9 Fantasy Football Stash Candidates Ahead of Week 5

Oct 06, 2026

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Four weeks into the season, we're starting to get a much clearer picture of which early-season usage changes actually mean something.

That makes the stash process a little easier. We're still looking for players whose roles could expand before fantasy managers fully catch on, but injuries are also creating more immediate openings. Some of this week's candidates could become usable almost immediately, while others are still very much "put them on the bench and see what happens" types.

Editor's Note: Check out the Week 5 Waiver Wire Watch!

Will Shipley, RB - Eagles (2%)

Will Shipley went from an interesting contingency stash to someone who could matter almost immediately. Shipley played 46.6% of Philadelphia's offensive snaps in Week 4 and ran a route on 46.9% of the team's dropbacks, both significant jumps from his season-long marks. He only handled six carries, but the environment around him changed considerably before the weekend wrapped up.

Saquon Barkley is dealing with a hamstring injury, while Tank Bigsby is now expected to miss at least six weeks following core-muscle surgery. That leaves Shipley as the obvious next man up if Barkley misses time.

How aggressively we should treat Shipley depends on Barkley's status, and we do have some increasing concerns about the Eagles’ offensive line, but it’s better to grab him now for next to no FAAB.