Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Advice: Players to Add, Stash & Drop (Week 5) - RAW CHILI

The arrival of the bye weeks usually fills fantasy football managers with dread.

But the NFL is easing us into the boiling water this time, giving us only two teams on bye in Week 5. The Chiefs and Panthers will be idle this week.

Even light bye weeks can stress-test fantasy rosters. And of course, fantasy managers have new injuries to cope with.

Let’s take a look at this week’s waiver catalog.

(And as always, thanks to Nate Jahnke of PFF for the snap and route data.)

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Advice: Week 5

Week 5 Waiver Grade: C+

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Rankings: Week 5

Note: Players chosen based upon having early-week consensus roster percent near or below 50%.

(Rostership percentages are based on Yahoo leagues; Recommended FAAB bids are based on a $100 budget.)

Running Backs
Will Shipley (RB – PHI): 1% Rostered

Next Opponents: @JAX, CAR, DAL
True Value: $12
Desperate Need: $25
Budget-Minded: $7

Analysis: The Eagles have an injury crisis at the RB position, leaving Will Shipley as the improbable waiver darling of Week 5.

Saquon Barkley left the Eagles’ Week 4 game against the Rams with a hamstring injury early on. His primary backup, Tank Bigsby, sustained a core muscle injury later in the game that will require surgery. That left Shipley as the last man standing.

Shipley played 29 snaps on Sunday and had 6-23-0 rushing. He had only one target and didn’t catch it, but Shipley ran 15 routes on Sunday.

A fourth-round pick out of Clemson in 2024, Shipley showed off dual run-catch ability in college. As a sophomore, he had 1,424 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns in 14 games. He’s a terrific athlete who also starred in track and lacrosse in high school.

Bigsby is going on injured reserve and will be out at least a month. We’re still awaiting further information on Barkley’s injury, but it seems unlikely he’ll play this week. There’s a good chance Shipley will be the Eagles’ lead back this weekend when they visit the Jaguars.

Jacksonville has a stout run defense, but Shipley’s pass-catching ability gives him multiple paths to fantasy value.

Emanuel Wilson (RB – SEA): 49% Rostered

Next Opponents: SF, @DEN, KC
True Value: $10
Desperate Need: $20
Budget-Minded: $6

Analysis: In leagues where Emanuel Wilson is still available, there will be a feeding frenzy over him after his 20-81-1 rushing day against the Chargers in Week 4.

Rookie first-round pick Jadarian Price landed on injured reserve with a chest injury, thrusting Wilson into a lead-back role. George Holani is handling passing-down work for Seattle, but Wilson has early-down work to himself — for now.

Price will be back eventually, and Zach Charbonnet is reportedly close to returning from an ACL tear sustained at the beginning of last season’s playoffs. Charbonnet returned to practice on a limited basis last week. The Seahawks signed Joe Mixon on Monday, though it seems unlikely that Mixon would be active in Week 5. Mixon hasn’t played since 2024, when he had 1,016 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in 14 games for the Texans.

A lot of fantasy managers will pounce at the chance to add a running back with a good chance to get 15 or more touches in Week 5. Expect spirited bidding for Wilson in leagues where he remains unrostered.

Jaylen Wright (RB – MIA): 32% Rostered

Next Opponents: CIN, BYE, @NYJ
True Value: $7
Desperate Need: $14
Budget-Minded: $3

Analysis: After De’Von Achane went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 3, Ollie Gordon II became the hot waiver add of Week 4. It wasn’t completely clear, however, that Gordon ranked ahead of Jaylen Wright on Miami’s depth chart. Gordon just seemed to be the obvious target since Wright had missed the Dolphins’ Week 3 game with a stinger and neck injury.

Wright actually did get the start for the Dolphins against the Vikings on Sunday. But Gordon was in the backfield for Miami’s first series of the second half, broke off a 53-yard run on the second play of the drive, and was used in a lead role from that point on.

For now, it seems as if Gordon is the man of the hour in the Dolphins’ backfield, but this situation feels very fluid.

Wright remains available in 68% of Yahoo leagues. Despite his unimpactful performance Sunday against a tough Minnesota defense — he had 5-7-0 rushing and didn’t draw a target — Wright is still a worthwhile speculative addition.

Tyler Allgeier (RB – ARI): 36% Rostered

Next Opponents: DET, @LAR, DEN
True Value: $5
Desperate Need: $9
Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: Monitor the status of Jeremiyah Love, who sustained what is believed to be a minor ankle injury in the Cardinals’ Week 4 loss to the Giants. Love sustained a high-ankle sprain in the Cardinals’ first preseason game. The new injury is to his other ankle.

Love’s backup is the rugged and capable Tyler Allgeier, who had a 22-yard TD run for the Cardinals on Sunday. Love, the No. 3 overall draft pick in this year’s draft, has asserted himself as Arizona’s lead back. But Allgeier is unquestionably one of the more valuable handcuff RBs, and if Love were to miss Week 5, Allgeier would be ranked inside the top 20 at running back vs. the Lions.

Keaton Mitchell (RB – LAC): 35% Rostered

Next Opponents: DEN, @KC, BYE
True Value: $3
Desperate Need: $6
Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: The Chargers’ backfield has turned into a committee. Keaton Mitchell led the Chargers’ running backs with 26 snaps Sunday against the Seahawks, while Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal both played 25 snaps. Mitchell had 10-39-0 rushing and 5-24-0 on six targets to lead the backfield in touches.

The Chargers’ offensive line is a problem again. The interior is suspect, and tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt both left Sunday’s game with injuries.

Committee backs in struggling offenses have limited appeal, but … well, the bye weeks are here. Mitchell is getting decent touch volume, and his home run speed gives him the potential to make his weekly fantasy quota with a single explosive touch.

Kendre Miller (RB – NO): 13% Rostered

Next Opponents: MIN, @NYG, PIT
True Value: $2
Desperate Need: $4
Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: With Travis Etienne Jr. placed on injured reserve last week with a hamstring injury, Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller are left to carry the New Orleans backfield in the near term. Kamara is not widely available, but Miller is rostered in only 13% of Yahoo leagues.

Kamara was in the lead role in the Saints’ Week 4 loss to the Falcons, with 7-23-2 rushing and 5-35-0 receiving on seven targets. Miller had 6-9-0 rushing and 2-10-0 receiving on three targets.

Kamara’s efficiency numbers have been on the wane, suggesting that the 31-year-old veteran is slowing down. Miller, a third-round pick out of TCU in 2023, has flashed intriguing potential, but he’s been plagued by injuries throughout his tenure with the Saints.

There’s little chance of Miller seeing the field on obvious passing downs with Kamara around, but Miller could get significant work on early downs if Kamara isn’t capable of handling a heavy-duty role.

Kaleb Johnson (RB – GB): 6% Rostered

Next Opponents: CHI, DAL, @DET
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $2
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Kaleb Johnson is no more than an “any port in a storm” option for the truly RB-needy.

Johnson played 17 snaps for the Packers on Sunday — barely half as many as fellow RB MarShawn Lloyd. Johnson led the Packers with eight carries and 42 rushing yards, although he got 31 of those yards on one carry. Johnson was not involved in the passing game and coughed up a fumble near the goal line that cost the Packers a chance to pad a second-half lead.

Johnson would be unrosterable if not for a leg injury to Chris Brooks, who started at running back for the Packers on Sunday. If the injury is a multi-week thing, Johnson could get increased work while Brooks is out. But the Packers are struggling to run the ball effectively behind a bad offensive line, Johnson has very little pass-catching potential, and it’s hard to tell whether the fumble will cost Johnson opportunities in the near term.

Johnson is a Hail Mary waiver addition at best.

Joe Mixon (RB – SEA): 3% Rostered

Next Opponents: CHI, DAL, @DET
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $2
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Does 30-year-old Joe Mixon have anything left in the tank after being out of action since the 2024 season? The Seahawks are apparently willing to pay to find out. They are reportedly signing Mixon to their practice squad pending a physical, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Mixon would join a crowded RB room. Seattle just placed Jadarian Price on injured reserve with a chest injury. Zach Charbonnet is still recovering from an ACL tear but could be back soon. Mixon could have simply been added depth behind Emanuel Wilson and George Holani. Or, perhaps Mixon is about to surprise the cynics among us and show off the same form that helped him accumulate five 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

Mixon missed the entire 2025 season with a foot injury and was released by the Texans earlier this year. It seems far-fetched that Mixon could return to fantasy prominence considering his long hiatus from football and all the positional competition he faces in Seattle.

A small speculative bid on Mixon is fine, but don’t let your sense of nostalgia inspire a FAAB overpay.

Running Back Stash Candidates

Kaelon Black is arguably the most valuable handcuff RB in fantasy football. He’s playing behind 30-year-old Christian McCaffrey, who has an extensive injury history, and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is a perennial rainmaker for running backs.

A lot of the people who picked up Jonah Coleman a couple of weeks ago, only for the Broncos to immediately place him on injured reserve, have cut bait. Coleman is only 33% rostered in Yahoo leagues. When Coleman eventually returns from his high-ankle sprain, he’ll probably get a chance to help pull the Broncos’ moribund running game out of the doldrums.

Emmett Johnson didn’t get a carry on any of his 16 snaps Sunday against the Raiders, but he had a 10-yard catch. The rookie is the clear handcuff to Kenneth Walker III.

Brian Robinson Jr., rostered in 29% of Yahoo leagues, is among the more essential handcuff RBs, as he reminded us on Monday night with three touchdowns in the Falcons’ win over the Saints. If you’re rostering Bijan Robinson, you should eventually acquire the other Robinson in the Atlanta backfield.

Chris Rodriguez Jr. doesn’t have the stand-alone value that a lot of people in the fantasy community thought he might have. Bhayshul Tuten has pretty clearly earned lead-back status for the Jaguars. But Rodriguez is the clear No. 2 and would carry the Jacksonville running game on his shoulders if anything happened to Tuten.

Like Kaelon Black and Emmett Johnson, Mike Washington Jr. is a potentially valuable rookie handcuff playing behind a workhorse. Washington backs up second-year stud Ashton Jeanty.

Wide Receivers
Keon Coleman (WR – BUF): 4% Rostered

Next Opponents: @LAR, @LV, BYE
True Value: $6
Desperate Need: $11
Budget-Minded: $3

Analysis: Davante Adams had fewer than 500 receiving yards in each of his first two NFL seasons and was drop-prone during that early phase of his career. Adams reached the 13,000-yard milestone on Sunday and is a good bet for eventual Hall of Fame induction.

Adams’ story is a reminder that players can be redeemed after rough starts to their careers. Keon Coleman, the 33rd overall pick of the 2024 draft, was a disappointment over his first two seasons. His performances were uneven, and the exceptional contested-catch skills he showed off in college weren’t translating to the NFL.

But Coleman reminded us on Sunday that he still has an appealing skill set. He had the third 100-yard game of his career, putting up 6-116-1 on seven targets in a loss to the Patriots. Coleman had a 34-yard TD catch in the fourth quarter and had some other impressive grabs.

Bills WR DJ Moore reinjured his shoulder on Sunday and could miss several weeks. Buffalo doesn’t have any other impactful outside receivers, so Coleman could play a substantial role in the weeks to come. Coleman led the Bills’ receivers in snaps on Sunday and was second to Khalil Shakir in routes.

Matchups against the Rams and Raiders the next two weeks aren’t especially favorable for Coleman, but having Josh Allen as your quarterback is quite favorable.

Tre’ Harris (WR – LAC): 9% Rostered

Next Opponents: DEN, @KC, BYE
True Value: $5
Desperate Need: $9
Budget-Minded: $2

Analysis: Tre’ Harris might be on the verge of leapfrogging the inconsistent Quentin Johnston on the Chargers’ depth chart and potentially assuming a role that will make him consistently fantasy relevant.

Harris played 93.0% of the Chargers’ offensive snaps in a Week 4 loss to the Seahawks. Johnston had a 74.6% snap share.

It’s also possible the Chargers will have to play without WR Ladd McConkey this week. McConkey came into Week 4 with a foot injury and was unable to finish Sunday’s game. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh described McConkey as “week to week.”

A second-round draft pick out of Ole Miss last year, the 6-3, 210-pound Harris is a solid route runner with strong ball skills.

A Week 5 matchup with Denver would normally be a daunting one for an outside receiver, but Denver has injury problems at cornerback, with ace cover man Patrick Surtain II having gone down with an ankle injury on Sunday.

Khalil Shakir (WR – BUF): 42% Rostered

Next Opponents: @LAR, @LV, BYE
True Value: $2
Desperate Need: $4
Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: A high-floor, low-ceiling possession receiver, Khalil Shakir might have a higher ceiling than usual in the coming weeks if DJ Moore misses a few games. Moore reinjured his shoulder Sunday in the Bills’ 29-26 loss to the Patriots.

Shakir hadn’t produced more than 50 receiving yards in any of his first three games before going for 7-82-0 on eight targets against the Patriots. His day was highlighted by a 51-yard catch-and-run.

Primarily a slot receiver, Shakir has some favorable matchups coming up. In Week 4, he gets the Rams, who gave up two TD catches to slot receivers in their first three games. In Week 5, Shakir faces the Raiders, who entered Week 4 having given up the seventh-most receiving yards to slot receivers, per Fantasy Points Data.

With Moore’s injury potentially enhancing Shakir’s short-term target outlook, he is a worthy addition.

Dohnte Meyers (WR – CIN): 0% Rostered

Next Opponents: @MIA, BYE, @BAL
True Value: $2
Desperate Need: $4
Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: One of the best feel-good underdog stories of this year’s NFL training camps, Dohnte Meyers suddenly has real fantasy appeal due to the Bengals’ injury crisis at wide receiver.

Meyers is a 26-year-old rookie who played college football at Presbyterian College and Delta State. A tryout with the Falcons was unsuccessful, but Meyers continued to train for a football career while working as a DoorDash driver.

Meyers paid $100 for the privilege of trying out for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who gave him a futures contract. Meyers spent most of the 2024 season on the team’s practice squad but earned a promotion late in the season. In 2025, he had 65 catches for 1,065 yards for a team that won the CFL’s championship, the Grey Cup.

Someone in the Bengals’ scouting department noticed Meyers, and the team gave him a futures contract. He showed enough in training camp and the preseason to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.

Paul Dehner Jr., the Bengals beat writer for The Athletic, wrote about Meyers’ story here.

Sunday against the Jaguars, Meyers had 7-82-0 on nine targets. He played 68 of the Bengals’ 76 offensive snaps and ran 54 routes. He looked very much like he belonged.

WR Ja’Marr Chase left Sunday’s game with a concussion. WR Tee Higgins left with an adductor injury. No. 3 WR Andrei Iosivas is hurt, as is rookie Colbie Young. To use a poker term, the Bengals are down to the felt at wide receiver.

Monitor the Bengals’ injury situations, of course, but consider adding the plucky Meyers ahead of a Week 5 matchup with the Dolphins and their young, inexperienced defensive backfield.

Tyreek Hill (WR – FA): 22% Rostered

Next Opponents: NA
True Value: $2
Desperate Need: $4
Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: The Chiefs are reportedly interested in a reunion with WR Tyreek Hill, who’s still recovering from a catastrophic knee injury. Michael Silver of The Athletic had the story here.

Kansas City WRs Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton were both injured on Sunday. Rice left early with a hamstring. Thornton sustained a gruesome ankle injury after he was brought down from behind following a long catch. It’s unclear how much time Rice could miss. Thornton is undoubtedly done for the season.

A Hill reunion with the Chiefs would be fascinating. Hill had four 1,000-yard receiving seasons over a five-season stretch in Kansas City from 2017 to 2021. The Chiefs traded Hill to the Dolphins in March 2021, and Hill had the best two years of his career in Miami in 2022 and 2023, topping 1,700 receiving yards in both seasons. The thought of Hill and Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes once again making sweet music together is enticing, and the Chiefs’ offense is firing on all cylinders right now after a multi-year, post-Hill slump.

Hill tore his left ACL and other ligaments, and also dislocated his left knee, in Week 4 of 2025. He’s reportedly aiming for a November return.

It’s hard to get a handle on Hill’s fantasy value. He won’t have fantasy managers who need help at wide receiver right now. Managers with a roster spot to spare must calculate whether the 32-year-old Hill, coming off such a severe injury, is capable of moving the needle in anything close to the same way he has in the past.

It’s difficult to assess Hill’s FAAB value with all the variables. We recommend a modest bid. But if you’re interested in speculating on Hill, now is the time, because the price will only go up as he gets closer to a potential return.

Tre Tucker (WR – LV): 42% Rostered

Next Opponents: @NE, BUF, LAR
True Value: $2
Desperate Need: $4
Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: Tre Tucker has 15-233-1 on 23 targets so far this season. A 119-yard game in Week 2 did the heavy lifting on those season-long stats, but Tucker is ostensibly the No. 1 receiver on a team whose go-to pass catcher is TE Brock Bowers.

Tucker’s target outlook could be enhanced this week against the Patriots if Jalen Nailor isn’t able to play after sustaining a concussion in Week 4. New England was without its best cornerback, Christian Gonzalez, in Week 4 due to a shoulder injury.

Makai Lemon (WR – PHI): 49% Rostered

Next Opponents: @JAX, CAR, DAL
True Value: $2
Desperate Need: $4
Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: The early-season numbers for Makai Lemon have been disappointing enough to repel most fantasy managers. Lemon has 10-65-0 on 15 targets and has finished with fewer than 30 receiving yards in each of his first three games.

The Eagles seem to be struggling to pick up new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion’s system, but that system might bear fruit at some point. And the Eagles might need Lemon to make bigger contributions in the next couple of weeks. WR DeVonta Smith is dealing with a hamstring injury that sidelined him in Week 4. RBs Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby both sustained injuries on Sunday.

Eagles GM Howie Roseman, one of the shrewdest GMs in the league, traded up in the first round to select Lemon, who won the Fred Biletnikoff Award last season at USC as the top college receiver in the country.

It’s way too early to give up on Lemon.

Malik Washington (WR – MIA): 31% Rostered

Next Opponents: CIN, BYE, @NYJ
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $2
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Malik Washington has a team-high 27.2% target share for the Dolphins. Granted, Miami is averaging only 25.8 pass attempts per game, but Washington has been the favorite target of Dolphins QB Malik Willis.

Washington had 5-67-0 on five targets Sunday vs. the Vikings. Those aren’t particularly impressive numbers until you consider that Willis completed only nine passes against Minnesota.

Washington has been playing in the slot on about half of his snaps. The Dolphins have a Week 5 date with the Bengals, whose starting slot cornerback, Jalen Davis, is on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

Antonio Williams (WR – WSH): 6% Rostered

Next Opponents: NYG, @SF, BYE
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $1
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: If we get assurances prior to the waiver-claim deadline that QB Jayden Daniels will return from an elbow injury this week — and there have been reports that suggest he will — Antonio Williams could be a compelling dart throw.

With WR Terry McLaurin sidelined by a hamstring injury in Week 4, Williams had a season-high 68.8% snap share and had 3-21-0 on eight targets. Most of those quarterbacks came from third-string QB Athan Kaliakmanis after Marcus Mariota with a leg injury, so the poor surface stats can be ignored.

A third-round rookie out of Clemson, Williams does his best work from the slot and has some intriguing route-running and after-the-catch skills.

Williams is worth a bench spot, and if Daniels returns this week and McLaurin remains out, Williams might be startable in deeper leagues this week with a favorable matchup against the Giants.

Wide Receiver Stash Candidates

Chris Bell had a long TD catch wiped out by a penalty Sunday against the Vikings. He ended up with zero catches on three targets, but that negated catch-and-run touchdown offered a tantalizing glimpse at Bell’s potential. The Miami passing game is a barren wasteland at the moment, but it’s possible that it could generate low-level fantasy value at some point, and Bell might be the most talented member of the Dolphins’ WR corps.

Quarterbacks
Jacoby Brissett (QB – ARI): 16% Rostered

Next Opponents: DET, @LAR, DEN
True Value: $2
Desperate Need: $3
Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: A matchup with the flammable Detroit pass defense makes Jacoby Brissett an appealing Week 5 streamer.

The Lions have given up 1,308 passing yards and 11 TD passes. Their defensive backfield has been an injury-riddled mess, although it’s been reported that Detroit has a chance to get star safety Brian Branch back from an Achilles injury this week.

Brissett hasn’t been ultra-sharp this year. He’s averaging 5.4 yards per pass attempt, and on Sunday he threw three interceptions in a loss to the Giants. But Brissett has thrown six TD passes, and he’s had a couple of good yardage days — a 277-yard game vs. the Chargers in Week 1 and a 280-yard game vs. the 49ers in Week 3.

The appeal here is almost entirely matchup-based: The Lions are a green-light matchup.

Kirk Cousins (QB – LV): 22% Rostered

Next Opponents: @NE, BUF, LAR
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $2
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: You would think Kirk Cousins‘ carriage would turn into a pumpkin at some point, but Cousins keeps putting up good numbers in Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak’s offense.

Cousins has thrown for 11 touchdowns and has multiple TD passes in all four starts. He has 1,026 passing yards and just threw for a season-high 365 yards against Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s crew.

This week’s road matchup against the Patriots isn’t particularly favorable, but Cousins is dealing. He’s averaging 36 pass attempts per game.

Cousins is very much in play as a streaming option this week.

Deshaun Watson (QB – CLE): 9% Rostered

Next Opponents: @NYJ, BAL, @TEN
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $2
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Wasn’t Deshaun Watson supposed to have lost his starting job by now?

Watson has been unexpectedly competent over his first four starts. He’s averaging 213.8 passing yards per game and has six touchdown passes and two interceptions. Watson is also providing rushing value. He hasn’t had a TD run this season, but he’s averaging 31.8 rushing yards per game.

Yes, Watson is a viable streaming option this week against a Jets defense that just gave up 268 passing yards to Bears backup QB Tyson Bagent.

Aaron Rodgers (QB – PIT): 10% Rostered

Next Opponents: IND, @TB, NO
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $2
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: The 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers is on a heater. Rodgers has topped 290 passing yards and has thrown three TD passes in each of his last two games. His 299 yards against the Browns in Week 4 were the most he’s had in a game since Week 14 of the 2024 season.

Last season, Rodgers seemed unwilling to stand in the pocket and take hits and looked eager to check down to his running backs. He averaged 6.0 air yards per pass attempt in 2025 — the lowest mark of his career. Through four games this year, Rodgers is averaging 8.7 air yards per attempt.

Rodgers is a solid streaming option this week against the Colts, who have given up 1,090 passing yards and six TD passes.

Michael Penix Jr. (QB – ATL): 8% Rostered

Next Opponents: BAL, CHI, SF
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $2
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: In Week 3, Michael Penix Jr. returned from last season’s ACL tear (the third of his football career) and completed 18-of-25 passes for 256 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Penix started slowly in that game but was in good rhythm for most of it.

Penix followed that game up with an efficient performance in the Falcons’ Monday-night evisceration of the Saints, completing 15-of-20 passes for 223 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.

Penix still has yet to fully establish fantasy cred as a passer, and he doesn’t add rushing value. But Penix could be forced to play in a lot of shootouts this season.

The Falcons’ defense is a pass funnel. Through three weeks, opponents have thrown on the Falcons on 72.2% of their offensive snaps. Atlanta has faced an average of 43.3 pass attempts per game.

Penix has averaged 30.8 passes over his first 13 career starts. That number could increase if opponents keep throwing like crazy against the Falcons, and the extra passing volume could make Penix something close to an every-week fantasy starter.

A Week 5 matchup with the Ravens isn’t that appealing, but Penix gets an attractive Week 6 matchup with the Bears.

Jameis Winston (QB – NYG): 4% Rostered

Next Opponents: @WSH, NO, @HOU
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $1
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Some fantasy managers will have trust issues with the wildly inconsistent Jameis Winston, who’s capable of putting up arcade numbers but also capable of looking like he’d have trouble making a Canadian Football League roster.

We saw bad Jameis in Weeks 2-3. In Week 2, Winston came in for the injured Jaxson Dart and looked awful against the Rams. In Week 3, Winston threw for 118 yards and no touchdowns against the Titans in rainy, windy conditions.

(Mostly) good Jameis emerged in Week 4, when he completed 18-of-29 passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns and two interceptions against the Cardinals. Winston was able to effectively leverage the talents of WR Malik Nabers, who had 6-112-1 on seven targets.

Winston gets an attractive Week 5 matchup against the Commanders, whose defense is a pass funnel. The Commanders have been terrific against the run but poor against the pass. They managed to keep QB Daniel Jones and the Colts’ passing game in check in Week 4, but over the first three weeks of the season, the Commanders gave up 1,018 passing yards and 11 TD passes.

If you’re feeling bold, Winston could be a Week 5 streaming option for you.

Tight Ends
Mike Gesicki (TE – CIN): 7% Rostered

Next Opponents: @MIA, BYE, @BAL
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $2
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Mike Gesicki doesn’t play full snaps for the Bengals — his 61.8% snap share in Week 4 was his largest of the season — but Gesicki already has three touchdowns. He has 11-155-3 on 15 targets.

Gesicki has a good matchup against the Dolphins this week, and he could play a bigger-than-usual role if one or both of the Bengals’ top two receivers can’t go this week. Ja’Marr Chase was wrenched down by the facemask after a catch Sunday against the Jaguars and sustained a concussion. Tee Higgins left with an adductor injury.

Miami’s young defense has been battered by tight ends. The Dolphins have given up 29-333-2 to tight ends and yielded 13-119-0 to the Vikings’ T.J. Hockenson on Sunday.

Gesicki is a very reasonable streaming option for Week 5.

T.J. Hockenson (TE – MIN): 29% Rostered

Next Opponents: @NO, BYE, IND
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $2
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: With Justin Jefferson sidelined by an ankle injury, T.J. Hockenson became the focal point of the Minnesota passing game Sunday vs. Miami. Hockenson caught all 13 of his team-high targets for 119 yards.

If Jefferson is back this week, Hockenson will have some low-level streaming appeal against the Saints, who entered Week 4 having given up 25-250-2 to tight ends over the first three weeks of the season. If Jefferson misses another game, Hockenson will be a premier streamer.

Hockenson has been playing increased snaps the last two weeks because fellow TE Josh Oliver is on injured reserve with a biceps tear.

Tyler Higbee (TE – LAR): 2% Rostered

Next Opponents: BUF, ARI, @LV
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $2
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Rams tight ends combined for 150 targets, 103 catches, 1,128 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2025. The problem was that those numbers were chopped up between four tight ends, with no single Rams TE providing consistent fantasy value.

With Terrance Ferguson on injured reserve and Colby Parkinson out of action in Week 4 with knee and shoulder injuries, Higbee had the Rams’ TE targets to himself on Sunday. He had 5-67-0 on six against the Eagles — a team that hadn’t given up much production to tight ends this season.

If Parkinson is out again in Week 5, Higbee will be a solid play this week in a potential shootout against the Bills. Even if Parkinson plays, Higbee would profile as no worse than a low-end TE2 for the week.

Hunter Henry (TE – NE): 48% Rostered

Next Opponents: LV, NYJ, @CHI
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $2
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: After a sluggish opening three games in which he had 7-71-0 on 10 targets, Hunter Henry had 5-62-0 on five targets in the Patriots’ Week 4 win over the Bills.

Now, Henry gets a favorable matchup against a Las Vegas defense that has given up five TD catches to tight ends.

Patriots QB Drake Maye was sharp against Buffalo on Sunday, finally resembling the Maye of last season. That makes it a little easier to spend FAAB money on a New England pass catcher. With A.J. Brown expected to miss several more weeks with a high-ankle sprain, and with WR Mack Hollins dealing with a calf injury, Henry’s short-term target outlook is at least decent.

Brenton Strange (TE – JAX): 27% Rostered

Next Opponents: PHI, HOU, BYE
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $1
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: It’s reasonable to be interested in Brenton Strange after his outstanding performance against the Bengals in Week 4. Strange had 7-95-0 on eight targets against Cincy and repeatedly had chunk gains over the middle against a Bengals pass defense that has had difficulty defending the middle of the field and has been bad against tight ends going back to last season, when Cincinnati yielded more fantasy points to TEs than any other defense.

Strange is a solid tight end. He had 46-540-3 last season in only 12 games. Strange gets to play with a top quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, and Lawrence seems most comfortable throwing over the middle. It’s worth remembering that Lawrence fueled a 114-catch, 963-yard season for TE Evan Engram in 2023.

Just be careful about chasing last week. The Bengals are a soft matchup for tight ends. The Eagles, whom the Jaguars face this week, are not. Philadelphia has given up 16-156-0 to tight ends over the first four weeks.

Tight End Stash Candidates

Rams TE Terrance Ferguson is on injured reserve with an ankle injury. Before he went down, he was demonstrating why the Rams organization is so high on him. Ferguson looked sharp against the Giants in Week 2, with 6-54-1 on nine targets. His ownership has dwindled to 19% in Yahoo leagues, and Ferguson might be worth stashing if he’s available and you have the room on your roster.

Defenses
Dallas Cowboys: 16% Rostered

Next Opponents: TB, @GB, @PHI
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $2
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Buccaneers QB Jalon Daniels wasn’t a complete train wreck in his first NFL start, but he wasn’t particularly good.

An undrafted rookie free agent from the University of Kansas, Daniels won the Buccaneers’ backup QB job and is being forced into action by Baker Mayfield‘s thumb injury.

Against the Packers on Sunday, Daniels completed 19-of-27 passes for 148 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He was sacked three times.

The Cowboys’ defense has forced only two turnovers and recorded only four sacks. But a matchup with Daniels and the Buccaneers should help bolster those totals.

Washington Commanders: 1% Rostered

Next Opponents: NYG, @SF, BYE
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $2
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: The Washington defense forced two turnovers and sacked Daniel Jones twice on Sunday, but the Washington offense didn’t hold up its end of the bargain in a 30-13 loss to Indianapolis.

Up next for the Commanders: a date with Jameis Winston and the Giants. Since coming in to replace the injured Jaxson Dart in the first half of the Giants’ Week 2 game, Winston has thrown three interceptions and has been sacked nine times.

Cincinnati Bengals: 23% Rostered

Next Opponents: @MIA, BYE, @BAL
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $2
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: We’ll probably be targeting the Dolphins with streaming defenses all season, and Cincinnati’s defense wins the Week 5 Miami lottery.

The Dolphins haven’t scored more than 13 points in any of their first four games. Dolphins QB Malik Willis has taken 11 sacks, and Miami has committed five turnovers.

New Orleans Saints: 6% Rostered

Next Opponents: MIN, @NYG, PIT
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $2
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: You might be able to use the Saints as a matchup-based streaming defense all the way up to their Week 8 bye.

This week, the Saints face Kyler Murray and the Vikings. Murray hasn’t been able to kick-start the Minnesota passing game. He and backup Carson Wentz have combined to take 13 sacks in four games. The Vikings are also dealing with injury problems on their offensive line, with guard Donovan Jackson expected to miss the rest of the season with a knee injury and left tackle Christian Darrisaw recovering from a concussion.

In Week 6, the Saints get error-prone QB Jameis Winston and the Giants. And in Week 7, New Orleans will host Pittsburgh and its immobile quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.

New York Jets: 2% Rostered

Next Opponents: CLE, @NE, MIA
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $1
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Browns QB Deshaun Watson hasn’t been awful this season, but Watson will take his share of sacks and commit his share of turnovers. He’s thrown two interceptions in four games and has been sacked 11 times.

The Jets hadn’t intercepted a pass since January 2025 before Minkah Fitzpatrick picked off Bears QB Tyson Bagent on Sunday. Opponents had thrown 636 straight passes against the Jets without an interception.

The Jets’ pass rush has notched nine sacks.

Kickers
Cairo Santos (K – CHI): 35% Rostered

Next Opponents: @GB, @ATL, NE
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $1
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Even with backup quarterbacks steering the ship, the Bears’ offense has put up 27 and 23 points the last two weeks.

Cairo Santos kicked three field goals Sunday and is now 7-of-8 on FGs for the season. He’s a perfect 13-of-13 on extra points.

The Bears face their hated divisional rivals, the Packers, Sunday in Green Bay, and you can bet that Ben Johnson will keep his foot on the gas pedal in that one. Then, the Bears get an indoor game in Atlanta in Week 6.

Tyler Bass (K – BUF): 22% Rostered

Next Opponents: @LAR, @LV, BYE
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $1
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: When in doubt, ride with the kicker on a high-scoring team. The Bills are averaging 31.8 points a game.

Tyler Bass is 6-of-6 on field goals and 13-of-14 on extra points.

Bass will kick in a potential shootout against the Rams in Los Angeles this week. He’ll get another weather-proof matchup against the Raiders in Week 6.

Matt Gay (K – LV): 5% Rostered

Next Opponents: @NE, BUF, @LAR
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $1
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: The Raiders are averaging 28.8 points a game and have scored at least 26 points in all four contests.

Matt Gay has benefited from the Raiders’ offensive renaissance. He booted four field goals Sunday against the Chiefs and is now a perfect 10-of-10 on FGs this season and 9-of-9 on extra points.

The Raiders visit the Patriots next Sunday, and the long-range forecast shows no concerning weather issues for that game at this point.

Chris Boswell (K – PIT): 17% Rostered

Next Opponents: IND, @TB, @NO
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $1
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Entering Week 4, only five teams had allowed more points to opposing kickers than the Colts. That’s who Chris Boswell will be facing in Pittsburgh this week.

The Boz has been uncharacteristically erratic on field goals this season, missing three of his 10 tries. In fairness, two of the misses have come from 50 yards or longer.

Fool’s Gold

Eagles WR Darius Cooper had a pair of TD catches Sunday against the Rams, including an acrobatic beauty. But Cooper was pressed into a larger role because of DeVonta Smith‘s hamstring injury and still drew only three targets. Don’t chase his Week 5 production.

Some people might be tempted to chase Michael Mayer after he had 8-82-0 on 10 targets against the Raiders in Week 4. But Mayer had only three targets the week before, when Brock Bowers made his return from a knee injury. Even with Bowers out for the first two games of the season, Mayer hadn’t topped 32 receiving yards in a game this season until Sunday. Mayer could have some very low-level streaming appeal in deeper leagues this week if Raiders WR Jalen Nailor is out with a concussion and the Raiders lean on 12 personnel with the Bowers-Mayer combo.

Isaac TeSlaa had 4-95-0 on eight targets against the Panthers on Sunday night. It was a season high in targets for TeSlaa, largely because the Lions trailed for much of the game, which resulted in Jared Goff throwing 52 passes. TeSlaa is fourth in Detroit’s target pecking order and isn’t positioned to provide consistent production.

The Jets’ Isaiah Williams had 2-73-1 against the Bears in Week 4, highlighted by a 58-yard TD catch in garbage time. Williams operated as the Jets’ No. 2 receiver behind Garrett Wilson on Sunday, but as soon as Adonai Mitchell returns from a finger injury, Williams goes back to being the No. 3 receiver in one of the league’s weaker passing attacks.

Roman Wilson has scored a touchdown in each of his last two games, with six catches for 134 yards in those two contests. But Wilson played only 22 of Pittsburgh’s 71 offensive snaps in a Week 4 loss to Cleveland. Wilson ran the fourth-fewest routes among the Steelers’ receivers in that game — four fewer than rookie Germie Bernard — but was second on the team in targets with six. Don’t chase the touchdowns.

Drop Recommendations

Droppable

Michael Pittman Jr. played 51 snaps and ran 32 routes vs. the Browns in Week 4 but had 2-15-0 on four targets. Pittman has not had more than five targets in a game this season.

Darren Waller can still be a useful tight end, but he’s not worth holding through the Panthers’ Week 5 bye. The Panthers are likely to have WR Jalen Coker back when they return to action in Week 6. Waller will be no more than a TD-dependent streaming option.

Droppable With a Chance of Regret

Kenyon Sadiq was shut out in Week 4, catching none of his four targets against the Bears. If your league has rosters big enough to justify carrying two or more tight ends, by all means hang onto Sadiq. But the egg Sadiq laid on Sunday is a reminder that he is a work in progress, playing in a limited offense, and not yet ready to be a fantasy TE1.

It’s hard to tell how snaps and touches will be divided in the Washington backfield once Rachaad White comes back from the shoulder injury that kept him out of Week 4. White played 45.7% of the Bucs’ offensive snaps over their first three games and had between nine and 13 touches in each of those contests. White’s injury was significant enough to prompt the Commanders to sign veteran free agent Austin Ekeler off the street, and Ekeler played 17 snaps in Week 4. In leagues with shallow benches, you could be forgiven for dropping White to seek a player with greater upside.

Don’t Drop Yet

JK Dobbins hasn’t had a 50-yard rushing game this season and has three catches for 16 yards. It’s been a frustrating start for Dobbins, but he’s still Denver’s primary early-down back. That role might have more meat on the bone if Sean Payton’s offense awakens from its early-season slumber.

Courtland Sutton hasn’t had more than three catches in a game this season and hasn’t had a 50-yard game. Against the 49ers on Sunday, Sutton had a single four-yard catch on six targets. The emergence of young WR Pat Bryant had been among the factors shrinking Sutton’s role, but Bryant sustained a leg injury on Sunday that could keep him out a while. Leave Sutton on your roster for at least another week.