Falcons rookie running back Tyler Allgeier tops Spencer the Guru’s Week 5 waiver wire targets

Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier (25) runs the ball against the Cleveland Browns in the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

The injuries continued to pile up for fantasy football managers in Week 4, especially at the running back position with Javonte Williams being lost for the season.

There are also once again several key players questionable for Week 5 highlighted by the consensus No. 1 fantasy draft pick in Jonathan Taylor, so the waiver wire will once again be important for those who have uncertainty throughout their fantasy lineup.

We’ll break down the top players from each position along with a few alternate options in case your league mates steal the top recommendations.

Players must be rostered in less than 30% of ESPN leagues to make the list.

TOP PRIORITY

Tyler Allgeier, Falcons RB (16.8% rostered)

Javonte Williams wasn’t the only running back to suffer a serious injury, as Falcons starting running back Cordarrelle Patterson was placed on IR following a knee procedure, which opens up the backfield for the rookie Allgeier. While Patterson hasn’t been ruled out for the season, he’s set to miss at least the next month, which gives Allgeier plenty of time to establish himself as the lead runner and is a must-add considering how committed the Falcons have been to the run game.

TOP WIDE RECEIVER

Alec Pierce, Colts (7.6%)

Pierce has been solid the past two weeks since returning from a concussion and established himself as one of Matt Ryan’s more reliable targets despite being a rookie. With the Colts lacking in reliable wide receivers outside of Michael Pittman, look for Pierce to continue to stay involved and see more looks as the season goes on, so make sure to add him now before the mainstream catches on.

TOP QUARTERBACK

Teddy Bridgewater, Dolphins (0.2%)

The quarterback position is thin once again as far as finding dependable streaming options for fantasy, but Tua Tagovailoa’s injury opens the door for Bridgewater to take over one of the league’s most explosive offenses. There’s no timetable on Tagovailoa’s return, so it’s unknown how long Bridgewater will start, but he makes for a quality plug-and-play this week against an inexperienced Jets defense.

TOP TIGHT END

Daniel Bellinger, Giants (0.5%)

The tight end position is even worse than the quarterback position as far as finding quality fantasy options, but Bellinger is someone who has the potential to be fantasy relevant. He’s seen an increase in targets each week, and with the Giants lacking in reliable wide receivers, he should continue to see more looks and makes for a nice depth piece with the potential to start.

ALSO CONSIDER

Latavius Murray, Broncos RB (0.2%)

The Broncos signed Murray off the Saints practice squad yesterday, and while he might not be ready for this week against the Colts on Thursday, he’s worth an add considering he could take over the starting job at some point with neither Melvin Gordon or Mike Boone impressing when Javonte Williams went down.

Josh Reynolds, Lions WR (10.6%)

The Lions are among the most beat up teams in the league on offense, but this allowed Reynolds to be fantasy relevant as a go-to target in what’s become a pass heavy attack. While the Lions project to be healthier in Week 5, there should still be enough targets for Reynolds to remain in the flex mix.

DEEP LEAGUE DIVE

Deon Jackson, Colts RB (0.1%)

With Jonathan Taylor highly questionable for Thursday, Jackson is worth a speculative add in deep leagues since he projects to see most of the early down work if Taylor sits, as No. 2 running back Nyheim Hines is much better as a pass catcher on third downs as opposed to early downs.

Spencer ‘the Guru’ Urquhart (@spencertheguru) has been a fantasy football analyst since 2014, founding a community of over 6,000 followers on Instagram

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Spencer Urquhart

Spencer Urquhart is a sports betting reporter for The Advocate