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Fantasy football waiver wire pickups analysis for Emanuel Wilson, Will Shipley, Ollie Gordon II in Week 5 (2026). Read their waiver wire outlooks for fantasy football.
It seemed like we'd see another year in which the majority of starting NFL running backs were healthy for the majority of the season. But in recent weeks, a handful of key injuries have reshaped that idea.
The Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, and Miami Dolphins will all see big shake-ups in how their backfield carries are handed out as a result.
So should you add any of their backup running backs as waiver wire pickups for Week 5 of 2026?
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Emanuel Wilson Week 5 Waiver Wire Pickups
Rostered in 49% of leagues
Seahawks rookie running back Jadarian Price (chest) landed on injured reserve after hurting his chest in Week 3 against the Washington Commanders. While Seattle has indicated that it's not a season-ending injury, he'll miss at least the next three games and wasn't able to play in Week 4.
There's a strong possibility he'll be out for longer. Instead, RB Emanuel Wilson handled most of the workload for the backfield, carrying the ball 21 times for 81 yards and a touchdown and catching three of his four targets for 39 yards. It's more than Price ever produced in a game, by far, and 27.0 PPR fantasy points is a monster total for a backup.
Make that 2️⃣ TDs for Emanuel Wilson!
@LACvsSEA on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/aZFgT0Olj9— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2026
He clearly has the lead back role in this offense, regardless of game script. The other running backs on the roster didn't contribute much at all (George Holani), and RB Zach Charbonnet (knee) still isn't ready to return to play. Wilson probably has at least a few more weeks in the lead back role, in which he could thrive.
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Will Shipley Week 5 Waiver Wire Pickups
Rostered in 1% of leagues
Well, that was quick. Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (hamstring) injured his hamstring in his team's Week 4 contest and was pulled from the game. He was replaced by RB Tank Bigsby (core) who picked up a core injury later on and was also pulled from the game. He's now been placed on injured reserve.
That means Bigsby will be out for at least four weeks while Barkley is likely to miss at least one game. Philly's third-string running back is Will Shipley, who is healthy, and he'll start for the team in Week 5.
Will Shipley is down there screaming for the ball, but he's never gonna get it. https://t.co/BKjURpaOaC
— Henry McKenna (@henrycmckenna) October 5, 2026
Shipley will be able to get the ball more now. He's a must-add in all leagues, especially since he'll likely get heavily consolidated volume and could see 20 or more touches in Week 5. At the RB position, volume is almost everything. He moves into RB2 territory with a big role.
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Ollie Gordon II Week 5 Waiver Wire Pickups
Rostered in 62% of leagues
Gordon and RB Jaylen Wright are the only two running backs on the Dolphins roster that are healthy and active and have gotten any significant amount of touches. And Gordon has massively outperformed Wright -- in Week 4, the former OSU player ran nine times for 100 yards and one touchdown and caught two passes for zero yards.
Wright, meanwhile, managed just seven rushing yards on five carries and wasn't targeted. The Dolphins have used Wright liberally on kick returns. Gordon's massive day should earn him more work moving forward.
53 yards for Ollie Gordon II
MIAvsMIN on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/AC6Jer243h— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2026
We're finally seeing him utilize his 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame to break multiple tackles and gain enough momentum on big runs to be difficult to tackle. He also has ideal size and strength for a goal-line role. His latest performance should put the fantasy world on notice—he shouldn't be unrostered at all ahead of Week 5.
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Who Should I Pickup Tool
Trying to decide who to pickup off the waiver wire? Check the Who Should I Pickup tool here:
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to pickup...
Who Should I Pickup? Some common 2026 fantasy football waiver wire decisions are regarding players like Emanuel Wilson, Will Shipley, Ollie Gordon II. We are here to help make these waiver wire decisions and build winning teams in 2026. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups in 2026. Our free Who Should I Pickup? tool will help make your fantasy football waiver wire decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to pick up... all free! Make the right decisions.
2026 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Emanuel Wilson, Will Shipley, Ollie Gordon II. These are some common searches for 2026 fantasy football waiver wire pickups.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Pickup? button to see who the recommended waiver wire pickups are based on fantasy football rankings, projections, and more.
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How It Works. Our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football waiver wire rankings and projections based on their research, and updates them constantly throughout the week. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked.
Popular Waiver Wire Searches. Curious to see some tough waiver wire decisions for 2026? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Pickup? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2026 for Emanuel Wilson, Will Shipley, Ollie Gordon II:
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