Kendrick Bourne #84 of the San Francisco 49ers runs the ball during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on October 2, 2025 in Inglewood, California.
Getty Images
Fantasy managers had to surf the waiver wire thanks to bye-related lineup holes starting last week, with the first four teams (Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers) taking their week off.
Heading into Week 6, only two teams (Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings) will be out of action, but managers will have to find replacements for top starters like Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson and Texans signal-caller CJ Stroud.
Then there are the injuries. From multiple 49ers pass-catchers to top running backs like the Panthers’ Chuba Hubbard and the Bucs’ Bucky Irving to season-ending injuries to top wideouts Malik Nabers and Tyreek Hill, there are holes all over the league.
Let’s take a look at some must-add players and deep-league stashes ahead of Week 6. Rostered percentage and scoring figures courtesy of Fantasy Pros. Players are considered sleepers if they are rostered in 40% of leagues or less.
Bryce Young #9 of the Carolina Panthers looks on in the game against the Miami Dolphins at Bank of America Stadium on October 05, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Getty Images
Quarterback
Bryce Young (Carolina Panthers)
Rostered: 19%
Whether you’re dealing with injuries (Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson; San Francisco’s Brock Purdy) or bye weeks (Houston’s CJ Stroud) or both (Minnesota’s JJ McCarthy), if you need to pick up a quarterback this week, Bryce Young is by far the best option. Young is rostered in just 19% of leagues, so he’s likely to be available in yours. He has an appetizing matchup against the Dallas Cowboys defense, which is giving up 304 passing yards per game this season, the most in the league. Young is likely to find the end zone in Week 6; Dallas has given up 12 touchdown passes, tied for the second most.
Brashard Smith #24 of the Kansas City Chiefs runs with the ball during an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on September 28, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Getty Images
Running Back
Brashard Smith (Kansas City Chiefs)
Rostered: 17%
A stash option, Brashard Smith is behind Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt on the Chiefs’ depth chart. But what the Chiefs are doing on the ground hasn’t been working. Pacheco has scored in the single-digits (PPR formats) in all but Week 4, and in Week 5, his 37% snap share was a season-low. Hunt, meanwhile, is averaging just 3.2 yards per carry. Against this backdrop, rookie Brashard Smith has made the most of his limited opportunities, while head coach Andy Reid has said the team is “trying to increase” Smith’s playing time. In Week 5, Smith had 32 yards on three receptions, demonstrating dual-threat ability. Now is the time to stash Smith on your bench so that you’re ready to go should he break out in the Chiefs’ murky backfield.
Kendrick Bourne #84 of the San Francisco 49ers during the second half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi’s Stadium on September 21, 2025 in Santa Clara, California.
Getty Images
Wide Receiver
Kendrick Bourne (San Francisco 49ers)
Rostered: 4%
A deep sleeper, Bourne had a fantastic showing in Week 5, in no small part because the 49ers are running out of pass-catching options. Backup quarterback Mac Jones didn’t have wideouts Jauan Jennings or Ricky Pearsall and tight end George Kittle is still on IR. Bourne made the most of his opportunity, catching 10 of 11 targets for 142 yards. If the 49ers are still struggling with injuries in Week 6, Bourne becomes a must-start flex option.
Mason Taylor #85 of the New York Jets looks on against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the game at MetLife Stadium on September 7, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Getty Images
Tight End
Mason Taylor (New York Jets)
Rostered: 13%
Anytime you have a team that is in all likelihood going to be playing from behind quite often, you must look at their pass-catching weapons and see who may be available in your leagues. The shoe fits for Jets tight end Mason Taylor, who had nine receptions on 12 targets in Week 5, when the Jets were at one point down 30–3. That was second only to Garrett Wilson in both snaps and routes run, making Taylor a must-add on the waiver wire and TE1 option for Week 6 and possibly beyond.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/michellebruton/2025/10/08/week-6-fantasy-football-waiver-wire-pickups-bourne-taylor-and-more/
