Week 5 of the fantasy football season has arrived, and with it comes the official start of the dreaded byes. While last week gave fantasy owners an entirely new bye-week experience with the Titans-Steelers game being postponed, the planned byes can still be tough to work around. This week, the Packers and Lions have the week off, so that means Aaron Jones, Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, Matthew Stafford, and Kenny Golladay will be among the top players dropping from the rankings. Owners of those players will be looking for sleeper options to use in their place (or at least to have available for start 'em, sit 'em decisions).
This week, we're all about younger running backs and are planning on trusting Damien Harris, JK Dobbins, and Chase Edmonds as potential flexes in key spots. Elsewhere, some underutilized quarterbacks (Teddy Bridgewater and Daniel Jones) could be top plays, and there are plenty of pass-catchers with favorable matchups against the Falcons, Dolphins, Vikings, and Jaguars that can be used as fill-ins in place of the likes of Adams and Golladay.
WEEK 5 FANTASY: Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
Last week's crop of sleepers turned out to be a success. Latavius Murray found the end zone twice while Alexander Mattison managed a TD of his own to give our RB sleepers value. Matthew Stafford and Baker Mayfield put up a couple of TDs and receivers Olamide Zaccheaus (eight catches, 86 yards) and Mecole Hardman (four catches, 27 yards, one TD) both panned out, as well.
WEEK 5 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Perhaps the most impressive group was tight end, where Robert Tonyan put up three scores, Mo Alie-Cox found the end zone, and Austin Hooper had his first TD as a member of the Browns. We'll try to keep the magic going at that position as bye weeks start to knock out some of the normal solid starters at tight end.
WEEK 5 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Week 5 Fantasy Sleepers: Running backs
Damien Harris, Patriots vs. Broncos (Jacob Camenker). In his season debut, Harris received 17 carries and totaled 100 rushing yards, both marks that led the Patriots. In Week 5, Harris will face a Broncos defense that is fourth-best against the run this year in terms of fantasy points per game (FPPG) to RBs (12.1), but the volume will be there for Harris. As long as Sony Michel (quad) is out, Harris can be trusted as a flex since he'll be the Patriots' primary between-the-tackles runner. If he performs well, he could hold onto the job beyond that. UPDATE: The Broncos-Patriots game has been postponed until after Week 5.
JK Dobbins, Ravens vs. Bengals (Iyer). It’s impossible to decipher the usage of the Ravens’ backs but the Bengals’ run defense has stunk against quicker, explosive backs so Dobbins has a chance if he can get to 10 touches.
Chase Edmonds, Cardinals @ Jets (Matt Lutovsky). Kenyan Drake is still the starter in Arizona, but he’s been ineffective and is now dealing with a chest injury. Edmonds has been the preferred option through the air (just over four targets per game) and is always good for a few carries. In what projects to be a blowout win, Edmonds could easily see 10-12 total touches. The Jets allow the eighth-most fantasy points per game (FPPG) to RBs, so Edmonds can work as a flex, especially in PPR leagues.
WEEK 5 DFS TOURNAMENT LINEUPS: FanDuel | DraftKings | Yahoo
Week 5 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Quarterbacks
Daniel Jones, Giants @ Cowboys (Camenker). Jones hasn't been good this season failing to account for a TD since Week 1. That said, the Cowboys are giving up 36.5 points per game, good for most in the NFL, and 23 FPPG to QBs, good for sixth most. Trusting Jones in this spot is a risk, but the potential reward could be great if he looks comfortable in the pocket and chucks a couple of TDs as he did against the Steelers in Week 1.
Kirk Cousins, Vikings at Seahawks (Iyer). It’s highly logical to think he’ll chuck effectively and often to Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson in a high-scoring SNF affair.
Teddy Bridgewater, Panthers @ Falcons (Lutovsky). The Falcons have allowed four QB touchdowns in every game this year. At some point regression will kick in, but Bridgewater, fresh off a three-TD game of his own, has the weapons to put up 300 yards and three scores in this one.
WEEK 5 DFS CASH LINEUPS: FanDuel | DraftKings | Yahoo
Week 5 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Wide receivers
Curtis Samuel, Panthers @ Falcons (Camenker). Samuel has yet to rack up more than 51 yards in a game this season, but he could have a chance to do that against the Falcons. Atlanta is allowing 24 FPPG to WRs this year, and its pass defense has been extremely shoddy. The Falcons could be missing their top five players in the secondary, as well, so Samuel could have a big day against a defense that has allowed at least 300 yards passing in each of their four games this season.
N’Keal Harry, Patriots vs. Broncos (Iyer). Harry should be getting more run vs. Damiere Byrd and Julian Edelman. He still scored with Jarrett Stidham after mostly a bad game last week, and this matchup is much better. UPDATE: The Broncos-Patriots game has been postponed until after Week 5.
Deebo Samuel, 49ers vs. Dolphins (Lutovsky). Samuel looked healthy in his first game back last week, totaling 45 yards on four touches. Expect him to see a bigger workload this week, and with the Dolphins allowing the eighth-most FPPG to WRs, Samuel should pay off as a WR3.
MORE WEEK 5: Top waiver pickups | FAAB planner | Buy-low, sell-high
Week 5 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Tight ends
Greg Olsen, Seahawks vs. Vikings (Camenker). Olsen is becoming more involved in the Seahawks offense as more teams pay closer attention to DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Olsen has racked up 10 catches on 13 targets for 96 yards in his past two games and should be a solid streamer for teams in need of TE help. The Vikings haven't allowed a TD to a TE yet, but they have allowed at least 70 yards to the position in their last three games, and that includes a 111-yard game for Mo Alie-Cox.
Eric Ebron, Steelers vs. Eagles (Iyer). The Eagles are this year’s Cardinals. They cannot cover the position with their linebackers and safeties, and Ebron is coming off a good game before the bye.
Jordan Akins/Darren Fells, Texans vs. Jaguars (Lutovsky). Akins has quieted down after a relatively hot start, but it’s still notable that he’s caught 14-of-15 targets this season. The Jaguars have allowed the sixth-most FPPG to TEs this year, getting burned by a similarly athletic TE, Jonnu Smith, for 84 yards and two scores in Week 2. If Akins can’t go after suffering a concussion in Week 4, Fells makes for a worthwhile pivot. While not as athletic, he’s even more of a threat in the red zone.
MORE WEEK 5 DFS: Best stacks | Best values | Lineup Builder
Week 5 Fantasy Sleepers: Defenses
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Raiders (Camenker). Surprisingly, the Chiefs have the NFL's second-best scoring defense at 17.5 points per game and have yet to allow more than 20 in an outing. The Raiders averaged only 9.5 points per game against the Chiefs last year, so the Chiefs could end up being an excellent streamer if they can shut down Josh Jacobs and Darren Waller once again.
Arizona Cardinals at Jets (Iyer). They have been rather disappointing with not much else except sacks, but the Jets can make some big mistakes with Joe Flacco.
Cleveland Browns vs. Colts (Lutovsky). Cleveland allows a lot of points, but its 12 sacks and 10 takeaways this year is impressive. The Colts ball-control offense hasn’t been conducive to fantasy success for D/STs this year, but it’s only a matter of time before Philip Rivers gets exposed. Expect Cleveland to force him into some big mistakes this week.
