Injuries and changing roles created another batch of waiver-wire opportunities ahead of Week 6.
Here are our favorite pickups, along with recommended FAAB ranges for each.
(These guys are generally available in at least 70% of ESPN leagues. Your bid should vary by format and situation. Need help at RB? Prioritize that position. All set there? Then you probably don’t need to chase the top guys.)
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Immediate Help
Jameis Winston, QB, New York Giants
Blind Bid Recommendation: 3-5%
What Changed?
Winston is coming off a season-high QB7 finish, completing 33 of 54 attempts for 326 yards and 3 TDs without an INT, and adding another 27 yards on the ground.
It marks just the third time he’s passed for at least 3 TDs without an INT over the past nine seasons.
What’s the Outlook?
Winston has now turned in consecutive QB1 performances after failing to record a TD in either of his first two games. His 6 passing TDs over the past two weeks trail only Drake Maye.
Between WR Malik Nabers gaining comfort in his return from the ACL injury and TE Isaiah Likely producing a career high in scoring, Winston has enough receiving help.
Winston benefited from late-game negative script in Week 5 while trying to bring the Giants back against the Commanders. Week 6 brings a Saints defense that’s allowing the second-most points this season.
The Giants QB makes sense as a Week 6 streamer. Expect him to sit well outside starter range in our Week 7 rankings for a visit to Houston, though. Winston still has proving to do before you should consider him a weekly option.
Kirk Cousins, QB, Las Vegas Raiders
Blind Bid Recommendation: 3-5%
What Changed?
Cousins came into Week 5 having ranked as a QB1 over three consecutive weeks. But his production fell to a season-low QB20 finish against a Patriots defense that had allowed the eighth-fewest points to QBs.
He completed 19 of 28 passes for 243 yards and a TD in the 45-17 loss. It’s the first game this season in which Cousins didn’t produce multiple TDs.
Cousins maintained a decent floor, though. He’s one of just eight QBs to finish as a QB2 or higher in all five weeks this season.
What’s the Outlook?
Cousins has benefited from TE Brock Bowers returning. The Raiders TE has supplied 104 receiving yards per game, which trails only WRs Drake London, Puka Nacua, and Tetairoa McMillan over that span.
That helped Cousins throw for 285.3 yards per game over that span, the seventh-highest mark among QBs. He has also averaged 2.0 TDs vs. just 0.3 INTs.
Week 6 brings a Bills defense allowing the sixth-most points to QBs, making Cousins a solid streaming option.
Deep-League Flex Plays
Dameon Pierce, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Blind Bid Recommendation: 5-8%
What Changed?
The Eagles’ backfield injuries continue to mount, with RB Will Shipley’s partial plantar fascia tear in Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars. Shipley joins Saquon Barkley (hamstring) and Tank Bigsby (core muscle).
His absence left Pierce in an every-down role, but he finished with just 14 yards on 11 carries while catching two of five targets.
What’s the Outlook?
Bigsby will miss at least the next three games while Barkley has a chance to return this week. But Barkley didn’t practice at all last week and seems like a longshot.
That leaves a possible void for Pierce, who produced 23.6 PPR points the last time he accounted for at least a 50% carry share as a Texan in 2024. He has averaged 13.3 PPR points across 17 career games when reaching that workload range.
Pierce will line up behind a depleted offensive line that lost RT Lane Johnson to retirement and C Cam Jurgens in a trade to the Ravens. That’s part of why the offense has produced the ninth-fewest rushing yards per game this season.
If Barkley misses Week 6 as well, Pierce would be in line for a high-end workload against a Panthers defense allowing the third-most points to RBs.
Pierce looks like an RB3-level play who should only be a real target for desperate teams.
Kendre Miller, RB, New Orleans Saints
Blind Bid Recommendation: 5-8%
What Changed?
Miller led the Saints backfield in rushing attempts in a week when Alvin Kamara was limited by a back issue. Miller finished with 10 carries for 30 yards and a TD without seeing a target, tying his season-high 9.0 PPR points.
Kamara has been inefficient, now ranking 49th in yards per carry among 55 RBs with at least 20 attempts this season, while Etienne is sidelined for at least the next two games.
What’s the Outlook?
Miller’s two best outings have been nearly identical, ending with 30 rushing yards and a TD.
Saints RBs rank just 28th in yards per game, but the strength of the offense has them tied for eighth in rushing TDs. That obviously helps Miller, but it also leaves him relying on an unpredictable category.
The Saints get a neutral Giants matchup in Week 6, which finds Miller low in RB3 range. He’s an option for needy managers rather than an upside play.
Keenan Allen, WR, Indianapolis Colts
Blind Bid Recommendation: 5-8%
What Changed?
Allen missed Week 4 with a groin injury, then returned in Week 5 to post 5 catches for 45 yards. He tied for the team lead in target share (20.4%) and has now hit 20% in three of four games.
What’s the Outlook?
Alec Pierce isn’t eligible to return from IR until Week 7 at the earliest and might not be ready even then. That should keep Allen around a 20% target share, starting with a favorable matchup against Tennessee. The Titans rank seventh-worst in adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs.
After that comes a Vikings unit that’s been rough on WR scoring, followed by more promising matchups vs. Jacksonville and Dallas.
The outlook gives Allen some short-term flex value in PPR leagues, with room for him to re-enter fantasy lineups after the Vikings game should Pierce need more time.
And note: It’s a one-game sample, but in Pierce’s only healthy game, Allen still garnered a 20.7% target share. So Allen won’t be an automatic drop once his teammate returns.
Kendrick Bourne, WR, Arizona Cardinals
Blind Bid Recommendation: 5-8%
What Changed?
Bourne posted 12.0 PPR points to lead all Cardinals WRs in the team’s first game without WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
Bourne hauled in five of 8 targets for 70 yards on his way to a WR3 finish in a Week 5 blowout loss to the Lions.
What’s the Outlook?
Out-targeting fellow WR Michael Wilson likely won’t happen often. Wilson’s 26.3% target share ranks 13th among WRs. And Bourne watched WR Jalen Brooks take over Harrison’s role rather than absorbing more playing time himself.
But Bourne’s 11.3% target share should grow, as indicated by his 17.4% share against the Lions.
QB Jacoby Brissett is averaging the league’s second-most pass attempts, which boosts the volume outlook. Expect Bourne to live just outside WR3 range for a Week 6 matchup with the Rams, and around that range most weeks the rest of the way.
Germie Bernard, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Blind Bid Recommendation: 5-8%
What Changed?
Bernard achieved the first WR2 finish of his career in a game that saw Roman Wilson leave with a finger injury. He caught six of his team-high 9 targets for 80 yards while also handling a rushing attempt for 4 yards on his way to 14.4 PPR points.
What’s the Outlook?
Wilson’s expected to miss a couple of weeks, and Michael Pittman Jr. won’t be eligible to come off IR for another three games.
Bernard’s 30.0% target share for Week 5 ranked 11th among all WRs. And Aaron Rodgers has thrown for 3 TDs in each of the past three games, more than any other QB over that span.
A matchup against the Buccaneers in Week 6 doesn’t jump out, but Bernard stays relevant with Wilson and his 14.4% target share sidelined.
Assuming Wilson remains out for Week 7, the rookie WR will face a smash spot against a Saints defense allowing the second-most points.
Pat Freiermuth, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Blind Bid Recommendation: 10-15%
What Changed?
Freiermuth is coming off a season-high 21.5 PPR points to finish as the TE4 in Week 5. The Steelers TE also saw a season-high 7 targets, hauling in five.
Pittsburgh also lost WR Roman Wilson to a finger injury that’s expected to keep him out a couple of weeks.
What’s the Outlook?
Freiermuth has benefited from QB Aaron Rodgers’ league-leading nine passing TDs over the past three weeks. He’s hauled in three over the past two games and ranks as the TE4 with 16.1 PPR points per game over that span.
Freiermuth’s 14.9% target share this season ties RB Jaylen Warren for second on the team, trailing only WR DK Metcalf’s 21.3%. But with Wilson and his 14.4% target share sidelined, Freiermuth could see an uptick in target volume.
He projects as a fringe TE1 facing a Buccaneers defense in Week 6 that’s allowing the 11th-most points to TEs, and will have an even juicier matchup in Week 7. The Saints have given up the sixth-most points to the position.
Upside Stashes
Jonah Coleman, RB, Denver Broncos
Blind Bid Recommendation: 5-10%
What Changed?
Nothing yet. Coleman remains sidelined by a high-ankle sprain, although he’s eligible to return in Week 7.
What’s the Outlook?
We saw the potential in Week 2, when Coleman tied J.K. Dobbins at 10 carries. The rookie also scored on his only goal-line attempt. (Dobbins was stuffed on his three chances from the 1-yard line.)
Dobbins’ injury history suggests he’ll miss time at some point this season. RJ Harvey doesn’t look like an obstacle for carries, with Denver limiting him to 3 attempts or fewer in all but one game.
The upside case for Coleman has him eventually leading Denver in carries and handling goal-line work, a role that could produce RB2 value. He’d be doing so in an offense with room to grow.
Bonus: From Week 7 on, Denver RBs have the seventh-best adjusted strength of schedule.
Samaje Perine, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
Blind Bid Recommendation: 5-10%
What Changed?
Perine topped Chase Brown in carry share for the first time this season, 50% to 46%.
Perine also led in:
- yards per carry (4.9 to 3.0)
- rush yards over expected per attempt (+0.6 to -1.2)
- yards after contact per attempt (3.9 to 2.7)
What’s the Outlook?
It would be premature to call this a split backfield going forward. Brown dominated carry share 76% to 17% over the first four weeks.
But Brown has struggled with just 3.4 yards per carry. And his 34% rushing success rate is down from 41% last season and 39% in 2024.
A Week 6 bye gives Cincinnati time to figure out how Perine and Brown fit together ahead of a matchup with the Ravens. Perine isn’t the add for managers needing help right away, but he’s worth a stash if you can wait for more clarity.
The best-case scenario here for Perine would likely be an even work split, which could put him in the low-RB2 to flex mix for deeper leagues. Don’t be surprised if he remains more of a handcuff, though. The 31-year-old presents no particular upside for the Bengals.
Roschon Johnson, RB, Chicago Bears
Blind Bid Recommendation: 3-5%
What Changed?
Johnson saw 5 carries to D’Andre Swift’s 9 in a game played without Kyle Monangai (turf toe). Johnson garnered 7 targets, but all of them came in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach.
What’s the Outlook?
It depends on Monangai’s status. Turf toe is typically a multi-week injury, giving Johnson a chance to remain the RB2 for Sunday’s game against Atlanta and beyond.
Johnson won’t be a recommended starter after managing just 6 rushing yards. Beyond that, the Bears draw a Pats defense that sits 21st in adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs.
But as long as Monangai’s sidelined, Johnson will sit just one Swift injury away from leading the backfield in one of the NFL’s top offenses. That makes him a decent stash for RB-needy managers, especially with Chicago’s bye not coming until Week 10.
Ryan Flournoy, WR, Dallas Cowboys
Blind Bid Recommendation: 5-8%
What Changed?
Flournoy posted 3 catches for a season-high 90 yards in Thursday’s loss to Tampa Bay.
He has reached a route rate of at least 71% in four straight games. His 13.3% target share over that span included games of 19.4% and 20.0%.
CeeDee Lamb also came away from the Bucs game with a quad bruise, though that doesn’t seem likely to affect his Week 6 status.
What’s the Outlook?
Flournoy is just one Lamb or George Pickens injury away from stepping into a fantasy-friendly role.
Dallas has been one of the league’s more pass-heavy offenses, ranking fourth in pass rate and fifth in neutral pass rate. An injury to Lamb or Pickens could shift that balance some, but Dak Prescott’s strong play would keep Flournoy in a favorable spot. His 67.2% completion rate, 78.0 QBR, and 7.2 yards per attempt all sit near his career averages.
Flournoy still isn’t a must-roster, but he’s a nice WR stash in the same category as handcuff-type RBs.
Injuries to Note
Top 10 RB Handcuffs
- Blake Corum
- Emmett Johnson
- Kaelon Black
- Brian Robinson Jr.
- Braelon Allen
- Tyler Allgeier
- Sione Vaki
- Samaje Perine
- Kenneth Gainwell
- Najee Harris
Top Streaming Defense
Chiefs (vs. Chargers)
33% rostered
A matchup with the Chargers sets K.C. as a top Week 6 option, while the Week 5 bye boosts the defense’s availability.
The Chargers rank 30th in points, lead the league in turnovers, and have watched Justin Herbert average just 187.4 passing yards per game without a multi-TD outing. Los Angeles is also dealing with major injuries along the O-line and at WR.
Meanwhile, Kansas City entered Week 5 ranked 11th against the pass and eighth against the run in our defensive power rankings, while averaging 1.75 takeaways per game.
All signs point to the Chiefs as an elite Week 6 option.
Top Streaming Kickers
- Tyler Bass, BUF
- Andrees Borregales, NE
- Chris Boswell, PIT
Drop Candidates
Jaylen Wright, Miami Dolphins
In two games without De’Von Achane, Wright has tallied 11 carries for 18 yards and has yet to draw a target. Ollie Gordon is the RB to roster in Miami, making Wright a drop candidate ahead of a Week 6 bye.
Will Shipley, Philadelphia Eagles
Shipley is likely to miss multiple weeks with a foot injury. By the time he’s back, Tank Bigsby could be nearing a return of his own following core-muscle surgery. Saquon Barkley also isn’t expected to miss much more time (if any) with his hamstring injury.
Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers
Samuel is expected to sit out through the 49ers Week 8 bye with a hamstring injury. He’s garnered just a 14.3% target share this season.
Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
Sutton’s weekly fantasy finishes have gone WR88, WR68, WR55, WR104, and WR37. Denver’s down at 25th in passing yards per game.
Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield is expected to miss a couple more games with his right thumb injury. But even in three games with Mayfield, Godwin’s posted weekly fantasy finishes of WR47, WR40, and WR69.
Rashid Shaheed, Seattle Seahawks
Shaheed looked like a candidate for more production after getting in a full offseason with the Seahawks. Instead, he’s managed yardage totals of 4, 35, 14, 20, and 23 for an offense that continues to run through Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
Thomas was held off the stat sheet in Week 5. He’s even been out-targeted by rookie Josh Cameron (10% to 7%) over the past three weeks. It’ll likely take a trade for BTJ to become a usable player in fantasy.