Fantasy Football waiver-wire candidates after Week 6.
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Week 6 of the NFL season is officially behind us, and those near the bottom of their league in fantasy football may be looking to make some significant changes to their respective fantasy teams.

For those who are looking to turn around their fantasy football fortunes, here are the top five pickup candidates that are available in over 50% of leagues on the ESPN Fantasy Football platform going into Week 7.

Week 6 recap:

There were some players that were listed in my Week 6 waiver-wire column that ended up being solid producers that may have helped fantasy owners.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs ended up finding the endzone which helped him record 13.1 fantasy points on Sunday. Minnesota Vikings wide receiver K.J. Osborn started out hot with four receptions for 48 yards in the first half but was held catchless for the rest of the game. And Tennesee Titans running back Tyjae Spears flashed his upside with a big 48-yard reception against the Baltimore Ravens.

Hopefully, we can find some more players who can be difference-makers in fantasy football heading into Week 7.

5. Jonnu Smith, TE, Atlanta Falcons 

  • Week 6: 13.6 fantasy points (PPR)
  • Rostered:14.8 percent
  • Week 7 Opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This may seem like an odd player to have, considering Smith is the No. 2 tight end behind Kyle Pitts in Atlanta. However, the Falcons have shown throughout much of the season that their offense includes a ton of two tight end sets, and Smith has benefitted from that in a big way recently.

Week 6 was the third straight game that Smith recorded at least double-digit fantasy points. Through six games this season, Smith has the ninth-most fantasy points amongst all tight ends. That ranks even higher than his teammate Kyle Pitts. Considering how thin the tight-end position is in fantasy football, Smith should be a candidate for most fantasy owners to add this week.

4. Josh Downs, WR, Indianapolis Colts 

  • Week 6: 13.1 fantasy points (PPR)
  • Rostered: 32.7 percent
  • Week 7 Opponent: Cleveland Browns

Downs was a player featured last week, and he performed admirably which has him returning to the top-five this week as well. He recorded five receptions for 21 yards but was able to find the end zone for the first time in his NFL career, which saved his day in fantasy.

He ranks lower in this week’s ranking simply because this Colts offense came back to reality a bit in a 37-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Reports now suggest that rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson is “strongly considering” season-ending surgery to fix his injured shoulder, which obviously is not good for the Colts offense as a whole.

That being said, Downs has shown a solid rapport with Gardner Minshew under center, and he should have a solid role in the Colts offense for the rest of the season.

3. Elijah Mitchell, RB, San Francisco 49ers 

  • Week 6: -0.3 fantasy points (PPR)
  • Rostered: 26.4 percent
  • Week 7 Opponent: Minnesota Vikings

It’s obviously not a great look to have a player who put up negative fantasy points listed as a top candidate for fantasy owners to add in fantasy. But Mitchell could be in for a big Week 7, which hinges solely on the health of star 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey.

McCaffrey exited their Week 6 game on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns with an oblique injury. If this injury forces McCaffrey to miss Week 7’s against the Minnesota Vikings, Mitchell could end up with a much larger role in a typically dangerous 49ers offense.

It is worth noting that Mitchell was not the primary backup to McCaffrey in Week 6. That ended up being Jordan Mason, who ended up getting in the end zone on one of his five rushes once McCaffrey left the game. Mitchell is coming off an injury of his own and just returned to practice for the team. I believe that once he is fully healthy, he will be the primary backup to McCaffrey, not Jordan Mason.

You can disregard this advice if McCaffrey is able to suit up in Week 7. And if you happen to favor Mason over Mitchell as the 49ers’ backup, simply swap these two and add Mason to your fantasy team instead. But Mitchell is the more proven player of the two and could be in for a big Week 7 if the cards fall right for him.

2. Curtis Samuel, WR, Washington Commanders 

  • Week 6: 14.2 fantasy points (PPR)
  • Rostered: 28.6 percent
  • Week 7 Opponent: New York Giants

Samuel has been flying under the radar in fantasy football for weeks now, and he simply continues to put up impressive stats that can significantly help most fantasy owners. Week 6 was no exception, as he was able to find the endzone to go along with four catches for 42 yards on the day.

Samuel has put up double-digit performances in four of his six games this season. Thus far on the year, he ranks as the No. 24 wide receiver in fantasy, which is good enough to be a borderline starter for most fantasy teams. That is simply too much production to be owned in less than 30% of fantasy leagues. Pick up Samuel before your fellow fantasy football league members catch on to his consistent play this season.

1. Chuba Hubbard, RB, Carolina Panthers

  • Week 6: 16.0 fantasy points (PPR)
  • Rostered: 46.0 percent
  • Week 7 Opponent: N/A (Bye Week)

Hubbard got his first start of the season with Miles Sanders sidelined in Week 6. And he capitalized in a big way, rushing for 88 yards while also finding the endzone for the first time all season.

Sanders’s injury may have been a blessing in disguise for the Panthers, as he has largely been inefficient on the ground this season, averaging just 3.1 yards per carry. Hubbard’s Week 6 performance is far and away the best effort of any Panthers running back all season. And there is certainly a real argument in Carolina that Hubbard should be the starting running back even when Sanders comes back from injury.

The Panthers are heading into a bye in Week 7. That being said, fantasy owners in need of an impact player should heavily consider adding Hubbard heading into his bye week, as they could have a starting running back on their hands in no time.

Honorable Mentions:

  • Jordan Mason (RB, San Francisco 49ers)
  • Wan’Dale Robinson (WR, New York Giants)
  • Rashee Rice (WR, Kansas City Chiefs)
  • Kendrick Bourne (WR, New England Patriots)
  • Michael Mayer (TE, Las Vegas Raiders)

About Reice Shipley

Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.

View all posts by Reice Shipley