This group of Week 5 fantasy football waiver wire targets may not be as strong as in the past few weeks, but there are certainly still players worth adding going into the new week.
Week 4 of the 2021 season consisted of several backups getting starts due to injuries including some that shined in their normal role. In this Waiver Wire List, some of the players shined because the starters were injured, while others broke out naturally, and even a couple of players who were on the list last week, but I could not resist not adding them to this week’s as well.
*% Owned in terms of the Yahoo platform at the time of writing
Week 5 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets: Likely Available (Under 50% owned)
Darnell Mooney, CHI – WR (38%)
Darnell Mooney, the 2nd-year 6th-round pick, is currently the leading target on the Bears and logged 125 yards in Week 4. However, quarterback Justin Fields has been struggling, although we have certainly seen improvement. Mooney accounted for 41% of Fields’ targets on Sunday, and those targets could become extremely valuable if Fields becomes more efficient with the football.
Fantasy owners should consider picking up Mooney in case he breaks out in the next few weeks alongside Justin Fields, assuming he remains the starter over Andy Dalton.
Damien Williams, CHI – RB (9%)
Bears starting running back David Montgomery suffered a knee injury this past Sunday, and there was some initial suspicion it could be a torn ACL, which would have ended Montgomery’s season. But the latest report is that he is likely to miss the next 4-5 games with a sprained knee.
Montgomery’s backup? Damien Williams, the former starting running back of the Chiefs who opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Damien Williams put up full-game fantasy numbers in just a late-game effort. In Week 4, Williams had 2 catches in addition to a rushing TD on 8 attempts. Williams looks like he’ll be the main back for the next quarter of the season at least.
Kadarius Toney, NYG – WR (3%)
Kadarius Toney finally broke out in Week 4, collecting 9 targets for 6 catches and 78 yards. Toney got the opportunity to play in the slot due to the injuries of WRs Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton. When Toney got the ball in the slot, he demonstrated the same elusiveness that was seen when he was in college.
With a consistently injured WR core in New York, Toney should be picked up assuming he continues to excel in the slot.
Emmanuel Sanders, BUF – WR (46%)
Emmanuel Sanders has been very consistent in terms of targets, just around 7 every game. The only issue with Sanders is that he hasn’t been getting a lot of catches with all of that volume. Sanders has only caught about 57% of his targets this season which is a little concerning, although when he has made the reception, Sanders has been quite efficient with it.
Sanders needs more red-zone targets, but when Josh Allen goes back to his normal 45 pass attempt games, Sanders will be a TD-dependent WR3.
Dalton Schultz, DAL – TE (34%)
Dalton Schultz has established himself as a worthy target for Dak Prescott, with his 3rd 6-reception game of the season already. Schultz has gotten solid yardage with his catches in addition to 3 TDs in the last 2 weeks.
Schultz could potentially be a season-long low-end TE1, making him more than worth taking a look at if you are struggling at the tight end position.
Jamison Crowder, NYJ – WR (20%)
Jamison Crowder finally made his season debut in Week 4, after dealing with an injury, and was not limited in any way. Crowder propelled the Jets to their first win of the season hauling in 7 catches and a score.
If Crowder can perform as he did on Sunday with Zach Wilson the whole season, he must be picked up in all leagues.
Dawson Knox, BUF – TE (47%)
Dawson Knox was the second-highest scoring tight end in Week 4, with a 5 catch, 2 TD performance. Week 4 was Knox’s first game of the season where he was targeted more than 5 times, although this season when he has been targeted, it has often been in the red zone.
Knox is making up for his lack of volume with 4 touchdowns so far this season. Knox will be a touchdown-dependent start at TE going forward.
Curtis Samuel, CAR – WR (40%)
Curtis Samuel’s Washington debut took place on Sunday, although he did not stand out in any way. Samuel missed the first 3 weeks of the season due to a moderately major groin injury and had a limited role in Week 4.
The reason why Samuel is on this list despite an underwhelming performance is that soon, if not next week, Samuel will be in a full-time role and we have seen Samuel shine in Carolina even behind both DJ Moore and Robby Anderson AND a struggling QB in Teddy Bridgewater.
With a fresh start in a WR2 role opposite Terry Mclaurin, Samuel is definitely worth the risk on waivers.
Week 5 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets: Worth a Look (over 50% owned)
Laviska Shenault Jr., JAX – WR (58%)
Laviska Shenault Jr. has already received a solid amount of volume this season, close behind Marvin Jones Jr. for leading the team in targets. At this point, the only thing holding Shenault back from exploding is rookie QB Trevor Lawrence’s struggle so far. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft has a 5:7 TD:INT ratio under coach Urban Meyer and it’s bringing the whole Jaguars offense down.
To make life harder on Lawrence, wideout D.J. Chark Jr. went down with a broken ankle on Thursday. The only positive about this injury that could keep Chark out the rest of the season is that it will force Lawrence to throw to Shenault more often. Shenault is worth taking a chance on if he’s still available in your league.
Michael Pittman Jr., IND – WR (78%)
Pittman did not put up impressive numbers in Week 4, although he was not terrible either. Pittman is certainly deserving of being on fantasy rosters anyway, as he has been consistently getting a high-volume role every game, establishing himself as the clear WR1 on the Colts.
The only thing stopping Pittman from being a weekly start is his lack of involvement in the endzone. Pittman is yet to log a score this season, but once Carson Wentz begins to get Pittman the ball more often in the red zone, Pittman will undoubtedly become an every-week starter in fantasy.
Cordarrelle Patterson, ATL – WR/RB (76%)
Patterson was on my list last week, and I could not refuse to put him on this week’s list due to his monster performance in Week 4. Patterson may have only put up 34 yards on the rushing side, but he dropped a 3 TD bomb of a game this week on 84 yards receiving.
If Patterson is somehow still available in your league, he should take priority over any other players you consider adding this week.
Jakobi Meyers, NE- WR (68%)
Meyers is the 2nd repeat on this list from last week because he is establishing his consistency in volume and results this season. Even with N’Keal Harry back in the lineup, Meyers still put up respectable numbers.
Now that we know Meyers will continue to play a large role in the Belichick offense with its recent injury changes, Meyers is certainly a great add and possibly worth starting in your FLEX spot.
Week 5 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets: Quarterbacks
This week’s quarterback picks include two repeats, both of whom should definitely be considered to fill your QB hole. We also have another QB who is not only new to the Waiver Wire list but is new to the NFL as a whole.
Daniel Jones, NYG – (31%)
The New York Giants shocked many with a victory over the Saints in Week 4 despite several key injuries, especially to their offense. Who led the way for Big Blue? None other than Daniel Jones continuing to prove doubters wrong.
Jones followed up his down Week 3 in a bounceback 400-yard performance. At the end of the first half in the overtime victory, Jones did throw his first pick on the year, although it was on a Hail Mary so one could still consider Jones on a clean slate. Danny Dimes would be an excellent pickup for any QB-needy teams.
Sam Darnold, CAR – (37%)
Although the Panthers stomached their first loss of the season in Week 4, Sam Darnold finally broke through and notched his 3rd consecutive 300+ yard game. Darnold scored twice in the air, and twice on the ground, accounting for all of the points in the 36-28 loss against Dallas.
Showing that he can excel even without Christian McCaffery to dump the ball off to, Darnold should be on the waiver wire radar heading into a dream matchup in Week 5 against the Eagles.
Trey Lance, SF – (31%)
Trey Lance will be an intriguing player to watch this season. Lance entered the game once Garappolo suffered a calf injury and still managed to put up solid QB numbers in only half a game of playing time. Lance was efficient in both the passing and rushing game, making him worthwhile for those willing to take chances on the young QB. L
ance would definitely be capable of a QB1 role in fantasy thanks to his dual-threat talent, although whether he will start once Jimmy G returns remains in question, as well as when Garappollo will return.
It’s also worth noting that 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan made a somewhat demoralizing comment towards Lance following the game, saying “It looked like a typical first game. That’s why he’s a No. 2 Quarterback”
