Fantasy Football Week 5 Waiver Wire Pickups: Woody Marks and several Giants headline top players to add

Every Monday during the season, Justin Boone breaks down the recommended waiver-wire pickups.

Roster percentages are generated from Yahoo leagues. Free-Agent Budget (FAB) amounts are based on a $100 salary cap. Only players rostered in less than 50% of leagues are considered.

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Key injuries to monitor

• Lamar Jackson (hamstring)

• Darnell Mooney (hamstring)

• Cedric Tillman (hamstring)

• Calvin Austin III (shoulder)

Bye weeks

Quarterbacks

Jaxson Dart, Giants

Dart has routinely been mentioned in this column as a high-upside stash and last week became the featured quarterback pickup after being named the starter.

We knew he brought the kind of moxie that could help redirect the Giants offense towards being more productive, but the source of his fantasy optimism rested on his rushing ability.

In his first game under center, Dart ran 10 times for 54 yards and a touchdown while playing through a hamstring injury. He also threw for 111 yards and a score. That might not seem like huge stats, but it’s enough to make him the QB9 on the week — with just the Monday night doubleheader left to be played.

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Though the loss of Malik Nabers to a torn ACL is a massive blow to Dart’s ceiling outlook, the rookie still has a chance to flirt with low-end fantasy QB1 numbers on a weekly basis thanks to his rushing production.

He’ll get a much easier opponent in Week 5, going against the Saints, who are top 10 in fantasy points allowed to QBs on the year.

Streaming options: Matthew Stafford vs. SF (42% rostered), Sam Darnold vs. TB (21% rostered)

Streaming options (if starter is out): Marcus Mariota at LAC (7% rostered)

Risky streaming options: Jake Browning vs. DET (13% rostered), Trevor Lawrence vs. KC (42% rostered), Tua Tagovailoa at CAR (24% rostered)

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Risky streaming options (if starter is out): Cooper Rush vs. HOU (0% rostered)

Desperation streaming options: Spencer Rattler vs. NYG (3% rostered), Bryce Young vs. MIA (18% rostered), Carson Wentz at CLE (8% rostered), Cam Ward at ARI 914% rostered), Joe Flacco vs. MIN (4% rostered)

Bye-week stashes: Michael Penix Jr. (26% rostered), Aaron Rodgers (23% rostered)

Long-term stashes: J.J. McCarthy (40% rostered), Dillon Gabriel (1% rostered)

Running Backs

Woody Marks, Texans

It took a couple weeks, but the rookie running back class is coming on strong. The latest first-year runner to step up is Marks, who delivered 69 rushing yards and a touchdown on 17 carries, with another 50 yards and a score on four receptions.

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With Nick Chubb being serviceable but not standing out, the Texans have increased Marks’ usage every week. The 24-year-old has gone from 11% of the snaps in Week 1, to 27% in Week 2, 48% in Week 3 and now 56% on Sunday.

His 21 touches were a season high for any Houston back. With no signs of Joe Mixon returning any time soon (if at all this season), Marks should be added aggressively this week as a potential fantasy RB2 moving forward.

Marks will also get a nice draw in Week 5 against a banged-up Ravens defense, who’ve been one of the five easiest fantasy matchups for opposing ball carriers.

Kendre Miller, Saints

Though Alvin Kamara continues to be the lead back in New Orleans, playing on over 70% of the snaps, Miller’s usage has increased in recent weeks.

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Miller played a season-high 31% of the snaps in the loss to the Bills, turning 11 carries into 65 yards and a score. His touchdown run was one of the highlights of the weekend, as he broke multiple tackles and refused to go down on the way to the end zone.

This performance should earn him even more opportunities on a scrappy Saints team that’s now 0-4 and might start thinking about the future.

While the 30-year-old Kamara doesn’t seem like a player who wants to leave his city, trading the veteran to a contender would make sense on paper. If that were to happen, Miller would become an intriguing low-end fantasy RB2.

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In the meantime, Miller is a flex option and insurance policy behind Kamara.

Kenneth Gainwell, Steelers

Despite Gainwell’s dominant performance in Week 4 with 134 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns, Jaylen Warren should be back after the Steelers’ Week 5 bye. That makes Gainwell just a risky weekly flex option with one-injury away upside. He’s certainly worth adding, just don’t overreact to this big result that occurred while Warren was sidelined.

Flex options: Kareem Hunt at JAX (41% rostered), Blake Corum vs. SF (28% rostered), Chris Rodriguez Jr. at LAC (13% rostered)

Risky flex options: Ollie Gordon II at CAR (32% rostered), Rico Dowdle vs. MIA 920% rostered), Rachaad White at SEA (40% rostered), Justice Hill vs. HOU (4% rostered)

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Risky flex options (if healthy): Miles Sanders at NYJ (7% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options: Zavier Scott at CLE (1% rostered), Brian Robinson at LAR (50% rostered), Emari Demercado vs. TEN (4% rostered), Jeremy McNichols at LAC (7% rostered), Devin Singletary at NO (1% rostered), Raheem Mostert at IND (1% rostered)

Upside stashes to roster: DJ Giddens (4% rostered), Jaydon Blue (13% rostered), Brashard Smith at JAX (2% rostered), Ray Davis (19% rostered), Dylan Sampson (36% rostered), Will Shipley (5% rostered)

Deep stashes: Sean Tucker (1% rostered), Tahj Brooks (1% rostered), Trevor Etienne (1% rostered), Keaton Mitchell (1% rostered), Antonio Gibson at BUF (1% rostered)

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Bye-week stashes: Tyler Allgeier (35% rostered), Kyle Monangai (9% rostered), Kaleb Johnson (43% rostered), Emanuel WIlson (1% rostered)

Injured-reserve stashes: Tyjae Spears (32% rostered), MarShawn Lloyd (2% rostered)

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Wide Receivers

Wan’Dale Robinson/Darius Slayton, Giants

Nabers suffering a season-ending ACL tear is awful news for one of the most talented young wideouts in the game.

In his absence, the Giants will need to turn to Robinson and Slayton to lead a receiving corps in an offense that feels like it has new life with Dart starting at quarterback.

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Robinson’s numbers have dipped over the last two weeks (four catches for 40 yards) after he was extremely productive in the first two outings of the season (14 catches for 197 yards and a TD).

It’s worth noting his playing time increased from around 75% of the snaps in the previous games, to 97% in Week 4 with Nabers leaving. Robinson is the most talented healthy receiver on this roster and has a chance to be a strong fantasy WR3 with some upside.

Meanwhile, Slayton is an underrated veteran who’s quietly posted stat lines of 2-61-0, 4-30-0, and 3-44-0 over the last three games. He’s had good stretches as a fantasy option in the past, including the final month of the 2023 regular season when he was the WR12 in fppg over final four contests.

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Slayton can be added as a WR4/flex option with spiked-week potential.

Romeo Doubs, Packers

Doubs is coming off a career game where he found the end zone three times in the 40-40 tie with the Cowboys.

The 25-year-old has flashed boom weeks in the past, but tends to be an inconsistent producer in a Packers offense that prefers to spread the ball around.

However, with Jayden Reed out until later in the season, Doubs has a chance to be Green Bay’s No. 1 receiver for the next stretch.

Just remember, he’s on bye in Week 5. So if you’re adding him, you’re getting a TD-or-bust WR3/flex who will need to spend this week on your bench.

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WR4/flex options: Elic Ayomanor at ARI (31% rostered)

Flex options: Troy Franklin at PHI (32% rostered), Christian Kirk at BAL (35% rostered)

Risky flex options: Hollywood Brown at JAX (44% rostered), Jalen Tolbert at NYJ (4% rostered), Tory Horton vs. TB (8% rostered)

Risky flex options (if healthy): Cedric Tillman vs. MIN (32% rostered), Dyami Brown vs. KC (5% rostered)

Risky flex options (if starter is out): Kendrick Bourne at LAR (0% rostered), Demarcus Robinson at LAR (1% rostered), Isaiah Bond vs. MIN (0% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options: Rashod Bateman vs. HOU (33% rostered), JuJu Smith-Schuster at JAX (3% rostered), KaVontae Turpin at NYJ (15% rostered), Marvin Mims Jr. at PHI (23% rostered), Kayshon Boutte at BUF (15% rostered), Tutu Atwell vs. SF (0% rostered), Tyquan Thornton at JAX (31% rostered), Parker Washington vs. KC (1% rostered), Greg Dortch vs. TEN (0% rostered), Josh Reynolds vs. DAL (0% rostered), Malik Washington at CAR (3% rostered), Sterling Shepard (4% rostered), Allen Lazard (0% rostered)

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Dart-throw flex options (if healthy): Alec Pierce vs. LV (4% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options (if starter is out): Adonai Mitchell vs. LV (1% rostered), Luke McCaffrey at LAC (1% rostered), Chris Moore (0% rostered)

Upside stashes to roster: Luther Burden (15 % rostered), Jayden Higgins at BAL (16% rostered)

Deep stashes: Isaac TeSlaa (6% rostered), Tre’ Harris (4% rostered), Pat Bryant (1% rostered)

Bye-week stashes: Dontayvion Wicks (3% rostered), Casey Washington (0% rostered)

Injured-reserve stashes: Brandon Aiyuk (47% rostered), Jalen Coker (9% rostered)

Tight Ends

Brenton Strange, Jaguars

Strange isn’t a league-winning pickup, but he’s been a surprisingly solid producer at a position where many fantasy managers are struggling to find a competent starter.

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Through four games, Strange has finished as the TE17 or better three times, including back-to-back top-15 results. He has 14 targets over the last two weeks, catching 12 balls for 106 yards during that span.

He also hasn’t scored a touchdown yet, which is keeping him slightly under the radar for fantasy.

If you’re searching for a capable low-end TE1/high-end TE2, Strange is in the mix.

Streaming options: Harold Fannin Jr. vs. MIN (37% rostered), Theo Johnson at NO (5% rostered), Chig Okonkwo at ARI (31% rostered)

Risky streaming options: Mason Taylor vs. DAL (6% rostered), Elijah Arroyo vs. TB (2% rostered), Jake Tonges at LAR (2% rostered), Dalton Schultz at BAL (19% rostered)

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Dart-throw streaming options: Oronde Gadsden vs. WAS (3% rostered), Tommy Tremble vs. MIA (0% rostered), AJ Barner vs. TB (1% rostered), Mike Gesicki vs. DET (4% rostered), Cade Otton at SEA (6% rostered), Isaiah Likely vs. HOU (16% rostered), Tyler Higbee vs. SF (1% rostered), Darren Waller at CAR (5% rostered)

Bye-week stashes: Cole Kmet (3% rostered), Jonnu Smith (29% rostered)

Defenses

Week 5 streamers

Kickers

Week 5 streamers