What person has this kind of fantasy? That's the question that runs through our heads as we craft our NFL DFS lineups on FanDuel week in and week out. It's a cruel world and an even crueler sport, as injuries claim big stars without warning. Even if they stay healthy, they are often being zapped of their powers like what only used to happen in the movies. While we're technically talking about daily fantasy football, we also have to deal in reality. So far, reality is telling us that no one knows anything about the NFL as we head into Week 5.
A supposedly horrific Cardinals roster has actually performed fairly well, and a "Super Bowl-ready" Bengals team is suddenly one to fade? As a villain would say in a movie, "Good luck cracking that code."
But we believe we have, creating a Week 5 FanDuel lineup that bridges the gap between known and unknown, expensive and cheap, sure-thing and sleeper. Whatever your combo, this lineup has proven to be worth the risk thanks to its productive components. Now, let's exploit these matchups and take home some cash. Together.
WEEK 5 FANTASY ADVICE:
Sleepers | Busts | Projections | Start 'em, sit 'em
Before we break down our picks and strategy, here are the most notable scoring rules for FanDuel contests: four-point passing TDs and half-point PPR.
WEEK 5 DFS:
DK lineup | Best values | Best stacks
FanDuel Picks Week 5: NFL DFS lineup for GPP tournaments
Sunday main slate, $60,000 budget
QB Josh Dobbs, Cardinals vs. Bengals ($6,600). The Cardinals were widely expected to be the worst team in the NFL this season. Expectations were so low that people were throwing around the term "winless" like it was going out of style, as if the Cardinals wouldn't even field real football players. However, no matter how cringe-worthy his speeches are, credit goes to Jonathan Gannon for having his guys ready to play. Outside of Week 4's 21-point loss to the 49ers, Arizona has been in every game with a chance to win. A big reason for that has been the play of Dobbs. He's been throwing the ball much better and using his legs to extend drives, continuing to fill up the box score in a positive way. With a matchup this week against the bad Bengals that were most recently torched by Ryan Tannehill (240 yards), we like Dobbs as a cheaper option to provide good value in what could easily be another Cincinnati loss.
RB Derrick Henry, Titans @ Colts ($9,000). Speaking of the Bengals and their struggles, Henry was back to his old ways against that defense in Nashville. Fans were treated to vintage Henry, who posted 122 rushing yards and a TD on 22 carries. He even threw a touchdown pass, too. The Titans aren't going away from Henry anytime soon, as evidenced by his continued large workload. Meanwhile, Week 5 offers a great opportunity to double down thanks to a Colts' defense that just allowed Kyren Williams to have a big day, scoring two touchdowns of his own. Long live the king!
RB Kyren Williams, Rams vs. Eagles ($7,800). Piggy-backing analysis seems to be the name of the game thus far, and we'll keep it going with Williams, who, as mentioned, had himself another big day in Indianapolis. His team almost blew a 23-point lead, but it wasn't the fault of Williams, who helped stake L.A. to the early lead. The Eagles boast a stout run defense, yet this Rams' emerging star has been added to the list of matchup-proof players. Williams still had a solid performance in Week 2 against a similarly great 49ers' defense, posting 100 total yards and two touchdowns, and Sean McVay can scheme anyone into productive performances. On a team that's insistent on giving him elite volume (18.8 touches/game) and goal-line touches, we can't stay away from Williams as a contrarian, hopefully low-owned play in Week 5.
WR Justin Jefferson, Vikings vs. Chiefs ($9,200). Jefferson is consistent, just like his team. While the Vikings consistently find ways to lose games and blow leads, Jefferson consistently finds the end zone and a ton of catches from Kirk Cousins. Out of all the NFL teams, it's fairly shocking that the Zach Wilson-led Jets were the team to crack the Chiefs' defense. They not only scored the most points offensively against K.C. this season, but they also did so by exploiting them through the air. Garrett Wilson played a big part in New York's near upset, setting up Jefferson for a big effort in what will be a crucial game for Minnesota.
WEEK 5 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
WR Tank Dell, Texans @ Falcons ($6,000). We're going back to the Tank this week, hoping it's filled up this time around. Dell left us on empty in Week 4, recording only one catch for 16 yards. He was targeted three times, but he took a backseat to Nico Collins all afternoon in what was a blowout win for Houston. We expect that to balance out more against a Falcons' secondary coming back from London after being shredded by Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk. This is a good situational spot for Dell, who also got involved with two carries in Week 4. His breakout might've been paused for a week, but we'll trust that the surprising Texans' offense continues to impress.
WR Michael Wilson, Cardinals vs. Bengals ($5,300). Another Cardinal? Well, we like to stack players in an effort to maximize potential, and we're going all-in on Arizona as an undervalued squad. With this team, one of two things will happen: Either they're scoring points to build a lead or constantly throwing to play catch-up. Whether it's garbage time or not, the points all count the same. Wilson has emerged over the past couple of weeks as a big-play weapon. In Week 4, he just became a weapon. With seven targets, this arrow is still firmly pointing up after he finished with 76 yards and two touchdowns. It's important to note that the receiver did this against a dominant 49ers defense, which is no small feat. Wilson, who might've officially claimed the WR2 spot, is a worthy sleeper in Week 5 against a struggling Bengals team.
WEEK 5 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
TE Zach Ertz, Cardinals vs. Bengals ($5,100). This lineup might have more Cardinals than the Catholic church at this point, but winning these contests usually requires help from a higher power, so now we like our chances. We get your likely hesitancy, but hear us out. The Bengals have given up the sixth-most fantasy points to tight ends, and that includes a monsoon game against the Browns in Week 1 and a game against a Titans team that doesn't really utilize it's TEs. Ertz has been a consistent option this season, posting at least eight targets in three-of-four games. Trust that to continue.
FLEX RB Breece Hall, Jets @ Broncos ($6,500). Hall returns to the place that ended his promising and likely eventual Rookie of the Year-winning season. Now, the Jets find themselves in a must-win contest after a heartbreaking loss to the Chiefs. Hall has shown that he's still someone to fear, even if his speed isn't all the way back yet. The Broncos' defense was just abused by Justin Fields and the Bears, making Chicago look like a professional football team, which is hard to do in 2023. Denver is far and away the most generous defense to running backs, allowing a whopping 41 fantasy points per game on average to the position. Expect Hall to be the latest entrant.
DEF New Orleans Saints @ Patriots ($4,000). The Patriots are a horrific football team that should still be looking for their first win. This matchup between the Saints and Patriots could set the sport back 50 years thanks to bad offenses, so we'll take a shot on a good New Orleans' defensive unit. The Saints have only allowed 21 or more points once this season, something New England is still waiting to do. As Mac Jones continues throwing the ball away like an empty wrapper, we like the Saints to feast in a battle of defenses.
Best SuperDraft NFL DFS Picks for Week 5
This year, we're also listing our favorite single-game DFS plays on SuperDraft.
For those unfamiliar, SuperDraft's DFS scoring involves point multipliers as opposed to traditional salary-capped or tiered contests. A winning lineup will likely feature a strong mix of stud fantasy contributors with 1x-1.6x boosts, as well as matchup-based sleepers with larger multipliers. Each player is assigned a scoring multiplier based on their value as determined by SuperDraft. Users can roster any player in their lineup with no restrictions.
MORE: Win BIG with SuperDraft! Get a free $10 deposit when you use promo code "TSN"!
Here are the most notable scoring rules for SuperDraft NFL contests: Half-point PPR, four-point passing TDs, two-point bonuses for 100 rushing yards, 100 receiving yards, and 300 passing yards.
MORE SUPERDRAFT DFS: How to play SuperDraft
- QB: Zach Wilson, Jets (Multiplier 1.45x)
- RB: Derrick Henry, Titans (Multiplier 1.05x)
- RB: David Montgomery, Lions (Multiplier 1.15x)
- WR: Justin Jefferson, Vikings (Multiplier 1x)
- WR: Garrett Wilson, Jets (Multiplier 1.35x)
- WR: Michael Wilson, Cardinals (Multiplier 1.65x)
- TE: Travis Kelce, Chiefs (Multiplier 1x)
- FLEX: Ja'Marr Chase, Bengals (Multiplier 1.15x)
We like both of the Jets' Wilsons to continue their strong showings and carry that into Denver in a must-win game. Some of the chalkier options (Jefferson, Henry) should continue to produce, while Montgomery continues his strong hold on the Detroit backfield. The Cardinals' Wilson rounds out the Wilson trio, as his breakout rookie season continues. We close the lineup with expected bounce-back performances from Kelce and Chase, who are always open.
