Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Watchlist for Week 6: Streaming targets, free agent sleepers include Mac Jones, Alex Collins, Josh Gordon

Bye weeks begin in Week 6, so streaming is about to become extremely important. Using our Week 6 waiver wire watchlist, you can get ahead on potential top streaming targets in fantasy football. However, we’re not giving up on finding season-long value either, so we’ll continue to identity players who could be risers in the coming weeks. Sleepers Mac Jones, Alex Collins, Josh Gordon are some of the top free agents to watch leading up to Week 5. The waiver wire might be getting thin, but as injuries mount and those aforementioned byes kick in, finding potential diamonds in the rough and lotto ticket stashes can give you an edge.

Some leagues don’t have enough roster spots to really take advantage of “stashing players,” but for those in deeper leagues (or those who have players on IR or disappointments worth cutting), our week-ahead watchlist will be useful. Stashing a player or two on your bench when they’re still free agents can pay off majorly if those players have good games. If they don’t, they’re easy drops. Your spot in the waiver order is valuable, and you want to hold it as long as possible. At the very least, it’s good to have a list of names of players to watch on Sunday so you can monitor snap share and targets/touches, and it’s always smart to claim matchup-based streamers at positions like TE or D/ST before there’s competition for them.

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

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Watchlist

Reminder: This list was put together in the lead-in to Week 5, looking forward to the players who could be popular waiver-wire targets ahead of Week 6. If you have a roster spot to play with, these are free-agent options you could grab early to beat the waiver buzz.

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

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

Week 6 Waiver Wire Watchlist: Quarterback

Teams on Week 6 Byes: 49ers, Falcons, Jets, Saints

Sam Darnold, Panthers (48 percent owned in Yahoo leagues)

Darnold had some bad plays against Dallas, but he still scored four total touchdowns and was a QB1. Again, we’ve been waiting for the fantasy collapse, but it just isn’t happening. He’ll play the Eagles in Week 5 and Vikings in Week 6 — two more juicy matchups.

Trey Lance, 49ers (39)

It remains to be seen how long Jimmy Garoppolo (calf) will be out (if at all), but obviously, Lance figures to be the starter in SF in his absence. Lance scored about 20 fantasy points in just one half in Week 4, and his ceiling is sky high. That said, the 49ers have a bye in Week 6, so Lance might be a one-week stream, but he’s still worth stashing for later in the year.

Daniel Jones, Giants (36)

Jones has been a top-six fantasy quarterback, and it’s like nobody cares. He’s still available in a ridiculous amount of leagues despite his production. However, after facing the Cowboys in Week 5, he’ll get Rams and Panthers in Weeks 6 and 7. Those are tough matchups, but he will then play Kansas City and Las Vegas. He’s worth stashing as a backup QB at a minimum.

Mac Jones, Patriots (18)

Jones looked good against the Bucs in Week 4, and maybe he’ll carry the momentum into the rest of the year. Don’t be surprised if he has a breakout performance against Houston in Week 5. It’s worth noting he still has the Cowboys, Jags, Titans, and Falcons on his schedule.

Taylor Heinicke, Washington (12)

Heinicke plays well when the matchup is right and has sneaky Ryan Tannehill-like mobility to create a decent fantasy floor. His Week 5 matchup with New Orleans looks tough, but he’ll get the Chiefs in Week 6, who have given up the second-most fantasy points to QBs, trailing only his own defense. There’s shootout potential here, and he’ll be a top streamer option.

Carson Wentz, Colts (12)

Wentz will play a bottom-seven defense against QBs in Week 6 (vs. Houston), so he’ll be a streamer option will multiple notable QBs on a bye week.

WEEK 5 FANTASY: Sleepers | Busts | Start ’em, sit ’em

Week 6 Waiver Wire Watchlist: RB

Teams on Week 6 Byes: 49ers, Falcons, Jets, Saints

Michael Carter, Jets (52)

Despite what happened in Week 4, the Jets’ offense is bad. However, Carter did score his first touchdown and we’re closer to definitively saying he’s the Jets top RB. Carter leads Ty Johnson and Tevin Coleman is carries and targets, so he’s worth a bench stash if you have the room to do so.

JD McKissic, Washington (42)

McKissic has alternated between duds and double-digit points this season, but he still has sneaky PPR upside. He may be tough to trust on a weekly basis, but he can provide standalone value and work as a top handcuff.

Kenneth Gainwell, Eagles (39)

Gainwell is well outproducing Miles Sanders despite having 16 fewer total touches. He’s been more efficient and has found the end zone twice through the air this season. Like McKissic, he has nice PPR value, and there’s a chance he starts to take over Sanders’ role as the RB1.

Mark Ingram, Texans (32)

Ingram has 28 more carries than the next closest Texan (Phillip Lindsay), and that’s all you can really ask for in deep leagues. He’s not going to be a weekly stud, but he can contribute if he has a solid matchup.

Samaje Perine, Bengals (38)

Joe Mixon tweaked his ankle in Week 4 and is listed as day-to-day. His injury isn’t serious, but we’ve seen Mixon fall victim to a flurry of injuries in the past. Perine is his direct handcuff, so he warrants interest on the waiver wire or in free agency.

Alex Collins, Seahawks (12)

Backup Rashaad Penny (calf) and starter Chris Carson (neck) are once again banged up, and Collins figures to be the lead back in Seattle if Carson misses any time. He plays Thursday this week, so you’ll have to grab him before that game if you want to stash him.

Marlon Mack, Colts (11)

Mack is attractive simply because he is on the trade block. With Toney Jones Jr., going down with an ankle injury, he’ll be out between three and four weeks, and the Saints have been a rumored destination for Mack. It’s all speculative at this point, but he’s worth stashing on the chance he goes to a potential favorable fantasy destination.

Darrel Williams, Chiefs (11); Jeremy McNichols, Titans (3); Justin Jackson, Chargers (3)

These guys are mostly just handcuff RBs, but each of them has gotten notable work behind their teams’ starters. McNichols leads all Titans in targets and could be used in the flex spot of deep PPR leagues if Julio Jones (leg) and A.J. Brown (hamstring) continue to miss games.

Tarik Cohen, Bears (10)

David Montgomery is expected to miss five-to-six weeks, and Cohen (knee) can return from the PUP list in Week 7. He won’t be in a workhorse role, but he could be a solid PPR flex option beside Damien Williams.

Brandon Bolden, Patriots (5)

Bolden looks to be setting into the James White role, as he drew six targets in Week 4 against Tampa Bay. Damien Harris is ineffective in the passing game; J.J. Taylor might have blown his chance when he fumbled in Week 4, and Rhamondre Stevenson has been banished to the bench since he fumbled in Week 1. Bolden is the lone survivor in the scat-back role.

WEEK 5 DFS LINEUPS: FanDuel | DraftKings | Yahoo

Week 6 Waiver Wire Watchlist: WR

Teams on Week 6 Byes: 49ers, Falcons, Jets, Saints

Michael Gallup, Cowboys (47)

Gallup (calf) is likely to be out for at least the next two weeks, but we know he has value when he returns as a low-end flex play.

Rondale Moore (45); A.J. Green (42), Cardinals

Moore’s ownership has gone down with recent struggles, and Green’s has gone up with recent success. They both should continue to be monitored in a Cardinal’s offense that can support numerous players in fantasy. Week 6 against Cleveland figures to be their toughest matchup yet, though.

Darnell Mooney, Bears (43)

Mooney finally enjoyed a breakout performance in Week 4 against Detroit, catching five passes for 125 yards. He has drawn 26 targets to Allen Robinson’s 24 targets and seems to be Justin Fields’ favorite receiver for now.

DeVante Parker, Dolphins (41)

Will Fuller (finger) has been placed on IR, and DeVante Parker is leading all Dolphins’ pass-catchers in targets. He’s been the most productive WR so far, and Tua Tagovailoa should return any week now.

Hunter Renfrow, Raiders (37)

Renfrow is second in targets for the Raiders, trailing only Darren Waller. He’s also scored touchdowns in back-to-back weeks and posted at least 10 fantasy points (PPR) in all of his contests. He has a safe floor and an ever-rising ceiling.

Josh Gordon, Chiefs (36)

We’ve warned against getting your hopes too high about Gordon, but we’d all be foolish to not watch him moving forward. The pass-catchers in Kansas City other than Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill leave a lot to be desired, so Gordon will have a chance to make an impact in fantasy.

Tim Patrick, Broncos (36)

Jerry Jeudy (ankle) is set to return sometime in the near future, but Patrick still has value as the No. 2 WR in Denver. He’s drawn 19 targets and scored twice this season. He’s an attractive steamer option against the Raiders in Week 6 — especially if Jeudy remains out.

Curtis Samuel, Washington (36)

Samuel returned in Week 4 but played just 37 percent of Washington’s offensive snaps. However, he did grab four targets, so Taylor Heinicke wasn’t shying away from him. This was just a case of being eased back onto the field, but we should see him be closer to full strength by the time Week 6 rolls around in a juicy matchup with Kansas City.

Jamison Crowder, Jets (34)

As bad as the Jets were last year, Crowder was the WR25 in fantasy points per game (PPR). In his season debut in Week 4, Crowder drew nine targets, catching seven for 61 yards. If Crowder can even be a low-end WR4 in PPR leagues, he’s worth rostering. Expect Zach Wilson to continue to target him heavily.

Rashod Bateman, Ravens (25)

Bateman (core) can return as early as Week 5, and he was a first-round pick for a reason — elite talent. Lamar Jackson has helped turn Marquise Brown into a top-15 fantasy WR so far, so he maybe he won’t hold back Bateman.

T.Y Hilton, Colts (21)

The Colts are dying for WR help, and their old pal Hilton (neck) is on the way. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Hilton lead the team in targets as soon as he returns from IR. They play the Texans in Week 6, so that could be a nice start for Hilton this season.

Quintez Cephus (15); Kalif Raymond (2)

Both these guys have been surprisingly productive this season, and although the Lions are not a good football team, they’ve produced some solid fantasy players at multiple positions so far this year. In deep leagues, these guys are worth fliers.

Randall Cobb, Packers (13)

Marquez Valdez-Scantling (hamstring) was put on short-term IR, and Cobb immediately produced in his absence against the Steelers. With all of the attention on Davante Adams, Cobb caught five passes for 59 yards and two touchdowns. He and Aaron Rodgers already have a built-in rapport, so Cobb could be valuable down the line.

Kadarius Toney, Giants (8)

Toney’s ownership has been hilariously low for a first-round pick, but he finally got an opportunity in Week 4 against the Saints. He led New York in targets (9) and caught six passes for 78 yards. His playmaking skills were well on display, and maybe the Giants will be hesitant to sit him back on the bench when Darius Slayton (hamstring) and Sterling Shepard (hamstring) return.

MORE WEEK 5 DFS: Best stacks | Best values | Lineup Builder

Week 6 Waiver Wire Watchlist: TE

Teams on Week 6 Byes: 49ers, Falcons, Jets, Saints

Jared Cook, Chargers (52) @ BAL

Baltimore has given up the most fantasy points to tight ends this season (though part of that is having played Travis Kelce, Darren Waller, and T.J. Hockenson already), and Cook has had five or more targets in three of his four contests. The Ravens are strong on the outside at corner, so Cook might be able to exploit the middle of their defense.

Jonnu Smith, (45); Hunter Henry (42) @ vs. DAL

Smith and Henry have been disappointing so for this season, but they both grabbed touchdowns in Week 4 and play Houston and Dallas in Weeks 5 and 6. With bye weeks coming, these are two of the top streaming options.

Evan Engram, Giants (33) vs. LAR

Engram has now played in two games this season and saw six targets in both contests. As he gets healthier he does have some upside with Daniel Jones playing so well. He’ll face tough matchups in Weeks 6 and 7 against the Rams and Panthers, but then draws Kansas City, Las Vegas, and Tampa Bay.

Zach Ertz, Eagles (30) vs. TB

Ertz is beginning to out-target Dallas Goedert, and the Buccaneers defense has been poor against tight ends. He’s a streamer consideration and he might even eventually carry season-long value.

Cole Kmet, Bears (25) vs. GB

We know you’re tired of seeing Kmet on this list, but Justin Fields will hopefully improve as the season moves along, and Green Bay, who Chicago plays in Week 6, has been a bottom-10 defense against tight ends in fantasy.

Tyler Conklin, Vikings (12) @ CAR

Conklin broke out in Week 3 before being limited to 11 yards on four catches in Week 4. However, the Browns defense looks like a shutdown unit, and Conklin still drew six targets. Carolina will be a tough matchup in Week 6, but we’re looking at Conklin as more of a season-long prospect.

C.J. Uzomah, Bengals (5) @ DET

Uzomah went bonkers in Week 4 and was the TE1 across fantasy football. He could see success in Week 5 against Green Bay and again in Week 6 against Detroit.

Deeper League Streamers: Dan Arnold, Jaguars (4); Jack Doyle, Colts (2), Mo Alie-Cox, Colts (2); Ricky Seals-Jones, Washington (0)

These guys are more deep-league-specific targets, but they’ll all face Week 6 opponents who are in the bottom 10 against fantasy tight ends — Miami (Arnold), Houston (Doyle/Cox), Kansas City (RSJ), respectively.

Week 6 defense streamers and sleepers

Teams on Week 6 Byes: 49ers, Falcons, Jets, Saints

Indianapolis Colts DST (44) vs. HOU in Week 6

Regardless of the team, anybody playing against Houston’s offense will warrant consideration in fantasy football. The Colts’ defense showed it can take advantage of lackluster offenses against Miami in Week 4, and it can do it again in Week 6.

Dallas Cowboys DST (43) @ NE in Week 6

Dallas has been a stronger defense than expected and has forced at least one turnover in each game this year leading up to Week 5. Just Trevon Diggs himself has intercepted a pass in every game. Mac Jones has been impressive, but he still is a rookie that certainly has the chance to turn over the football in Week 6.

Green Bay Packers DST (30) @ CHI in Week 6

Green Bay was solid against a bad Steelers’ offense, so why can’t they do the same against a bad Bears offense in Week 6?

Cincinnati Bengals DST (21) @ DET in Week 6

The Bengals were a top streaming option last week against Jacksonville, but it didn’t pan out. However, they’ll get Pro-Bowl safety Jessie Bates back, and we feel good about their chances against Jared Goff and the league’s worst receiving core in Week 6.

Miami Dolphins DST (18) @ JAX in Week 6

The Dolphins’ defense has been mightily disappointing, but they still possess the talent to turn it around and Brian Flores comes off the Bill Belichick coaching tree — a man notorious for shutting down rookie QBs.