5 Best Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 6
By Liam McKeone
We're nearly to the halfway mark of the fantasy season. I hope you're here because everything is going swell, but if you're not, this might help you dig out of that hole you're in. Here are the best fantasy football waiver wire options heading into Week 6 of the NFL season.
1. Byron Pringle, WR, Kansas City Chiefs (Available in 100% of ESPN Leagues)
The most appetizing name in the league along with Jeremy Sprinkle, Pringle is the latest Chiefs wide receiver to emerge from the shadows and benefit from Patrick Mahomes' cyborg arm. He caught six balls for 103 yards and a touchdown Sunday, adding up to 22 fantasy points on the week.
It's always risky taking fliers on guys who show up out of nowhere, but he put up these stats in what will likely be Kansas City's worst offensive output of the season. Until Tyreek Hill comes back, Andy Reid will turn to every option on his bench, and Pringle could be a big beneficiary.
2. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, New Orleans Saints (Available in 90% of ESPN Leagues)
It looks like Bridgewater has found his stride, and it resulted in 27 fantasy points on the week, good for fourth among all quarterbacks. The Tampa defense isn't the fiercest of the bunch and they played in New Orleans, but Bridgewater has figured out the secret to success-- throw it to Michael Thomas and figure the rest out later.
Bridgewater will be matchup-dependent, given QB isn't a terribly thin position fantasy-wise this year. But if you're in a pinch during a bye week, he's a solid bet.
3. Gerald Everett, TE, Los Angeles Rams (Available in 97% of ESPN Leagues)
Everett has gotten more involved in the offense over the last two weeks, and could earn himself an even more prolific role in Sean McVay's offense. He caught seven passes for 134 yards against Seattle this past Thursday (20.6 fantasy points) after catching five for 44 yards and a touchdown the previous week.
As I've stated previously, tight ends are, as a whole, notoriously unreliable in fantasy football. But Everett possesses upside that not many other players at this position have right now in a usually-prolific offense.
4. 49ers Defense (Available in 66% of ESPN Leagues)
A defense appears! Unusual, but in this case, it's warranted. After four games, it's become clear the Niners defense is a quality fantasy option, but not many people have caught on yet. Lucky you, eh?
San Francisco has a frightening array of dangerous pass-rushers who can all get after the quarterback and force him to make mistakes that, so far, often result in turnovers. Defenses are a complete crapshoot, but the Niners have all the pieces of a prolific fantasy unit that's worth picking up.
5. Chase Edmonds, RB, Arizona Cardinals (Available in 98% of ESPN Leagues)
The former fifth-round pick has been relegated to a limited number of touches after David Johnson's return this season, but his latest performance may indicate a future in Kliff Kingsbury's offense. Edmonds was used in a variety of ways en route to 68 rushing yards and a touchdown to add to three catches.
The former Fordham running back has seen a steady uptick in touches over the last two weeks as Arizona's skill players suffer a rash of injuries. He's not electric, but he's efficient, and Kingsbury could want to keep using him as a change-of-pace option alongside Johnson, rather than behind him. A decent flex option to consider.