Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Rankings & Pickups (Week 6)

our analysts combine to provide rankings for weekly fantasy football waiver wire targets. We’ll help you prioritize your bids for the week ahead. Check out our full expert consensus fantasy football waiver wire rankings and all of our fantasy football waiver wire advice for the week.

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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Rankings: Week 6

Note: Players chosen based upon having early-week consensus roster percent below 50%.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups to Target

Michael Carter (RB – ARI): 39% Rostered

• Next Opponents: @IND, GB, BYE
• True Value: $22
• Desperate Need: $36
• Budget-Minded: $14

Analysis: Going into Week 5, it was unclear how the Cardinals were going to divide the running back workload in the absence of Trey Benson, who was placed on injured reserve (IR) last week after sustaining a knee injury in Week 4. (Benson himself was starting in place of James Conner, who was lost to a season-ending foot injury.) Michael Carter, who began the season on Arizona’s practice squad, played 57.4% of the Cardinals’ offensive snaps in Week 5 and had a team-high 18 carries for 51 yards and a touchdown against the Titans. Carter also led the backfield in pass routes (18) and had five catches for 22 yards. As if the usage gap between Carter and Emari Demercado wasn’t big enough, Demercado did himself no favors by lollygagging at the end of what should have been a 72-yard touchdown run and then dropping the ball before he crossed the goal-line, blowing a chance to salt away a game that the Cardinals wound up losing 22-21. Carter figures to lead the Arizona backfield again in Week 6 and should be startable until Benson’s return — even in a tough matchup against the Packers in Week 7.

Kendrick Bourne (WR – SF): 4% Rostered

• Next Opponents: @TB, ATL, @HOU
• True Value: $2
• Desperate Need: $4
• Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: If you picked up Kendrick Bourne last week, whether out of desperation or on a hunch with all of the injuries to the 49ers’ receivers, and started him, take a bow. Bourne had a wonderful game in the 49ers’ upset of the Rams. He soaked up a 22.4% target share (11 targets), finishing with 142 receiving yards (3.74 yards per route run) and a 25% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. I obviously won’t tell you that Bourne will continue this type of production, but the 49ers’ pass-catchers are severely banged up. Wide receivers Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings are still nursing injuries, and tight end George Kittle is at least another week away from returning. Bourne, at the very least, could be a plug-and-play Flex option this week if Pearsall and Jennings remain out. The Buccaneers’ secondary is dealing with a rash of injuries and just got shredded by Sam Darnold and the Seahawks.

Mason Taylor (TE – NYJ): 13% Rostered

• Next Opponents: DEN, CAR, @CIN
• True Value: $11
• Desperate Need: $15
• Budget-Minded: $6

Analysis: Mason Taylor finally had the breakout game I’d been waiting for in Week 4. He followed it up with a monster outing in Week 5. In Week 4, Taylor was the TE11 in fantasy, soaking up a 25.9% target share with 65 receiving yards (2.50 yards per route run) and a 33.3% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. In Week 5 against Dallas, he had a 26% target share with nine receptions and 67 receiving yards. He led the Jets in targets, cementing his status as the team’s clear No. 2 option in the passing game behind Garrett Wilson. Taylor offers TE1 plug-and-play value. Yes, this week’s matchup against Denver is tough, but he follows that up with cakewalks against Carolina and Cincinnati before the Jets’ bye week. If you are dealing with some frustrating veteran such as T.J. Hockenson or Mark Andrews at tight end, you should be rostering Taylor. He could be a more consistent volume earner and producer moving forward.