Mid-Week Waiver Wire Rankings for Week 5 (2026): Fantasy Football Pickups for Will Shipley, Tyler Allgeier, Malik Washington, Jordyn Tyson, Tre' Harris, Kenyon Sadiq, more

October 9, 2026

Mid-week fantasy football waiver wire rankings for Week 5 of the 2026 NFL season. Top fantasy football free agents and streamers to add off waivers.

Hey RotoBallers, now that the first waiver run is complete in most leagues, we are back with more waiver wire advice. Bye weeks are here, with the Chiefs and Panthers off. Several key injuries hit heading into Week 5, including Lamar Jackson, Ja'Marr Chase, Saquon Barkley, DJ Moore, and Ladd McConkey. Below are our updated Week 5 mid-week waiver wire rankings for the 2026 season to help fantasy managers who need an injury or bye-week replacement, or who want a high-upside stash. 

Injuries are taking a toll, and some players are seeing expanded roles as a result. With Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby sidelined, is Will Shipley the Eagles' top running back? Jordyn Tyson is expected to come off injured reserve soon; is he the top injury stash off the waivers? Is Malik Washington Miami's No. 1 wide receiver?

These Week 5 waiver wire rankings are updated by Nick Mariano, RotoBaller's lead fantasy football analyst and forecaster. If you're not familiar, he brings you his weekly waiver wire rankings and priority adds for the top 85 options to consider across positions and league sizes. Good luck in Week 5 on the waiver wire!

Who To Pick Up for Fantasy Football Week 5?

Quarterbacks (QB) and Defenses (D/ST) are grouped together at the bottom of the list:

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Outlooks

Top names include Will Shipley, Malik Washington, Jordyn Tyson, Tre' Harris, and Tyler Allgeier. We recap why these players should be on your waiver wire radar for Week 5.

Will Shipley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley has seen most of his usage on special teams since entering the NFL in 2024, recording just 76 total touches across 35 career games with the Eagles. However, the 24-year-old could get his chance to lead the Philadelphia backfield in the team's upcoming Week 5 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (hamstring) is considered unlikely to play against Jacksonville with a hamstring injury, and RB2 Tank Bigsby (core) is set to undergo core muscle surgery and will be placed on Injured Reserve.

As a result, Shipley could be called upon to play a three-down role against the Jaguars. In leagues where he remains available on the waiver wire, Shipley profiles as a must-add running back for fantasy managers.

Malik Washington, WR, Miami Dolphins

Although Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington is still searching for his first touchdown through four games in his first season in South Beach, it is clear that he has become quarterback Malik Willis' go-to downfield target through the air. It has helped that rookie wideout Caleb Douglas has missed the last couple of games due to an ankle injury. In Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Washington led the Dolphins' receivers in snap count (34), catches (five), targets (five), and receiving yards (67), which were also a season high for him.

Through the first four games in 2026, the 25-year-old former sixth-rounder in 2024 from Virginia has 17 catches for 219 yards on 28 targets from Willis. Washington will be a decent WR3/flex option in Week 5 as the Dolphins seek their first victory of the year against the Cincinnati Bengals, especially if Douglas misses a third straight game due to his ankle injury. He is not a sexy fantasy option because of the offense he is in, but he deserves a look off the waiver wire and is rostered in only 31% of Yahoo leagues.

Jordyn Tyson, WR, New Orleans Saints

The eighth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, New Orleans Saints wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) has yet to make his professional debut as he recovers from a hamstring injury. While the 22-year-old is technically eligible to return from Injured Reserve in Week 5, Tyson is reportedly still multiple weeks away from being healthy enough to play. Still, recent reports indicate that Tyson is making good progress and should be back on the field at some point in the middle of the season.

Tyson was a highly productive pass-catcher in his final two collegiate seasons at Arizona St., recording over 1,800 receiving yards and 19 total touchdowns. In deeper leagues or league formats with IR spots, fantasy managers may want to consider stashing Tyson now and holding him until his eventual return.

Tre' Harris, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Tre' Harris has been the team's leading receiver this season and could see an even bigger role in Week 5. Through four games, Harris has caught 13 of 21 targets for 209 yards, including more than 60 yards in back-to-back games. In last week's 30-23 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Harris played 66 of 71 snaps (93%) and ran 39 of 43 routes (91%), both leading the team.

With Ladd McConkey (foot) uncertain to play in Week 5, Harris could become Justin Herbert's clear number one receiver. With the Denver Broncos next up and star cornerback Pat Surtain (ankle) unlikely to play, Harris could be in line for a solid outing in Week 5. Fantasy managers should add Harris as both a short-term and long-term option this season.

Tyler Allgeier, RB, Arizona Cardinals

Across four games in 2026, Arizona Cardinals running back Tyler Allgeier has recorded 147 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 42 touches. After starting Arizona's first two games of the season, Allgeier has given way to Cardinals rookie back Jeremiyah Love (ankle). The third overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Love clearly profiles as the future of the Arizona backfield. However, Love battled an ankle injury during the preseason, and it was revealed on Monday that he is battling renewed ankle discomfort.

Allgeier has proven he can be productive when given the opportunity, as he rushed for over 1,000 yards as a rookie in 2022. If Love ends up missing time, Allgeier could work his way into must-start territory in a favorable Week 5 matchup against the awful Detroit Lions defense. With Love's health uncertain, fantasy managers may want to target Allgeier on the waiver wire.

Running Backs - Week 5 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Wide Receivers - Week 5 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Tight Ends- Week 5 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Quarterbacks - Week 5 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order, with emphasis on Week 5:

Defenses (D/ST) - Week 5 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order, with emphasis on Week 5:

Week 5 Waiver Wire Articles

After diving into the Week 5 rankings, read about some other free waiver wire resources available at RotoBaller:

• Week 5 waiver wire pickups (all positions)
• Week 5 FAAB waiver wire bids
• Week 5 running back waiver wire pickups
• Week 5 wide receiver waiver wire pickups
• Week 5 tight end waiver wire pickups
• Week 5 quarterback waiver wire pickups
• Week 5 defense (D/ST) streamers and pickups
• Week 5 kicker streamers and pickups

Each week, our NFL team puts out a complete array of fantasy football waiver wire articles to complement our slick Who Should I Pickup? Waiver wire player comparison tool. Bookmark it!

In addition, be on the lookout for our other waiver wire articles all season long. We will be releasing weekly waiver wire articles for each position, FAAB bidding recommendations, streamers, and more. Stay tuned!

Who Should I Pickup Tool

Trying to decide who to pickup off the waiver wire? Check the Who Should I Pickup tool here:

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Who Should I Pickup? Some common 2026 fantasy football waiver wire decisions are regarding players like Will Shipley, Malik Washington, Jordyn Tyson, Tre' Harris, Tyler Allgeier, Emanuel Wilson, Keon Coleman, Emmett Johnson, Dohnte Meyers, Tyler Higbee, Kendre Miller, Chris Bell, Brian Robinson, Austin Ekeler, Adonai Mitchell, Antonio Williams, Mike Gesicki, T.J. Hockenson, Jacoby Brissett, Kirk Cousins, and Deshaun Watson. But not to worry, 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: Tyler Higbee, Ollie Gordon, Keenan Allen, Alvin Kamara, and Jaylen Wright. These are some common searches for 2026 fantasy football waiver wire pickups.

Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. First, enter the player names 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.

Recent Improvements For Who Should I Pickup? You may have noticed that our Who Should I Pickup? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win on the waiver wire in 2026. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, stats, projections, strength of schedule, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!

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 Will Shipley, Malik Washington, Jordyn Tyson, Tre' Harris, Tyler Allgeier, Emanuel Wilson, Keon Coleman, Emmett Johnson, Dohnte Meyers, Tyler Higbee, Kendre Miller, Chris Bell, Brian Robinson, Austin Ekeler, Adonai Mitchell, Antonio Williams, Mike Gesicki, T.J. Hockenson, Jacoby Brissett, Kirk Cousins, and Deshaun Watson:

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