Fantasy football Week 6 waiver wire: 5 players you need to target this week

Here we are in the thick of the fantasy season — near the midway point. Breakouts and waiver wire steals keep getting harder to find, but there are a few values out there to be had. I won’t list Taylor Gabriel officially in this week’s post — he was listed last week but had a bye in Week 5 — but if he went unnoticed and is still available on waivers — probable, he’s only rostered in 19 percent of Yahoo leagues — he’s worth an add.

Now for the official waiver-wire targets for Week 6:

Robby Anderson, WR, New York Jets

Rostered - Yahoo: 35 percent | ESPN: 41.9 percent

It took the Jets five weeks, but they finally figured out Robby Anderson can be a useful piece to include in the offense. Anderson had a 41-yard touchdown reception in Week 1 then his production and target share dropped off. Against Denver on Sunday, Anderson had three catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns on five targets. He’s not going to put up those numbers all the time, but Anderson should be a threat to score deep any time the Jets go to him. The question will be if the Jets will keep going to him. If he’s a consistent target in the passing game, he’ll be well worth an add someone had already cut bait with him in your league.

Wendell Smallwood, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Rostered - Yahoo: 7 percent | ESPN: 7.5 percent

With Jay Ajayi placed on injured reserve Monday, the Eagles are currently looking at a running back by committee for the foreseeable future. While that’s usually a mess for fantasy purposes, Smallwood could be a short-term answer. With Corey Clement out on Sunday, Smallwood had three receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown. He split time with Ajayi on the field — 49 percent of the snaps each — and could in the favorite to get more work as the Eagles have a short week to prepare for a Thursday night game against the Giants. Smallwood might not be a great long-term play, but if you’re either desperate or deep enough to take a flier, Smallwood could have some value over the next few weeks as the Eagles figure out what to do for the rest of the season.

Keke Coutee, WR, Houston Texans

Rostered - Yahoo: 34 percent | ESPN: 19.6 percent

If you waited a week to see of Keke Coutee’s production could be sustained and he’s still sitting on waivers, strike now. Over the past two weeks, Coutee has 22 targets, 17 receptions, 160 yards, and a touchdown. Houston is a team that is going to pass often — Deshaun Watson has 40 attempts in each of the past three games — and the Texans have already shown they want to find ways to get Coutee the ball, even in an offense with DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller. Over the past two games, Coutee has a target share of 25.6 percent. That’s a high upside play still available in nearly 70 percent of Yahoo leagues and 80 percent of ESPN leagues.

Kyle Jusczyzk, RB, San Francisco 49ers

Rostered - Yahoo: 0 percent | ESPN: 0.8 percent

No one rosters fullbacks in fantasy, but Jusczyzk isn’t exactly a typical fullback. He’s more of an H-back playing for a coach who loves to scheme him open in the passing game. With Matt Brieda’s status questionable with what at least is not a high ankle sprain, Jusczyzk could be in line for more playing time even as Alfred Morris takes over the lead back role. In PPR leagues, Jusczyzk has more fantasy points than Morris. He got six receptions on seven targets for 75 yards in Week 5 when the 49ers needed production at running back when trailing.

Geoff Swaim, TE, Dallas Cowboys

Rostered - Yahoo: 9 percent | ESPN: 7.3 percent

Tight end has been a wasteland over the past few weeks. This past week in start/sit, I literally told you to start whoever was healthy. The Dallas passing offense might not be one you’re super excited to latch on to, but he was second on the team with three targets against Houston — for 55 yards — and had five and seven targets over the previous two games. There’s not a lot of upside there, but again if you’re desperate — there’s a theme here — he’ll get at least some volume for a position that has been highly volatile this year.