“In the Scope” is a unique weekly article that won’t solely focus on giving readers the mainstream fantasy football waiver wire pickups. Instead, we aim to recommend the top free agents to acquire after waivers run. These players may be the top pickups next week, saving you Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB) and waiver priority. So whether you’re trying to grab the leftover mainstream fantasy football waiver wire Week 6 pickups or the longer-ranged free agents, below are some options to consider.
Rostership percentages are based on ESPN Points Per Reception (PPR) redraft fantasy football leagues as of Wednesday, Oct. 12.
Check Your Waivers: Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Week 6 Pickups
• Kenneth Walker (RB, Seattle Seahawks) | 76.3 percent
• Jaylen Warren (RB, Pittsburgh Steelers) | 4.7 percent
• Eno Benjamin (RB, Arizona Cardinals) | 22.2 percent
• Geno Smith (QB, Seattle Seahawks) | 61.7 percent
• Isaiah McKenzie (WR, Buffalo Bills) | 28.6 percent
• Alec Pierce (WR, Indianapolis Colts) | 17.9 percent
• Irv Smith (TE, Minnesota Vikings) | 35.2 percent
• Hayden Hurst (TE, Cincinnati Bengals) | 39.7 percent
• Taysom Hill (TE, New Orleans Saints) | 42.9 percent
In the Scope Targets: Top Fantasy Football Free Agent Week 6 Finds
Joshua Kelley (WR, Los Angeles Chargers) | 3.0 Percent
While Joshua Kelley hasn’t had much time to knock our socks off during his NFL career, next week could change that. The Los Angeles Chargers will face the Denver Broncos in a divisional matchup. Over the course of his three-year career with the Chargers, Kelley has rushed for 560 yards and three touchdowns. Most of his yardage came in 2020, and he hasn’t had an opportunity to shine because he’s been sitting behind his fellow running back Austin Ekeler, the current PPR RB1. So, it’s understandable that Kelley hasn’t boasted higher stats.
The Broncos are 2-3, while the Chargers are 3-1 as they enter their prime-time appearance next Monday. The Broncos have been struggling on offense and just lost their starting cornerback Ronald Darby. This could open up a chance for Kelley to snag a couple of extra yards and prove he deserves a spot on the field. If that’s the case, you’ll be able to grab him for nothing and stash him for their Week 7 matchup when they welcome the Seattle Seahawks to SoFi Stadium. – Jen Polvogt
Tyquan Thornton (WR, New England Patriots) | 0.7 Percent
Patriots’ rookie wide receiver Tyquan Thornton made his much anticipated NFL debut this past week in a big win over the Detroit Lions. Unfortunately, Thornton didn’t see as much field time as we would have liked, logging only 25 snaps over 60 minutes. However, he caught two of the three targets quarterback Bailey Zappe tossed his way for seven receiving yards. It isn’t a stat line that will wow anyone, but it was good to see him on the field.
The Patriots took the quick-footed receiver out of Baylor in the second round with the thought that he would be a deep ball threat and an exciting slot option. We saw him working mostly out wide this past Sunday, but the slot work likely will come. He’ll be working to earn more opportunities as he is sharing a receiver room with veterans Nelson Agholor, Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne and Devante Parker. However, you never know who will pop in a Bill Belichick system.
Don’t roster Thornton with the idea of playing him this week. He’s likely to see a similar workload as last week against a better Cleveland secondary. However, if he continues to progress well and impresses the coaching staff on Sunday, he could be in for an increased opportunity share. – Nate Polvogt
Daniel Jones (QB, New York Giants) | 17.6 Percent
If you didn’t draft Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Justin Herbert or Jalen Hurts, you’ve likely seen the floor fall out on your fantasy quarterback. While it hasn’t always been pretty for Daniel Jones this season, he has one of the highest floors around, not finishing with below 12 fantasy points in any games.
Keep in mind that Jones has done this without having a passing TD since Week 2. However, his accuracy has improved to a career-high 66.7 percent, and his rushing is off the charts. Jones is currently averaging 46 rushing yards per game on 8.2 attempts per game. For reference, Hurts averaged 9.3 rushing attempts and 52.3 rushing yards per game last season.
Jones has upcoming matchups against Baltimore (fourth-best matchup for QBs) this week. After a Week 7 trip to Jacksonville, he faces Seattle in Week 8 (another top-10 matchup). Jones should see some positive regression in passing TDs these games, generating a ceiling to match his rushing floor. If you need a play, Jones is as safe an option as anyone on the waiver wire in Week 6.– Seth Woolcock
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