Well we are getting into the middle of the 2023 season with the first bye weeks to consider, so time to finetune your roster with our Week 5 Waiver Wire pickups. If you were caught by any of the injuries from this past week- this should help you navigate your way through.
Making the right moves on the waiver wire is how you can really win your league. Getting those upside-depth pieces, and cutting the players that are going to struggle from your roster is going to help you going forwards
Rules for Selection & Order Priority
For a player to be considered to be added, they have to:
- Have an rostered % of 50% or under on ESPN
- Players below are listed by their roster %, not priority. Know your league settings. If there is a high-priority add, you’ll know.
CJ Stroud (HOU) 32.0% rostered
Stroud continues to amaze, continuing his streak of zero interceptions and in week four he finished with 300 yards two touchdowns and 16 yards on the ground. This is his second 300-yard and his third Street multi-score game. He is most definitely an early front-runner for most valuable player for the rookie class of 2023 and could be seen as a QB1 on your roster going forward.
Baker Mayfield (TB) 12.7% rostered
Mayfield continues to shine in Tampa he’s really showing that he can move this all fence forward he end of the week with 23.4 fantasy points three touchdowns and one interception along with 31 yards on the ground they have a bye week in week five but Paul the Detroit Lions in week six at home
DEN Running Backs Samaje Perine & Jaleel McLoughlin 56.8%/ 0.5% rostered
Perine and McLoughlin are two names to keep on your waiver wire. Williams went down with a hip injury, with an undetermined return- it could even be no time missed. Perine is on far more rosters, but hasn’t been overly productive with his time on the field. Whereas, McLoughlin is far more available. Hasn’t been on the field as often, but far more productive with seven carries for 72 yards and another 32 through the air with 3 catches.
Tyjae Spears (TEN) 20.0% rostered
Spears continues to be my most valuable option on waivers for running back handcuffs, most likely being one of the most viable ones at this moment. This past week Spears was on the field for 53% of snaps while Derrick Henry was on the field for 49% he’s the only roster in 20% of leagues. Their next matchup is against Indianapolis, who just allowed Kyren Williams to score 26/2 ½ ppr fantasy points off 25 attempts and 103 yards.
Chuba Hubbard (CAR) 17.9% rostered
Hubbard is a name to keep an eye going into the week. Sanders had been dealing with a groin injury, he was presumed to be healthy going into Sunday and by the end of the day Hubbard had played on 54% of snaps, while Sanders only at 43%. Whether this could be an injury reason or not, it’s something to keep an ion in that backfield as Hubbard had 14 carries for 41 yards to receptions for 12 yards
Josh Palmer (LAC) 47.0% rostered
Palmer stepped into the wide receiver position for the Los Angeles chargers and was on the field for 86% of snaps. He managed to pull in three of his eight targets for around 77 yards. The Chargers get a bye week in week five but in week six they get the Dallas Cowboys who have given up the 11th fewest fantasy points to the wide receiver position. Palmer could be a good season. Add to fill in for some bye weeks.
Tyler Boyd (CIN) 43.0% rostered
Boyd should be stepping into that wide receiver 2 role if Higgins was to miss any time with his rib injury. He played on 91% of snaps right behind Ja’Marr Chase at 94% he end of the day with seven targets on for receptions and 26 yards. The Bengals office isn’t what we would hope it would be but if there’s any resurgence of Joe Burrow in this injury that he’s dealing with Tyler Boyd, could be in for a couple good games with tee Higgins, potentially sidelined.
Michael Gallup (DAL) 41.9% rostered
Gallup was on the field for 53% of snaps. He was targeted more than Branden cooks and was looking better than Branden cooks. He wasn’t able to come down with a touchdown but he did manage to bring in five receptions off six targets, and 60 yards
Jameson Williams (DET) 16.3% rostered
Williams will be back on the field coming up in week five if he was to roll out, he would be coming out against the Carolina Panthers, who have given up the second fewest fantasy points to the wide receiver position however, in a high powered off fence, Jameson Williams could thrive as that wide receiver two for Jared Goff behind Amon-Ra Saint Brown and Company
Rashee Rice (KC) 11.0% rostered
Rice continues to be my favorite wide receiver in Kansas City. He’s getting more targets than any other receiver on the team Skyy Moore and week four had zero targets, Justin Watson with one target Marquez, Valdes, Scantling with one target and Kadarius Toney, with two targets if Rice can put together a game with a touchdown or just a few more receptions you could be looking at a top option for Patrick Mahomes on a high powered off fence. He ended with five targets for three receptions and 32 yards. He pulls Minnesota, Denver, Los Angeles chargers in Denver and his next for matchups, which could be slated to be crate, matchups for the rookie out in Kansas City.
Calvin Austin III (PIT) 4.7% rostered
Austin is still a name to keep an ion being Rostered at 4.7%. He was targeted throughout the weekend with three receptions for 24 yards on five targets. He also was on a stop percentage of 90% right up there with George Pickens at 98% definitely worth and I to keep on for the second year wide receiver in Pittsburgh.
Michael Wilson (ARI) 1.4% rostered
The rookie out in Arizona is looking like a solid wide receiver option for Josh Dobbs and Company. He played on 70% of snaps which was fourth highest on the team. He now has 16 targets through four weeks with 14 receptions in week four against San Francisco. He pulled in seven targets for seven receptions, two touchdowns, and 76 yards. Wilson has a chance to take over that wide receiver position with a struggling Rondale Moore, if he hasn’t done it already.
Gerald Everett (LAC) 34.3% rostered
Is a tight end that can be considered off waivers for week six as Donald Parham went down with a wrist injury in the game. He gets a tough matchup in week six against Dallas.
Jake Ferguson (DAL) 24.5% rostered
Ferguson is one of the top tight ends on waivers this week as he was on the field for 56% of snaps. H ended up having a pretty solid week going seven for seven through the air for 77 yards no touchdown but 14.7 fantasy points on the week in week five he pulls a pretty tough matchup with San Francisco who’s giving up the ninth she was fantasy points to the tight end position but following that game he gets the chargers and the bye week
Tyler Conklin (NYJ) 9.8% rostered
Conklin in New York looks to be a projected solid option for Zack Wilson going into week five and in week four he was targeted six times for four receptions and finished behind only top whiteout Garrett Wilson with 14 targets. He has yet to be targeted in the red zone, which is a caution to the wind for his value, however, going up against Denver in next Sunday, who just let Cole Kmet score 2 touchdowns he could be a viable option if you have bye weeks
Cade Otton (TB) 1.7% rostered
Otton should be priority waiver pick up for tight ends this week right behind Jake Ferguson. He’s only Rostered and 1.7% of leagues and he was on the field for just about every snap. He was targeted four times for three receptions and 13 yards in a touchdown. They do have a match up with Detroit coming up in week six after their bye week in week five and if Mike Evans is not able to go after the bye week due to his hamstring injury, then Otton could see an uptick in workload in week six.
Others to Consider
- Durham Smythe (MIA) 1.1% rostered
There you have it! Any questions, or want some more specific help for your league on who to drop, just reach out. Reach out on social media, you can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Or jump into our Discord server. And checkout out rankings for each Week.
Image Credit: Ron Chenoy – USA TODAY Sports
