With Week 4 of the 2021 NFL season in the books, it’s time to address the best Week 5 fantasy football streamers at the quarterback, tight end and defense/special teams positions.
Week 5 provides some intriguing options among the rookie quarterback group and two widely available tight ends who rank inside the top five at the position through four weeks.
Let’s dive into the best streaming options at each position ahead of Week 5.
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Quarterback
Justin Fields, Chicago Bears | 41% rostered
Fields looked a lot more comfortable this time around, even if the 7.2 fantasy-point performance may not seem all that impressive. The rookie needed just 17 passes to secure the win in Week 4, yet he still managed to surpass 200 passing yards and has built a clear connection with Darnell Mooney.
Week 5 doesn’t bring the easiest matchup, but opposing quarterbacks have beaten the Las Vegas Raiders for the fourth-most rushing yards this season. Fields should be able to utilize that part of his game more in this contest.
Raiders defense Weeks 1-3 (Pre-MNF)
| Team defense grade (Rank) | EPA allowed per play (Rank) | Fantasy points allowed | |
| Week 1 | 69.6 (7th) | -0.054 (14th) | 22.0 |
| Week 2 | 68.8 (8th) | -0.066 (11th) | 14.8 |
| Week 3 | 81.7 (2nd) | -0.019 (19th) | 18.3 |
Daniel Jones, New York Giants | 31% rostered
The Giants haven’t looked great as a team, but Jones is having a much better experience in fantasy football land. Through four weeks, Jones ranks sixth at the position. Much of that production stems from his mobility, but that’s why he should be one of the premier streaming options moving forward. The Dallas Cowboys are up next, and they’ve allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to the quarterback position.
Trey Lance, San Francisco 49ers | 31% rostered
Lance is a risky option since we still don't know if he'll start at quarterback this week. Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a lower-leg injury and gave way to Lance in Week 4, but Garoppolo’s performance has been hit-or-miss this season. It’s not fair to judge Lance on one game in which he was tossed to the wolves, yet he still threw for 157 yards and two touchdowns, rushing for 41 additional yards. Prepare to spend a lot for Lance in FAB — he’s expected to be one of the most popular waiver wire adds this week.
DEEBO IS WIDE OPEN.
Trey Lance finds him for the 76-yard TD! #FTTB
????: #SEAvsSF on FOX
????: NFL app pic.twitter.com/9BRzRkYRNU— NFL (@NFL) October 3, 2021
Tight End
Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills | 47% rostered
Fantasy managers often worry too much about matchups, but sometimes they need to prioritize players who are simply performing well regardless of the opponent. Over the past two weeks, Knox has scored three touchdowns and registered a 16.7% target share on an explosive Bills offense. The matchup also happens to be a great opportunity for Knox to build on — the Kansas City Chiefs have given up 348 yards to tight ends through four weeks, worst in the league.
Austin Hooper, Cleveland Browns | 45% rostered
The Browns are undergoing a transition on offense and have not played well in recent weeks. Still, someone needs to step up in their receiving room, and Hooper has a decent 12.3% target share over the past two weeks. Unfortunately for him, it’s only resulted in 30 receiving yards and one touchdown, but the good news is the Los Angeles Chargers have conceded the fifth-most points to opposing tight ends. That could be the route the Browns take to fielding a more successful offense in Week 5.
Chargers defense vs. tight ends Weeks 1-3 (Pre-MNF)
| Fantasy points allowed (Rank) | |
| Week 1 | 12.0 (14th) |
| Week 2 | 10.5 (15th) |
| Week 3 | 29.2 (2nd) |
Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboys | 33% rostered
There is no reason why Schultz should be a free agent in most fantasy football leagues, but picking him off the waiver wire is free money. There are only two tight ends in the league with more fantasy points than Schultz’s 58.1. He leads a potent offense with three touchdowns over his past two contests and has registered a 30.2% target share, far and away the largest on the team. Schultz is a must-start in all formats moving forward.
Dalton Schultz's target shares by week:
1: 10.5%
2: 7.4%
3: 28.0%
4: 36.4%— JJ Zachariason (@LateRoundQB) October 4, 2021
Defense/Special Teams
New England Patriots D/ST | 59% rostered
The Patriots defense currently ranks just inside the top 12 in scoring, which begs the question: Why are they still this widely available? Week 5 provides a sweet matchup against a Texans team that just cannot compete from a talent perspective. Houston is tied for the league-lead in interceptions thrown (four) and has allowed seven sacks, all of which happened in the past two weeks.
Related content for you: NFL Week 5 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets: All league sizes & scoring types via Andrew Erickson
Dallas Cowboys D/ST | 21% rostered
The Cowboys quietly continue to impress on this side of the ball — they are the sixth-highest-scoring defense through four games. Cornerback Trevon Diggs seems hell-bent on continuing his impressive interception streak.
The Cowboys have a decent matchup against the Giants in Week 5, and even though the offense has avoided crucial mistakes, it isn't particularly high-powered. This defense has a rock-solid floor in this contest, even if it doesn't have the highest ceiling.
Atlanta Falcons D/ST | 2% rostered
There clearly aren’t a ton of intriguing D/ST options on the waiver wire if the Falcons are being considered, but we have to play the matchups here. Atlanta certainly has an intriguing setup against the New York Jets in Week 5. The Jets got on track with their first win of the season this past week but still lead the NFL with eight interceptions and have surrendered 18 sacks. Even the Falcons can take advantage of this type of matchup.
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