If you had some of the top playmakers for the Monday Night Football game between the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams, you probably won your fantasy matchup. But if you had players like running back Jeremiyah Love or Chase Brown or tight end George Kittle, then your week may not have ended so well.
With four more teams on bye during Week 6 - the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals - it will be important to navigate the waiver wire effectively to come away with the win.
Here is a look at the top five waiver wire pickups in fantasy football after Week 5 of the NFL season.
TE Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars
Rostered in 27.2% of ESPN leagues
The Jacksonville Jaguars offense is a little hard to figure out. However, tight end Brenton Strange has been
a constant presence. His target share is also going up, with five targets in the first two games and 16 targets in the last two. Unless you have Trey McBride, Brock Bowers or Isaiah Likely, it is hard to find a consistent tight end in fantasy these days. Especially with four NFL teams on bye during Week 6, it is important to find players who are going to produce at a high level and Strange has done that in the past two weeks.
WR Kendrick Bourne, Arizona Cardinals
Rostered in 1.7% of ESPN leagues
In the first game since Marvin Harrison Jr was traded from the Cardinals to the Houston Texans, Kendrick Bourne was targeted eight times and had five receptions for 70 yards. It is too soon to know for sure if Bourne is the one who is going to benefit the most from Harrison Jr’s departure, but he certainly benefited in Arizona’s game against the Detroit Lions. The Los Angeles Rams happen to be a good matchup for receivers, as the Rams gave up seven touchdowns to receivers through the first five games of the season, which is tied for the second-most in the NFL.
RB Woody Marks, Houston Texans
Rostered in 48% of ESPN leagues
Things have not panned out for David Montgomery as the Houston Texans planned. Now that Montgomery has a groin injury and is considered week-to-week. Now, Woody Marks is going to take on an even bigger role in Houston’s offense and also got some action in the receiving game, giving him some upside in PPR leagues. The running back position has been difficult this season between injuries, players on bye in Week 6 and players that have simply turned out to be a bust. If you need a back off the waiver wire, Marks is a good option.
QB Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rostered in 19.3% of ESPN leagues
The quarterback position will not be impacted as much by the bye week since Joe Burrow with the Cincinnati Bengals is the only top quarterback on bye. Still, if you need a quarterback, Aaron Rodgers is not a terrible option in fantasy. He has over 200 passing yards and three passing touchdowns in each of the past three games. Pittsburgh plays the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next and while they are not an ideal matchup, this is still a game Rodgers can have solid production in.
WR Malik Washington, Miami Dolphins
Rostered in 39.2% of ESPN leagues
With the Miami Dolphins on bye in Week 6, Washington is not someone who is going to be in your starting lineup this week. But he is quietly establishing himself as a decent fantasy option with at least five receptions and over 40 receiving yards in each of the past three games. He is even getting some action in the run game and had 18 rushing yards last week. Washington has yet to find the end zone this year, probably because he is on the Dolphins. But if you need a decent wide receiver, Washington is someone you could stash on your bench until Week 7.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 5 waiver wire pickups in NFL fantasy football in Week 6
