Fantasy football last-minute pickups: Wan’Dale Robinson, solid QBs and more

It’s Week 5 in the NFL, and fantasy football managers are once again dealing with injuries, this time at wide receiver. Kansas City’s Rashee Rice injured his knee early in Sunday’s game and while the Chiefs are still unsure of the extent, initial fears were that it could be season-ending. There’s also uncertainty surrounding Christian Watson in Green Bay after he left Sunday’s game with an ankle injury. It’s likely Watson will miss multiple weeks.

This is also the first bye week of the season — the Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans are off — so there’s a good chance your roster needs reinforcements. Naturally, we’ll start at wide receiver to identify potential streamers for the upcoming Week 5 matchups. As usual, we will offer options at running back and quarterback as well, along with a tight end seeing consistent volume and maybe the league’s best defense, which happens to have a really good Sunday matchup.

Players listed below are deeper-league targets, rostered in less than 50% of ESPN leagues entering this week’s waiver period. Although you might notice overlap with Eric Moody’s waiver wire column that publishes on Mondays, an important distinction is that the options mentioned in this column are solely for this week’s matchups and not based on the players’ values ​​for the remainder of the season.

Roster percentages are updated each Friday and players from Thursday’s night game have been removed. All references to fantasy points are for PPR leagues.

Wide receivers

Wan’Dale Robinson, New York Giants (57.2% rostered; at Seahawks)

Robinson scored 18.1 fantasy points in the Week 4 loss to the Cowboys, and he’s seen a total of 22 targets over his past two games. With his deployment in the slot, Robinson has emerged as a volume outlet for quarterback Daniel Jones, with the separation ability to uncover or work the underneath zones. And with three games of double-digit fantasy production, Robinson can fit as a flex option in your lineup.

Xavier Legette, Carolina Panthers (34.3% rostered; at Bears)

With Adam Thielen (hamstring) on ​​IR, Legette saw his role increase in Week 4 against the Bengals, as he recorded 10 targets. Legette finished with six receptions and a score, plus he added two carries for 10 yards. That was good for 19.6 points, and we saw the upside of Legette, given his route running and the ability to play through contact. It’s a much tougher matchup in Week 5 versus a Bears defense that ranks in the top 10 against wide receivers. but with Andy Dalton at quarterback, Legette should once again see solid volume as the No. 2 opposite of Diontae Johnson.

Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts (30.8% rostered; at Jaguars)

Downs saw his production jump on Sunday against the Steelers once Joe Flacco entered the game for the injured Anthony Richardson (hip), so let’s monitor the Colts’ quarterback situation this week. Downs caught a team-high eight passes in the victory, totaling 82 yards and a score. That gave Downs 22.2 points on the day. With his ability to work out of the slot and produce numbers after the catch, Downs potentially sets up as a solid streamer versus the Jags.

Dontayvion Wicks, Green Bay Packers (44.2% rostered; at Rams)

With Watson likely out, take a look at Wicks this week after his big game against the Vikings. Yes, the Packers were forced to go pass-heavy in defeat. I get that. However, Wicks still saw a team-high 13 targets, including four end zone targets, as he finished with two touchdown grabs and 24.8 points. Take Wicks and the matchup against a Rams defense allowing 41.9 PPG to opposing receivers, the third most in the league.

Tutu Atwell, Los Angeles Rams (21.2% rostered; vs. Packers)

Head coach Sean McVay has already ruled Cooper Kupp (ankle) out this week, so I’ll stick with Atwell as my top streaming choice in the Rams’ wide receiver room. Over the past two weeks, Atwell is averaging 12.8 PPG, with four of his eight receptions going for 20 yards or more. He’s a big-play target for quarterback Matthew Stafford. Jordan Whittington (3.8% rostered) and Demarcus Robinson (34.3% rostered) are also Rams’ streaming options to add this week in deeper leagues.

Tre Tucker, Las Vegas Raiders (15.3% rostered; at Broncos)

With Davante Adams (hamstring) down again this week, Tucker remains a viable option in deeper leagues. Tucker has now logged 15 targets in his past two games, with at least 15 points in each. While the matchup versus a legitimate Denver defense could create potential issues for the Raiders, Tucker will continue to see target volume, and he brings big-play upside to your lineup.

Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys (6.7% rostered; at Steelers)

I don’t love the matchup here for Tolbert and the Cowboys versus a Steelers defense allowing just 174.5 passing yards per game this season. However, with Brandin Cooks out (knee), Tolbert fits as a potential option. Tolbert, who has posted at least 13 fantasy points in a game twice this season, is a deeper-league flier this week.

Running backs

Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs (68.9% rostered; vs. Saints)

Carson Steele got the start for the Chiefs in the Week 4 win over the Chargers, but after he put the ball on the ground, Andy Reid turned to Hunt, who logged 16 touches for 85 yards. Hunt did lose a goal-line carry to Samaje Perine in this one, but he clearly paced the Chiefs’ backfield with 14 carries and should be looked at as a flex option this week against the Saints. He has been added in a great deal of leagues this week, so check to see if he’s still available in yours.

Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens (31.0% rostered; at Bengals)

Hill isn’t going to take carries away from Derrick Henry. But as a change-of-pace runner who can create second-level matchups in the pass game, Hill fits as a streaming option. In the Sunday night win over the Bills, Hill saw his receiving usage elevate, as he caught six passes for 78 yards and a score. Plus, with four carries for 18 yards, Hill scored a season-high 21.6 points. He has now caught at least six passes in two of four games played. That works for the flex spot in deeper leagues.

Braelon Allen, New York Jets (42.8% rostered; at Vikings)

Allen has now seen at least nine touches in three straight games, and the running efficiency is there, as he’s averaging 5.1 YPC. With starter Breece Hall struggling on the ground (3.1 YPC), Allen could see an increase in carries for the London game on Sunday. Yes, Allen is strictly a deeper-league target, but he could boost your lineup if he sees 8 to 12 touches.

Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys (52.1% rostered; at Steelers)

Dowdle led the Cowboys backfield with a team-high 11 carries (46 yards rushing) in last week’s win over the Giants, and he took a screen pass for a score on a red zone concept. That was good for 13.1 points. Again, I don’t trust this Dallas backfield, but Dowdle gives you more than Ezekiel Elliott right now. In deeper leagues only, he’s worth a flier against the Steelers defense on Sunday night.

Quarterbacks

Justin Fields, Pittsburgh Steelers (70.7% rostered; vs. Cowboys)

As my top streaming option last week, Fields dropped 31.98 points on the Colts, using his dual-threat ability to account for three touchdowns on the day. Fields threw for a season-high 312 yards in the road loss and he rushed for 55 yards on 10 carries. Fields has now rushed for a score in back-to-back games, and his uptick in passing volume over the past two weeks creates even more upside for your lineup. As expected, Fields was a popular waiver add this week (not just a streamer), but if he’s still available, you can start him against Dallas.

Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks (46.2% rostered; vs. Giants)

Smith scored 21.4 fantasy points in the Monday night loss to the Lions, as he finished with 395 yards passing. While I’d like to see more touchdown production from Smith as a thrower (only four TD passes on the season), he’s scored 17 or more points in three of four games played. Plus, Smith rushed for 30 or more yards twice. With a Week 5 matchup versus the Giants, put Smith on your list as a streaming target.

Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings (54.7% rostered; at Jets)

Darnold will most likely be scooped up as a long-term waiver pickup this week, and he has a really tough matchup this week against the Jets. But we also can’t ignore Darnold’s play on the field and the numbers he is putting up: seven touchdown passes in his past two starts and multiple touchdown passes in all four games played this season. With an average of 21.9 PPG, I can understand if you roll with Darnold this week, despite the Jets’ defense looming.

Andy Dalton, Carolina Panthers (8.6% rostered; at Bears)

I don’t love the Week 5 matchup for Dalton versus a Bears defense that ranks in the top five against quarterbacks. That’s tough. Dalton, however, still brings some upside because of how he has managed the Panthers’ pass game since replacing Bryce Young in Week 3. Dalton has now thrown multiple touchdowns in back-to-back starts, and he has scored at least 15 points in each. You can take a shot here if you need a starter this week in deep leagues.

Tight end

Colby Parkinson, Los Angeles Rams (42.9% rostered; vs. Packers)

Parkinson has yet to post a game with double-digit fantasy production this season, but let’s chase the volume here against the Packers on Sunday. Parkinson has seen 12 targets over the past two games, and only one game with fewer than five targets this season. With wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua still sidelined due to injuries, Parkinson fits here as an outlet for quarterback Matthew Stafford against a Green Bay defense allowing 12.4 PPG to opposing tight ends.

D/ST

Denver Broncos (76.4% rostered; vs. Raiders)

This Broncos defense is legit, and they can get home to the quarterback. In the past two games — road wins over the Bucs and Jets — the Broncos have posted 12 sacks, with at least one takeaway in each game. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph will continue to heat up the pocket, as the Broncos lead the NFL with a blitz rate of 42.8%. I’ll take that at home versus Gardner Minshew and the Raiders on Sunday. On Tuesday, this unit was rostered in 5% of leagues, but no player or D/ST has been added in more ESPN leagues this week, so hopefully you didn’t miss the window to use them this week.

Green Bay Packers (29.1% rostered; at Rams)

The Packers have forced three turnovers in every game played this season, and have multiple sacks in three of four. Take Green Bay’s ball-hawking secondary here in a matchup versus a Rams offense that has already allowed 13 sacks, tied for eighth most in the league.