The injury list continues to grow, which means the waiver wire will remain active. And now we have two teams on a bye in Week 5 with Kansas City and Carolina.

The new ailments to monitor coming out of Week 4 include Lamar Jackson (ankle), Jeremiyah Love (ankle), Saquon Barkley (hamstring), Kyle Monangai (thumb), Ja’Marr Chase (concussion), Tee Higgins (groin), Rashee Rice (hamstring), Tyquan Thornton (ankle), D.J. Moore (shoulder) and Ladd McConkey (foot), among others. It’s so bad that even backups are getting hurt with Tank Bigsby (abdomen) out in Philadelphia.

We have a lot to cover with the injury replacements, and the best player to add this week might not even be on an NFL team yet, in Tyreek Hill. There are also some players to add who are playing well without an injury, and we’ll have our usual streamers at quarterback, tight end, DST and kicker.

Editor’s note: For this waiver wire column, we are only looking at players rostered in less than 65 percent of CBS Sports leagues.

Week 5 Waivers

On a bye: Patrick Mahomes and Bryce Young

Injuries: Lamar Jackson (ankle), Baker Mayfield (thumb), Caleb Williams (hamstring), Jayden Daniels (elbow) and Marcus Mariota (knee)

Check to see if available in shallow leagues: C.J. Stroud (80 percent rostered) and Sam Darnold (79 percent). Stroud has played two games with Nico Collins this season and is averaging 23.8 Fantasy points in those outings. This week, he faces the Titans, and he scored at least 19.7 Fantasy points in his last two full games against Tennessee going back to 2024. … Darnold only scored 17.3 Fantasy points in Week 4 against the Chargers, but he now has 547 passing yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions in his past two games. He doesn’t have an easy upcoming schedule against San Francisco, Denver, Kansas City and Chicago in his next four games, but Darnold is still worth using as a low-end starter in all leagues. 

Drop candidates: Bo Nix (83 percent rostered), Justin Herbert (83 percent) and Kyler Murray (80 percent). Nix has scored more than 20 Fantasy points just once this season, and his rushing production has disappeared with only 25 yards in four games. It’s hard to trust him in one-quarterback leagues heading into Week 5 at the Chargers, and then he faces Seattle in Week 6. … Herbert’s season-high is 15.3 Fantasy points in Week 1. He might not have Ladd McConkey (foot), Joe Alt (neck) or Rashawn Slater (ankle) heading into Week 5 against Denver. Herbert then faces Kansas City in Week 6 before a bye in Week 7. He is not worth keeping on your roster in one-quarterback leagues. … It’s probably not fair to judge Murray without seeing him play a full game with Justin Jefferson (ankle). Still, Murray is averaging just 11.9 Fantasy points in his past two games against Tampa Bay and Miami. Jefferson could return in Week 5 at New Orleans, but the Vikings also have a bye in Week 6. It’s OK to drop Murray in one-quarterback leagues for now.

Add in this order: 

Week 5 Waiver Priority List

WAIVER WIRE

Running Backs

On a bye: Kenneth Walker III, Emmett Johnson and Chuba Hubbard

Injuries: Saquon Barkley (hamstring), Tank Bigsby (abdomen), Jeremiyah Love (ankle), Breece Hall (quadriceps), Kyle Monangai (thumb), Travis Etienne (hamstring), Jadarian Price (chest), Rico Dowdle (toe), Jonathon Brooks (groin), Jordan Mason (thumb), Rachaad White (shoulder), Christopher Brooks (ankle), Jonah Coleman (ankle), Zach Charbonnet (knee), Dylan Sampson (knee), Isiah Pacheco (back), Jaylen Wright (neck) and James Conner (foot)

Check to see if available in shallow leagues: Alvin Kamara (83 percent rostered), Zach Charbonnet (82 percent), Kaelon Black (82 percent), Jordan Mason (79 percent), Mike Washington Jr. (79 percent), Ollie Gordon II (78 percent) and Woody Marks (73 percent). Kamara had a big Fantasy game in Week 4 against Atlanta in the first game without Etienne, with seven carries for 23 yards and five catches for 35 yards on seven targets. Kendre Miller also fumbled, so Kamara should be the lead Saints running back heading into Week 5 against Minnesota. … Charbonnet isn’t expected to play in Week 5, but he could make his 2026 debut soon. We’ll see what happens with his role in tandem with Emanuel Wilson, and then, once Price is healthy and potentially Joe Mixon, who was signed to the practice squad, is healthy. It could be a crowded backfield in Seattle, but Charbonnet should have a valuable role in his return from last year’s torn ACL. … Black and Washington are lottery tickets to stash in all leagues. If an injury occurred to Christian McCaffrey or Ashton Jeanty, then Black or Washington would be must-start Fantasy running backs in all leagues. … Mason has to miss one more game on injured reserve, and Minnesota has a bye in Week 6, so he can’t return to action until Week 7. When healthy, we’ll see what kind of role he has in tandem with Aaron Jones, but Mason should help the Vikings and Fantasy managers. He’s worth stashing in all leagues where available, especially if you have an IR spot. … Gordon was Miami’s best running back in the first game without De’Von Achane in Week 4 at Minnesota with nine carries for 100 yards and a touchdown and two catches for no yards on two targets. We’ll see what happens moving forward in tandem with Jaylen Wright, but Gordon should be added in all leagues where available. … Marks has scored a touchdown in each of his past two games, and ESPN reported prior to Week 4 against Dallas that he should start getting more work over David Montgomery. We’ll see if that happens, but Marks is worth using as a flex option in tandem with Montgomery heading into Week 5 at Tennessee and should be added in all leagues.

Drop candidates: Rico Dowdle (83 percent rostered), Rachaad White (74 percent) and Tyjae Spears (47 percent). Steelers coach Mike McCarthy said Dowdle could return in Week 5 against Indianapolis after missing the past two games. However, it’s hard to envision him having a prominent role after the way Jaylen Warren played against Cincinnati and Cleveland. You can stash Dowdle as a handcuff, but Warren should remain Pittsburgh’s best running for the foreseeable future. … White missed Week 4 against the Colts in London, but he could return to practice ahead of Week 5 against the Giants. We’ll see what happens with his role in tandem with Jacory Croskey-Merritt, but the Commanders also have Austin Ekeler now in the mix. I’ll feel better about White if he plays against the Giants, but if he remains out of practice, then you can drop him in most formats. … Spears is playing through an ankle injury in the past two games, and he has struggled with his production with a combined five carries for 12 yards and no touchdowns and one catch for minus-1 yard on one target. He has limited Fantasy appeal when healthy while playing behind Tony Pollard, and you can drop Spears in the majority of leagues.

Add in this order:

Week 5 Waiver Priority List

Handcuffs to stash: These are handcuffs to stash on your bench if you have an open roster spot. They could be league winners if the starter ever got hurt, but these running backs mostly have minimal Fantasy value as backups. They are listed in the order that I want to stash them on my bench.

Emmett Johnson – 63 percent rostered
Chris Rodriguez Jr. – 54 percent rostered
Tyler Goodson – 2 percent rostered
Seth McGowan – 7 percent rostered
Samaje Perine – 12 percent rostered
Justice Hill – 19 percent rostered
Najee Harris – 19 percent rostered
Ty Johnson – 6 percent rostered
Kimani Vidal – 6 percent rostered

On a bye: Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker

Injuries: Ja’Marr Chase (concussion), Tee Higgins (groin), Rashee Rice (hamstring), Tyquan Thornton (ankle), D.J. Moore (shoulder), DeVonta Smith (hamstring), Ladd McConkey (foot), Terry McLaurin (hamstring), Keenan Allen (groin), Justin Jefferson (ankle), Jalen Coker (quadriceps), A.J. Brown (ankle), Alec Pierce (heel), Caleb Douglas (ankle), Adonai Mitchell (finger), Mack Hollins (calf), Jalen Nailor (concussion), Pat Bryant (ankle), De’Zhaun Stribling (ankle), Ja’Kobi Lane (wrist), Jordyn Tyson (hamstring), Tank Dell (knee), Jalen McMillan (knee) and Omar Cooper Jr. (ankle)

Check to see if available in shallow leagues: Devaughn Vele (78 percent rostered), Tre Tucker (74 percent), Xavier Worthy (74 percent), Wan’Dale Robinson (72 percent) and Romeo Doubs (70 percent). Vele had a solid game in Week 4 against Atlanta with six catches for 54 yards and a touchdown on nine targets, and he scored 17.4 PPR points. He now has at least 11.4 PPR points in three of four games this season, and he should be considered a high-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver moving forward until Tyson is healthy. … Tucker only has one productive game this season, which was Week 2 at the Chargers with 22.9 PPR points. Otherwise, he has combined for 21.4 PPR points in his other three games. That said, he just had eight targets in Week 4 against Kansas City and is worth stashing in all leagues. 

The Chiefs lost Rice and Thornton in Week 4 at Las Vegas, and Thornton will miss most of the season. Kansas City is on a bye in Week 5, and Rice could return in Week 6. The Chiefs could also sign Tyreek Hill, so keep that in mind. But Worthy is still worth adding in all leagues, and he had four catches for 70 yards on seven targets against the Raiders. Worthy could be the No. 1 receiver for Patrick Mahomes in Week 6 if Rice is out, even if Hill is on the roster by then. … Robinson has 16 targets in his past two games against the Giants and Ravens for 10 catches, 76 yards and two touchdowns. He could be a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in deeper leagues heading into Week 5 against the Texans, who are No. 1 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. … Doubs had his best game of the season in Week 4 at Buffalo with six catches for 58 yards and two touchdowns on nine targets. Hopefully, that’s a sign of things to come, at least until Brown is healthy. Doubs should be added in all leagues where available, and he should be considered a high-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver against the Raiders in Week 5.

Drop candidates: Marvin Harrison Jr. (84 percent rostered), Brian Thomas Jr. (80 percent), Chris Godwin (80 percent), Rashod Bateman (67 percent) and Michael Pittman (65 percent). Harrison caught a touchdown in Week 4 at the Giants, but it was his lone catch for 12 yards on four targets. He now has five catches for 85 yards and one touchdown for the season on 13 targets. … Thomas caught a touchdown in Week 4 at Cincinnati, but he finished with just two catches for 17 yards on two targets. He now has nine catches for 105 yards and one touchdown for the season on 15 targets. … Godwin had his best game of the season in Week 4 against Green Bay with six catches for 31 yards on seven targets, and he scored 9.1 PPR points. That should tell you what kind of season Godwin is having, and he’s not worth trusting with Baker Mayfield (thumb) out. … In three games with Zay Flowers healthy, Bateman has combined for four catches for 83 yards and no touchdowns on six targets. He is only worth using if Flowers were to miss any time. Aaron Rodgers doesn’t appear fond of Pittman, who has four catches for 31 yards and no touchdowns on nine targets in his past two games. He’s behind DK Metcalf and Roman Wilson, and it’s safe to drop Pittman in the majority of leagues.

Add in this order:

Week 5 Waiver Priority List

On a bye: Travis Kelce and Darren Waller

Injuries: Dallas Goedert (knee), Terrance Ferguson (ankle), Colby Parkinson (shoulder), David Njoku (leg), Charlie Kolar (forearm), Mason Taylor (thumb) and Eli Raridon (thigh)

Check to see if available in shallow leagues: Mark Andrews (82 percent rostered), Kenyon Sadiq (79 percent) and Jake Ferguson (79 percent). Andrews scored his first touchdown of the season in Week 4 against Tennessee and finished with five catches for 27 yards on six targets. He should have had another touchdown, but Lamar Jackson overthrew him. We don’t know how long Jackson (ankle) will be out. Hopefully, Tyler Huntley will continue to lean on Andrews, who has scored at least 10.9 PPR points in two of his past three games. … Sadiq had no catches on four targets in Week 4 at Chicago, but I still want to roster him in the majority of leagues. He scored 23.5 PPR points in Week 3 at Detroit, and I like his matchup in Week 5 against the Browns, who have allowed four tight ends to score at least 10.1 PPR points this season. … Ferguson has the chance to make plays against Tampa Bay in Week 5 since the Buccaneers will be without safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (ribs). Tampa Bay has also allowed three tight ends to score at least 10.4 PPR points this season, and Ferguson has three touchdowns on the year.

Drop candidates: Dalton Schultz (84 percent rostered) and Darren Waller (56 percent). Schultz will have plenty of positive moments this season, but he’s struggled so far in two games with Nico Collins, combining for six catches for 44 yards in 10 targets in those two outings. Overall, Schultz has scored 7.5 PPR points or less in three of four games this year. You can find other streaming options instead of Schultz on the waiver wire heading into Week 5. … Waller was a disappointment in Week 4 against Detroit with three catches for 36 yards on six targets. I had higher expectations for him since the Lions were No. 1 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends, as well as Jalen Coker (quadriceps) being out. Waller can still be a streaming option this season, but the Panthers are on bye in Week 5, so you can cut Waller in most formats.

Add in this order:

Week 5 Waiver Priority List

DST streamersJaguars (58 percent rostered) vs. PHI Cowboys (17 percent rostered) vs. TB Bengals (36 percent rostered) at MIA Browns (32 percent rostered) at NYJKicker streamers