Fantasy Football: Tyreek Hill leads top Week 5 waiver wire additions amid WR injuries

The injury list continues to grow, which means the waiver wire will remain active. And now we have two teams on a bye in Week 5 with Kansas City and Carolina. The new ailments to monitor coming out of Week 4 include Lamar Jackson (ankle), Saquon Barkley (hamstring), Kyle Monangai (thumb), Ja'Marr Chase (concussion), Tee Higgins (groin), Rashee Rice (hamstring), Tyquan Thornton (ankle), D.J. Moore (shoulder) and Ladd McConkey (foot), among others. It's so bad that even backups are getting hurt with Tank Bigsby (abdomen) out in Philadelphia. We have a lot to cover with the injury replacements, and the best player to add this week might not even be on an NFL team yet, in Tyreek Hill . There are also some players to add who are playing well without an injury, and we'll have our usual streamers at quarterback, tight end, DST and kicker.

Editor's note: For this waiver wire column, we are only looking at players rostered in less than 65 percent of CBS Sports leagues.

Week 5 Waivers

Quarterback Running back Wide receiver Tight end

WAIVER WIRE

Quarterbacks

On a bye:  Patrick Mahomes and Bryce Young

Injuries:  Lamar Jackson (ankle), Baker Mayfield (thumb), Caleb Williams (hamstring), Jayden Daniels (elbow) and Marcus Mariota (knee)

Check to see if available in shallow leagues:   C.J. Stroud (80 percent rostered) and Sam Darnold (79 percent). Stroud has played two games with Nico Collins this season and is averaging 23.8 Fantasy points in those outings. This week, he faces the Titans , and he scored at least 19.7 Fantasy points in his last two full games against Tennessee going back to 2024. ... Darnold only scored 17.3 Fantasy points in Week 4 against the Chargers , but he now has 547 passing yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions in his past two games. He doesn't have an easy upcoming schedule against San Francisco, Denver, Kansas City and Chicago in his next four games, but Darnold is still worth using as a low-end starter in all leagues.  Drop candidates:   Bo Nix (83 percent rostered), Justin Herbert (83 percent) and Kyler Murray (80 percent). Nix has scored more than 20 Fantasy points just once this season, and his rushing production has disappeared with only 25 yards in four games. It's hard to trust him in one-quarterback leagues heading into Week 5 at the Chargers, and then he faces Seattle in Week 6. ... Herbert's season-high is 15.3 Fantasy points in Week 1. He might not have Ladd McConkey (foot), Joe Alt (neck) or Rashawn Slater (ankle) heading into Week 5 against Denver. Herbert then faces Kansas City in Week 6 before a bye in Week 7. He is not worth keeping on your roster in one-quarterback leagues. ... It's probably not fair to judge Murray without seeing him play a full game with Justin Jefferson (ankle). Still, Murray is averaging just 11.9 Fantasy points in his past two games against Tampa Bay and Miami. Jefferson could return in Week 5 at New Orleans, but the Vikings also have a bye in Week 6. It's OK to drop Murray in one-quarterback leagues for now.

Add in this order:

Week 5 Waiver Priority List

Jacoby Brissett

QB

ARI Arizona

• #7

Age: 33 • Experience: 11 year

Weekly Breakdown

MATCHUP

vs DET DET -4.5 O/U 54.5

OPP VS QB

32nd

QB RNK

13th

ROSTERED

50%

YTD Stats

PAYDS

818

RUYDS

43

TD

7

INT

4

FPTS/G

17.7

The positives for Brissett are he has at least 35 pass attempts in three of four games this season, he has consecutive games with two touchdown passes heading into Week 5 against Detroit and he gets to face the Lions, who are No. 1 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. The negatives for Brissett are that he has just one game with more than 20 Fantasy points, and he had only 166 passing yards against the Giants in Week 4 with three interceptions. I like Brissett as a top-10 Fantasy quarterback in all leagues in Week 5, and he could be a borderline starter all season given his expected volume on a weekly basis. He's worth adding for 5-10 percent of your remaining FAAB.

Kirk Cousins

QB

LV Las Vegas

• #8

Age: 38 • Experience: 15 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

MATCHUP

@ NE NE -3.5 O/U 45.5

OPP VS QB

9th

QB RNK

20th

ROSTERED

41%

YTD Stats

PAYDS

1026

RUYDS

-2

TD

11

INT

4

FPTS/G

25.4

I don't love Cousins' matchup in Week 5 at New England since the Patriots are No. 9 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. That said, Cousins has been awesome so far this season, scoring at least 19.8 Fantasy points in all four games, including three in a row with at least 26.2 points. I would consider him a low-end No. 1 quarterback against New England, and then he gets a great matchup against Buffalo in Week 6 if you're looking ahead. Cousins is worth adding for at least 5 percent of your remaining FAAB.

Aaron Rodgers

QB

PIT Pittsburgh

• #8

Age: 42 • Experience: 22 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

MATCHUP

vs IND PIT -2.5 O/U 44.5

OPP VS QB

27th

QB RNK

NR

ROSTERED

17%

YTD Stats

PAYDS

999

RUYDS

12

TD

7

INT

4

FPTS/G

18.8

Rodgers has scored at least 27.9 Fantasy points in each of his past two games against Cincinnati and Cleveland, and he gets a favorable matchup in Week 5 against Indianapolis. The Colts are No. 6 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, and Rodgers should be considered a low-end No. 1 quarterback in Week 5. He then gets Tampa Bay, New Orleans and Cleveland before a bye in Week 9 if you're looking ahead. Rodgers is worth adding for at least 5 percent of your remaining FAAB.

Jameis Winston

QB

NYG N.Y. Giants

• #19

Age: 32 • Experience: 12 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

MATCHUP

@ WAS WAS -3.5 O/U 43.5

OPP VS QB

31st

QB RNK

NR

ROSTERED

11%

YTD Stats

PAYDS

479

RUYDS

15

TD

3

INT

3

FPTS/G

10.9

We got a positive Winston game in Week 4 against Arizona, where he passed for 250 yards and three touchdowns, but he also had two interceptions for 24 Fantasy points. He should have the chance for another quality Fantasy performance in Week 5 at Washington, and he's worth adding in all one-quarterback leagues for up to 5 percent of your remaining FAAB. He then faces New Orleans in Week 6 and Houston in Week 7 before a bye in Week 8 if you're looking ahead.

Deshaun Watson

QB

CLE Cleveland

• #4

Age: 31 • Experience: 10 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

MATCHUP

@ NYJ NYJ -2.5 O/U 40

OPP VS QB

7th

QB RNK

23rd

ROSTERED

28%

YTD Stats

PAYDS

855

RUYDS

127

TD

6

INT

2

FPTS/G

19.7

Watson has scored at least 23.7 Fantasy points in two of four games this season, and he's rushed for at least 22 yards in each outing. His upcoming schedule isn't ideal, with the Jets, Baltimore, Tennessee and Pittsburgh in his next four games, and the Jets, Titans and Steelers are among the top 7 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. That said, Watson has performed well to start the season, and he's worth adding in all leagues for up to 5 percent of your remaining FAAB.

Tyler Huntley

QB

BAL Baltimore

• #5

Age: 28 • Experience: 7 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

MATCHUP

@ ATL ATL -2.5 O/U 44.5

OPP VS QB

23rd

QB RNK

NR

ROSTERED

YTD Stats

PAYDS

63

RUYDS

16

TD

0

INT

0

FPTS/G

4.1

If Lamar Jackson (ankle) can't play in Week 5 at Atlanta, then Huntley will start in his place, and he should be added in all Superflex and two-quarterback leagues for at least 15 percent of your remaining FAAB. Ravens coach Jesse Minter said Monday that Jackson's absence shouldn't be "crazy long-term," but you never know with ankle sprains. Huntley filled in for Jackson in Week 4 against Tennessee and was 8-of-9 passing for 63 yards and added 16 rushing yards. He appeared in five games for the Ravens in 2025 when Jackson was injured, but Huntley had just one outing with at least 20 Fantasy points (26.2 in Week 17 at Cleveland). He did rush for at least 20 yards in three of five games.

Tyson Bagent

QB

CHI Chicago

• #17

Age: 26 • Experience: 4 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

MATCHUP

@ GB CHI -3 O/U 45.5

OPP VS QB

12th

QB RNK

NR

ROSTERED

7%

YTD Stats

PAYDS

322

RUYDS

1

TD

0

INT

1

FPTS/G

5.5

Bagent will start in Week 5 at Green Bay, and he should be added in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues for at least 10 percent of your remaining FAAB. We don't know when Caleb Williams (hamstring) will return for the Bears, and Bagent can be an emergency Fantasy starter if needed. He didn't have a great game in Week 4 against the Jets with 8.8 Fantasy points, and the Packers aren't an easy matchup. But with injuries and two teams on a bye, Fantasy managers might need to start Bagent in deeper formats.

WAIVER WIRE

Running Backs

On a bye:  Kenneth Walker III , Emmett Johnson and Chuba Hubbard

Injuries:  Saquon Barkley (hamstring), Tank Bigsby (abdomen), Breece Hall (quadriceps), Kyle Monangai (thumb), Travis Etienne (hamstring), Jadarian Price (chest), Rico Dowdle (toe), Jonathon Brooks (groin), Jordan Mason (thumb), Rachaad White (shoulder), Christopher Brooks (ankle), Jonah Coleman (ankle), Zach Charbonnet (knee), Dylan Sampson (knee), Isiah Pacheco (back), Jaylen Wright (neck) and James Conner (foot)

Check to see if available in shallow leagues:  Alvin Kamara (83 percent rostered), Zach Charbonnet (82 percent), Kaelon Black (82 percent), Jordan Mason (79 percent), Mike Washington Jr . (79 percent), Ollie Gordon II (78 percent) and Woody Marks (73 percent). Kamara had a big Fantasy game in Week 4 against Atlanta in the first game without Etienne, with seven carries for 23 yards and five catches for 35 yards on seven targets. Kendre Miller also fumbled, so Kamara should be the lead Saints running back heading into Week 5 against Minnesota. ... Charbonnet isn't expected to play in Week 5, but he could make his 2026 debut soon. We'll see what happens with his role in tandem with Emanuel Wilson , and then, once Price is healthy and potentially Joe Mixon , who was signed to the practice squad, is healthy. It could be a crowded backfield in Seattle, but Charbonnet should have a valuable role in his return from last year's torn ACL. ... Black and Washington are lottery tickets to stash in all leagues.

If an injury occurred to Christian McCaffrey or Ashton Jeanty , then Black or Washington would be must-start Fantasy running backs in all leagues. ... Mason has to miss one more game on injured reserve, and Minnesota has a bye in Week 6, so he can't return to action until Week 7. When healthy, we'll see what kind of role he has in tandem with Aaron Jones , but Mason should help the Vikings and Fantasy managers. He's worth stashing in all leagues where available, especially if you have an IR spot. ... Gordon was Miami's best running back in the first game without De'Von Achane in Week 4 at Minnesota with nine carries for 100 yards and a touchdown and two catches for no yards on two targets. We'll see what happens moving forward in tandem with Jaylen Wright, but Gordon should be added in all leagues where available. ... Marks has scored a touchdown in each of his past two games, and ESPN reported prior to Week 4 against Dallas that he should start getting more work over David Montgomery . We'll see if that happens, but Marks is worth using as a flex option in tandem with Montgomery heading into Week 5 at Tennessee and should be added in all leagues. Drop candidates:  Rico Dowdle (83 percent rostered), Rachaad White (74 percent) and Tyjae Spears (47 percent). Steelers coach Mike McCarthy said Dowdle could return in Week 5 against Indianapolis after missin

_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/week-5-waiver-wire-tyreek-hill-headlines-top-adds/)._