Week 5 Waiver Wire: Stat Projections for Top Fantasy Pickups and Sleepers
There is still so much sorting to do in fantasy football, even with one month of NFL action already in the books and the fall season settling in.
Fantasy football rosters and lineups change far more often than the color of the leaves do. Whether you're at the top of the heap in your league or doing whatever you can to not get accustomed to life at the bottom of the barrel, there's always that pressure to unearth the right player to make your squad blossom.
As it stands, it's always a good idea to check out which players fantasy football owners are flocking to. The hive mind won't get every player right, but it's a fine way to check against your own hunches and research as you plan a waiver-wire strategy for the week ahead.
Here are the top fantasy pickups on ESPN and Yahoo Sports heading into Week 5. To account for the larger fantasy leagues, only players owned in less than 50 percent of leagues on either site are included in the list.
| Player | % Owned | No. of Monday Adds |
| Carson Wentz, QB, Philadelphia Eagles | 38 | 22,627 |
| Terrance West, RB, Baltimore Ravens | 30 | 18,294 |
| Eddie Royal, WR, Chicago Bears | 13 | 14,000 |
| Bilal Powell, RB, New York Jets | 23 | 9,280 |
| Orleans Darkwa, RB, New York Giants | 38 | 7,805 |
| Wendell Smallwood, RB, Philadelphia Eagles | 13 | 6,570 |
| Darren Sproles, RB, Philadelphia Eagles | 48 | 5,527 |
| Robert Woods, WR, Buffalo Bills | 7 | 5,328 |
| Hunter Henry, TE, San Diego Chargers | 31 | 4,901 |
| Sam Bradford, QB, Minnesota Vikings | 13 | 4,058 |
| Cameron Brate, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 11 | 3,827 |
| Dontrelle Inman, WR, San Diego Chargers | 2 | 3,338 |
| Player | % Owned | % Change last 7 days |
| Jamison Crowder, WR, Washington Redskins | 50.9 | +39.8 |
| Cole Beasley, WR, Dallas Cowboys | 42.8 | +28.3 |
| Orleans Darkwa, RB, New York Giants | 32.7 | +27.7 |
| Trevor Siemian, QB, Denver Broncos | 27.7 | +23 |
| Hunter Henry, TE, San Diego Chargers | 32.5 | +20.5 |
| Cameron Artis-Payne, RB, Carolina Panthers | 40.6 | +18.7 |
| Carson Wentz, QB, Philadelphia Eagles | 34.2 | +14.8 |
| Dwayne Washington, RB, Detroit Lions | 34.1 | +13.7 |
| Terrance West, RB, Baltimore Ravens | 45.0 | +12.2 |
Stat Projections for Top Pickups and Sleepers
Carson Wentz, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
Week 5 stat projections (via NFL.com): 273 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT; 13 RSH YDS
After hoping that some would forget about him during his bye in Week 4, fantasy owners are pouncing on Philadelphia Eagles rookie quarterback Carson Wentz, who has made the great leap from North Dakota State in the FCS to the NFL look way too easy.
In three games, Wentz has amassed 769 passing yards and five touchdowns without a turnover of any sort. The Bismarck, North Dakota, native truly looks ready for prime time, and fantasy owners are ready to get him on the roster, whether it's to stash or start.
Those waiting for Wentz to take his rookie lumps may have to wait another week. The Eagles play the Detroit Lions in Week 5. The Lions have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks this season, per Yahoo Sports. Chicago Bears signal-caller Brian Hoyer is nobody's idea of a light-'em-up quarterback, but even he managed 302 yards and two touchdowns against the Lions in Week 4.
With a deep stable of running backs, a solid wide receiver corps and the potential return of a fine tight end in Zach Ertz, Wentz should have everything he needs at his disposal to continue what's turning out to be a brilliant rookie campaign.
For fantasy owners, this is the week to throw him into the starting lineup and hope for the best.
Terrance West, RB, Baltimore Ravens
Week 5 stat projections: 32 RSH YDS, 4 REC YDS, 1 TD
The Baltimore Ravens backfield has been difficult to decipher this season, at least as far as fantasy football is concerned. Justin Forsett and Terrance West spent the first three weeks of the season splitting carries, with neither player able to gain much traction or deliver the kind of performance to keep fantasy owners happy.
In Week 4, Forsett was a healthy scratch, which paved the way for West to have a breakthrough game with 113 rushing yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. As Pro Football Focus' Scott Barrett noted, the Ravens can trust West to make something out of every touch:
The issues with trusting West are twofold. There's still a murky backfield situation, as Forsett could conceivably come back into the fold in Week 5. That's to say nothing of Kenneth Dixon, who Baltimore Beatdown's Matthew Cohen noted was the most explosive Ravens back in the preseason:
"No matter how long it takes the Ravens to fully ease Dixon in, it means the Ravens are back to a committee. In the third game of the preseason against the Detroit Lions, where Dixon injured his knee, he carried the ball seven times for 44 yards. That is about 6.3 yards per carry. In that game, the Ravens were using Dixon heavily in the first half. Terrance West was barely a factor in that game until Dixon hurt himself. Throughout the preseason, Dixon was clearly the most explosive back the Ravens had, and the only one who is a true home run threat.
"
West is essentially a non-factor in the passing game, with four receptions for 29 yards on the season. If Dixon—or even Javorius "Buck" Allen—can prove himself there, West's upside is limited.
While he looks like a solid lead back in the short term—expect more rushing yards against the Washington Redskins than what NFL.com is projecting above—fantasy owners could find themselves figuring out a way to replace or offload West (or any Baltimore back if it turns into a true committee) in a few weeks' time.
Eddie Royal, WR, Chicago Bears
Week 5 stat projections: 35 REC YDS
Fantasy football owners are taking notice of Bears wide receiver Eddie Royal after the veteran wideout posted his first 100-plus-yard receiving day since early 2014.
Royal tallied 111 yards and a touchdown in Week 4 against the Lions, taking on a bigger role in the offense with Alshon Jeffery struggling with injuries. His big play of the day was a 64-yard catch-and-run midway through the third quarter. Here's the play, via the NFL:
Royal scored early in the contest from four yards out, making an impact in different facets of the game.
While many fantasy owners are bullish on Royal, he's been something of a tough cipher to crack over the past couple of years. He proved a boom-or-bust fantasy player as a member of the San Diego Chargers in 2014, scoring touchdowns in bunches but failing to pick up the necessary targets or yards to make him a consistent fantasy play in standard or points-per-reception leagues.
He was a major disappointment for the Bears last season with just 37 receptions for 238 yards and one score in nine games. While he's off to a better start this year with two touchdowns already, he still only has 18 receptions and 22 targets through four games, per ESPN.com.
As long as Jeffery is hobbled, Royal is a potential flex play, but he's liable to disappoint fantasy owners with pedestrian performances that don't get any sort of boost from a high number of receptions or targets.
Sleeper: Hunter Henry, TE, San Diego Chargers
Week 5 stat projections: 28 REC YDS, 1 TD
With star tight end Antonio Gates out the past two weeks with a hamstring injury, rookie tight end Hunter Henry has proven to be one of the few bright spots for a Bolts team that has treated its fans to some seriously unpleasant crunch-time play.
Henry has picked up nine receptions for 133 yards and a touchdown the past two weeks, great numbers for a tight end no matter which way you slice them. Philip Rivers is one of the best quarterbacks in the league when it comes to elevating the play of those around him, and Henry stands to benefit.
As long as Gates is sidelined, Henry is a must-play at tight end. It's strange he hasn't been picked up in more fantasy leagues at this point, but it's probably difficult to sell yourself on a rookie who happens to be on the same team as one of the best-ever players at his position, and one who will return to action at some point this season.
The Chargers get the Oakland Raiders in Week 5. The Raiders have allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to tight ends this season, per Yahoo Sports.
Considering the Chargers will be desperate for a division win after two gut-wrenching losses and Derek Carr looks capable of slicing up any secondary, there could be plenty of opportunity for Henry in this one.
Sleeper: Cole Beasley, WR, Dallas Cowboys
Week 5 stat projections: 47 YDS, 1 TD
Apparently, it doesn't matter whether Dez Bryant is on the field; Cole Beasley is going to get his 60-70 yards and like it.
With Bryant out with a knee injury in Week 4 against the San Francisco 49ers, some fantasy owners felt Beasley might take a bigger role in the offense, considering rookie quarterback Dak Prescott has consistently relied on him for quick-hitters and short-gainers.
Instead, Beasley floundered through most of the game, but he came through with a 47-yard reception late in the contest against the 49ers to finish with three receptions for 66 yards total (he also added one rush for seven yards).
Beasley's best yardage total was 75 yards against the Washington Redskins in Week 2, and his worst was 65 yards against the New York Giants in Week 1, even though that game saw him nab a season-high eight catches. It appears the 27-year-old Beasley is the living, breathing version of the mean to which all wide receivers regress.
Bryant could be back in action for Week 5 against the Cincinnati Bengals, which could help Beasley as defenses focus on limiting the star wideout. Prescott has shown excellent poise for a rookie, but he could find himself checking down more often against the Bengals' stingy defense. If Bryant is out or limited, then Beasley could stand to see more targets, even though that wasn't quite the case against San Francisco.
Still, he appears to be the only consistent wideout on the team with Bryant's injury woes and Terrance Williams running hot and cold. If you just need a fill-in or stopgap wideout for Week 5, Beasley could be a good security blanket in that he likely won't be a dud.
Plus, he's due for a touchdown at some point, right?
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