Week 5 Fantasy WR Rankings: Must-starts, sleepers, potential busts at wide receiver

Matt Lutovsky

Week 5 Fantasy WR Rankings: Must-starts, sleepers, potential busts at wide receiver image

It's no secret there's been an offensive surge in the NFL this year, and wide receivers are reaping the benefits with some monster performances. Last Sunday, Odell Beckham Jr., DJ Chark, Tre'Quan Smith, and CeeDee Lamb all had multi-TD games; the week before, seven wideouts had at least two touchdown catches, including "sleepers" Tee Higgins, Andy Isabella, Dontrelle Inman, and Cedrick Wilson. Clearly, it's "one of those years," and it seems unlikely to stop anytime soon. That's ultimately good news, though it did present its own set of unique challenges when we put together our Week 5 fantasy WR rankings,

With so many favorable matchups and overachieving wide receivers to choose from, how do you put them in order? If a receiver is considered a WR2, does it really matter if he's No. 13 or No. 24? It looks like a big difference on the page, but in truth, it doesn't matter. Those types of players are all must-starts this week. 

WEEK 5 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

A couple new players, including Robby Anderson (@ Falcons) and CeeDee Lamb (vs. Giants), move into that tier because of favorable matchups in Week 5. A.J. Brown (vs. Bills) is hopefully set to return from a knee injury/bye week, so we slot him back in that group, as well. Fantasy owners hope Michael Thomas (knee) and Chris Godwin (hamstring) also return from injury this week. We currently have Thomas (vs. Chargers) in our rankings, but with the Saints off in Week 6, it's possible they hold out him out through their bye. We don't anticipate Godwin being back to face the Bears on Thursday, but we'll be ready to adjust if he's active.

WEEK 5 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

Moving into the WR3 tier are Darius Slayton (@ Cowboys), Jamison Crowder (vs. Cardinals), Justin Jefferson (@ Seahawks), Jerry Jeudy (@ Patriots), Brandon Aiyuk (vs. Dolphins), and Deebo Samuel (vs. Dolphins). There are risks with some of these guys (Jeudy possibly being matched up with Stephon Gilmore, the 49ers cannibalizing each other's production, other assorted QB issues), but all have solid matchups and the talent/big-play ability to rip off big games. 

WEEK 5 DFS TOURNAMENT LINEUPS: FanDuel | DraftKings | Yahoo

Several more potential sleepers, including Golden Tate (@ Cowboys), Scotty Miller (@ Bears), N'Keal Harry (vs. Broncos), Christian Kirk (@ Jets), Zach Pascal (@ Browns), and Curtis Samuel (@ Falcons), are right on the start-or-sit bubble and could be worth streaming if you're in a bind because of byes to Lions and Packers receivers. 

WEEK 5 DFS CASH LINEUPS: FanDuel | DraftKingsYahoo

On the flipside, some WRs are moving down, though it's not necessarily because of matchups. We're at the point in the season where chronically poor performances can't be ignored. A.J. Green (@ Ravens) represents the worst of both worlds this week, and we have him well out of the WR3 tier. Jarvis Landry (vs. Colts) has also fallen since you can't count on him throwing a TD every week. T.Y. Hilton (@ Browns) would join them if he didn't have such a favorable matchup. Brandin Cooks (vs. Jaguars), Preston Williams (@ 49ers), and Anthony Miller (vs. Bucs) all look like they're better suited for the waiver wire than fantasy benches.

MORE WEEK 5 DFS: Best stacks | Best valuesLineup Builder

Of course, given how this season has gone, it's possible any (or all) of those just mentioned go off in Week 5. After all, is there really such thing as a "bad matchup" anymore? It's starting to feel as if there's not, but either way, fantasy owners will agonize over their start 'em, sit 'em decisions, so we'll do our best to help. 

WEEK 5 FANTASY: SleepersBusts | Start 'em, sit 'em

Note: Check back all week leading up to kickoff, as we'll continue to update our WR rankings and provide analysis based on the latest news and injuries.

Week 5 Fantasy WR Rankings (Standard)

These rankings are for non-PPR leagues.

Rank Player
1 DeAndre Hopkins, ARZ @ NYJ
2 Tyreek Hill, KC vs. LV
3 Adam Thielen, MIN @ SEA
4 Amari Cooper, DAL vs. NYG
5 Michael Thomas, NO vs. LAC
6 Allen Robinson, CHI @ TB
7 Mike Evans, TB vs. CHI
8 Keenan Allen, LAC @ NO
9 Stefon Diggs, BUF @ TEN
10 DK Metcalf, SEA vs. MIN
11 Calvin Ridley, ATL vs. CAR
12 Tyler Lockett, SEA vs. MIN
13 Robby Anderson, CAR @ ATL. Anderson hasn't been just a boom-or-bust deep threat this year. He's had at least five catches in every game and at least 99 yards in three out of four contests. Against the Falcons 31st-ranked pass defense, Anderson has major upside. The same goes for D.J. Moore, who's averaged eight targets per game this year.
14 Odell Beckham Jr., CLE vs. IND
15 DJ Chark, JAX @ HOU
16 D.J. Moore, CAR @ ATL. See Robby Anderson.
17 DeVante Parker, MIA @ SF
18 JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT vs. PHI
19 Cooper Kupp, LAR @ WAS. Kupp has had two good games in a row, but lastt last week was looking bleek until a late 55-yard TD salvaged things. Washington is allowing the second-fewest fantasy points per game (FPPG) to WRs, so this isn't a good matchup on paper, but the Rams are the type of offense that can produce against anyone and flop against anyone, so we're going to trust the talent for this explosive receiver. Robert Woods, who actually averages more targets more game, is in a similar spot but he doesn't have quite as much big-play potential.
20 Will Fuller V, HOU vs. JAX
21 CeeDee Lamb, DAL vs. NYG
22 Terry McLaurin, WAS vs. LAR
23 A.J. Brown, TEN vs. BUF. Brown figures to be back after missing Tennessee's past two games because of a knee injury. If you're scared of the potential matchup with Tre'Davious White, you probably don't have to be. So far this season, three-of-four No. 1 receivers (Jamison Crowder, DeVante Parker, and Cooper Kupp) have scored. The only time a WR1 didn't score this year was last week against the Raiders, who really don't have a No. 1 (and if it's Nelson Agholor, he scored, too). 
24 Tyler Boyd, CIN @ BAL
25 Darius Slayton, NYG @ DAL. Slayton has produced just nine catches for 134 yards since his 102-yard, two-TD Week 1, but no team has been as bad against wide receivers over the past three weeks as Dallas (nine receiving TDs, plus one rushing and one passing). Slayton has seen at least six targets in every game, so he should get enough opportunities to have another good performance.
26 Diontae Johnson, PIT vs. PHI. Johnson is set to return after missing most of Week 3 because of a concussion, but in the two previous games, he had 23 targets. Philadelphia is weak across the middle, and given their league-best pass rush, Pittsburgh will be looking to get the out quickly. That should mean another steady dose of short targets for Johnson, so his value in standard leagues will come down to what he can do after the catch.
27 Marquise Brown, BAL vs. CIN
28 Jamison Crowder, NYJ vs. ARZ
29 Justin Jefferson, MIN @ SEA. It's tough to trust rookie receivers to have three good games in a row, but Jefferson will get a chance to do that against Seattle's league-worst pass defense. Even last week when Seattle held all of Miami's wide receivers out of the end zone, it still allowed 315 passing yards (though that actually brought its average down to 401 yards allowed per game). Jefferson has topped the century mark each of the past two weeks, and perhaps most impressive is that he's averaged at least 25 yards per catch in both outings. He's the type of receiver who can pay off with one big play, so you can't sit him in this matchup.
30 T.Y. Hilton, IND @ CLE. Hilton has been a huge bust this year, topping out at four catches and 53 yards, both in Week 1. He hasn't even had more than five targets since Week 1. This is especially frustrating given all of Indy's other WR injuries, but a run-heavy, TE-centric offense is guiding the way for the Colts. Cleveland is allowing the third-most fantasy points to WRs, and that includes multiple WR receiving TDs in each of the past three games. If Hilton is ever going to hit on a big play, it's this week, and Cleveland at least has a good enough offense to make Indianapolis work. 
31 Julian Edelman, NE vs. DEN. Aside from a monster Week 2, Edelman has been a major disappointment this year. Denver is quietly allowing the seventh-most FPPG to WRs, and they were just worked for seve catches and 104 yards by possession receiver Jamison Crowder, so Edelman has more upside than usual in this game.
32 Robert Woods, LAR @ WAS. See Cooper Kupp.
33 Jerry Jeudy, DEN @ NE. New England has been below average against wide receivers this season, and No. 1 receivers have been no exception, with both Tyler Lockett and Tyreek Hill scoring. Jeudy isn't as polished as them -- and he certainly doesn't have as good of a QB throwing to him -- but his big-play ability makes him a threat all over the field. He's averaged seven targets per game this year, and that number should rise with Noah Fant (knee) out. Jeudy also gets a boost from Stephon Gilmore (COVID) being out.
34 Brandon Aiyuk, SF vs. MIA
35 Deebo Samuel, SF vs. MIA
36 Russell Gage, ATL vs. CAR
37 Golden Tate, NYG @ DAL
38 Greg Ward Jr., PHI @ PIT
39 Emmanuel Sanders, NO vs. LAC
40 John Brown, BUF @ TEN
41 Scotty Miller, TB vs. CHI
42 N'Keal Harry, NE vs. DEN
43 Cole Beasley, BUF @ TEN
44 Christian Kirk, ARZ @ NYJ
45 Jarvis Landry, CLE vs. IND
46 Zach Pascal, IND @ CLE
47 Curtis Samuel, CAR @ ATL
48 Sammy Watkins, KC vs. LV
49 Olamide Zaccheaus, ATL vs. CAR
50 Laviska Shenault Jr., JAX @ HOU
51 Tre'Quan Smith, NO vs. LAC
52 Tim Patrick, DEN @ NE
53 Mecole Hardman, KC vs. LV
54 Michael Gallup, DAL vs. NYG
55 A.J. Green, CIN @ BAL
56 Tee Higgins, CIN @ BAL
57 Hunter Renfrow, LV @ KC
58 Brandin Cooks, HOU vs. JAX
59 Jeff Smith, NYJ vs. ARI
60 Kalif Raymond, TEN vs. BUF
61 Henry Ruggs III, LV @ KC
62 Jalen Guyton, LAC @ NO
63 Isaiah Ford, MIA @ SF
64 David Moore, SEA vs. MIN
65 Preston Williams, MIA @ SF
66 John Hightower, PHI @ PIT
67 Randall Cobb, HOU vs. JAX
68 Darnell Mooney, CHI vs. TB
69 Chase Claypool, PIT vs. PHI
70 Damiere Byrd, NE vs. DEN
71 Andy Isabella, ARZ @ NYJ
72 Dontrelle Inman, WAS vs. LAR
73 Keelan Cole, JAX @ HOU
74 Nelson Agholor, LV @ KC
75 Anthony Miller, CHI vs. TB
76 James Washington, PIT vs. PHI
77 Josh Reynolds, LAR @ WAS
78 Larry Fitzgerald, ARZ @ NYJ
79 Gabriel Davis, BUF @ TEN
80 Kendrick Bourne, SF vs. MIA
81 Demarcus Robinson, KC vs. LV
82 Chris Hogan, NYJ vs. ARZ
83 Miles Boykin, BAL vs. CIN

Matt Lutovsky

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Matt Lutovsky has been a writer and editor for The Sporting News since 2007, primarily writing about fantasy sports, betting, and gaming.