Week 5 Fantasy Football FAAB: Which Players are Worth Spending Big On?

It's FAAB time again. Outside of that one lineup decision that you take down to the wire every week, FAAB bidding is the most stressful time of the fantasy football week for those who play in such leagues. Sure, you want to get players who will help your team along the way, but what if you spend too much and eventually miss out on the savior your team needs in Week 8? That's the game of Russian roulette we play in this type of league, though.

Let's look at two of the top names on the waiver wire at each offensive fantasy position heading into Week 5 and what reasonable FAAB bids look like. Your numbers might be different given your budget and roster needs, but this is a good starting point for most fantasy owners Most stats are from NFL.com, and fantasy points and rankings are from FantasyPros.

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Quarterback

Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders

Heading into the season, Cousins seemed like an aged placeholder who was going to play some games for a wallowing franchise before inevitably handing off to top overall pick Fernando Mendoza when the Raiders got off to a poor start.

Instead, Las Vegas is 3-1 and could easily be 4-0 after a valiant effort against the Chiefs on Sunday. Cousins is averaging over 250 passing yards per game with multiple touchdowns in each contest. His ceiling will always be a little lower because he's not going to run the ball, but Cousins has proven that he can put up fantasy points in this offense, and he is a solid option to consider when the matchup is right, though his string of tougher opponents continues with the Patriots in Week 5.

Recommended Bid: $1-2

Jalon Daniels, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

An undrafted rookie out of Kansas, Daniels surprisingly won the backup job in Tampa Bay in preseason and was thrust into duty after Baker Mayfield suffered a thumb injury late last week. Mayfield could be out another month, giving Daniels time to prove himself both to Bucs management and fantasy owners.

The biggest thing he does for our purposes is run the ball, as Daniels picked up 55 yards on the ground on Sunday. He struggled throwing, averaging just 5.5 yards per attempt on the way to 148 total, and that will likely be the story moving forward. Picking up Daniels is a bet that his legs are going to do enough to make him relevant in fantasy.

There's a chance that he could excel in Week 5, as Tampa faces the Cowboys, who harbor one of the worst pass defenses in football (a problem that stretches back to last season). I don't want to count on him often, and Mayfield's eventual return will push Daniels back to the bench, but he is at least a one-week, low-level streamer if you need someone to fill in for Patrick Mahomes or Bryce Young on bye.

Recommended Bid: $1

Running Back

Tyler Allgeier, Arizona Cardinals

Split backfields will forever be the bane of every fantasy football owner. Jeremiyah Love was drafted third overall, a spot that should surely make him the unquestioned lead back, right? Well, Allgeier keeps getting touches, and he turned one of his 10 opportunities (including eight carries) into a 22-yard touchdown, putting him back on our radar.

Allgeier was more heavily owned previously, but his ownership fell to under 50% before Week 4. With byes kicking in, owners are going to be looking for value anywhere they can find it, and Allgeier will at least be involved in this offense, even if he's not the top dog.

I can't recommend placing a huge bid, but it's worth throwing a few dollars Allgeier's way if you have a need at RB. He will be the unquestioned leader in the backfield if Love were to suffer an injury, so Allgeier could be worth a bench spot, especially if you're in a deeper league.

Recommended Bid: $2-3

Brian Robinson, Atlanta Falcons

Robinson exploded on Monday Night Football, running for three touchdowns as the Falcons manhandled the Saints 45-24. Bijan Robinson owners surely weren't happy with that outburst, even as Bijan had 145 yards and two touchdowns of his own on the ground, but Brian showed that he can still make a big difference behind his more notable teammate.

Brian has about half the carries and one-third the receptions that Bijan does; he's not going to be as heavily involved in close games. Atlanta's offense has been humming over the past few weeks, though, and that leaves Brian with the chance to get on the field and be productive with his touches. This is another guy who is worth a look for your bench as both a handcuff and a guy who could have flex value in the best matchups.

Recommended Bid: $2-3

Wide Receiver

Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills

Every time D.J. Moore goes down, Coleman emerges with a big performance. It happened in Week 2, when Coleman had six catches and 63 yards, and that came back on a larger scale on Sunday, when Moore aggravated his shoulder injury and left Coleman to lead the team with 116 yards and a touchdown on six more receptions.

Moore isn't expected to be out long term, but Coleman's performance in his absence has to catch the attention of Buffalo's coaches and quarterback Josh Allen. He was an early second-round pick for a reason; Coleman has talent. There have been plenty of starts and stops early in his career, but the young receiver has shown this season that he can make an impact when given a chance.

I still don't want to count on Coleman to be that consistent force, though, so I can't recommend spending big FAAB money on him, especially at the most abundant fantasy position. It's worth taking a shot if you're short at WR, but don't expect Coleman to keep putting up 100-yard games, especially when Moore is back in the lineup.

Recommended Bid: $1-3

Roman Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers

Who did you think would lead Pittsburgh's receiving corps this year? Would it be DK Metcalf, the guy who was acquired for a second-round pick and given a big contract? Or would it be Michael Pittman, the former top man in Indianapolis who put together a number of big seasons before joining the Steelers this offseason?

Well, if you said Wilson instead, you'd be partly correct. Metcalf leads the team in yards and receptions after a big game Thursday night, but Wilson is close in both categories while tying for the team lead in touchdowns with two, one more than Metcalf. Wilson has had back-to-back productive games, racking up 60 yards and a touchdown last week before 74 and another score on Thursday.

The main problem is opportunity, as Wilson has to share targets with his two more notable teammates. He still could emerge as a strong option, but in a passing attack that might struggle in tougher matchups, opportunities could be limited at times. Wilson is fine on your bench as a guy to consider, but I don't want to count on him weekly.

Recommended Bid: $3-5

Tight End

Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals

Gesicki has now scored a touchdown in three of the four weeks, averaging more than 50 yards in those three contests. He was shut out in the fourth game (Week 2 against Houston), but why focus on the details, right? There is a low floor with Gesicki, but he has found success over the first month of the season.

With Ja'Marr Chase's status questionable after suffering a concussion on Sunday, Gesicki could be in line for a few more looks in the meantime. Week 5 brings a fantastic matchup against the Dolphis before Cincinnati goes on bye, so Gesicki is a strong one-week streamer before you have to find another option for Week 6. That's worth a few bucks if you need someone to fill in for Travis Kelce or just steal a week at a tough fantasy position to fill.

Recommended Bid: $1-2

T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings

Hockenson had by far his best game against those sieve-like Dolphins on Sunday, catching all 13 of his targets for 119 yards. More than just his season-best week, I'm interested in Hockenson because of his upcoming schedule. The Vikings face the Saints, Colts, and Lions (with a bye mixed in) over their next three games, teams that all rank average or worse in yards per pass attempt allowed and fantasy points given up to tight ends.

We have seen Hockenson struggle with some lows to go along with a few big games in Minnesota, so I'm not ready to expect his best level of play to return. With things in his favor, though, there are much worse options than grabbing a guy who will have a positive outlook over the rest of October (other than that Week 6 bye).

Recommended Bid: $2-5