Waiver Wire Rankings (Week 5)

We are now officially past the quarter way point of the season (unless you’re a Packers or Eagles fan) and it ended with a bang. Julio Jones had as many yards (300) as Ben Roethlisberger threw for Sunday night. We also saw the return of Le’Veon Bell and was quickly reminded that he is without question, in the conversation as to who the best running back is in the league. These are the kinds of performances that will help lead to victories, but there are still other roster spots that need to perform in order to win in fantasy games.

Even though we’re four weeks into the season, injuries happen and holes start showing up in our rosters. Trading isn’t always an option but the waiver wire is. Below, you’ll find a consensus set of waiver wire rankings from the pundits. Find out which players you should consider adding that are likely still available in your league (all players listed have under 50% consensus ownership from Yahoo & ESPN). You’ll also find specific players the experts are high on along with defenses to consider streaming ahead of Week 5.

Get more advice with our Waiver Wire Assistant

Featured Experts:
Jeff Paur – RTSports
Jody Smith – Gridiron Experts
Joe Bond – Fantasy Six Pack
Wayne Bretsky – BretskyBall

*Ownership % derived from a consensus of Yahoo & ESPN leagues

Q1. Give us your thoughts on a waiver wire target (or two) you especially like as a pickup.

“Someone has to catch passes in Buffalo. Right now, the top option at receiver is Robert Woods. He has 13 receptions the past two games and has been targeted 18 times in that span. The offense is starting to show some signs of life in Buffalo, giving Woods some value as a spot starter for fantasy teams. Terrance West is a good short-term pickup for fantasy teams. He started last week and had a 100-yard showing with his increased playing time. But Kenneth Dixon is likely the future at the position for this season. He will push West to start once he gets healthy, which is likely sooner than later. West is going to be more of a short-term play for fantasy teams until Dixon gets up to speed. Dixon might be the better waiver-wire target in the end.”
– Jeff Paur (RTSports)

“I’m very interested in adding Dion Lewis to any team that has PPR scoring. He might not return for another 2-4 weeks, but Lewis is a potential championship-winning addition once the New England passing game gets ramped up with Tom Brady’s return in Week 5. For those needing a WR, Robert Woods looks like Buffalo’s WR1 for the foreseeable future. The Bills are a lesser passing offense, but Woods has racked up 18 targets over the last two weeks and should remain on the WR3/flex radar for the remainder of the season that Sammy Watkins misses.”
– Jody Smith (Gridiron Experts)

“I figure Kenneth Dixon is going to be the obvious and most popular choie here, so I’ll go another direction. If you are dealing with bye weeks and or streaming quarterbacks, Carson Wentz is who I like a lot. He has proven that he belongs in the NFL putting up impressive numbers as a rookie, all while leading the Eagles to a 3-0 start. Honestly, his numbers would look even better if it weren’t for a few dropped passes. Either way, Wentz is my guy here with so many “stud” quarterbacks struggling this season. His schedule sets up pretty favorably with Detroit and Washington as the next two up.”
– Joe Bond (Fantasy Six Pack)

“Since this is being authored prior to Monday night’s showdown between the Giants and Vikings, we’ll have to leave Orleans Darkwa off the list of consideration — though he should make it obvious that he belongs at the top of the list with a strong performance. Terrance West is the other running back who has the opportunity to emerge as a bell-cow option. He jumped Justin Forsett on the depth chart Sunday and made the most of his opportunity with a 21-for-113 and performance including a touchdown plunge. Yes, Kenneth Dixon will be healthy soon, but if West continues to excel, there’s little reason for the Ravens to run away from the veteran back.”
– Wayne Bretsky (BretskyBall)

Q2. For owners renting a D/ST in Week 5, what readily available option should they target and why?

“The Buffalo Bills shutout the Patriots last week and get a Rams team this week that is a lot worse offensively. Buffalo is available in 57 percent of leagues and a great start in Week 5. This unit should perform at a high level once again against a Rams team that averages 16 points per game.”
– Jeff Paur (RTSports)

“I like the Miami Dolphins against the Tennessee Titans this week. Marcus Mariota has taken a step back in his sophomore campaign, already throwing five interceptions on the season, more than he has touchdowns. If it weren’t for DeMarco Murray, the Titans offense would be inept. Until the Titans show me something, they will be one of the offenses I will target against each week.”
– Joe Bond (Fantasy Six Pack)

“The Oakland Raiders are widely available and look like a decent fill-in for Week 5 as they face a San Diego offense that has been decimated by injuries, especially along the offensive line. That line could lead Oakland’s underrated pass rush to a lot of sack and turnover opportunities.”
– Jody Smith (Gridiron Experts)

“Thanks to a Week 4 bye, the Philadelphia Eagles is owned in just around 50% of leagues — and this needs to change immediately. The team boasts an elite front seven, capable of wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks. The secondary is improving and while the team will remain vulnerable to the big play, they get enough pressure to cover their weaknesses. Add in the persistent threat of a Darren Sproles punt return and a soft upcoming schedule (@DET, @WAS, MIN, @DAL) and you’ve got a defensive unit that needs to be owned in every league.”
– Wayne Bretsky (BretskyBall)

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Thank you to the experts for ranking the top readily available waiver options. Be sure to give them a follow on Twitter for more advice.

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