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Frank's fantasy football WR waiver wire pickups for Week 5 of the 2026 NFL season. Free agent wide receivers to add, stream, and stash off waivers.
Week 4 gave fantasy managers exactly the kind of chaos that makes the waiver wire so interesting. We saw a few unexpected spike weeks from players like Keon Coleman, while several lower-rostered receivers either found the end zone or suddenly carved out larger roles in their respective offenses.
That's usually how these sleepers start to emerge. An injury opens up snaps, where a player simply takes advantage of an opportunity that wasn't there a week earlier. Of course, not every surprise performance is going to stick. Some of these receivers will fade right back into obscurity, but others could be one strong game away from becoming priority waiver-wire pickups.
The goal here is to get in early before that happens. With that in mind, let's break down eight waiver wire sleeper wide receivers to consider heading into Week 5 of the 2026 NFL season.
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Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Tyreek Hill, Free Agent - 22% rostered
Tyreek Hill is one of the more interesting adds available right now. The veteran wide receiver has indicated that he's getting close to returning. The Kansas City Chiefs are reportedly very interested in a reunion after losing Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton to injuries in Week 4.
Kansas City would make perfect sense as a landing spot. Hill already knows Andy Reid's offense and has years of experience playing with Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs were already viewed as the favorites to sign Hill earlier this year, so the latest injuries only make that connection more logical.
Developing: Tyreek Hill’s agent Drew Rosenhaus said he plans to begin negotiating a deal for his veteran wide receiver with multiple teams today.
One of those teams is the Chiefs, who have maintained contact with Hill.
“I would anticipate Tyreek potentially signing with a team over the next few days,” Rosenhaus said.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 5, 2026
Obviously, nothing is official yet, so this is a stash rather than someone you can put into your lineup right away. But if Hill signs with Kansas City this week, his roster percentage would skyrocket.
Tre' Harris, Los Angeles Chargers - 9% rostered
Tre' Harris quietly put together another respectable performance in Week 4, catching 3-of-5 targets for 60 yards against the Seahawks. That came with Ladd McConkey sidelined by a chest injury, which helped Harris earn a larger role in the Chargers' passing game.
Putting up 60 yards on only three catches is enough to keep Harris on the fantasy radar. He has the size and big-play ability to turn limited volume into useful production. Another absence from McConkey would give him an even clearer path to targets.
Harris has another tough matchup in Week 5 against the Broncos, so he's more of a stash, but with how McConkey has been banged up and how much the Chargers offense has struggled, he's worth a look.
Chris Bell, Miami Dolphins - 8% rostered
Chris Bell didn't record a catch in Week 4, but he came very close to making a huge play against the Vikings.
Malik Willis escaped pressure and found Bell deep downfield for what looked like a 68-yard touchdown. However, Bell had stepped out of bounds before coming back in to make the catch, resulting in an illegal-touching penalty that wiped out the score.
That's still the type of play that keeps Bell on the fantasy radar. He saw three targets and was clearly being used as a downfield threat, even if the box score ended up showing zero catches.
The Bengals are up next, giving Bell another opportunity to connect on one of those splash plays. At only 8% rostered, he's still more of a stash than someone I'd trust in a starting lineup, but the upside is there if his role continues to grow.
Antonio Williams, Washington Commanders - 6% rostered
Antonio Williams didn't do much in Week 4, but he came extremely close to delivering one of the biggest plays of the day.
Williams broke free for what looked like an 87-yard touchdown against the Colts, only to have the score wiped out by a Washington penalty. The play doesn't count in the box score, but it's still a reminder of the explosive ability he brings to this offense.
There's also a clear opportunity here with Terry McLaurin dealing with a hamstring injury that kept him out of Week 4. Williams was expected to take on a larger role alongside Stefon Diggs. That could continue if McLaurin isn't ready to return.
The Giants are up next, which gives Williams another chance to turn one of these big-play opportunities into actual fantasy production.
Deeper Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Pickups
Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns - 5% rostered
Jerry Jeudy hasn't done much for fantasy managers this season, but he's suddenly interesting again because of what could happen before the trade deadline.
Jeudy caught three passes for 36 yards in Week 4, giving him just five receptions for 62 yards through four games. Cleveland's rookie wide receivers, KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, have taken on bigger roles, putting Jeudy in a marginal role. However, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Jeudy "could be had" before the deadline.
That's what makes him worth stashing. A trade to a contender or simply a more pass-friendly situation could completely change his fantasy outlook. Jeudy is only two years removed from a 90-catch, 1,229-yard season, so there is still plenty of talent here if he lands somewhere that actually needs him.
Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills - 4% rostered
Keon Coleman delivered a spike week vs the Patriots, erupting for 116 receiving yards and a touchdown in Week 4.
There could also be more opportunity coming. DJ Moore aggravated his shoulder against New England after already dealing with the injury earlier in the season, so Buffalo may need Coleman to take on a larger role if Moore misses time.
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
That makes Coleman especially interesting because head coach Joe Brady has consistently spoken highly of him. Brady praised Coleman's overall play recently, including the little things he was doing away from the box score, and the Bills clearly still believe in his development.
The Bills face the Rams in a potential shootout in Week 5, making Coleman look quite appealing right now.
Roman Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers - 3% rostered
Roman Wilson is starting to make a real case for a bigger role in Pittsburgh's passing game.
Wilson followed up his Week 3 breakout with another strong performance in Week 4, catching three of six targets for 74 yards and a touchdown against the Browns. He also ripped off a 49-yard gain, giving him back-to-back games with a score and at least 60 receiving yards.
That's especially interesting because Michael Pittman Jr. hasn't done much lately. Wilson is showing more explosiveness right now, and Pittsburgh is giving him enough opportunities to make an impact even without massive target volume.
Darius Cooper, Philadelphia Eagles - 0% rostered
Darius Cooper came completely out of nowhere in Week 4, catching three passes for 33 yards and two touchdowns against the Rams. He led Philadelphia in receiving yards with DeVonta Smith sidelined and somehow accounted for both of Jalen Hurts' touchdown passes in the loss.
The obvious question is whether this was just a one-week wonder. That's certainly possible. Cooper still saw limited volume, and Philadelphia's offense struggled badly overall, finishing with only 93 passing yards.
Still, two touchdowns are worth mentioning. We'll have to see what happens next week when the Eagles face the Jaguars.
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