With another wild football Sunday in the rear-view mirror, it's time to assess the state of our fantasy teams and add (or cut) accordingly.
It was another significant day for injuries with Seattle's Rashaad Penny suffering a fractured tibia. James Conner, Chris Olave, Teddy Bridgewater, Tee Higgins, Pat Freiermuth, Dalton Schultz and Baker Mayfield were all banged up as well.
To complicate matters further, bye weeks are officially upon us.
The Lions, Texans, Raiders and Titans each have Week 6 byes, meaning you will need to find one-week replacements for stars such as Jamaal Williams, Amon-Ra St. Brown, T.J. Hockenson, Davante Adams, Darren Waller, Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, Brandin Cooks and Dameon Pierce.
Whether you need a Penny replacement, or just need a Week 6 streamer, make sure to check out Action Network's top targets at each position — all of which are available in at least 50% of Yahoo! leagues — that you should prioritize come Tuesday night.
Note: Yahoo! roster percentages are reflected in parenthesis as of Monday and fantasy rankings are exclusive of the Monday Night Football game.
Fantasy Waiver Wire Pickups
Fantasy Waiver QBs to Target
Geno Smith, Seahawks (35% rostered)
Smith made it into my lookahead waiver wire column on Friday as a potential fill-in option for Week 6. I was very close to putting him in my start-sit column as a streamer because of how well he has been playing, but ultimately shied away from it as I thought the Saints defense could hold their ground.
Smith, who entered the week as the QB10, had yet another fantastic outing in the Seahawks' 39-32 loss. He completed 16-of-25 attempts for 268 yards, three touchdowns — each from 35-plus yards — and zero interceptions and is the QB3 heading into Monday night.
From the eye test alone, Smith looks impressive and is an excellent streaming option for Week 6 and beyond. The Seahawks face the Cardinals, whose defense ranked bottom five in pass DVOA heading into Sunday according to Football Outsiders.
Next three games: vs. Cardinals, at Chargers, vs. Giants
Carson Wentz, Commanders (46%)
Wentz at least had a nice day for fantasy in the Commanders' 21-17 loss to the Titans. He completed 25-of-38 attempts for 359 yards, two touchdowns and one interception and is currently the QB5 for the Week.
To say that Wentz has been up and down this season would be an understatement. He was the QB3 and QB5 in soft matchups in Weeks 1 and 2. He fell off a cliff in two difficult matchups in Weeks 3 and 4 and was the QB30 and QB27, respectively.
This "first-or-last" trend makes him a volatile, high-upside choice as a streaming option for Week 6 and beyond.
Next three games: at Bears, vs. Packers, at Colts
Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers (26%)
Garoppolo had his best fantasy week thus far in the 49ers' dominant victory over the Panthers. He completed 18-of-30 attempts for 253 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions and is the QB8 with one game left to play.
Jimmy G has strong chemistry with his pass catchers and I like him as a one- or two-week streaming option with two juicy matchups on deck. The 49ers face the Falcons and Chiefs in back-to-back weeks, which should offer ample scoring opportunities for the veteran signal-caller.
Next three games: at Falcons, vs. Chiefs, at Rams
Other quarterbacks to consider: Daniel Jones, Giants (22%), Marcus Mariota, Falcons (16%), Jacoby Brissett, Browns (6%)
Fantasy Waiver RBs to Target
Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks (44% rostered)
Walker stepped up and had a breakout game in New Orleans with Rashaad Penny suffering a fractured tibia. The rookie recorded eight rush attempts for 88 yards — 69 of them coming on an impressive touchdown run. He is the RB18 in half PPR heading into Monday night.
Walker was the second running back selected in this year's draft behind Breece Hall. He is now in line to become the Seahawks' featured back with Penny out indefinitely, which is a much more attractive prospect with the offense looking as strong as it has.
Walker immediately vaults into the RB2 conversation and should absolutely be your top waiver priority if available.
Next three games: vs. Cardinals, at Chargers, vs. Giants
Rachaad White, Buccaneers (34%)
White made it into my lookahead waiver wire column as well last week, as it appears the rookie's role is on the rise.
He was the clear No. 2 behind Leonard Fournette and had five carries for 14 yards with three catches for 28 yards. He is one of the most valuable insurance policies/bench stashes should Fournette get hurt. He could also have standalone value in the right matchups.
Next three games: at Steelers, at Panthers, vs. Ravens
Eno Benjamin, Cardinals (10%)
Benjamin was the last man standing in the Cardinals' backfield during their 20-17 loss to the Eagles.
Lead back James Conner suffered a rib injury while Darrel Williams exited with a knee injury. Benjamin subsequently posted his best game of the season with eight carries for 25 yards and a touchdown and three catches for 28 yards. He is currently the RB22 and may be in line for an increased workload if Conner (or Williams) end up missing time.
The Cardinals have a mouthwatering matchup on deck against the porous Seahawks defense, which has allowed the fourth most fantasy points to running backs. Benjamin would be in the RB2/3 conversation if Conner can't go.
Next three games: at Seahawks, vs. Saints, at Vikings
Latavius Murray and Mike Boone, Broncos (19% and 36%)
With Javonte Williams out for the year, it was Boone and Melvin Gordon III who shared the Denver backfield in Thursday night's loss to the Colts.
Boone was relatively effective and saw seven carries for 38 yards and caught three passes for 47 yards. Gordon had 15 carries for 54 yards and caught three passes for 49 yards. Murray was inactive on the short turnaround as he was recently acquired from the Saints, who played in London in the week prior.
Broncos insider Benjamin Allbright thinks that it will be Gordon and Murray — not Boone — primarily splitting carries moving forward. As such, Murray would be my preferred add, though both may end up having value, especially with Gordon on a short leash with turnover troubles.
The Broncos have a nice three-week schedule coming up against three below-average run defenses. The Chargers, specifically, have allowed the third-most fantasy points to the running back position.
Next three games: at Chargers, vs. Jets, vs. Jaguars
Joshua Kelley, Chargers (1%)
It was the Austin Ekeler show during the Chargers' nail-biting, 30-28 victory over the Browns.
Recording 20 touches for a whopping 199 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns, Ekeler is the RB1 in half PPR heading into Monday night. His backup, Kelley, also had a nice day and tallied 10 carries for 49 yards and a touchdown with two receptions for 33 yards. He is currently the RB17 and has some nice games coming up against the Seahawks in Week 7 and Falcons in Week 9.
At a minimum, Kelley should be rostered as an insurance policy for Ekeler managers. He could also offer standalone value as a rotational back in the Chargers' offense.
Next three games: vs. Broncos, vs. Seahawks, BYE
Deon Jackson and Phillip Lindsay, Colts (1% and 2%)
Both backfields had major injuries in Thursday night's snooze-fest. The Broncos were missing Javonte Williams, while the Colts were missing star running back Jonathan Taylor. Fortunately for Indy, Taylor's injury isn't nearly as serious as Williams' torn ACL, though it did force him to miss his first game since high school.
The Colts were expected to primarily lean on Nyheim Hines, who was injured and quickly ruled out in the first minute of play.
Without Hines and Taylor for the vast majority of the game, it was Jackson and Lindsay who split the work fairly evenly. Jackson saw 13 carries for 62 yards and caught four passes for 29 yards. Lindsay, elevated from the practice squad prior to the game, had 11 carries for 40 yards and caught three passes for 14 yards.
The Colts are optimistic Taylor can return for Week 6, though it wouldn't be the worst idea to pick up one of his backups in case he suffers a setback. Indianapolis faces Jacksonville next week, whose defense ranks bottom eight in fantasy points allowed to running backs.
Next three games: vs. Jaguars, at Titans, vs. Commanders
Tevin Coleman, 49ers (0%)
Coleman rushed eight times for 23 yards and a touchdown and caught all three of his targets for 44 yards and a touchdown against the Panthers.
He was a secondary option to Jeff Wilson Jr., who saw 18 touches for 132 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. Coleman is the RB8 heading into Monday night and could be a nice deep-league streaming option in Weeks 6 and 7 against the Falcons and Chiefs.
Next three games: at Falcons, vs. Chiefs, at Rams
Other running backs to consider: James Cook, Bills (29%), Dontrell Hilliard, Titans (14%), Avery Williams, Falcons (0%), Jaylen Warren, Steelers (8%)
Fantasy Waiver WRs to Target
Jakobi Meyers, Patriots (48% rostered)
Meyers returned after a two-week injury hiatus and shined opposite rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe in the Patriots' dominant 29-0 shutout over the Lions. He caught 7-of-8 targets for 111 yards and a touchdown and is the WR6 in half-PPR scoring heading into Monday night.
That was Meyers' first touchdown of the season and first 100-receiving yard game since Week 15 in 2020 against Miami, though he did log a 95-yard game in Week 2 of this season against Pittsburgh.
I love the target share and his consistency, especially in PPR formats. He will be a very solid start in Week 6 against Cleveland's exploitable defense.
Next three games: at Browns, vs. Bears, at Jets
Darius Slayton, Giants (0%)
Slayton stepped up in the Giants' 27-22 upset victory over the Packers in London. He caught a team-high 6-of-7 targets for 79 yards and is the WR21 with one game left to play.
Slayton could end up being a productive fantasy receiver with so many injuries to New York's receiving corps: Sterling Shepard is out for the season with a torn ACL, Kenny Golladay is dealing with a knee injury, Kadarius Toney was supposed to return this week from a hamstring injury but suffered a setback in practice and Wan'Dale Robinson has not played since Week 1 due to a knee injury.
Slayton is a widely available add with a sweet three-game schedule coming up before the Giants' Week 9 bye.
Next three games: vs. Ravens, at Jaguars, at Seahawks
Rondale Moore, Cardinals (18%)
Moore had a fantastic day in his second game back from injury. He caught 7-of-8 targets for 68 yards against the Eagles and is currently the WR28. The Year 2 wideout was out-targeted by Marquise Brown and Zach Ertz and may see fewer looks once DeAndre Hopkins returns in Week 7.
That said, it appears that Moore has eclipsed Greg Dortch on the WR depth chart and could still offer some value, especially with quarterback Kyler Murray chucking the ball an NFL-high 43 times per game.
The Cardinals have a sweet Week 6 matchup in Seattle that Moore could easily capitalize on.
Next three games: at Seahawks, vs. Saints, at Vikings
Alec Pierce, Colts (8%)
Who is the best Colts' wide receiver and why is it Alec Pierce?
Pierce ended up with a better fantasy day than Michael Pittman Jr. in Thursday night's overtime win over the Broncos. He caught 8-of-9 targets for 81 yards and is currently the WR18. Pittman, meanwhile, was held to five catches on eight targets for 59 yards. It was the second week in a row in which Pierce outshined Pittman from a fantasy standpoint.
This Colts offense is pretty ugly, though I think it will look better than it did on Thursday night once Jonathan Taylor returns. Pierce is a nice deeper league add or bench stash with some attractive matchups coming up against three below-average pass defenses.
Next three games: vs. Jaguars, at Titans, vs. Commanders
Ben Skowronek, Rams (1%)
Much to the dismay of the fantasy community, it appears to be Skowronek — not Allen Robinson II — who is filling the WR2 role behind Cooper Kupp.
Skowronek was out-targeted by both Kupp and Tyler Higbee in the Rams' 22-10 loss to the Cowboys, though he still caught 6-of-8 for 41 yards; Robinson was held to three catches on five targets for 12 yards.
For what it's worth, I'm officially done with Robinson and aside from Kupp (and maybe Higbee), there's not a ton about this Rams offense to get excited about. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has been playing significantly worse than last season and his offensive line has allowed the most sacks in the NFL through five weeks (tied with the Colts).
Still, Skowronek could be a decent add in deeper leagues as his role continues to grow.
Next three games: vs. Panthers, BYE, vs. 49ers
Dyami Brown, Commanders (0%)
Brown shined with both Jahan Dotson (hamstring) and Logan Thomas (calf) sidelined. He reeled in 2-of-4 targets for a team-high 105 yards and two touchdowns (talk about efficiency). One of his touchdowns came on a 75-yard pass, the other on a 30-yard pass.
As impressive as the performance was, Brown isn't a super high priority add in this cycle of waivers except in deeper leagues. Brown was out-targeted by Curtis Samuel, J.D. McKissic and Terry McLaurin, and he will likely take a backseat once Dotson and Thomas are back.
Next three games: at Bears, vs. Packers, at Colts
Marvin Jones Jr., Jaguars (5%)
Jones shined in the Jaguars' 13-6 loss to the Texans in Week 6 following a Week 5 bagel in Philly. He led the team in all receiving categories and caught 7-of-11 targets for 104 yards — his first 100-yard game since Week 6 in 2021 against the Dolphins.
Jones is currently the WR13 with one game left to play and is the WR50 through five weeks. His role may have been augmented based on Zay Jones' health, however, so I would temper future expectations. He is still worthy of consideration in deeper leagues.
Next three games: at Colts, vs. Giants, vs. Broncos
Khalil Shakir and Isaiah Hodgins, Bills (2% and 0%)
Both Shakir and Hodgins were solid in the Bills' blowout win over the Steelers.
Shakir stepped up with Isaiah McKenzie still in the concussion protocol and caught 3-of-5 targets for 75 yards and a touchdown, while Hodgins reeled in 4-of-6 targets for 41 yards.
I still prefer McKenzie as the Bills' WR3 (an attractive position given how strong Buffalo's offense has looked thus far), though Shakir and Hodgins could be potential streamers if McKenzie misses another week. The Bills take on the Chiefs next week in what should be a scoring bonanza before their Week 7 bye.
Next three games: at Chiefs, BYE, vs. Packers
Other wide receivers to consider: Randall Cobb, Packers (3%), Jalen Reagor and K.J. Osborn, Vikings (0% and 6%), Velus Jones Jr. Bears (0%), Olamide Zaccheaus, Falcons (0%)
Fantasy Waiver TEs to Target
Taysom Hill, Saints (29% rostered)
Hill absolutely exploded in the Saints' Week 5 win over the Seahawks. The versatile player rushed nine times for 112 yards and three touchdowns and tacked on a passing touchdown on his lone passing attempt of the day. He tallied 34.1 points in half PPR scoring and is the TE1 by a very significant margin over Mark Andrews, who had 18.9 points.
Hill's usage is erratic, though he seems to be more consistent with Andy Dalton under center versus Jameis Winston. His role in this revamped Saints offense may be evolving past mere novelty, however, and he offers the most upside of any tight end in light of his unique usage as a running back and quarterback.
Next three games: vs. Bengals, at Cardinals, vs. Raiders
Hayden Hurst, Bengals (29%)
Hurst had yet another nice fantasy day for during the Bengals' 19-17 primetime loss to the Ravens on Sunday Night Football. Hurst, Baltimore's first-round pick in 2018, caught 6-of-7 targets for a team-high 53 yards and a touchdown and is the TE3 with one game left to play.
His role may have been expanded with Tee Higgins clearly activated to be a decoy and nothing more. That said, it is his second game in a row finding the end zone and third game this year with at least seven targets. I like Hurst as a Week 6 streamer for Hockenson or Waller managers.
Next three games: at Saints, vs. Falcons, at Browns
Evan Engram, Jaguars (24%)
Engram bounced back from his one-catch Week 4 outing against Philadelphia and was a bright spot in what was otherwise an offensive dud for the Jaguars.
He caught 6-of-10 targets for 69 yards and is currently the TE7. He is a high-end TE2 and a viable streamer in deeper leagues with four teams on bye.
Next three games: at Colts, vs. Giants, vs. Broncos
Zach Gentry, Steelers (0%)
Gentry stepped up with star tight end Pat Freiermuth exiting early with a concussion.
He caught 5-of-6 targets for 43 yards and is currently the TE14 heading into Monday night. There weren't a lot of positive takeaways from the Steelers' massive loss to the Bills, but Gentry did look decent and he could offer deeper league streaming potential if Freiermuth sits out of Week 6.
Next three games: vs. Buccaneers, at Dolphins, at Eagles
Other tight ends to consider: Robert Tonyan, Packers (38%), Cole Kmet, Bears (32%), Hunter Henry, Patriots (38%), Cade Otton, Buccaneers (2%), John Bates, Commanders (0%)
