The 2026 NFL season is already a quarter done, can you believe it? Four weeks in, and it feels like we’re still swimming in question marks on offense. But whether it’s injuries piling up or someone just straight up breaking out, we gotta talk about the early fantasy football waiver wire options for Week 5, because some absolute gems are just sitting there.
Eagles’ Backfield Is a Whole Vibe Right Now
Okay, first up, the Eagles’ backfield is wild. Adding injury to insult, Saquon Barkley got hit with a hamstring ailment super early in their brutal Week 4 loss to the Rams. Now, we’re all waiting to hear more on Barkley, but the guys behind him? We gotta consider them for fantasy. Let’s be real, Saquon’s been underperforming anyway, and this is the second time he’s been knocked out of a game. Remember Week 2 with that stinger/neck injury? Yeah.
So, when Barkley went down, Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley took over the backfield. Bigsby got the bulk of the work, rolling up 14 carries for 55 yards. Shipley had six carries for 23 yards, and get this, he also snagged the goal-line work. Both guys only saw one target in the passing game, but that ground game volume is what we’re after. If Barkley’s out for Week 5 against the Jaguars in London, these two are splitting work again. Bigsby’s your priority pick with that volume, but Shipley might be an easier grab in those deeper leagues. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out if one of these guys blows up.
Bills’ WRs: Who Even Needs DJ Moore?
Alright, over in Buffalo, DJ Moore just cannot stay on the field, man. He got dinged in Week 2, shook it off for a couple of games, then got knocked out of Week 4 against the Patriots with that nagging shoulder issue. He never even got back in. When Moore’s out, though, the target tree at wide receiver is crystal clear, and it’s Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir leading the charge. New England tried to key in on TE Dalton Kincaid, who ended up with a goose egg on just one target on Sunday. But Coleman and Shakir? They ate.
Despite stepping up big in Week 2 when Moore was out, Coleman somehow wasn’t added to a bunch of rosters. That’s gotta change for Week 5. The dude scored a late 34-yard touchdown, capping off a six-catch, 116-yard performance in that insane loss to the Patriots. That was good for WR6 in fantasy with a massive 20.6 points! Shakir didn’t hit paydirt, but he turned eight targets into seven catches for 82 yards. That’s a strong showing, especially in PPR. In an offense as explosive as the Bills, both Shakir and Coleman need to be on more rosters. We don’t know if Moore’s gonna be ready for Week 5, but we know he’s been struggling with health. Both Shakir and Coleman have serious flex appeal for their Monday Night Football matchup against the Rams. Get ’em while you can!
Aaron Rodgers Found His Guy in Pittsburgh
And finally, you know how Aaron Rodgers operates, right? When he keys in on a receiver, that guy gets targets, and a lot of them. We all thought it was gonna be Michael Pittman Jr. after the offseason trade to Pittsburgh, but it’s looking like Roman Wilson is Rodgers’ new best friend. The Steelers fell to the Browns in Week 4 on TNF, but Wilson scored for the second straight week. He finished that game with three catches for 74 yards and put up 14.9 fantasy points. That’s a receiver who’s getting consistent red-zone looks and showing up on the stat sheet.
Look, the season’s flying by. These are the guys who are stepping up when it counts, whether it’s due to injury or just plain talent. If you need some juice on your squad, don’t sleep on Bigsby, Shipley, Coleman, Shakir, or Wilson. Week 5 is about to kick off, and you want to be ready!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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