Waiver Wire Week 6: Top Pickups and Drops

The fantasy football landscape is always changing. And as we head into Week 6 of the 2022 NFL season, recent developments have impacted the waiver wire in many leagues.

By this point, some notable injuries have occurred. With players ruled out, others will have the opportunity to step up. Those fill-in names will now be heavily pursued on waivers.

In order to add players to the roster, though, fantasy managers have to drop others. How soon is too soon to give up on an underperforming player? At this point, some names just can't be rostered any longer because they're not trending in the right direction.

So, as we head into Week 6, here are some notable players who should be added and dropped (if they haven't been already).

Top Pickup: Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks

AP Photo/Derick Hingle

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III begins to celebrate his 69 yard rushing touchdown during an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Derick Hingle)

Some fantasy managers have rostered Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III all season, waiting for the rookie to break out or at least get more opportunities. Well, now the time has arrived.

Rashaad Penny, Seattle's starting RB, will be out for the rest of the season because of a broken fibula and injured tibia in his left leg, which he suffered during the Week 5 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

In that game, Walker took over and had eight carries for 88 yards and a touchdown, the first of his NFL career.

Over the first four weeks of the season, the 21-year-old had only 15 rushing attempts and six receptions, so he wasn't providing much fantasy value. But he should get plenty more touches moving forward, with Penny no longer ahead of him on the depth chart.

Seattle has been having a good bit of success on the ground, averaging 122 rushing yards per game (12th most in the NFL). So, Walker will likely fare quite well now that he'll be the starting running back.

Top Drop: Chase Edmonds, RB, Miami Dolphins

AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel

Miami Dolphins' Chase Edmonds leaves the field following an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Chase Edmonds' utilization in the Dolphins' offense has been trending in the wrong direction, as his percentage of offensive snaps has dropped every week of the season.

Then, in Miami's Week 5 loss to the New York Jets, the 26-year-old was on the field for only 15 percent of its offensive plays, and he had one touch (a one-yard rush).

Miami is leaning heavily on Raheem Mostert as its starting running back, and even Myles Gaskin was more involved in the offense than Edmonds on Sunday.

If the Fordham product is now the Dolphins' No. 3 option at running back, then he provides no value to fantasy managers.

Many thought Edmonds could be Miami's top receiving RB in his first season with the team, and he had four catches for 40 yards in its season-opening win over the New England Patriots. Since then, he has notched only four more receptions.

Fantasy managers who need to clear a roster spot to add a running back or wide receiver shouldn't be scared to drop Edmonds, who may not get a ton of opportunities moving forward unless other Dolphins RBs get injured.

Top Pickup: Alec Pierce, WR, Indianapolis Colts

AP Photo/Jack Dempsey

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (14) catches a pass against the Denver Broncos during an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

The Colts' offense hasn't exactly been great this season. That was evident in Week 5 when they beat the Denver Broncos 12-9 in a game in which neither team scored a touchdown. Indianapolis' record of 333 total yards per game ranks 24th in the NFL.

However, there are some top playmakers on the Colts' offense. Among them is Alec Pierce, who has emerged as one of the better receiving options for quarterback Matt Ryan.

The 22-year-old is clearly becoming one of Ryan's favorite targets, as he's had 15 passes thrown his way over the past two weeks. He has turned that into 12 catches for 161 yards. And last week, he set season highs in receptions (eight), targets (nine) and yards (81).

After getting selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft, Pierce was eased into action early in his rookie season. Now, he's solidified a role in the Indianapolis offense, which makes him an intriguing fantasy option down the line.

Top Drop: Allen Robinson II, WR, Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Allen Robinson II, foreground, walks off the field as San Francisco 49ers players celebrate after safety Talanoa Hufanga scored on an interception return during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Oct. 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Fantasy managers who have held out hope that Allen Robinson II would carve out a larger role in the Los Angeles Rams' offense need to give up on that idea. Because, five weeks into the season, it doesn't seem like that is going to happen.

The 29-year-old has only 12 catches for 107 yards in five games and has scored one touchdown, which came in Week 2. Over the past three weeks, he has seven receptions for 42 yards while getting held out of the end zone.

It's been a continuation of the Penn State product's disappointing 2021 season with the Chicago Bears. And with the L.A. offense struggling early in 2022, he hasn't done anything to help the unit get back on track.

There are more productive wide receivers on the waiver wire in most leagues who are more deserving of a roster spot than Robinson. Drop him and go pick up a playmaker who may actually contribute in a fantasy matchup.