Week 5 Waiver Wire: Breakout Pickups, Targets and Tips for Fantasy Football

Raise your hand if you thought Houston Texans wide receiver Keke Coutee would have a better fantasy day than New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas, Atlanta Falcons wideout Julio Jones and Cincinnati Bengals pass-catcher A.J. Green in points-per-reception leagues.

If you did, then you don't need any fantasy football advice. But it goes to show how much variance there is in the NFL, where players making their debuts and sitting third on their own team's depth chart can outperform the best in the game in any given week.

Looking ahead, here are five waiver-wire pickups that could be beneficial for your Week 5 lineup. A note that no Chicago Bears are on this list because the Monsters of the Midway are on a bye. Otherwise, you'd be sure to see a few of them after their emphatic 48-10 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

All point totals below are based off points-per-reception scoring, and all percentages indicate what percent of Yahoo leagues a player is currently rostered in.

Week 5 Waiver-Wire Pickups

Jacksonville Jaguars RB T.J. Yeldon (26 Points, 49 Percent)

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette left his game with the New York Jets with hamstring tightness and did not return. He missed all of Week 2 and Week 3 with a hamstring injury suffered in Week 1 that forced him to leave midgame against the New York Giants.

Fournette's status for Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday is unclear, but if he can't go, then running back T.J. Yeldon should draw the start.

In two full games without Fournette, Yeldon amassed a respectable 161 yards from scrimmage. However, the former Alabama star went off against the New York Jets on Sunday, going for 100 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns.

The Jags may feed Yeldon much like they do Fournette. Yeldon had 21 touches against the Jets, amassing 18 carries even though he only went for 52 rushing yards. But the key is that Yeldon is getting a litany of chances, and that's only beneficial to his Week 5 fantasy value.

Seattle Seahawks RB Mike Davis (28.4 Points, 1 Percent)

Seattle Seahawks starting running back Chris Carson was declared out before his game with the Arizona Cardinals because of a hip injury.

Mike Davis became the lead man in the backfield and immediately paid dividends, rushing for 101 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. He added 23 yards on four receptions as well.

The Seahawks play the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, and Seattle's best bet for a win is to employ a ball-control offense designed to keep possession away from the high-flying L.A. offensive attack.

If Carson can't make next Sunday's game (or Davis keeps his job after a solid performance), then Davis is worth a flier in fantasy, especially if you're looking to fill a flex spot in a deeper league.

The downside is that the Rams can simply run the Seahawks out of their own stadium, which means Seattle would have to abandon the run game. But if Seattle hangs tough, expect to see Davis in action.

Houston Texans WR Keke Coutee (21.9 Points, 1 Percent)

Coutee made his debut after missing three weeks with a hamstring injury, and he certainly did not disappoint after amassing 11 catches (on 15 targets) for 109 yards against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

It's not every day you see a rookie get 15 targets in his first game, but it's clear quarterback Deshaun Watson trusts the Texas Tech product, who was picked in the fourth round this year.

Coutee saw more looks because No. 2 wideout Will Fuller V left the game with a hamstring injury. We'll have to wait on Fuller's status for Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, but Coutee figures to start alongside No. 1 wideout DeAndre Hopkins if he's out. As is, Coutee should see some action given his success against the Colts. He's worth picking up and placing on the bench in all formats.

Indianapolis Colts WR Ryan Grant (11.4 Points, 4 Percent) and Chester Rogers (16.5 Points, 0 Percent)

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton suffered chest and hamstring injuries on Sunday against the Houston Texans. Hilton returned from the chest injury but could not come back to the game following the hamstring ailment. Adam Schefter of ESPN provided a postgame update:

The next men up are Colts wideouts Ryan Grant and Chester Rogers, who combined for 13 catches for 149 yards on 18 targets Sunday. They will likely stay busy against a New England Patriots offense that may have finally found its groove after a 38-7 win over the Miami Dolphins Sunday.

If the Pats are dominant again, then the Colts may be playing from behind all game, leading them to passing nearly every time. That means a lot of potential volume for Grant and Rogers, which could be huge assets in points-per-reception leagues.