Week 6 Waiver Wire Rankings - Fantasy Football Pickups Include Rico Dowdle, Josh Downs, Wan'Dale Robinson, Tank Bigsby, Tyrone Tracy, Jalen Tolbert

October 10, 2024

Fantasy football waiver wire rankings for Week 6 of the 2024 NFL season. Top free agent options to add off waivers, and our rankings will help you prioritize.

Hey, RotoBallers! Can you believe we are already heading towards Week 6? With more bye weeks approaching, we are back with our Week 6 fantasy football waiver wire rankings for 2024. New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. filled in admirably for the injured Devin Singletary in Week 5, rushing for 129 yards on 18 carries in Sunday's win over Seattle. There were some critical injuries to monitor heading into Week 6. Houston Texans star wide receiver Nico Collins injured his hamstring during Sunday's game versus Buffalo and did not return.

There is still time for fantasy managers with a losing record to turn things around. The fantasy football year is going by so fast, and we are two weeks away from the half-point of the fantasy season. However, Week 5 left us with even more questions heading into Week 6. Did Tank Bigsby overtake Travis Etienne Jr. as Jacksonville's primary running back? Did Tyrone Tracy Jr. earn a more significant role in the Giants backfield even if Devin Singletary is back from injury? Is Josh Downs the Colts' No. 1 wire receiver when Joe Flacco is under center?

Our waiver wire rankings will help answer these questions -- they've been a staple in the fantasy industry for years, providing a quick-hit list of player names that goes deep into the free agent options each week. For those unfamiliar, one of the industry's sharpest fantasy football minds, Nick Mariano, brings you his weekly waiver wire rankings and priority adds for the top 60 potential options.

Week 6 Waiver Wire Articles

Before diving into the Week 6 rankings look at some other free waiver wire resources available at RotoBaller.

Each week, our NFL team puts out a complete array of fantasy football waiver wire articles to compliment our slick new Who Should I Pickup? Waiver wire player comparison tool - bookmark that! Here are more detailed Week 4 waiver wire articles:

• FAAB waiver wire bidding for Week 6
• Week 6 waiver wire pickups (all positions)
• Running back waiver wire pickups for Week 6
• Wide receiver waiver wire pickups for Week 6
• Tight end waiver wire pickups for Week 6
• Quarterback waiver wire pickups for Week 6
• Defense (D/ST) streamers, waiver wire for Week 6
• Kicker streamers, waiver wire for Week 6

Who To Pick Up for Fantasy Football Week 6?

Finally, below, you'll see our weekly rankings for the relevant waiver wire pickup options, including how to prioritize them for your league (depending on the league size). Quarterbacks and Defenses (D/ST) are grouped together at the bottom of the list:

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Outlooks

Some of the top names include Rico Dowdle, Josh Downs, Wan'Dale Robinson, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Trey Sermon, and Tank Bigsby. We recap why these players rostered under 55% in Yahoo! leagues should be on your radar when scrolling through the waiver wire for Week 6:

Josh Downs, WR, Indianapolis Colts (40% Rostered)
Week 6 Waiver Wire Ranking: 4

Tank Bigsby, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars (22% Rostered)
Week 6 Waiver Wire Ranking: 8

The convergence of Tank Bigsby's expanded involvement and the level of effectiveness that he has displayed with his increased workloads have supplied the rationale for including him among the roster recommendations in this column throughout the regular season. Now, the numbers that Bigsby assembled in Week 5 have vaulted him among the top tier of backs to prioritize from the waiver wire.

Bigsby led Jacksonville’s backfield with a season-high 23 snaps while erupting for a career-high 101 yards and two touchdowns on 13 attempts (7.8 yards per attempt).

Bigsby now leads the Jaguars in rushing yards (273/68.3 per game/8.0 per yards per attempt) despite being sidelined in Week 2 (shoulder). Travis Etienne is pacing the backfield in carries (53/10.6 per game) but trails Bigsby in yardage (231/46.4 per game) and is averaging 4.4 yards per attempt.

Bigby's average of 8.0 yards per attempt leads all running backs entering Week 6, as does his 4.19 rush yards over expected per attempt according to NextGenStats. It is reasonable to question whether Etienne will retain lead back duties during the Jaguars' upcoming matchups, and Bigsby can emerge as a critical resource if you seize him for your rosters this week. 

Wan'Dale Robinson, WR, New York Giants (53% Rostered)
Week 6 Waiver Wire Ranking: 5

With Malik Nabers out due to a concussion, Wan'Dale Robinson served as the WR1 for the Giants on Sunday, and his role...well, it didn't change much. His nine targets were smack dab in the middle of his 2024 results.

Robinson is going to continue to be a high-floor option in fantasy going forward because of his target share. He’s a strong WR3 play in PPR leagues

Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB, New York Giants (23% Rostered)
Week 6 Waiver Wire Ranking: 14

Tyrone Tracy Jr. had been functioning as the RB2 in the Giants’ offense entering Week 5. This provided Tracy with an uncongested path toward lead-back duties if Devin Singletary were sidelined for any reason.

This scenario developed before New York’s Week 5 visit to Seattle, as a groin injury forced Singletary to the sideline. That launched Tracy into an extensive workload while functioning as the primary back in Brian Daboll’s attack.

Tracy's snap counts had ranged from 12-22 from Weeks 1-4  but he accumulated 45 snaps in Week 5. He also obliterated his previous season-high in attempts (18), while leading all backs in yardage during Week 5 (129). Eric Gray was involved primarily on passing downs while running 12 routes, collecting three receptions, and accruing 50 yards as a receiver.

Tracy has now played on 111 snaps, carried 30 times, and generated 158 yards on the ground since Week 1. He has also run 56 routes, collected eight targets, and assembled 42 yards as a receiving weapon.

Singletary’s status should be monitored in advance of New York’s Week 6 matchup with Cincinnati. However, Tracy remains capable of providing RB2 output if Singletary’s absence continues. Daboll could also expand Tracy’s workload even if Singletary regains his RB1 role.

Rico Dowdle, RB, Dallas Cowboys (56% Rostered)
Week 6 Waiver Wire Ranking: 1

Rico Dowdle's numbers are no longer constrained by the production-inhibiting timeshare with Ezekiel Elliott that destined Dowdle for uninspiring numbers during the Cowboys' first two contests.

Dowdle has confiscated the majority of touches since Week 3, and the career-best production that he accrued in Week 5 has solidified him as an RB3/flex option. He easily leads the Dallas backfield with 92 snaps since Week 3, as Ezekiel Elliott has been relegated to 46 during that three-game span.

Dowdle is also pacing the Cowboys’ backfield in attempts (39), and rushing yards (165). Elliott has carried 14 times while manufacturing 42 yards in the ground during that span. Dowdle also leads the tandem in routes run (43/24), targets (eight/four), and receiving yards (68/11) during the Cowboys’ last three contests.

That includes his numbers when the Cowboys traveled to Pittsburgh in Week 5. Dowdle established career highs in attempts (20), and rushing yards (87), while averaging 4.4 yards per attempt. Dowdle also ran 16 routes, was targeted twice, assembled 27 receiving yards, and generated a touchdown.

Dowdle maximized his opportunities in Week 5 and should continue to garner the majority of touches that are distributed within the Dallas backfield. That should incentivize you to secure him this week if you are dealing with significant roster challenges.

Running Backs - Week 6 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Wide Receivers - Week 6 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Tight Ends - Week 6 Waiver Wire Rankings:

Pickups are in priority order:

Quarterbacks - Week 6 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order, with emphasis on Week 6:

Defenses (D/ST) - Week 6 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order, with emphasis on Week 6:

More Waiver Wire Analysis