Fantasy Football: Week 5 Waiver Wire Must Haves

Week 4 was a tough one for a plethora of fantasy owners, as elite fantasy options Michael Vick and Jay Cutler both succumbed to injuries during their first respective halves of Week 4 action.

Vick sustained damage to the cartilage in his rib cage after he was sandwiched between two Redskins defenders. 

While no official timetable is available yet, speculation indicates that Vick could miss upwards of three to six weeks of playing time.

On the other hand, Eagles head coach Andy Reid said there is no reason for Vick to already be ruled out for the Week 5 game against the 49ers.

Owners have to be disappointed as Vick had quickly morphed into an elite option at the quarterback position, and backup Kevin Kolb showed little to get excited for in relief duty.

Meanwhile, Bears quarterback Jay Cutler got decimated by the New York Giants defense, getting sacked an NFL-record nine times in the first half.

Cutler suffered a concussion at the end of the half, and his status is in jeopardy for Week 5.  It probably goes without saying, but neither Todd Collins nor Chad Hanie look like attractive fill-in options if Cutler has to miss a game.

Without further adieu, let us take a look at the top guys to target in fantasy land for Week 5.

Ryan Torain, RB, Washington Redskins

Torain showed some flashes last week against the Rams, and proved it was not a fluke this week against the Eagles.

Torain got unceremoniously promoted to the starting role mid-game when Clinton Portis suffered a groin injury “where he heard something pop.”

The sophomore back performed admirably against a stout Eagles run defense, notching 18 carries for 70 yards and a score. 

While Portis may be able to start again in Week 5, he was nursing a couple minor injuries heading into this game.

Furthermore, anyone who has owned Portis in the past few seasons will attest that this back is as fragile as a wall enforced with papier-mâché at this point.

So even if Portis makes it off the bench in Week 5, it is incredibly unlikely that he lasts the whole season.   It looked like head coach Mike Shanahan planned to use a 50/50 time split with the backs anyway, so Torain appears to be a safe add in all formats.

Sam Bradford, QB, St. Louis Rams

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ST. LOUIS - OCTOBER 03: Sam Bradford #8 of the St. Louis Rams passes the ball in the first half against the Seattle Seahawks on October 3, 2010 at Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Sam Bradford is a rare exception to the rule that rookie quarterbacks never make a positive fantasy impact. 

As of Week 4, Bradford is averaging more points a game then Donovan McNabb, Eli Manning, and Joe Flacco in standard scoring formats.

Bradford has inexplicably led the Rams to a tie at the top of the NFC West division, already doubling their win total from last year.

Despite the Rams losing speedy wide receiver Donnie Avery for the year, Bradford has already found a reliable replacement in former Raven Mark Clayton, and Danny Amendola is emerging as a solid slot receiver as well.

And of course, Steven Jackson’s propensity to turn short passes underneath into huge gains does not hurt the Oklahoma product’s numbers either.

Bradford is likely to surpass the rookie record for pass attempts, and is on pace for around 3,800 yards and 18 touchdowns, unheard of numbers for a rookie signal caller.

Bradford is a fringe starter in 12-team standard leagues, and a must have in deeper leagues and leagues that start two quarterbacks.

His recent success will not leave him hanging around the waiver wire for long, so this week could easily be the last week to claim the young gunslinger in your league, if someone has not done so already.

Michael Bush, RB, Oakland Raiders

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OAKLAND, CA - OCTOBER 3: Running back Michael Bush #29 of the Oakland Raiders carries the ball against the Houston Texans during an NFL football game October 3, 2010 at The Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Texans won the game

Many expected Bush to be the starter after the Raiders cut veteran running back Justin Fargas in the offseason, but instead Darren McFadden is finally living up to expectations.

A top five running back at his play at the position up til now, owners had to be horrified when McFadden suffered a hamstring injury against the Texans.

While the injury may not be too serious, a hamstring injury could easily cause a back to miss some time, just ask Knowshon Moreno.

If McFadden is sidelined for a game or two, Bush becomes a guy that needs to be owned in all formats.

Bush proved to be reliable as a starter in the past, and managed a nice 11 points, despite just nine touches, in Week 4.

Even with Bruce “Almighty” Gradkowski at the helm, the Raiders are built to be a run-first team for now, so Bush will get plenty of opportunities. 

Even with a healthy McFadden in the lineup, Bush is still either a usable flex play or great for running back depth in all leagues.  He is certainly a must have this week if Darren McFadden is a part of your weekly fantasy lineup.

Shaun Hill, QB, Detroit Lions

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DETROIT - SEPTEMBER 19: Shaun Hill #14 of the Detroit Lions drops back to pass during the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Ford Field on September 19, 2010 in Detroit, Michigan. The Eagles defeated the Lions 35-32. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Imag

At a glance, Shaun Hill probably looks like a horrible add to a lot of readers.  However, after evaluating the numbers, many will agree that he can be a useful plug and play this week now that four teams a week are on a bye.

In three games as a starter, Hill has 903 passing yards, five touchdowns, and six interceptions.

Two of his three games saw him produce two touchdowns and gain 300 yards through the air.

Hard to believe with Calvin Johnson being the Lions' only reliable receiving option right now, but the numbers do not lie.

With star rookie running back Jahvid Best nursing a turf toe injury, the Lions' propensity to throw the ball is only going to increase.

The imminent return of former Seahawk Nate Burleson should also help keep Hills’ passing numbers up.

Hill has a great matchup in Week 5 against a porous Rams secondary, so if you own Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger (who are on bye), or perhaps even Michael Vick or Jay Cutler, depending how their injuries pan out, Hill could be a play that pays big dividends in Week 5.

Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Detroit Lions

Endorsing two Lions players in one column?  Just one example of how unpredictable the world of fantasy football can be.

Believe it or not, Pettigrew is quietly on pace for a 1,000-yard season (996 yards to be exact but let us give him the benefit of the doubt).

Despite grabbing receiving tight end Tony Scheffler from the Denver Broncos in the offseason, for the most part Pettigrew has been the preferred target of the two for quarterback Shaun Hill.

While he is yet to find the end zone this season, those scores will come eventually when the Lions make more goal line opportunities happen. 

Pettigrew also built a nice rapport with starting quarterback Matthew Stafford last year, which should be a good thing when Stafford returns from his shoulder injury.

The 25-year-old tight end also has at least six receptions in three out of the four games this year, giving him added value in PPR formats.

Once again, the Lions take on the Rams in Week 5, so Pettigrew is at the very least an attractive plug and play. 

It would be shocking to not see him produce in this one, and all odds point to his touchdown draught ending here. 

If your team missed the boat on Dustin Keller and you're still hurting for a tight end, Pettigrew is a solid add for Week 5 and his stock should continue to rise when Stafford is back under center.