Which QBs and TEs should you pick up on the Week 5 waiver wire? Joshua Dobbs, Jonnu Smith, and More!
Happy Monday! With a quarter of the fantasy football season in the books (how did that happen already?!), it's time to take a look at the waiver wire adds who can set us up for the rest of the season.
Half (very unscientific measure) of the battle for being successful in fantasy football is making sure you work the waiver wire. And you can never start working the waiver wire too early -- even after two weeks of the season.
With running backs and wide receivers coming in a separate article, let's take a look at the quarterbacks and tight ends you should be scooping off the waiver wire.
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Quarterback
(ownership percentages are based on ESPN leagues)
Joshua Dobbs, Arizona Cardinals (2.1 percent)
Another week, another great Joshua Dobbs fantasy performance. After a Week 1 stinker, Dobbs has put up no less than 17 fantasy points in each of his last three games and has topped 23 fantasy points in two of those games. While the Cardinals came up short against the 49ers, Dobbs was still able to put up 265 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and carried the ball 12 times for 48 yards. It's still unclear when (or if) Kyler Murray will return this season so Dobbs may not have the starting job all year, but it's safe to say we can run with him as a borderline QB1 for now -- especially with a nice matchup against a scuffling Bengals squad on tap in Week 5.
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12.7 percent)
I didn't think I'd be writing about Baker Mayfield as being a solid waiver pickup in Tampa, but here we are. Mayfield had his best fantasy game of the season against a really good Saints defense, which was even more impressive considering the fact that the Bucs were the first team to put up more than 20 points against the Saints in 11 games. Mayfield is Mayfield so I'll never feel great about starting him, but he's doing his best to shut me up and deserves to be added in most leagues. He has a Week 5 bye, but should be able to do some damage at home against the Lions in Week 6.
Sam Howell, Washington Commanders (8.9 percent)
Howell had an awful Week 3, but has looked pretty good otherwise with at least 15 fantasy points in his other three games. He put up almost 20 fantasy points against a good Eagles defense in Week 4 by throwing for 290 yards with a passing touchdown while running the ball six times for 40 yards. With an awful Bears defense on tap, Howell is positioned to be one of the best Week 5 quarterback streaming options. I'll have to dig in more before writing up my official Week 5 quarterback start/sits, but I have a feeling Howell is going to be a borderline QB1 this week.
Honorable mention: Taylor Heinecke, Mitch Trubisky
Tight End
(ownership percentages are based on ESPN leagues)
Jonnu Smith, Atlanta Falcons (0.4 percent)
I really don't know what's happening here, but the Falcons got the Jonnue Smith the Patriots thought they were signing two years ago. And he's seemingly overtaken Kyle Pitts in the Falcons' receiving pecking order. Again, I don't know what's happening here, but that's the current reality. Smith was the TE3 for Week 4 and was five yards shy of putting up the first 100-yard receiving game for any tight end in the league all year! Six catches on six targets looks great and it looks even better when you consider he saw eight targets last week and six the week before. I'm not sure I buy this continuing all season, but Smith should be a solid waiver add for now.
Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys (24.5 percent)
Dalton Schultz, who? Ferguson has stepped right in for the departed free agent and hasn't skipped a beat. TE4 for Week 4, Ferguson has seen seven targets in three of four games this year and has put up 125 total receiving yards over his last two games. With the Cowboys still trying to figure out who their best non-CeeDee Lamb receiving option is, Ferguson has filled a void and should continue to put up TE1 numbers. Things get tougher in Week 5 against the 49ers, but Zach Ertz just put up a solid game against them so I'm not too worried there.
Tyler Conklin, New York Jets (9.8 percent)
I don't think Conklin is a very good player, but he certainly has the opportunity to put up solid fantasy numbers as Zach Wilson's favorite check-down option. He's seen 17 total targets over the last three weeks and is averaging over 10 yards a reception during that span. He also had a red zone target that Wilson barely missed him on against the Chiefs, so he's getting valuable fantasy targets too. As long as Zach Wilson holds onto the Jets' starting quarterback job, Conklin should remain a viable tight end start.
Honorable mention: Kylen Granson, Durham Smythe
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