Which QBs and TEs should you pick up on the Week 6 waiver wire? Logan Thomas, Desmond Ridder, and More!
Happy Monday! With more than a quarter of the fantasy football season in the books, it's time to take a look at the waiver wire adds who can set us up for the rest of the season.
Half (very unscientific measure) of the battle for being successful in fantasy football is making sure you work the waiver wire. And you can never start thinking about working the waiver wire too early.
With running backs and wide receivers coming in a separate article, let's take a look at the quarterbacks and tight ends you should be scooping off the waiver wire for Week 6.
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Quarterback
(ownership percentages are based on ESPN leagues)
Sam Howell, Washington Commanders (17.4 percent)
While most of Howell's Week 5 production came in garbage time during a loss, fantasy points are fantasy points no matter what and the second-year quarterback is currently QB7 on the week heading into Monday Night Football. Howell had an absolute stinker of a game during Week 3, but he's been really good fantasy-wise in his other four games as he's put up no less than 15 fantasy points in any of them. Coming off his best statistical game of the season, Howell is firmly on the weekly streamer radar as he heads into a Week 6 matchup against a Falcons defense that shouldn't scare anyone.
Desmond Ridder, Atlanta Falcons (2.5 percent)
I'm relatively certain that Ridder won't be a start come 2024 (or maybe even come the end of 2023), but he's going to finish as at top-seven quarterback (maybe top-five) this week so we have to pay attention. Ridder led the Falcons to a come-from-behind win against the Texans and finished with 329 passing yards to go along with a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown. While the Falcons offense will always be a run-first attack, Ridder has no shortage of good weapons around him and looks like a solid Week 6 streaming option against an abysmal Commanders defense.
Gardner Minshew, Indianapolis Colts (0.5 percent)
This hopefully isn't a long-term add, but it looks like Anthony Richardson is going to miss at least Week 6 against the Jaguars. Minshew looked good (albeit conservative) in relief against the Titans and put up solid numbers going 11-for-14 with 155 passing yards. While Minshew doesn't have the weapons around him to put up week-winning numbers, he's a solid QB2 as long as he's starting. If you're a Richardson owner, he's a must-add. And even if you're not, he's a solid pickup with a high floor.
Tight End
(ownership percentages are based on ESPN leagues)
Logan Thomas, Washington Commanders (8.1 percent)
Thomas has always been on the fantasy radar, but he's always had a tough time staying on the field. Currently healthy, the 32-year-old is coming off a monster game during which he caught nine balls for 77 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets against the Bears. Much of that production came as the Commanders attempted to come back from a big deficit, but we can't discount the target share Thomas saw. It's unlikely we'll see 11 targets again this season, but Sam Howell is obviously looking Thomas' way. And that means we all should as well.
Jonnu Smith, Atlanta Falcons (9.8 percent)
Don't look now... Jonnu Smith is once again a very viable fantasy option. I'll preface this by saying that fellow Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts outperformed Smith in Week 5, but that doesn't really matter as Smith again put up a very solid game with six catches for 67 yards on seven targets. That's the fourth-straight game that Smith has seen at least six targets and his second-straight with six receptions. While Smith's ceiling is a bit capped due to the presence of Pitts and Drake London, he's firmly on the fantasy radar as a viable tight end streamer.
Tyler Conklin, New York Jets (17.9 percent)
Conklin will never be a week-winner, but he's becoming a safe high-floor tight end option for fantasy owners looking for a fill-in at the position. The veteran has become a safety valve for Zach Wilson and has now seen at least five targets in four straight games. He's put up four catches in back-to-back weeks and has hit fifty receiving yards in three of his last four. While he hasn't found the end zone yet this year, Conklin provides fantasy owners with a high floor as long as Zach Wilson is under center.
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