After a few weeks of action, the NFL fantasy football waiver wire is full of players who could help enhance fantasy football rosters as Week 5 approaches.
Is your current starting fantasy quarterback off to a slow start? Perhaps, your star wide receiver keeps falling short of expectations. If your fantasy team needs help — amongst multiple player injuries — and four teams on a bye (Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle Seahawks, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers), check out the best waiver wire pickups for NFL Week 5.
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Fantasy football waiver wire Week 5: Quarterbacks
Joshua Dobbs, Arizona Cardinals
Dobbs tops the Week 5 waiver wire as a fantasy QB who could fill in if your starting QB is heading to a bye or vastly underperforming. Seriously, Dobbs has put up some decent fantasy points and last laid 265 passing yards and two touchdowns on a very formidable 49ers defense. He’s likely on the waiver to pick up in Week 5.
Aiden O’Connell, Las Vegas Raiders
In deeper leagues, Aiden O’Connell might be appealing as a waiver wire pickup for those in need of QB depth. If there are any setbacks with Jimmy Garoppolo, O’Connell will draw the start against the middling Green Bay passdefense in Week 5.
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield is a smart Week 5 waiver wire stash if he is still available. He last had his top fantasy performance of the season (246 yards and three TDs) against a good Saints defense. He’s a sleeper fantasy QB others may ignore due to his Week 5 bye.
Mitch Trubisky, Pittsburgh Steelers
Those scrounging for a waiver wire QB in Week 5 might consider Trubisky, especially if you roster Kenny Pickett. If Pickett’s knee injury lingers, Trubisky will start in Week 5 when we can expect a more valiant effort in a divisional game against the Ravens.
Fantasy football waiver wire Week 5: Running Backs
Jaleel McLaughlin, Denver Broncos
Jaleel McLaughlin is the top waiver wire running back to target in Week 5. Highly available on waivers everywhere, McLaughlin last recorded 104 total yards and a receiving touchdown with Javonte Williams sidelined with a hip injury. He looks to be a hidden gem and one in which the Broncos should keep involved.
David Montgomery, Detroit Lions
If for some crazy reason, Montgomery was dumped to the waiver wire due to his Week 2 thigh injury, or for the notion that rookie Jahmyr Gibbs would take over, pick up Monty ASAP. Gibbs is in the rearview mirror on a Lions offense where Montgomery owns the backfield. Enough said.
Fantasy football waiver wire Week 5: Wide Receivers
Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals
Wilson is a top Week 5 waiver wire pickup at WR after a stunning two-TD fantasy football performance against the 49ers. He’s bound to keep seeing an uptick in action after last receiving seven targets in Week 4. Pick up Michael Wilson while he’s hot.
Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals
Boyd will be leaned upon more if Tee Higgins misses future time with his rib injury. He last received seven targets (second behind Ja’Marr Chase) in a terrible beatdown against Tennessee. Look for Joe Burrow, Boyd, and company to play a heck of a lot better in Week 5 against the Cardinals.
Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions
With his suspension lifted early, Williams is a hot fantasy football waiver wire pickup in Week 5 if he’s there for the taking. He’ll migrate into a fantasy WR role opposite stud Amon-Ra St. Brown moving forward. Keep in mind, that Williams was a 12th-overall pick by the Lions in the 2022 NFL Draft, so the talent should surface soon enough.
Braxton Berrios, Miami Dolphins
Berrios is a Week 5 fantasy football waiver wire pickup with his teammate River Cracraft out for the foreseeable future nursing a shoulder injury. While defenses focus on covering Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, Berrios should be part of the game plan. He last caught six-of-six targets, recording 43 yards and a TD.
Fantasy football waiver wire Week 5: Tight Ends
Zach Ertz, Arizona Cardinals
Ertz just had his top fantasy performance on the season, catching six of his 10 targets for 53 yards, making him a top waiver wire TE for Week 5. At the least, Ertz is a nice TE streamer next facing a Bengals defense that has given up the fourth-most fantasy points to his position in 2023.
Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears
After delivering a clunker of a fantasy performance in Week 3, Cole Kmet might have been dumped to the waivers. If so, pick him up if you’re short at TE. Kmet last had a smashing fantasy performance consisting of nine targets for seven catches, 85 yards, and two TDs. Perhaps he and Justin Fields have finally gotten in sync.