Week 5 QB/TE Waiver Wire Targets: Pat Freiermuth, Andy Dalton, Tucker Kraft, Sam Darnold and More

Identifying some quarterback and tight end waiver wire targets as week 4 of the NFL season winds down.

The fourth week of the NFL regular season is nearly in the books, which means it’s time to identify some possible waiver wire targets going into week 5.

We’ll handle the best quarterback and tight end options in this article.

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Tight End Options

Pat Freiermuth, Tucker Kraft and Taysom Hill are the three tight ends I’m going to highlight this week.

Freiermuth had 57 yards and a touchdown on five catches and seven targets in week 4. It was the first time Freiermuth topped 40 yards in a game this season, along with being his first score. He had four catches in each of the first three games, so despite the lower yardages, Freiermuth hasn’t been a terrible PPR option.

Kraft went for 53 yards and a touchdown on six catches and nine targets. He also lost a fumble. He had two catches in each of the first three games, but hadn’t gone over 40 yards or scored yet either.

Hill rushed six times for 24 yards and two touchdowns before leaving with an injury. He has at least four touches in his first three games this season, although two of those contests he left early in with injuries.

As I have with all my QB/TE waiver wire stories so far this season, I’m now going to rank these guys in terms of how they stack up in week 5, and for the remainder of the season.

Freiermuth takes on the Cowboys in week 5, while Kraft will battle the Rams. Hill will face the Chiefs.

The Chiefs have been decimated by tight ends so far this season, allowing 365 yards and a touchdown on 30 catches and 41 targets. The Cowboys have allowed 112 yards on 11 receptions and 14 targets, while the Rams have given up 207 yards and a score on 17 catches and 18 targets.

The injury to Hill complicates things, as does him not being utilized as a true tight end. Kraft was part of a lopsided game in week 4, and that helped his numbers be inflated. Freiermuth hasn’t been overly impressive, and has the toughest matchup of the three in this conversation.

When weighing all the factors, I still prefer Freiermuth over Kraft and Hill for week 5. His constant involvement in the offense, albeit not a huge role, is easier to trust right now.

I’d take Kraft over Hill for week 5. The matchup is favorable for Kraft, which helps because of the loaded offense he is on. The injury to Hill will make him harder to play, even in the favorable matchup - plus, his offensive/fantasy involvement being inconsistent and pretty touchdown dependent this season makes it hard to start him (outside deeper leagues).

For the rest-of-the-season rankings, I also like Freiermuth, then Kraft, then Hill at this point. I think Kraft and Hill have more fantasy upside with their quarterbacks/offenses, but with what we’ve seen through four weeks, I trust them in this order.

Quarterback Options

Justin Fields, Andy Dalton, Joe Flacco, Daniel Jones and Sam Darnold are names I want to discuss this week.

We’ll hit on Flacco first, because his fantasy outlook depends on whether or not Anthony Richardson can play. Richardson’s hip injury isn’t deemed to be all that serious, and he might not even miss week 5. I’ll approach Flacco like he’s going to make a start for the purpose of this article though.

Flacco was 16-of-26 for 168 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions against a good Steelers’ defense in week 4. He showed a season ago that he’s got gas left in the tank though, and there’s enough offensive playmakers in Indy to make Flacco a really solid fantasy option for a week.

Fields had his best game of the season, but also took his first loss. I mentioned in my weekly takeaway story that the Steelers’ offense will not look like that most weeks, which puts a damper on what Fields did.

Fields was 22-of-34 passing for 312 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. He added 55 rushing yards and two scores on 10 attempts. Fields fumbled twice, losing one of them.

Dalton completed 25 of his 40 passes for 220 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in week 4 against the Bengals. He added nine rushing yards on three attempts. It was a step back from his performance in week 3, but also an above-average fantasy showing among QBs again.

Nobody wants to buy into Jones as a fantasy asset, but he’s posted solid results in three straight weeks. He was 29-of-40 for 281 yards, no touchdowns and a pick on Thursday night. Jones added three rushing yards on four carries.

Jones had his most passing yards of the season in week 4, but also failed to throw a touchdown for the second time. He had four touchdowns to no picks in the previous two games combined. 

Darnold led the Vikings to another win after a monster first half. Overall, he had 275 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception on 20-of-28 passing. He added 15 rushing yards on seven attempts and also lost a fumble.

Darnold has at least two touchdown passes in all four games this season, with 11 touchdowns overall. He’s thrown a pick in three games and lost the one fumble to average a turnover per contest. It’s a month straight of good fantasy showings, and he’s made a believer out of me and many others. He’s worth playing until he cools off.

In week 5, Fields will battle the Cowboys, while Dalton will take on the Bears. Flacco would get the Jaguars if he receives the start. Jones battles the Seahawks and Darnold and the Vikings have the Jets in England.

Flacco has the best matchup of the bunch and would be my top streaming option for week 5. I wouldn’t burn a waiver wire transaction on Flacco unless I was in a deeper league though.

I’d take Darnold after that. I said I’d trust his hot start, and that’s what I’m doing despite a not so favorable matchup in week 5.

I’d go with Fields as my next streaming option. The matchup is pretty favorable, but I just haven’t seen enough from Fields to put him any higher on my list. 

I’d take Dalton here. The matchup isn’t good, but I like what I’ve seen from him over Jones so far. Jones’ matchup is also tough, but he could slide up a bit if the Seahawks’ defense looks vulnerable on Monday night.

As for the rest-of-the-season rankings, I think you have to roll with Darnold in this group. It’s not a very inspiring group, and there’s certainly going to be better streaming options from time to time, but he’s played well enough to earn this spot this week.

I hesitantly put Fields second. I still think there’s a good chance he’s replaced by Russell Wilson this season, but the other four are at least in similar situations, so I’m rolling with Fields. His running ability gives him the nod over the remaining QBs.

I’d take Dalton after that, with Jones ever so slightly behind him. The Panthers have looked much more competitive with Dalton behind center, and I think he remains the starter until the team falls out of playoff contention, at least. Jones has been better over the past three weeks, but his weekly upside still lacks a bit when it comes to comparing him and other quarterbacks. 

Flacco gets relegated to the final spot because he isn’t likely to make too many more starts this season. I’m not going to project injuries. If he gets the occasional spot start though, he’s an above-average streaming option, just like he appears in this article.

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