Fantasy Football Week 6 Waiver Wire: Once You Pop, You Can’t Stop

What’s weird about fantasy football is the fact that we have a dog days period. There’s always a slow patch in terms of waivers and we’re right in the middle of it. After incredible waiver wire pickups the first 3-4 weeks, we have back-to-back down weeks. We are starting to get into the major bye weeks though and that can cause mayhem for any fantasy owner. With that in mind, let’s get into our Week 6 waiver wire picks.

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Week 6 Waiver Wire Quarterback

Drew Brees (NO)

Many fantasy owners dropped Brees in 10 and 12-team leagues but now’s the time to go pick him up. While he likely won’t be back for about 2-3 weeks, he’ll be much tougher to find on waivers after this week. Getting on that train early is a great way to stumble into a great QB for the second half and it would be savvy to make that move now. The reports are extremely encouraging, as there are actually videos of him throwing a football just a few weeks removed from thumb surgery. A tough guy like Brees can easily beat his timetable too and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s back by Week 8.

Not a whole lot needs to be said about Brees’ exploits but let me just reiterate how good this guy is. Since joining the Saints in 2006, Brees has finished as a Top-10 QB every single year. Yes, Top-10 every single season. That’s simply incredible and it shows just how special he can be. The schedule in the second half is extremely encouraging too, with Brees and the Saints playing teams like the Cardinals, Falcons (2) and Buccaneers between Weeks 8-13. That’s one of the bests schedules in the NFL and it could help guide you to a playoff run.

Week 6 Waiver Wire Receivers

Byron Pringle (KC)

While Tyreek Hill might return next week, it’s very possible that Pringle will still find himself in the WR rotation. The reason for that is because he was their best wide receiver last week. Not only have Mecole Hardman and DeMarcus Robinson taken steps back, Sammy Watkins has also been dealing with injuries of his own. It’s not like Watkins is the ideal poster boy for health either. Having an increased role in an offense like this is simply a magical proposition, so let’s talk a little bit about the player.

Pringle led the way for the Chiefs in Week 5, totaling six receptions for 103 yards on nine targets. No other WR had more than six targets and it appears he’s found himself in a prominent role. What’s also encouraging is the fact that he played 49 snaps, which was 10 more than Hardman and 78 percent of the team’s snaps in total. While this may be a short-term move, Pringle could be one of the most valuable WRs next week if both Watkins and Hill sit out.

Robby Anderson (NYJ)

I’m going to keep this one simple. Anderson has been very unfortunate to have guys like Luke Falk and Trevor Semien throwing him the ball in the last three weeks. Now that Sam Darnold is due back shortly, that should put Anderson right back into play. While he was dropped in many leagues, it’s all about circumstance. He was simply unproductive with these garbage cans at QB and he should be back to his preseason value with Darnold back. That was a Top-30 WR who provided 113 catches for 1.693 receiving yards on 208 targets between 2017-18. Most importantly, he leads the NFL with 49 percent of his team’s air yards while playing 98 percent of the team’s snaps which indicates that his role is even better than before.

Mohamed Sanu (ATL)

Sanu has always been a consummate pro and he always finds himself in waiver wire articles throughout the year. The thing that makes him attractive this season is the fact that this Falcons defense is so bad it is forcing Atlanta to throw more than ever, which is evident by the fact that Matt Ryan leads the NFL with 222 pass attempts. He’s also averaging about 330 yards per game on a 70-percent completion rate and that too adds to Sanu’s value.

Those huge passing numbers from Ryan really show in Sanu’s production, with the WR recording at least four receptions in all five games this season. There’s only a handful of players who can say they’ve done that and it pairs beautifully with his 36 targets and 83.4 percent shap share. That snap count percentage actually leads the team over Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley and it’s becoming clear that Atlanta wants him on the field as much as possible.

Week 6 Waiver Wire Tight Ends

Gerald Everett (LAR)

The Rams have become a pass-happy offense and that’s made Everett a viable fantasy option. Jared Goff is actually tied with Matt Ryan for the league-lead with 222 pass attempts and it’s clear they want to limit Todd Gurley’s touches by throwing at will. While Everett does have to compete with Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp and Brandin Cooks for targets, it’s clear he’s becoming a focal point of this offense. That’s evident when you see that he’s played about 75 percent of the team’s snaps since Week 1. That pairs wonderfully with his 19 targets the last two weeks which is an incredible number for any tight end. It’s led to 12 catches for 180 receiving yards in that two-game span and that’s really all you can ask for from a waiver wire TE.

Hunter Henry (LAC)

This is the same exact situation as Drew Brees. While I don’t expect Henry to be back this week, a return next week is not out of the question. That could be a godsend for fantasy owners too, with tight end being an absolute nightmare this season. While Henry has had an injury-riddled career, he’s always been a great producer when healthy. In fact, Henry is actually a Top-10 tight end since 2016 in fantasy points per game. It’s not like this dude is done either. We’re talking about a 24-year-old kid who has all the talent in the world playing for one of the best offenses in football. If you’re in desperate need of a tight end like me, Henry is a great pickup across all formats.

If you’re waiting for D/ST streamers, those will be available on Wednesday or Thursday.

Got some Week 6 waiver wire pickups of your own? Drop them in the comments below. Don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone else in your league.

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