The Week 5 fantasy football waiver wire isn’t the deepest one we’ve seen, but there’s still some value to chase. Between injuries and shifting backfield usage, players like Woody Marks and Kendre Miller are suddenly on the radar as legit pickups. If you’re in need of RB help or just looking to stash some upside before it’s too late, this is the week to make a move.
Wide receiver, on the other hand, is looking a little rough. The brutal Malik Nabers ACL tear not only crushed the Giants’ passing game, but the waiver wire doesn’t necessarily have major weapons to add. We’ll keep digging for breakout WR help as it emerges, but for now, the smart play is loading up on running backs while they’re still available.
Let’s dive in.
NOTE: This Week 5 Waiver Wire article will be updated throughout the Week 5 slate, and it is not final until Monday Night Football concludes.
HEADS UP: Each player featured is rostered in roughly 50% or fewer leagues on Yahoo! at the time of publication.
FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 5 WAIVER WIRE
QUARTERBACKS
JAXSON DART, NY GIANTS (23% ROSTERED)
Jaxson Dart’s first NFL start wasn’t exactly a Picasso of QB play, but hey, a win’s a win. The Giants’ rookie led a 21-18 upset over the Chargers, throwing for 111 yards and a touchdown while doing most of his fantasy damage on the ground (10 carries, 54 yards, and a rushing score). Nearly 20 fantasy points later, we’ve got ourselves a new QB streamer to keep an eye on… Think of rookie Drake Maye with that Konami upside.
The massive, massive downside? Malik Nabers tore his ACL, which is a brutal blow for both the Giants and Dart’s rest of season outlook. That leaves Wan’Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton as his main targets, while rookie RB Cam Skattebo has shown flashes with Tyrone Tracy Jr. sidelined. Expect the Giants to lean on Dart’s legs and Skattebo to keep things moving, which could be great for Dart’s rushing floor and streamer appeal.
OTHERS TO TARGET: Matthew Stafford (42%), Carson Wentz (8%), Sam Darnold (21%), Michael Penix (26%, on BYE), Jake Browning (13%)
RUNNING BACKS
WOODY MARKS, HOUSTON TEXANS (29% ROSTERED)
Woody Marks truthers, rise up! It finally happened. After weeks of nudging you to stash him (and draft him), Marks busted out in Week 4 with a monster performance: 21 touches, 119 total yards, four grabs, and two touchdowns for a juicy 26 fantasy points. Those aren’t just streamer numbers. That’s legit RB2 upside staring us in the face.
The biggest storyline? The backfield split. Nick Chubb went from dominating snaps to losing touches to Marks (21 to 15), and the rookie clearly looked like the better back. Given his elite pass-catching chops and full three-down skill set, it feels like only a matter of time before Marks takes the reins outright.
If he’s still floating around on your waiver wire, this is your last chance. Dump the FAAB.
KENDRE MILLER, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5% ROSTERED)
Kendre Miller is finally carving out a role for himself in the Saints’ backfield after spending his first two seasons in the previous regime’s doghouse. In Week 4 against Buffalo, the rookie handled 11 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown, good for nearly 13 fantasy points. That came just a week after seeing 20 snaps to Alvin Kamara’s 54. So, while Kamara still owns the backfield, Miller is starting to sneak his way into the mix.
Kamara’s always going to get his 15+ touches and passing-down work, but Kellen Moore looks willing to give Miller some early-down and goal-line chances. If that trend continues, Miller has sneaky FLEX appeal in deeper leagues and carries stash-worthy value as Kamara’s clear backup.
ZAVIER SCOTT, MINNESOTA VIKINGS (1% ROSTERED)
Who the hell is Zavier Scott? Oh, wait. We told you who he was two weeks ago.
Zavier Scott made the most of his opportunities in Week 4, hauling in 6-of-8 targets for 43 yards and a touchdown in the Vikings’ loss to Pittsburgh across the pond. With Aaron Jones on IR, Scott operated in a hybrid role, lining up in the backfield, the slot, and even out wide. He only carried the ball twice for a single yard, but his 17% target share is nothing to sneeze at.
The converted wideout from Maine and UConn clearly brings a different skill set to Minnesota’s backfield, and the Vikings seem willing to get creative with him. While Carson Wentz’s 46 pass attempts helped juice the volume, Scott’s usage as a pass-catcher makes him a name to monitor in deeper leagues. He’s on the RB4/deep FLEX radar heading into the Week 5 London game against Cleveland.
OTHERS TO TARGET: Kenneth Gainwell (22%, on BYE), Brashard Smith (2%), Tyler Allgeier (35%, on BYE)
WIDE RECEIVERS
DARIUS SLAYTON, NY GIANTS (2% ROSTERED)
If you’re scrambling after the brutal Malik Nabers ACL news, Darius Slayton is likely the next man up in New York. He didn’t light the box score on fire Sunday (3 catches, 44 yards), but he quietly led the Giants in receiving during Jaxson Dart’s first career start. With Nabers gone, Slayton becomes the de facto top downfield threat in what might be the NFL’s flimsiest WR group, but volume is king in fantasy, and Slayton’s about to get plenty of it.
We’ve seen this script before: last year when Nabers missed two games, Slayton turned in a solid 14-179-1 line. Now, he’s locked into heavy snaps and should see an uptick in targets from the rookie QB who already looked his way the most in Week 4. As you’ll see below, Wan’Dale Robinson will have a role too, but Slayton’s field-stretching ability gives him the higher ceiling with Dart’s rocket arm. With a decent 9-135-0 line on the season already and the Saints on deck, Slayton is absolutely worth a waiver scoop as a potential WR3/FLEX who could sneak into weekly starter territory.
WAN’DALE ROBINSON, NY GIANTS (49% ROSTERED)
Similar to Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson’s Week 4 line won’t blow you away, with three catches for 14 yards on five targets, but context is everything. With Malik Nabers going down for the year, Robinson almost has to step into a bigger role by default. He even saw a key 4th-and-goal end zone look, though it ended with him getting split in half by two defenders.
Slayton will handle the downfield shots, but Robinson should emerge as the short-area security blanket for rookie QB Jaxson Dart. The volume might not always be pretty in this Dart-led offense, but Robinson is the favorite to lead the Giants in targets moving forward. Think of him as a WR4 with sneaky PPR upside heading into Week 5 against the Saints.
OTHERS TO TARGET: Elic Ayomanor (31%), Romeo Doubs (40%), Jalen Coker (9%), Luke McCaffrey (1%), Isaiah Bond (0%), Tutu Atwell (0%), Hollywood Brown (44%), Jayden Higgins (16%)
TIGHT ENDS
BRENTON STRANGE, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (28% ROSTERED)
Brenton Strange didn’t score in Week 4, but he kept the momentum rolling with another seven targets, which is his second straight game seeing that kind of volume. He turned them into six catches for 45 yards in the Jaguars’ upset win over the 49ers, and while that stat line won’t single-handedly win you a matchup, it’s the kind of steady production that makes him a legit bye-week streamer.
With the Chiefs, Rams, and Seahawks coming up, Strange is in a nice spot to keep soaking up looks from Trevor Lawrence, who’s clearly getting more comfortable leaning on his athletic tight end. If you’re scrambling at the position, Strange’s usage and talent combo make him one of the better Week 5 waiver wire pickups at TE.
OTHERS TO TARGET: Theo Johnson (5%), Isaiah Likely (16%), Oronde Gadsden II (3%), Tommy Tremble (0%)
