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Week 5 of the NFL season continued the early season trend of improbable performances throughout the league.
From practice squad players to gadget quarterbacks, there were certainly some unexpected big fantasy performances from players that nobody would’ve expected. I mean, you all definitely had Taysom in your lineup this weekend, right?
After another week of entertaining football and hopefully another on the way, here are five unexpected boom performances from Week 5.
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Fantasy Football Risers - Surprise Performances
Dyami Brown, Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders had themselves an interesting Sunday that was highlighted by the unexpected emergence of 2021 third-round pick, Dyami Brown. Brown came into this matchup as a nonfactor all season with only one reception for six yards on the year. In this matchup, he saw more work, likely due to the absence of his teammate Jahan Dotson.
.@deuce2_'s FIRST CAREER TD
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/mv3igQihBZ
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) October 9, 2022
In Washington’s loss to the Tennessee Titans, Brown operated as a major deep threat as he finished with two receptions on four targets for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Those stats resulted in 23.5 Half-PPR points on the day. While this performance was nice to see after being uninvolved up until this point in his career, Jahan Dotson is likely returning in Week 6. With his offense being crowded already, Brown might be no more than a one-week wonder.
Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints
All you can say is “wow” with this one. Maybe it’s time we start taking Taysom Hill seriously in fantasy football. In a game-breaking performance against the Seattle Seahawks, the gadget quarterback/tight end was unstoppable. He finished the day with nine carries for 112 yards and three touchdowns, along with his one pass of the day being completed for a 22 yards touchdown. That statistical output resulted in a massive total of 34.08 fantasy points.
Ladies and Gentlemen: Taysom Hill
⚜️ 3 rushing TDs
⚜️ 1 passing TD
⚜️ 1 fumble recovery
⚜️ 112 rushing YDs
⚜️ 69 kickoff return YDs
⚜️ 22 passing YDs pic.twitter.com/9mxeLKzSeC— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) October 9, 2022
Hill has always been a thorn in the side of Alvin Kamara’s fantasy managers. However, with this past performance, he might have legitimate value for fantasy rosters with his tight-end designation. As a true jack of all trades, Hill will likely be one of the top waiver claims prior to Week 6 as his rushing usage gives him the possibility of being a fantasy cheat code at a position with a major lack of solid starting options.
Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills were dealing with a decent amount of injuries heading into their Week 5 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, especially to their slot receivers. With Jamison Crowder out with a broken ankle and Isaiah McKenzie dealing with concussion symptoms, Khalil Shakir, a rookie wide receiver from Boise State, was thrust into a larger role.
The rookie finished his day with three receptions for 75 yards and his first-career touchdown, which resulted in 15 Half-PPR fantasy points for anyone that took a shot on him. Shakir should be an interesting pickup off the waiver wire this week as this performance could push him into an expanded role, even with the upcoming return of McKenzie.
Tevin Coleman, San Francisco 49ers
One of the more random performances in Week 5 was from a running back that had been forgotten by most. Tevin Coleman, a former starter in this San Francisco offense, was a recent addition to this backfield due to the litany of injuries that have been dealt their way. After his first action with the team in Week 4, where he saw just one snap, Coleman was much more involved in Week 5.
Tevin Coleman looking like a WR out there 😮
📺: #SFvsCAR on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/QyzRPxAYpO pic.twitter.com/eh2Il05K8q— NFL (@NFL) October 9, 2022
The former Jet finished his day with eight carries for 23 yards and a touchdown, along with three receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown. That surprising statistical output resulted in 20.2 Half-PPR points. Coleman should be an interesting waiver target in Week 6 as he could hold onto a decent role in this 49er offense, at least until Elijah Mitchell returns from injury.
Joshua Kelley, Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers ran wild on the Cleveland Browns in Week 5. After struggling to get the ground game going for the early portion of the season, they ran for 238 total yards on Sunday. Star running back Austin Ekeler was a major reason for that, but there was some solid production from other sources.
Backup running back Joshua Kelley was a decent contributor as he finished with 10 carries for 49 yards and a touchdown along with two receptions for 33 yards. His performance resulted in a solid 15.2 Half-PPR fantasy points in Week 5.
Kelley is an interesting waiver prospect for leagues that have deep benches. For now, even with his strong performance, he should still be considered a handcuff for an incredibly valuable backfield.
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