FAAB Waiver Wire Bidding - Fantasy Football Pickups to Target for Week 6 (2026)

October 13, 2026

Nick Mariano's fantasy football waiver wire FAAB bidding guide for Week 6 (2026) -- how many FAAB dollars (free agent acquisition budget) to spend on waivers.

Week 5 saw yet another coveted FAAB target go down hurt in Will Shipley, which makes for three weeks where a buzzy add has gone down, but at least he scored first! While we can avoid getting overeager about players with pre-existing (and reported) injuries by the time waivers run, there's only so much we can control in this crazy game. Luckily, we've always got content regarding the next man up thanks to our famous waiver wire pickups list and our fantasy football waiver wire columns by position -- specially tailored for leagues using FAAB.

Remember that these FAAB prices do not indicate how much these free-agent players will go for, but are percentage ranges to use for setting your bearings. Teams sitting at 1-4 and 0-5 could (and probably should) unload the coffers here, so use your best judgment on what is necessary for your situation. This is effectively another head-to-head element, except you have to beat everyone, so identify your strong targets and paint them neon green!

Try to leverage historical data and personal knowledge whenever possible, while respecting your team's construction. We will cap the rostered rate at 40% on Yahoo!, but you must adjust if someone is dropped or remains on the wire above that threshold. The first four-team bye week is here to squeeze us, with Cincinnati, Detroit, Miami, and Minnesota as the first quartet to kick their feet up.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Quarterbacks

Kirk Cousins (QB, LV) - 37% rostered

FAAB Bid: 2-4%
Aggressive Bid: 4-6%
Superflex Bid: 30-40%

Cousins and the Raiders fell behind the Patriots early and couldn’t climb out of the hole, with the QB completing 19 of his 28 throws for 243 yards and a TD. Nearly half of his production went to Brock Bowers on a day where Ashton Jeanty’s lingering injuries further stunted a mismatched rushing outlook.

However, Jeanty still had 50 receiving yards on three catches, while Cody White (2-44-0) and Tre Tucker (4-41-0) showed up when given a chance.  Cousins’ first outdoor game of ‘26 went poorly, but now he’ll head back home to the dome to face a Buffalo defense that has allowed top-five QB per-game numbers. That could turn into a shootout, with the Week 6 matchup vs. LAR a threat to do the same.

Jameis Winston (QB, NYG) - 6% rostered

FAAB Bid: 2-4%
Aggressive Bid: 4-6%
Superflex Bid: 30-40%

Winston piled up 326 yards and three TDs on 33-of-54 passing with five carries for 27 yards sprinkled on top of a productive day. So he’s performed as a QB1 against Arizona and Washington, two bottom-tier defenses, while looking overwhelmed by the Rams in relief and the Titans in poor weather.

He, a confident Malik Nabers, and a surging Isaiah Likely will now face a Saints secondary that leans more towards the ARI/WAS caliber of opponent than LAR/TEN. As long as the scrappy Saints can put up some points of their own to keep the game moving, then this should be another useful setup for Winston. When he does stuff like this, then he's usually feeling good!

JAMEIS WINSTON PUMP FAKE 10 YARDS PAST THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE https://t.co/FFBpdUhEy6

— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) October 11, 2026

Aaron Rodgers (QB, PIT) - 27% rostered

FAAB Bid: 1-2%
Aggressive Bid: 2-4%
Superflex Bid: 30-40%

Rodgers has thrown for a trio of TDs in three straight games for a 3-2 Steelers team that is suddenly averaging around 30 PPG following 23 total points in Weeks 1 and 2. Despite hits to the receiving room, others have stepped up, and an embrace of the versatile Jaylen Warren has gone a long way for Rodgers.

Pittsburgh gets to face Tampa Bay’s funnel defense next week, which puts A-Rod on the radar. We’ll hope that they don’t revert to the early mistakes, but they’ve built up as much trust as they could’ve over the last three contests.

Contingency Adds/10-20% Superflex Bin:

*Deshaun Watson - At least six carries in all five games thus far, but BAL is a stiff test.
*Jalon Daniels - 15 carries for 78 yards in two starts, but PIT is far tougher than DAL.
*Michael Penix Jr. - Monitor rib injury. Modest contributor behind RB-heavy attack.
*Tyler Huntley - Stay ready in case Lamar Jackson’s Week 6 return goal can’t be achieved.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Running Backs

*If available, MarShawn Lloyd at 60% rostered and Woody Marks at 54% would be the top bids in the 40-50% and 25-30% FAAB range, respectively.

Dameon Pierce (RB, PHI) - 2% rostered

FAAB Bid: 6-10%
Aggressive Bid: 10-14%
Desperation Bid: 14-20%

Pierce is potentially the last man standing in Philadelphia’s backfield going into Week 6. Saquon Barkley (hamstring) may return, but Tank Bigsby (core) and Will Shipley (foot) are definitely out. As such, we have to respect Pierce as an NFL starter. Enthusiasm will be muted after he only turned 11 carries into 14 yards, but Philadelphia’s patchwork O-line had no answer for Jacksonville’s elite run D.

They’ll have a much better chance at generating some lanes against a Carolina defense that has modestly improved since allowing four rush TDs and over 200 yards to CHI RBs in Week 1. The latest as of Monday night is that Barkley is “hopeful” to return, but what player wouldn’t hope to return? Anthony Rendon? (Shoutout my baseball peeps.)

Samaje Perine (RB, CIN) - 3% rostered

FAAB Bid: 6-8%
Aggressive Bid: 8-12%
Desperation Bid: 12-17%

Well, well, well, are we headed for another maddening committee? Perine turned 14 carries into 68 yards and six first downs compared to another poor day from Chase Brown (13-39-0, red-zone fumble, zero first downs). This comes one week after Brown only gained 10 yards on nine carries against Jacksonville, but added 11 catches for 71 yards to boost the final line.

Joe Burrow on Samaje Perine: "He is just Mr. Reliable and he has been my entire time here."

— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) October 11, 2026

While we aren’t going to simply sit on coachspeak and interviews, we’ve got the star QB laying that down and Coach Zac Taylor calling this a “game-to-game” approach in terms of RB touch splits. We all want the ceiling plays, but Perine gives them a consistent option that they’ve now shown a willingness to lean on. And there’s a difference between a two-man split and the following.

Kimani Vidal (RB, LAC) - 3% rostered

FAAB Bid: 5-7%
Aggressive Bid: 7-10%
Desperation Bid: 10-14%

Just when we thought Keaton Mitchell was gaining steam, it turned into a Vidal week thanks to an impressive 42-yard score that featured multiple broken tackles. Not to pick cherries, but the rushing line plummets to 7-15-0 without that. A catch for a one-yard loss is also on the ledger.

Omarion Hampton still led the team with 14 carries, but gaining a fruitless 33 yards on them isn’t going to reinvigorate any confidence. Mitchell only mustered 6-11-0 rushing, but caught three balls for 18 yards. It’s an all-around nightmare going into Week 6 at Kansas City, but Vidal seeing 10 opportunities (carries plus targets) after eight in the previous week is a deep-league signal.

Tyjae Spears (RB, TEN) - 22% rostered

FAAB Bid: 2-3%
Aggressive Bid: 3-5%
Desperation Bid: 5-8%

This one is fairly straightforward: If you think that the Titans trade Tony Pollard any time soon, then it would behoove you to proactively scoop up Spears when the demand is low. His on-field production is not putting him on any radars, but the team isn’t showing much interest in Nicholas Singleton thus far. We’d imagine Spears would have a significant role for a while if Pollard moves.

Raheim Sanders (RB, CLE) - 2% rostered
Dylan Sampson (RB, CLE) - 6% rostered (in full PPR)
Jaleel McLaughlin (RB, CLE) - 1% rostered

FAAB Bid: 2-3% / 1-2% / 1%
Aggressive Bid: 3-4% / 2-3% / 2%
Desperation Bid: 4-6% / 4-5% / 3%

Golly, what a bunch. Quinshon Judkins is day-to-day with an ankle injury and was spotted in a postgame boot following another day of tough sledding (14-44-0, 3-6-0 receiving). Sanders, his backup, was forced from the fourth quarter with a hip injury after four touches turned into 13 yards. McLaughlin didn’t record a touch after sneaking in a 28-yard TD in Week 4.

To make things messier, Sampson (knee) may return to practice this week, and Audric Estime was signed to the Browns’ active roster off of Minnesota’s practice squad. The most likely outcome remains that Judkins simply plays through the issue, with Sanders and McLaughlin spelling him.

Maybe Sampson returns to siphon passing work and kick Judkins’ usage back down a peg. Monitor those practice reports ahead of their facing Baltimore!

Kendre Miller (RB, NO) - 7% rostered

FAAB Bid: 2-3%
Aggressive Bid: 3-5%
Desperation Bid: 5-8%

Alvin Kamara was ineffective and missed some time during Week 5 after battling a back injury, which left Miller as the primary rusher. Though he would be outsnapped by CJ Donaldson (42% to 30%), Miller had 10 carries to Donaldson’s four, resulting in 30 yards and a TD.

#Saints Week 5 RB Usage

- CJ Donaldson: 42% snaps, 4 carries, 7 routes, 1 target (20 yds)
- Kendre Miller: 30% snaps, 10 carries, 1 route, 0 targets (30 yds, TD)
- Alvin Kamara: 28% snaps, 3 carries, 3 routes, 2 targets (12 rush yds, -6 rec yds)

— Michael F. Florio (@MichaelFFlorio) October 11, 2026

It’s not much at all, but they were going up against a tough Minnesota front. And 10-30-1 is far better than the not-nice 6-9-0  rushing line from Week 4. But we’d seen Miller wind up with three targets apiece in Weeks 3 and 4, so getting zero here is tough. Week 6 at the Giants could be another TD-or-bust dart throw situation, which is enough for some of you!

Dollar/”Just in Case” Bin:

*Emmett Johnson - Still one of the most talented backup RBs, and could see role shift post-bye.
*Seth McGowan - Starting to reach a steady 6-8 weekly touches.
*Najee Harris - Saints allow most points to RB thus far, so his 6-10 touches could be valuable.
*James Conner - A valid IR stash if you’ve got room in case of a trade.
*Jonah Coleman - He’s fallen to 30% rostered and is eligible to return in Week 7. Denver needs a spark.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Wide Receivers

*If available, Tre Tucker (36% rostered, LV) is worth a 10% splash with Buffalo upcoming.

Germie Bernard (WR, PIT) - 1% rostered

FAAB Bid: 15-20%
Aggressive Bid: 20-28%
Desperation Bid: 28-35%

Bernard stepped into Michael Pittman Jr.’s role as a regular and wound up with a 92.6% snap rate and 78.8% route participation rate on a day where both Roman Wilson (finger) and Ben Skowronek (calf) went down with injuries. While DK Metcalf ran more routes, Bernard saw eight targets to the star’s four, totaling 80 yards and even gaining a 57-15 air yard advantage over DKM.

That’s not to say that he’s suddenly the big downfield threat, but it’s important to note that Bernard was used with a diverse tree and wasn’t a simple slot/screen merchant. He did carry a 65% slot usage rate, by the way. Following Bernard passing Rodgers’ pregame quizzes and this strong effort, he has a good chance to turn this next month into a full-time role regardless of Pittman’s health.

Aaron Rodgers had an extensive quiz this week for Germie Bernard. Bernard said he asked about coverages in each situation the Colts like to run by down and distance and area of the field, their players and what their tendencies are by personnel grouping, how to run specific routes vs. different coverages, hand signals, and much more.

It sounds like Bernard passed those tests from Rodgers will flying colors. QBs coach Tom Arth says it's not common for a rookie to earn that trust, but that has come along between Bernard and Rodgers.

"The QBs came into one of our meetings this week and were just going on and on about how Germ knows the plan. They said he could call the plays just like a quarterback would."

— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) October 9, 2026

Kendrick Bourne (WR, ARI) - 7% rostered
Jalen Brooks (WR, ARI) - 0% rostered

FAAB Bid: 8-10% / 2-3%
Aggressive Bid: 10-15% / 3-5%
Desperation Bid: 15-20% / 5-8%

With Marvin Harrison Jr. passing his physical and completing the trade, Bourne leading the team with 70 yards in the loss to Detroit will gain more attention. He caught five of his eight targets, but we must point out that the 72/28 slot/wide rate underscores that his actual role didn’t change much sans MHJ. That honor went to Jalen Brooks, who ran 31 routes to Bourne’s 32. (Michael Wilson ran 43, and Trey McBride had 50.)

Now, Brooks only caught two balls for 16 yards on seven targets. He’s in his fourth year and unlikely to be a big fixture, but rookie Reggie Virgil could chip away as the year progresses. He had two catches for 29 yards on five targets despite only 11 routes run. However, Bourne’s talent and performance thus far is good enough to hold onto the steady slot role. Facing LAR and DEN won’t be as kind, but Week 8 at DAL is worth circling.

Brandin Cooks (WR, SF) - 1% rostered

FAAB Bid: 3-4%
Aggressive Bid: 4-6%
Desperation Bid: 6-8%

Cooks delivered a late seven-yard touchdown for his only catch of the day after Deebo Samuel Sr. was forced out due to a hamstring injury, which will shelve him for multiple weeks. There’s no denying that Mike Evans, George Kittle, and Christian McCaffrey still feast on the lion’s share of opportunities, but Cooks’ experience could give him a leg up on Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins beyond that tier.

Darius Cooper (WR, PHI) - 8% rostered

FAAB Bid: 3-4%
Aggressive Bid: 4-6%
Desperation Bid: 6-8%

Cooper would take a backseat to DeVonta Smith if he’s ready, but there’s no denying that Cooper has done well with what’s been given. He led PHI WR/TE in snaps and ran 33 routes, one fewer than Dontayvion Wicks and three fewer than Makai Lemon. Though he only saw three targets to Wicks/Lemon seeing 7-8 each, Cooper caught two for 71 yards and a long 62-yard TD.

So you have an absurd four TDs on seven total catches and an uncertain role moving into a Week 6 date with Carolina. But there’s that nagging thought beyond “process over results” that Cooper’s results are too loud and could see him swipe opportunities from Wicks/Lemon moving forward.

Dollar/”Just in Case” Bin:

*Marquez Valdes-Scantling - How ugly of an opportunity are you willing to flirt with?
*DeMario Douglas - On radars if A.J. Brown doesn’t return just yet.
*Efton Chism III - Ditto
*Kyle Williams - Ditto 2.0
*Antonio Williams - Monitor Stefon Diggs’ status. WR2 rotation was a bit maddening, but talent is high.
*Tim Patrick - Could take advantage with Adonai Mitchell (finger) out and possibly no Kenyon Sadiq (concussion).
*Tyreek Hill - Presume most who wanted to take the leap already have.
*Malachi Fields - Low utilization but he’s seeing the field, so there’s room to grow.
*Ryan Flournoy - 90 yards w/ CeeDee Lamb (quad) banged up; good reminder of WR handcuff value.
*Isaiah Bond - Rising workload after KC Concepcion Jr. (head) left. Could elevate, especially if Jerry Jeudy is traded soon.
*Tank Dell - Marvin Harrison Jr. trade mutes some hype, but practice clips looked crisp. Hype is a trade chip.
*Cody White -Monitor whether Jalen Nailor clears concussion protocol here.
*Laquon Treadwell - Poor efficiency catching only 2-of-8 targets, but eight looks is no joke.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Tight Ends

Brenton Strange (TE, JAX) - 32% rostered

FAAB Bid: 4-6%
Aggressive Bid: 6-8%
Desperation Bid: 8-12%

For a second consecutive week, Strange saw eight targets and caught seven of them. We only got 68 yards here compared to 95 last week, but this now creates a pattern against the poor usage seen in Weeks 1-3 (10 targets, 7-72-1 receiving total). And we came awfully close to a TD in London!

Trevor Lawrence finds Brenton Strange to get into the redzone

@PHIvsJAX on NFL Network
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/gW36n178qD

— NFL (@NFL) October 11, 2026

The talent around him in Jacksonville means you’ll never feel completely safe in his seeing six or more looks in any given week, but we’ve encountered rational reason to hope for flex viability if he sits in the 20-25% target share band. He and the Jags will battle a Houston defense that can be stifling, but had allowed Dalton Kincaid and Tyler Warren to combine for 185 yards on 14 catches.

Pat Freiermuth (TE, PIT) - 15% rostered

FAAB Bid: 4-6%
Aggressive Bid: 6-8%
Desperation Bid: 8-12%

Freiermuth’s steady role took a step forward with the injuries around him, which led to five catches for 44 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a one-yard rush on top of his season-high seven targets. This makes three TDs in the last two games and four overall, and Rodgers is clearly happy to look at his TEs in the red zone.

Injuries to Roman Wilson (finger) and Ben Skowronek (foot) further thinned a WR room that had seen Michael Pittman Jr. (foot) placed on the IR. This is going to provide more opportunities for Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, and Jaylen Warren. And PIT is about to face the Buccaneers and Saints, two bottom-10 defenses against TEs/passing games.

Tyler Higbee (TE, LAR) - 4% rostered

FAAB Bid: 3-4%
Aggressive Bid: 4-5%
Desperation Bid: 5-8%

Colby Parkinson’s return to the field didn’t stop the Higbee train, as he still caught five balls for 83 yards in a solid effort. All that really happened was that the Rams felt more comfortable going back to 13 personnel (with Davis Allen also on the field). But Allen and Parkinson combined for just three targets on 34 routes, while Higbee ran 36 routes with six targets.

As such, Higbee remains a fine TE play until Terrance Ferguson (ankle) returns from the IR. It’s clear that they’ve grown to trust Higbee in the same “WR3” TE role that Ferguson had earned.

Chig Okonkwo (TE, WAS) - 16% rostered

FAAB Bid: 1%
Aggressive Bid: 2%
Desperation Bid: 3-5%

After a slow Week 4 that we could chalk up to his own rust following a multi-game injury absence, as well as the hits to the QB totem pole, Okonkwo came out with four targets on 23 routes (44 snaps). All three of those metrics were aligned with the starting three receivers for Washington on a day where Stefon Diggs (hamstring) was out, and Terry McLaurin was limited to passing downs.

Okonkwo was able to catch all four of his chances for 60 yards, amassing 35 of them after the catch. I’d like to see him work a bit more downfield (6.25 aDOT), but the overall 62% route participation against nearly nothing for John Bates and Ben Sinnott is encouraging. Let’s see if Jayden Daniels continues to lift the passing game at San Francisco this week.

Dollar Bin:

*Darren Waller - Guys returning off a bye can usually be had for cheap.
*Charlie Kolar - Ran just as many routes as Oronde Gadsden, had four targets to OG’s one.
*Eli Raridon - Will the Pats start engineering more 2TE sets to take advantage of talent?

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Defense/Special Teams

Indianapolis Colts Defense (vs. TEN) - 4% rostered

FAAB Bid: 2-3%
Aggressive Bid: 3-4%
Desperation Bid: 5%

The Colts have wilted against humming offenses, including this recent rollover to the Steelers on the road, but they’ve been able to stand up against offenses missing some key pieces. This includes a Nico Collins-less Houston in Week 3 before their date with a Washington team that got pushed to its third-string QB.

Cam Ward’s Titans are much closer to the bad teams, scoring 28 total points over their last three games, which include multiple turnovers in each. Their opponent is automatically vaulted near the top of the waiver wire. A little home-field advantage is also welcome here.

Kansas City Chiefs Defense (vs. LAC) - 20% rostered

FAAB Bid: 2-3%
Aggressive Bid: 3-4%
Desperation Bid: 5%

The Chiefs will have Arrowhead Stadium’s raucous crowd behind them as they come off an early bye to deepen the hole that the Chargers have found themselves in. Nothing is going right for that team, and the injuries continue to mount. Although the Chiefs haven’t recorded a sack since logging four in Week 1, they’ve still been able to pressure their way to five turnovers in the three games since. Let’s add to it.

San Francisco 49ers Defense (vs. WAS) - 26% rostered

FAAB Bid: 1%
Aggressive Bid: 2%
Desperation Bid: 3%

The undefeated 49ers scrapped their way to a 32-29 win over the Seahawks, thanks in part to the defense racking up five sacks, four turnovers, and a score. This occurred even with LB Dre Greenlaw ejected for his actions on the SEA bench after a play, and he will be suspended for this game as a result.

They kept the motor running, and Jayden Daniels’ return did bring a strong rushing day, but also came with five sacks. It’s more volatile than other plays, but SF is worth a rung on your bidding ladder. And depending on Michael Penix Jr.’s rib injury/availability, San Fran could be a premier play in Week 7 at Atlanta if Tua Tagovailoa is starting.

(Speaking of which, the Bears at 40% rostered will face Atlanta this week and have to be considered until Penix is cleared. Just be ready to pivot.)

New York Giants Defense (vs. NO) - 6% rostered

FAAB Bid: 1%
Aggressive Bid: 2%
Desperation Bid: 3%

After recording just three total sacks over their first four games, the Giants showed up with five sacks in the awkward 27-27 tie with Washington. This is an acceptable way to compensate for your first game without a turnover. And now they’ll see the Saints limp into town, with Tyler Shough’s hand injury, a battered RB room, and lackluster trench play yielding opportunity.

Carolina Panthers Defense (at PHI) - 3% rostered

FAAB Bid: 1%
Aggressive Bid: 2%
Desperation Bid: 3%

This angle will deteriorate if players like Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith return for the Eagles, but we want to be sure it is on your roadmap for now. Philly is missing several key linemen compared to their preseason depth chart on top of the RB/WR hits, which has led to their averaging ~15 PPG in their last three games. And Carolina faces Tampa Bay after this, so they could be a two-week ride.

More Waiver Wire Analysis