All 32 Looking Forward Reasoning Backward After Week Five 

by Dennis Michelsen

Each week, I will provide a brief update on each team, including the latest injury concerns and performances from the past week. This will also include recommendations for possible waiver wire pickups and suggested FAAB bids. FAAB bids and availability will be based on the FPPC $1000 bankroll. Week five is in the books; let’s reason backward to look forward for all 32 teams. 

Arizona Cardinals

Michael Carter was the RB to own in Fantasy Football as expected, and now Demarcado could be in the Coach’s doghouse after his boneheaded play.  

Possible Waiver Addition: Michael Carter is tougher to land this week, but is worth a $300 bid in FPPC, and he is available in 56% of leagues. 

Atlanta Falcons

The bye week didn’t bring any fresh news from the team.  

No Waiver Targets This Week. 

Baltimore Ravens

It has been a very long time since the Ravens team appeared to quit during a game, but the fans gave up on them at halftime as well, with many empty seats on a nice day in Baltimore.  

No Waiver Targets This Week. 

Buffalo Bills

Even Superman lost an occasional fight, but seeing the Patriots give the Bills a black eye on a white-out night was a bit of a surprise.  

No Waiver Targets This Week. 

Carolina Panthers

QB Bryce Young looked like a High School kid showing up for a game with his book bag, but managed a solid game with RB Rico Dowdle having a career game to beat the Dolphins.  

Possible Waiver Addition: WR Jalen Coker is expected to come off IR this week or next and is worth a $1 holler in FPPC leagues where he is available in 20% of leagues. 

Chicago Bears

The bye week didn’t bring any fresh news from the team, but keep an eye on rookie TE Colston Loveland as they return to action in week six.  

Possible Waiver Addition: RB Monangai is worth a $25 bid this week and is available in 20% of FPPC leagues. He is now the clear backup to Swift. 

Cincinnati Bengals

After a horrendous start to another game, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Russell Wilson in Bengals colors in the next few weeks.  

No Waiver Targets This Week. 

Cleveland Browns

The debut start by rookie QB Dillon Gabriel made him look more like a 1st-round pick, even in defeat, and that was against an excellent defense. Rookie WR Isiah Bond saw significant volume with little to show for it in Fantasy Football production.  

Possible Waiver Addition: QB Dillon Gabriel is worth a $100 speculation bid on FPPC this week, where he is available in 80% of leagues. WR Isaiah Bond is worth a $40 bid this week and is available in 86% of leagues. 

Dallas Cowboys

Ryan Flournoy was the WR to get the volume this week with CeeDee Lamb hurt, but with Lamb expected back, I would hold off bidding on any of their WRs this week.  

No Waiver Targets This Week. 

Denver Broncos

Forecasting the week-to-week split between RBs JK Dobbins and RJ Harvey could be very tough from week to week if both stay healthy, and production between them won’t be high enough to be worthy of the “Play Em Both” strategy. 

No Waiver Targets This Week. 

Detroit Lions

It was a rare week when the Lions backed off the accelerator a little at the end of the game, but they still managed to score 37 points.  

No Waiver Targets This Week. 

Green Bay Packers

Hopefully, they're coming back healthy from their Bye week.

Possible Waiver Addition: RB Emmanuel Wilson is the clear backup to Josh Jacobs, and you should be able to acquire him for $1, as he is available in 71% of FPPC leagues. 

Houston Texans

CJ Stroud looked great against the Ravens, which might be more of an indictment of that defense. Woody Marks will be just fine when the game script goes his way. 

Possible Waiver Addition: If Woody Marks is still available in your league, you can get him cheaper after his down week. A $50 bid should get it done, but he is only available in 8% of FPPC leagues. 

Indianapolis Colts

I got a few chuckles on the radio station when I forecasted 10 wins for this Colts team, but I might have been too low. Jonathon Taylor is having a career year, and he has had a terrific career.  

Possible Waiver Addition: While he is only available in 4% of FPPC leagues, see if DJ Giddens is available because he is the clear backup to JT, and a $10 bid should get it done. 

Jacksonville Jaguars

Trevor Lawrence had some impressive plays and drove the team down the field for the win against a tough Chiefs defense, showing that Liam Cohen's effect is a real thing.  

No Waiver Targets This Week. 

Kansas City Chiefs

They need to figure out this rushing attack, or it could be a long season, but Mahomes is playing at an MVP level right now, and gets his favorite WR back in another week.  

No Waiver Targets This Week. 

Las Vegas Raiders

The only statistical category they won this week was turnovers, and that must be making Coach Carroll wonder why he didn’t consider retirement instead.  

No Waiver Targets This Week. 

Los Angeles Chargers

The one player the Chargers couldn’t afford to lose has been lost for at least 4 weeks with an ankle injury. This puts pressure on unproven RB Vidal, a 2nd-year RB, but it might just mean more volume in the passing game for everyone.  

Possible Waiver Addition: The next man up at RB appears to be second-year player Kimani Vidal, and I hope you listened last week and picked him up at a low cost. Now it will take a $300 bid on FPPC, where he is available in 97% of leagues. 

Los Angeles Rams

Matthew Stafford is leading this offense that is chock full of All-Pro Players at every skill position except for TE.  

No Waiver Targets This Week. 

Miami Dolphins

The Fins couldn’t rush the ball at all against the Panthers, but Tua had another solid game even without Tyreek Hill. Waddle took over as expected as the lead WR and had his first 20+ PPR point game since week 14 last season.  

Possible Waiver Addition: Malik Washington is a nice $45 bid this week in FPPC leagues, available in 39% of FPPC leagues. Darren Waller is worth a $125 bid but is only available in 18% of FPPC leagues. 

Minnesota Vikings

Despite an erratic offense and several injuries, the Vikings pulled out a tough win in England and head to their Bye week with a winning record.  

No Waiver Targets This Week. 

New England Patriots

Stefon Diggs got revenge against his former team on Sunday Night Football and has played himself into shape. The loss of RB Antonio Gibson might make figuring out the RB volume easier in the weeks ahead.  

No Waiver Targets This Week. 

New Orleans Saints

There was almost a 50/50 volume split at RB, which should worry Kamara owners. I still think he may get dealt before the trade deadline, making Kendre Miller a great value.  

Possible Waiver Wire Addition: Kendre Miller is worth a $75 bid on FPPC but is only available in 6% of leagues right now. 

New York Giants

The Giants sustained another injury to an already depleted WR room with Darius Slayton leaving the game early. Rookies Dart and Skattebo will be leaned on even heavier going forward, and TE Theo Johnson had his big breakout game with 2 TDs.  

Possible Waiver Addition: Jalin Hyatt is worth a $10 bid and stash on FPPC. Theo Johnson is only available in 5% of FPPC leagues, but is worth a $100 bid if you can find him on the waiver wire in your league.    

New York Jets  

The Jets are now the only winless team in the NFL, but garbage time led to solid Fantasy Football weeks for many of their starters.  

Possible Waiver Addition: Isiah Davis is a nice $10 bid in case anything happens to Breece Hall and is available in 56% of FPPC leagues. 

Philadelphia Eagles 

Will AJ Brown get traded? Will this team totally abandon the run again to try to appease him? Will they continue to lose games they should have won? Tune in next week for another edition of “As the Lombardi Trophy Turns.”  

No Waiver Targets This Week. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

Even if RB Jaylen Warren returns from their Bye week healthy, Gainwell will have a roll going forward. How long can Aaron Rodgers keep looking like the 35-year-old version of the Future Hall of Famer? 

Possible Waiver Addition: RB Kenneth Gainwell is worth a $50 bid and is available in 49% of FPPC leagues.  

San Francisco 49ers

Kendrick Bourne had a huge game, and while we don’t usually like to chase points in Fantasy Football, the uncertain health of the rest of their WR Room makes him worthy of a waiver wire bid, even when we know we won’t get 142 yards every week.  

Possible Waiver Addition: WR Bourne is worth a $50 bid and is available in 95% of FPPC leagues. 

Seattle Seahawks

Rookie WR Tory Horton now has TD receptions in 3 of the last four games despite playing fewer than 50% of the snaps in each game. He does have four targets in 3 of the previous four games, too, and should get more opportunities to play soon.  

Possible Waiver Addition: Rookie WR Tory Horton is worth a $50 bid in FPPC leagues and is available in 32% of leagues right now. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Rookie WR Emeka Egbuka is having the second-best five-game start in the MVP Index, to only Puka Nacua. If your favorite Fantasy Football analyst tells you he has trouble separating, you need to find yourself a new Fantasy Football analyst.  

Possible Waiver Addition: Another rookie WR, Tez Johnson, only saw 36% of the offensive snaps but had four targets. He is worth a $1 bid and stash and is available in 98% of FPPC leagues. 

Tennessee Titans

Cam Ward showed some signs of getting more comfortable in this offense, even though the resulting win needed lots of luck to happen.  

No Waiver Targets This Week. 

Washington Commanders

Zach Ertz only saw one target in a game where the Commanders were down their best WR and their best RB. The man they call “Wild Bill” showed why there was so much buzz about him in the preseason, and he should receive solid volume for the rest of the season.  

No Waiver Targets This Week. 

Wrapping It All Up: Based on $1000 FPPC FAAB

QB Dillon Gabriel $100 

RB Kimani Vidal $300

RB Michael Carter $300

RB Kendre Miller $75

RB Woody Marks $50 

RB Kenneth Gainwell $50 

RB Kyle Monangai $25 

RB DJ Giddens $10 

RB Isiah Davis $10 

RB Emmanuel Wilson $1 

WR Kendrick Bourne $50 

WR Malik Washington $45 

WR Isaiah Bond $40 

WR Jalin Hyatt $10 

WR Tez Johnson $1 

WR Jalen Coker $1

TE Darren Waller $125 

TE Theo Johnson $100