Fantasy Football Week 5 Waiver Wire: Mike Boone, Geno Smith Surprise as Top Pickups
The first month of the 2022 NFL season is in the rear-view, so managers should have a clear idea of how their fantasy teams are performing and what they are capable of for the remainder of the campaign.
If you are struggling and have glaring holes on your roster, it’s not too late to patch things up. There are plenty of widely available capable options who could save your season.
Even if you are undefeated and have a rock-solid starting lineup, it’s worth remembering that bye weeks are around the corner and injuries are all but inevitable. Having a good bench not only helps you weather these storms but also keeps high-end talent away from potential playoff opponents.
With those things in mind, here are five of the best waiver-wire pickups for Week 5.
All suggested players are rostered in 50 percent or less of Yahoo leagues. Rankings and fantasy point stats courtesy of FantasyPros.com and based on points-per-reception scoring.
Geno Smith, QB, Seattle Seahawks (13 Percent Rostered)
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The Seattle Seahawks were expected to take a step back offensively with Geno Smith at the helm. That hasn't happened, however, as the team is scoring more this year than last.
Despite losing nine-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson, Seattle ranks 12th in passing yards and 11th in points.
Smith has played surprisingly well for someone who was written off as a lowly stopgap option. He's racked up 1,037 yards and six scores with two interceptions while completing an NFL-best 77.3 percent of his attempts.
The 31-year-old is keeping his team remarkably competitive in the NFC West as well. The Seahawks are 2-2 and have beaten the Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions.
Smith is coming off perhaps his finest showing as a professional, having dissected the Detroit defense for 320 yards and two touchdowns with 49 yards and another score on seven rushes.
Smith and Drew Lock competed for the QB1 role in training camp, but Smith's performance against the Lions likely cinched his status as the starter for the remainder of the season.
Fantasy managers shouldn't sweat deploying Smith as their season-long starter either. He's the No. 10-ranked quarterback in fantasy, ahead of highly drafted options such as Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers.
If you aren't getting the type of output you hoped for from the quarterback you selected, it's time to move on and grab Smith to replace them.
Mike Boone, RB, Denver Broncos (2 Percent Rostered)
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DraftKings DFS Value: $4,000
The Broncos appeared to have one of the best and most stable backfield tandems in football heading into the 2022 campaign. With Javonte Williams set to build on a promising rookie season and veteran Melvin Gordon III in the fold, it seemed there would be no room for anyone else to become fantasy relevant.
That changed in Week 4, however, when Williams suffered a torn ACL and LCL in his right knee on the first play of the second half. But Gordon didn't become the bell-cow back in his absence; Mike Boone took on the lion's share of work against the Las Vegas Raiders.
With Gordon in head coach Nathaniel Hackett's doghouse for losing a fumble earlier in the game—a costly one that the Raiders returned for a touchdown—Boone received his first extensive action of the campaign.
The 27-year-old went into Week 4 with zero totes and one catch on two targets but had three carries for 20 yards in the matchup. Boone also was targeted three times, adding an additional nine yards on his lone reception.
Given Gordon's ball security issues—he's up to four fumbles on just 37 carries—Boone could be the back to roster in all formats. He's available in nearly every league, while Gordon is almost certainly locked up in all but the shallowest formats.
The Denver backfield is worth monitoring in Week 5 to see how the club will divvy up the workload. Williams was on the field for 142 of the Broncos' offensive snaps and has a team-high 63 touches—a large volume that must be reallocated.
Regardless of how it plays out, Boone is a must-roster right now. Starting him this week against the Indianapolis Colts would be risky, but the move could pay dividends for managers desperate for production from the position.
George Pickens, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers (39 Percent Rostered)
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DraftKings DFS Value: $4,100
After three-and-a-half games worth of mostly poor play, the Pittsburgh Steelers had finally seen enough from starting quarterback Mitch Trubisky. The veteran was mercifully pulled and replaced by first-round rookie Kenny Pickett in the second half against the New York Jets in Week 4.
While Pickett couldn't rescue the Steelers from a loss, he seemed to spark an offense that had been slumping. The unit went on two scoring drives, and Pickett seemed to have a stronger rapport than Trubisky did with fellow rookie George Pickens.
Pickens, the No. 52 pick, was a sleeper fantasy pickup heading into the season. His sluggish start led many to give up on the 21-year-old, but managers should now be scrambling to add the Georgia product to their rosters.
Prior to Week 4, Pickens had just five receptions on 12 targets for 65 yards. He eclipsed all those marks in a career-best outing Sunday, reeling in six of eight targets for 102 yards. Four of those looks came from Pickett, and the battery linked up on all four attempts for 71 yards.
The coaching staff clearly wants to get the receiver more involved. Pickens' target share has increased each week, going from a mere 8.1 percent in the opener to 32.0 percent in Week 4, with only tight end Pat Freiermuth getting more targets in the contest.
With Pickett likely to get more time to prove he's the best starting quarterback on the roster, Pickens is well on his way to becoming a viable WR3 with massive upside.
Michael Gallup, WR, Dallas Cowboys (41 Percent Rostered)
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DraftKings DFS Value: $5,200
After working his way back from a torn ACL, the Dallas Cowboys' Michael Gallup made his first appearance Sunday since Week 17 of the 2021 season.
It was a memorable return, as Gallup spurred the Cowboys to victory over the rival Washington Commanders. The fifth-year wideout put Dallas ahead for good by scoring the team's first touchdown and finished with two catches on three targets for 24 yards.
After the game, Gallup spoke about his return (via Layten Praytor of DallasCowboys.com): "I've been envisioning it. Ever since I got hurt it's like, 'When I come back, I need to make a statement.' That means I've actually done the work. It's a good feeling."
While Gallup didn't produce huge fantasy numbers, it was a promising showing for the 26-year-old. The Cowboys committed to the wideout for the long haul with a five-year, $62.5 million contract extension in March offseason and will likely continue to ease him back in over the next few games.
Gallup was on the field for 64 percent of the offensive snaps, down from 75 percent during the 2021 campaign and well off his career high of 88 percent from the 2020 season.
Dallas needs Gallup this year more than ever. It parted ways with two of its top wideouts from last season in Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson Jr., leaving CeeDee Lamb as its only proven receiver.
While Noah Brown has caught 18 passes for 274 yards and a score, the receiving corps is thin and needs Gallup to take the pressure off its top options.
He may need time to get back to full strength, but once he's there, he will be a high-end WR3 whom fantasy managers can deploy with confidence.
Mo Alie-Cox, TE, Indianapolis Colts (5 Percent Rostered)
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DraftKings DFS Value: $3,400
Mo Alie-Cox got off to a sluggish start, but in Week 4 the tight end had the performance the Colts had been hoping for.
In a loss to the rival Tennessee Titans, Alie-Cox gashed the defense for 85 yards and two touchdowns on six catches.
It was the type of showing the 29-year-old has flirted with since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2017. The 6'5", 267-pound former VCU basketball star possesses elite strength and athleticism but has long been raw in terms of technical skills.
With Matt Ryan—a quarterback known for leaning heavily on his tight ends—joining the Colts this offseason, it seemed like Alie-Cox had a good chance to finally break out. After totaling four receptions for 44 yards across three games, however, it appeared he was well on his way to another disappointing campaign.
While one good game doesn't mean Alie-Cox will suddenly emerge as one of the league's best at the position, he can build on the performance. The Colts have been feeding their tight ends (Jelani Woods had two touchdowns in Week 3), so Alie-Cox could be well-positioned for success if he earns more snaps.
Given the dearth of consistent production outside the top tight end options, managers who are streaming at the position could do far worse than rolling the dice on Alie-Cox outputting more week-winning numbers.
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