Accurately projecting ownership and finding the right spots to fade the public are key strategies to winning daily fantasy football tournaments/GPPs. Week 5 is no different, and some interesting ownership trends seem to be emerging that could affect your DraftKings lineup picks.
Our DraftKings lineups can be found here for cash games and here for tournaments, and if you're looking to build the "perfect" DFS lineup, check out RotoQL and take advantage of its fantastic DFS tools.
Now, onto some chalk picks and potentially contrarian picks at each position.
WEEK 5 DFS: FanDuel tournament lineup | DK cash | DK GPP | Values | DFS lineup builder
Positional price rankings are based on the NFL Week 5 slate in its entirety.
Daily Fantasy Football Week 5: Quarterback picks
Ben Roethlisberger ($7200/QB5) is destined for high ownership after ripping the Chiefs to shreds last Sunday night. Big Ben's home/road splits and the state of Gang Green's pass D will only amplify the public love. ... Brian Hoyer ($5500/QB20) commands the popular QB punt play with consecutive 300-yard, two-score days under his belt. Chicago catches Indy right after a London game, which will attract yet more action.
Jameis Winston ($5800/QB17) joins the list of quarterbacks to hit rock-bottom against Denver and see his ownership depress a bit the following week. The highlights were viscerally ugly and so was the overall performance. A reeling Carolina defense still probably won't lift Winston to highly-owned territory. ... Ryan Tannehill ($5700/QB18) looked hopeless for most of the Thursday night domination by ,Cincy and hurricane conditions will further drive down ownership, though things should clear up by Sunday and the Titans present a funnel-pass matchup.
MORE: Week 5 QB rankings
Daily Fantasy Football Week 5: Running back picks
DraftKings hasn't adjusted to the roles seized by Jerick McKinnon ($4000/RB36) and Jordan Howard ($5200/RB17), so they will definitely siren the public this week at those prices. ... "DeAndre Washington Week" ($3400/RB50) began in earnest with talk of a doubtful injury designation for Latavius Murray (toe). The dirt-cheap cost and Chargers LB corps standing no chance in coverage make Washington an extremely enticing swing in DraftKings' PPR format.
Le'Veon Bell's ($7500/RB2) ownership will be interesting to see, as there are two opposing forces at work. Bell returned to top form in Sunday primetime, which should juice the public shares, and his receiving ability makes him as safe as it gets. At the same time, the Jets present a funnel-pass defense with a front line that is rarely bowled over. DK shows the dreaded red next to Bell's name, as New York allows the fourth-fewest points to opposing backs, which should keep him to medium-owned, at most. ... Red matchups should keep Jeremy Hill ($4200/RB31) and Matt Jones ($4500/RB25) very low-owned.
MORE: Week 5 RB rankings
Daily Fantasy Football Week 5: Wide receiver picks
Antonio Brown ($9800/WR1) completes the Steeler stack that is sure to dominate all stacks in Week 5. The Ben-Brown stacks could limit Sammie Coates ($3600/WR62) shares, but there could be enough Sammie-Bens out there to leave Coates medium-owned. ... Look for Amari Cooper ($7200/WR14) and Michael Crabtree ($6900/WR18) to get heavily stacked with Derek Carr, but they will probably split the vote enough to go medium-owned as opposed to chalk.
Odell Beckham ($8500/WR4) will present an interesting case study. Early-week reports about his state of mind probably deterred the public, but the fantasy community has mostly been on the backlash since. A performance like the one on Monday night will draw enough public fade on all Giants to keep them from the chalk category, but Beckham's depressed price, matchup and high ceiling will draw some GPP attention. ... Will Fuller ($5800/WR24) owns the ninth-highest DraftKings PPG for Sunday-Monday contests, but a matchup with Minnesota will sink him to contrarian territory.
MORE: Week 5 WR rankings
Daily Fantasy Football Week 5: Tight end picks
Virgil Green ($2800/TE22) faces the most fantasy-friendly defense to opposing tight ends in DK scoring. However, uncertainty surrounding his calf injury will keep his ownership extremely low. He's worth monitoring if he is cleared by lineup time.
MORE: Week 5 TE rankings
Zach Ertz ($3500/TE12) has been declared certain to play and gets the second-friendliest matchup in Detroit. He will go as a chalk punt at TE. ... Jordan Reed's ($6600/TE1) ascension above Rob Gronkowski's price and the Ravens' red No. 6 rank against opposing TEs could push him into contrarian stud territory.