Though it might feel like the 2023 NFL season just opened, we are already at Week 5, and for fantasy football managers, it marks the beginning of the dreaded bye weeks.
Some weeks are worse than others, but overall, it is a time where we find ourselves scrambling at the last minute to fill a roster spot vacated by someone getting the mandated one-week vacation.
Every position takes a bit of a hit, but this week seems to be a tough spot for wide receivers, as the Chargers and Seahawks are loaded at the position, and it leaves us sifting through the bargain bin.
As you rummage through the waiver wideouts, you should first look to see if Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson is available.
He was considered a waiver-wire darling this week after he found the end zone twice in garbage-time against the 49ers last week, but he still could be available in some of the shallower formats.
Though Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore seem to get all the attention, Wilson has seen the second-most snaps of any receiver on the team and has the second-highest target-share at the position.
Brown and tight end Zach Ertz have seen stronger target-shares, but Wilson and quarterback Joshua Dobbs have forged an on-field rapport that appears ready to take off.
With the Bengals secondary in such shambles, Wilson is likely to see plenty of action this week.
Further down the bargain list brings us to Chiefs rookie receiver Rashee Rice.
Highly touted out of SMU, Rice was a player many fantasy managers drafted late, but watching Patrick Mahomes spread the ball around during the first two weeks had many dropping the rookie in search of greener pastures.
This week, you can make them regret that decision.
Over the past two weeks, Rice has seen his snap count rise to a 50 percent share, and he has seen 12 targets, second on the team only to Travis Kelce.
What has been even more exciting is the five red-zone targets he has seen in that span as well.
He almost scored twice in Week 3, being stopped just short of the goal-line in each instance, and he now appears to be one of Mahomes’ favorites on the field.
When you’re looking to replace assets such as Keenan Allen or DK Metcalf, it is important to look at which receivers are on the rise.
Wilson and Rice stand out the most right now, and both should be effective fill-ins for Week 5.
But keep a watchful eye on who is seeing a rise in both snaps and targets, as there are more assets on the way as the dreaded bye weeks continue.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to Fantasy-Alarm.com for all your fantasy football advice.