Start' EM Sit' EM Week 5
So... How did you do in Week 4? Did you get another win? Maybe it was your first win? The NFL season can be an up-and-down type of year for fantasy managers because each week offers its share of challenges and impacts to the fantasy lineup. Week 4 had its twists and turns too. You counted yourself fortunate to avoid the Christian McCaffrey buzz saw, who went off for 177 total yards and four freaking touchdowns! Now I must say, I have CMC in a couple of my fantasy leagues and I loved every bit of it. In the leagues I was facing off against him, I largely was able to take him out despite his 48.7-point performance against the Arizona Cardinals. Or how about the explosion of fantasy points from the Dolphins/Bills game? Josh Allen and the Bills came out to make a point to show the Dolphins why they run the AFC East, putting a beatdown on the Dolphins to the tune of 48-20. Stefon Diggs and Josh Allen finished as the WR2 and QB1 for Week 4, with Diggs crushing all other wide receivers in fantasy with 36 fantasy points. Only AJ Brown (38.5) was better. Josh Allen was red-hot throwing for 320 yards and four touchdowns, leading all quarterbacks in fantasy with 36.5 fantasy points.
Heading into Week 5, we have to wipe the taste out of our mouths from the previous week and get ready to take on some new challenges with the new NFL week on the horizon. Let's see what players should be the focus of your fantasy lineups this week.
Week 5 Start' EM Sit' EM
*Start percentages via ESPN
Start' EM
Tua Tagovailoa vs. NYG (60.9% Start)
The Dolphins got smoked by the Buffalo Bills in Week 4 with Tua Tagovailoa getting shutdown for fantasy. Posting a 282/1/1 line against a tough divisional opponent, Tua gained just 14 fantasy points and finished as the QB18. But now he gets a reeling New York Giants defense that got absolutely smoked by the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football. The Giants head into Week 5 allowing 213 passing yards to opposing quarterbacks this season and it looks like that number could balloon with Tua and the high-powered Dolphins offense coming into town to get that bad Week 4 taste out of their mouths.
Jordan Love vs. LVR (29.4% Start)
Love has been solid for the start of the fantasy season. Love currently sits at the QB5 averaging 21.3 fantasy points per game and after losing a tough divisional game against the Detroit Lions during Week 4's Thursday Night Football game, the Las Vegas Raiders look like a good opportunity to get back on the winning wagon and should be an option for fantasy managers this week. The Raiders are giving up the fourth-most touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks at eight heading into Week 5. The Raiders are also allowing the eighth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks at just over 20 FPPG.
De'Von Achane vs. NYG (49.8% Start)
This kid has been red-hot over the last two games and this is what I've been waiting for. De'Von Achane, in just two games, is averaging 26.7 fantasy points per game. Now Achane gets a Giants defense for Week 5 and he should be licking his chops. The Giants are giving up the fourth-most rushing yards to opposing running backs and allowing 20.7 FPPG, eighth-most in fantasy football among defenses. De'Von Achane is also averaging a crazy 11.4 yards per carry heading into Week 5. You might want to get him in your lineups. That game-breaking speed is unreal.
Breece Hall vs. DEN (37.7% Start)
Hall hasn't been the running back fantasy managers have wanted since his Week 1 explosion against the Buffalo Bills. Since Week 1, Breece Hall has averaged just 7.3 rushing attempts per game, not nearly enough to do any real damage for fantasy managers. The Jets have made it a point to take care of Hall's reps and health so far this season but they're going to have to let him spin if they want to have a shot to make it to the postseason or have a chance should Aaron Rodgers make a miraculous return by the end of the regular season. Hall has a real chance to be unleashed against a Denver Broncos defense that got destroyed in back-to-back weeks against the Dolphins De'Von Achane and Raheem Mostert as well as Bears running back Khalil Herbert. The Broncos are giving up 153 yards per game to running backs so far this season.
Michael Pittman vs. TEN (64.3% Start)
The Titans' defense has been getting abused by opposing wide receivers this season. While they did put up a fight against the Bengals in Week 4, shutting down star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase for just 73 yards and 14 fantasy points, the Titans are allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to wide receivers heading into Week 5, nearly 44 FPPG. Pittman has been having a solid season so far, averaging nearly 10 targets per game from the rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson. Pittman gets to have a solid matchup as a higher-end wide receiver for the new week.
Terry McLaurin vs. CHI (40.7% Start)
Terry McLaurin was smoking the Philadelphia Eagles secondary in Week 4 for fantasy as he finished 86 yards on 10 targets and added a rushing touchdown to drop 22 fantasy points for managers who needed some help to win their matchups. McLaurin should look to keep it going for Week 5 as the Chicago Bears are next on the schedule. The Bears' defense has been less than great as the defense allowed 36 fantasy points to the Broncos' wide receiver group in Week 4. McLaurin is averaging 13.6 fantasy points per game heading into the matchup.
Zach Ertz vs. CIN (17.3% Start)
Zach Ertz has been one of the most targeted pass-catching options for Josh Dobbs and the Arizona Cardinals so far this season. Ertz ranks second in targets among fantasy taught ends heading into Week 5 and gets a Cincinnati Bengals that's allowing 16.5 FPPG to opposing tight ends this season. On paper this looks like a good play if you have Ertz on your rosters.
Sit' EM
Trevor Lawrence vs. BUF (45.5% Start)
Trevor Lawrence has been a tad underwhelming this season despite the hype surrounding him and the Jaguars offense heading into the new football year (and I was definitely one of them). Lawrence is averaging 14.5 FPPG and heads into a tough matchup against a Buffalo Bills defense that was able to slow down the Miami Dolphins offense in Week 4 to just 20 points. The Jaguars offense is averaging that much this season. Lawrence may be a tough sit but looking for safer options may be the move.
Khalil Herbert vs. WAS (23.3% Start)
Week 4 was a bitter pill to swallow as a Roschon Johnson truthers as Khalil Herbert has his best game this season to the tune of 22 fantasy points against a suspect Denver Broncos run defense. Now he'll go up against a Washington Commanders defense fresh off of a overtime L against the division rival Philadelphia Eagles. The Commanders look like a solid defensive matchup against a Bears offense that's flashed just once so far this season.
Tutu Atwell vs. PHI (33.9% Start)
With reports that number one wide receiver Cooper Kupp could be back in Week 5, Tutu Atwell's value takes the biggest hit behind rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua. Atwell currently ranks as a Top 20 wide receiver heading into Week 5 but should Kupp be back from the PUP, Atwell's target share should disappear with it. The Eagles pass defense looks shaky as they've controlled the game with bigger leads earlier on in games so in a world without Cooper Kupp, even garbage time could work. But only if Kupp isn't there.
Dallas Goedert vs. LAR (72% Start)
This has more to do with Goedert's involvement with the Eagles offense as opposed to the matchup. The Eagles still sport one of the better offenses in the league but they've failed to get their star tight end involved with it. Goedert is seeing six targets per game over the last three games but has just 30 yards receiving per game over that span. The Rams have been lunch meat against fantasy tight ends but with AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, and now D'Andre Swift in the mix for targets, Goedert is a bigger risk to fantasy lineups even in a plus matchup.
Filed under: Free Articles
