FlurrySports’ best fantasy football waiver wire pickups to make in Week 5 include both Tyreek Hill and Brian Robinson Jr.
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The number of injuries this NFL season is getting obnoxious. Top players at every single position have gone down to injury. And even while writing this fantasy football waiver wire pickups article, we are now finding out that Tank Bigsby suffered an injury in the game and will be out for several weeks. So, ignore the mention of Bigsby in the video below, but please subscribe to our new channel!
Along with the numerous injuries, we are now entering bye week season! In Week 5, both the Carolina Panthers and the Kansas City Chiefs will be off. This takes away two good quarterbacks, two running backs, a few wide receivers and one relevant tight end. Hit the fantasy waiver wire to find a streamer, or block your opponent from picking someone up!
Below, we will go over several of the top fantasy football waiver wire pickups! I also have my waiver wire rankings over at the FlurrySports Playbook!
On Playbook.FlurrySports.org, I have everything your league doesn’t want you to have. My fantasy rankings, the NFL Survivor tool and a weather app are all free. However, I also have my fantasy football waiver rankings, exclusive stats and more for those who want more information. I will also be adding a trade value tool and tons of betting information. Simply, I wanted a one-stop shop to help you win on your NFL and college football picks this season!
Go check that out after reading the best fantasy football waiver wire targets ahead of Week 5.
Note: Players must be owned in less than 50% of ESPN leagues to be included in the best fantasy football waiver wire pickups column. Ownership percentages will reflect their status on Tuesday mornings ahead of standard waiver processing.
Best Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups Week 5
QB Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals (9.9%)
Jacoby Brissett was coming off a terrific Week 3 performance to face the Giants. And while he did throw multiple touchdowns in the game, his three interceptions doomed the Cardinals and tanked his fantasy day. That may scare some people off of Brissett, but you absolutely should pick him up ahead of Week 5.
The quarterback facing the Detroit Lions is an absolute must-start until proven otherwise. So, even if it’s only for one week, Jacoby Brissett is a priority amongst this week’s fantasy football waiver wire pickups.
As you can see on the FlurrySports Playbook, the Lions surrender the most fantasy points to quarterbacks, and they also allow 7.9 yards per pass attempt. Even if a team has one main receiving weapon, like Tetairoa McMillan last week, they are incapable of shutting it down. So, for a Cardinals team with several receiving weapons, Jacoby Brissett could have plenty of success in Week 5.
Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders (16.9%)
At some point, we have to recognize what is happening. The QB6 in fantasy, prior to Monday Night Football, is owned in less than a quarter of ESPN Fantasy leagues. And Kirk Cousins has been consistent as well, scoring over 21 fantasy points in each of the past three weeks. This includes last week’s matchup against the Chiefs, who have been among the best defenses in the NFL this season.
The matchups ahead don’t necessarily look favorable, but they aren’t any scarier than playing the Chiefs. Cousins and the Raiders will face the Patriots, Bills and Rams over the next three weeks. The good news here is that those are three good football teams.
Much like last week, when Cousins passed for 365 yards, the Raiders could be trailing or in a very close game, meaning Vegas can’t simply grind out the clock with the running game.
Other Fantasy QBs to Consider:
- Aaron Rodgers, PIT
- CJ Stroud, HOU
- Deshaun Watson, CLE
RB Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Once again, Tank Bigsby was my featured running back written up for this fantasy football waiver wire pickups article. With him injured, the RB landscape is very much clouded. Philadelphia is expected to sign someone while Seattle is in the market for a backfield addition as well. Watch both of those situations closely. Without that clarity, we are throwing darts.
Brian Robinson Jr., Atlanta Falcons (26.9%)
I love it when I get to talk about a player who is a clear handcuff, but he also has weekly value in his own right. Clearly, Brian Robinson Jr. is the perfect example of that right now. It has been back-to-back prime-time games where Robinson has found the end zone, so the entire country has seen how good he looks in Kevin Stefanski’s run scheme.
Robinson has double-digit carries in three straight weeks, and he still had nine in Week 1. He is clearly very involved, and he is making the most of his carries right now. However, he is a must-own given how high his value will skyrocket if anything happens to Bijan Robinson. If you are a Bijan owner, clearly Brian Robinson Jr. is a must-own, so pick him up off the waiver wire.
Keaton Mitchell, Los Angeles Chargers (18.1%)
I’ll start this by noting how I am not a fan of owning any Los Angeles Chargers. That was true prior to the season, and it is even more true now. However, given the Ladd McConkey injury and the overall issues with this Chargers offense, Keaton Mitchell is an interesting fantasy pickup and start in Week 5 against the Broncos.
This Chargers offense is not efficient whatsoever, which starts and really ends with Justin Herbert. To make matters worse, his “layup” underneath, Ladd McConkey, continues to suffer injuries. For Herbert to get easy completions and playmakers in space, last week showed that Mitchell can be used in that type of role. He caught five passes for 24 yards while carrying the ball 10 times for 29 yards.
Clearly, this offense needs a spark. Mitchell will never be a bell-cow RB, but he has the big-play ability to be a spark. And with an offense that does almost nothing well, they may need to utilize a boom/bust type of option. Against the Broncos next week, they may need to only swing for homers, and Mitchell is that home-run threat.
Just Missed the Cut: Emanuel Wilson, Seattle Seahawks (50%)
I said above that the players included have to be owned in less than 50% of ESPN Fantasy leagues, but Emanuel Wilson is owned in exactly half of leagues. As someone who has covered the Packers for the past decade, I am very familiar with Wilson, and I was surprised when the Seahawks didn’t make him their lead back with Zach Charbonnet out. Now, with Charbonnet still out and Jadarian Price now injured, Wilson has seen extended opportunities.
Emanuel Wilson had exactly 21 carries in two of the past three weeks, and another heavy workload looks likely in Week 5. Wilson is a terrific runner at the running back position, while he struggles with both pass protection and receiving. So, that is where he will lose some snaps. However, Seattle should continue to need his rushing ability, even after the Joe Mixon signing.
Other Fantasy RBs to Consider:
- Joe Mixon, SEA
- Tyler Allgeier, ARI
- Dameon Pierce, PHI
WR Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Tyreek Hill, Future Chief (26.9%)
You absolutely need to go pick up Tyreek Hill right now. It has been an open secret that Tyreek Hill was eyeing a reunion with the Chiefs in the same way that offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy did. In what is likely Travis Kelce’s final season, Kansas City is getting the band back together, and that process sped up due to the injuries this past week.
Tyquan Thornton dislocated his ankle while Rashee Rice hurt his hamstring. While there’s no good time to suffer injuries, it was the best timing possible for the Chiefs. Not only do they get a bye week to rest and get players healthy, but they also get a week to bring in a former Super Bowl champion with their team, get him up to speed and integrate him into the offense.
Obviously, you cannot start Tyreek Hill in Week 5, since the Chiefs are on bye. But, assuming he signs with the team in the coming days, he should play a relevant role pretty quickly. Hill had 265 yards and a touchdown over the first four games last season. To say he has WR2 upside with Kansas City is obvious, but he should be treated as a WR3 with upside most weeks.
It’s not often that you can pick up a player who will be a long-term starter for you, but that’s what I think Tyreek Hill is. This is potentially a league-winning fantasy football waiver wire pickup. Even if you don’t need a wide receiver, pick him up since his trade value will be high.
Dohnte Meyers, Cincinnati Bengals (0.2%)
The other wide receiver who should be worth a start in Week 5 is Dohnte Meyers, the Cincinnati Bengals’ rookie. Last week, Ja’Marr Chase left the game with a concussion. Under the new concussion protocol, players typically miss at least one game, so Meyers could have an expanded role in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins.
The Bengals’ undrafted rookie came over from the CFL and has looked solid. Meyers played 56% of the snaps in Week 3 alongside both Chase and Tee Higgins. However, he thrived this past week when Chase left the game, with Meyers totaling seven catches for 82 yards.
Tee Higgins is also a little bit banged up, which is a sentence that can pretty much be said whenever. Regardless, there is certainly a chance that Meyers goes from a WR2 role to something larger against Miami this week.
Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills (4.2%)
In their loss to the New England Patriots, DJ Moore reaggravated his shoulder injury. It’s possible he plays through it again this week, but my guess is that he will sit out and return in a week or two.
Without DJ Moore, it’s clear that Keon Coleman has taken a step forward and can be trusted in this Buffalo offense. In Week 4, he has six catches for 116 yards and a touchdown. When Moore got hurt in Week 2, Coleman totaled six catches for 63 yards. A matchup with the Los Angeles Rams will mean another game where the Bills get to test themselves, so look for them to come out firing, and Coleman will be their most talented wide receiver option healthy.
Other Fantasy WRs to Consider:
- Darius Cooper, PHI
- Adonai Mitchell, NYJ
- Malik Washington, MIA
TE Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals (19.6%)
As I have mentioned a couple times this season already, Mike Gesicki can be treated as a handcuff to either Ja’Marr Chase or Tee Higgins. If either player is inactive, Gesicki should play a relevant role.
Well, with Chase exiting last game with a concussion, Gesicki caught three passes for 40 yards and a touchdown. Players typically miss at least one game if they suffer a concussion, so it is safe to assume the Bengals will be without their WR1 next week.
Cincinnati plays Miami in Week 5. We saw the Dolphins give up 13 catches for 119 yards to TJ Hockenson last week. It’s very possible they struggle to cover Gesicki this week as well.
Michael Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders (12.1%)
Hopefully this is the final time I have to tell you that Michael Mayer is the starting TE for the Las Vegas Raiders. Brock plays in the slot and out wide the majority of the time while Mayer is the team’s in-line tight end, playing 74 of 84 snaps, per the FlurrySports Playbook.
The Raiders are playing good football right now, and the weak point of their offense honestly is their wide receivers. So, it makes sense that Bowers, Mayer and Ashton Jeanty led in receiving this week. Michael Mayer totaled eight catches for 82 yards, and he should be a waiver wire pickup in Week 5.
Other Fantasy TEs to Consider:
- Pat Freiermuth, PIT
- Chig Okonkwo, WAS
- Tyler Higbee, LAR
DST Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Cincinnati Bengals (17.4%)
The Cincinnati Bengals have a fantastic matchup against the Miami Dolphins on deck. As a unit, the Bengals’ defense has improved. They have four sacks in three of their four weeks, and Cincinnati has performed better against the run most of the time.
Now, Cincinnati likely won’t be the highest-scoring defense of the week, since the Dolphins will try to keep the ball on the ground and limit mistakes. However, the Bengals will rank high due to Miami simply being bad. They have not scored above 13 points this season. You will get points for a low number of points allowed, pick up a sack or two, and there is a chance for a turnover. If you are streaming defenses, you can’t ask for much more than that.
