2026 Week 5 Fantasy Football Bye Week Alert: Panthers and Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers are both on bye in Week 5. That's a lot of fantasy-relevant names going dark at the same time, so get ahead of it now while the waiver wire still has depth.

Players on bye

Kansas City Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes (projected 305.8 PPR points per FantasyPros) is the most painful loss — he's the top-projected QB in these rankings by a comfortable margin. Kenneth Walker is a high-end RB1 (234.4 projected PPR points) who's been the focal point of the Chiefs' ground game since Week 1. Rashee Rice (224.2 projected) and Xavier Worthy (136.0 projected) are the key pass-catchers to cover. Travis Kelce (148.0 projected) rounds out the tier-one headaches. Emmett Johnson and Brashard Smith are depth backs with minimal projections; you probably aren't starting them, but note they're out too.

Carolina Panthers

Tetairoa McMillan is Carolina's top receiver by projection (182.7 PPR points) and has already topped 100 yards twice this season per Week 2 recap coverage. Bryce Young (253.5 projected) is a mid-QB1 you'll need to replace for a week. Chuba Hubbard (158.7 projected) is the backfield name to cover. Jalen Coker is listed as questionable and carries the lower projection here (116.6), while Xavier Legette is also questionable after sitting out Week 3 with a knee injury. Darren Waller scored twice in Week 2 and is a legit TE streamer in his own right — you'll miss him.

Streaming options

Availability varies by league size and format — check your waiver wire and cross-reference with what's actually open in your league before committing to any of these names.

QB

Jacoby Brissett

Detroit ranks 1st out of 32 teams in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks this season — the single best matchup on the board this week. Brissett carries a 238.8 full-season projected PPR total, nearly matching Mahomes owners' loss. If he's available, he's your Week 5 QB1 streamer.

Aaron Rodgers

Indianapolis ranks 3rd in QB points allowed, making this another smash spot. Rodgers posted 234.1 PPR points last season in 16 games and projects at 230.1 this year — he's not a flier, he's a proven commodity in a great spot.

Geno Smith

Cleveland ranks 9th in QB points allowed, a solid but not elite matchup. The real signal here is the add count: 70,524 Sleeper adds in the last 48 hours. Real managers are already moving on Smith, and the Raiders are reportedly off to their best start in years. Don't wait.

WR

Calvin Ridley

Houston ranks 1st in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers — there is no better matchup available at the position this week. Ridley's 2026 projection sits at 120.7 PPR points, and this is the spot to lock him in if he's on your wire.

Kayshon Boutte

Tennessee ranks 10th in WR points allowed, a favorable draw. Boutte totaled 124.1 PPR points last season in 14 games and projects at 113.0 this year — he has the usage history to make this matchup pay off.

TE

Pat Freiermuth

Indianapolis ranks 3rd in tight end points allowed, and Freiermuth is the class of this group — 103.9 projected PPR points and 113.6 actual points last season in 17 games. He's been showing up in Week 4 waiver wire coverage as a legitimate target, not just a name to fill a slot.

Greg Dulcich

Cincinnati ranks 4th in TE points allowed. Dulcich projects at 109.7 PPR points this season and is featured in multiple Week 4 waiver wire articles as a must-add. Strong matchup, real production upside.

Darnell Washington

Also facing Indianapolis (3rd in TE points allowed), Washington offers a safer floor — 73.4 actual PPR points last season, 68.2 projected this year. A solid pivot if Freiermuth is already rostered in your league.

Mike Gesicki

Miami ranks 9th in TE points allowed. Gesicki projects at 88.1 PPR points and has topped 70 actual points in each of the last two seasons — he's a reliable high-floor option if the top names are gone.

Evan Engram

Los Angeles Chargers rank 10th in TE points allowed. Engram had a strong 2025 (102.8 PPR points in 16 games) and projects at 83.5 this year. He's a name you'd feel comfortable starting in a pinch.

K

Chris Boswell

Indianapolis ranks 2nd in kicker points allowed — the second-best kicker matchup of the week. Boswell is one of the most productive kickers in the league (144.0 actual PPR points in 2025, 118.3 projected this year). Plug him in.

Jason Sanders

Cleveland ranks 3rd in kicker points allowed. Sanders projects at 117.5 points for the season and draws a very favorable draw here.

Blake Grupe

Also facing Cleveland (3rd in kicker points allowed), Grupe posted 121.0 actual points last season and projects at 111.7 this year. If Sanders is taken, Grupe is just as viable in the same matchup.

Joey Slye

Houston ranks 4th in kicker points allowed. Slye put up 127.0 actual PPR points last season in 16 games and projects at 113.9 this year — a legitimate streamer against a kicker-friendly defense.

Wil Lutz

Los Angeles Chargers rank 5th in kicker points allowed. Lutz is one of the more consistent streamers available (130.0 actual points in 2025, 128.5 projected), and this matchup backs that up.

RB

Samaje Perine

Miami ranks 4th in RB points allowed — a strong matchup for a back with legitimate PPR upside. Perine has produced 77.9 actual PPR points in each of the last two seasons and carries exactly that projection in 2026. Reliable floor, real ceiling.

Chris Brooks

Chicago ranks 8th in RB points allowed, a solid spot. Brooks projects at 75.1 PPR points and has appeared in multiple Week 4 waiver wire articles as a handcuff worth stashing. If he's still available, this matchup makes him a viable flex.

Emanuel Wilson

San Francisco ranks 7th in RB points allowed. Wilson racked up 94.5 actual PPR points last season and projects at 60.1 this year — that gap suggests a role that may have shifted, but the matchup is real and the historical production is there as a floor reference.