Michael Carter and the Best Week 6 Fantasy Football Waiver-Wire Pickups

We are one-third of the way into the 2025 fantasy football regular season, making this a perfect time for managers to hit the waiver wire and make significant roster adjustments.

With five games of data to glean from, managers need to accept their favorite sleepers and dark-horse draft picks aren't going to do anything more than clog up valuable bench space.

It's also time to start facing the reality that some hyped early-round picks aren't having the type of elite seasons expected of them. While you may not want to cut these underperforming players, unearthing higher-upside alternatives on waivers might be the difference between a winning and losing fantasy campaign.

With that in mind, read on for the top waiver-wire targets heading into Week 6.

Suggestions are available in approximately half or more of all Yahoo! Sports leagues. Fantasy points and rankings courtesy of FantasyPros' PPR data taken prior to the weeks' Monday Night Football matchup. Suggested free-agent acquisition budget (FAAB) bids are based on a $100 dollar starting budget.

Quarterback

AP Photo/Butch Dill

Jaxson Dart

Jaxson Dart, New York Giants (39 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $3-5

After finishing as the QB11 behind a strong rushing performance in Week 4, Dart showed off his immense arm talent this past Sunday. It wasn't enough to get the win, but the rookie completed 26-of-40 throws for 202 yards and two scores.

He didn't punch a TD in on the ground for the second consecutive week, but he did pick up another 55 yards on just seven totes and will continue to add an immense amount of value each week due with that dual-threat capability.

Managers lacking a top-12 QB shouldn't hesitate to roster Dart at this juncture. Consider him a fringe starting option each week, although you may have to dip into the free-agent pool to find a better choice for Week 6 with the G-Men set to face a stingy Eagles defense on Thursday Night Football.

Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers (19 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $1-2

You won't find a better quarterback streaming choice for Week 6 than Young.

Fresh off leading a big comeback win over the Cardinals, he'll now get a chance to string together a season-best fantasy performance against a beatable Cowboys defense.

While Young has just one top-10 finish under his belt this year, he's set to become the next signal-caller to eviscerate a defensive unit that has allowed over 300 yards per game through the air in 2025.

Pick up the Carolina passer as a one-week rental and start him with confidence if you aren't already rostering a top-10 QB.

Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins (30 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $0-1

The Dolphins may have fallen to 1-4 with another loss in Week 5, but they have at least looked somewhat competent on offense lately.

Tagovailoa looked especially poised in the latest contest, recording a season-best QB7 finish behind a 27-of-36, 256-yard, three-touchdown passing outing.

While it won't be easy to continue racking up those 20-plus point performances without Tyreek Hill in the lineup, Tagovailoa seems to have found a spark lately and is back on the fantasy radar for desperate managers in deeper leagues.

Running Back

AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

Michael Carter

Michael Carter, Arizona Cardinals (39 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $20-25

The Cardinals offered a glimpse of how their backfield rotation will look without both James Conner and Trey Benson in the lineup, and it included plenty of work for Carter.

The journeyman led the backfield in snaps with 39 (a 57.4 percent share) and handled the bulk of rushing duties.

While Carter's 51 yards and a touchdown on 18 totes weren't incredible, that production—coupled with 22 yards on five catches—totaled up a respectable 18.3 points and resulted in a top-10 finish. Not bad for a player who was on the practice squad several weeks ago.

With Emari Demercado fumbling a sure touchdown that cost the Cards a victory, Carter figures to get even more touches going forward. He's the top pickup for Week 6, so do whatever it takes to get him in your lineup and start him with confidence until Benson returns in 3-5 weeks.

Kenneth Gainwell, Pittsburgh Steelers (36 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $6-8

Gainwell had a breakout game replacing starter Jaylen Warren during the Steelers' Week 4 win. Unfortunately he didn't get a chance to build on that performance due to the team's Week 5 bye, but he figures to be prominently involved when Pittsburgh returns to action against the Browns on Sunday.

While Warren is likely to be in the lineup, Gainwell had a sizable role prior to the starter's injury and that should only have increased following his big RB3 showing in Dublin.

Gainwell will become much more difficult to obtain if he has another strong performance in Week 6, so get him on your roster now even if you don't plan to start him.

Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints (31 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $3-5

The Saints may be planning for life without Alvin Kamara—a potentially popular trade deadline target—based on their recent usage of Kendre Miller.

The backup RB has seen a steady uptick in snaps, resulting in a season-high 26 offensive plays in Week 5.

While Miller regressed from his 12.5-point, RB25 showing in Week 4, he still managed to rush for 41 yards on 10 totes and secured his lone target for eight yards in a win over the Giants.

Although that may not be the type of stat line you want from a starter in standard formats, Miller should still be rostered for his handcuff value alone.  

Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers (0 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $2-4

The Chargers may be without Omarion Hampton for a stretch after the rookie was seen in a walking boot after the team's 27-10 defeat to the Commanders.

With Najee Harris also out for the year after suffering an Achilles tear, the team will need to turn to Vidal and Hassan Haskins to shoulder the backfield workload in any game Hampton misses.

Vidal and Hampton saw equal amounts of playing time against Washington, but the former was more effective with his touches. He's a dynamic playmaker with home run potential each time he touches the ball, so scoop him up if you need some upside at the RB position.

Wide Receiver

AP Photo/Kyusung Gong

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne

Kendrick Bourne, San Francisco 49ers (4 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $2-4

It's a lean week for receiver pickups, but Bourne has to be on the radar after running wild against the Rams in prime time. He put together a scintillating a 24.2-point outing that will make him a popular waiver-wire target ahead of Week 6.

The 49ers wideout isn't likely to go off again, though, and he'll find it tough to repeat anything close to that type of performance once Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings get back in the lineup.

If one or both of San Francisco's top receivers misses time, then Bourne will be a good flex play, but don't expect another 10-catch, 142-yard showing for the veteran journeyman anytime soon.

Darius Slayton, New York Giants (47 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $2-4

The Giants began adjusting to life without Malik Nabers in the lineup, and Darius Slayton played a much larger role than he had been earlier in the year.

He saw a season-high six targets in a game he left early due to a hamstring injury, but he's a good bet to be in the lineup for Big Blue's Week 6 bout with the Eagles.

While Slayton's three-catch, 31-yard performance wasn't too exciting, he botched several big plays in the team's 26-14 loss and better days should be ahead. Make sure the veteran receiver is on your bench before he breaks out in the coming weeks.

Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos (30 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $2-4

Franklin hasn't finished better than WR36 since his breakout WR7 showing in Week 2, but he's arguably the top wideout to target on waivers this week thanks to a ton of matchup-based upside coming his way.

With the Broncos getting to play the Jets, Giants and Cowboys in consecutive weeks, he will have consistent top-25 upside with at least one more top-10 performance in him before the calendar flips to November.

Christian Kirk, Houston Texans (31 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $0-1

Kirk finally had his first respectable fantasy performance since joining the Texans, cobbling together a four-catch, 64-yard outing that helped him finish inside the top-40 for the first time since Week 5 of last season.

While Kirk will have to settle for taking that momentum into a Week 6 bye, Houston should come out of the break a motivated and better team than it had been over the first month of 2025.

The veteran should play a large role as the No. 2 target next to Nico Collins and could pay dividends for patient managers who scoop him up before a potential breakout Week 7 performance.

Isaiah Bond, Cleveland Browns (6 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $0-1

The Browns offense may be a mess, but Bond is at least emerging as one of the bright spots for this rebuilding franchise. He's seen an increase in targets every week since the opener, culminating in a career-best eight looks in Week 5.

While the production has yet to follow—Bond caught just two balls for 29 yards on Sunday—he's a good upside-based pickup for managers needing help in deeper formats.

Tight End

Brad Penner/AP Images for Panini

New York Jets tight end Mason Taylor

Mason Taylor, New York Jets (13 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $10-14

Taylor has been on the fringes of the fantasy radar for the first month of the 2025 season and finally had his much-anticipated breakout game in Week 5.

The Jets tight end converted his ever-increasing target share into a TE7 finish by catching nine passes for 67 yards.

It's clear Taylor will remain a big factor in a New York passing attack largely bereft of talent, making him a rare tight end worthy of splurging for at this juncture of the season.

If you are lacking a top-eight option at the position, be sure Taylor is your priority pickup for Week 6.

Theo Johnson, New York Giants (11 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $2-4

Johnson has quietly emerged as a touchdown machine for the Giants. He's now scored three times in the last two games, displaying immense rapport with Jaxson Dart and increasing his rest-of-season value in the process.

While Johnson hasn't been putting up too many catches, he did post a season-high six grabs on seven targets in Week 5.

Thanks to his immense scoring-based upside, Johnson is well-worth a waiver-wire claim as a streaming option in standard leagues and a potential fixture in starting lineups for deeper format players.

D/ST

AP Photo/Zach Bolinger

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin

Indianapolis Colts (48 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $2-3

The Colts defense had another big fantasy outing in Week 5. The team put up a whopping 17 points in a blowout victory over the Raiders, marking the third time this season they've scored 13 or more points.

While this has been a bit of a boom-or-bust unit (Indy totaled just six points combined in its other two contests in 2025), it's worth rolling the dice on with the reeling Cardinals coming to town.

New England Patriots (16 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $1-2

The Patriots loudly stated their case to be considered a legitimate contender with a massive win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night.

While the team's Drake Maye-led offense generated much of the headlines in wake of the victory, the defense managed to shut down Josh Allen and deserves plenty of accolades too.

The Pats recorded eight fantasy points in the contest and have now put up seven or more in four of five games. They've slacked on sacks in recent weeks—recording just two since the start of Week 3 after tallying nine in the first two games—but those should come in spades against an offensively challenged Saints squad in Week 6.

Green Bay Packers (42 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $0-1

The Packers defense hasn't been as good as expected following the Micah Parsons trade, but they should come out of their Week 5 bye motivated to get back on track.

The Bengals are a perfect opponent to begin a turnaround with, as they've allowed the most fantasy points to opposing D/STs in 2025.

It would be a borderline shock if Green Bay doesn't reach the double-digit scoring mark for the first time since Week 1 against this weak foe.