Having a good fantasy draft sets a team up really well, but most of the time to win a fantasy football league, acquisitions need to be made during the season. Each week there are several players worth exploring on the waiver wire. Here are fantasy football players to add week 5.
(Note: These are best used for standard scoring leagues. All players are owned in less than 50 percent of ESPN leagues)
1. Latavius Murray, RB, Baltimore Ravens
Latavius Murray was on this list a few weeks ago when he was signed to the Ravens. He is back on the list now after he appears to be the lead back for Baltimore. The Ravens can always support multiple running backs in their current style and Murray is now the top dog.
Murray has 151 rushing yards and three touchdowns this season. He has yet to hit his stride, at just 3.4 yards per carry. In week 4 against the Broncos, he had 18 carries for 59 yards and one touchdown. That was his biggest workload of the season. He is rostered in just 34.2 percent of ESPN leagues.
2. Damien Williams, RB, Chicago Bears
Williams was expected just to be a depth running back for the Bears this season. That’s why he didn’t touch the ball in week 3. David Montgomery was hurt in the week 4 matchup against the Lions though, which means Williams is the go-to guy for the time being.
On the season, Williams has 16 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown. He also has eight receptions for 41 yards. In week 4, Williams filled in for Montgomery well with 55 rushing yards, 15 receiving yards and a touchdown. There isn’t much information on how long Montgomery will be out, but it is expected to be at least a few weeks. Williams has a bone bruise, but is expected to play. He is available in almost 90 percent of ESPN leagues.
3. Samaje Perine, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
Perine is the backup in Cincinnati, but is worth the pickup now. Joe Mixon, the starter, is week to week with a low-grade ankle sprain. Perine now figures to step in as the lead back for the time being, until Mixon is ready to go. Chris Evans will likely get some third-down work and eventually make take over the role if Mixon misses more time, but Perine is the frontrunner for most of the work for now.
In a limited time so far this season, Perine has 28 rushing yards and 30 receiving yards. With the lead role, he will get most of the carries and goalline opportunities for the Bengals. Keep an eye on Mixon’s injury status. If he is out, Perine may be worth starting until he gets back. He is currently rostered in just 1.5 percent of ESPN leagues.
4. Dalton Schultz, TE, Dallas Cowboys
With so many talented players on the Dallas offense, Dalton Schultz was forgotten about. He has since entered the fold as a good option in fantasy football after being heavily utilized in two straight weeks. Now he is a player who should be picked up and possibly started as a tight end.
After solid games in week 3 and 4, Schultz is currently the fifth-ranked tight end in fantasy football. He six catches for 80 yards and two touchdowns in week 3 and six catches for 58 yards and a touchdown in week 4. Tight ends aren’t easy to find in fantasy football and this type of production warrants attention. Schultz is available in 21.5 percent of ESPN leagues.
5. Kalif Raymond, WR, Detroit Lions
Kalif Raymond is a name not many knew about before week 4 of the season. He was an undrafted free agent out of Holy Cross in the 2016 NFL Draft and has bounced around to a few teams. With the Lions being thin at receiver and having some injuries, Raymond has stepped up when given his opportunity.
For the season, Raymond has 14 receptions for 182 yards and two touchdowns. After seeing 10 targets in week 3, he saw six in week 4. Raymond capitalized on those targets and in week 4 finished the game with three catches for 46 yards and two touchdowns. Raymond is worth a flier for now. He is available in over 99 percent of ESPN leagues.
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