Dynasty Waivers Of The Future: Week 5

Week 5 marks the close of the first quarter of the season. Early-season reveals waivers have been picked over in deeper leagues. Managers should look for injury situations and deep roster reveals this week. This article will run through deep league waiver additions, focusing on Dynasty league formats. 

Players will fall into four primary categories: 

• Short-term Starters - Players capable of providing immediate production in deep leagues. 
• Proactive Pickups - Players who need the depth chart to be clear before them but are more available than other players in a similar role. 
• Deep Darts - Speculative players who have a chance at value.
• Dynasty Buys - Players unlikely to be on waivers, but whose values have changed, and the market may not have caught up. 

Quarterbacks

Short-Term Starters

QB Mason Rudolph, Tennessee (14% Sleeper rostered)

Will Levis left Monday night’s game with a right shoulder injury on a 3rd down-diving scramble. Without his helmet, Levis looked active on the sideline for the remainder of the game. Titans coach Brian Callahan’s press conferences this season give the impression he was simply waiting for the best opportunity to make the flip to Rudolph. Those around the Titans could be forgiven for feeling like the team might be 3-1 without Levis’s meltdowns against the Bears and Jets. 

Rudolph was the Steelers’ hero in 2023, going 3-0 over the final three games to push into the last AFC playoff spot. He was fantasy QB19 over this stretch and played the best football of his career. I do not believe it is reckless to speculate that he could be the Titans' starter for the foreseeable future. The Titans' talent is not far off from the supporting cast in Pittsburgh that helped Rudolph to his run. Project him as a fringe QB2 in Superflex and a potentially valuable piece as we enter bye weeks. 

QB Joe Flacco, Indianapolis (27% Sleeper rostered)

Flacco gives the Colts receiving options life. Both Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs were able to post massive games. The talent is there in those two, but their values could not differ more depending on which quarterback. 

There is optimism Richardson will be back in Week 5. But the injury seal is broken, and deep Superflex formats should still add Flacco.

Running Backs

Short-Term Starters

RB Kareem Hunt, Kansas City (77% Sleeper rostered)

Hunt carries enough name value he was added two weeks ago in most leagues. But his 77% should be 100%. The Chiefs looked comfortable featuring him in both the run and pass game. Samaje Perine vulturing a goal-line touchdown was the only thing preventing a monster game. It will be worth monitoring if that was just circumstance or if Perine is the goal line back, but Hunt is the back you want until Isiah Pacheco returns.

Carson Steele fumbled for the second straight game, getting benched after. It was fun at the moment, but Hunt and Perine are the lead here. 

Clyde Edwards-Helaire is also being mentioned. It is worth the proactive move if he is available in a deep league. Hunt and Perine have a chance to establish themselves before he returns. He is a lower priority. 

RB Trey Sermon (45% Sleeper rostered) / Tyler Goodson (4% Sleeper rostered), Indianapolis

Sermon is the priority target if Taylor is out. He was ineffective against a good defense, teeing off to stop the run as the Colts worked the clock. But the rebirth of Zack Moss in 2023 showed the value of running backs for Shane Steichen. Sermon is a fringe RB2 without Taylor. 

Goodson will likely hold more value if Flacco gets the start. He is a passing-down specialist with 13 career rushes and ten receiving targets. The Colts’ 12.5% 

The running back target rate is the third lowest in the league, though Taylor’s three catches in Week 4 were a season-high with Flacco. Goodson is only a target in deeper leagues.

Proactive Pickups

RB Isaac Guerendo, San Francisco (71% Sleeper rostered)

The 49ers are hopeful of having Christian McCaffrey in November. Jordan Mason looks excellent. But November is a long way off. If Mason missed time, Guerendo would be in one of the best positions in fantasy football. His roster number should be higher.

RB Ronnie Rivers, LA Rams (14% Sleeper rostered)

Blake Corum's rostership is 96% in deep leagues. Rivers' is 14%. Corum has now gone three of four games without playing an offensive snap. You should not drop Corum and pick up Rivers. But Rivers should be rostered in many more leagues. The Rams like him and believe he has a three-down skillset. 

Deep Darts

RB Jeremy McNichols, Washington (3% Sleeper rostered)

McNichols is as Fantasy Zombie as they come; a fifth-round pick of San Francisco's in 2017, he had not logged a rush since 2021.  The Commanders like him, and he has a passing-down skillset that compliments Brian Robinson Jr., but Ekeler should hopefully be back in Week 5. 

RB Hunter Luepke, Dallas (2% Sleeper rostered)

Luepke has edged out Ezekiel Elliott for passing down work over the last couple of weeks. Rico Dowdle has taken a step forward as the lead back, though this run game has struggled. Elliott did not enter Thursday night’s game until deeper into the contest. If Luepke can lock down passing work, he is a physical runner who could challenge for short-yardage opportunities, too. Once upon a time, John Kuhn had fringe fantasy relevance for Mike McCarthy. Luepke gives shades of him with slightly more agility. 

RB Aaron Shampklin, Pittsburgh (0% Sleeper rostered)

Pick up every active back in deep leagues. Jaylen Warren was already out, and Cordarrelle Patterson picked up an ankle injury and missed the second half. Jonathan Ward is the only other back on the practice squad. Carlos Washington Jr.. from the Falcons practice squad could be a name to watch if Patterson and Warren miss meaningful time. 

Dynasty Buys

RB Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville (86% Sleeper rostered)

Another player rostered in most leagues who should likely be in all. Urban Meyer drafted Travis Etienne Jr. specifically to play the NFL version of the Percy Harvin role. Doug Pederson drafted Bigsby. The Jaguars have exercised his fifth-year option, signing him through 2025. But a contract negotiation is looming. An 0-4 team does not need a former first-round running back who has been productive enough to warrant a significant contract conversation.  Trade rumors have started and will intensify. Bigsby falls into the overused "League Winner" category with the lead role.