Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 5: Top Free Agent Adds Include Romeo Doubs, Jameson Williams, Curtis Samuel, Michael Wilson, more

October 3, 2023

Justin Carter's fantasy football wide receiver waiver wire pickups for Week 5 of the 2023 NFL season. His free agent WRs to add, stream and stash off waivers.

We're almost done with Week 4! I don't really have much to say about this week of football, especially that pertains to the concept of this article: wide receiver waiver wire adds. Why don't I? Because there's just not a ton of guys off the wire who really popped this week. But there is still some value out there.

Below, you'll find some wide receivers that you should be targeting on the fantasy football waiver wire ahead of Week 5. Not all of these waiver wire options are the same. Some players may be better in PPR or deeper leagues, so it’s not a one-size-fits-all comparison. Use your best judgment when deciding which of these players is the right fit for your roster.

Be sure to also check out our Waiver Wire Adds for Week 5 for help at all the skill positions. All players on this list are around 50% rostered or below.

Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 5

Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers - 54% rostered

Christian Watson made his debut this week and caught two passes for 25 yards and a touchdown. I imagine he'll see more snaps going forward, but I don't think his return throws a wrench into the Romeo Doubs breakout campaign.

Doubs was targeted 13 times on Thursday night against the Lions, giving him 25 targets over the past two weeks. He's become Jordan Love's favorite target. Doubs managed to bring in nine of those passes this week for receptions, finishing with 95 yards. His volume makes him a must-add player.

Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals - 2% rostered

Is this too high for a guy who's rostered in just 2% of fantasy leagues? Maybe! But Michael Wilson had a breakout performance on Sunday against the 49ers and has more upside than a lot of players who are more highly rostered.

Wilson was targeted seven times this week, which ranked third on the team behind Zach Ertz and Marquise Brown. But he caught all seven of those, finishing with 76 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The rookie has now finished with over 50 receiving yards in three straight games. Meanwhile, Rondale Moore saw just two targets and didn't record a catch. It looks like Wilson has crept ahead of Moore in the pecking order. He's a talented wideout with an expanding role. On a thin waiver wire, he's worth a look.

Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions - 32% rostered

After the NFL changed its gambling policy, Jameson Williams saw his suspension cut and is now eligible to return this week, though it remains to be seen if he'll be ready to go.

A first-round pick last year, Williams hasn't done a lot in the NFL. He appeared in six games last year and caught just one of his nine targets, though he took that one for a 41-yard touchdown. The talent's here for Williams to take over as the No. 2 receiver in Detroit and contribute WR3 numbers down the stretch, but there's also plenty of risk involved considering his lack of NFL success.

Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys - 19% rostered

After having just two catches for 13 yards over the first two games of the season, Gallup has posted back-to-back strong games. He caught six-of-seven targets last week for 92 yards, then caught five-of-six targets for 60 yards this week. Being the No. 2 option in the Cowboys passing game is a good place to be. He appears to be a solid WR4 option. With a fairly bare waiver wire, that's worth something.

Josh Reynolds, Detroit Lions - 39% rostered

As I mentioned above, Jameson Williams is back in Week 5. That could mean he immediately becomes the No. 2 receiver in Detroit behind Amon-Ra St. Brown.

But there's no guarantee he does. Williams was a beast in college, but we haven't really seen it yet from him in the NFL. Meanwhile, Reynolds saw six targets this week, catching three for 69 yards. He's had six or more targets in three of the four games this season, with over 60 yards in all three of those contests. (He also, uhh, has a game where he wasn't even targeted.)

Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals - 37% rostered

Tyler Boyd's been targeted 24 times over the past three games. He's maxed out at 52 receiving yards in those games. He's getting looks, but those looks haven't really converted into much yet. I think a big part of that is the struggles we've seen from quarterback Joe Burrow, as the Bengals have been held without a touchdown twice. The main reason to add Boyd is that you're hoping once Burrow's fully healthy and looks like himself, those targets can start converting to some additional fantasy points. It's not a great bet, but it's something a receiver-needy team can do.

Wide Receiver Deeper League Pickups For Week 5

Curtis Samuel, Washington Commanders - 9% rostered

Curtis Samuel has quietly been pretty good this season for the Commanders, with 50-plus receiving yards in three of Washington's four games. He doesn't get the attention that Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson do because he doesn't have the ceiling they have, but in a 14-team league, he's a consistent WR4 play. Sometimes, that's what your fantasy team needs.

Terrace Marshall Jr., Carolina Panthers - 0% rostered

I considered mentioning Terrace Marshall Jr. last week after he was targeted eight times against the Seahawks, but I ultimately opted against it. He finished with five catches for just 35 yards, so it was probably a one-off.

But then he was targeted 10 times this week, catching nine of those for 56 yards. The yards per reception are still pretty low, but Marshall's looking like someone who might have an upside in deep PPR leagues.

Deven Thompkins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 0% rostered

This is an injury-dependent add. If we hear by the time waivers run that Mike Evans might miss time with his hamstring injury, Thompkins becomes an option in deep leagues because of an assumed increase in usage. This week against the Saints, he caught all four of his targets for 45 yards and a touchdown and also added an 11-yard run. He's got no value if Evans plays, but a little upside if he doesn't.

Braxton Berrios, Miami Dolphins - 2% rostered

Braxton Berrios was targeted six times this week, one more than Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill each individually saw. Of course, that doesn't mean Berrios has surpassed them or anything. But he's getting a lot of snaps in three-receiver sets and found the end zone this week. He's worth monitoring due to the strength of this passing offense.

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Advice