With four teams on a bye, waiver wire players could make or break your fantasy roster. These four players should be your top targets for Week 5:
1. Justin Fields, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers (rostered in 32% of Yahoo leagues)
Russell who? According to the team’s website, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said Fields will remain the starting quarterback when Pittsburgh travels to Arlington to face the Cowboys on "Sunday Night Football."
The team suffered its first loss of the season against the Colts but Steelers fans have to be excited about what they saw in the former Chicago Bear. Fields went 22-of-34 for 312 yards and a touchdown on Sunday with 10 carries for 55 yards and a pair of scores.
Fields' passing yards were the second-most of his career and the game marked the second time he’s rushed for two touchdowns in a single contest. His 31.98 fantasy points were the most of any quarterback and nearly double his initial projection (16.60).
2. Kareem Hunt, RB, Kansas City Chiefs (rostered in 38% of Yahoo leagues)
Carson Steele stepped up for an injured Isiah Pacheco with 72 yards in Week 3 but took a back seat to Hunt in Week 4 with two carries for six yards. Meanwhile Hunt led Chiefs running backs with 4.9 yards per carry for 69 yards and two catches for 16 yards.
Hunt started his NFL career as a third-round pick of the Chiefs in 2017. He led the league in rushing with 1,327 yards as a rookie but was released midway through the 2018 season when a video surfaced showing Hunt kicking and shoving a woman in a hotel lobby.
Obviously, Kansas City would rather have Pacheco but until he returns, Hunt should see more carries than Steele and journeyman running back Samaje Perine.
3. Xavier Legette, WR, Carolina Panthers (rostered in 14% of Yahoo leagues)
As long as Andy Dalton remains Carolina’s starting quarterback, Legette should stay fantasy relevant on a team destined to fall behind in most, if not all matchups. The team’s first-round rookie got off to a slow start catching passes from Bryce Young but had six catches for 66 yards and a touchdown against the Bengals on Sunday.
Xavier Legette with his first-career TD
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 29, 2024
(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/efzlisykg5
Dionte Johnson remains the team’s leading receiver but Legette’s 4.39 speed shouldn’t be ignored. With Adam Thielen expected to miss several weeks with a hamstring injury, expect the 6-foot-3, 227-pound rookie to get plenty of looks from Dalton.
4. Taysom Hill, TE, New Orleans Saints (rostered in 39% of ESPN leagues)
Ravens tight end Mark Andrews hasn’t had a catch in two weeks. The Chiefs’ Travis Kelce has the 12th-most fantasy points at his position. Why not take a flier on a player like Hill?
The 34-year-old utility man has two catches for two yards this season but averaged seven yards per carry for 35 yards and two touchdowns against Atlanta last week.
Of course, he also suffered a rib injury and could miss his second game in three weeks but if he plays, he’ll face a Kansas City team allowing a league-high 18.13 fantasy points to tight ends.
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