Fantasy football: Olave, Waddle among must-start wide receivers for Week 5

MIAMI, Oct. 4 (UPI) -- Chris Olave and Jaylen Waddle are among my must-start wide receivers for Week 5 of the 2022 fantasy football season.

Each of my must-start pass catchers ranks inside the top 42 of my rankings, which means they should be in lineups for leagues with at least 14 teams that can start up to three wide receivers.

Buffalo Bills star Stefon Diggs is the top player in my overall Top 50 wide receiver rankings for Week 4. Mike Evans, Davante Adams, Ja'Marr Chase and A.J. Brown also are in my Top 5.

Cooper Kupp, Deebo Samuel, Mike Williams, Marquise Brown and Justin Jefferson are among my Top 10 options and should be in every starting lineup.

Marquise Brown

Brown is a Top 10 fantasy football wide receiver, on a points-per-game basis. The Arizona Cardinals pass catcher trails only Kupp and Adams in targets, with 45 through four games.

Brown went off for six catches for 88 yards and a score in Week 4. He also caught 14 passes for 140 yards in Week 3.

Look for Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray to target Brown at least 10 times again this week when they face the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles allowed the second-most targets to wide receivers through four weeks. I also expect this game to be a shootout, with Murray scrambling out of the pocket for big plays with an eye on Brown.

The Cardinals wide receiver is my No. 9 option and should stay in lineups until he proves he isn't a worthy starter.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (L) is one of the most-explosive rookie playmakers so far this season. File Photo by AJ Sisco/UPI.

Chris Olave

Olave is my No. 11 option for Week 5. The rookie continues to provide WR1 production despite inconsistency from New Orleans Saints quarterbacks.

Olave scored his first touchdown of the season in Week 4. He logged 147 yards on nine catches in Week 3. The explosive pass catcher should see continued involvement in the Saints offense for the rest of the season.

He is inside the Top 20 among wide receivers in fantasy points per game through four weeks. This week, the Saints will battle the Seattle Seahawks.

The Seahawks allowed 378 yards and four touchdowns from Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff last week.

Look for either Jameis Winston or Andy Dalton to be productive this week, regardless of who starts at quarterback for the Saints. Either veteran quarterback is capable of totaling at least 200 passing yards and finding the end zone twice, using Olave as their top target.

Start the rookie as a low-end WR1.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle is a Top 10 fantasy football option so far this season. File Photo by David Tulis/UPI

Jaylen Waddle

Waddle is my No. 14 option for Week 5 and is higher than teammate Tyreek Hill in my weekly wide receiver rankings. Hill leads the Miami Dolphins with 10.8 targets per game this season, which ranks fourth in the NFL. Waddle isn't far behind, with 8.8 looks per game.

Teddy Bridgewater will start for the Dolphins this week as starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa remains in the concussion protocol. Most of Hill's great play this season has come with Tagovailoa at quarterback. I expect Bridgewater to run a little more conservative of an offense, allowing Hill and Waddle to catch short passes and exploit defenses with runs after the catch.

Waddle ranks inside the Top 10 among wide receivers for fantasy points per game. He outscored Hill in two of his four starts this season. Look for the Dolphins playmaker to total at least 10 targets, with eight catches for 80 yards and a score Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J.

Waddle can be plugged in as a WR1 or WR2.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup scored in his 2022 debut last week against the Washington Commanders. File Photo by David Tulis/UPI

Michael Gallup

Gallup made his 2022 debut in Week 4 and totaled two catches for 24 yards and a score. This week, the Dallas Cowboys will battle the Los Angeles Rams.

The Rams allowed the third-most fantasy points to wide receivers through four weeks. I also expect the Rams to line up star cornerback Jalen Ramsey on CeeDee Lamb for most of this game, which should result in more targets for Gallup.

Look for the Rams and Cowboys to air it out Sunday in Inglewood, Calif. Gallup should eclipse 75 receiving yards and has a great chance to find the end zone for the second consecutive game.

The Cowboys wide receiver was one of my top waiver-wire targets and is my No. 17 option for Week 5.

Josh Reynolds

Reynolds also was one of my top waiver-wire targets for Week 5. The Lions pass catcher was a Top 12 fantasy football option in Week 4, when he received increased work due to fellow wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown's injury absence.

He should continue to get work even if St. Brown returns to the lineup.

Reynolds totaled 96 yards in Week 3 and turned in an 81-yard, one-touchdown performance in Week 4. I expect similar statistics this week against the New England Patriots, who just allowed 116 yards to Green Bay Packers wide receiver Allen Lazard.

Reynolds is my No. 28 play for Week 5 and can be plugged in as a WR3.

Week 5 fantasy football wide receiver rankings

1. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills vs. PIT

2. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. ATL

3. Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders at KC

4. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals at BAL

5. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles at ARI

6. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams vs. DAL

7. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers at CAR

8. Mike Williams, Los Angeles Chargers at CLE

9. Marquise Brown, Arizona Cardinals vs. PHI

10. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings vs. CHI

11. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints vs. SEA

12. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. ATL

13. Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings vs. CHI

14. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins at NYJ

15. DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks at NO

16. Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns vs. LAC

17. Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys at LAR

18. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals at BAL

19. Brandin Cooks, Houston Texans at JAX

20. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons at TB

21. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins at NYJ

22. Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. HOU

23. Robert Woods, Tennessee Titans at WAS

24. Gabriel Davis, Buffalo Bills vs. PIT

25. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kansas City Chiefs vs. LV

26. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys at LAR

27. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks at NO

28. Josh Reynolds, Detroit Lions at NE

29. Curtis Samuel, Washington Commanders vs. TEN

30. Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers vs. NYG

31. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles at ARI

32. D.J. Moore, Carolina Panthers vs. SF

33. Garrett Wilson, New York Jets vs. MIA

34. Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers vs. NYG

35. DeVante Parker, New England Patriots vs. DET

36. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders vs. TEN

37. Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers at CAR

38. Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals at BAL

39. Isaiah McKenzie, Buffalo Bills vs. PIT

40. Richie James, New York Giants at GB

41. Elijah Moore, New York Jets vs. MIA

42. George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers at BUF

43. Rondale Moore, Arizona Cardinals vs. PHI

44. Allen Robinson, Los Angeles Rams vs. DAL

45. Russell Gage, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. ATL

46. Josh Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers at CLE

47. Devin Duvernay, Baltimore Ravens vs. CIN

48. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kansas City Chiefs vs. LV

49. Hunter Renfrow, Las Vegas Raiders at KC

50. Noah Brown, Dallas Cowboys at LAR