10 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets Heading Into Week 6

Somehow, we're almost halfway through the fantasy football regular season. If your team is staring at a 2-3 record or worse, then this is a crucial waiver run that can potentially propel your team back into the playoff hunt.

Conversely, if your team is doing well, stockpiling talent can improve your lineup or enable trades to make you a true contender.

What a time to be alive.

With some injuries in Week 5 and the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, and San Francisco 49ers on bye, we're missing some key fantasy contributors as well. Let's dive in.

I'll stick to players rostered on 60% or fewer of Yahoo! teams and also list some other viable pickups who may be available in shallower leagues or relevant in only deeper leagues.

Quarterbacks
Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks

Roster Percentage: 1%

Unfortunately, Russell Wilson is out for multiple weeks, reportedly eyeing Week 10 as his return week. In superflex leagues of all varieties, that makes Geno Smith a must add.

There's not much more to it, although it helps that Smith looked pretty competent in spot duty against a solid Los Angeles Rams defense. Most importantly, he ran the ball 3 times for 23 yards in limited action. That'll pay fantasy dividends no matter the format.

Smith also doubled up the NFL average in per-drop back efficiency, according to numberFire's Net Expected Points (NEP) metric.

Taylor Heinicke, Washington Football Team

Roster Percentage: 16%

It might be time to go back to the Taylor Heinicke well here. Heinicke, a smash hit as a recommended stream in Week 4, has quietly scored 20 or more fantasy points in three of his four starts already this year and now gets to face the lifeless Kansas City Chiefs defense at home in Week 6.

Especially considering the game scripts we've seen Washington play in recently, this game has shootout written all over it with Patrick Mahomes and company coming to town.

We now have a seven-game sample size in which Heinicke has played at least 35% of the Washington Football Team's offensive snaps dating back to last season. Across that sample (despite two not being starts), he's averaging 6.8 carries, 27.9 rushing yards, and 0.3 rushing touchdowns per game. That rushing value alone should keep him on the streaming radar until further notice.

Others to Consider: Carson Wentz (17%, versus Houston Texans), Teddy Bridgewater (18%, versus Las Vegas Raiders), Mac Jones (18%, versus Dallas Cowboys)

Running Backs
Devontae Booker, New York Giants

Roster Percentage: 5%

Injuries are the wooooorst. I sincerely hope you read that in Jean Ralphio's voice.

Either way, on we march. With Saquon Barkley carted to the locker room with an ankle injury that is likely to keep him out for at least Week 6.

And as we learned in Week 5, Devontae Booker is clearly the next man up in this backfield.

Booker stepped in for 16 carries, 42 yards, and a touchdown on the ground, boosting his line with 3 catches, 16 yards, and another touchdown through the air. That's...pretty good.

Booker is likely the top add across formats this week.

Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears

Roster Percentage: 19%

If you are a part of the 19% of managers early on the Khalil Herbert train, then this doesn't apply to you.

For the rest of us sheeple, it's time to hop on. Herbert outcarried career journeyman Damien Williams 18 to 16 in the Chicago Bears' first game without David Montgomery, and Herbert narrowly outsnapped Williams 31 to 30, as well.

This is a run offense we want pieces of, as the Bears had the seventh-lowest Neutral Situation Pass Rate heading into Week 5, then proceeded to run the ball 37 times compared to just 21 pass attempts in Week 6

Herbert is a clear pick-up in case he's earned himself a larger role.

Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots

Roster Percentage: 7%

Damien Harris left Sunday's game with a chest injury, returned, then left again for a good. While it's too early to know the status, that's not an ideal timeline for an injury.

Enter exciting rookie Rhamondre Stevenson, seemingly out of Bill Belichick's doghouse after a Week 1 fumble of his own put him there. In Harris' absence, Stevenson carried the ball 11 times for an unimpressive 23 yards, though he did have a touchdown called back on an illegal shift, and it's worth noting the New England Patriots were somehow missing four of their five starting offensive linemen.

It's also worth pointing out Harris himself had a costly goal-line fumble that nearly lost the Patriots the game. No matter what, Stevenson is worth a speculative add to see how serious Harris' injury is.

Others to Consider: Darrel Williams (16%), David Johnson (29%), Samaje Perine (28%), Alex Collins (37%), Jaret Patterson (2%)

Wide Receivers
Kadarius Toney, Giants

Roster Percentage: 16%

Two New York Giants in one waiver article? Sue me.

Here's betting Kadarius Toney's roster percentage doesn't stay below 20% for the rest of the season. The explosive rookie has looked incredible in spot start duty the last two weeks, compiling 22 targets, 16 catches, and 267(!) yards over that short span.

Raise your hand if you were wrong about Toney as a prospect. It's okay, my hand is up too.

The situation is murky considering Toney is starting in Sterling Shepard's absence, but he's worth a pick-up regardless. Shepard was ruled out pretty early in the week, implying he could still be on the wrong side of questionable for Week 6. Further, Kenny Golladay left Sunday's game with a knee injury, and Darius Slayton missed the game too.

Toney's playmaking ability is simply too good for the Giants to leave on the bench. Your move, Jason Garrett.

Rashod Bateman, Ravens

Roster Percentage: 24%

Rashod Bateman may not even make his NFL debut on Monday Night Football. Regardless, we know the Baltimore Ravens had 21 days to activate him after designating him to return from IR; therefore, he should be playing no later than next week.

Bateman's tantalizing upside alone makes him worth a stash. The Ravens were excited enough to make him a first-round draft selection, so there's no reason to think he won't play a solid complement of snaps once healthy.

It feels notable that, heading into Week 5, the Ravens surprisingly ranked middle of the pack in Neutral Situation Pass Rate.

If Bateman is still out there, get him while you still can.

Amon Ra St. Brown, Lions

Roster Percentage: 3%

Is it finally happening? Someone who legitimately fit the criteria as a fantasy sleeper this offseason, Amon-Ra St. Brown, had a slow start to his rookie season. Over the last two weeks, however, he's garnered 8 targets in each game, good for an impressive 22.0% target share over that span.

This isn't a recommendation to go crazy with your FAB budget on a PPR floor option such as St. Brown. It is, however, difficult to find 20-plus-percent target shares just sitting on the waiver wire.

Considering St. Brown likely qualifies as the most talented wide receiver on the Detroit Lions, he's worth a sneaky pick-up to see if this usage sticks, especially after Quintez Cephus left early with an injury this week.

Others to Consider: Marquez Callaway (30%), Hunter Renfrow (45%), Michael Gallup (46%), Tim Patrick (31%), Preston Williams (0%), Jamal Agnew (0%)

Tight End
Dan Arnold, Jaguars

Roster Percentage: 4%

Just like we all predicted, Dan Arnold led the Jacksonville Jaguars in receiving on Sunday. More notably, his 8 targets also tied for the team lead and netted him a very strong 24.3% team target share.

Given the status of the tight end position, Arnold is worth adding to see if this usage remains. With Kyle Pitts on a bye, George Kittle on injured reserve, and the likes of Robert Tonyan and Cole Kmet seemingly falling into a different dimension, Arnold might already be a top-15 option at the position. Trust me, I take no pleasure in reporting this.

Others to Consider: David Njoku (3%), Evan Engram (31%), Tyler Conklin (22%), Hunter Henry (46%),