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Week 5 waiver-wire pickups and fantasy targets

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 1: Latavius Murray #25 of the Minnesota Vikings carries the ball in the second half of the game against the Detroit Lions on October 1, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)

Injuries have struck yet again, which makes for a busy week on the wire. We’ll likely see some big spending at running back, but it’s still a good time to churn your bench and stash upside at both running back and wide receiver. There are plenty of options in this week’s column who fit the bill.

Remember, we cast a wide net every week in our waiver wire advice. Below you’ll see recommendations for shallow, regular, and deep leagues. Players are listed in order of priority and the suggested auction budget percentage is in parenthesis.

Keep in mind that some leagues may be more aggressive or conservative in terms of bidding, so know your league tendencies. Regardless of the size of your league, it’s suggested that you work your way down the list and prioritize the top players in your waiver claims for this week.

Shallow leagues (8-10 teams)

Quarterback

Deshaun Watson, HOU (20-40%) — He topped all quarterbacks in fantasy scoring last week and is now an every-week QB2 with QB1 upside.

Running back

Alvin Kamara, NO (25-50%) — Kamara seems to have passed Adrian Peterson in the pecking order after he posted 96 total yards and a score on 15 touches last week. He's still widely available and needs to be owned.

Latavius Murray, MIN (20-40%) — With Dalvin Cook out for the season, Murray figures to slide in as the lead back for the Vikings.

Wide receiver

Will Fuller, HOU (15-30%) — Fuller scored twice in his return game and is this week's top wide receiver add. He'll benefit from Deshaun Watson's continued improvement.

Tight end

Charles Clay, BUF (15-30%) — Still widely available, Clay is locked in as a TE1 option, especially with Jordan Matthews slated to miss the next month.

Evan Engram, NYG (15-30%) — The rookie saw 10 targets in Week 4 and can now be considered a back-end TE1 option.

Regular leagues (12 teams)

Quarterback

Cam Newton, CAR (20-40%) — If he was dropped, Newton should be scooped up after getting back on track with a big week against the Patriots.

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