With four games in the books, it’s doubtful anyone has escaped the rash of injuries and disappointing starts. With so many first-rounders underperforming or unavailable, the Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Week 5 has never been more important.
Here are the top fantasy-relevant, low-rostered free agents to target ahead of Week 5, with FAAB recommendations.
FAAB denotes Free Agent Acquisition Budget
Mike Boone (RB) Denver Broncos (15% FAAB) – Melvin Gordon would be the obvious add but he is rostered in three-quarters of ESPN leagues. Gordon also saw himself benched after another costly fumble. That opened the door for Boone to average 6.7 yards per carry against the Raiders in relief of Javonte Williams. Boone also ran 12 routes to Gordon’s 5. Williams’s season is over with a serious knee injury, so Boone should be a priority add in all formats.
Raheem Mostert (RB) Miami Dolphins (13% FAAB) – Now rostered in 53% of ESPN leagues, Mostert took a real step towards being Miami’s best fantasy RB. He out-snapped Chase Edmonds 46-18 and had 10 more opportunities in Cincinnati. Edmonds will remain involved in the passing game but for now, Mostert looks like the better overall fantasy asset.
Tyler Allgier (RB) Atlanta Falcons (12% FAAB) – Starter Cordarrelle Patterson aggravated a knee injury and will miss a minimum of four games. After Patterson exited on Sunday, the Falcons split snaps evenly between Allgeier and Caleb Huntley (10% FAAB). Allgeier ran 8 pass routes compared to just 1 for Huntley, so he gets the slight nod. Both backs need to be added in all leagues.
Brian Robinson (RB) Washington Commanders (10% FAAB) – Robinson looked like he was on his way to a real role before he was shot. The rookie is expected to make his NFL debut this week and the timing couldn’t be better. Antonio Gibson only played 41% of Washington’s snaps in their loss to the Cowboys. Robinson could fill that void immediately for an offense that has dropped off after a fast start.
Michael Gallup (WR) Dallas Cowboys (8% FAAB) – Gallup was listed as a proactive add last week and came through in his first game of 2022. Against Washington, Gallup ran 24 routes and caught both of his targets, including a score. He should continue to see a weekly increase in playing time just in time for Dak Prescott‘s return. View Gallup as a solid WR3 that is available in over half of ESPN fantasy leagues.
Isaiah McKenzie (WR) Buffalo Bills (7% FAAB) – Having already snagged a touchdown in three of Buffalo’s four contests, McKenzie’s role looks even more secure. Jamison Crowder broke his ankle and that should increase McKenzie’s snaps out of the slot. Entering Week 5, McKenzie is a top-35 PPR receiver but is available in over 79% of leagues at ESPN.
Teddy Bridgewater (QB) Miami Dolphins (6% FAAB) – It was a scary situation all around for Tua Tagovailoa. We know now that Tagovailoa will miss at least one game, so Bridgewater will be under center this Sunday against a generous Jets secondary. Bridgewater could potentially make several starts, so he would be the No. 1 waiver add in Superflex leagues.
Corey Davis (WR) New York Jets (5% FAAB) – Davis was third on the Jets in routes run but led the club with five grabs, 74 yards, and a touchdown. He continued to show good chemistry with Zach Wilson, who made his season debut. New York will continue to run a ton of ’11’ sets and Davis offers weekly WR3/4 value.
Tyler Conklin (TE) New York Jets (5% FAAB) – The biggest concern for Conklin was how involved he would remain with Zach Wilson under center. Conklin still put up a solid 3/52/0 line on 5 targets. He remains a top-10 fantasy option for the season and is still widely available.
George Pickens (WR) Pittsburgh Steelers (5% FAAB) – Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Kenny Pickett‘s NFL debut was the breakout game for fellow rookie George Pickens. With Pickett under center, Pickens caught 4 balls for 71 yards. In all, Pickens caught 6-of-8 targets for a career-best 102 yards. Assuming that the club sticks with Pickett moving forward, Pickens could have an expanded role.
Rondale Moore (WR) Arizona Cardinals (3% FAAB) – My boy is back! Moore’s 2022 debut included 65 snaps and a team-leading 33 routes run. He also got six opportunities, which bodes well for his role in this offense. Most importantly, there were no injury setbacks. View Moore as a decent WR4/flex option who should have a handful of blowup games.
Isiah Pacheco (RB) Kansas City Chiefs (2% FAAB) – His weekly usage might remain inconsistent but Pacheco looked good against Tampa. He also got 11 carries and was in on 21% of Kansas City’s snaps. He’s worth a speculative bid if you have a free roster spot in a larger league.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (WR) Tennessee Titans (2% FAAB – Westbrook-Ikhine is already playing plenty but has very little fantasy impact. Perhaps he’ll see a few more targets with Treylon Burks expected to miss time with a turf toe injury.
Mo Alie-Cox (TE) Indianapolis Colts (2% FAAB) – Don’t overreact to Alie-Cox’s breakout Week 4 performance. The Colts continue to rotate three tight ends and that will result in a lot of maddening inconsistencies. If you can pluck him off the wire for a minimal bid, fine. But be prepared for some stinker games.
Latavius Murray (RB) New Orleans Saints (1% FAAB) – Murray was a thorn in the side for many managers who woke up Sunday to find Alvin Kamara was a surprise scratch in London. Still, Kamara’s injury isn’t considered serious, so there won’t be many snaps left for Murray when Kamara returns. Murray is worth a minimal bid as Kamara insurance only.
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