Sometimes the key to ranking your waiver claim is knowing which fantasy football free agents could be in it for the long haul and which ones are flashes-in-the-pan or, at best, matchup streamers. There's a mix of both on Week 5's waiver wire list.
1. Keke Coutee, WR, Texans
The numbers from the first two games of his career are jaw-dropping: 22 targets, 17 catches (a franchise record and third all time), a 100-yard game and a score in another.
Coutee is a shifty, speedy playmaker who the Texans have deployed in a variety of routes and gadget plays. He has been compared to John Brown and Tyler Lockett, but early signs indicate he might be more versatile than either of them.
With DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller drawing attention on the outside, Coutee is going to feast on man-on-man matchups. Don't look now but the Bills come to Houston next, and they're a different team on the road than in Buffalo. Even the Jaguars in Week 7 favors him, since Hopkins and Fuller likely pair off against Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye.
2. Mohamed Sanu, WR, Falcons
I'm guilty as anyone else who overlooked Sanu. I thought before the season that he'd be completely eclipsed by Calvin Ridley, but he's posted a sneaky double-digit points total in each of the last three weeks. Certainly you'd play him against the woeful Buccaneers secondary and the Giants don't look all that daunting anymore.
Sanu is claimed in just 53 percent of ESPN leagues; 32 percent on Yahoo.
3. David Moore, WR, Seahawks
Moore only had three catches for 38 yards against the Rams, but he punched two of those in for scores. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll has held high hopes for Moore since minicamp, when he called him "special" and a "very, very good athlete."
"He doesn't look like it, but he's a real strong kid, probably 218 pounds, and he's physical," Carroll said. "We're really excited to see him like we did in preseason last year with run after catch stuff."
In Week 6, the Seahawks play the Raiders, who give up the six-most points to wide receivers (NFL.com format).
4. Case Keenum, QB, Broncos
Keenum had opportunities to score against the Chiefs and failed to cash in, but that wasn't a problem against a decent Jets secondary, which yielded 377 yards and two touchdowns. Frankly, he's an average quarterback, but an average quarterback can occasionally do a lot with the supporting cast he has (Emmanuel Sanders, Phillip Lindsay, etc.).
Keenum next plays the Rams, Cardinals and Chiefs, each of which has vulnerabilities in pass defense. He's still unclaimed in between about 30 to 80 percent of some leagues.
5. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, Packers
With Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison hurt, Valdes-Scantling made the most of his opportunity to the tune of 68 yards and a touchdown. He's tall and rangy with some speed, and has drawn comparisons to Brandon LaFell and Louis Murphy.
Valdes-Scantling is worth a stash until we see how healthy his fellow receivers are by the end of the week. The 49ers and Rams could make for nice matchups.
6. Courtland Sutton, WR, Broncos
My gut tells me we'll see Sutton on this list again (of course, I have some say in that). But Sutton strikes me as the type of playmaker who finds his way to a prominent role by season's end. Against the Jets he caught two passes for 18 yards and a touchdown. Take a flier on Sutton when Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders face tough individual matchups.
7. Geoff Swaim, TE, Cowboys
Dallas' approach to the tight end position seems to be "throw something against the wall and see what sticks." Competing with the likes of Blake Jarwin and former Baylor All-America power forward Rico Gathers, Swaim has emerged as the team's third most targeted pass catcher (19, tied with Michael Gallup), according to nflsavant.com.
The caveat, though, is you might want to skip next week's matchup against the Jaguars unless you're desperate at the position.
8. Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Patriots
I've been burned times before recommending Patterson when he was in Minnesota, but if anyone can turn him into a consistent performer _ more than just a one-trick pony with deep speed _ it's the Patriots. You'd think Josh Gordon's presence would mean he wouldn't be involved, but he has caught touchdowns in two straight weeks. He also is a dangerous kick returner. He can be played as a flier in deep leagues or dirt-cheap DFS option, but he's best used in scoring formats that reward all-purpose yards.
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