Top 10 DraftKings Plays Under $4,000: NFL Week 6

Tyler Higbee and Kalif Raymond give us real receiving production at the cheap end of Sunday’s slate. Jalen Brooks offers a newly expanded role, while Pittsburgh’s receiver injuries create an interesting opening for Darnell Washington. Those are better reasons to save salary than simply hoping a minimum-priced player catches a touchdown.

The values below fit the October 18, 2026 DraftKings Sunday Main slate, and every salary is strictly below $4,000. Our final entry, Efton Chism III, is conditional on how New England handles A.J. Brown’s workload after his confirmed return. These are different ways to finish a lineup, not ten players we would try to combine.

Rank	Player	Position	Salary	Matchup
1	Tyler Higbee	TE	$3,400	ARI at LAR
2	Kalif Raymond	WR	$3,900	CHI at ATL
3	Jalen Brooks	WR	$3,200	ARI at LAR
4	Dallas Goedert	TE	$3,900	CAR at PHI
5	Darnell Washington	TE	$2,900	PIT at TB
6	Cade Otton	TE	$3,300	PIT at TB
7	Kyle Pitts Sr.	TE	$3,700	CHI at ATL
8	Michael Mayer	TE	$3,200	BUF at LV
9	Darren Waller	TE	$3,600	CAR at PHI
10	Efton Chism III	WR	$3,500	NYJ at NE; conditional

1. Tyler Higbee, Rams: $3,400

Higbee has caught five passes in each of the last two games, producing 67 and 83 yards. He also caught eight passes in Week 3. That recent receiving involvement makes him our first tight-end salary saver, rather than a player who needs a touchdown to contribute. Rams game log

The matchup supports the idea. Derek Brown’s Week 6 review has Arizona allowing the most yards per target to tight ends, while Higbee ran a route on 68.8% of Rams dropbacks over the last two weeks. The limitation is that he received no red-zone targets in that span. We want access to Stafford’s completions, not an assumed scoring monopoly. Week 6 matchup and usage

Higbee works as a cheaper Stafford partner or alongside Puka Nacua in a passing-heavy Rams build. A comfortable lead and more rushing work would reduce the need for that second receiver to keep accumulating catches.

2. Kalif Raymond, Bears: $3,900

Raymond has 24 catches for 226 yards through five games. His 9.4 yards per reception points toward a reception-driven role, which matters on DraftKings: he can help without needing to win on a deep ball. Bears receiving statistics

We like him as a cheaper Chicago attachment in a game where Atlanta can force the Bears to keep moving the ball. He also lets a lineup use a more expensive Falcons return without paying for every premium receiver in the game. Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III and the tight ends still compete for the same throws, so Raymond is not a shortcut to owning the whole passing attack.

Atlanta’s official Sunday report says Caleb Williams is back after his hamstring absence; he is also absent from the NFL’s final Bears inactive list. Falcons game-day report Confirm Chicago’s starting quarterback and expected mobility before choosing a quarterback side of this stack. Raymond’s role is more established than a pure injury punt, but the quarterback’s condition can still alter the quality and distribution of his opportunities.

3. Jalen Brooks, Cardinals: $3,200

Brooks played 39 offensive snaps against Detroit after just 13 combined over the first four games. Arizona then confirmed seven targets as he took on some of the work left by Marvin Harrison Jr.’s departure. That is a specific role change worth paying attention to at $3,200. Cardinals snap review · Passing-game update

He is a useful low-cost return in a Stafford stack. If the Rams score early, Arizona may have to throw enough for a secondary receiver to matter alongside Trey McBride and Michael Wilson.

Seven targets became only two catches, however. Arizona also played 25 snaps with three tight ends, so the receiver rotation is not automatically settled. Brooks belongs in tournament constructions that can tolerate a quiet result; the new opportunity is the attraction, not a claim that he has become a high-floor starter.

4. Dallas Goedert, Eagles: $3,900

Goedert returned to the box score with six catches for 38 yards against Jacksonville. The catches are the useful part of that line: short completions can provide DraftKings value even when the offense struggles to produce explosive gains. Eagles player log

Jalen Hurts is out, putting Tanner McKee in line to lead Philadelphia. Goedert and McKee cost a combined $7,900, leaving room for premium players elsewhere. That is a low-cost bet on Philadelphia finding passing production through an established tight end, not a claim that a backup quarterback automatically improves the matchup.

DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks are cleared for Sunday after practicing fully Friday, which can change the target distribution. If Philadelphia leans on its running game or struggles to sustain drives, Goedert can collect a few short receptions without supplying a tournament-winning score. Check the active receiving group before treating him as more than a modest stack attachment. Eagles Week 6 report

5. Darnell Washington, Steelers: $2,900

Washington has a stronger opportunity argument this week than his low salary alone suggests. Pittsburgh has already ruled out Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek, with Michael Pittman Jr. on injured reserve. Offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio specifically discussed the flexibility supplied by Washington and Pat Freiermuth as the team adjusts its personnel. Steelers injury and personnel report

There is also a coverage angle. Derek Brown’s Week 6 study notes Tampa Bay’s heavy single-high usage and Washington’s better receiving efficiency against that look. The catch is deployment: Washington’s overall route share is only 35.8%, despite a much higher snap rate. Extra tight-end formations can mean blocking assignments rather than extra targets. Coverage and route analysis

That makes him a cheap Aaron Rodgers tournament partner, not a dependable reception-floor play. We are betting some of the available receiving work reaches him; other pass catchers can take a larger share. Sunday update: Freiermuth is not on Pittsburgh’s final inactive list after the calf designation, and DK Metcalf remains available. That does not guarantee either player’s workload or transfer extra targets to Washington. Steelers Sunday inactive report Steelers Saturday update

6. Cade Otton, Buccaneers: $3,300

Otton has caught between three and five passes in every game this season. His last two produced four catches for 37 yards and three for 25. That is a small but persistent role, and it is more useful evidence than simply calling a tight end a young quarterback’s safety blanket. Buccaneers game log

At $3,300, Otton can serve as a cheap attachment to a Tampa Bay passing build or a return in a Steelers stack. A few catches plus a touchdown would be meaningful at this price, but he has not scored this season, so the touchdown remains an upside path rather than the base expectation.

Chris Godwin practiced fully Thursday after a rest day and remains established competition for underneath targets. Tampa Bay can also lean on its running backs rather than expand the passing volume. Keep Otton as an economical complementary play; nothing in the recent box scores supports treating him as the offense’s featured receiver. Buccaneers Week 6 preview

7. Kyle Pitts Sr., Falcons: $3,700

Pitts caught five passes for 42 yards and a touchdown last week after three catches for 47 in Week 4. His first three games brought only two catches combined. The improvement is real, but the season-long record prevents us from calling one good scoring result a secure weekly role. Falcons player log

He fits a Penix stack that wants to spend on a Chicago return or an expensive running back. If defenses devote their attention to Drake London and Bijan Robinson, Pitts offers another receiving path into an Atlanta scoring drive.

Penix practiced fully Friday and has no game designation; Atlanta confirmed he will start Sunday. We would rather use Pitts in a deliberate bet on Atlanta’s passing success than as a standalone player we expect to match London’s volume. A Robinson-led win can leave Pitts with too few chances. Friday injury update

8. Michael Mayer, Raiders: $3,200

Mayer’s last two games show the range: eight catches for 82 yards against Kansas City, followed by one catch for two yards at New England. Brock Bowers being available does not remove Mayer from the passing game, but it does make his targets much less dependable. Raiders game log

Derek Brown’s current review specifically separates the games with Bowers in the lineup, giving Mayer a 10.7% target share in that sample. Buffalo has also allowed the 11th-highest yards per target to tight ends. That is enough for a small tournament case, not enough to project the eight-catch game forward. Week 6 role and matchup

We like him as the cheaper receiving bet in a Kirk Cousins construction or a Bills-game return when Bowers is unaffordable. Be selective about using both Raiders tight ends: both can play, but a lineup still needs sufficient passing production to support them.

9. Darren Waller, Panthers: $3,600

Waller’s route share rose from 37.2% in Week 1 to 62.2% in Week 4, and he has three red-zone targets after excluding his limited opening role. That growth gives him a legitimate path to contribute rather than relying on a first-time opportunity. Week 6 usage review

The matchup is why he stays near the bottom. The same review has Philadelphia allowing the seventh-fewest fantasy points per tight-end opportunity and no receiving touchdowns to the position. We are not labeling the Eagles a soft tight-end matchup just because Carolina’s offense is attractive elsewhere.

Waller is a smaller tournament option in a Bryce Young build, particularly if the game requires Carolina to keep throwing. Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker can dominate the receiving work, and a run-heavy game could leave Waller with very few chances. Higbee is our preferred one-off and also saves $200.

10. Efton Chism III, Patriots: $3,500 — conditional on the receiving rotation

Chism caught five passes for 57 yards against the Raiders, after two catches for 42 yards and a touchdown at Buffalo. That is tangible recent involvement, and New England’s own film review highlighted him among the receivers contributing to the offense’s improvement. Patriots player log · Week 5 film review

A.J. Brown is officially active, but his receiving workload remains uncertain. Patriots Sunday active-status report Chism stays conditional: use him only if credible pregame role information supports an expanded rotation despite Brown’s return. Active status alone does not establish Brown’s snap count or leave Chism the same opportunities as last week. Without that role evidence, pass rather than rely on the previous box score.

The Jets’ pressure can invite quick throws, but it can also disrupt the offense before a receiver gets a clean opportunity. Chism is our conditional tenth option, not an automatic core play.

Put the savings to work

Higbee and Raymond are our first looks for established recent catches. Brooks and Washington are more aggressive bets on changing personnel, while Goedert ties the savings to Philadelphia’s quarterback change. The remaining tight ends offer different paths into their game stacks, with Chism still requiring evidence of a useful role alongside the active Brown.

Tanner McKee, Hunter Henry, Germie Bernard and Kendrick Bourne cost exactly $4,000 and therefore do not qualify for this list. Keep enough flexibility for the final injury reports, and prefer one cheap player with a clear job over a lineup full of thin receiving bets.