Fantasy Football Week 6 RB Waiver Wire pickups: Emari Demercado and 2 others to target

Week 5 has us back on the waiver wire, forcing us to look for our next starting RB. The RB position year in and year out seems to be the most volatile.

That's why in fantasy we always suggest loading up on them through your draft or the waiver wire. This week spelled tragedy for Jamer Conner and Devon Achane managers. Never fear, though, as the waiver wire is here with three solid options for Week 6.

---

Top RB Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 6

Emari Demercado, Arizona Cardinals

Here are three options:

#1 Emari Demercado, Arizona Cardinals

Demercado came into the picture this week after workhorse RB James Conner went down on Sunday with a knee injury.

He stepped up in relief and rushed for 45 yards and a TD on 10 carries while also catching a pass for 12 yards. The Cardinals rookie looked good at times, scoring on an 11-yard outside run. Overall, he had a solid outing and with Conner and Keontay Ingram out, Demercado should see the lion's share of the carries.

What makes him a great waiver addition? Easy with Conner going on IR, you know Demercado is going to get a shot to carve out a role on this offense going forward. The Cardinals have been surprisingly successful when it comes to running the football, going for 5.5 ypc.

Another odd stat from this team is that they're second in the NFL in runs over 20+ yards (13). This offense has been tough to tame and has that explosive upside to it. If you're grabbing Demercado off your waiver wire, you're hoping for the upside of a big run each week.

---

#2 Jordan Mason, San Francisco 49ers

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Mason is a name you don't hear a lot, as he's usually behind Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell.

Last week, in the blowout win over the Cowboys, San Francisco deployed their tank, and Mason is built like one at 5-foot-11, 223 lbs, The second year back out of Georgia Tech proved that he can be fantasy-viable, behind McCaffrey.

Last week, Mason ran for 6.9 ypc, taking a 26 yarder to the house against what was left of the Cowboys first-team defense. He went untouched, showing his acceleration through the hole and to the end zone.

Is he a good waiver pickup, though? You might be asking yourself if he's worth pick up due the fact that McCaffrey is healthy. I'm going to say yes, and my reasoning is that CMC saw his usage go down after practically never leaving the field against the Rams to averaging 75.3% of snaps in Weeks 3-4.

I can see the 49ers plugging Mason more into the lineup to protect CMC and also in situations where they're beating the brakes off teams. There's a solid chance that Mason could be a TD upside flex each week with the pace that the 49ers are scoring, making him a perfect waiver wire addition.

Dive into the excitement of the NFL Draft 2024 with our NFL Draft Simulator. Craft your own mock draft, make strategic picks, and experience the thrill of being in control. Shape the future of your favorite team with our immersive NFL mock draft experience.

---

#3 D'Onta Foreman, Chicago Bears

Foreman is used to filling in for running backs and producing at a high level. While Week 5 could be his first chance to do so with the Bears, previously he has done it in Carolina and Tennessee.

In 2021, Foreman filled in for the injured Derrick Henry and went absolutely off, scoring nine TDs and averaged 4.3 ypc in nine games. In 2022, he replaced the aforementioned CMC after he was sent to San Francisco. Foreman flawlessly stepped up and went for 914 yards and 5 TDs, leading to him getting a contract with the Bears.

Khalil Herbert went down with a ankle injury, and Roschon Johnson is dealing with a concussion. So, there's a possiblilty that Foreman could get a start in Week 6, and if Roschon is able to go, at the very least, he should be more involved.

Foreman is an excellent addition on your waiver wire this week because he's under the radar per se. Not a lot of people are focusing on him, but he has proven to be a solid starter in the past when given a shot.