Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 5 (Fantasy Football)
Can you believe we are already through the first month of the season? To me, it really flew by. Funnily enough, the Bye weeks are now upon us. We are easing in with just two teams to look out for, but they carry major fantasy implications: the Kansas City Chiefs and the Carolina Panthers. That means Kenneth Walker III, Patrick Mahomes, Bryce Young, and Tetairoa McMillan, to name a few. That is where the waiver wire will come in handy. Take a look at this week’s options not only to prepare for the Week 5 byes but also for the following two weeks.
Think ahead. Win your week.
Check out the full Waiver Wire episode of the Fantasy Footballers Podcast on YouTube:
Quarterback Waiver Rankings
C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans
With the help of WR Nico Collins, C.J. Stroud put on a show in Week 4 against the Dallas Cowboys—and believe it or not, that was not his only good performance of the year. Stroud has been usable in fantasy in three of the first four weeks, sitting at QB11 so far. With injuries plaguing the QB position and Bryce Young and Patrick Mahomes on bye this week, you can do far worse than Stroud against the Tennessee Titans.
Kirk Cousins, QB, Las Vegas Raiders
38-year-old Kirk Cousins has been absolutely thriving in Las Vegas. He has finished among the top 12 fantasy QBs in three of the first four weeks, and it is looking like Brock Bowers really is so back. With a weapon like Bowers, Ashton Jeanty putting up numbers, and Tre Tucker even starting to make a name for himself, this offense is looking like one you want to have pieces of. Cousins is available in 60% of leagues and is a solid option as long as the matchup is favorable.
Running Back Waiver Rankings
Emanuel Wilson and Zach Charbonnet, RBs, Seattle Seahawks
Okay, the Seattle Seahawks RB room is getting interesting, to say the least. To start, we know that Jadarian Price has recently landed on IR. With that, Emanuel Wilson stepped up as their number-one rushing option. He went off in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers with 81 yards on the ground and a rushing TD, plus 39 yards through the air and a receiving TD. He ended the week as the RB6, and fantasy managers who picked him up off waivers were found celebrating in the streets. If he is available in your league, he is 62% rostered; get out there and grab him while he is hot.
Now, going into Week 5, we have news: veteran RB Zach Charbonnet, who suffered an ACL injury last year, is back at practice. It is not clear whether he will play in Week 5, but it is important to be aware of his potential role on this team. Charbonnet is likely camping out in someone’s IR spot in your league, but make sure you double-check.
Will Shipley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Man, oh man, this has been the longest four weeks ever for the Philadelphia Eagles. Jalen Hurts has been struggling, DeVonta Smith is on IR, and now both of their leading RBs, Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby, are out. That leaves Will Shipley as their RB option heading into a tough Week 5 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. If you are desperate for a play this week, Shipley is available everywhere. Until Saquon, who is considered week-to-week with a hamstring injury, can return, Shipley will have a significant role on this team and is a must-add.
Tyler Allgeier, RB, Arizona Cardinals
Tyler Allgeier is available in over 50% of leagues, and he has been left as the lead RB on the Arizona Cardinals after rookie Jeremiyah Love suffered an apparent ankle injury. There is still uncertainty around Love’s availability for Week 5, but HC Mike LaFleur reduced his role to virtually nothing at the end of the game in Week 4, leading me to believe the team is taking a conservative approach with him. Regardless, Allgeier is worth picking up as an insurance back, and if Love is out this week, you can play him with confidence against the Detroit Lions.
Austin Ekeler, RB, Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders have been absolutely obliterated by injuries this year, including their veteran RB Rachaad White, who is dealing with a shoulder injury. As a result, the team signed Austin Ekeler, and he hit the ground running in Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts. In an ugly game, Ekeler stood out. He saw five touches compared to Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s 11, but he was just 10 yards behind in overall rushing yards. He was efficient, and he looked like the talented back he has always been when healthy. White is expected to practice this week, so monitor that to manage expectations. However, Ekeler is looking like a top RB add going into Week 5.
we should probably be adding Austin Ekeler pic.twitter.com/ZhdslZoEO9
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) October 4, 2026
Wide Receiver Waiver Rankings
Romeo Doubs, WR, New England Patriots
It is no secret that Drake Maye and the New England Patriots have been struggling during the first month of the NFL season. The offense has looked out of sync, to put it lightly, and losing their lead WR A.J. Brown to an ankle injury certainly did not help. But against all odds, in Week 4 against the 3–0 Buffalo Bills, the Patriots looked like a real football team and pulled out the win. A key piece of the puzzle was Romeo Doubs, who finally showed out and looked like the elite WR Patriots fans were promised. Doubs ended the week with six catches on nine targets for 58 yards and two TDs. He is available in 40% of leagues but should be rostered everywhere.
KC Concepcion Jr., WR, Cleveland Browns
The young Cleveland Browns have managed to surprise us through their first four games, coming out 3–1 as we settle into October. This is due in large part to their two rookie WRs delivering on their promise. KC Concepcion Jr. and Denzel Boston have both become reliable targets in this offense. Boston has clearly taken the lead role, but Concepcion just racked up his career high in receiving yards in their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Concepcion’s usage looks like what we traditionally see from rookie WRs. His snap percentage and targets are steadily increasing as he settles into the season, and if the trend continues, his fantasy relevance will improve. He is rostered in just over 60% of leagues, so he may not be available in your league. However, be sure to check, because he is a decent flex play against the New York Jets in Week 5.
Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir, WR, Buffalo Bills
Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir both have the opportunity for more work in the coming weeks with the reaggravation of DJ Moore‘s shoulder injury. Coleman looks like the stronger target because of what he has done with the opportunities he has been given. This past week, he caught six of seven targets for 116 yards and a TD, while Khalil Shakir saw one more target than Coleman but had 82 yards and no opportunities in the endzone. Both of these guys are talented players and widely available, but Coleman has had stronger flashes this year, making him the piece of this offense I would look for first.
Tight End Waiver Rankings
T.J. Hockenson, TE, Minnesota Vikings
T.J. Hockenson—oh, you mean the number-one TE on the week, T.J. Hockenson? Did not have that on my 2026 bingo card. It looked like he and QB Kyler Murray might have unlocked something special during their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kyler was looking for him constantly without Justin Jefferson, and their chemistry was unmatched. Jefferson may return in Week 5, so keep an eye out for that. However, it may be worth picking Hockenson up to see if they continue looking for ways to make him a more relevant part of this offense.
Mike Gesicki, TE, Cincinnati Bengals
It feels like Cincinnati Bengals TE Mike Gesicki has been flying under the radar, overshadowed by Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins. But he has finished as a top-11 TE in three of the first four weeks of the 2026 season. Both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins carry injury designations going into Week 5, so Gesicki could end up being Burrow’s best target in their matchup against the Miami Dolphins. If you need a high-upside plug-and-play this week, Gesicki is about as good as it gets.
Team DST Waiver Rankings
Cincinnati Bengals, DST
If you need a sneaky start this week because you have, say, the Kansas City Chiefs defense, the Cincinnati Bengals are it. They are available in about 80% of leagues, and they are up against the Miami Dolphins in Week 5. The Bengals defense has improved in 2026, especially against RBs, which, in case you have not noticed, the Miami Dolphins have to rely on heavily to do anything offensively. So, long story short, you can pick up the Bengals DST, play them in Week 5, and then drop them and move on as they head into the bye in Week 6.