Fantasy soccer waiver wire recommendation: The 9 greatest waiver wire pickups for Week 5 fantasy soccer leagues

Welcome to the Week 5 waiver wire watch! Take into account making a waiver declare in your fantasy soccer leagues for the next gamers (accessible in not less than 50% of ESPN leagues).

Justin Fields, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Emanuel Wilson, RB, Inexperienced Bay Packers

Fields and Wilson appeared in final week’s version of this column. On Sunday, the previous handed for 312 yards and 1 landing with 55 yards and a couple of scores on the bottom. The latter solely had 8 carries for 27 yards in a lopsided loss, however he did play over 40% of offensive snaps. Each stay precedence provides this week.

Tank Bigsby, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

After being prematurely labeled as a bust by some, Bigsby has carved out a noteworthy position in Jacksonville. A shoulder harm restricted him in Weeks 2-3 however he performed 17 snaps in each the season opener and final Sunday. Bigsby toted the rock 19 instances for 163 yards mixed in these two contests — his 8.2 yards per keep it up the season leads all gamers with 20-plus makes an attempt. The asterisk with Bigsby is his receiving position, or lack thereof: he has 0 targets this yr as a result of he isn’t trusted by the teaching workers in passing conditions. That position, and the beginning gig, goes to Travis Etienne. Bigsby received’t be a think about fantasy soccer until Etienne misses time. Nonetheless, fantasy managers might wish to get forward of a doable Etienne harm (he’s but to complete a season totally wholesome) and stash Bigsby in case the proficient second-year professional will get a much bigger alternative.

Kareem Hunt, RB, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs

The Chiefs will deploy a committee backfield till Isiah Pacheco (fibula) returns from injured reserve. Samaje Perine noticed the one objective line carry and all of the two-minute conditions, Carson Steele continues to be lingering, and the Chiefs play the New Orleans Saints subsequent week earlier than getting into its bye week. That mentioned, Hunt is price mentioning after main the staff with 14 carries for 69 yards in Week 4. Fantasy managers determined for short-term manufacturing at operating again might do worse than including Hunt.

Trey Sermon, RB, Indianapolis Colts

Jonathan Taylor sustained a light ankle sprain within the fourth quarter in opposition to the Steelers after tallying 88 yards and 1 landing. Shane Steichen advised reporters Monday that Taylor wasn’t a candidate for short-term injured reserve, but when the star operating again is pressured to overlook time, Sermon would be the subsequent man up. He solely had 5 carries for 8 yards on Sunday and he’ll cut up a while with Tyler Goodson — but he’ll instantly be an RB2/3 possibility if/when he will get the beginning nod.

Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Inexperienced Bay Packers

The highest waiver declare in each fantasy league this week needs to be Wicks. After Christian Watson left with an ankle harm within the first quarter, Wicks stepped up because the Packers tried a comeback in opposition to the Minnesota Vikings. He caught 5 of 13 targets for 78 yards and a couple of touchdowns — good for the third-best PPR efficiency of any wideout final week on the sixth-best utilization. Watson has but to be positioned on injured reserve as of this writing, however so long as he’s out, Wicks is a borderline must-start. Final yr he grew to become the tenth rookie receiver since 2020 to common over 2.00 yards per route run. Regardless of having 2 drops on Sunday, his team-high 13 targets exhibit his good standing with Love in an offense that ranks second in yards per play.

Xavier Legette, WR, Carolina Panthers

In Carolina’s first recreation with Adam Thielen (hamstring) on injured reserve, Legette ran a route on 37 of Andy Dalton’s 42 dropbacks and caught 6 of 10 targets for 66 yards and 1 landing. The thirty second general decide’s otherworldy athleticism is being maximized in an offense that is scored 24-plus factors in every recreation with Dalton because the beginning quarterback. Rookie receivers often have a bounce in manufacturing after their bye week, however Legette might be a helpful fantasy asset before anticipated.

Josh Downs, WR, Indianapolis Colts

In hindsight, I obtained carried away once I wrote “the second-year slot man received’t be accessible in fantasy leagues for lengthy” within the Week 3 version of this column. However that take might come to fruition as quickly as this weekend when the Colts face a Jaguars protection that’s struggled in opposition to the slot all season. Joe Flacco is anticipated to begin rather than Anthony Richardson (hip), and whereas the 39-year-old isn’t a major improve over the second-year professional, the offense might name extra dropback passes now. Downs caught 8 of 9 targets for 82 yards and a rating final week when Flacco subbed in for Richardson, and he ranks fifth amongst all receivers in first downs per route run this yr (15.4%).

Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, New York Giants

Robinson emerged because the clear no. 2 receiver in New York’s passing recreation on Thursday Evening Soccer. Whereas Malik Nabers continued his historic rookie marketing campaign with 12 catches for 115 yards, Robinson grabbed 11 balls for 71 yards; all different Giants mixed for six catches and 95 yards. His low aDOT position will restrict his ceiling however the former second-rounder out of Kentucky is price a glance in PPR codecs.

JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs

Rashee Rice was sadly carted off with a knee harm within the first quarter of Sunday’s recreation. The budding star for the Chiefs ranked first in catches (24) and second in receiving yards (288) getting into the week. Filling in is Smith-Schuster, who was held catchless in Week 4 however performed 32 offensive snaps. He additionally performed 41 snaps in Week 3 when he scored a landing rather than Rice (who was getting a breather). Although Smith-Schuster has misplaced some juice through the years, he might change into a viable fantasy possibility given his position in Kansas Metropolis’s offense.