Welcome to the Fantasy Football Week 5 Waiver Wire pickups, where we give you the players to start immediately, stash at the end of your bench, or stream for a week or two.
Unfortunately, for this week, we have a whole lot of stashes and streamers, and very few that could fit our ‘start’ category. After four weeks featuring the likes of Puka Nacua, Kyren Williams, De’Von Achane, and Tank Dell, we were bound to have a down week in waiver wire land.
That said, let’s look back at Week 4 and dissect the prospects for the Fantasy Football Week 5 Waiver Wire.
Week 5 Bye Weeks: Browns, Chargers, Seahawks, Buccaneers
Note: Roster % based on Yahoo leagues and should have roughly 50% ownership
Check First: Joshua Palmer (62%), Jaylen Warren (55%), Romeo Doubs (54%), Cole Kmet (54%)
WEEK 4 WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS
START
- CJ Stroud, QB Houston Texans (47% rostered)
- Jake Ferguson, TE Dallas Cowboys (53%)
The rookie QB in Houston is absolutely tearing it up through the first quarter of the season. CJ Stroud has thrown for two touchdowns in three straight games and has the Texans’ passing attack clicking. Houston has Stroud throwing over 30 times a game, so the volume and results are there. The offense is ascending in Houston.
Amid the Cowboys’ dismantling of the Patriots, tight end Jake Ferguson turned in seven receptions for 77 yards, catching all of his targets. He’s quietly turning in a top-ten tight end performance this year, as he’s consistently drawn roughly seven targets a game. Filling in that Dalton Schultz role nicely, Dak has a strong history with his tight ends.
STASH
- Jameson Williams, WR Detroit Lions (32%)
- Michael Wilson, WR Arizona Cardinals (2%)
- Tyjae Spears, RB Tennessee Titans (24%)
- Marvin Mims Jr, WR Denver Broncos (39%)
- Chuba Hubbard, RB Carolina Panthers (25%)
- Quentin Johnston, WR LA Chargers (46%)
- Wan’Dale Robinson, WR New York Giants (4%)
- Keaton Mitchell, RB Baltimore Ravens (17%)
- Terrace Marshall, WR Carolina Panthers (0%)
- Jonnu Smith, TE Atlanta Falcons (0% rostered)
- Curtis Samuel, WR Washington Commanders (9%)
Lions receiver Jameson Williams recently had his suspension reduced from six games down to four. This means he’s eligible to return this week against the Panthers. Williams has sky-high potential, but the former first-rounder has struggled to put it all together. Dripping with insane speed and deep-threat ability, Williams has a chance to add a dangerous wrinkle to Ben Johnson’s offense. His upside in this high-scoring offense is worthy of a high waiver selection.
The Cardinals rookie Michael Wilson had his coming out party after a strong and buzz-filled preseason. He finished the day with 76 yards and two scores on seven receptions and 70% of the snaps. He’s proving to be a better and more reliable WR2 than Rondale Moore, as Wilson has the bigger frame and is a legitimate red-zone target. This Cardinals’ offense isn’t the disaster we thought it would be.
Tyjae Spears does not have standalone value behind Derrick Henry, but the Titans trust him and give him seven to ten touches weekly. In Week 4, he rushed for 40 yards on five carries and caught three of four targets. His current role is game script-dependent, but he has elite handcuff upside if something happens to the King.
Marvin Mims is slowly creeping his way up the snap share totals with 35% against the Bears, but he’s making the most out of his limited work. We all know he drips with talent and proved it again by catching both his targets for 47 yards. Will Sean Payton ever unleash this kid?!
Old friend Chuba Hubbard out-snapped Miles Sanders this week as the latter dealt with a minor injury. Hubbard had lived in the mid-30% of snaps but crossed over 50% this week. He would carry solid RB2 or Flex value if Sanders missed time in the future.
The numbers weren’t impressive for Quentin Johnston in his first game without Mike Williams. Yet, with the bye week coming, Johnston is a high-upside stash due to his draft capital and the offense he’s in. Behind only Keenan Allen and Joshua Palmer on the receiver depth chart, the first-round pick has a chance to make noise. Be patient with this one.
No one really wants a piece of this disease that’s the Giants’ offense. But, second-year stud Wan’Dale Robinson can get separation just quick enough for Daniel Jones to see him before he gets sacked. Robinson has seen 11 targets over the past two games since returning from an ACL tear and has caught nine for 61 yards. If there’s such a thing, he might be the ‘target hog’ in the Giants offense.
Let’s add another running back to this mess of a backfield in Baltimore. Keaton Mitchell, the third-fastest back not-named Achane and Gibbs, balled out in the preseason before heading to IR with a shoulder injury. Now, he is eligible to be activated. Mitchell is an upside stash in deeper leagues.
With Jonathan Mingo out for the Panthers, Terrace Marshall made his mark with ten targets, catching nine for 56 yards. While Adam Thielen remains the WR1, Marshall outperformed DJ Chark, despite being the WR3 on the day.
It’s a crazy world when Jonnu Smith is outperforming Kyle Pitts for the Falcons. Averaging just under seven targets per game over the last three outings, Smith somehow has a connection with Ridder. It’s gross and we don’t like it at all, but the production has been there, so it’s someone to add to the list of potential tight end stashes or streamers.
Curtis Samuel saw a season-high eight targets and finished with seven receptions for 51 yards. He also ran in a score from the one-yard line. He’s still the WR3 behind Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, which limits his ceiling, but the upside is always there.
STREAM
- Jaleel McLaughlin, RB Denver Broncos (3% rostered)
- Tyler Boyd, WR Cincinnati Bengals (37% rostered)
- Sam Howell, QB Washington Commanders (18% rostered)
- Joshua Dobbs, QB Arizona Cardinals (5% rostered)
- Washington Commanders D/ST (26%)
- Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, WR Tennessee Titans (0% rostered)
- Miami Dolphins D/ST (48% rostered)
- Detroit Lions D/ST (10% rostered)
Broncos starting RB Javonte Williams left this week’s game with a hip injury and was ruled out. It’s not expected to be long-term, but there’s a chance he will miss Week 5. NCAA all-time leading rusher Jaleel McLaughlin would have a great shot to fill in as the lead early-down back in Williams’ absence over Semaje Perine. McLaughlin took his 33% snap share and turned in 72 yards on seven carries with 3-32-1 receiving. He vastly outplayed Perine, whose usage was already declining.
Bengals WR Tee Higgins will be out multiple weeks with a rib fracture, thus bumping Tyler Boyd up into the WR2 role in Cincinnati. The offense is struggling, but Boyd will see a volume increase over the next few games.
Sam Howell turned in a very solid game against a tough Eagles defense in Week 4. He’ll be rewarded with the Bears on Thursday night, which should be a breeze for this offense. He’s is a great QB streamer with Justin Herbert, Deshaun Watson, and Geno Smith on the bye.
Since his Week 1 stinker, Josh Dobbs has turned in quality fantasy performances, sitting as the QB16 overall. His rushing upside certainly helps, but Dobbs can be a play this week with the bye weeks we mentioned against a struggling Bengals team.
The Commanders DST gets the Bears on a short week, which should be a total mismatch in the trenches. Washington recorded seven sacks against Denver and three sacks against Arizona and Philly. Expect a handful of sacks and a turnover or two against Justin Fields & Co.
With Treylon Burks out, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine stepped up and finished 5-51-1 on six targets. Should Treylon Burks remain out, NWI would be a decent fill-in with the increased usage there.
Dolphins DST just got smacked by the Bills in Week 4, and this angry defense should tear up a Giants’ offensive line that just got dismantled on national television against the Seahawks (11 sacks, 2 INT, FR, TD). This could get very ugly.
The Lions DST defense has a home game against the Panthers this week, who haven’t gotten it going with rookie Bryce Young under center.
