Top 5 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 5)

Our analysts combine to provide rankings for weekly fantasy football waiver wire targets. We’ll help you prioritize your bids for the week ahead. Check out our full expert consensus fantasy football waiver wire rankings. Here are our latest fantasy football waiver wire rankings and top fantasy football waiver wire pickups to target for the week. And here is our fantasy football waiver wire advice for Week 5.

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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Rankings & Top Targets: Week 5

Note: Players chosen based upon having early-week consensus roster percent below 50%.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups to Target

Woody Marks (RB – HOU): 30% Rostered

• Next Opponents: @BAL, BYE, @SEA
• True Value: $35
• Desperate Need: $50
• Budget-Minded: $25

Analysis: Woody Marks may have just taken over the Houston backfield. With 17 carries for 69 yards and a score to go along with four receptions, 50 yards and another score, Marks had a heck of a fantasy performance against the Titans in Week 4. With Nick Chubb only managing 47 yards on 13 carries, it’s clear who the more efficient back was. Coming into the league, Marks was touted as potentially the best pass-catching back in this class. For the Titans to have given him 17 carries in a game they were winning the entire time is a sign of good things to come. It’s essential to note that the Texans’ offensive line didn’t become functional overnight; however, Houston’s run blocking was competent against the Titans in Week 4. Next week, Marks faces a Ravens defense allowing the most yards and fantasy points to the running back position. We listed Marks as a stash last week. Hopefully, you already have him rostered. If not, this might be a time to bid heavily for what could be a weekly starter moving forward.

Elic Ayomanor (WR – TEN): 31% Rostered

• Next Opponents: @ARI, @LV, NE
• True Value: $6
• Desperate Need: $10
• Budget-Minded: $4

Analysis: In Weeks 2-3, Elic Ayomanor was the WR24 and WR27 in PPR scoring. He entered Week 4 with a 15.5% target share, a 24.6% air-yard share, a 15.6% first-read share (per Fantasy Points Data), 47 receiving yards per game and 1.74 yards per route run. He had two scores and two end-zone targets. In Week 4, Ayomanor led the Titans with a 26.9% target share and a modest 44 receiving yards. He is stepping up at the team’s No. 1 WR, as Calvin Ridley looks cooked. I’m not rushing to plug Ayomanor into a Flex spot against the Cardinals this week, but he has three nice matchups after that against Las Vegas, New England and Indianapolis that should land him in strong Flex territory.

Wan’Dale Robinson (WR – NYG): 49% Rostered

• Next Opponents: @NO, PHI, @DEN
• True Value: $2
• Desperate Need: $4
• Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: Entering Week 4, Wan’Dale Robinson had two red-zone targets this season. He had a 20% target share, averaging 74.3 receiving yards per game (2.28 yards per route run), with a 29.2% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. Robinson had a quiet Week 4, with three grabs and 14 receiving yards against the Chargers, as Jaxson Dart only attempted 20 passes, but Robinson had a 25% target share and dropped a touchdown. Robinson should continue to provide viable Flex value moving forward, with the Giants’ passing volume flowing to Robinson and Darius Slayton now that Malik Nabers is done for the year with a torn ACL.

Troy Franklin (WR – DEN): 32% Rostered

• Next Opponents: @PHI, @NYJ, NYG
• True Value: $6
• Desperate Need: $10
• Budget-Minded: $4

Analysis: Well, it’s about damn time, Sean Payton. Troy Franklin is a full-time player in the Denver offense. Entering Week 4, Franklin had a 73.8% route share, a 20% target share, a 26.8% air-yard share, 1.78 yards per route run (47 receiving yards per game), and a 22.7% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. Against the Bengals, Franklin had an 80% route share (second in routes behind only Courtland Sutton, per PFF), a 19% target share, and 55 receiving yards. He led the team with eight targets. I don’t want to toss Franklin into a flex spot this week against the Eagles, but after that, he has juicy matchups coming up against the Jets, Giants, and Cowboys that all could put him in the WR3/flex category.

Kenneth Gainwell (RB – PIT): 23% Rostered

• Next Opponents: BYE, CLE, @CIN
• True Value: $3
• Desperate Need: $5
• Budget-Minded: $2

Analysis: Every fantasy manager’s worst nightmare happened this weekend. Right before the early game in Dublin kicked off, Steelers running back Jaylen Warren was ruled out with a knee injury. This injury was not new, and he had been expected to play. In Warren’s absence, Kenneth Gainwell was Pittsburgh’s primary back in a tough matchup against the Vikings. Well, it was supposed to be tough. Gainwell popped off for 134 total yards and two scores. This week, the Steelers are heading into their bye, and it is expected that Warren will probably be healthy for Week 6. However, Gainwell has now proven he can carry the load if necessary. If Warren’s injury lingers, Gainwell could be in line for more work.