Many a fantasy football championship has been won with the waiver wire. Following Week 5 action, these are the names that should be on owners' radars going forward. And fear not if your waiver priority is low-we have some sneaky pickups for you as well.
Ownership percentages are courtesy of Yahoo.
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Quarterbacks
Jay Cutler, Bears (32%): Cutler threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns in the face of a strong Kansas City pass rush at Arrowhead Stadium. It was Cutler’s second straight game with 250-plus yards and two scores, and WR Alshon Jeffery hasn’t played in either victory. With a full complement back, Cutler should return to the 300-yard club.
DEEP OPTION: Blake Bortles, Jaguars (25% Owned): Bortles has been shockingly competent this season, and warrants a look as your reserve QB, or possibly as a matchup play if you soft-pedaled the QB position in your draft. He’s thrown 10 touchdowns vs. four picks this year, and lit up Tampa Bay for four scores and 300-plus yards.
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Running Backs
Charcandrick West, Chiefs (9% Owned): Well this is sad. Jamaal Charles went down with a non-contact injury and appears likely to have torn his ACL. That makes West the single-biggest add of the week. Hopefully you have FAAB budget readily available, or the No. 1 waiver priority.
Darren McFadden, Cowboys (35% Owned): McFadden’s role has grown in the absence of Lance Dunbar. The Cowboys didn’t add a running back when he went down, which meant they felt they had their “receiving” back in-house. Turns out D-Mac’s their guy, and he reeled in nine of his 10 targets in Week 5.
Charles Sims, Buccaneers (18% Owned): Doug Martin was on fire vs. the Jaguars, but his production won’t obscure Sims’ 16 touches to fantasy owners who are paying attention. Sims is the top passing-downs back in Tampa Bay, and giving up four touchdowns to Blake Bortles means there will be plenty of passing to be done.
DEEP OPTION: Chris Thompson, Redskins (5% Owned): Thompson is the third man in Washington’s backfield, but like Lance Dunbar in Dallas before wrecking his knee, Thompson has a specific, fantasy-usable role. He is their receiving back. He saw 11 targets in Week 3, and nine this week vs. Atlanta. Touchdowns won’t be frequent, but usage will be consistent.
DEEP OPTION: Javorious Allen, Ravens (1% Owned): Allen is the guy to own if Justin Forsett’s ankle injury is a bad one. Forsett didn’t appear to be seriously hurt when he left the game this week, but just in case, pick up Buck Allen over Lorenzo Taliaferro.
Wide Receivers
Tavon Austin, Rams (47% Owned): Austin didn’t do much vs. Green Bay, but his three carries for 22 yards prove the Rams remain determined to get Austin the rock. He’s a powder keg of explosiveness whenever he touches the ball, so as a WR3 or FLEX he can win a week all on his own.
Willie Snead, Saints (43% Owned): Snead led the Saints in targets in Week 5, with 11, and he racked up 141 yards receiving. Each week Snead proves he’s for real, and even though Drew Brees looks like he has lost a step, he’s still putting up strong numbers.
Jaelen Strong, Texans (1% Owned): Strong finally got a chance to contribute Thursday night and responded with the first two catches of his career, and the first two touchdowns. Strong is a big, fast receiver. He struggled in camp with the nuances of the position, so with increased playing time he’ll flash brilliance but also be frustrating at times. As a back-of-the-roster player, however, he offers huge upside.
DEEP OPTION: Ty Montgomery, Packers (10% Owned): Montgomery’s four catches, 59 yards and one touchdown represented the best game of his brief career. He will continue to be a secondary option in the Aaron Rodgers offense, which is a No. 1-level threat in many other passing games.
Tight Ends
Gary Barnidge, Browns (50% Owned): Barnidge made the play of the week with his between-the-legs touchdown grab, and made a statement about his staying power as a fantasy tight end. This is his third week with a touchdown, and he’s going to continue to get looks in a passing offense without a big-name receiver who needs to be fed.
DEEP OPTION: Crockett Gillmore, Ravens (11% Owned): Owners excited about Gillmore’s two-score performance in Week 2 have probably forgotten about him by now. If you need to pick up a TE for this week, you can do worse than the red-zone monster that is Gillmore.
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