Week 5 Waiver Wire Pickups (QB, RB, WR, TE): Fantasy Football Free Agent Adds - Tyler Boyd, Samaje Perine, Chubba Hubbard, Zay Jones

October 4, 2023

Tony's Week 5 waiver wire pickups, fantasy football adds, and sleepers ahead of Week 5 of the 2023 NFL season. Free agent QB, RB, WR, and TE waiver wire targets.

Heading into Week 5 of the NFL season, prime time for waiver adds is winding down. Some of the best waiver wire pickups like Kyren Williams, Puka Nacua, and others with a bigger role than expected are long gone. With that being said, the best fantasy football managers still find ways to make quality additions every week, even if they aren't the flashiest. I'll be taking a look at players who are less than 60% rostered according to Yahoo Fantasy to find quality players that are consistently available.

Everyone has different goals on the waiver wire, and here are the distinctions for players to help you figure out who fits your needs the best:

• BC: Breakout Candidate – This is a player who may not be startable yet, but has a good chance of breaking out and becoming a weekly starter at some point in the season. If you're not in need of a starter this week, these are the players you should be targeting off the waiver wire.
• WS: Weekly Streamer – This is a player who is not a weekly starter or even someone you cannot drop, but rather they are someone you can target if the matchup is right or if you're desperate for a one-time starter. This is likely to be a quarterback or tight end.
• DP: Depth Player – This is a player who reminds me of a quote from Bad Santa, "They can't all be winners, now can they?" Obviously, we'd all love to have breakout players, but it's also important to have quality depth players who can be started during bye weeks and be decent injury-replacement players. This is someone like JuJu Smith-Schuster.
• DL: Deep League Add – This is for competitive 12-team leagues or larger.
• IF: Injury Fill-In – This is a player who will be a weekly spot starter during the starter's absence due to injuries.
• MA: Must Add – This is a player who due to any number of circumstances, now finds himself as a weekly fantasy starter and is someone fantasy managers should be adding to their teams.
• UH: Upside Handcuff – This is reserved for our running backs who could become prominent players if the primary starter gets hurt.

If you have any specific waiver wire questions, give me a follow on X @TonyCamino23, and don’t be afraid to reach out. I'm filling in for Robert this week (@RobFFSlayer), but don't hesitate to reach out if you have any fantasy questions there.

Quarterbacks Fantasy Football Waiver Wire

Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams – 50% Rostered

Although his star wide receiver Cooper Kupp is yet to take a snap, Los Angeles Rams' quarterback Matthew Stafford is looking healthy again in a pass-heavy offense. Stafford currently ranks as QB18 without one of the most dynamic playmakers in the NFL. Although his fantasy numbers haven't popped off the screen to this point, he has been very consistent and is, at worst, a great bench option for any fantasy team.

The Rams are one of the most pass-heavy teams in the NFL, throwing the ball 66% of the time, which ranked sixth heading into Week 4. Stafford has attempted 30 passes in every game and has two games of 40 or more attempts already. The biggest factor killing his fantasy value right now is the lack of touchdowns.

He's yet to throw for multiple touchdowns in a game, but that could change quickly with prominent red-zone threat Kupp returning soon. Stafford has been very efficient throwing the football on high volume through four games, and the touchdowns are bound to come sooner than later.

It's hard to find a quarterback who struggled in Sean McVay's scheme, and Stafford has the most talent of anyone to take on that job. Receivers Tutu Atwell and Puka Nacua have been great to start the year, and adding Kupp back will only incentivize the Rams to be more throw-heavy. His next two matchups come versus bottom-ten teams against quarterbacks in fantasy points in the Eagles and Cardinals, making now a perfect time to pick him up before he's gone.

Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos – 57% Rostered

The Denver Broncos survived and made a great comeback against the struggling Chicago Bears, and quarterback Russell Wilson has looked more comfortable this season through four games. Two of his four games he's had more than 20 fantasy points, and he currently ranks as QB9 in most formats. Wilson has been pretty efficient this year and even flashed his old rushing upside with 56 yards in Week 2.

The return of Jerry Jeudy certainly has helped Wilson as he has two very solid go-to receivers with Jeudy and Courtland Sutton. The Broncos have been throwing the ball 65% of the time and are likely to be without running back Javonte Williams for a short time. The Broncos are currently sitting at 1-3 and have had to play catch-up in every single game. That trend is likely to continue and bodes very well for Wilson in fantasy.

Upcoming matchups for Wilson aren't the most appealing (NYJ, KC, GB), but the Broncos have been effective in throwing the ball so far this year. I expect Sean Payton's offenses to continue to lean on the pass and have favorable game scripts, making Wilson a solid backup in case of an emergency.

C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans – 47% Rostered

Ranking as QB10 through his first four NFL games -  now is probably the last good chance to get C.J. Stroud off waivers. Stroud has now scored 20 or more fantasy points in three straight contests, throwing for over 300 yards twice.

Receivers Nico Collins and Tank Dell have shown great promise as downfield threats, and the Texans' passing attack has been more impressive than expected. The Texans throw the ball 66% of the time, which ranks in the top six among NFL teams, and they are expected to be in pass situations early and often.

Stroud has attempted 30 or more passes in every game this year, throwing the ball over 40 times twice. The Texans are in a situation where they want to throw because it's their best form of offense, but also are forced to throw because they find themselves in close games or trailing constantly.

The next two weeks aren't ideal matchups versus slow, run-heavy teams, but the Texans' inclination to throw makes Stroud one of the best QB options on waivers.

Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 18% Rostered (WS)

Despite all the changes Tampa Bay Buccaneers' quarterback Baker Mayfield has seen since he entered the league, he ranks as QB13 through four weeks in 2023. Sunday saw Mayfield have his first 20-point fantasy output of the season, and he seems to be a great weekly streaming option for those dealing with injuries and bye weeks.

The Buccaneers aren't very pass-heavy this year, throwing the ball just 59% of the time. Mayfield is yet to attempt more than 34 passes in a game this year, requiring him to find the endzone and be efficient in finding fantasy lineups.

Heading into the bye week, the Buccaneers are performing better than most expected to start the season. The Bucs have found much more success this year in the air and might lean on the passing game more if the run game fails to get going.

Mike Evans (hamstring) is expected to be good to go following the bye, and he and Chris Godwin have remained great weapons. Because this is a team that's going to lean on their defense, Mayfield is just a weekly streaming option to keep an eye on.

Others to consider:

• Sam Howell, Washington Commanders – 18% Rostered
• Mac Jones, New England Patriots – 17% Rostered
• Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers – 12% Rostered

Running Backs Fantasy Football Waiver Wire

Samaje Perine, Denver Broncos - 52% Rostered (IF, UH)

During the Denver Broncos' first win of the year on Sunday, starting running back Javonte Williams (hip) suffered a hip flexor injury, and his status for next week's game is in jeopardy. While there are reports that Williams might not miss any time, he's fresh off a serious knee injury, and the Broncos are likely going to be cautious with the young back.

In the event Williams cannot go next week, Samaje Perine is likely in line to take over most of the running back duties. He received 56% of the snaps following Williams' exit and fared pretty well as a fill-in for Joe Mixon a year ago. In three games with 10 or more carries, Perine scored at least 19 points each, finishing as a top 10 back every week.

He's already seen a decent amount of work in the passing game and should be the go-to red zone back thanks to his size. Although the Broncos have been more pass-heavy so far this year, Perine is likely to be featured enough to be a solid flex option. With the injury history of Williams, Perine is a good addition and should be a great injury fill-in for starts where he gets a full workload.

Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers - 25% Rostered (IF, DP)

Miles Sanders (groin) finished Sunday's game with limited participation and ended up in a near split with Chuba Hubbard. Sanders has been prone to missing time in his career, and Hubbard is in line to see all of the work in games where Sanders is absent.

Hubbard ranked sixth in yards per touch a year ago, and the Panthers appear to be a slightly improved offense. While the Panthers currently throw the ball 70% of the time, Hubbard has shown his ability in past years to be an effective pass-catcher out of the backfield.

With rookie quarterback Bryce Young at the helm, running backs in this offense should see a lot of targets for easy completions to get the quarterback going. If Sanders misses any time, Hubbard immediately becomes a flex option in all formats. His injury history points to this being the case at some point in 2023, and those are weeks where managers need to look to take full advantage. Stash Hubbard as a solid depth piece for now, with real flex potential in the event Sanders misses time.

Jaleel McLaughlin, Denver Broncos - 3% Rostered (IF, DL)

The other Denver Broncos back is also worth an add, following an impressive day with more than 100 scrimmage yards and a touchdown for rookie Jaleel McLaughlin. Despite being undrafted, McLaughlin is the NCAA's all-time leading rusher with real explosive talent, and he showed just that on Sunday.

Samaje Perine is likely going to fill in and see most of the work right away, but McLaughlin is definitely on his coaches' radar after Sunday. Since Perine is likely to become the bell-cow back if Williams misses time, McLaughlin isn't a must-add at the moment. His talent is evident, but the path to opportunities for an undrafted rookie buried on a depth chart is challenging.

Next week will be interesting if Williams misses to see the usage distribution, but McLaughlin is a solid add, especially for deeper leagues. The Broncos' season isn't looking the most promising through four weeks, and he might find more opportunities as they fall further out of the playoff race. Another explosive outing would make him a must-add, so grab him now while he isn't on too many radars.

Others to consider:

• Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars – 25% Rostered (UH)
• Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears – 54% Rostered (UH, BC)
• Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks – 60% Rostered (UH)
• Elijah Mitchell, San Francisco 49ers – 41% Rostered (UH)
• Matt Breida, New York Giants – 27% rostered (UH),
• Tyjae Spears - Tennessee Titans – 24% Rostered (UH)
• Keaton Mitchell, Baltimore Ravens – 17% Rostered (DL, UH, BC)
• Sean Tucker, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 3% Rostered (DL, UH, BC)
• Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys – 3% Rostered (UH)

Wide Receivers Fantasy Football Waiver Wire

Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals - 37% Rostered (IF, DP)

Since 2020, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd has been averaging 13.9 points in games without Tee Higgins (ribs). In Sunday's game, Tee Higgins exited with fractured ribs but doesn't expect to miss much time if any at all.

The Bengals have ranked second in pass rate this season, throwing the ball 70% of the time. They also run 11 personnel 86% of the time, showing there's an opportunity even with Higgins healthy. The team has been very pass-heavy in recent years, and the injury to Joe Burrow (calf) makes them get the ball out quickly to avoid any hits on the quarterback. Reception totals could be inflated with all the short throws, favoring Boyd in PPR formats.

Boyd is a savvy veteran who has played a lot of very high-level football for the Bengals. Ja'Marr Chase remains the main option on this team, but their pass-heavy attack allows more than one receiver to excel on any given day. Higgins missing games would allow Boyd to step into a true number two role, and he might take that role even if Higgins tries to play through injury. This isn't going to be a move where Boyd becomes a league-winner, but he's a great flex option to have on the bench.

Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers – 54% Rostered (WS, BC, DP)

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs remained available despite a strong start to the season due to the eventual return of Christian Watson and Aaron Jones. Both playmakers returned on Sunday, and Doubs managed to put together an 18.50 fantasy performance on a career-high 13 targets. While Watson and Jones were still limited in snaps, the Packers showed their dedication to involving Doubs.

Through four games, Doubs is averaging eight targets per game and ranks as WR16 in PPR formats. Rookie Jayden Reed has had a great start to the season as well but has operated almost strictly from the slot. Doubs will see most of his work from the outside, leaving him on the field when the Packers go to 12 personnel or any other run-heavy sets.

The Packers run 11 personnel 8th most in the league at 61% of the time, showing that there are plenty of snaps for Watson, Reed, and Doubs. He has found the end zone three times in four games, and his massive target share suggests he's at worst a nice fill-in flex option off the bench.

Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals - 2% Rostered (BC, DL)

The Arizona Cardinals have been hanging around in games much more than expected at this point in the season, making it hard to get a real read on the receiver room. However, Sunday's game versus the 49ers saw them playing from behind almost the whole time, giving us somewhat of an idea of how receivers can look in this offense.

The third-round rookie Michael Wilson ranked just fourth on Sunday in routes run for the Cardinals, yet finished as WR6 on seven targets. He trailed only Zach Ertz and Marquise Brown in targets and did it running around 10 fewer routes. Finding the end zone twice certainly helps, but his targets per route run numbers stand out on the page in this game. Fellow receiver Rondale Moore saw five more routes, yet had zero catches and just two targets.

The Cardinals are tied for first in rush rate entering week four (48%) and are very likely to see that number continue to decrease as the year goes on. Along with playing more games from behind, the potential return of Kyler Murray (knee) would lead to an even more pass-heavy approach. Wilson is likely to regress as the Cardinals stay run-heavy with Josh Dobbs under center, but the team should be in plenty of passing situations to make Wilson relevant in fantasy this year.

Zay Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars – 31% Rostered (WS, DP)

The Jacksonville Jaguars offense finally looked reminiscent of their 2022 version, and that's great news for Zay Jones (knee) and all the other Jaguar receivers. After a 16.50 PPR game in Week 1, Jones has missed the last three games due to a knee injury. Jones was a key part of the passing game last year, including 13 targets in a playoff game versus the Chiefs. He finished last season as WR26 and certainly showed why in Week 1.

The addition of Calvin Ridley has scared some away from Jones, but he spent the majority of his time on the outside last year. Christian Kirk led the team in slot snaps, and that trend continued in week one of this year. When Jones returns, Kirk will continue to operate from the slot while Jones specializes outside. Ridley is definitely going to take some of the work away from Jones, but his usage in a high-powered passing attack makes him a nice bench piece.

His recent games with Trevor Lawrence are very telling of their connection, and I would expect Jones to return to fantasy relevancy when he comes back from injury. The ceiling isn't as high as it was a year ago, but operating in an offense with this potential makes Jones a good addition off the bench as a streamer.

Others to consider:

• Josh Reynolds, Detroit Lions - 39% Rostered (WS, DP)
• Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions – 32% Rostered (BC)
• Skyy Moore, Kansas City Chiefs - 50% Rostered (DL)
• Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers - 46% Rostered (DL, BC)
• Treylon Burks, Tennesse Titans - 43% Rostered (DL, BC)
• Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans Saints - 42% Rostered (DL)
• Marvin Mims Jr., Denver Broncos - 39% Rostered (DL, BC)
• Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs - 36% Rostered (DL, BC)
• Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers - 24% Rostered (DL)
• Jonathan Mingo, Carolina Panthers - 9% Rostered (DL, BC)
• Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens – 47% Rostered (DL)

Tight Ends Fantasy Football Waiver Wire

Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys — 41% Rostered (WS)

Following a third game this season with seven targets, Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson turned in his best fantasy output of the season, with 14.70 PPR points. The best news of this game for Ferguson is that he had a season-high route participation, running a route in 89.7% of his pass snaps. Ferguson trails only CeeDee Lamb in targets but trails both Lamb and Michael Gallup in routes.

Dallas has been pretty run-heavy this year (45%), leading to some concerning route participation numbers for Ferguson. If he can consistently be used in the passing game, and his increase in routes continues to lead to good targets, he can be a viable streaming option. He's unlikely to continue to average 11 yards per target, but staying somewhere in the middle of Sunday and his other games would lead to some nice consistency.

The Cowboys have been a top-10 offense in terms of EPA/play and success rate, which can lead to more touchdowns for Ferguson down the line. With just one touchdown in four games, he will need to be more of a presence in the red zone to emerge as a true starting option.

Zach Ertz, Arizona Cardinals – 39% Rostered (WS)

The game script finally went as expected for the Cardinals, leading to some nice receiving performances. Tight end Zach Ertz finished the day with 10 targets and 11.30 PPR points, despite not finding the end zone.

Ertz trails just Marquise Brown in both routes and targets through four games and is in line for a lot of targets this season. Unfortunately, his low 1.21 yards per route run will limit those targets to underwhelming yardage. Nevertheless, Ertz currently ranks as TE10 despite not getting in the end zone yet. The return of Kyler Murray could really help Ertz even more, as he needs more yards or touchdowns to become more than a streamer.

He's a great option to have on the bench when the starting tight end can't play and could develop into a nice trade piece if Murray returns and elevates the offense back to more pass-heavy. As long as he continues to pull in a large percentage of his high target volume, Ertz will remain fantasy-relevant all year.

Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears - 54% Rostered (WS)

The Chicago Bears offense finally broke out on Sunday against a reeling Broncos team, and Cole Kmet was a huge beneficiary. He ended the game with nine targets for 85 yards and scored two touchdowns. In all likelihood, this is the peak of his fantasy season on a bad Bears offense, but there's still potential to be used on a week-to-week basis.

Kmet is tied with DJ Moore in targets through four games despite running more than 30 fewer routes than him. He's averaging 1.70 yards per route run and is likely to see an uptick in routes following a productive outing. The Bears currently rank second in rush rate (48%), but game scripts will likely be in Kmet's favor. The Bears are going to be in throwing situations often to get back into games, and heavy targets should continue for Kmet.

While he's very touchdown-reliant for his big outings, his target share makes him a very nice option as a weekly streamer. The lack of receiver competition bodes well for his chances, but trusting anyone in this offense could backfire.

Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans - 36% Rostered (DP, WS)

Weeks 1-3 were quite underwhelming for the new Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz, but he finally broke out Sunday with a 13.20 PPR game thanks to his first touchdown of the year. Schultz was very effective last year with the Cowboys, but it hasn't quite translated with his new team.

Although he ranks third on the Texans in routes run, he has just 16 targets on the year for 89 yards. The route participation is definitely there, but he isn't being targeted enough or doing much with those targets. He's posting an awful 0.72 yards per route run through four games, and only has more than four targets once in a game this year. Teammates Nico Collins and Tank Dell have been breakout players this year and figure to continue to have a big role in the offense.

With C.J. Stroud improving every week and the Texans throwing the ball 63% of the time, there's a lot to like about the situation Schultz is in. He's running a lot of routes on a team that throws the ball a lot with an improving young quarterback. However, he's touchdown-reliant as of now and needs to find a way to get more targets to be anything more than a late fill-in.

Others to consider:

• Logan Thomas, Washington Commanders - 6% Rostered (WS)
• Luke Musgrave, Green Bay Packers - 36% Rostered (WS)
• Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints – 21% Rostered (WS)
• Irv Smith Jr., Cincinnati Bengals – 6% Rostered (WS)
• Greg Dulcich, Denver Broncos - 13% Rostered (BC, WS)
• Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 2% Rostered (WS)
• Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills – 21% Rostered (WS)

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