Fantasy football waiver wire for Week 5: Pick up Joshua Kelley and D’Ernest Johnson — just in case you need replacements for Austin Ekeler and Nick Chubb

I had a friend who had a favorite saying reserved for any tacklers — or even teammates — who threatened his players' fantasy football production.

“I’m gonna put a bounty on ‘em!”

If a coach takes out your first-round running back to give his backup a goal line carry? Bounty.

If some offensive lineman’s holding penalty wipes out your wide receiver’s 75-yard bomb? Bounty.

If some slot receiver ruins your defense’s would-be pick six with a shoe-string tackle? Bounty.

So, in that spirit, I’m placing Cowboys defensive lineman Trysten Hill on notice., He twisted Seahawks running back Chris Carson’s legs in a gator-roll tackle in Week 3, and then in Week 4, rolled onto the back of Browns running back Nick Chubb’s legs while Chubb was in pass protection, forcing him to exit with a right knee injury. Carson managed to play Sunday, but Chubb’s fantasy managers fear a worse fate with the running back expected to miss six weeks.

I worry for any elite fantasy running back on Hill’s schedule.

Now, let’s get into Week 5’s top targets on the free agent market.

Joshua Kelley, RB, Chargers

Get ready for the mad dash to the waiver wire. Austin Ekeler was carted to the locker room and coach Anthony Lynn said Ekeler’s hamstring injury “looked pretty bad.” The initial prognosis is the running back Ekeler could miss multiple games, and Kelley is in line to inherit a major uptick in touches.

Now the downside: Kelley plays behind a retooled offensive line that has been battered by injuries. He has produced less than five fantasy points in each of the past two games (Yahoo format) and the Saints defense is up next.

If you can muddle through that matchup, Kelley has the Jets, Dolphins, Jaguars and Raiders on the horizon. Kelley is available in about 45% of Yahoo and ESPN leagues, and about 70% on NFL.com — but that won’t last.

D’Ernest Johnson, RB, Browns

I feel for any fantasy manager who drafted both Saquon Barkley and Nick Chubb because their fantasy lives must have flashed before their eyes when they saw Chubb grab behind his knee during Sunday’s game against the Cowboys.

They must have wondered: Could it be cruel deja vu, a repeat of Barkley’s season-ending knee injury against the Bears?

An NFL Network report said Chubb could miss up to six weeks, but coach Kevin Stefanski said via Cleveland.com, "I really don’t know. We’re looking at several weeks. I don’t know the NFL Network, but I know the Browns. I know Nick Chubb, so I wouldn’t put a time frame on it just yet.''

The Browns placed him on injured reserve, so he will miss at least three weeks.

Johnson subbed in for Chubb and really impressed with 13 carries for 95 yards.

A meaty role now awaits Johnson. The Browns are committed to a two-back system and lead the league in rushing attempts (139), yards per carry (5.9) and yards per game (204.5)

Justin Herbert, QB, Chargers

When I think of that team doctor accidentally puncturing Tyrod Taylor’s lung while giving him a pain injection, I think of Rhodey, aka War Machine from “Captain America: Civil War,” when he says, after a crippling injury, “This is a bad beat.”

Aside from malpractice accusations, Taylor may get Wally Pipped here. Herbert exploded with 23 fantasy points (standard format) in Week 4, tossing three touchdowns with an interception against the Buccaneers, including a 72-yard bomb.

Coach Anthony Lynn said Taylor would get his job back when he’s healthy, but it seems even his Bucs counterpart, Bruce Arians, knows what has to be done.

“I told Anthony after the game, You’ve got a great one. … That looked like Mahomes, where we had an all-out blitz, and he just kept retreating,” Arians said, according to Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times. “Then he threw a dime down the field. For rookies to make plays like that, you know they’re special.”

Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, Packers

At the time of this writing, MVS hadn’t played since Monday night against the Raiders, but the news of Allen Lazard’s core muscle surgery propels Valdes-Scantling onto this list.

A certain someone — cough, cough, ahem — is of the opinion that MVS is a fairly one-dimensional deep-ball threat who doesn’t have the versatility that made Lazard a fast favorite of Aaron Rodgers. Nevertheless, you can’t ignore the presumptive No. 2 receiver in this offense.

Let’s just hope he sees production more like Week 1 (19.6, NFL.com format) than Week 3 (1.5). He’s still available in more than half of NFL.com and ESPN leagues.

Latavius Murray, RB, Saints

The Touchdown Vulture hasn’t left us, he was just lurking in the shadows, waiting to get his red-zone “carry-on.”

Come on, get it? Carry-on? Carrion? Touchdown Vulture?

Never mind. As the change-of-pace back to Alvin Kamara, Murray will rarely get you more than Sunday’s 83 yards from scrimmage, but from 10 yards in, he’s a threat to “steal” a score or two from Kamara — like he did twice against the Lions.

If a matchup has the potential to be a high-scoring affair, Murray is a decent desperation play.

Tre’Quan Smith, WR, Saints

Smith finally had his breakout game, catching all four targets for 54 yards and two touchdowns. You’ll have to temper expectations with Michael Thomas' imminent return, but you’d hope Drew Brees still makes room for Smith.

Emmanuel Sanders and Smith both have been productive, with Sanders posting back-to-back, double-digit numbers. It helps that Jared Cook has been shelved with a groin injury.

“He was outstanding today,” coach Sean Payton said of Smith via NOLA.com. “He made some contested plays in real big situations.”

Scot Miller, WR, Buccaneers

Miller tops the Bucs in target percentage per snaps played with 13.6, which is even more than Mike Evans (11.2%), according to FantasyData.com. He also may have one less pass catcher to compete against if O.J. Howard’s Achilles injury is season-ending, as feared.

Also, Mike Evans injured his ankle, but keep watch on Chris Godwin, whose return would take a little of the shine off Miller.

Brian Hill, RB, Falcons

Leading into his Monday night matchup against the Packers, Hill’s claims picked up 25% on Yahoo.com, but he still was rostered in only 27% of leagues.

Todd Gurley is the leading man, but if you have room for a stash, Hill is an understudy you want to have. He scored against the Bears and has averaged 5.6 yards per carry, but he has questionable durability and his production declined slightly last season with the Rams.

Tim Patrick, WR, Broncos

It would have seemed laughable before the season to suggest Patrick should be on anyone’s fantasy radar, but no one’s laughing now. ?He has scored in back-to-back weeks and saw a season-high seven targets in Week 4.

Perhaps he has a rapport with new quarterback Brett Rypien, but certainly he’s due to see more looks with tight end Noah Fant (ankle) and receiver K.J. Hamler (hamstring) banged up.

“They may or may not miss some time,” coach Vic Fangio said via the team website. “We’ll probably have more of a definitive answer when we come back on Tuesday, but it’s iffy whether they’ll be ready to play or not this week. … Could be, could be not. Also could be a couple weeks for both of them.”

Play Patrick in deep leagues and consider him for 10-team leagues if we see some consistency.

Chargers defense/special teams

It’s not often a DST gives up 38 points and still comes out ahead on the scoreboard (4 points, NFL.com format). But that’s because they got a pick-six off of Tom Brady.

The Chargers have an aggressive defense, so perhaps Brady took advantage and handed them a points-against total that’s uncharacteristic of them of late. Consider sitting them against the Saints but cue them up for the Jets, Dolphins and Jaguars.

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