Week 4 of the 2022 fantasy football season is nearly in the books! And it’s time to improve our rosters on the Week 5 waiver wire. Let’s take a look at the top Week 5 waiver wire pickups and targets that fantasy managers should consider adding to their rosters.
Note: All roster percentages are from Yahoo.
Waiver wire pickups to target in Week 5 | Quarterbacks
Jared Goff, Detroit Lions (52% rostered)
Jared Goff is a little over the rostership limit, but he’s worth mentioning after his Week 4 performance. Goff completed 26 of 39 passes for 378 yards and four touchdowns. He did that without Amon-Ra St. Brown, DJ Chark, and D’Andre Swift.
At this point, Goff has earned a right to be on fantasy rosters. He looks like an every-week QB1. He’s worth a waiver wire pickup and a 5-8% FAAB bid.
Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints (37% rostered)
This, of course, comes with the caveat that we need to hear something positive about Jameis Winston’s likelihood to return next week. The Saints get the Seahawks next week, who just allowed the Lions to score 45 points. If Winston starts, he’s a very viable streamer. He’s worth a very small FAAB bid if you need a quarterback.
Waiver wire pickups to target in Week 5 | Running backs
Raheem Mostert, Miami Dolphins (50% rostered)
Raheem Mostert was on the Week 4 waiver wire list. His roster percentage did increase, but he’s out there in half of Yahoo leagues. Time to get that number up.
Mostert dominated snaps over Chase Edmonds on Thursday, out-snapping him 46-18. Most importantly, Mostert ran 26 routes to Edmonds’ nine. If Edmonds isn’t even the passing-down back, he has no fantasy value. Meanwhile, Mostert has a ton of it. He looks like a weekly RB3/Flex play and is worth a pickup and a 10-15% FAAB bid.
Mike Boone, Denver Broncos (0% rostered)
As of Sunday night, we’re not quite sure what happened to Javonte Williams. But he left the game with a leg injury and was quickly ruled out. Given that he was spotted on crutches after the game, it sounds like a multi-week injury.
After Williams exited the game, it was Mike Boone on the field next, not Melvin Gordon III. Of course, Gordon did play, but this was very much a timeshare between the two, and Boone looked far more explosive.
Boone is worth a speculative pickup given that Gordon is unlikely to be a bell cow at 29 years old. I hesitate to offer a FAAB recommendation as it is only Sunday night. We will know much more by Tuesday night, which is when waiver claims must be finalized.
Latavius Murray, New Orleans Saints (0% rostered)
This one may end up being nothing, but Latavius Murray is worth mentioning. He was elevated from the practice squad late Saturday night, which wound up being a precursor to Alvin Kamara not playing. Mark Ingram got banged up for a bit, too, which led to increased work for Murray.
Dare I say, Murray looked pretty good! He had far more burst than he showed in Baltimore last season and wound up with 11 carries for 57 yards and a touchdown.
If Kamara is back next week, then obviously Murray has no value. However, given how he looked, it wouldn’t shock me if he just won the RB2 job over Ingram. This is purely a speculative add. If you’re in a deep league or have a roster spot to burn, a 1-3% FAAB bid is all it should take.
Waiver wire pickups to target in Week 5 | Wide receivers
George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers (39% rostered)
I know. I know. I had him on the cut list two weeks ago. It happens. George Pickens just wasn’t being targeted by Mitchell Trubisky. Well, Kenny Pickett took over in Week 4, and despite his three picks, I can’t imagine the Steelers have any incentive to go back to Trubisky.
Pickens played just two fewer snaps than Chase Claypool and ran only four fewer routes. It’s only a matter of time before he becomes the WR2. Claypool just isn’t it.
Pickens led the Steelers with eight targets, catching six for 102 yards. Talent was never in doubt. The issue was usage, but it looks to be there now. Given how high his ceiling is, Pickens is worth a 12-18% FAAB bid.
Corey Davis, New York Jets (24% rostered)
Zach Wilson returned in Week 4, and he rekindled his relationship with Corey Davis. The veteran receiver finally fell behind both Elijah Moore and Garrett Wilson in routes run, but he led the team in targets with seven. Davis caught five passes for 74 yards and a touchdown.
Wilson and Moore are still the long-term future of this receiving corps, but Davis is not dead yet. He’s quietly posted WR3 numbers or better in three of the Jets’ first four games.
With bye weeks starting and injuries piling up, Davis looks like a viable weekly starter. He’s worth an 8-12% FAAB bid.
Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys (41% rostered)
Michael Gallup made his return from his torn ACL in Week 4. While he didn’t play a full complement of snaps, he looked fine physically.
Gallup played 63% of the snaps, which will only increase going forward. He ran two more routes than Noah Brown and just five fewer than CeeDee Lamb. Unfortunately, for those of you looking to add him, he scored a touchdown. That will hurt his ability to fly under the radar.
It’s only a matter of time before Gallup becomes a 90% snap-share guy and reclaims the WR2 role. Dak Prescott is a week or two from returning. This offense will be better. He’s worth an 8-12% FAAB bid.
Josh Reynolds, Detroit Lions (20% rostered)
With a bunch of Lions’ pass catchers absent, Josh Reynolds served as the team’s WR1. He led all non-T.J. Hockenson Lions in snaps, routes run, and targets. Reynolds caught seven of eight targets for 81 yards and a touchdown.
The Lions have a Week 6 bye and the offense looked just fine in Week 4. It’s entirely possible they exercise caution with St. Brown, Chark, and Swift, holding them out in Week 5 to give them extra rest. That could mean one more week of Reynolds as the clear top target for Goff.
There’s also a chance Reynolds is just the WR2 going forward. The Lions have no allegiance to Chark, and Reynolds has played well this season. He’s worth a 5-10% FAAB bid if you don’t need him and a 10-15% FAAB bid if you do.
Donovan Peoples-Jones, Cleveland Browns (9% rostered)
There’s no denying Donovan Peoples-Jones is the Browns’ WR2. He played just one fewer snap than Amari Cooper and ran two fewer routes. After two straight weeks of Cooper dominating, it was Peoples-Jones leading Cleveland with eight targets, catching five of them for 71 yards.
Over the past two weeks, DPJ caught a combined one pass for 10 yards on four targets. Do not buy into this. It was just a random event. You will never be able to confidently start Peoples-Jones. I would not pick him up off the Week 5 waiver wire.
Waiver wire pickups to target in Week 5 | Tight ends
Tyler Conklin, New York Jets (42% rostered)
C.J. Uzomah’s snap share was a solid 44% this week, but Tyler Conklin remained the clear TE1, playing 81% of the snaps. He ran 30 routes (doubling Conklin’s 15) and saw five targets.
Although Conklin had a disappointing game, tight end is a wasteland for fantasy. Conklin remains a top-12 TE and is worthy of being a weekly starter. He’s worth a waiver wire pickup and a 4-6% FAAB bid.