With nearly one-quarter of the NFL season complete, there are fewer options available on the waiver wire, so some of this week's suggestions are long-term stashes. But there are still some helpful acquisitions that could provide quality fantasy production both in the short and long term.
With the Dolphins and Lions on bye, let's take a closer look at the best waiver wire options for Week 5.
Note: We've limited their recommendations to players owned in fewer than 50% of Yahoo leagues. All data as of Monday.
Week 5 Waiver Wire Pickups
Running Back Targets
Ronald Jones, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ownership: 43%
Fantasy owners have been down this road before, but Jones did lead the Buccaneers with 70 rushing yards and scored a touchdown this past week. Jones is still a non-factor in the receiving game, with only two targets and two receptions through four weeks.
He's still worth consideration, however, on the hope that he becomes the lead running back for a Tampa Bay offense that just scored 55 points in a huge road win over the Rams.
Dontrell Hilliard, Browns
Ownership: 1%
Despite Nick Chubb's huge day (183 total yards and three touchdowns), Hilliard was reasonably effective and remains an RB4 option moving forward until Kareem Hunt returns in Week 12. Hillard totaled 54 yards, two receptions and a rushing touchdown in Cleveland's big 40-25 win at Baltimore.
Potential RB Stashes
Alexander Mattison, Vikings
Ownership: 25%
Mattison should only be considered in the deepest of leagues, but the fact remains he might be the most valuable handcuff in fantasy football. He isn't necessarily a Week 5 target, but should be watched just in case of a Dalvin Cook injury.
Ito Smith, Falcons
Ownership: 14%
Devonta Freeman owners were not happy seeing Smith vulture a first-quarter 1-yard touchdown run. However, Smith's successful return from a concussion does warrant attention. He's operating on only a 30.5% snap share but ranks eighth among all running backs with 5.2 true yards per carry (PlayerProfiler).
With Freeman's tenuous injury history, Smith deserves stash consideration.
Chase Edmonds, Cardinals
Ownership: 2%
The Cardinals head to Cincinnati to face a Bengals team that entered this week allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing running backs.
Kliff Kingsbury will be desperate for a win, and Edmonds is worth monitoring as a long-term investment in case of a David Johnson injury or an increased role as a satellite back.
Ryquell Armstead, Jaguars
Ownership: 1%
Armstead saw his biggest usage of the season against Denver, totaling 49 yards and a receiving touchdown.
Similar to Mattison, Armstead appears to be one of the most valuable handcuffs in fantasy football, sitting behind Leonard Fournette, but he's really only worth consideration if Fournette is out for any length of time.
Wide Receiver Targets
Golden Tate, Giants
Ownership: 49%
Coming off a four-game suspension, Tate should be one of this week's most popular waiver wire pickups. The 31-year-old wideout has four seasons of 90-plus receptions, including last season's 74 catches split between two teams (Detroit and Philadelphia).
Tate will be the perfect safety valve for rookie quarterback Daniel Jones and is the most accomplished player available on waivers regardless of position.
Make sure to place a bid for Tate in FAAB leagues or through a claim, and hope your league mates have forgotten about his tremendous upside.
Corey Davis, Titans
Ownership: 47%
After just six receptions through three games, last season's leading receiver for the Titans finally came alive. Davis finished with five receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown in the Titans' 24-10 win at Atlanta.
Davis has a favorable upcoming schedule with three of his next four games at home. He should be considered a solid WR3/Flex play.
Jamison Crowder, Jets
Ownership: 45%
It's always important to check which players are coming off a bye and thus could be forgotten about on waivers. While Crowder's production has dramatically decreased in Sam Darnold's absence, Crowder still received 17 targets in Week 1.
Darnold might not return this week, but Crowder should be given consideration as a flex play with the conservative Luke Falk manning the position until Darnold's return.
Mohamed Sanu, Falcons
Ownership: 27%
Over the past two weeks, Sanu has 11 more receptions, 11 more targets and 128 more receiving yards than Calvin Ridley. The 1-3 Falcons are struggling, but the veteran has seen a spike in production.
Consider Sanu a WR4 or even flex play in PPR leagues until the second-year Ridley reestablishes himself for the Falcons.
Deebo Samuel, 49ers
Ownership: 26%
Another quality wide receiver coming off a bye week, Samuel has at least three receptions in each of the San Francisco's first three games. He led the 49ers in targets (7), receptions (5), receiving yards (87) and caught his first NFL touchdown pass in Week 2 against Cincinnati.
As an 86th-percentile SPARQ-x athlete, Samuel should be targeted in all formats as a top-three wide receiver tethered to Jimmy Garoppolo in Kyle Shanahan's high-scoring offense.
Geronimo Allison, Packers
Ownership: 32%
Allison had his most productive game of the season with three receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown in Green Bay's 34-27 loss to Philadelphia on Thursday night.
As the primary slot receiver in an explosive Green Bay offense, Allison is always a reasonable WR4 play tethered to Rodgers.
Green Bay plays two of its next three games at home, and Allison should be considered as a bye-week replacement over the next month.
Dante Pettis, San Francisco
Ownership: 21%
This is a long shot, but I think Pettis has a chance to regain his prominent role in the San Francisco offense. Following an offseason in which Shanahan repeatedly discussed his importance to the team, Pettis finally made a fantasy impact in Week 3, catching the game-winning touchdown pass.
Last year, Pettis totaled 24 receptions, 371 receiving yards and four touchdowns from Weeks 10-17. The former second-round pick could be a sneaky WR3/Flex play who is still very much under the waiver wire radar.
Cole Beasley, Bills
Ownership: 12%
It's time to start considering Beasley as a legitimate WR3/Flex each week. Against New England's league-best defense, Beasley totaled 13 targets, seven receptions and 75 receiving yards.
Beasley has 36 targets on the season and should continue to be fantasy viable with either backup quarterback Matt Barkley or starter Josh Allen (concussion).
A.J. Brown, Titans
Ownership: 10%
The Ole Miss rookie produced his second big performance of the season with three receptions, 94 yards and a touchdown in Tennessee's 24-10 upset win at Atlanta.
Brown will continue to have high variance weeks but is worth WR4/Flex consideration with three of the Titans' next four games at home.
Tight End Streaming Targets
Jimmy Graham, Packers
Ownership: 36%
At the thinnest of fantasy positions, one productive week can make a player a potential target. That is exactly what Graham's nine-target, six-reception, 61-yard and one-touchdown performance did in Week 4.
In the prior two games combined, Graham failed to record a single reception. However, at 6-foot-6 and 259 pounds, Graham will continue to be a viable red-zone target. And for a tight end in fantasy, that's good enough.
Green Bay travels to Dallas next week to face a Cowboys team that's allowed the 10th-most receiving yards to opposing tight ends.
Dawson Knox, Bills
Ownership: 14%
The athletic third-round pick from Ole Miss, Knox followed up the overall TE7 performance in Week 3 with a solid three-reception for 58 yard total against the Patriots.
With consecutive snap shares well over 60%, Knox should be a target for anyone in need of a streaming tight end.
Noah Fant, Broncos
Ownership: 11%
In need of offensive playmakers, the Broncos have continued to deploy the uber-athletic Fant at over a 70% snap share. He received four targets for the third time this season and recorded his first career touchdown pass.
Similar to fellow rookie Knox, fantasy players needing a tight end should give Fant strong consideration.
