2018 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Week 5: Start, Stash and Stream

Welcome back to Start, Stash and Stream where we provide an in depth look into the waiver wire landscape each week. It may be Week 5 already, but a laundry list of players still remain in the waiver wire graveyard waiting for you to resurrect them from fantasy death, just in time to spark life into your decaying team (can you tell I am getting into the Halloween spirit). There are a number of emerging stars who enjoyed breakout performances Week 4, and more than a handful could be league-changing pickups. So lets take a look at the tombstones of these cast offs and explore their rest-of-season values. As a note, bye week players worthy of Start, Stash and Stream consideration will find themselves in the “Stash” section from here on out, so be wary.

Start

1. Nyheim Hines, RB, Indianapolis Colts (15% Yahoo ownership); (8-10% FAAB)
2. Taywan Taylor, WR, Tennessee Titans (3% Yahoo ownership); (7-9% FAAB)
3. Antonio Callaway, WR, Cleveland Browns (38% Yahoo ownership); (6-8% FAAB)
4. Geronimo Allison, WR, Green Bay Packers (47% Yahoo ownership); (5-7% FAAB)
5. Keke Coutee, WR, Houston Texans (2% Yahoo ownership); (3-5% FAAB)  
6. Derek Carr, QB, Oakland Raiders (36% Yahoo ownership); (2-4% FAAB) 
7. Vance McDonald, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers (43% Yahoo ownership); (2-4% FAAB) 
8. DeDe Westbrook, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars (42% Yahoo ownership); (1-3% FAAB)
9. Jack Doyle, TE, Indianapolis Colts (42% Yahoo ownership); (1-3% FAAB) 
10. Ryan Grant, WR, Indianapolis Colts (36% Yahoo ownership); (1% FAAB)
11. Blake Bortles, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars (33% Yahoo ownership)

In the debut article of Start, Stash and Stream, only one of the three Colts running backs made the list. And wouldn’t you know it, that one running back is this week’s top add. Nyheim Hines had himself a Sunday afternoon against the Texans, leading Indianapolis in targets (11) and receptions (9), while recording 73 total yards and 2 scores in the process. As a team, the Colts ran the ball 17 times for 41 yards, a paltry 2.41 yard per carry, and on the year the Colts average a mere 3.6 YPC. With Andrew Luck looking locked and loaded as the gunslinger we all remember, Indy will likely fade out its rushing “attack”, which will only bolster Hines’ value as the premiere pass catching back on the Colts offense…No, we are not magicians or soothsayers, and no, we cannot see the future. Even if it sometimes seems that way. Upon Rishard Matthew‘s release from the Tennessee Titans, RSJ immediately introduced you to Taywan Taylor, Tennessee’s newest explosive toy that could change fantasy seasons. His game plays well in Matt Lafleur‘s offensive system, and he could enjoy quite the volume, with unlimited upside, due to a dearth of offensive skill position players on the Titans roster…Keke Coutee, do you love me? Sorry faithful readers, but that was a layup. With the oft-injured Will Fuller IV departing Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury (non-precautionary, per head coach Bill O’Brien), Coutee took off right where Fuller left off, catching an impressive 11 of 15 targets (both team leading) for 109 yards. We know all-world wideout DeAndre Hopkins is the apple of Deshaun Watson‘s eye, but there will be plenty to eat in this up-and-upcoming, high-octane offense. With Fuller likely to be hampered by the injury bug on and off again this year, Coutee will maintain value all season long…Derek Carr may have finally adapted to John Gruden‘s offensive system. And boy is it paying dividends. Since Week 1, Carr is completing 70.5% of his throws, and averaging over 350 passing yards per game. Most recently, Carr fired his finest masterpiece of this early season throwing for 437 yards and 4 scores in a comeback victory against the Browns. He has shown QB1 ability in the past, and Gruden could be the right Head Coach to unlock his top 6 upside…With T.Y. Hilton likely missing Thursday’s game in New England due to a hamstring injury, look for Luck to continue his connection with Ryan Grant against a beatable Pats secondary. Grant played a whopping 72 snaps in last week’s overtime defeat, and his percentage of snaps will only increase as the most trusted Colts weapon on a short week.

Stash

1. Ronald Jones II, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (24% Yahoo ownership); (6-8% FAAB)
2. Taylor Gabriel, WR, Chicago Bears (6% Yahoo ownership); (6-8% FAAB)
3. Ty Montgomery, RB, Green Bay Packers (18% Yahoo ownership); (4-6% FAAB)
4. Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (47% Yahoo ownership); (3-5% FAAB)
5. Cameron Brate, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (23% Yahoo ownership); (1-3% FAAB)
6. Theo Riddick, RB, Detroit Lions (23% Yahoo ownership); (1-3% FAAB)
7. Duke Johnson, RB, Cleveland Browns (42% Yahoo ownership); (1-2% FAAB)
8. Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12% Yahoo ownership)
9. Mike Davis, RB, Seattle Seahawks (2% Yahoo ownership) 
10. Marcus Mariota, QB, Tennessee Titans (33% Yahoo ownership)
11. Frank Gore, RB, Miami Dolphins (8% Yahoo ownership) 
12. Alfred Blue, RB, Houston Texans (1% Yahoo ownership)
13. Latavius Murray, RB, Minnesota Vikings (41% Yahoo ownership)
14. Cole Beasley, WR, Dallas Cowboys (13% Yahoo ownership) 
15. Baker Mayfield, QB, Cleveland Browns (44% Yahoo ownership) 
16. Jordan Matthews, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (3% Yahoo ownership)
17. Wendell Smallwood, RB, Philadelphia Eagles (5% Yahoo ownership)
18. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, Green Bay Packers (0% Yahoo ownership)
19. Malcolm Brown, RB, Los Angeles Rams (2% Yahoo ownership)
20. Rod Smith, RB, Dallas Cowboys (1% Yahoo ownership)
21. Ted Ginn Jr., WR, New Orleans Saints (37% Yahoo ownership)
22. Rishard Matthews, WR, Free Agent (17% Yahoo ownership)
23. Dez Bryant, WR, Free Agent (19% Yahoo ownership)
24. Marlon Mack, RB, Indianapolis Colts (29% Yahoo ownership)
25. Zay Jones, WR, Buffalo Bills (1% Yahoo ownership)
26. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns (19% Yahoo ownership)
27. C.J. Anderson, RB, Carolina Panthers (27% Yahoo ownership)
28. Geoff Swaim, TE, Dallas Cowboys (0% Yahoo ownership)
29. Donte Moncrief, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars (6% Yahoo ownership) 
30. Jordan Wilkins, RB, Indianapolis Colts (25% Yahoo ownership)
31. Martavis Bryant, WR, Oakland Raiders (5% Yahoo ownership)
32. Tyrell Williams, WR, Los Angeles Chargers (11% Yahoo ownership) 
33. Rashard Higgins, WR, Cleveland Browns (1% Yahoo ownership)
34. Spencer Ware, RB, Kansas City Chiefs (7% Yahoo ownership) 
35. Chris Ivory, RB, Buffalo Bills (26% Yahoo ownership)
36. Doug Martin, RB, Oakland Raiders (5% Yahoo ownership)
37. Willie Snead IV, WR, Baltimore Ravens (5% Yahoo ownership)
38. Jalen Richard, RB, Oakland Raiders (7% Yahoo ownership)
39. Ito Smith, RB, Atlanta Falcons (4% Yahoo ownership)

A few weeks ago I warned you about Peyton Barber‘s persistent struggles to find open space and a potential coups involving Ronald Jones II even as he sat out as a healthy scratch each of the first three weeks. Well, Jones made his (rather unimpressive) debut in Sunday’s rout at the hands of the Bears, and he profiled as the lead back in the Bucs backfield. Granted, Barber played 11 more snaps than Jones, but Jones out-touched Barber 11 to 8 and out-gained him on the ground, and can only help a stagnant, plodding Tampa Bay run offense. As the potential lead back, Jones is worth the plunge in FAAB if you are RB needy…Not many (aka, no one) saw Mitchell Trubiksy‘s breakout performance Sunday as he threw for 354 yards and 6 touchdowns. Taylor Gabriel caught all seven of his targets for 104 yards and two touchdowns, adding in a ten yard run as well. Gabriel continues to be a focal point of the Bears offensive attack, ranking first on the team in receptions and touchdowns, and second to Allen Robinson in targets and receiving yardage. Gabriel could be the dynamic gas that gets the Bears offensive engine grooving…Back to the Lone Star State, it is worth noting Lamar Miller only had one more touch (14 to 13) than Alfred Blue in the run game, while Blue garnered 3 targets to Miller’s 0 in the Texans’ passing attack…After Week 5, Browns rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield gets a slew of horrendous pass defenses in his next six games, playing against the Chargers, Bucs, Steelers, Chiefs, Falcons, and Bengals. It could be time to buy low, and then immediately sell high.

Stream

1. Mohamed Sanu, WR, Atlanta Falcons (14% Yahoo ownership)
2. Chester Rogers, WR, Indianapolis Colts (0% Yahoo ownership)
3. Tennessee Titans DST (15% Yahoo ownership)
4. Paul Richardson, WR, Washington Redskins (7% Yahoo ownership)
5. Carolina Panthers DST (38% Yahoo ownership)
6. Zach Pascal, WR, Indianapolis Colts (0% Yahoo ownership)
7. Christian Kirk, WR, Arizona Cardinals (12% Yahoo ownership)
8. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars (29% Yahoo ownership)
9. Josh Doctson, WR, Washington Redskins (15% Yahoo ownership)

After taking a back seat to rookie breakout Calvin Ridley the past few weeks, Mohamed Sanu outsnapped Ridely 55 to 38, and outplayed him for most of the day (6 receptions on 9 targets for 111 yards to Ridley’s 4 receptions on 6 targets for 54 yards). With a shootout brewing against a Steelers defense allowing 29 points per game, Sanu could regain his early-season relevance in Week 5…I may like Grant Thursday, but either of Chester Rogers or Zach Pascal could also be in the mix for a boom play against a struggling Patriot secondary. Pascal slightly outsnapped Rogers, but Rogers saw more looks, caught more balls, and recorded more yards.

Others, for those of you in leagues with your grandmothers and pets (50-60% Yahoo ownership)

1. T.J. Yeldon, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars (50% Yahoo ownership); (12-14% FAAB)
2. Quincy Enunwa, WR, New York Jets (58% Yahoo ownership); (10-12% FAAB)
3. Bilal Powell, RB, New York Jets (58% Yahoo ownership); (5-7% FAAB)
4. Alex Smith, QB, Washington Redskins (55% Yahoo ownership); (1% FAAB)
5. Jamaal Williams, RB, Green Bay Packers (58% Yahoo ownership); (1% FAAB)
6. Peyton Barber, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (54% Yahoo ownership)
7. Alfred Morris, RB, San Fransisco 49ers (50% Yahoo ownership) 
8. Pierre Garcon, WR, San Fransisco 49ers (53% Yahoo ownership) 
9. Benjamin Watson, TE, New Orleans Saints (60% Yahoo ownership) 

Weeks ago I mentioned the potentially lingering hamstring injury of Leonard Fournette and T.J. Yeldon‘s rising stock as he continues carving out a role for himself in the Jaguars offense…With at least 57 receiving yards in each contest, and 37 targets on the year,  Quincy Enunwa profiles as a weekly WR3 or Flex, and must be rostered in all formats…With a dream matchup Week 5, Alex Smith and the Washington Redskins look to take advantage of a horrendous Saints defense allowing over 28 points per game.

Week 4 Waiver Wire Rankings

1. Nyheim Hines, Indianapolis Colts 
2. Taywan Taylor, WR, Tennessee Titans 
3. Ronald Jones II, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 
4. Antonio Callaway, WR, Cleveland Browns 
5. Taylor Gabriel, WR, Chicago Bears
6. Geronimo Allison, WR, Green Bay Packers 
7. Ty Montgomery, RB, Green Bay Packers
8. Keke Coutee, WR, Houston Texans 
9. Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 
10. Derek Carr, QB, Oakland Raiders
11. Vance McDonald, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers 
12. DeDe Westbrook, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars 
13. Cameron Brate, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 
14. Jack Doyle, TE, Indianapolis Colts 
15. Theo Riddick, RB, Detroit Lions
16. Duke Johnson, RB, Cleveland Browns 
17. Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
18. Ryan Grant, WR, Indianapolis Colts 
19. Mike Davis, RB, Seattle Seahawks 
20. Marcus Mariota, QB, Tennessee Titans 

Good luck finding these diamonds in the rough. Remember, some stashes can immediately become starts, so always stay updated with RSJ, as we will always provide the latest and greatest info.

To contact me with any questions or general fantasy football discussion, please email me at redsocker45@gmail.com or tweet me ‪@AJGamballer‪.