Fantasy: Waiver Wire - Week 5

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Every Monday during the season, theScore's Justin Boone runs down the recommended waiver wire pickups.

Ownership percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. FAAB bids are set off a $100 budget. Only players owned in less than 60 percent of leagues are considered.

Quarterbacks

Andy Dalton, Bengals

Dalton may have disappointed on Monday Night Football, but he has a pair of top-15 fantasy finishes already this season. In an extremely desirable matchup with the Cardinals in Week 5, Dalton will be a borderline QB1. Arizona has been very generous to opposing quarterbacks, having allowed 10 touchdown passes in four outings and their uptempo pace increases volume for both offenses.

Jacoby Brissett, Colts

Brissett has thrown multiple touchdowns in each of his four starts this season, making him one of the more stable fantasy quarterbacks over the first month. He'll be forced to open things up again this week as the Colts try to keep pace with the Chiefs, who just gave up a three-touchdown day to Matthew Stafford.

Other options: Jimmy Garoppolo vs. CLE (55% owned), Gardner Minshew at CAR (14% owned), Sam Darnold at PHI (13% owned), Kyle Allen vs. JAX (17% owned)

Running backs

Ronald Jones, Buccaneers

Jones has 70 rushing yards or more in three of four games this year. He saw a season-high 20 touches in Sunday's win over the Rams, resulting in 82 yards and a score. That performance could have been even better had two long runs not been nullified by penalties. The sophomore is severely outproducing teammate Peyton Barber and appears to be gaining confidence under Bruce Arians' coaching staff. The matchup with the Saints will be tough now that defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins has returned to their lineup, but Jones needs to be owned everywhere as a fantasy RB3 with RB2 upside if he can continue his rise.

Jordan Howard, Eagles

Fantasy managers expecting a Miles Sanders breakout were stunned as Howard racked up 115 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns against the Packers. The Eagles' backfield remains a committee, but Howard's touches have increased in three straight games, and he'll likely get another positive game script at home against the Jets in Week 5. Consider him a high-end RB3 with a high ceiling if he can find the end zone again.

Jaylen Samuels, Steelers

The Bengals are one of the easiest matchups the Steelers' offense will get all season, so it wasn't surprising to see Pittsburgh's running backs go off. However, the near-even split between James Conner and Samuels was unexpected. That alone was already enough to make Samuels a player to target on the waiver wire this week, but with Conner's Week 5 availability in doubt due to an ankle injury, Samuels is one of the top adds. When thrust into a starting role last year, Samuels was a fringe RB1 for fantasy.

Darrel Williams, Chiefs

Until we get a timetable for Damien Williams' recovery, it's the other Williams who needs to be owned in every format. Despite sharing snaps with LeSean McCoy the last two weeks, Williams notched 109 yards from scrimmage on 14 touches in Week 3 and followed that up with 56 yards and two scores on Sunday. He's a borderline RB2 as long as Damien remains on the shelf.

Rex Burkhead, Patriots

A foot injury limited Burkhead to just 12 snaps Sunday, which could be a good thing for fantasy owners still hoping to acquire him on the waiver wire. Prior to Week 4, Burkhead led all Patriots running backs in playing time, seeing action on 48% of their snaps. When healthy, Burkhead is, at worst, part of a three-man committee in one of the league's most successful offenses.

Rashaad Penny, Seahawks

Penny will be active for Thursday night's showdown with the Rams, but the hamstring injury that sidelined him for the last two weeks may have caused him to miss his window of opportunity to overtake a fumbling Chris Carson on Seattle's depth chart. Even so, Penny still needs to be rostered as the complementary back in the Seahawks' run-heavy offense. If Carson gets hurt or his ball-security issues return, Penny could be a fantasy league-winner.

Other options: Jordan Wilkins at KC (2% owned), Nyheim Hines at KC (19% owned), Ito Smith at HOU (14% owned), Malcolm Brown at SEA (39% owned), Alexander Mattison at NYG (25% owned), Tony Pollard vs. GB (27% owned), Giovani Bernard vs. ARI (14% owned), Gus Edwards at PIT (9% owned), Chase Edmonds at CIN (2% owned), Dexter Williams at DAL (0% owned), Ty Montgomery at PHI (6% owned), Justice Hill at PIT (11% owned), Ryquell Armstead at CAR (1% owned), Ty Johnson on bye (2% owned)

Wide receivers

Robby Anderson, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Phillip Dorsett are just above the 60% ownership mark but should be owned in all leagues.

Courtland Sutton, Broncos

Despite playing with Joe Flacco as his quarterback, Sutton is in the midst of a second-year breakout with 22 catches, 309 yards, and two touchdowns through the first month. It's shocking to see the WR14 still available in 46% of leagues. Make sure he's owned in yours.

Geronimo Allison, Packers

Though Allison has taken a back seat to sophomore Marquez Valdes-Scantling, he should see a bigger role over the coming weeks with Davante Adams recovering from turf toe. Allison, who was off to a hot start in 2018 hitting injured reserve, leads Green Bay's receivers with two touchdowns this year and posted a 3-52-1 stat line against the Eagles on Thursday. He should be treated as a short-term WR3 while Adams is out.

Golden Tate, Giants

The 31-year-old has been reinstated after serving his four-game suspension and returns to a Giants offense filled with hope now that Daniel Jones is under center. A midseason trade to the Eagles threw off Tate's 2018 campaign, but he had four consecutive 90-catch seasons for the Lions and was on pace for his fifth before being dealt. Even with target competition from Sterling Shepard and Evan Engram, the upside is there for Tate, so stash him on your bench until we see how he fits with his new club.

A.J. Brown, Titans

The rookie popped up for his second big game in four weeks, bookending his first month as a pro with a three-catch, 100-yard performance and a three-catch, 94-yard, two-touchdown effort. Brown's talent is undeniable, but the Titans' passing attack will struggle to maintain consistency in weeks where they aren't facing the Falcons' porous defense. Brown needs to be owned to see if he can build off this outing, just keep your expectations in check for a player who has yet to see more than five targets in a game.

Other options: Diontae Johnson vs. BAL (5% owned), Keke Coutee vs. ATL (18% owned), Preston Williams on bye (9% owned), DeVante Parker on bye (9% owned), Jamison Crowder at PHI (45% owned), Deebo Samuel vs. CLE (26% owned), Mohamed Sanu at HOU (27% owned), Cole Beasley at TEN (12% owned), Miles Boykin at PIT (2% owned), Auden Tate vs. ARI (0% owned), Antonio Callaway at SF (1% owned), James Washington vs. BAL (18% owned), Zach Pascal at KC (1% owned)

Tight ends

Jimmy Graham, Packers

As Adams deals with his turf toe issue, Graham should see another uptick in volume, which began with nine targets last week. The veteran turned those into six receptions, 61 yards, and a score. Though he's not nearly as imposing of an athlete as he once was, Graham has chemistry with Rodgers and his touchdown-upside alone puts him in the low-end TE1 conversation.

Chris Herndon, Jets

Considering the situation at tight end is rather dire, it's time to pick up Herndon, a breakout candidate serving a four-game suspension. As a rookie, he was a top-seven fantasy tight end over a 10-game stretch from Week 6 to Week 16. The Jets' new coaching staff gushed about him in the offseason and he should produce another strong fantasy finish once he returns from his ban.

Other options: Dawson Knox at TEN (14% owned), Gerald Everett at SEA (5% owned), Jack Doyle at KC (20% owned), Ben Watson at WAS (2% owned), Noah Fant at LAC (11% owned), Ricky Seals-Jones at SF (1% owned), Tyler Eifert vs. ARI (15% owned)