RADIO
Kyle's must-have fantasy football bench stashes and waiver wire sleepers ahead of Week 5 (2023). He picks high-upside NFL players to stash on your fantasy teams and helps outline a plan to maximize the bye weeks.
Good afternoon ladies and gentleman! Hard to believe we are already through 4 weeks of the 2023 NFL season and hopefully your fantasy football rosters are treating you well. Nonetheless, with bye weeks coming up and with how violent of a sport this game we love can be, knowing how to identify the potential "next man up" is a vital skill. Important to remember that you don't always need immediate production from the players below, but if you are in deeper formats like 14-team leagues or ones with larger bench spots, being able to strike waiver wire gold can sometimes make or break your season.
Miami Dolphins RB De'Von Achane was a popular stash target as a part of these articles earlier in the season, but for the purposes of this exercise, players who are owned in over 40 percent of Yahoo and ESPN leagues are not eligible. If you are looking at some of these names wondering why they are there, it's due to the nature of the article. The odds say that most of these guys aren't going to hit, but if you are able to identify someone who does early it can be a huge boost to your fantasy roster, as well as helping to save those valuable FAAB dollars for later.
We are now heading into the challenging heart of the fantasy football season with teams on bye weeks. So far in Week 5 the following teams will be on their bye: (Browns, Bucs, Chargers, Seahawks), so plan accordingly. Even if you have started 1-3 or even 0-4, it's important to not give up and to keep the faith. You can't go back and change how your draft went, but you can plan waivers accordingly and try to finish as strong possible. Now let's dive into some of these names for potential waiver wire gold!
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Weekend Waiver Wire Stashes Before Week 5
Rashee Rice, (WR) Kansas City Chiefs
33% rostered on Yahoo, 15% on ESPN
Stay with me. Rice has been appearing in this article quite frequently, but after Skyy Moore had a disastrous Week 1 the arrows were starting to point upwards on Rice potentially being the No. 1 WR in the Chiefs offense this season. While the unit hasn't been a good one for fantasy thus far, being attached to Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid can be huge if the connection continues to grow. Rice had 2 receptions in Week 3 where he was tackled at the 1-yard line and wasn't able to score.
Rice is starting to play more snaps and he is seeing more targets on a weekly basis. The Chiefs offense is only going to get better as the season goes along. The scary thing is that they are currently 3-1 and it doesn't even feel like they are clicking on all cylinders yet as an offense running the ball and passing it consistently. Better days could be ahead for Rice, so the recommendation is to stash him now ahead of time. Once that big games arrives you won't be able to get him.
Tyjae Spears, (RB) Tennessee Titans
25% rostered on Yahoo, 23% on ESPN
The Titans' offense, through the first month, has left much to be desired. Issues up front, struggling receivers, and a QB who might have seen better days define their current state. Yet, amidst this, Spears is surprisingly getting more snaps than the established RB Derrick Henry. Spears' ability to catch out of the backfield hints at some solo upside if the Titans can turn things around. No doubt, Derrick Henry is the main man in the backfield, but it'd be a mistake to overlook what Spears is bringing to the table.
Spears has some impressive receiving skills out of the backfield, and could have some standalone upside. For now, the Titans haven't been giving Henry the same type of workload that they have in seasons past. Their offense needs to get better in order to be a more viable unit for fantasy, but if anything should happen to Henry, Spears would step in immediately and see plenty of snaps. For that reason alone he is worth your attention as one of the top overall handcuffs in fantasy.
Marvin Mims Jr., (WR) Denver Broncos
37% rostered on Yahoo, 16% on ESPN
While he has yet to play a huge role, Mims has flashed greatly in the time he's been out there on the field. He has just 11 targets through 4 games, but he's got an impressive 9 receptions for 242 yards and 1 TD with the limited usage. Despite not having a lot of 2023 draft capital, Denver traded up into the 2nd round to make sure they landed Mims. Jerry Jeudy has been the subject of recent trade talks and if Denver continues along it's downward path after a 1-3 start, we shouldn't be surprised to start seeing some veterans jettisoned at the trade deadline. Mims is averaging an outrageous 6.21 yards per routes run right now. It's only a matter of time before he goes off.
Kendre Miller, (RB) New Orleans Saints
13% rostered on Yahoo, 9% on ESPN
Miller, a promising rookie from TCU snatched up by the Saints in the 3rd round of the 2023 NFL Draft, missed a chunk of prep time due to a knee scope. With Alvin Kamara back after a 3-game hiatus and Jamaal Williams sidelined on IR, there's a door open for Miller. Though he'll need some time to gel with the NFL and Saints' rhythm, he's shaping up as a potential second-half-of-the-season standout. Definitely worth a spot on your roster, especially if Kamara doesn’t return to his prime form. It's likely that Kamara will receive plenty of the receiving work and high-value touches, but be sure to keep an eye on Miller just in case.
Chuba Hubbard, (RB) Carolina Panthers
29% rostered on Yahoo, 18% on ESPN
A player with an impressive college career at Oklahoma State, Chuba has mostly been relegated to backup duties during his time with the Panthers. The team is currently 0-4 and rookie QB Bryce Young is struggling. Starting RB Miles Sanders has looked okay out on the field, but he's been dealing with some lingering injuries. If anything were to happen to Sanders, Chuba should have a pretty sizeable role in the offense. Hubbard has carried the ball 26 times for 119 yards, but is averaging an impressive 3.96 yards after contact. We need Carolina's offense to start progressing to be a viable unit for fantasy. Let's hope that Bryce Young can find it, which would obviously indirectly help Chuba's value.
Tank Bigsby, (RB) Jacksonville Jaguars
22% rostered on Yahoo, 13% on ESPN
Another top handcuff in the fantasy space, Bigsby has felt like a disappointment through 4 games after many were expecting him to see a more sizeable role in the Jaguars offense in 2023 after they drafted him in Round 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft. Bigsby has made a few mistakes, he has dropped both of his targets where one resulted in an INT as well as one costly fumble. He has gotten some goal-line work and has 2 TDs on the year, but hasn't done much otherwise. Jacksonville's offense has been inconsistent through 4 games, but should get better as the season goes along. Should anything happen to Travis Etienne Jr., Bigsby would be an immediate start. If you're in deeper formats he's worth rostering just in case.
Michael Wilson, (WR) Arizona Cardinals
43% rostered on Yahoo, 21% on ESPN
Another rookie WR who flew under the radar over the summer, Wilson put together a nice game in Week 4 where he caught all 7 of his targets to finish with 7 receptions for 76 yards and 2 TDs. Wilson flashed in college at Stanford, but had several injuries that caused him to fall until the end of the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The Cardinals offense has surprisingly looked a lot better this season and QB Kyler Murray could be returning from injured reserve within the next month. You likely can't start him for fantasy with a ton of confidence right now, but it's hard not to be impressed with what we're seeing. There is always a chance that fellow WR Marquise Brown could be traded before the deadline and Wilson could become the WR1 in their offense.
Luke Musgrave, (TE) Green Bay Packers
25% rostered on Yahoo, 25% on ESPN
Musgrave, the rookie tight end for the Packers, is carving out a name for himself. While the Packers' pass-catching dynamic remains a bit of a puzzle, there's no denying Jordan Love's prowess, even amidst the O-line hiccups. And speaking of standout rookies, let's not forget what we're witnessing with Sam LaPorta over on the Lions. Musgrave's 16 targets and 12 catches for 125 yards, albeit without a TD, showcases his potential. It's still up in the air whether the Packers can fuel multiple fantasy-relevant pass-catchers this year, but Musgrave's performances are hinting at big things. He had a bit of a down-game on TNF against the Lions in Week 4, but he's worth keeping an eye on in case you're hurting at tight end right now.
Hope you enjoyed these picks. Was there anyone who should have been on here that was left off? Remember that it's a long season and to stay the course. By being proactive and prepared ahead of your league mates you can save that valuable FAAB for later in the season when you might really need it! Feel free to follow me on Twitter for more waiver and player analysis throughout the season!
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