Who Should You Add This Week? Top Week 5 Waiver Wire Targets | Fantasy Focus
Daniel Dopp, Field Yates, and Mike Clay break down a chaotic Monday night Falcons-Saints game, deliver this week's thin waiver wire priorities (Jacoby Brissett, Emmanuel Wilson, Will Shipley, speculative WR adds), and react to breaking news that Lamar Jackson and Saquon Barkley are banged up. They close with a 'blind box score' segment revisiting DK Metcalf, Dalton Kincaid, George Pickens, and Parker Washington a month into the season.
This episode of Fantasy Focus breaks down Monday Night Football fallout, a thin Week 5 waiver class, and a running injury report (Barkley, Lamar Jackson) before closing with a "blind box score" exercise comparing buried stat lines to reassess player trends a month into the season. The throughline: with bye weeks approaching and the waiver pool getting shallower, the hosts keep steering listeners toward patience and speculative stashes rather than chasing one-week stat lines.
The arguments
Seattle's backfield is unplayable until it isn't. Daniel and Mike flagged the Joe Mixon signing and Robert Henry Jr.'s practice-squad add as signs the Seahawks are stockpiling bodies rather than clarifying a timeline for Zach Charbonnet, who will again sit this week. Mike's take: this is a stay-away situation that will eventually consolidate to two backs, but right now Emmanuel Wilson is the only startable option and the priority waiver add.
Bijan Robinson's monster game still wasn't the whole story. Daniel apologized on-air for doubting Atlanta's three-primetime-game slate, crediting Bijan's 59-yard untouched run, but both hosts noted he didn't lead the Falcons in rushing scores — Brian Robinson Jr. (three TDs) did. Daniel admitted he dropped Robinson for Tyreek Hill anyway, and Mike agreed that's correct process since Robinson's workload isn't sustainable; both compared him to a touchdown-dependent Jordan Mason type with no real standalone value.
Alvin Kamara is the lead back by default, not design, and the Saints offense is empty-calorie production. Field and Mike agreed Kamara's seven targets make him the clear lead even after an in-game absence, but his age means touches should be rationed, opening room for Kendre Miller. They flagged that Tyler Shough's gaudy yardage is more garbage-time circumstance than efficient offense, and new strength-of-schedule data shows the Saints go from 5th-easiest to 26th for QBs/WRs going forward — a signal to be cautious buying into the passing volume.
Devin Neal and Keon Coleman are only waiver claims because of injuries ahead of them, not breakouts. The Jordan Tyson return is delayed well past earlier hopes (Week 9 target now), so Mike said there's no rush to sell high on Devin Neal as a flex option. On the Bills side, DJ Moore's shoulder (a re-aggravation, not considered long-term per Schefter) makes Coleman only a conditional flex; Mike said he'd spend a bit more FAB on Coleman than on Dante Myers (blocked by Miami's run-heavy game plan) because Coleman's target share suggests a possible Year 3 breakout.
Jacoby Brissett is a correct start, not just an add, against Detroit. Both hosts cited that four straight opposing quarterbacks have posted top-10 fantasy weeks against the Lions' defense, and with Lamar Jackson newly downgraded (sprained ankle, "outside chance" to play per Rapoport) alongside shaky weeks expected from Hurts and Herbert, Brissett jumps into streaming consideration directly in lineups, not just on the wire.
Don't drop Jalen Hurts, even with Bryce Young and Brissett tempting. Field argued betting against an established star after one bad month is historically a loser's bet, while Mike countered that Hurts' rushing-dependent profile means without the ground production he could be a fringe QB1 at best. They landed on benching, not dropping, pointing to Philadelphia's still-favorable near-term schedule despite a brutal playoff slate.
DK Metcalf's volume says buy, Dalton Kincaid's declining role says move on. A blind-box exercise showed Metcalf posting 9+ targets in three of four weeks and leading Steelers WRs in routes/snaps, which the hosts tied to Aaron Rodgers' sudden aggressiveness downfield (two straight weeks of elite air-yards-per-attempt) — they called Metcalf a top-30 play with a plus upcoming slate (Colts, Bucs, Saints). Kincaid, by contrast, has been shaded and marginalized the last two weeks with falling routes run at the position, leading both hosts to downgrade him to a streaky "yo-yo" tight end rather than a league-winning breakout.
What it means for your roster
- Add Emmanuel Wilson immediately if you have an open RB/IR slot; don't touch him if you're already carrying an IR stash you like better.
- Claim Jacoby Brissett and start him this week against Detroit — he's being recommended directly into lineups, not just as a speculative pickup.
- Add Will Shipley cautiously with Saquon Barkley week-to-week (hamstring) and Tank Bigsby out multiple weeks, but temper expectations given Philadelphia's injured offensive line and tough Jacksonville run defense; don't overspend FAB.
- Spend a few FAB dollars on Keon Coleman over Dante Myers as DJ Moore (shoulder) and Demario Douglas (concussion) create short-term opportunity, but keep both as bench/flex-only stashes.
- Stash Tyreek Hill speculatively at the end of your bench — no FAB priority, pure lottery-ticket add in case he lands somewhere playable.
- Hold, don't drop, Jalen Hurts even with a Lions matchup making Brissett tempting; look elsewhere on your bench for this week's streaming need.
- Bench Dalton Kincaid for a more productive option (Tyler Warren-type streamer) rather than continuing to trust his per-week role, which has trended worse, not better.
“Four bad quarterbacks have been top ten quarterbacks.” — Daniel Dopp
Players in this episode
↑ Continues to be brilliant and the focal point of Atlanta's offense despite not leading the team in rushing touchdowns last game.
↓ Reported to have a sprained ankle giving him only an outside chance to play, pulled from this week's projections.
↓ Now week-to-week with a hamstring injury; pulled out of this week's projections entirely.
→ Hosts advise against dropping him despite a lack of elite rushing or passing production, citing injuries around him and a favorable near-term schedule.
→ Currently ranked outside the top 40 WRs but hosts say to bench, not drop, expecting a bump once Baker Mayfield returns.
↓ His return timeline has been pushed back further than expected, likely landing around Week 9.
↓ Had just three targets and barely played early in the Monday game, with unclear coaching usage behind the scenes.
↑ Low weekly target totals are explained by game script (blowouts/low volume), but strong QB play and shadow-coverage wins mean hosts would hold, not sell high.
↑ Nine-plus targets in three of four games and benefiting from Aaron Rodgers throwing deeper down the field; called a top-30 play versus Indianapolis.
↓ Scored three touchdowns as a goal-line vulture but hosts call it unsustainable; Mike actually dropped him for Tyreek Hill.
↓ Production has collapsed over the last two games, reverting to the inconsistent pattern of his first two NFL seasons.
↓ Disappointing early usage behind Metcalf on the depth chart; hosts said they'd drop him for a streamer like Jacoby Brissett.
↑ Clear lead back with seven targets and two rushing TDs, though his age means workload will likely be managed and shared with Kendre Miller.
→ Worth a cheap speculative end-of-bench add on the chance he signs somewhere useful and provides a late-season spike week.
↑ Named the top priority waiver add this week with Zach Charbonnet still out and no timetable for his return.
↑ Top streaming option this week against a Lions defense that's allowed the most TDs in the league; should be started outright for QB-needy teams.
↑ Flagged as a possible year-three breakout and worth spending a bit more FAB on given DJ Moore's shoulder injury.
↑ Viewed as a viable weekly flex given steady target share and the Saints' pass-heavy approach while Jordan Tyson remains out.
↑ Highlighted as the clear backup behind Jonathan Taylor and a league-winning insurance stash if Taylor were to go down.
→ Likely leader of Philly's banged-up backfield this week but facing a tough Jacksonville run defense and shaky O-line, so expectations should stay low.