10 Best Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Adds Heading Into NFL Week 5

Best Week 5 Waiver Wire Adds at a Glance

• Emanuel Wilson, RB, Seahawks
• Keon Coleman, WR, Bills
• Keaton Mitchell, RB, Chargers

The fantasy football waiver wire can be one of the most important tools for improving your roster during the season — especially as injuries, breakout performances, and changing roles create new opportunities each week.

With Week 4 (almost) in the books, several players have emerged as intriguing pickups ahead of Week 5. Whether you're searching for immediate help at running back, additional depth at wide receiver, or a streamer at quarterback or tight end, there are plenty of options worth considering

Here are our 10 favorite waiver wire adds as of Monday morning.

All NFL projections via our numbers at FanDuel Research. NFL odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups

Emanuel Wilson, RB, Seattle Seahawks

Emanuel Wilson looks like the best combination of immediate volume and upside. With Jadarian Price sidelined, Wilson handled 21 carries for 81 yards and a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers while adding 3 catches for 39 yards and another score, giving him 24 touches and 120 scrimmage yards.

The concern is longevity: Zach Charbonnet has returned to limited practice, and the Seattle Seahawks are reportedly meeting with Joe Mixon. Still, Wilson is one of this week's premier RB additions, and a potential 15-plus-touch role makes him my No. 1 claim if you need immediate help.

Tank Bigsby, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Saquon Barkley‘s hamstring injury puts Tank Bigsby near the top of the priority list. Bigsby took 14 carries for 55 yards after Barkley went down Sunday.

There is one significant complication: Bigsby also left Sunday's game injured, so his practice reports are essential.

If Bigsby is healthy and Barkley misses time, Tank is probably the Philadelphia Eagles‘ primary early-down back. That makes him worth adding.

Keon Coleman, WR, Buffalo Bills

Keon Coleman produced the breakout game fantasy managers have been waiting for, catching 6 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown on seven targets against the New England Patriots. He now has 217 receiving yards through four games and is averaging 15.5 yards per reception.

One big outing doesn't erase the volatility we've seen from Coleman, but a physically talented receiver attached to Josh Allen is worth taking a shot on after a seven-target, 100-yard performance — especially with D.J. Moore banged up again.

T.J. Hockenson, TE, Minnesota Vikings

T.J. Hockenson may not be available in deeper leagues, but he needs to be added anywhere he was dropped. With Justin Jefferson unavailable Sunday, Hockenson caught all 13 of his targets for 119 yards, tying his career high for receptions.

That gives him 22 catches for 195 yards through four games after entering Week 4 with only nine receptions. Jefferson's eventual return will lower the target ceiling, but Sunday's usage was an emphatic reminder that Hockenson can still provide big numbers at a thin position.

Romeo Doubs, WR, New England Patriots

Romeo Doubs quietly looks like one of the better widely available receivers. He caught 6 of 9 targets for 58 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's upset of the Buffalo Bills and has now recorded 203 yards through four games despite being shut out in Week 1.

More importantly, the trajectory is encouraging: 96 yards in Week 2, 49 in Week 3, then nine targets in Week 4. Drake Maye threw three touchdowns Sunday, and Doubs' expanding role gives him more sustainable value than simply chasing the two-score performance — at least for as long as A.J. Brown remains sidelined.

Brenton Strange, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars

Brenton Strange is another tight end I'd be willing to roster. He hauled in 7 passes for 95 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals after totaling only 72 receiving yards over the Jacksonville Jaguars‘ first three games.

The Week 4 breakout came with Trevor Lawrence completing 18 of 23 passes for 227 yards, and Strange has at least two receptions in every game this year. His role gives him a better floor than many touchdown-or-bust streaming tight ends.

Keaton Mitchell, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

Keaton Mitchell‘s involvement continues to trend upward. He handled 10 carries for 39 yards Sunday and caught all 5 of his opportunities for another 24 yards, giving him 15 touches after seeing 11 opportunities in Week 3.

His explosive ability has never been the question, and he's now being used enough as a receiver to be useful even without dominating carries. I'd prioritize him as a PPR bench back with upside rather than an automatic starter.

Darius Cooper, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

Darius Cooper is one of the deeper names I'd want to get ahead of. He caught only 3 passes Sunday, but those went for 33 yards and two touchdowns, and he was also targeted on Philadelphia's failed fourth-and-goal attempt late in the game.

Cooper now has three touchdowns on only five catches this season, so obvious regression is coming in the scoring department. But DeVonta Smith‘s absence has created an opportunity, and Cooper's red-zone involvement is enough to make him a speculative pickup in 12-team leagues.

Dohnte Meyers, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

Dohnte Meyers is one of my favorite speculative pickups rather than someone I'd immediately put into a lineup. Cincinnati lost Ja'Marr Chase to a concussion Sunday and Tee Higgins to an adductor injury, leaving Meyers as one of the few healthy wide receivers on the roster. He ended up producing seven catches for 82 yards on Sunday.

Meyers had just 4 catches for 47 yards through his first three NFL games, so there's very little proven production. But if Chase and Higgins are out next week, Meyers will likely operate as Joe Burrow‘s WR1.

Dallas Cowboys D/ST

The Dallas Cowboys‘ D/ST has not been good this year. But they have a great matchup in Week 5 and profile as a solid streamer.

Dallas plays at home on Thursday night against Jalon Daniels and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While it’s hard to have much faith in Dallas’ defense, if they can’t play well at home on a short week against an undrafted rookie QB making his second start (first one on the road), then there’s no hope for them.

Plus, the Cowboys’ offense should score plenty, which can force Daniels into a lot of drop backs, giving the Cowboys’ defense chances for picks and sacks.

Fantasy Football Waivers FAQ

What is the waiver wire in fantasy football?

The waiver wire is where fantasy managers can add players who are not currently on a roster in their league. It is one of the best ways to improve your team during the season, especially when injuries, role changes, and breakout performances create new opportunities.

When should I make waiver wire claims?

Most leagues process waivers once or twice per week, so it is important to check your league's settings. Tuesday night and Wednesday morning are common waiver periods, but managers should also monitor news throughout the week for late-breaking opportunities.

Which positions should I prioritize on the waiver wire?

Running backs and wide receivers with expanding roles are usually the most valuable waiver targets. Quarterbacks — especially in two-QB formats — tight ends, and defenses can also be strong additions when they have favorable upcoming matchups.

How much FAAB should I spend on a waiver wire player?

FAAB spending should depend on a player's projected role, upside, your FAAB budget and how badly your roster needs help. It is usually worth being more aggressive for a player who could become a weekly starter than for a short-term streaming option.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.