Continuing to round out your fantasy football roster is a big deal, regardless of where you are in the fantasy football season. Your Week 5 waiver wire pickups could make the difference between the playoffs and just missing out, and ClutchPoints is here to help.
The following list includes players who are rostered in near 50 percent of all ESPN rosters, as this week’s list focuses on potential game winners and not depth pieces. Heading into Week 5, try your best to find that final missing piece your roster needs to win your Week 5 fantasy football matchup.
Week 5 Waiver Wire Pickups
1. RB Emanuel Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
49.9% Rostered
Emanuel Wilson looks to be the chosen stand-in option at running back for the Seattle Seahawks, as rookie Jadarian Price finds himself on IR. Even with the Seahawks signing Joe Mixon, Wilson should continue to be the main guy there at least for the next few weeks, before either Price or Zach Charbonnet returns.
2. RB Will Shipley, Philadelphia Eagles
0.6% Rostered
Both Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby suffered injuries in Week 4, with Bigsby’s putting him on injured reserve. While Barkley’s injury is not deemed to be anything serious, third-string running back Will Shipley is in line for an increased workload, if not the starting role heading into Week 5.
If Wilson is not available, target Shipley if you need to add depth at the running back position on your fantasy football roster.
3. WR Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills
4.2% Rostered
The first wide receiver on the Week 5 waiver wire pickups is Keon Coleman, who stepped into a bigger role in Week 4 with the DJ Moore injury. With Moore’s status (shoulder injury) up in the air for their next matchup with the Los Angeles Rams, Coleman and Khalil Shakir would be in for more work if Moore missed any time.
With Shakir rostered on more than 50 percent of all ESPN fantasy football rosters, Coleman is the guy to target from the Buffalo offense.
4. QB Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders
16.9% Rostered
Kirk Cousins kicks off the quarterback group in the Week 5 waiver wire pickups, as the long-time veteran has looked solid leading the Raiders offense. Having thrown two-plus touchdowns in each of his first four games (including three-straight games of three TDs), Cousins has been hyper-targeting his tight end room, getting Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer involved.
5. QB C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
37.3% Rostered
C.J. Stroud wraps up the suggested QB additions for your Week 5 waiver wire pickups, as through the first four weeks, he has looked like a complete quarterback. Having not thrown an interception so far this year, Stroud has taken care of the ball a lot better and rekindled his relationship with Nico Collins in the process.
If you have to deal with an early-season bye for your quarterback, Stroud is a strong option to target.
6. RB Keaton Mitchell, Los Angeles Chargers
18.1% Rostered
The LAC backfield is a mess right now, as the workload currently looks to be split between Omarion Hampton, Kimani Vidal, and Keaton Mitchell. While Hampton found the end zone in Week 4, Mitchell’s workload continues to grow under Mike McDaniel, as he set a season-best mark of 15 touches in their loss.
Article Continues BelowChargers backfield today:
Kimani Vidal – 7 touches, 36 yards, 1 TD
Omarion Hampton – 11 touches, 53 yards, 1 TD
Keaton Mitchell – 15 touches, 63 yardsExactly as we all hoped for this season https://t.co/tRKER1zwS9
— Underdog (@Underdog) October 4, 2026
Running back depth is slim pickings this week, so Mitchell can be a worthy dart throw for your Week 5 waiver wire pickups.
7. TE Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams
2.4% Rostered
Tyler Higbee has seen 17 targets in the past two weeks, benefiting from fellow TE Terrance Ferguson heading to the IR with an ankle injury. Incorporated more into the LAR passing attack, Higbee will continue to play the part as the TE1 in the Rams offense, giving him a chance to be a weekly streaming option for your fantasy football lineup.
8. TE Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars
16.7% Rostered
There are a lot of mouths to feed in the Jacksonville offense, occasionally leaving Brenton Strange out of the equation. However, Strange was at his best in Week 4, leading all JAX pass catchers with 95 yards on seven catches.
Strange is a fringe streaming option as well, with a lot more volatility than Higbee, so don’t be surprised if Strange gives you a low-output week followed up by a double-digit point week the next.
9. WR Roman Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers
3.6% Rostered
The Pittsburgh passing offense is tough to predict (outside of DK Metcalf), but Roman Wilson is slowly starting to insert himself into the conversation for the WR2 role. Roman Wilson has caught touchdowns in back-to-back weeks and has seen exactly six targets in each game so far this year, looking far better than Michael Pittman Jr. in the process.
While Roman Wilson is likely not going to win your weeks, he has established a safe floor in the PIT offense, and you could do far worse if you are in the market for a WR4 option.
10. WR Dohnte Meyers, Cincinnati Bengals
0.2% Rostered
The final player in ClutchPoints' Week 5 waiver wire pickups is a deep cut, but one that should step into a larger role in a potent offense. With both Ja’Marr Chase suffering a concussion and Tee Higgins picking up a groin injury in Week 4, the WR room for the Cincinnati Bengals is looking thin.
Rookie wideout Dohnte Meyers stepped up in a big way last week, catching seven passes for 82 yards in what could be a preview of a massive workload if either Chase or Higgins misses time.