Waiver Wire Watchlist for Fantasy Football Week 6

Joey's fantasy football waiver wire watchlist before Week 6 of 2025. You should keep an eye on these emerging players and consider them waiver wire stashes.

Welcome to Week 6 of our fantasy football waiver wire watchlist for the 2025 NFL season. Week 5 featured some surprising performances from players available on the waiver wire, including RB Rico Dowdle (234 total yards and one touchdown) and TE Mason Taylor (nine catches for 67 yards).

You know the drill by now: All players listed in this article are rostered in less than 50% of fantasy football leagues, meaning that they are available more often than not. That's why Dowdle isn't on this list (he's owned in over 70% of leagues!).

With that being said, here are five players still on the majority of waiver wires who could help you make significant strides in your fantasy football league. Good luck on the waiver wire and happy hunting!

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
• Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
• Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
• FLEX fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• Kicker (K) fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

Waiver Wire Watch List - Running Backs

Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers - 21% rostered

First, it was Najee Harris suffering a season-ending torn Achilles. Now, starting running back Omarion Hampton joins him on the injured reserve with an ankle injury. This means that for at least four games, the Chargers' backfield is up for grabs.

Chargers now have lost RB Omarion Hampton for at least four weeks due to an ankle injury and Najee Harris for the season due to a torn Achilles. https://t.co/MnWZh50ddB

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 6, 2025

The two favorites to earn the role of RB1 in Hampton's absence are Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal. Trying to predict which back will receive more touches may prove to be pointless, as the Chargers may just use a committee until Hampton returns to the lineup.

However, as a younger and fresher player - Vidal has received just 47 carries in his career - he may be able to add more juice to the Los Angeles ground game than Haskins. The Chargers have also been fairly pass-happy this season, and Vidal's three-down skill set could earn him more snaps.

While Vidal is currently unproven in the NFL, he's an exceptional athlete - he scored an impressive 8.8 Raw Athletic Score (RAS) coming out of college, with exceptional explosiveness, speed, and agility. Vidal received four carries last week and gained 18 yards, averaging a solid 4.5 yards per carry.

If Vidal is in a timeshare, he loses value due to the Chargers' pass-first tendencies. However, he has low-end RB2 potential if he receives 12 or more touches per game until Hampton returns.

Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans  - 25% rostered

Following an impressive rookie season, Spears was unable to expand his role in 2024 due to the arrival of free-agent signing Tony Pollard. He missed the first month of the 2025 season and returned last week to little fanfare.

He received just four carries for 14 yards in Week 5 against the Cardinals. However, Titans offensive coordinator Nick Holz stated that Spears has looked good in practice and should see more touches this week.

Spears will not unseat Pollard as the starter, but the Titans went into the 2024 season intending to use a 50-50 split between the two backs. And while that didn't materialize due to Pollard being surprisingly efficient and Spears missing five games due to injury, this coaching staff wants to get him on the field and should do so more frequently this season.

YOU RAISE ME UP @tyjae22

📺: Watch #CINvsTEN on @NFLonFOX stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/g71UCZv4gr

— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 15, 2024

Since he will be primarily a third-down back, Spears is a great stash in PPR leagues. Don't start him right away, but when his role clears up, he could be a solid flex option in 12-team or deeper leagues.

Isaiah Davis, New York Jets - 5% rostered

Braelon Allen could miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, and starter Breece Hall suffered an injury scare in Week 5. Even if Hall doesn't miss any time, the Jets should be aware that giving their star running back a workhorse role is a recipe for disaster.

With Allen out of the picture, someone else has to step up and take some of the pressure off Hall. Enter Isaiah Davis: while he's barely been utilized this season, he has been impressive when called upon. The second-year back has rushed for 32 yards on six carries (5.3 YPC) and caught six passes for 52 yards.

In the one career game Davis had a snap share higher than 50% (Week 14 against the Dolphins in 2024), he gained 67 total yards and scored a touchdown. He showed off his reliability as a rusher and receiver in the absence of Hall.

everyone: braelon allen is going to have his breakout game!

the jets: rushing touchdown isaiah davis pic.twitter.com/LWfarYZlZJ

— NFL Fantasy Football (@NFLFantasy) December 8, 2024

If Davis gets a bigger piece of the pie, he's absolutely worth stashing due to the Jets' run-heavy style of offense. He's also one Hall injury away from becoming a league winner.

Fantasy football managers who roster Hall should handcuff him with Davis as soon as possible. Even if you don't, Davis could prove to be a valuable player to own down the stretch.

More RB Options:

• Emanuel Wilson, Green Bay Packers - 2% rostered
• Trevor Etienne, Carolina Panthers - 2% rostered

Waiver Wire Watch List - Wide Receivers

Kendrick Bourne, San Francisco 49ers  - 23% rostered

The 49ers' once-crowded receiver room has been obliterated by injuries. Brandon Aiyuk is still sidelined after last season's ACL injury, and Ricky Pearsall (knee) and Jauan Jennings (ribs/ankle) have not yet practiced this week. Worse, tight end George Kittle is still on IR with a hamstring issue.

After a failed stint with the Patriots, the 49ers re-signed Bourne as a much-needed WR addition. But even they would have been surprised by just how well Bourne performed in Week 6 against the Rams. After catching just eight passes in his first three games with the team, Bourne exploded for 10 catches on 11 targets, gaining 142 yards against a stingy LA defense.

10 catches. 142 yards.

Kendrick Bourne BALLED OUT. pic.twitter.com/eXCLa7FGzZ

— NFL (@NFL) October 3, 2025

While the veteran has had some issues with drops this season, that was certainly not the case against the Rams. Bourne notably put up this performance catching passes from backup Mac Jones. With starting QB Brock Purdy potentially returning to the lineup this week, we could finally start to see some consistency from Bourne.

While it's unlikely that Bourne will catch 10 passes in a game again this season, he's got an important role in a strong passing offense for now. He could prove to be a prudent pickup for fantasy managers desperate for WR help.

Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts - 42% rostered

The talented young receiver has been the victim of a crowded offense so far this season. The offense runs through running back Jonathan Taylor, and that isn't going to change any time soon. It's been a year of redemption for top wideout Michael Pittman Jr., and rookie tight end Tyler Warren has been a revelation. Add in young receivers Adonai Mitchell and Alec Pierce, and you get the picture.

But Mitchell's been mistake-prone, and Pierce has battled injuries and caught just nine passes this season. So Downs, who gained 803 receiving yards last season, has come back into the picture. The third-year receiver caught six of his eight targets for 54 yards in the Colts' Week 5 blowout win over the Raiders.

Downs has just 20 catches on the season and is averaging just 8.8 yards per reception, but there is reason to believe he will get more involved. His route share jumped from 56% to 72% in Week 5, and he's been targeted on 25% of his routes this season, which is 12th among all NFL wideouts. Downs is great on short passes and third-down conversions, but we also know he's got the occasional big play in him.

WHAT A CATCH BY JOSH DOWNS.

📺: #INDvsHOU on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/1WMCZDj8G3

— NFL (@NFL) October 27, 2024

If Downs' target share continues to rise, he could be a strong flex option for the rest of the season. Go get him if he's on waivers and reap the rewards.

More WR Options:

• Ryan Flournoy, Dallas Cowboys - 2% rostered
• Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers - 5% rostered

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