards. With Devin Singletary out with a groin injury, I find Tyrone Tracy to be in a very interesting position. Groin injuries can last a week or they can go on for weeks. Moreover, the Giants have invested draft capital on Tracy, so I think that if he can keep showing out while Singletary is hurt, he could play himself into a lead role. I love betting on rookie breakouts because if they happen, they can win you your league. I’m meh on Tyrone Tracy as a player, but the opportunity is there for a big return if he does well the next few weeks.
Trey Sermon, Indianapolis Colts (51% rostered)
With Jonathan Taylor out with a high ankle sprain, Trey Sermon had 68 all-purpose yards and a touchdown. Taylor will probably miss at least one more week, as high ankle sprains tend to linger. But it is hard to get excited about Trey Sermon, which is why he is the last running back on my list. I would absolutely get him because he will be a lead back. I just won’t be excited about it.
Week Six Waiver Wire Wide Receivers
Darnell Mooney, Atlanta Falcons (59% rostered)
While this is a bit above my normal cutoff, it is time I start screaming about how good Darnell Mooney is somewhere other than my text groups. In week 5, Mooney had 9 catches for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns. Mooney is also the WR15 on the season at the moment. He is 14th in yards and targets and 16th in receptions. Darnell Mooney is what we were all hoping Kyle Pitts would be. Not only should Darnell Mooney be on your roster, he should also be in your starting lineups.
Jordan Whittington, Los Angeles Rams (13% rostered)
In week 5, Jordan Whittington had 7 catches for 89 yards. Whittington is perhaps the most intriguing waiver wire receiver to me. While he is 5th in routes run on the team, only Cooper Kupp has a higher target rate per routes run with a minimum of 50 routes run this season. Moreover, he is averaging 2.16 yards per route run. His numbers and usage look similar to Kupp and we are seeing him emerge more and more as the season progresses. Of all the potential breakout receivers on the Rams, Whittington is my favorite because I always prefer to bet on the rookie to outperform their draft status. Tutu Atwell and Demarcus Robinson have been in the league long enough that I think if they were going to show an exceptional ceiling, they would have shown it by now. GIVE ME THE MYSTERY BOX!
Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys (7% rostered)
With Brandin Cooks on Injured Reserve, Jalen Tolbert is an intriguing option. In week 5, Tolbert had 7 catches for 87 yards and 1 touchdown. Tolbert has the potential to be a solid long term option, but I worry that he will find himself as the third option behind CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson. If I need receiver help, I’ll grab him, but he won’t be high on my priority list with Mooney and a bunch of solid running back options available.
Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts (38% rostered)
In week 5, Josh Downs had 9 catches for 69 yards (nice). Downs should definitely be claimed on waivers. The concern I have is that once Anthony Richardson is back, I am not sure he will get the same target share he will get with Flacco. If you need a receiver, Josh Downs could be a decent floor play, but if you are going to look at a Colt receiver, you might want to consider….
Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts (38% rostered)
Alec Pierce finished the week as the WR8 with 3 catches for 134 yards and 1 touchdown. Pierce has had 2 WR1 weeks and a WR2 week. He also had two duds. I’m biased here because I loved Pierce in college. I will maintain to my dying day that he is the only reason Desmond Ridder was drafted. However, Pierce is also very much a boom-or-bust play. He will get you 20-point weeks or 0-point weeks and only God knows when it will happen, but I will always want the ceiling play.
Week Six Waiver Wire Tight Ends
Tyler Conklin, New York Jets (34% rostered)
In week five, Tyler Conklin had 6 catches for 55 yards. Honestly, the tight end position is so bad that this is the best I can come up with. And if you are burning a waiver on Tyler Conklin, nothing I say is going to help you. You are already doing your best to lose your league.
