2022 NFL Week 5 Fantasy Waiver Wire Picks
Injuries and subpar play were rampant in Week 4 of the 2022 NFL season, which means there are plenty of options to be had in fantasy waiver wires across the board. Without further ado, let’s hop right into our picks for the best waiver wire targets in Week 5 as the fantasy season wraps up the first month of action on the virtual gridiron.
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Top Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets in 2022 NFL Week 5
Fantasy Football waiver wire pickups, players to avoid for Week 5 https://t.co/4lZB5SCLOQ pic.twitter.com/xZkUGoZPsX
— New York Post (@nypost) October 4, 2022
READ MORE: 2022 NFL Week 5 Odds, Overview & Picks
Quarterback
Kenny Pickett – Steelers
- Pct. Owned: 4.0%
NFL fans got their first taste of rookie Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett in his professional debut this past Sunday, and many are high that he’ll get the starting nod over the struggling incumbent starter Mitchell Trubisky moving forward.
Pickett ignited Pittsburgh’s offense in the second half and nearly came away with a victory had it not been for the Jets rallying for a win in the fourth quarter. The local Pitt hero ran for a couple of touchdowns but did also throw three interceptions, albeit with two of those picks not entirely his fault. Fantasy managers in really deep leagues may want to consider Pickett as a backup QB on the bench sooner than later, especially with the bye weeks slowly approaching.
Running Back
Tyler Allgeier / Caleb Huntley – Falcons
- Pct. Owned: 16.8% / 0.0%
It’s time to roll the dice with what’s left in the Atlanta backfield, as the sudden injury to Cordarrelle Patterson leaves a huge void in the team’s running game. That being said, both young backups Tyler Allgeier and Caleb Huntley looked impressive gashing through a supposedly stout Browns defense in Week 4 as the two make compelling cases as the Falcons’ next lead back with Patterson shelved for the next month due to a knee injury.
Allgeier, the fifth-round selection in this year’s draft out of BYU, amassed 104 all-purpose yards; 84 on the ground along with a 20-yard reception. Huntley, an undrafted rookie in his own right, saw 10 carries for 56 rushing yards and a trip to the end zone. If the Falcons turn to a running-back-by-committee approach for the next few weeks, both Allgeier and Huntley make for decent pickups considering Atlanta’s run-heavy attack.
Mike Boone – Broncos
- Pct. Owned: 0.1%
While on the subject of injured running backs, Denver’s Javonte Williams will miss the rest of the season due to a torn ACL. This development immediately puts fourth-year running back Mike Boone under the fantasy radar.
Although Melvin Gordon owners will benefit greatly from the Williams injury, other managers can take a flyer on Boone as the next man up in the Broncos’ running back depth chart. Not to mention that 29-year-old Gordon has had injury woes throughout his career save for a surprisingly healthy 2021 campaign. The Vikings have a rather favorable matchup in Week 5 as (-3.5) favorites to win their Thursday Night Football showdown against the stumbling Colts, which could spell a breakout performance from Boone as a spicy flex start in deeper leagues.
Wide Receiver
Michael Gallup – Cowboys
- Pct. Owned: 46.5%
Returning from a lengthy injury, meanwhile, is Dallas veteran wide receiver Michael Gallup, who made a triumphant return to the field in Week 4. The former Colorado State standout found the end zone in his first game of the season coming from a serious knee injury of his own and didn’t miss a step.
Gallup did just see three targets and hauled in a couple of those passes from Cooper Rush including his TD catch. His floor of production will remain limited for as long as CeeDee Lamb is healthy and with Rush under center, but Dak Prescott’s imminent return makes Gallup one of the more sought-after wide receivers on the market as we speak. His ownership in fantasy leagues is fastly rising, though, so grab him now if you’re in dire need of a solid WR3/flex start in Week 5.
George Pickens – Steelers
- Pct. Owned: 37.6%
Is it time to start the PIck-ing Pittsburgh’s fantasy players as decent pickups? The Kenny Pickett to George Pickens connection is off to a promising start, as Pickett’s fellow rookie weapon topped the 100-yard receiving mark for the first time in his young career in Week 4.
Pickens finished the afternoon with 102 receiving yards on six of eight targets, with most of his production coming in the second half when Pickett stepped in for Trubisky. Although the Steelers have a tough matchup in Week 5 against the Bills as (+14.0) road underdogs, that just means more passing plays for Pittsburgh which will likely need to play catchup all afternoon against an extremely potent Buffalo offense. Consider Pickens as a fringe WR3/4 option across both standard and PPR leagues.
Tight End
Tyler Conklin – Jets
- Pct. Owned: 38.8%
For the fourth straight week, Jets tight end Tyler Conklin has put up a strong showing for a man in his particular position in fantasy football. The former Minnesota Viking caught three passes on five targets for 52 yards, extending his streak of at least 40 receiving yards to three consecutive games.
Even in Week 1, Conklin’s lowest yardage output of 16 yards on four catches, the 27-year-old Michigan native scored his long touchdown catch of the season to boost his fantasy value from the get-go. Conklin is currently ranked sixth amongst all tight ends in PPR leagues and will likely no longer be found on the waiver wire after Week 5 after proving his steady floor of fantasy production for an entire month already and with Zach Wilson looking relatively good in his first game of the 2022 NFL season as well.
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