Fantasy Football: Week 5 Waiver Wire Targets 2021
By Pat Pitts
Week 4 of the 2021 NFL season brought us upsets, reunions, and breakout stars in unlikely places. We also got confirmation that some players that are chilling on the Waiver Wire in so many leagues are legit and this may be the final week you’ll have to scoop them up. Here’s the group of players that should be on your roster heading into the second quarter of the fantasy football season.
Quarterbacks
Sam Darnold (Rostered in 18% of ESPN leagues and 37% in Yahoo leagues)
Darnold has thrown for more than 300 yards in the past three weeks ranking him as QB5 heading into the new week. He also leads the league in rushing touchdowns. Darnold is a QB1 waiting to lead a team to a fantasy title.
Taylor Heinicke (Rostered in 10% of ESPN leagues and 10% in Yahoo leagues)
Heinicke has played well to start the season. He averages 20.73 fantasy points per week, making him a viable option as a QB2.
Daniel Jones (Rostered in 33% ESPN leagues and 31% in Yahoo leagues)
Daniel Jones threw for 402 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in the Giants overtime win against the Saints. He now ranks inside the Top-10 fantasy QBs this season. Jones is a solid streaming option with bye weeks approaching.
Running Backs
Kenneth Gainwell (Rostered in 25% of ESPN leagues and 29% in Yahoo leagues)
Gainwell scored his second rushing touchdown of the season and rushed for 31 yards on Sunday. However, he did most of his damage in the receiving game, catching six passes for 58 yards. He has developed into an RB2 role behind Sanders, making him a potential FLEX spot for managers especially in PPR leagues.
Latavius Murray (Rostered in 34% of ESPN leagues and 48% in Yahoo leagues)
Murray seems to be the most productive replacement back in Baltimore. He led all ball carriers in carries, yards, and touchdowns on Sunday. He is an RB2 for the foreseeable future.
J.D McKissic (Rostered in 49% of ESPN leagues and 39% in Yahoo leagues)
McKissic has scored over 15 points in two of his last three games. He is a solid bench player that can fill in as a FLEX option for upcoming bye weeks.
Wide Receivers
Randall Cobb (Rostered in 14% of ESPN leagues and 7% in Yahoo leagues)
Cobb played his best game of 2021 against the Steelers, catching five passes for 69 (nice) yards and a touchdown.. He has put himself on the FLEX radar, making him worth a claim this week.
Van Jefferson (Rostered in 5% of ESPN leagues and 5% in Yahoo leagues)
Jefferson had a season high in catches (6) and yards (90) against the Cardinals. With Matthew Stafford as his QB, and the Rams ability to get the ball down the field through the air, Jefferson has potential for more weeks like Week 4 more than anticipated during the preseason.
Kalif Raymond (Rostered in < 1% of ESPN leagues and 1% in Yahoo leagues)
Raymond has taken over the WR1 role in the Motor City. In the past two games, he has caught more than 50% of his targets for 114 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Raymond has proved that he is a reliable option in Detroit, making him a viable WR4 option over the next few weeks.
Tight Ends
CJ Uzomah (Rostered in <1% of ESPN leagues and 2% in Yahoo leagues)
Uzomah played his best game of the year catching five passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns. He finished the week as the TE1, which ranks him a top TE for Week 5 against the Packers.
Dalton Schultz (Rostered in 22% of ESPN leagues and 34% in Yahoo leagues)
Schultz has caught three touchdowns in the past two games and totaled 138 receiving yards in that span. He has evolved into a safety blanket for Dak Prescott, especially in the red zone. He is TE3 across fantasy platforms, but is a TE1 waiting to happen on your roster.
Maxx Williams (Rostered in 3% of ESPN and 1% in Yahoo leagues)
Williams proves to be Kyler Murray’s check down option this season. He tallied five catches for 66 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. He’s a boom or bust TE2 in a high octane Cardinals offense. Williams has a chance to be a Top-10 TE this year and will not be on the waiver wire for long.