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Frank's fantasy football risers, breakouts, waiver wire sleepers for Week 5 of 2026. Are these unexpected booms legit for Kirk Cousins, Emanuel Wilson, Romeo Doubs, Keon Coleman, and T.J. Hockenson?
As usual, Week 4 of the 2026 NFL regular season had more surprises, including spike weeks from players you wouldn't expect. Sunday's action was capped off by an absolute shootout between the Lions and Panthers.
On this page, we're going to take a look at some "unexpected booms," which are surprise spike weeks from players who either went late in drafts or were available on the waiver wire. The main theme of this week's article? Once again, the main theme of this article involves players who had bigger roles due to injuries to teammates. Some include veterans who came out of nowhere to blow up.
To that end, keep reading about Kirk Cousins, Emanuel Wilson, Romeo Doubs, Keon Coleman, and T.J. Hockenson. We'll recommend what you should do with these players, predicting whether it was a one-game wonder or if this type of production is sustainable.
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Kirk Cousins, QB, Las Vegas Raiders
Kirk Cousins continues to look comfortable in Klint Kubiak's offense, putting together his best performance of the season in Week 4 against the Chiefs. Cousins completed 31-of-52 passes for 365 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the Raiders' 30-27 loss. He also completed a two-point conversion during Las Vegas' fourth-quarter comeback attempt.
Cousins has now thrown for 1,026 yards, 11 touchdowns, and four interceptions through four games. Those numbers are enough to put him firmly on the streaming radar, especially when the Raiders get into matchups where they're likely to throw at a high rate. Kubiak's offense has clearly been a good fit for Cousins, who has looked much more effective than he did during his time in Atlanta.
KIRK COUSINS MAGIC FOR THE TOUCHDOWN!
@KCvsLV on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/ADaylXSjLZ— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2026
This start also gives Cousins some job security with No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza waiting in the wings. Mendoza is obviously the long-term answer in Las Vegas, but there's little reason for the Raiders to rush the rookie onto the field while Cousins is playing this well. As long as the veteran continues to move the offense, Mendoza can remain learning from the sidelines.
Cousins gets a tougher assignment in Week 5 with a road matchup against the Patriots. New England is coming off an impressive win over Buffalo and represents a significant step up defensively from some of the opponents Cousins has faced early in the season. While Cousins has earned his way onto the streaming radar, this isn't the week I'd use him. Keep him in mind for softer matchups.
Emanuel Wilson, RB, Seattle Seahawks
Emanuel Wilson took full advantage of an expanded role in Week 4, rushing 21 times for 81 yards and a touchdown while adding three catches for 39 yards and another score in Seattle's win over the Chargers. It was an impressive performance for a player who had primarily been used as a backup before injuries opened the door for more work.
There should still be an opportunity for Wilson to remain fantasy-relevant in the short term. Jadarian Price was placed on injured reserve with a chest injury. Zach Charbonnet is getting closer to returning after being designated to return from the PUP list, but after such a long absence, Seattle may ease him back into action rather than immediately giving him a full workload.
Emanuel Wilson's first TD as a Seahawk! 🔥
@LACvsSEA on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/RVKrkhoLku— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2026
That could give us another week or two of useful production from Wilson. Even once Charbonnet is activated, Wilson's Week 4 performance should earn him touches while Seattle figures out its backfield rotation. He's more of a short-term waiver addition than someone I'd expect to hold significant value all season, but there's enough opportunity here to make him worth holding.
The timing also works in Wilson's favor, as the Seahawks get a banged-up 49ers defense in Week 5. That's a much more appealing spot than it normally would be against San Francisco. Wilson belongs on the streaming radar as an RB2/flex option for at least one more week.
Romeo Doubs, WR, New England Patriots
Romeo Doubs finally delivered the type of spike week fantasy managers were hoping for in Week 4, catching six passes for 58 yards and two touchdowns in New England's 29-26 win over Buffalo. It was easily his best performance of the season, and a reminder that Doubs still has enough red-zone ability to provide usable weeks in this Patriots offense.
The problem is that his production has been extremely volatile. Doubs was held without a catch in Week 1, followed that up with three catches for 96 yards in Week 2, then managed only three receptions for 49 yards in New England's ugly Week 3 loss to Jacksonville. A lot of that inconsistency can be tied to Drake Maye, who has been all over the place to start the season. He threw three touchdowns against Buffalo, but had three turnovers the previous week against Jacksonville.
Doubs with a one-handed TD catch
@NEvsBUF on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/mEInd29XY7— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2026
That makes Doubs more of a matchup-dependent streamer than someone I'd trust every week. The two-touchdown performance puts him firmly on the waiver-wire radar, especially because he has shown the ability to generate chunk plays and earn looks near the end zone. But we're still dealing with a receiver attached to an inconsistent passing attack, so there are going to be quiet games mixed in with these spike weeks.
For now, I'd only be comfortable using Doubs when New England gets a favorable matchup against a vulnerable secondary or in games where the Patriots are likely to throw at a higher rate. He's worth adding after this performance, but don't chase the touchdowns and immediately treat him like an every-week WR3.
Keon Coleman, WR, Buffalo Bills
Keon Coleman delivered his first true spike week of the season in Week 4, catching 6-of-7 targets for 116 yards and a touchdown in Buffalo's 29-26 loss to New England. It was easily his best performance of the year and a reminder of the upside that comes with playing alongside Josh Allen.
Coleman also benefited from DJ Moore leaving the game in the first half with a shoulder injury. Moore finished with only one catch for 11 yards before exiting, which opened up more opportunities for Coleman to operate as one of Allen's primary targets. The encouraging news for Buffalo is that Moore's injury reportedly isn't considered a long-term issue, so Coleman may not see this type of volume every week.
JOSH THROWS A ROPE TO KEON COLEMAN AND THE BILLS HAVE THE LEAD
@NEvsBUF on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/LMFJVKt5gT— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2026
Still, this was the type of performance that puts Coleman back on the fantasy radar. His size and ability to make plays downfield give him plenty of touchdown upside in one of the league's best offenses. There will likely be some volatility even without Moore, but Coleman is worth a look.
Up next is a road matchup against the Rams, which has the potential to turn into a shootout. That's exactly the type of game environment where Coleman becomes interesting as a FLEX option, particularly if Moore is limited or unable to play.
T.J. Hockenson, TE, Minnesota Vikings
T.J. Hockenson came out of nowhere to catch all 13 of his targets for 119 yards in Minnesota's 15-10 win over Miami. It was his first 100-yard game since 2024 and a massive jump from the 76 receiving yards he had combined for through the first three weeks.
More importantly, we're starting to see some rapport between Hockenson and Kyler Murray. Murray repeatedly looked his way when the Vikings needed to move the chains. The veteran quarterback seemed to settle into more of a rhythm as the game went along. Hockenson was clearly his safety valve, which is encouraging considering how productive Murray was with Trey McBride during his time in Arizona.
Savvy play by TJ Hockenson to stop short of the end zone
MIAvsMIN on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/z81tAE4wNy— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2026
Tight end is volatile enough that this type of usage immediately puts Hockenson back on the fantasy radar. If Murray continues getting more comfortable in Kevin O'Connell's offense, Hockenson should have a much better chance of providing consistent TE1 production.
Up next is a road matchup against the Saints, which looks like another strong spot. New Orleans was just shredded by Raiders tight ends, with Brock Bowers returning to catch 10 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. Michael Mayer was also involved in a Las Vegas offense that leaned heavily on multiple-tight-end sets. Given what we just saw from Hockenson and Murray, the veteran is worth a look here.
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