Week 6 Waiver Wire Additions: A Windfall of Running Backs

There is no good reason to sugarcoat this: Waivers are getting thin! Looking at the Week 6 waiver wire, it wasn’t even easy to pick a top-5. A guy on bye made the damn list! With that said, we are also in a feast or famine mode when it comes to spending FAAB. If a player could make a multi-week impact on your team, feel free to blow every dollar you have left. It’s all a crapshoot from this point forward. However, there could also be an argument made for saving up so that when the next big injury happens, you can win the lottery. The choice is yours.

This week, I broke from our two-RB, two-WR format because there are better options at running back, plain and simple. The receiver pool is typically deep, but the guys available in more than 50% of leagues are also easily replaceable and not worth FAAB. Wait until first-come, first-served free agency. Also, with bye weeks in effect, keep an eye on drops this week. Look for good players from the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, and Minnesota Vikings who might get dropped due to tough roster decisions. With all of that said, here are the top five options on this week’s waiver wire.

Week 6 Waiver Wire Additions

Kirk Cousins, QB, Atlanta Falcons

Available in 49% of Yahoo leagues, 55% of ESPN leagues, and 59% of Sleeper leagues

There are actually a few decent QB options on waivers this week, including Geno Smith and Jared Goff, but Cousins is my pick for the article. When you throw for 500-plus yards and four TDs, you get the top spot. Thems the rules! Cousins was the QB1 on the week and it launched him all the way to QB13 for the season. The Falcons don’t have a bye until Week 12, and they have upcoming games with Carolina, Seattle, Tampa Bay, Dallas, and New Orleans, who have all given up good fantasy points to QBs this season. It’s a streamer’s dream come true.

FAAB Bid: 5-10%

Tank Bigsby, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Available in 77% of Yahoo leagues, 90% of ESPN leagues, and 69% of Sleeper leagues

There was a ton of hype surrounding Bigsby as a rookie, but it is safe to say he lived up to none of it. After a few weeks into 2024, there didn’t appear to be much change. However, he has looked like an entirely different player over the last two weeks, and I’m shocked he is still this available after his Week 4 performance. He won’t be after what he did in Week 5. In Week 4, Bigsby finished with 90 rushing yards, 40 more than Travis Etienne. Bigsby was still only the RB35 because he caught no balls and did not score a TD. In Week 5, he is the overall RB1 with 101 rushing yards, one reception, and two TDs. He is still ceding passing work to Etienne, but Bigsby looks like the far better runner. If he’s available, blow every dime you have to land him.

FAAB Bid: 75-100%

Tyrone Tracy, RB, New York Giants

Available in 77% of Yahoo leagues, 82% of ESPN leagues, and 66% of Sleeper leagues

Who? This was my cohost’s response when I listed Tracy as my sleeper on our NY Giants show. This was fair, as Tracy is an unheralded rookie on what most thought would be a terrible team. I liked him because he is a big, converted WR, and I thought he could carve out a third-down role. Turns out, I wasn’t aiming high enough. Tracy got a spot start because Devin Singletary was hurt and led the NFL in rushing with 129 yards in Week 5. He finished as the RB18 because he only caught one ball and did not score a TD. That sounds familiar…almost the same as Tank Bigsby’s origin story. I’m not saying Tracy is definitely scoring two TDs in Week 6 against the Bengals’ porous rushing defense…but I’m not NOT saying it either. Tracy’s Week 5 performance earned him a bigger role going forward, plain and simple.

FAAB Bid: 50-100%

Rico Dowdle, RB, Dallas Cowboys

Available in 44% of Yahoo leagues, 48% of ESPN leagues, and 37% of Sleeper leagues

I live by a steadfast rule in fantasy football: We don’t leave starting running backs on waivers. On the season, Dowdle has 54 carries to 30 for Ezekiel Elliott. He also has more targets and touchdowns, though both have come in the passing game. Dowdle is the starting back in Dallas. He is the RB28 in fantasy but just finished as the RB3 in Week 5 and should outplay his current ranking for the rest of the season. 

FAAB Bid: 45-100%

JuJu Smith-Schuster

Available in 94% of Yahoo leagues, 95% of ESPN leagues, and 94% of Sleeper leagues

Yes, the Chiefs are on bye in Week 6. But it appears we have an answer on who is going to replace Rashee Rice, and you cannot let that sit on waivers. Smith-Schuster was targeted eight times, catching seven balls for 130 yards. The next closest receiver had four catches for 33 yards…and that still wasn’t Xavier Worthy. It won’t be like this every week for Smith-Schuster, but you cannot ignore this volume. In their first game without Rashee Rice, they clearly designed their offense around Juju. Smith-Schuster was the WR13 this week and should be a stable flex play moving forward. Due to the bye, you can probably lowball the bid.

FAAB Bid: 25-50%

**Bonus Picks**

If you can survive a bye week on your bench, you should also look for Ty Chandler and Jaylen Wright. Both saw injuries in front of them this week and could be starting in Week 7. Because we don’t know for sure if they will start, I put them behind Smith-Schuster on my waiver priority.

Be sure you’re following Ryan on Twitter! Also, you can find Club Fantasy’s Week 6 rankings here and the rest of our Week 6 content here!