Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Rankings & Pickups (Week 5)

Our analysts combine to provide rankings for weekly fantasy football waiver wire targets. We’ll help you prioritize your bids for the week ahead. Check out our full expert consensus fantasy football waiver wire rankings and all of our fantasy football waiver wire advice for the week.

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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Rankings

Note: Players chosen based upon having early-week consensus roster percent below 50%.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups to Target

Kareem Hunt (KC): 35% rostered

• Next Opponents: NO, BYE, @SF
• True value: $11
• Desperate Need: $15
• Budget-minded: $6

Analysis: It’s slim pickings among the running backs available on waivers this week. I wasn’t sure how much action Kareem Hunt would get in the Kansas City backfield less than two weeks after he was signed on the heels of Isiah Pacheco‘s injury. The one certainty was that neither Samaje Perine nor rookie fullback Carson Steele was worth much FAAB last week. But it is time to add Hunt, who had 14 carries for 69 yards Sunday vs. the Chargers. He also brought in a couple of receptions, which was a part of his game when he was with the Chiefs earlier in his career. The Chiefs may have to lean on their running backs more heavily in the weeks to come in the wake of a knee injury to WR Rashee Rice. Hunt’s experience and versatility makes him a priority waiver add in this market.

Dontayvion Wicks (GB): 14% rostered

• Next Opponents: @LAR, ARI, HOU
• True value: $7
• Desperate Need: $11
• Budget-minded: $4

Analysis: Christian Watson‘s ankle injury opened up the door for everyone’s offseason darling to explode in Week 4. Wicks led Green Bay with a 24% target share (13 targets) while snatching two touchdowns and rolling up 78 receiving yards. Wicks already proved that he has the talent to be a difference-maker for fantasy when given the opportunity. Last year, among 112 qualifying wide receivers, he ranked 43rd in separation, 17th in yards per route run and 44th in route win rate (per Fantasy Points Data). Wicks could compete weekly with Jayden Reed for the team lead in targets until Watson is back.

Justin Fields (PIT): 31% rostered

• Next Opponents: DAL, @LV, NYJ
• True value: $9
• Desperate Need: $14
• Budget-minded: $5

Analysis: The good news is that a lot of you added Fields last week (or earlier) and enjoyed his first massive fantasy performance (33.98 points). There is still some concern that, with Pittsburgh suffering its first loss of the season Sunday against the Colts, Fields’ grasp on the starting job over an “injured” Russell Wilson might not be stable. When active, Fields is a weekly QB1. The next two games are also against suspect defenses, Dallas and Las Vegas. Scared money doesn’t make money, so I’m at the well with my ladle again.

Tucker Kraft (GB): 4% rostered

• Next Opponents: @LAR, ARI, HOU
• True value: $6
• Desperate Need: $9
• Budget-minded: $3

Analysis: Kraft has firmly established himself as the Packers’ starting tight end. Jordan Love‘s whopping 54 passing attempts in Week 4 helped Kraft draw nine targets, but his 16.6% target share is still quite good for a tight end. Kraft finished with 53 receiving yards and a score while rocking an 86% snap share and an 89% route share. Kraft has kicked Luke Musgrave to the curb and has TE1 upside for the rest of the season. He is immediately streamable this week against a Rams defense that entered Week 4 having allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to tight ends.