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Week 5 fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Kyle Pitts Sr., Brenton Strange, Harold Fannin Jr. in 2025. Read their waiver wire outlooks for fantasy football.
Week 5 brings fantasy managers a mix of opportunity and caution at the tight end position. With some starters on bye, now is the time to find reliable contributors who can keep your lineup competitive. This week’s waiver wire features options with clear upside, steady usage, and favorable matchups, as well as players who should be avoided due to limited roles or inefficient offenses.
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. has finally begun to show the fantasy potential that made him a highly touted prospect. Currently TE8 through four weeks, Pitts has seen at least five targets per game and scored his first touchdown in Week 4. With Atlanta on bye this week, managers have a prime opportunity to claim him before a favorable stretch of matchups in Weeks 7–9.
Meanwhile, Jacksonville’s Brenton Strange has emerged as a reliable option with consistent targets and efficiency, making him a solid streaming candidate for Week 5. Conversely, Cleveland’s Harold Fannin Jr. has struggled for production and volume, and fantasy managers should steer clear unless his role expands.
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Kyle Pitts Sr. Week 5 Waiver Wire Pickups
Rostered: 66% of Leagues
Baller Move: Add in All Leagues
Atlanta Falcons tight end Pitts is finally beginning to show the potential fantasy managers have been waiting for since he entered the league. Through four weeks, Pitts ranks as the TE8 in fantasy scoring despite being rostered in only about two-thirds of leagues. He’s provided a steady floor, seeing at least five targets in every game, and his Week 4 performance against the Commanders reminded everyone of his upside. Pitts hauled in five receptions for 70 yards and scored his first touchdown of the season, a sign that his role in the Falcons’ offense may be trending upward.
Penix. Pitts. SIX.
WASvsATL on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/069pLA4C2V
— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025
With Atlanta entering its bye in Week 5, this is the perfect time to make a move. Many fantasy managers hesitate to add players they can’t use immediately, but that hesitation gives you a window of opportunity. Pitts won’t stay on the waiver wire much longer, especially with a favorable stretch of matchups looming. From Weeks 7 through 9, the Falcons face the 49ers, Dolphins, and Patriots—three defenses that all rank in the bottom 10 against tight ends this season. Don’t wait until after the bye to add him. Drop that handcuff or sleeper who isn’t producing and grab Pitts before it’s too late.
Brenton Strange Week 5 Waiver Wire Pickups
Rostered: 28% of Leagues
Baller Move: Stream for Week 5
Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Strange has quietly emerged as a reliable fantasy option, currently sitting as the TE15. While he may not have the name recognition of some bigger tight ends, Strange has been one of the most consistent contributors in the Jaguars’ offense. Through four weeks, he’s caught 19 of 23 targets, leading the team with 182 receiving yards and boasting an impressive 82.6% catch rate. That type of efficiency makes him a valuable safety net for Trevor Lawrence, who has struggled to consistently connect with star wideout Brian Thomas Jr., managing just a 37.5% catch rate.
Brenton Strange is a real-deal weapon in the passing game. Add what he does as a blocker and there is a good argument to make that he is one of the offense's most important players pic.twitter.com/4Kj0rrog5N
— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) September 22, 2025
Strange’s ability to move the chains and keep drives alive has clearly earned Lawrence’s trust, and his role should only continue to grow as the season progresses. The only thing missing from his fantasy profile so far is a touchdown, but given his steady usage and red-zone potential, that breakthrough feels inevitable. If you’re streaming the position or need depth at tight end, Strange is worth serious consideration. His combination of volume, efficiency, and reliability makes him a sneaky add before he finally finds the end zone—and for Tucker Kraft on his bye this week, the timing couldn’t be better.
Harold Fannin Jr. Week 5 Waiver Wire Pickups
Rostered: 36% of Leagues
Baller Move: Avoid in all formats
Cleveland Browns tight end Fannin was a highly sought-after waiver-wire pickup following his nine targets in Week 1. However, his production has stalled in recent games. Over the past two weeks, Fannin has managed just five receptions on 10 targets and has yet to find the end zone. Meanwhile, fellow tight end David Njoku is seeing nearly the same target share (Fannin 24, Njoku 21), limiting Fannin’s upside.
Part of the challenge is the Browns’ passing offense, which ranks 20th in the league. Targets are spread across multiple players—Jerry Jeudy leads with 30, Fannin has 24, Njoku 21, Cedric Tillman 20, and rookie wide receiver Isaiah Bond has been seeing increasing involvement with four and six targets over the past two games, earning his first start last week. With this level of distribution, there’s simply not enough volume for Fannin to be a reliable fantasy option.
For fantasy managers, Fannin is a high-risk, low-reward option. He’s best left on the waiver wire unless he can establish himself as the primary tight end in the offense and see consistent targets. Until that happens, it’s safer to stream other tight ends or look for players with clearer roles and red-zone opportunities.
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