Waiver Wire Roto Wizard Video Intro week 6 NFL 2022

Benjamin Franklin famously coined the phrase "In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes" when referring to the establishment of the Constitution. Perhaps Fantasy Football players can amend the adage to "In this game, nothing is certain except for injuries and bye weeks".

That is right, the dreaded bye weeks are here, and with their presence now upon us for the next month and a half, players will need to further tinker their lineups and make waiver wire selections that can prove to be useful fill-ins. Hopefully your roster is deep enough (along with the size of your league's bench) to manage a star player sitting out. If not, have no fear, for there are a number of incredibly low-owned players available on the waiver wire which I will touch upon later that should provide a nice bandage if needed. Fingers crossed that your opposition also has someone out during the weeks that are the most difficult.

Monty Python's "Life of Brian" may have put it best when it comes to the byes:

"If life seems jolly rotten, there's something you've forgotten, and that is to laugh and smile and dance and sing. Always look on the bright side of life!"
 

Quarterbacks

Players on bye during Week 6: Jared Goff, Davis Mills, Derek Carr, Ryan Tannehill
Geno Smith (32 percent rostered) - This is likely the final time that Smith will fall under the 35 percent mark that I like to use as a "soft cap" when attempting to make recommendations. Smith has been simply stellar this season, and as he continues his phenomenal stretch of play, it makes the trade between Seattle and Denver look all the more lopsided. For the fourth time in five weeks, Smith thew multiple touchdown passes, and even more importantly, they went to D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Even though Seattle came up short against New Orleans in Week 5, the Seahawks have to be absolutely thrilled with the play of Smith, especially his knack for avoiding turnovers and mistakes. Seattle squares off against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6, and will need to rely upon the arm of Smith to keep them competitive, with Rachaad Penny out for the rest of 2022.

Recommendation: Owners who are struggling at the position and in need of a streaming option would do well dropping $5-$10 of their budget in 12-team leagues or larger to start Smith. He has a safe floor and is in the midst of the best string of starts in his career.

Jimmy Garoppolo (11 percent rostered) - Since inheriting the job after Trey Lance went down in Week 1, Garoppolo has been firmly entrenched in the "good but not great" territory of my weekly rankings. Averaging 214 passing yards and a touchdown each week, Garoppolo will have the chance to better those statistics against a very winnable matchup in Atlanta against the Falcons in Week 6. Atlanta has allowed the fourth most passing yards in the NFL and the sixth highest completion rate (68.7 percent). This should be a cakewalk against an easier foe, especially now that "Jimmy G" has his trifecta of receivers in Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle at his disposal.

Recommendation: Garoppolo can be streamed in 14-team leagues or larger during Week 6, before he faces two difficult tests against the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams in the following contests. He's more of a spot-start than long-term solution. Can be added for $5 in a pinch.

Running Backs

Players on bye during Week 6: D'Andre Swift, Jamaal Williams, Dameon Pierce, Rex Burkhead, Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry
Kenneth Walker III (47 percent rostered) - Walker is dramatically ahead of my 35 percent rostered threshold, but I wanted to make mention of his name in shallower leagues. For folks that happen to play in a 10 or 12-team format where Walker is currently available, he is the number one pickup at any given position. Rashaad Penny broke his leg in Week 5 and will be forced to miss the remainder of the season, allowing the ultra-talented Walker to step into the RB1 role for Seattle. He impressed against the New Orleans Saints with a 69-yard touchdown scamper. I'd expect him to initially work out of a timeshare before seeing 65 to 70 percent of backfield snaps.

Recommendation: Walker should now be rostered in all formats, regardless of size or PPR/Standard settings. If he is somehow available, I'd make it a point to spend $35-$50 of my remaining FAAB to add him. He's a league winner.

DeeJay Dallas/Travis Homer (1 percent rostered) - Speaking of Seattle running backs, Dallas slides into the pass-catching role now that Walker has inherited the primary slot. He is virtually unowned, but could see several targets in Week 6 against the Arizona Cardinals if the team operates from behind. Anyone who decides to invest in his services (likely in 14-team PPR formats or larger) would do well to remember that Travis Homer is slated to return in Week 7, and he operated as the initial change-of-pace player in this backfield. I'd anticipate Homer being immediately given the job back upon his return, assuming that he makes it off of IR in the minimum timeframe. Both backs are comfortable with the Seahawks system that they have been a part of for multiple seasons, and carry dart-throw upside.

Recommendation: Dallas is a flier for Week 6 before Homer returns in Week 7 in the change-of-pace and catchup role for Seattle. Either back can be acquired for the minimum bid, and should only be considered in 14-team or larger PPR formats.

Eno Benjamin (7 percent rostered) - James Conner played a little over 20 snaps in Week 5 before injuring his ribs, a malady that kept him on the sidelines. In his stead, Benjamin stepped up into the lead role and averaged over 6 YPC. An adept receiver on a team that plays constantly from behind, Benjamin will have mid-range RB2 upside if Conner were to miss Week 6 against Seattle. Rib injuries are notoriously slow to heal and exceptionally painful to play through, and Conner isn't exactly known for being the bastion of health during his career. Benjamin is an upside claim, not only for this week but the remainder of the 2022 season.

Recommendation: Keep a close eye on practice reports and status updates from Kliff Kingsbury during the course of the week. Arizona would do well to rest Conner, but stranger things have happened. Regardless, claim Benjamin for $5-$10 and be happy he's on your squad.

Kyren Williams (1 percent rostered) - For those willing to dig a little deeper and play the waiting game, I think that Williams is someone to certainly consider adding onto a "Watch List" (or whatever your service provider refers to it as). Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson have both failed to impress me whatsoever when given the opportunity for the Los Angeles Rams, and Williams was drafted in the fifth round out of Notre Dame to (presumably) replace Henderson altogether. Keep in mind that the team moved up to acquire him - usually that is a good sign that they are strong believers. Williams dealt with a broken foot in rookie minicamp and is recovering from a high ankle sprain, but if he is fully recovered, he has the opportunity to distinguish himself.

Recommendation: Add Williams to your watchlist in 14-team formats or larger as someone to keep an eye on.

Wide Receivers

Players on bye during Week 6: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Reynolds, Nico Collins, Brandin Cooks, Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow, Robert Woods, Treylon Burks

Darius Slayton (1 percent rostered) - Slayton was considered to be a trade candidate for much of the offseason, and didn't see a significant snap share until Week 5 against Green Bay. Multiple injuries have made him the de-facto WR1 option for the team, and the health status of Kenny Golladay (knee), Kadarius Toney (breathing, existing) and Wan'Dale Robinson (knee) is murky at best. Robinson apparently had a strong chance to play in the London game, but wasn't where the medical staff wanted him to be. Slayton led the team in targets, receptions and receiving yards, and he already has a firm chemistry with Daniel Jones. New York squares off against Baltimore in Week 6, and their secondary has allowed the most passing yards in the league. The Giants don't throw the ball often, but when they do, it'll head to Slayton.

Recommendation: Slayton isn't the most talented receiver that I'll mention this week, but his expected target/snap share is hard to ignore. He capitalized on his chances last week, and should be viewed as a FLEX option in 12-team PPR formats. Can be acquired for almost nothing.

Khalil Shakir (1 percent rostered) - As a generality, it is always a smart idea to own as many pieces of high-powered offenses as possible, in the event that circumstances break your way. Shakir would be a prime example. With Jamison Crowner (ankle) on IR for the remainder of 2022 and Isaiah McKenzie (concussion) struggling to get through the protocol, Shakir made the most of his opportunity as the WR3 for Buffalo. On five targets he caught three passes for 75 yards and a touchdown, demonstrating considerable burst in the open field. His upside is tied to the return of McKenzie, and head issues are extremely difficult to predict. I think that he's worth a stash regardless.

Recommendation: Shakir showed me enough during his expanded role on Sunday to raise an eyebrow and get my attention. Color me intrigued. If McKenzie returns and clears the league's protocol, Shakir will only be worth stashing in 14-team leagues or larger. If he continues to have issues, Shakir is an upside FLEX play. Worth a dollar or two in FAAB for upside alone.

Alec Pierce (9 percent rostered) - Rookie wideouts are beginning to blossom all over the place in 2022, headlined by Pierce. In one of the ugliest games that I can ever remember watching on Thursday evening, Matt Ryan finally remembered that his speedster wideout existed. Pierce led Indianapolis with 9 targets, catching 8 passes for 81 yards. More importantly, he was continually looked to when the game was on the line late, especially on the final drive of regulation. The Colts face off against some very beatable secondaries in each of the next three contests (Jacksonville, Tennessee and Washington) - he can definitely be streamed over the short term. If Ryan continues to favor Pierce over his tight end options, the Cincinnati product could reach high-end WR3 territory quickly.

Recommendation: The lone bright spot on a floundering offense, Pierce has incredible speed to beat defenders deep, and great hands to reel in catches when it maters most. The absence of Jonathan Taylor made the Colts a more pass-heavy team in Week 5, but I think that he made an impact. Consider spending $5-$10 to acquire him.

Tight Ends

Players on bye during Week 6: T.J. Hockenson, O.J. Howard, Darren Waller, Austin Hooper
Taysom Hill (12 percent rostered) - I'm actually including Hill on here with the recommendation to NOT add him. He's going to be the headliner on plenty of waiver-wire columns entering Week 6, but there is a number of reasons that his 30-plus performance in Week 5 shouldn't be an indicator. Take a look at the track record for Hill for New Orleans when he primarily starts as a tight end (and not the games he started as a quarterback) - his Fantasy production and usage is typically minimal and erratic. His usage was essentially forced this past week due to so many injuries, especially Michael Thomas (foot), Jarvis Landry (groin) and Chris Olave (concussion). If ALL of those players are out in Week 6, than he can be streamed. But I'll warn you - history says that his Week 5 performance is an outlier, not the new norm.

Recommendation: Tread with caution here. If the Saints are without their top three receivers, I'll endorse Hill as a temporary stopgap with short-term relevance. If Olave gets through the protocol (I imagine he will), I'd steer clear. His big performance in Week 5 will escalate prices, but I'd hold fast at a $5 amount if possible.