Cousins, Hockenson, Coleman Lead Week 5 Fantasy Waiver Options

Week 4 produced a run of fantasy-relevant performances, from TJ Hockenson's perfect 13-catch game to Keon Coleman's career day, ahead of Tuesday's Week 5 waiver deadline.

A Sunday full of football in Week 4 produced several surprise fantasy contributors, and managers have until Tuesday's Week 5 waiver deadline to respond. Tyquan Thornton scored twice and totaled 111 yards, TJ Hockenson finished 13-of-13 on his targets, and RJ Harvey made 10 receptions from the Denver backfield. Those outings anchor an early survey of this week's leading adds.

Quarterback tops the list with CJ Stroud and Kirk Cousins. Stroud has cleared 274 passing yards in three of his four games and topped 345 twice, including Week 3 against Dallas, and the report expects the output to continue with Nico Collins back. Cousins entered the Sunday and Monday night games as fantasy's QB6. His Raiders fell to Kansas City 30-27 after opening against opponents with a combined 1-8 record.

At running back, Keaton Mitchell owns roughly 25% of the Chargers' rushing volume and averages 6-8 carries plus a little more than three targets per game. The analysis calls him the top insurance option behind Omarion Hampton.

Philadelphia's backfield bears watching after early reports pointed to a hamstring strain for Saquon Barkley, an injury the report describes as unconfirmed but potentially worth multiple missed games. Once Barkley left Sunday's game, Tank Bigsby carried 14 times to Will Shipley's six while the two logged similar snap counts. The Eagles acquired Bigsby in a trade last season after Shipley's strong preseason.

Buffalo wideout Keon Coleman delivered the top receiving line of the group: six catches on seven targets for 116 yards and a score, a career high in yards and his second-most receptions in a game. He trails only Khalil Shakir in routes run among Bills this season — two back of Shakir, two ahead of Dalton Kincaid and 19 ahead of DJ Moore — and has converted 14 of 16 passes thrown his way.

Two wide receivers come with spending warnings. Roman Wilson averages 6.0 targets, 3.5 receptions, 47 yards and half a touchdown per game but has been capped at 19 routes in each of the past two games with Michael Pittman Jr. playing, and the analysis advises against overspending even for an Aaron Rodgers favorite. Darius Cooper led Eagles pass-catchers with seven targets in Week 4 and produced the most in a near-even three-way route rotation with Dontayvion Wicks and Makai Lemon, though his role should fade once DeVonta Smith returns.

Tight end may offer the clearest immediate help. With Justin Jefferson out in Week 4, TJ Hockenson drew 13 targets — a 40% share — and turned all 13 into receptions for 119 yards. Jefferson may sit again in Week 5, a scenario the report says would make Hockenson a firm top-10 option with top-of-position upside.

Las Vegas counterpart Michael Mayer has kept a heavy workload since Brock Bowers returned, running 73% of the Raiders' passing plays this season after rates of 76% in Week 3 and 78% in Week 4, when he made eight catches on nine targets for 82 yards. Cited splits put Mayer at 7.3 fantasy points per game when Bowers sits and 14.2 when he plays. Only Bowers and Ashton Jeanty average more receptions and yards per game in the Raiders' offense.

Mike Gesicki rounds out the tight ends after a touchdown on three catches and five targets gave him three scores, tied for second at the position, to go with a fourth-place ranking in yards per reception among tight ends with at least 12 targets. The analysis credits Joe Burrow with distributing the ball beyond Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, noting that backup receiver Dohnte Meyers caught seven of nine targets in Week 4.