High-Upside Bench Stashes: Sneaky Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Adds Before Week 6

October 16, 2026

Andy's must-have bench stashes and sneaky fantasy football waiver wire adds, sleepers ahead of Week 6 in 2026. Pick up these high-upside players before Week 6.

Hey RotoBallers! Welcome to the sixth edition of our High-Upside Bench Stashes series. With another slate of NFL action set to kick off over the weekend, it's time for another deep dive on the waiver wire to pick up some sneaky stash targets.

This week's theme is IR stashes. Even though they may be on the IR, their return is coming up fast, and this may be the last week managers can pick them up.

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High-Upside Fantasy Football Stashes - Running Backs

Samaje Perine, Cincinnati Bengals

5% rostered

Even though the Bengals are off in Week 6, managers should consider stashing one of the best handcuffs in fantasy football. While veteran Samaje Perine entered the season as nothing more than the No. 2 behind workhorse Chase Brown, his role could change greatly in Week 7.

In their victory over the Dolphins this past Sunday, it looked like a changing of the guard was occurring. In this contest, Perine took 14 carries (to Brown's 13) and ran for 68 yards, compared to Brown's 39. While Brown was more involved in the passing game, Perine's higher efficiency and usage are worth a closer look.

Over five games, Perine has logged just 5.4 carries per game, while Brown has dominated the backfield, taking 14.2 per game. However, Perine has been far more efficient, albeit in a much smaller sample, tallying 4.1 YPC while Brown has posted a much lower 3.5 YPC.

Despite this, Brown has maintained a decent floor for fantasy given his receiving upside, catching 4.8 passes per game.

Managers shouldn't overreact to one game's usage, but the Bengals ran more shotgun plays that better fit Perine's skill set. Additionally, offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said: "I think we'll continually assess how that touch share between (Perine) and Brown should play out."

Chase Brown's Workload to Shrink in Bengals' Offense?

https://t.co/2NZ0SgPkJ8

— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) October 13, 2026

Perine is a strong stash ahead of Week 6, as he could very well force this into a 50/50 committee in Week 7.

Dylan Sampson, Cleveland Browns

5% rostered

The Cleveland Browns offense has not been a reliable source of consistent fantasy points, but the running back room is dealing with many injuries, which could open the door for Dylan Sampson to take on a massive role when he returns. Sampson is currently in the IR with a knee injury he suffered back in Week 1.

However, Sampson returned to practice earlier this week, suggesting he is nearing a return.

Although he played only two snaps before suffering the injury in Week 1, managers have a full rookie season of data to analyze. Last season, Sampson opened the season as the team's RB1 while Quinshon Judkins was still getting acquainted with the team after missing much of camp. However, once Judkins settled in, Sampson reverted to a primarily third-down role and only slid back into the starter's chair over the final weeks.

Overall, Sampson averaged a low 2.7 YPC but caught 33 of his 40 targets for 271 yards and two touchdowns. He drew at least three targets in seven games and at least six in three contests.

Judkins is battling an ankle injury and could miss this week, while Raheim Sanders (hip) recently joined Sampson on the IR. This may leave Jaleel McLaughlin as the only healthy RB on the roster.

Once Sampson returns, he will take over the No. 2 job and quickly carve out a role in the passing game. Those in deep leagues who need an upside flier at RB should stash Sampson, as he has solid upside if Judkins misses extended time later.

The other running back to stash has a much higher rostered rate than the other names but still sits below our 30% benchmark. Coleman drew significant praise for the changing staff in training camp and was poised to break out before he suffered a high ankle sprain.

In Week 2, Coleman flashed solid potential, rushing for 39 yards and a score and catching all three of his targets for another 19 yards. This came after not logging a single carry or target back in Week 1.

However, while this ankle sprain limited his short-term upside, Coleman can still be a league-winner for much of the second half.

Currently, the Denver offense (especially the running back room) has left much to be desired. After averaging an elite 5.0 YPC back in 2025, J.K. Dobbins has regressed greatly in 2026, posting a much lower 3.6 YPC. RJ Harvey has been productive in the passing game but has only seen 15 total carries, suggesting the coaching staff views him nearly entirely as a receiving option.

Beyond Dobbins's lower efficiency, he's no stranger to injuries, as he nearly missed time this season with a hip injury and sat out the final seven regular-season games last year.

Coleman may quickly re-establish himself in this offense and become the direct handcuff to one of the league's injury-prone running backs.

Other running backs to stash - Tyler Goodson (DAL), Seth McGowan (IND), Najee Harris (NYG)

High-Upside Fantasy Football Stashes - Wide Receivers

Ryan Flournoy, Dallas Cowboys

9% rostered

Wide receiver handcuffs don't have the same ring and value as running back handcuffs, but there is one exception managers should note. Ryan Flournoy is the WR3 in the high-powered Dallas offense and showcased his talent last Thursday night when CeeDee Lamb battled through a quad injury.

Flournoy caught three of his four targets for 90 yards, a season-high. Before that, Flournoy drew a solid 5.8 targets per game but averaged only 26.0 yards per game. Per PFF, this was Flournoy's first productive effort in terms of Overall Grade by a wide margin this season.

While Lamb is not expected to miss time due to this injury, if either he or George Pickens gets injured, Flournoy could immediately have weekly FLEX upside in this offense.

Quarterback Dak Prescott is constantly forced to push the ball downfield given that his defense has allowed a hefty 27.2 PPG. Over the last three weeks, Prescott has attempted at least 40 passes in each game and has tallied more than 275 passing yards in all but one game.

While Flournoy's weekly floor is low when Lamb and Pickens are on the field, if one of them misses time, he would immediately carry standalone value. If you are again upside at the WR position in a deeper league, taking a flyer on the best "handcuff" at the position is a sneaky way to potentially acquire an upside option.

Ja'Kobi Lane, Baltimore Ravens

10% rostered

The final WR is currently on the IR but could return as early as this Sunday. Lane is working his way back from a wrist injury he suffered in the season opener.

However, like Coleman, Lane received great praise in training camp and was in the running to be the clear WR3. While he will likely return to this role when he is back in the lineup, recent trade talks suggest Rashod Bateman could be on the move, which would let Lane play WR2 alongside Zay Flowers.

In his limited taste of NFL action, Lane caught one of his three targets for 11 yards. In college, Lane had a nose for the end zone, scoring 16 touchdowns over his final 24 games at USC and averaging 15.2 YPR in his final campaign.

While Flowers will draw most of the targets, tight end Mark Andrews hasn't been overly impressive, which could open the door for Lane to emerge as a weekly FLEX option.

Other wide receivers to stash - Christian Kirk (SF), Adonai Mitchell (NYJ)

High-Upside Fantasy Football Stashes - Tight Ends

Terrance Ferguson, Los Angeles Rams

15% rostered

While both Coleman and Lane (our two earlier IR stashes) received great praise in training camp, Terrance Ferguson was on another level. During Rams camp, the coaching staff noted he would be the de facto "WR3" in the offense and that the team was creating plays that play to his skill set.

As a rookie, Ferguson had a limited role but made the most of it, putting him on the radar as a top late-round tight end in the 2026 draft. On just 11 catches (on 25 targets), Ferguson totaled 231 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 21.0 YPR. Seven of his catches went for greater than 20 yards.

However, Colby Parkinson remained the TE1 for much of the season, limiting his production.

Fortunately, Ferguson quickly claimed the lead role in 2026 and was on breakout watch before suffering an ankle injury. Despite not catching a pass in Week 1, his usage was encouraging, and he showed positive regression in Weeks 2 and 3. Facing the Giants (without Puka Nacua), Ferguson caught six of nine targets for 54 yards and a score. He exited early in Week 3 and couldn't build on the strong showing.

Despite that, the Rams have made it clear Ferguson will face a limited IR stint, setting him up for a Week 8 return. While that is still two weeks away, TE-needy managers should not wait much longer to stash him.

With Nacua healthy, he'll face added competition, but he's batting a "pre-hernia" condition, and any setback would let Ferguson step into a massive role.

In this high-powered offense, Ferguson could have low-end TE1 upside weekly, with immense upside if Nacua or veteran Davante Adams were to get injured. This is the exact profile managers should target if looking for an upside stash.

Other tight ends to stash - Michael Mayer (LV)

High-Upside Fantasy Football Stashes - Quarterbacks (QB)

Geno Smith, New York Jets

7% rostered

Geno Smith held solid streaming value earlier in the season but has hit a bit of a skid, sending him to many waiver wires. Since throwing for 321 yards and three touchdowns against the Lions in Week 3, Smith has averaged just 150.5 yards per game over the last two weeks with only two total passing touchdowns.

While his production has been underwhelming lately, managers needing an upside play at QB over the next few weeks should consider turning back to Smith. He has a tough Week 6 matchup against the Patriots, but he will be in a prime spot to find his footing in Weeks 7 and 8 against the Dolphins and Raiders.

In Week 7, managers will be without Josh Allen, Trevor Lawrence, and Jayden Daniels due to a bye, and in Week 8, Tyler Shough and Brock Purdy will be out, which will likely put many managers who have relied on a set-it-and-forget QB in a tough spot.

Additionally, by Week 7 (or Week 8), Smith could have a full complement of options back in the offense as Adonai Mitchell (hand) and Breece Hall (waist) are currently week-to-week.

Other quarterbacks to stash - Jameis Winston (NYG)

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