Fantasy Football Week 5 Waiver Wire: Jameson Williams and More High-Upside Pickups
The first month of the 2023 NFL season is in the books, which makes this a great time to do a bit of tinkering with your fantasy roster. Regardless of how you came out of the gate, it will almost certainly take at least a few shrewd waiver-wire pickups to give you the depth needed to claim a championship in competitive leagues.
Having both a strong starting lineup and deep bench will ensure you will be able to withstand any challenge that arises over the next few months. Byes are starting in Week 5 as well, with the Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers all taking the week off.
While the free-agent pool ahead of Week 5 isn't particularly deep—fortunately, there weren't many noteworthy injuries this weekend—there are still a handful of unheralded players coming off breakout performances. There are also players returning from suspension and others who have been faring well enough over the first four weeks of the campaign to warrant a spot in far more leagues than they are currently rostered in.
With that in mind, here are five of the top waiver-wire targets for Week 5. All suggestions are rostered in 50 percent or less of Yahoo! fantasy football leagues.
Fantasy points and rankings are based on FantasyPros' PPR data.
C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans (47 Percent Rostered)
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The Houston Texans are coming off back-to-back wins and look competent for the first time in years thanks to the emergence of rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. The No. 2 overall pick has been as good as advertised despite inheriting a team that won only three games last season and averaged a mere 283.5 yards per game.
With the Ohio State product at the helm, Houston is now averaging 368.5 yards and 24 points per game, a full touchdown increase over its 2022 mark. Given those stats, it should come as no surprise that Stroud has quickly become fantasy-relevant.
The 22-year-old now has three consecutive top-13 finishes at his position, improving his standing relative to his peers each week. After a rough debut in which he ranked No. 22 in points produced by a quarterback, he's since finished No. 13, No. 12 and No. 10, respectively, leading up to a Week 5 clash with the Atlanta Falcons.
If your quarterback is going on bye—Deshaun Watson, Justin Herbert, Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield will all be resting this week—or has been underwhelming, make Stroud a priority claim for Week 5. You will have one of the best backups possible at worst, and the rookie's immense upside might give you a potential high-end starter come playoff time if he continues to develop on his current trajectory.
Jaleel McLaughlin, RB, Denver Broncos (1 Percent Rostered)
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DraftKings DFS Value: $5,000
The Denver Broncos rebounded from one of the most embarrassing losses in franchise history to notch a victory over the Chicago Bears. While that 31-28 result finally put the 1-3 Broncos in the win column, an injury to running back Javonte Williams soured the outcome.
Williams, who missed 13 games last season a torn ACL, exited in the second quarter with a hip injury. Fortunately, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported he is "not expected to miss much—if any—time."
If Williams does get ruled out or is limited against the New York Jets in Week 5, backup Jaleel McLaughlin would become an intriguing fantasy play.
The rookie split time with Samaje Perine in the second half of Sunday's contest against the Bears. While Perine played more snaps, the McLaughlin was more productive. He ran for 72 yards on only seven carries and added a touchdown and 32 yards on three receptions.
Any manager who has Williams on their roster should put a claim in for McLaughlin, but the 23-year-old should also be picked up in deeper leagues and by teams thin at running back. McLaughlin is one Williams injury away from potential stardom, and he could even push for more work when the starter is healthy based on his impressive Week 4 showing.
Jameson Williams, WR, Detroit Lions (32 Percent Rostered)
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DraftKings DFS Value: $4,000
The Detroit Lions already have one of the NFL's most potent offenses, and they're about to get even more dangerous thanks to the imminent return of Jameson Williams. Originally expected to be out until Week 7, Williams will now be able to make his 2023 debut this coming Sunday against the Carolina Panthers after the NFL reduced his gambling suspension from six games to four.
Williams, the No. 12 overall pick last year, is expected to make significant strides in 2023 after his rookie season was marred by injuries and inconsistency. The Alabama product didn't get on the field until Week 13 because of an ACL tear he suffered in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship Game. In the six games Williams did play, he recorded only one catch—which did go for an impressive 41-yard touchdown—on nine targets.
The 22-year-old should be a much bigger factor in the offense this year. He's an ideal No. 2 wideout across from superstar Amon-Ra St. Brown, as Williams can benefit from the attention St. Brown commands while taking the top off defenses with his elite speed. The second-year wideout is a legit threat to hit a home run every time he touches the ball, and Detroit's coaching staff will surely scheme up ways to get him involved.
Rather than wait for Williams to have an explosive performance that makes him a top waiver claim the following week, get ahead of the rush and roster him now. He's a fantastic fit in this offense and could have multiple week-winning performances in the coming months.
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Curtis Samuel, WR, Washington Commanders (9 Percent Rostered)
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DraftKings DFS Value: $N/A
Curtis Samuel has long been one of the NFL's most tantalizing playmakers, but the lack of an elite quarterback to target him and an inconsistent role in the Washington Commanders' offense has hamstrung his ability to become a reliable fantasy option. While those factors may remain an issue going forward, Samuel is coming off his best game of 2023 and is worth an add by managers who are desperate for wide receiver help.
The seventh-year veteran posted a top-15 finish at his position after he snared seven of his eight targets for 51 yards. Samuel also earned a carry for the third time in four games, using that tote to punch in a one-yard touchdown.
Although there's little chance Samuel will emerge as an elite fantasy weapon, his ceiling makes him an intriguing add for managers in deeper leagues. The 27-year-old will continue to be overshadowed by teammates Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, but his Week 4 usage makes him worth a dart throw if you need a bye week/injury fill-in or a cheap DFS option to complete your roster.
That's especially true in Week 5 with a juicy matchup against the Chicago Bears on tap. Chicago is giving up 34.3 points per game and has allowed 10 touchdowns through the air—two abysmal marks that trail only the Denver Broncos for worst in the league—making Samuel a strong bet to find more paydirt this coming Thursday.
Michael Wilson, WR, Arizona Cardinals (1 Percent Rostered)
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DraftKings DFS Value: $3,700
Michael Wilson wasn't projected to be a major fantasy contributor this year. The rookie wideout is on an Arizona Cardinals team that was expected to be abysmal with starting quarterback Kyler Murray still working his way back from a torn ACL.
While the Cardinals' 1-3 start isn't anything to write home about, the team has been surprisingly competitive. One reason for that is the blossoming rapport between Wilson and fill-in quarterback Joshua Dobbs.
Over the first three weeks of the campaign, Dobbs and Wilson linked up on seven of nine targets for 161 yards. On Sunday against a rock-solid San Francisco 49ers defense, the pair took a leap by generating seven catches on seven targets for 76 yards and Wilson's first two NFL touchdowns.
Wilson is a big 6'2", 213-pound pass-catcher who can create mismatches against opposing defenders. He stands out in a receiving corps headlined by more diminutive options like Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore. He's using his size not only to be a safety valve and possession receiver, but also a downfield threat, as evidenced by his average of 16.9 yards per target.
Only truly desperate managers or those in deep leagues should trust Wilson to be a weekly starter right now, but he's flashed enough promise and chemistry with Dobbs to make him worth rostering. If he can string together another strong showing against a beatable Cincinnati Bengals secondary in Week 5, he'll be a startable WR3 going forward.
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