We’re already four games into the fantasy football season, and it’s starting to get late early for some teams. Whether you’re dominating the league, still looking for your first win of the season, or somewhere in the middle, some key players stepped up in Week 4 who need to be on your radar as you look to improve your team going forward from the Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 5.
Be sure to stay locked in to DK Network throughout the week and the rest of the season for all the latest news and fantasy impact. We’ll run down a few of the top potential waiver wire pickups for Week 5 in this post, but be sure to watch how the week unfolds and how players recover. Week 5 is also the first week that NFL teams will start taking their bye weeks, with the Panthers and Chiefs sitting out Week 5.
This post is designed to be an early look at some of the names to keep an eye on coming into your preparation for Week 5 and the rest of your fantasy football run to glory.
Top Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 5
| Player | Position | Team | Week 4 | Why Consider Them? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darius Cooper | WR | Philadelphia Eagles | 18.3 FPTS | Cooper had two touchdown catches and led the Eagles in targets and receiving yards with DeVonta Smith (hamstring) out. If Smith misses more time, Cooper could continue to have a growing role. |
| Tyler Allgeier | RB | Arizona Cardinals | 12.9 FPTS | Allgeier regained his role in the Cardinals’ backfield timeshare and got into the end zone this week against the Giants. He doesn’t need an injury in front of him to be a reliable contributor. |
| Aaron Rodgers | QB | Pittsburgh Steelers | 21.96 FPTS | Rodgers has three touchdowns and over 290 passing yards in each of his last two games, and he gets a great Week 5 matchup against the Colts. |
| Tyler Higbee | TE | Los Angeles Rams | 11.7 FPTS | Higbee caught five of his six targets for 67 yards and should continue to get a high volume of targets |
| Bengals DST | DST | Cincinnati Bengals | 4 FPTS | The Bengals DST has shown a high ceiling early in the season, and next week they face the struggling Dolphins before their Week 6 bye week |
Best Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups and Adds for Week 5
One key factor to keep a close eye on every week is new injuries. Here are some new situations to monitor moving forward:
Players with new injuries from Week 4 to watch:
- QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
- QB Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
- RB Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
- RB Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders
- RB Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears
- RB Tank Bigsby, Philadelphia Eagles
- RB Chris Brooks, Green Bay Packers
- WR Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
- WR DJ Moore, Buffalo Bills
- WR Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs
- WR Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
- WR Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers
- WR Pat Bryant, Denver Broncos
- WR Jalen Nailor, Las Vegas Raiders
With those injuries in mind, here are some of my early names to watch if you’re shopping on the Week 5 waiver wire.
WR Darius Cooper, Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles were without DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Dallas Goedert (knee) and lost Saquon Barkley (hamstring) early in their game against the Rams. With so many key options out, it’s not surprising that the Eagles needed someone else to step up, but it was a little surprising that it wasn’t Dontayvion Wicks (4.8 FPTS), Zach Ertz (3.3 FPTS) or Makai Lemon (5.7 FPTS) who stepped up, but instead it was Darius Cooper (18.3 FPTS), a second-year undrafted free agent from Tarleton St.
As a rookie last year, Cooper played 13 games and had a five-target, 33-yard game in meaningless Week 18 action with Tanner McKee starting last year. He stepped up in a big way on Sunday, though, leading the team with seven targets and 33 receiving yards and tying for the team lead in catches (3). Two of his three catches were for touchdowns, including this acrobatic grab for his first score of the day.
Cooper also had two catches and a touchdown in Week 2 against the Titans, so he isn’t just a one-week wonder and could earn more playing time with performances like Sunday.
If Smith is out for multiple weeks, Cooper could remain involved enough to be a real factor, and even once Smith returns, he could get more of the work with Wicks and Lemon not seizing the second receiver spot behind Smith. Next week, the Eagles will take on the Jaguars in London before coming home to face the Panthers and then the Cowboys on Monday Night Football. Cooper should be in favorable enough matchups to be a nice pickup from the waiver wire in Week 5.
Other available receivers with splashy Week 4 performances while filling in for injured teammates include Keon Coleman (26.6 FPTS), Dohnte Meyers (15.2 FPTS), and last week’s waiver wire spotlight in this spot Roman Wilson (16.4 FPTS).
RB Tyler Allgeier, Arizona Cardinals
At running back, the Eagles backfield will be important to watch after Tank Bigsby and Saquon Barkley both left with injuries, and Will Shipley was the only healthy running back on the roster. Injury could open doors in that situation or other injury spots, but one player who doesn’t need an injury to make an impact is Tyler Allgeier of the Cardinals, who is still owned in only about one-third of leagues.
The Cardinals have been splitting backfield work between Allgeier and exciting rookie Jeremiyah Love (6.5 FPTS). Last week, Love played 64% of snaps after Allgeier played 59% and 64% of snaps in the first two weeks of the season. It looked like a shift in Love’s favor so Allgeier was dropped in many leagues, but in Week 4, Allgeier stepped back up and played 54% of snaps.
He made the most of his playing time, taking eight carries for 42 yards and adding seven receiving yards on two catches. He also ran for his second touchdown of the year.
While Love is still the running back of the future and is going to get lots of work, Allgeier is still getting enough run to be worth owning in most standard-sized leagues, especially with injuries mounting and bye weeks coming. He is a little touchdown-dependent, but he has also added multiple catches in every game, which gives him a little cushion in PPR leagues.
In another important running back performances to note, Emanuel Wilson (27 FPTS) thrived for the Seahawks, Ollie Gordon II (21 FPTS) stepped up as the top option for the Dolphins, and Kimani Vidal (11.6 FPTS) got a touchdown for the Chargers.
QB Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
While Aaron Rodgers (21.96 FPTS) played on Thursday, his Week 4 performance still makes him a top option on the waiver wire in Week 5. He racked up 299 passing yards and three passing touchdowns against the Browns, posting his second straight monster game. The veteran is showing he still has plenty of gas in the tank in what he has said will be his final season.
Rodgers has thrown three touchdowns in back-to-back weeks, finishing just under 300 yards. Coach Mike McCarthy definitely trusts Rodgers to air it out, and he has attempted 39 or 40 pass attempts in three of his four games this season. This week, he completed 22-of-40 attempts, and even though he threw two interceptions, he looked ready to keep racking up solid fantasy numbers.
Next week, Rodgers and the Steelers will be coming off a long week as they host the Colts, who will be returning from London. The Steelers then face the Bucs, Saints and Browns before their Week 9 bye week, which are solid matchups for him if his volume stays so high.
Other QB options to help you fill in your bye week or injuries include Jameis Winston (20 FPTS), Kirk Cousins (24.6 FPTS) and Deshaun Watson (14.92 FPTS)
TE Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams
Veteran tight end Tyler Higbee (11.7 FPTS) is set for a larger role in the Rams offense and he delivered even in a tough matchup against the Eagles in Week 4. Higbee caught five of his six targets for 67 yards and he helped his team get a big win on the road. He had to play more snaps with Terrance Ferguson (ankle) on IR and Colby Parkinson (shoulder/knee) out as well.
Higbee should continue to get plenty of playing time over the next few weeks, and he can be a continuing contributor. He’s a favorite of QB Matthew Stafford and coach Sean McVay, and he continues to climb in the franchise record book.
He showed an even higher ceiling with eight catches for 62 yards and a touchdown last week against the Broncos last Sunday night, and he followed that up with another big week in Week 5.
While his historic performance won’t help your team going forward, his consistent workload while Ferguson is out gives him both a high ceiling and a high floor. The Rams play the Bills next week, and then they have a great stretch of matchups for tight ends with games against the Cardinals, Raiders, Commanders and Chargers before their Week 11 bye week.
Higbee is owned in under 5% of leagues and has both a high ceiling and floor if he remains the only tight end available.
Other tight ends with big Week 4 performances, T.J. Hockenson (27.9 FPTS), Brenton Strange (16.5 FPTS) and Mike Gesicki (13 FPTS).
Bengals DST
The Bengals DST (4 FPTS) racked up four sacks against the Jaguars, getting pressure on Trevor Lawrence, and coming close to making several big plays.
The main reason they’re a strong streaming option to consider is that they play the Dolphins next week before hitting their Week 6 bye week.
The Browns DST (9 FPTS) takes on the Jets next week after their strong showing in a win against the Steelers, and the Cowboys DST will look to continue to incorporate their new additions as they host Thursday Night Football against the Buccaneers, who will likely be without Baker Mayfield again. Those three options are all strong pickups from the waiver wire in Week 5, and if you’re streaming defenses they are the top names to check on.
