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Dan's top quarterback Week 5 fantasy pickups (2026). The best QB fantasy waiver wire pickups to add and Week 5 QB streamers for 1QB, 2QB and superflex leagues.
Week 4 wasn't a banner week for quarterbacks. Eight signal callers (Drake Maye, Joe Burrow, C.J. Stroud, Kirk Cousins, Aaron Rodgers, Brock Purdy, Jared Goff, and Bryce Young) scored over 20.0 fantasy points in the week. Seven quarterbacks threw for over 300 passing yards (including 400-yard performances from Burrow and Goff), but only three passers had three or more touchdown passes.
Better days are ahead for fantasy quarterbacks, but things will get tougher first. Two teams are on bye in Week 5, and worse yet, both are fantasy-relevant options (Patrick Mahomes and Bryce Young).
In this article, I will focus on players rostered in under 65% of fantasy leagues while adding a couple of deep sleepers for two-quarterback leagues (less than 25% rostered). Let’s look at who you should consider picking up for Week 5 below. All roster percentages will be from Yahoo! fantasy leagues.
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Single-QB Waiver Wire Pickups and Streamers
Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals
Yahoo: 16% rostered
The Jacoby Brissett experience has been uneven to start the 2026 season. Brissett has two games with 16.0+ fantasy points scored (including a 25.6-point effort in Week 3) and two performances where he’s scored less than 11.0 points.
Unfortunately, Week 4 was a bad version of Brissett. The veteran quarterback completed just 21 of 35 passes for 166 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in a 36-24 loss to the New York Giants. Brissett had the Cardinals on the cusp of a win before throwing a pick-six on the four-yard line for the final play of the game.
Still, Brissett doesn’t seem to be at risk of losing his job and has attempted at least 35 passes in three games this season. He’s also added at least four carries in three games. He has a matchup against the worst secondary in fantasy football in Week 5 (Detroit), along with quarterback-friendly matchups against the Rams (Week 6) and Cowboys (Week 8) on the horizon.
Brissett has the passing volume needed to be fantasy relevant from pocket passers. He’s a fine streaming option, especially with bye weeks starting in Week 5.
Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Yahoo: 10% rostered
Aaron Rodgers has posted consecutive 21.0+ fantasy performances over his last two weeks, completing 41 of 74 pass attempts for 591 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions. Rodgers is getting the ball out fast and letting his playmakers make plays for him downfield.
Aaron Rodgers 🎯 Darnell Washington for the TD!
@PITvsCLE on Prime Video
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/HaEtmFClOk— NFL (@NFL) October 2, 2026
From a volume perspective, the Steelers have had no problem leaning on Rodgers over the first four weeks, attempting 39 passes in three of four games this season. He will have an opportunity to have another strong showing against an Indianapolis Colts defense that allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game (21.9) before facing off against UDFA Athan Kaliakmanis for almost all of Week 4’s win over the Washington Commanders.
Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders
Yahoo: 22% rostered
Kirk Cousins continues to deliver for fantasy managers in 2026. Cousins had his third straight 22-point performance in a 30-27 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. In that game, he produced season highs for attempts (52), completions (31), and passing yards (365). He has thrown multiple touchdowns in all four games this season.
The Raiders have a difficult schedule for fantasy quarterbacks on the horizon, but Las Vegas has shown that they are willing to let Cousins throw the ball. More importantly, Cousins has looked good doing it, which means there is little to no risk of him losing his job going forward.
Two-QB Waiver Wire Pickups and Stashes
Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons
Yahoo: 8% rostered
Michael Penix Jr. and the Atlanta Falcons won’t kick off until tonight, but his upcoming schedule will be worth targeting regardless of how the offense operates (unless he gets injured).
Penix was impressive in his first performance of 2026 in Week 3, completing 18 of 26 passes for 256 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Penix continued to show an exceptional connection with veteran wide receiver Drake London (10 targets, nine receptions, and 194 receiving yards) in the win.
The Falcons and Saints game tonight has the potential to turn into a shootout given how fast the Saints want to play. Atlanta has matchups against a Ravens defense that just allowed Cam Ward to have his best game of the season (222 yards, one touchdown, and one interception) in Week 5 before facing off against the Bears in Week 6.
Jalon Daniels, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Yahoo: 2% rostered
Jalon Daniels struggled as a passer against the Green Bay Packers, completing just 19 of 27 passes for 148 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in a 17-14 loss. Thankfully, Daniels was able to provide some extra fantasy value thanks to eight carries for 55 yards.
His 12.4 fantasy points scored weren’t exceptional, but it showed that he could provide a solid fantasy floor as a UDFA in his first season. If he can rein in the turnover-worthy throws, he could be even better for fantasy managers going forward.
Jalon Daniels' first career TD! 🙌
@GBvsTB on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/MKQijt4XeA— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2026
Daniels has at least two weeks (and up to five weeks) left as the Buccaneers’ starting quarterback. Tampa Bay has an above-average offensive line and solid pass catchers that can help him as long as he plays within the offense.
He will have an opportunity to have a big day against a Cowboys defense that allowed 23.5 fantasy points coming into Week 4 before giving up 347 passing yards and two touchdowns (with zero interceptions) to a struggling Houston Texans’ passing offense in Week 4.
Tyson Bagent, Chicago Bears
Yahoo: 3% rostered
Tyson Bagent got the start for the Chicago Bears against the New York Jets in Week 4. Bagent was efficient in his first start (25 of 34 passing for 268 yards and an interception), but scored just 8.82 fantasy points thanks to a run-heavy game script.
More importantly, the Chicago Bears improved to 2-0 with Caleb Williams is sidelined with a hamstring injury, which will allow them to keep their third-year quarterback on the sideline to heal completely before returning to the field.
There is a chance Williams returns in Week 5 against the Green Bay Packers, but if Chicago wants to be patient, they can afford to. That means that Bagent would be in line for a second start against a defense missing Micah Parsons, who is recovering from a 2025 ACL tear, and Edgerrin Cooper, who suffered an Achilles injury in Week 5.
J.J. McCarthy, New York Giants
Yahoo: 2% rostered
J.J. McCarthy was traded to the New York Giants before Week 4’s games. The move gave the 2024 first-round pick a fresh start after he was a healthy scratch behind both Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz in Week 4.
Veteran quarterback Jameis Winston has been the starter for the Giants since second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart suffered a season-ending knee injury, but his play has been uninspiring. Winston may have done enough to hold the starting job in Week 3 (18 of 29 passing for 250 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions), but it seems like a matter of time until the Giants see what they have in McCarthy.
The Giants have several quarterback-friendly matchups both before and after their Week 8 bye. If you have the bench space, McCarthy is a good bench stash in case he eventually becomes the starter.
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