Though it may seem like it this week and in many weeks so far in the 2016 fantasy football season, there is no such thing as too many options on the waiver wire.
It feels like it, though, when a guy like Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco comes alive with 21 points in Week 4. Or when Jordan Howard takes over in the Chicago Bears backfield and scores 13. A guy like San Diego Chargers wideout Dontrelle Inman having a breakout game with 18 points helps, too.
Owners will want to get in line for this particular wire. Even if the outlook seems great right now, one injury can tank a season, and improving depth is never a bad idea.
Here are players owned in less than 50 percent of leagues to know and pursue on the Week 5 wire.
Week 5 Waiver-Wire Targets
Terrance West, RB, BAL (45.0 percent)
This is why owners need to keep pursuing talent, even if the roster looks healthy and productive.
Flacco‘s Ravens surprised the fantasy landscape Sunday, benching Justin Forsett in favor of Terrance West, a move that was supposed to get the ground game going.
It worked. One can tell by West’s ownership percentage that more than a few folks had counted on such an occurrence. He cruised, carrying the ball 21 times against the Oakland Raiders for 113 yards, one score and 17 points.
The Ravens will get Kenneth Dixon back from injury at some point, but he won’t eat into West’s rushing chances. Dixon is more of a pass-catching guy, and there is now zero reason to believe the coaching staff will turn back to Forsett after West helped the offense come alive.
West needs to sit No. 1 on the waiver order—he next gets to tackle a Washington defense that has allowed 20 or more points and a minimum of two rushing scores to the first three opposing backfields it has encountered.
Brian Quick, WR, LA (0.2 percent)
It isn’t a fun idea to roster a guy from the Los Angeles Rams not named Todd Gurley.
Wide receiver Brian Quick, though, might be worth a look.
Quick landed as the sixth-highest scorer at his position before Monday after an 18-point outburst against the Arizona Cardinals.
This wouldn’t normally register as a big deal, but Quick turned both of his catches into scores against a vaunted Arizona defense. He’s also now scored three times over his past two outings, which pairs well with praise from head coach Jeff Fisher, per Lindsey Thiry of the Los Angeles Times:
Quick isn’t getting a ton of volume, something that would normally mean owners should look away.
But truthfully, Los Angeles doesn’t have much else going for it in the air. Based on performance and praise, Quick might start to see an uptick in usage, making him a worthwhile stash, not an immediate-help guy.
Eddie Royal, WR, CHI (9.0 percent)
Here’s a guy veteran fantasy owners have kept on their radars.
Eddie Royal was one of the more underrated guys to know when he was lighting it up with the San Diego Chargers, at one point scoring seven and eight touchdowns in consecutive seasons.
But Royal started this year injured and quiet. A switch to quarterback Brian Hoyer under center has provided the veteran with the spark he needed, though, as Royal took it to the Detroit Lions in Week 4 with seven catches for 111 yards and a score, which was good for 17 points.
Royal had plenty of highlights, though one catch going for 64 yards takes the cake, as the NFL captured:
With Alshon Jeffery on one side and Kevin White on the other, not to mention Royal grabbing everything tossed his way, it is clear he stands as a solid add sure to see plenty of usage in the coming weeks.
As a bonus, Royal has looked like a solid returner on special teams. A do-it-all veteran, Royal is easily a fantasy starter in the right matchup on a week-to-week basis.
Hunter Henry, TE, SD (32.5 percent)
This should say plenty: San Diego’s Hunter Henry sat behind only Jordan Reed and Greg Olsen in scoring at tight end before Monday.
Playing in place of the injured Antonio Gates, Henry caught four passes for 61 yards and a score, giving him 12 points. Granted, the matchup was a laughably bad New Orleans Saints defense, but the rookie showed he can function as a productive asset right away.
More encouraging is his usage when Gates misses a game. Henry now has two games in a row with four or more catches, meaning quarterback Philip Rivers doesn’t ignore the position because one of the best of all time is on the sideline in sweatpants.
Given that Gates is 36 years old, even his return shouldn’t stop owners from grabbing Henry. With injuries to Danny Woodhead and Keenan Allen, San Diego has plenty of reason to implement a heavy dose of two-tight end sets.
Based on what he’s flashed early in his career, Henry has a solid floor each week either way.
All scoring info and statistics courtesy of ESPN.com standard leagues, as are points-against info and ownership stats.
Follow Chris Roling (@Chris_Roling) on Twitter.
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