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Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell. Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Post-waiver wire fantasy football pickups for Week 5

By Bruce Ewing | Last updated 10/4/23

Got the “bye week blues” after an unsuccessful waiver claim? Say “hello” to these hidden gems still available in most leagues.

QB: Sam Howell (Washington Commanders)

Believe it or not, Howell has more yards (961) than Jalen Hurts, more touchdowns (4) than Matthew Stafford and a better completion percentage (67.1) than Patrick Mahomes. He’s been better than expected five games into his career and could be just what Justin Herbert or Geno Smith owners need to get through Week 5.

Last week, Howell threw a career-high 41 passes for 290 yards with 40 yards rushing against a stout Eagles defense. He had two touchdown drives to tie the game in the fourth quarter and this week he’ll face a Chicago team giving up the fourth-most passing yards (1,071) of any team.

The Bears are giving up an average of 22.1 fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this year, second-most in the NFL. Chicago’s defense just isn’t good, which makes any Bears’ opponent a good play, especially during bye weeks.

Howell is available in 79% of Yahoo! leagues.

RB: Jaleel McLaughlin (Denver Broncos)

When Javonte Williams left last week’s game with a hip injury, it was McLaughlin, not Samaje Perine who took over the Broncos backfield. The undrafted rookie averaged 10.3 yards per carry for a team-high 73 yards against the Bears.

INCOMING: More Jaleel McLaughlin pic.twitter.com/haPGuPfxrM
— DNVR Broncos (@DNVR_Broncos) October 4, 2023

He also caught all three of his targets for 32 yards including an 18-yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson. McLaughlin finished the day with 19.40 fantasy points, good enough for 10th place in Yahoo! leagues.

This week he’ll face a Jets team giving up the fifth-most yards on the ground (592) and 23.25 points per game to opposing running backs.

McLaughlin is available in 54% of Yahoo! leagues.

WR: Wan’Dale Robinson (New York Giants)

If the Giants can find a way to protect quarterback Daniel Jones, Robinson could be in for a big day against Miami. Jones was sacked 11 times last week, the same number of targets Robinson has seen since returning from a torn ACL in Week 3.

Robinson led Giants wide receivers in targets (5) and yards (40) against Seattle and he should stay busy as New York tries to keep up with the highest-scoring team in the NFL. Miami’s defense gives up the tenth-most 41.68 fantasy points per game to opposing wideouts.

New York doesn’t have a true No. 1 receiver, but based on his usage, it seems the Giants want last year’s second-round pick to take the job.

Robinson is available in 89% of Yahoo! leagues.

TE: Logan Thomas (Washington Commanders)

The oft-injured tight end returned from a concussion last week and played 79% of the team’s offensive snaps against Philadelphia. He has one touchdown in three games, but his average of 8.6 fantasy points per game is 15th-most among tight ends.

Chicago’s defense isn’t as generous to tight ends as they are to wide receivers, but another score could be in order for Thomas on Thursday night.

Thomas is available in 90% of Yahoo! leagues.

DST: Indianapolis Colts

The Colts defense sits just outside the top 10 with 32 fantasy points this year. They struggled against the Rams last week with two sacks and an interception, but prior to that, they averaged 9.6 fantasy points per game.

This week they face a Tennessee team with the fifth-lowest yardage total (1,120) in the NFL. Only five quarterbacks have thrown more interceptions than the Titans Ryan Tannehill (4), making the Colts a safe play in Week 5.

The Colts’ defense is available in 88% of leagues.

K: Ka’imi Fairbairn (Houston Texans)

Fairbairn is 11-for-12 on field-goal attempts and 9-for-9 on extra points. More importantly, he’s coming off two straight weeks of double-digit points. His total of 42 fantasy points are fourth-most among kickers.

The Texans have moved the ball averaging 408.5 yards per game in two straight wins, which should mean more opportunities for Fairbairn.

Fairbairn is available in 94% of leagues.

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