NFL fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 6

With injuries to high-profile superstars such as Justin Jefferson, Travis Kelce, and James Conner as well as emerging rookie sensations such as De’Von Achane and Anthony Richardson, the Week 6 waiver wire could be one of the more important transaction processes of the 2023 fantasy football season. Not to mention, the Packers and Steelers both have a Week 6 bye as well.

Between Aaron Jones, Jordan Love, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Luke Musgrave, George Pickens, Najee Harris, and Jaylen Warren, there are plenty of viable fantasy players who you normally count on in your lineup that will not be available to fantasy managers. Don’t let bye weeks and injuries get in the way of your pursuit of a fantasy football championship.

Keep your eyes peeled on the waiver wire and prioritize adding these players in Week 6, who are rostered in under 50 percent of Yahoo fantasy football leagues.

Fantasy Football QB waiver pickups, Week 6

Sam Howell, Washington Commanders (34 percent rostered)

Don’t look now, but Sam Howell has been a top-15 fantasy quarterback through the first five weeks of the season. He currently has more fantasy points than quarterbacks such as Trevor Lawrence, Dak Prescott, and Joe Burrow. Howell’s rushing ability gives him an additional boost to his fantasy value, he has had multiple rush attempts in all but one game this season, rushing for 101 yards and a touchdown. While he may not have the mobility that quarterbacks like Anthony Richardson, Justin Fields, and/or Jalen Hurts, Howell can tuck it and run when he needs to.

Additionally, the Commanders’ defensive woes will continue to put Howell and the offense in situations where they will need to throw early and often. Once regarded as one of the most fearsome front sevens in the NFL after investing high draft capital to build the defensive line in recent years, the Commanders have given up 30-plus points to all but one of their opponents. They currently rank second-to-last in the NFL in opponent points per game (32.0), with only the Broncos allowing more points per game (36.2).

Not to mention, Howell has a formidable group of offensive skill position players to work with. The Commanders boast one of the more underrated receiving trios in the NFL between Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, and Curtis Samuel while also having a reliable veteran tight end in the middle of the field in Logan Thomas and a solid running back duo of Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson leading the backfield.

With Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson set to miss multiple weeks after suffering a Grade 3 AC joint sprain according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport and Packers signal-caller Jordan Love having a Week 6 bye, you could do a lot worse than Howell as a fill-in option. Howell and the Commanders have favorable matchups over the next three weeks against the Falcons, Giants, and Eagles.

Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers (10 percent rostered)

Things have not gone as expected for Bryce Young and the Panthers since he was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Through the first five weeks, the Panthers are 0-5 and are the only winless team in the NFL remaining. Young was also forced to miss Week 3 due to an ankle injury he sustained in Week 2 against the Saints. The good thing for Young and the Panthers is that it can’t get any worse, can it?

Young just had the best game of his brief NFL career in the Panthers’ Week 5 blowout loss to the Lions. He completed 25 of 41 pass attempts for 247 yards, throwing three touchdowns and two interceptions in the process. While it may not be the cleanest stat line, it is a serviceable one from a fantasy football perspective (eclipsed 20 points).

Due to the Panthers continuously being in a negative game script, Young has attempted no less than 32 pass attempts in each of his four starts. The Panthers currently rank third in the NFL in pass attempts per game (40.4), just narrowly behind the Rams (40.6) and Vikings (40.8), respectively.

The Panthers were double-digit underdogs against the Lions in Week 5, which put Young in an advantageous position to rack up fantasy points in garbage time. In Week 6, the Panthers head to Miami to face the high-flying Dolphins offense and are currently 13.5-point underdogs per Caesar’s Sportsbook. With that said Young could be in a position to fill up the stat sheet and attempt a high volume of passes yet again.