Will Shipley and the Best Week 5 Fantasy Football Waiver-Wire Pickups

The first month of the 2026 NFL season is in the books and the coinciding fantasy football campaign has been nothing short of insanity. With slew of major injuries striking some of the league's biggest stars, managers have been scrambling to line up replacements and keep their team afloat.

Week 5 marks the start of byes, throwing an additional wrench into the mix for fantasy managers to contend with. While only the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs will be out this week, it's now imperative to have good backups in place to withstand the wave of upcoming byes and inevitable injuries.

Whether you've been steadily turning over the bottom of your roster with free agents or have yet to tinker with the squad you've drafted, Week 5 represents an ideal time to dive into the waiver wire and find some solid talent. While there aren't any obvious league-winners sticking out right now, there are plenty of serviceable options who can fill holes in your starting lineup and provide depth for the long road ahead.

With that in mind, let's look at the top waiver-wire pickups for Week 5 of the 2026 NFL season.

Suggestions are available in approximately half or more of all Yahoo! Sports leagues. Fantasy points and rankings courtesy of FantasyPros' PPR data. Suggested free-agent acquisition budget (FAAB) bids are based on a $100 starting budget.

Quarterback

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Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins

Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders (23 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $1-3

Cousins is thriving at the reins of the Raiders, keeping the club in contention while staving off what initially seemed to be an inevitable takeover of the starting role by prized rookie Fernando Mendoza.

Cousins is firmly in the QB1 fantasy discussion after he followed up three consecutive top-12 performances with a gem against the Kansas City Chiefs. While the Raiders took its first "L" of the campaign, their signal-caller put up a season-best 23.6 points and earned a top-five finish in a 30-27 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs.

First-year head coach Klint Kubiak obviously trusts Cousins to carry the offense. After averaging a shade over 30 passing attempts per game during September, the 15th-year veteran aired it out a whopping 52 times on Sunday. Cousins connected on 31 of those throws, generating 365 yards and two touchdowns.

While Cousins has not been perfect—his four interceptions are tied for the third-most in football—he should be rostered in far more leagues than he currently is. If you need a replacement QB to get you through more than just Week 5, you need not look any further than Cousins.

Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers (10 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $0-2

Rodgers began his 2026 season as tepid as ever, amassing just 17.5 fantasy points over the first two weeks. Despite the slow start, the longtime veteran has quietly emerged as one of the better fantasy quarterbacks of the past two weeks.

The Steelers' offense has come to life behind the play of their 43-year-old leader, with Rodgers lighting up both the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns for nearly 300 passing yards and three touchdowns apiece. He finished as the QB8 in Week 3 before going on to cement his first top-five finish since landing in Pittsburgh with a 24-point effort during his team's Thursday Night Football showcase.

Rodgers has a fantastic opportunity to continue his string of QB1-tier performance in Week 5 when he squares off against the Indianapolis Colts. Indy's defense has allowed an average of 20.5 points per game to opposing passers in 2026, making Rodgers a strong plug-and-play choice for those streaming the quarterback position.

C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans (58 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $0-1

Stroud was abandoned in many leagues after he failed to work as a serviceable fantasy quarterback during the month of September. The calendar flipping—plus the return of his top receiver—seems to have rejuvenated the Houston passer.

With Nico Collins back in action for the first time since the opener, Stroud put up a season-best 23.1 points. By completing 21-of-31 throws for 347 yards and two touchdowns, Stroud not only kept his Texans competitive during a shootout against the Dallas Cowboys, but also showed that he may still have some fantasy value outside of 2QB and superflex formats.               

It remains to be seen if he can keep it rolling against the Tennessee Titans in Week 5, but with injuries at the position mounting and bye weeks beginning, he could be worth rolling the dice on.

Running Back

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Seattle Seahawks running back Emanuel Wilson

Will Shipley, Philadelphia Eagles (2 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $15-25

The Eagles' backfield was decimated by injury during Sunday's 24-20 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams. Star running back Saquon Barkley was knocked out of the contest early with a hamstring early and backup Tank Bigsby went down late with a core muscle issue.

Per ESPN's Tim McManus, Barkley avoided an IR stint and hasn't been officially declared out for Week 5, but is considered week-to-week as he works his way back from the hamstring injury. Bigsby will be out longer due to a surgical procedure that will take approximately six weeks to recover from.

Will Shipley is now the last man standing in Philadelphia's platoon and is set to become Philly's feature back, at least for a stretch. Considering he's likely to be the only established rusher ready to go for the team's upcoming London-based clash with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Shipley has potential RB2 value for this contest and possibly beyond. 

While the Eagles will need to make some moves to reinforce the backfield before the game (practice squad members Dameon Pierce , Carson Steele and Jaydon Blue are the top candidates), Shipley projects to see the lion's share of volume and can be started with confidence.

Emanuel Wilson, Seattle Seahawks (49 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $12-18

Wilson may have disappointed those who added him as a trendy waiver wire pickup following a 21-carry effort in Week 2, but he certainly delivered on Sunday. The journeyman running back put up 27 fantasy points to help his side earn a 30-23 victory over the reeling Los Angeles Chargers.  

First-round rookie Jadarian Price missed the contest with a chest injury and will have to sit three more games at a minimum after landing on the IR. Making his first start as a Seahawk, Wilson picked up 81 rushing yards and a touchdown on 21 totes and got involved as a pass-catcher for the first time this season, reeling in three of four targets for 39 yards and another score.

Wilson profiles as a low-end RB2 for Seattle's upcoming bout against the San Francisco 49ers. He should retain that status until Price and/or Zach Charbonnet (who just practiced for the first time since suffering a major knee injury in last season's playoffs) return to action. He may not have the best long-term outlook, but any manager lacking quality backs at this point in the campaign should make a run at Wilson.

Brian Robinson Jr., Atlanta Falcons (31 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $8-12

Bijan Robinson may have been the star of Atlanta's big Monday Night Football win over the New Orleans Saints, but his backup got heavily involved in the action as well. Brian Robinson Jr. finished the 45-24 blowout with a sizzling 25.7 fantasy points after exploding for 62 yards and three touchdowns on 14 totes.

Despite the outburst, Robinson doesn't have too much standalone value. He posted his first double-digit scoring day of the season in Week 3, having a quiet two games to open the 2026 campaign.

While managers shouldn't roster Robinson expecting similar results to last night with any frequency, he's established himself as the league's top handcuff. Bijan Robinson is the engine that is driving Atlanta's resurgent offense, a role that Brian Robinson would step directly into if the starter misses any time. He's a must-add right now for that value alone.

Chris Rodriguez, Jacksonville Jaguars (37 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $1-3

Bhayshul Tuten is Jacksonville's top back, but Rodriguez has been making some noise as the backup. Rodriguez had his second consecutive top-30 fantasy outing on Sunday, finishing a 22-17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals with 9.5 points.

Although Rodriguez only logged six carries in the contest, he generated a solid 35 yards and a touchdown with them. The performance followed on the heels of a 9.7-point showing in Week 3 in which the rusher tallied 37 yards and a score on eight carries.

Rodriguez may only have flex appeal in deeper leagues due to his touchdown-dependency, but he's a Tuten injury away from stepping into a far bigger role. Stash him if you can afford the bench spot.

Wide Receiver

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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman

Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills (5 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $5-10

Coleman's already-tanking fantasy value truly plummeted when the Bills added D.J. Moore this offseason, but it's looking like he's back on the radar now that the team's top wideout could miss some time.

Moore exited Sunday's contest after reaggravating a nagging shoulder injury a 29-26 defeat to the New England Patriots, opening the door for Coleman to take on a larger role. Coleman has already begun capitalized on the uptick in usage, finishing the contest with season-best marks of six catches, 116 receiving yards and one touchdown. His 23.6 fantasy points represented his most since the 2025 season-opener. 

While Coleman needs to hit the bench if Moore is active—the third-year receiver didn't garner more than four targets in any of the first three games—he's worth an add right now and can be inserted into starting lineups if his counterpart is sitting.

Romeo Doubs, New England Patriots (57 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $5-10

Although Doubs is owned in a bit more than half of all fantasy leagues, it's still worth checking your free-agent pile to see if he's available. Managers may have given up on the Patriots wideout after he mustered a combined 20.5 fantasy points over the first three weeks, a decision they'll regret following an explosive Week 4 performance that makes him a must-add in any league he's available in.

Doubs finally asserted himself as the No. 1 WR the Patriots have sorely needed since losing A.J. Brown to a high-ankle sprain in the opener. The veteran torched the Buffalo Bills defense for 58 yards and a pair of touchdowns, making the most of his team-high nine targets during the team's 29-26 victory.

While the NFL Network's Mike Garofolo reported that New England is hopeful Brown will return to the lineup in Week 6, Doubs is a slam-dunk fantasy starter for the team's upcoming matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. He also has plenty of upside to remain fantasy relevant beyond that, especially if star QB Drake Maye can return to the MVP-level of play he displayed for much of the 2025 campaign.

Tre' Harris, Los Angeles Chargers (9 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $4-8

The Bolts need to shake things up after a brutal 0-4 start to the 2026 NFL season and Harris could move up the depth chart as part of these adjustments.

Harris has been L.A.'s most productive wideout over the first month of the campaign, tallying 13 catches and 209 receiving yards on 21 targets. Star wideout Ladd McConkey (12/183/1 on 17 targets) has been dealing with several injuries, while No. 2 pass-catcher Quentin Johnston (7/108/0 on 18 targets) remains as inconsistent as ever.

Harris has been picking up the slack and earning the trust of the coaching staff, resulting in him logging a season-high of 66 offensive snaps in Week 4. If he continues to see that type of playing time and the Chargers can figure things out offensively, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Harris break out as a weekly fantasy starter.

Antonio Williams, Washington Commanders (6 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $0-2

With star wideout Terry McLaurin a late scratch for Week 4 after picking up a hamstring injury in practice, Williams moved up a notch in Washington's pecking order. While the bump in targets didn't quite translate to noteworthy production (he only mustered three catches for 21 yards on eight looks after an 87-yard TD was called back due to a procedural penalty), Williams' usage rate is extremely promising for fantasy purposes.

Washington's quarterback situation remains messy after backup Marcus Mariota went down with a knee injury in Week 4 and joined starter Jayden Daniels on the sidelines, but the team's abysmal defense will likely force whoever is lining up under center to air it out often. The Commanders have allowed up 30-plus points in each of the last three contests, a stretch during which their quarterbacks have averaged nearly 35 throws per game.

Williams has WR3 potential if McLaurin remains out, but the rookie third-rounder's unique slot and gadget role within the offense even gives him some upside in a full-strength Washington receiving corps.

Roman Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers (3 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $0-2

No one expected that Wilson would become the top wideout on a Steelers squad that features both DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. Although it initially seemed he might be a flash in the pan, the third-year wideout has remained the offense's most consistent pass-catcher over the first month of the 2026 season.

With six targets in each of Pittsburgh's first four games and production improving each week, Wilson has established himself as a viable flex option for fantasy. He's coming off a career-best outing against the Cleveland Browns, reeling in three catches for 74 yards and a second consecutive touchdown. He's now logged top-25 finishes in each of the past two weeks.

While the Steelers must get Metcalf and Pittman more involved if they have any serious aspirations to contend, Wilson is earning quarterback Aaron Rodgers trust. Expect him to parlay that chemistry into a higher offensive snap share and a potential nice fantasy day when the Steelers square off against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5.

Tight End

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Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson

T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings (30 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $1-3

Injuries have severely limited Hockenson's output in recent seasons, but the Minnesota tight end turned back the clock on Sunday. He secured all 13 targets that came his way, picking up 119 yards to rate as the top-scoring fantasy player at his position in Week 4.

While Minnesota remained undefeated thanks to Hockenson's 24.9-point efforts, much of his production occurred due to the absence of Justin Jefferson. Managers will want to monitor the superstar wideout's status leading up to the team's Week 5 battle against the New Orleans Saints, as Hockenson will be a set-and-forget TE1 if Jefferson were to miss more time.

Managers seeking a long-term option could also consider Hockenson. He's building a fast rapport with quarterback Kyler Murray and has benefitted from a higher offensive snap share since fellow TE Josh Oliver suffered a torn biceps that landed him on the IR.

Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals (7 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $1-3

Gesicki has been a scoring machine to open the 2026 NFL season. He's pulled down a touchdown three of the first four games, making him the rare consistent performer who is still surprisingly widely available at a position that has been bereft of serviceable waiver options.

Gesicki posted a 3/40/1 line on five targets during Cincinnati's Week 4 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. His 13 fantasy points marked his third double-digit outing and third TE12 or better finish of the campaign.

While Gesicki isn't seeing enough targets to continue putting up TE1-tier numbers if he doesn't find pay dirt, the 6'6", 245-pounder has become one of quarterback Joe Burrow's favorite targets in the red area and is a threat to haul a score in every week.

TE Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars (27 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $0-2

Strange hasn't lived up to his status as a popular sleeper choice leading up to the 2026 campaign, but he could be on the cusp of turning things around. He's coming off his best performance of the season and could potentially use that as a springboard to the type of weekly numbers managers were hoping for.

Strange feasted against the Cincinnati Bengals defense, hauling in seven of his eight targets for 95 yards—all season-high marks for the 25-year-old. His 16.5 fantasy points resulted in a top-10 finish, his first since the 2025 finale but also his third in the last seven games.

While Strange likely won't find things as easy against a tougher Philadelphia Eagles opponent in Week 5, he'll look to carry his momentum into the contest and have another strong outing.