Last week's DraftKings cash ilneup hit on Christian McCaffrey and Kenny Golladay but got shredded by Sammy Watkins and Marlon Mack. The Vegas total and Darius Slay's absence set up nicely for Watkins, while Mack was projected for positive game script and a heavy workload, before the Raiders went up and Mack watched from the sideline. No worries -- we'll go right back to McCaffrey while securing decent floors elsewhere in our daily fantasy football Week 5 cash lineup.
We're taking advantage of a Monday night development after prices were set to help us fill in the top running back and D/ST on Sunday main slate.
WEEK 5 NON-PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
DraftKings Week 5 Picks: NFL DFS cash lineup
WEDNESDAY UPDATE: QB Jameis Winston, Buccaneers at Saints ($6,200). We’re picking up $500 in cap to swap out Deshaun Watson and put that money toward a premium RB approach. Saints allow the most DK points to quarterbacks.
INITIAL: QB Deshaun Watson, Texans vs. Falcons ($6,700). We're getting a couple shares of the highest game total of the featured slate, starting at quarterback. Watson struggled last week against the Panthers' No. 1 unit in yards allowed per pass, but he has a get-right spot against a Falcons D that the Titans just smashed for over eight yards per attempt.
RB Christian McCaffrey ($8,700): Running CMC again because he spits out 30 points! I'm hesitant about some of the other $8K backs for cash with Zeke having Tyron Smith out, and Alvin Kamara's floor lowered without Drew Brees.
WEEK 5 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
WEDNESDAY UPDATE: RB Dalvin Cook, Vikings @ Giants ($8,400). Even in a nightmare spot trailing at Chicago last week, Cook still got enough work to scrape close to 20 points — by far his lowest output. A much more favorable look ahead in the Meadowlands.
INITIAL: RB Devonta Freeman, Falcons @ Texans ($5,300). A frugal RB2 play for any game script, Freeman ranks seventh in targets among running backs and still basically locks in double-digit carries. His eight receptions on Sunday trailed only McCaffrey.
WR Alshon Jeffery, Eagles vs. Jets ($5,900). With DeSean Jackson sidelined, Jeffery paced the Eagles in targets last Thursday night in Green Bay. This should hold true against a far weaker pass defense in Gang Green, who allow the third-most DK points to receivers.
WEEK 5 DFS LINEUPS:
Y! cash | Y! GPP | FD cash | FD GPP | DK cash | DK GPP
WEDNESDAY UPDATE: WR Golden Tate, Giants vs. Vikings ($4,600). Tate ripped off four seasons with 90-plus catches in Detroit and was on pace to repeat before getting shipped last season. It being his first game regular season game with Daniel Jones does give me some pause, but the Giants paid him handsomely enough to continue this high usage.
INITIAL: WR Sterling Shepard, Giants vs. Vikings ($5,800): Shepard's seen nine targets in each game with Daniel Jones at the helm becoming the go-to receiver as Dimes breathes new life in this offense while going through rookie growing pains.
WR DJ Chark Jr., Jaguars @ Panthers ($5,000). Gardner Minshew got it to Chark even when elite corner Chris Harris was attempting to corral the breakout sophomore, slinging it Chark's way eight times on Sunday. He's the target leader for Jacksonville's quite-functional pass offense.
TE Austin Hooper, Falcons @ Texans ($4,500). This price remains way too low for a tight end coming off consecutive 25-point weeks. Hooper quietly edges Travis Kelce in targets, and the Falcons figure to go pass-heavy yet again as road dogs.
MORE WEEK 5 DFS: Stacks | Values | Lineup builder
FLEX Auden Tate, Bengals vs. Cardinals ($3,500). This free square let's us fit a CMC and and Pats D. John Ross left the Monday nighter with an injury, and Tate has led Cincy in receiving yards over the past two weeks with 16 targets in that span.
WEDNESDAY UPDATE: DST Titans vs. Bills ($3,000). It’s looking as if Josh Allen is out and we can save $1,300 off the Pats. Good defense catching mid-tier price at home against Josh Allen, who has multiple turnovers in other tough matchups this season.
INITIAL: D/ST Patriots @ Washington ($4,300). When the Pats meet a dodgy QB situation, I'm finding a way to pay up.