Week 5 Waiver Wire Adds For Your 2026 Fantasy Football Team
Fantasy 101

Week 5 Waiver Wire Adds For Your 2026 Fantasy Football Team

By Optimus Staff · October 5, 2026

Well, it was nice having our entire rosters available while it lasted.

Week 5 brings us the first bye weeks of the season, with the Panthers and Chiefs getting the week off. Two teams isn't exactly a scheduling crisis, but it does mean we've officially reached the point of the fantasy season where the lineup you drafted and the lineup you actually start are becoming two very different things.

Of course, per usual, the injury report has decided to make things a little more interesting. Week 4 left us with a handful of situations to monitor heading into the week, and while we aren't necessarily staring down a waiver wire full of season-changing replacements, there are quite a few players who could go from "maybe worth a stash" to "well, I guess you're in my lineup" depending on how those injuries shake out.

That makes this waiver run a little less about finding the next season-long breakout and a little more about making sure you have enough functioning football players to field a lineup on Sunday. Glamorous? No. Necessary? Unfortunately, yes.

Bye weeks are here. The injury designations are piling up. Let's go shopping.

Week 5 Waiver Wire Adds For Your 2026 Fantasy Football Team

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Quarterbacks:

Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders| Sleeper 41% | ESPN 16.9% | FAAB 10%

You might not like it, but this is what peak male performance looks like. 

Some truths about Kirk Cousins:

  • He has multiple TD passes in every game so far.
  • The Raiders don't have a bye until Week 13
  • Kansas City was #1 against opposing QBs coming into Week 4

It also hasn't mattered if the game script is positive (Miami, Los Angeles Chargers), negative (New Orleans), or neutral (Kansas City). Cousins is out here throwing all over everyone. While 52 attempts as he threw in Week 4 probably aren't the norm, we should recognize that the Raiders aren't afraid to be that wide-open when the game calls for it.

After what we saw in Week 4, the only games I'm concerned about Cousins as a fantasy starter going forward are when Las Vegas plays Denver in Weeks 11 and 15. Even better? As of right now, Las Vegas doesn't have any "island games" (MNF, TNF, SNF, etc.) remaining on their schedule. And if you know Cousins' history, you know how much that matters. Klint Kubiak truly has turned back the clock for the 38-year-old Cousins.

Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers| Sleeper 14% | ESPN 6.5% | FAAB 1%

Are you looking for a bye-week pivot because you finally picked up Bryce Young, or you've been relying on the stalwart Patrick Mahomes? Then Aaron Rodgers is the perfect "hold your nose and take your bye week medicine" starting QB for you.

Is the offense pretty? Absolutely not. Is Rodgers good on deep passes (20+ air yards)? Absolutely not. In fact, he's attempted more than any other QB (22) through 4 games, and is 24th in completion percentage (22.7%). But he averages 38.3 passing attempts/game and hasn't attempted fewer than 34 in a single game. And he gets the Colts in Week 5, who were 28th in limiting opposing QB scoring before they got to face Madden create-a-player Athan Kaliakmanis.

Other Options:

Running Backs:

Will Shipley, Philadelphia Eagles| Sleeper 0% | ESPN 0.6% | FAAB 5-25%

As of right now, we know that Tank Bigsby is having core muscle surgery, and that Saquon Barkley's hamstring…exists. But we probably won't know much about Barkley's expectations until after your waivers have run. That's why I have such a big FAAB range. If you're able to wait and it turns out Barkley will be a bit limited but won't miss time? That's the lower end. If he's going to miss this week and/or more? That's the higher end.

Will Shipley is definitely more of a shifty RB who's a pass-catcher, but can still be effective running in a Justice Hill/Keaton Mitchell kind of way. And keep in mind, this offense is severely limited right now without Dallas Goedert and possibly DeVonta Smith. So we need to limit expectations a bit.

But even if Barkley plays, and especially if you're desperate for an RB due to injuries and byes, Shipley still deserves a pickup. Hamstring strains that aren't rested properly will often lead to reinjury, and more severely if they are reinjured. 

As odd as it sounds, I don't believe an Eagles RB has the upside of an Ollie Gordon, partially because Bigsby and Barkley won't miss the whole season. At least, as of this point. That's another big reason for the lower (25% compared to 50%+) FAAB recommendation. 

#Eagles RB Usage Week 4 (Saquon Barkley left early)

- Tank Bigsby: 48% snaps, 14 carries, 8 routes, 1 target (55 yds)
- Will Shipley: 47% snaps, 6 carries, 14 routes, 1 target (23 yds)

— Michael F. Florio (@michaelfflorio.bsky.social) October 4, 2026 at 6:10 PM

Tyler Allgeier, Arizona Cardinals| Sleeper 47% | ESPN 28.2% | FAAB 5%

Look, I don't know why people are suddenly jumping off of the Tyler Allgeier train, but all aboard, because I will be the conductor. OK, that's not true; I do get it. After he toted the ball 17 times in Week 1, it looked like rookie Jerimiyah Love was taking over the backfield. 

Now don't get me wrong, 8 carries and 2 targets isn't a ton. But with the bye weeks here and the RB pool drying up (Kenneth Walker and Chuba Hubbard are both on bye this week), you might not have better options. Plus, he gets the Lions in Week 5, and they've been very friendly to RBs so far this season.

Also - Jeremiyah, are you OK?

Joe Mixon, Seattle Seahawks (pending)| Sleeper 9% | ESPN 3.3% | FAAB 1%

‼️‼️‼️ BREAKING NEWS ‼️‼️‼️

The Seahawks are NOT signing Joe Mixon.

Per Adam Schefter.

[image or embed]

— 🏈Optimus FF News (@news.optimusfantasy.com) October 6, 2026 at 1:44 PM

So, Joe Mixon is signing with Seattle. Fun.

Obviously, Jadarian Price is on IR now, and Zach Charbonnet is still at least a couple of weeks away from playing.

But keep in mind, they have an RB - Emanuel Wilson - who Seattle just gave 25 opportunities (carries + targets) in a game, and he had 22 earlier in the season. Oh, and they still have George Holani and his handful of opportunities/game, too.

Signing Mixon feels like a "We don't know what he's got in the tank, but we're willing to find out while we're down two other RBs. And maybe Green Bay gets desperate enough to trade for him," move. If you're a good team and struggling to churn the bottom of your roster, Mixon's not worth a spot. If you're a bad team (staring down 1-3, or 2-2 and getting beset by injuries), Mixon is worth a 1% bid in FAAB. But don't be surprised if he's on the team for two weeks only to find himself as a free agent again. Keep in mind - he's 30 years old and hasn't played since 2024. You know, the same draft class as Ezekiel Elliot and Derrick Henry. THAT kind of old.

Other Options:

Wide Receivers:

Tre Harris, Los Angeles Chargers | Sleeper 15% | ESPN 5.7% | FAAB 10-20%

Coming into Week 4, the Chargers were thin at WR. Then they lost Ladd McConkey mid-game to a foot injury. Tre Harris wound up playing 93% of the snaps against the Seahawks, turning 5 targets into 3 catches for 60 yards.

INJURY UPDATE:

Ladd McConkey (foot) is considered week-to-week.

Per HC Jim Harbaugh.

[image or embed]

— 🏈Optimus FF News (@news.optimusfantasy.com) October 5, 2026 at 6:20 PM


With Ladd out on a week-to-week basis, there is a major hole in the WR room that Tre Harris can fill. Harris has bounced between an 11%- 22% target share over the course of the season. We should expect his target share to be closer to the maximum side of the range until Ladd is healthy. The Chargers also lost their OT Rashawn Slater to an ankle injury in Week 4. This may result in the Chargers deploying more quick-hitting looks to Tre Harris. Harris has already taken snaps in the backfield, registered RB & WR screen routes, and has run an even distribution of in-breaking, out-breaking, and vertical routes.

The former 2nd-round pick has the opportunity to be a top-2 target in the Chargers offense in the short term. Harris' role in 2025 was much closer to the LOS than how he's been used in 2026. If McDaniel adapts the offense to throw more quick hitters, there's a chance for Harris to see volume for a WR3 floor. The Chargers get the Broncos in week 5, who just lost Pat Surtain II to an ankle injury.  

Chris Bell, Miami Dolphins | Sleeper 17% | ESPN 5.4% | FAAB 1-10%

This is the second time Chris Bell's name has wound up in our waiver wire article. With Caleb Douglas (ankle) inactive again in Week 4, Chris Bell played 81.1% of the snaps, his most snaps of the year. The length of a toe is the only thing preventing Chris Bell from a long catch-and-run touchdown.

Bell's average depth of target is 18 yards. He's being asked to run routes deep down the field and sports 3 yards of average separation on targets over 20+ air yards.

Cam's film breakdown last week showed us he's capable of winning against high-end DBs and in press coverage. If Caleb Douglas is out again in week 5 against the Bengals, Chris Bell will be in the flex conversation again. 

🐬 Dolphins rookie WR Chris Bell week 3 film breakdown 🎞️

Chris Bell faced a ton of press coverage in the film I watched against Kansas City. I wouldn't say he displayed a high-level of route running, which was a concern we had about him coming out of Louisville. He did beat press off the line well.🧵

[image or embed]

— Cameron Templar (@whiteheatff.bsky.social) September 28, 2026 at 11:59 AM

Tyreek Hill, Free Agent | Sleeper 52% | ESPN 28.7% | FAAB 1-10%

In late July, Tyreek Hill posted a video on his social media where he mentions that he still has no power in his leg that suffered a knee dislocation and multiple ligament tears. Nearly two and a half months later, he's met with several teams, one of which is the Kansas City Chiefs. His agent has mentioned that Hill expects to sign within a few days.

Don't overpay for Tyreek Hill. He may not see the field for a few weeks after signing, and his ability to run, cut, and play at an NFL-caliber level is yet to be seen. Even if he does come back, there's a high potential for muscular imbalance causing another major injury to occur in his lower body. 

The upside? One WR screen that he takes to the house will instantly put him into the flex conversation in the following week's rankings. Keep your bid and your expectations low on Tyreek Hill. There's a chance this smoke has no flame and is only vapor, but in the event that the Chiefs bring him in, you'll know they have plans to deploy him as quickly as possible.

Dohnte Meyers, Cincinnati Bengals | Sleeper 0% | ESPN 0.2% | FAAB 1-10%

Here's a deep waiver wire pick-up who may work his way into your flex in Week 5. With Iosivas on IR, rookie Colbie Young out for Week 4, Tee Higgins day-to-day with an adductor injury, and Ja'Marr Chase suffering a concussion, Bengals fan favorite WR Dohnte Meyers saw 90% of the offensive snaps, running 54 routes and pulling in 7 of 9 targets for 82 yards. Meyers registered 5 quick targets. He was schemed open on 4 of his 9 targets, with 3 screens, 1 motion clear out into the flat, and a double deep post against zone coverage. He made a difficult back shoulder catch down the sideline against press coverage with the Bengals in comeback mode under 2 minutes in the fourth quarter. 

Just wrapped up a film study on a player that will receive plenty of interest this week, WR Dohnte Meyer - CIN.

On film, he's put in motion, plays in the slot and out wide, and is schemed up looks. There were 3 screens called for him last week and a double deep post that beat zone coverage.

[image or embed]

— Cameron Templar (@whiteheatff.bsky.social) October 5, 2026 at 5:31 PM

You may remember him as the WR Joe Burrow called to come throw with him the week before training camp started, who drove from Atlanta to Cincinnati in the middle of the night to make an 11 am throwing session.

This year, Meyers has a 68.8% catch rate, registering 5 air yards per target. As I said, they scheme him open, often coming in the flat where he can pile up YAC. He's forced 7 missed tackles on 12 total touches, and is their primary kick returner. The role he's been used in to start the season fits his skill set, but he is now being thrust into a much more diverse route tree.

He was used in all 3 WR roles, but it was apparent he was still learning nuances in the playbook and received help during pre-snap audibles regarding his alignment. His air yards per target spiked to 7.4 this week, where he saw multiple targets in the intermediate and deep areas of the field.

With uncertainty in the health of the WR room and the Bengals feeling comfortable scheming him open looks, Meyers should not be left on the waiver wire in Week 4. A starting WR on the Bengals' high-octane offense is a valuable asset as we head into bye weeks and injuries pile up. Monitor Chase, Higgins, and Young's statuses, and if they are unable to go, consider flexing Meyers against the Miami Dolphins in Week 5. If you're in a league awarding points for kick return yardage, dump 20% of your FAAB on Meyers.

Other Options:

Tight Ends:

Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders | Sleeper: 13% | ESPN: 12% | FAAB: 5%

The Las Vegas passing attack seems to have found its identity, and it's through the tight ends. Of course, Brock Bowers dominates whenever he's on the field. But the attention he draws has been leaving some easy reads for Kirk Cousins in Mayer's direction. 

The Raiders are tied for first in targets to the position, with 53 through the first four weeks. Mayer earned 13 in-game targets with Bowers. He's worth a long look if you need help at the position. 

Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals | Sleeper: 16% | ESPN: 9.6% | FAAB: 3%

Gesicki has once again solidified himself as Cincy's number one tight end. Given the passing volume and overall efficiency of the offense, he's a decent bet to find the end zone any week. In fact, he's done just that in three out of four games to date. Furthermore, his snap share increased yet again to 62% in Week 4, and that could easily skyrocket should either of Ja'Marr Chase or Tee Higgins miss some time. In that scenario, I would bump my FAAB bid to the 5-7% range, maybe up to 10% if you're desperate. 

Injuries notwithstanding, Gesicki takes a backseat to Mayer due to being a little more dependent on touchdowns. 

Other Options:

Defense/Special Teams (D/STs):

Cincinnati Bengals | Sleeper: 19% | ESPN: 17.4% | FAAB: 0-1%

The Cincinnati Bengals aren't known for their defense, and despite a hot start to the season, they've looked like the same unit we've known the last two weeks. While they currently rank as the No. 4 overall defense in fantasy, that's largely due to a Week 1 dismantling of the Buccaneers' offense that netted them 22 fantasy points. 

Week 5 presents a similar matchup against the De'Von Achane-less Dolphins. Miami has given up the sixth-most fantasy points per game to defenses through the first four weeks (12.3). With the Bengals' high-flying offense, even possibly without Ja'Marr Chase and/or Tee Higgins, and their penchant for scoring, they'll be forced to do things with Malik Willis they don't want to do (throw the ball). 

This is set up to be another big week for the Bengals defense, and they're an easy, cheap streaming option. They have their bye next week, so you won't want to hold them, but they're an inexpensive fill-in with a high ceiling if the Chiefs or Panthers are on bye this week, or if you're adamant about streaming away this season.   

New York Giants | Sleeper: 11% | ESPN: 7.8% | FAAB: 1-2%

The New York Giants defense could have been a top-tier unit this season. But when EDGE rusher Brian Burns suffered a season-ending ACL tear, that idea came crashing down. However, last week, against a below-average offense, the Giants reached double-digit fantasy scoring for the first time this season, logging 14 points against the Arizona Cardinals. 

Week 5 brings this unit an even juicier matchup against the reeling Washington Commanders.

Starting QB Jayden Daniels has missed the last two weeks (dislocated left elbow), and backup Marcus Mariota (sprained MCL) could miss the next month. That leaves the Commanders with two options: rush Daniels back for Week 5 (would need to be cleared by the Washington medical team) or roll out Rookie Athan Kaliakmanis. 

Regardless of who they roll out this coming Sunday, the Giants defense should feast. If it's Daniels, we know he'll be very limited. If it's Kaliakmanis, you're picking on a rookie in a bad offense. Either way, the Giants offer a very cheap streamer or bye-week fill-in, and in a pinch, you could roll them out in Week 6 when they host the New Orleans Saints. 

Other Options:

  • Las Vegas Raiders, FAAB 0-1%
  • Arizona Cardinals, FAAB 0-1%
  • Jacksonville Jaguars, FAAB 0-1%

Kickers:

It's Week 5, and if you haven't rostered Colts kicker Spencer Shrader by now, I don't know how I can help. He's still only 30% rostered, so go get him. If he's gone, here are more good options for Week 5.

Dominic Zvada, New York Giants | Sleeper: 2% | ESPN: 2.2% | FAAB: 0-1%

The New York Football Giants rookie kicker Dominic Zvada has been locked in so far this season. Through four games, the rookie's leg has been perfect, making all five extra-point attempts and nine field-goal attempts. This past Sunday, he drilled two of his three field goals from beyond 50 yards, bringing his total of 50-plus-yard kicks to three. 

The Giants offense might be a disaster in the making, as evidenced by Zvada's one extra-point attempt since Week 1, but the rookie kicker will get plenty of opportunities to score. 

Week 5 sees the Giants travel to the nation's capital to face the Commanders in what could be a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants, high-scoring affair. Zvada should have no problem taking advantage of his scoring opportunities, and with Jameis Winston behind center, he should get plenty. 

Given the Giants' offense, Zvada is a candidate to be a permanent fixture on your fantasy rosters. He's currently the overall K8 and has been consistent. He's also unlikely to cost you any FAAB, but put down a dollar just in case. 

Andre Szmyt, Cleveland Browns | Sleeper: 0% | ESPN: 0.5% | FAAB: 0%

Outside of Cleveland, there aren't many people rooting for the Browns this season. And if we're being honest, no one expected this team to win three games, let alone start the season 3-1. Yet, here we are. 

Despite the early success, there aren't many fantasy assets worth rostering, let alone starting, in this offense. However, kicker Andre Szmyt has been consistent, and like Zvada above, has been perfect through four games this season. That includes a career-long 56-yard game-winning kick this past Thursday against the Steelers. 

We don't know if the Browns can keep riding this winning train, but for at least the next few weeks, Smyzt will have continued opportunities to score fantasy points. He's currently ranked K10 overall, and with Cleveland's unexpected offensive proficiency, he could climb higher over the next few weeks. He's also widely available, and you should be able to put down a $0 FAAB bid to roster him.

Other Options:

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