Week 5 Waiver Wire Pickups Show from Fantasy Insiders
Ben Gretch, Josh ADHD and Davis Mattek reviewed this past NFL weekend on the Week 5 Waiver Wire Show, analyzing a handful of players available in many leagues who may be worth adding to fantasy teams.
Watch along for their choices on who to target, starting with a pair of Bears coming off big performances.
Tarik Cohen dominates Chicago backfield
The Bears were humming on offense for the entire game against Tampa Bay, seemingly scoring at will, though the running back to shoulder the load was a bit surprising. A 38-point margin of victory would suggest a game script that would heavily favor Jordan Howard, but instead it was Cohen who led Chicago in carries, rushing yardage and yards per attempt.
Howard was given a single carry in the first half and his 11 totes were his fewest in a game this season. In Chicago’s five victories in 2017, Howard averaged 25 carries and never finished with fewer than 21.
This backfield split may be an aberration, though the Bears’ success could persuade head coach Matt Nagy to give Cohen a larger workload going forward. The second-year back was active in the passing game per usual, with 7 catches for 121 yards and a score, but his 13 carries were one fewer than his season total coming into Week 4.
Cohen should be owned in all formats and will be a hot waiver wire commodity in leagues where impatient owners cut bait after a lackluster start. Even if Howard shoulders more carries going forward, Cohen has Chris Thompson upside.
Taylor Gabriel given opportunities
Cohen’s teammate was equally impressive on Sunday, catching all 7 targets for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Nagy frequently schemed to get the first-year Bear the ball, including a unique two-quarterback look that involved backup Chase Daniel and resulted in a short flip to the motioning Gabriel for a three-yard score.
Gabriel’s usage has been consistent and he appears to be Chicago’s clear No.2 receiving option. He’s second on the team in targets and has racked up air yards this far, suggesting he can maintain a solid level of production.
Anthony Miller injury also boosted Gabriel’s opportunities, but he’s a worthy waiver wide add given Chicago’s insistence on getting him touches.
Nyheim Hines the Colts RB to own
With Indianapolis virtually abandoning the run game, Hines has become a valuable part of the offense, playing 69% of snaps in Week 4 after logging 73% the previous week. He finished with just 10 yards on four carries, doing his damage through the air with 9 catches for 63 yards and two touchdowns.
With Marlon Mack battling injuries and Jordan Wilkins limited to single-digit carries the past two weeks, Hines is logging a heavy workload and can be considered similar to Cohen. The rookie won’t pile up carries like traditional top running backs but he’ll be on the field often, earn a ton of targets and get looks in the red zone.
T.Y. Hilton injury also helps Hines, as he’ll line up in a few different spots and serve as the most dynamic option in the offense, given the limitations of Ryan Grant and Chester Rogers.
Hines should be owned in all formats and just like Cohen, could propel himself into Chris Thompson territory.
Keke Coutee in an attractive situation
After his debut was delayed by a hamstring injury, the rookie out of Texas Tech led Houston in targets and catches in an overtime win over Indianapolis. With fellow wideout Will Fuller battling a hamstring injury of his own, Coutee may have a nice role moving forward in an offense averaging a healthy 37 passing attempts per game.
With the run game struggling, Houston will likely continue to push the ball through the air, giving Coutee some deep-league viability. DeAndre Hopkins remains the primary outlet for Deshaun Watson, but as we’ve seen with Fuller thus far, there’s room for multiple pass-catchers in this offense.
Fuler may not be out for long, but Coutee is worth an add in as small as 14-team leagues, potentially even in highly-competitive 12-teamers.
C.J. Uzomah steps in for Cincinnati
With Tyler Eifert going down with a gruesome ankle injury, Uzomah seems to be the logical choice to fill in for the Bengals. He’s ran three times as many routes as fellow tight end Tyler Kroft and the Cincinnati offense has been strong so far.
Uzomah is a viable add in all leagues, as he’s set to play plenty of snaps and run a lot of routes on a team that has utilized the position frequently this season. Given the tight end landscape, Uzomah has a chance to ascend into the top-five ranks at TE.
Cincinnati still has a crowded receiving corps with A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd and even John Ross, but Uzomah is worth a look for owners who have been searching for an answer at a wasteland of a position.
Defenses against the Bills
A legitimate strategy for those streaming D/STs is to allocate a decent chunk of FAAB budget to the defense that plays Buffalo each week, assuming they’re available. Especially in leagues where waiver wire money is usually reserved for running backs and wide receivers, owners can gain an edge by targeted the Bills’ opponent.
Josh Allen is on pace to lose 657 yards on sacks this season, an incredible total considering Kirk Cousins led the NFL with 350 yards lost last year. Buffalo is an underwhelming offensive team at best, and Tennessee is an excellent choice for Week 5.
As a backup option, picking on Arizona is also a viable strategy. Josh Rosen has improved the fate of this offense, but they’re still not a unit to fear.