2023 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets: Week 5
It is time for fantasy football managers to attack the waiver wire. The waiver wire is filled with fool’s gold and trash heading into Week 5. This week, the job will be to avoid the flash-in-the-pan players and add players that can provide future value. That will require some creativity.
Before we dive into the top players for this week let’s quickly recap waiver wire targets from the first four weeks of the season. The following players are all still available in a large portion of leagues and remain viable options. This list does not include massive breakouts like Puka Nacua or De’Von Achane, who are certainly unavailable.
- Week 2: Romeo Doubs
- Week 3: C.J. Stroud, Tutu Atwell
- Week 4: Marvin Mims, Quentin Johnston, Tyjae Spears
If any of the aforementioned players are still available in your league they are still great waiver wire options. Now, let’s look at the best available players for this week.
*All players are available in more than half of ESPN leagues.*
Jameson Williams–16.3%
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams headlines as the top fantasy football waiver wire target this week. Williams entered the 2023 season with a six-game suspension for violating the league’s gambling policy but was reinstated after the policy was adjusted.
Williams was also going to be a must-add once he became eligible to play; however, he now holds even more value since you will get two extra games out of him.
Willians perfectly fits into the Lions’ offense. The Lions have a lot of valuable pieces on offense, but none of them have a skillset like Williams. The Alabama product was a great prospect with superstar potential. That is because of his speed and ability to take the top of a defense. At the moment, he is the only player in Detroit with that skill set.
Williams should be able to slide into the number two receiver role in a highly productive offense. That is a rare player archetype to find on the waiver wire.
Do not be worried if Williams starts the season slow. At this point, he does not have much experience. It does not help that his rookie season was largely spent rehabbing a torn ACL. On top of that, the Lions were not expecting to have Williams involved in the offense for two more weeks. Williams is more of a long-term play that can rack up points late in the season.
Michael Wilson–1.4%
Arizona Cardinals rookie receiver Michael Wilson had his breakout game and is now a respectable waiver wire pickup. In Week 4, Wilson finished with seven catches for 76 yards and two touchdowns.
Wilson should be able to carve out a solid role in the Cardinals offense. It is clear Wilson is the Cardinals’ No. 2 receiver behind Marquise Brown. Furthermore, Wilson is a big-body receiver who provides different skills than Brown.
Wilson is not just a hype show that got hot for a week. Wilson was a good prospect coming out of Stanford and was one of the biggest winners at the Senior Bowl. It would not be a shock for Wilson to continue to play at a high level.
I am also more optimistic about the Cardinals’ offense after four games. Joshua Dobbs is playing much better than expected and the team is putting up points. I still do not love the idea of filling my roster with Cardinals, but Wilson comes at a low risk.
All things considered, Wilson is worth a pickup, especially in a poor week. I am not saying he is a league winner, but he will likely produce throughout the year.
Zay Jones–38.5%
In a week that does not provide a ton of value on the waiver wire, Jacksonville Jaguares receiver Zay Jones is not a terrible option.
The waiver wire is filled with suspect receivers that are being added to rosters. At the same time, Jones is being dropped and has fallen below the 50 percent ownership threshold, largely because of a knee injury.
I understand why people would be hesitant to add a receiver that is currently injured. The benefit is that Jones has upside when he is on the field; I am interested in being invested in the Jaguars’ offense and Jones is a part of that.
At this point, Jones is on the verge of returning. Once he does, he will be more valuable than many waiver wire receivers.
I would not break the bank and urgently clear a roster spot for Jones. If you are looking to add a player and cannot snag Williams or Wilson, Jones is a low-risk alternative. The hope here is that Jones returns and plays well; if he does, we beat the waiver wire rush to him. Typically, that is not a strategy I love, but it is more viable in a poor week.
Keaton Mitchell–2.3%
It is time to start swinging for the fences and this is about as big of a swing as you can take. If you are looking for a waiver wire grand slam, Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell is the man you want.
Mitchell was placed on injured reverse to begin the season and missed the Ravens’ first four games, but he is eligible to return this week. That does not guarantee that he will be rostered, however.
The East Carolina product was a solid prospect who displayed speed and big play upside. The hope is that he can break some big runs in Baltimore.
The main reason that Mitchell is a fantasy option is because the Ravens’ running back room is in shambles. With J.K. Dobbins sidelined the backfield is up for grabs. At the moment, Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, and Melvin Gordon are getting touches. That has not produced positive results.
In theory, the Ravens should look to get some production out of Mitchell. If he can break a few big runs, he will provide more value than any of the aforementioned options. Hopefully, he is given that opportunity.
It is important to stress that Mitchell is a gamble. It is entirely possible that he does not get a carry all year. Still, he is worth the risk because he should be given an opportunity because of the Ravens’ muddling backfield. If you are in a deep league or a best ball league, Mitchell has even better upside. The hope is that we can beat the potential waiver wire rush for Mitchell.
Tank Bigsby–15.1%
The final fantasy football waiver wire target for this week is Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby.
In poor waiver-wire weeks, one of the most consistent strategies is to add a high-upside running back handcuff. Well, this week Bigsby entered the season as one of the best handcuffs in fantasy football, and now he is available in a large majority of leagues.
I do not think it is time to sell Bigsby. No, he has not been outstanding thus far into the season. But he still was a great prospect and holds his own as the Jaguars backup running back–stealing touchdowns.
It is also important to note that Bigsby is a rookie. In theory, he should not break out at the start of the season. It should be expected that Bigsby will grow into a larger role.
The previous logic regarding the Jaguars’ offense that was previously used when discussing Jones holds true in this instance as well.
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