It is already Week 5 of the NFL season, and we have had so many surprises. At this point in the season, your pre-draft rankings and ADP should be out of the window. There are big players potentially coming back soon with Cooper Kupp and Jonathan Taylor. We have four teams on a bye this week (CLE, SEA, TB, and LAC). Between the injuries, the highs, and the lows, there is a lot to discuss. Here are my Week 5 Fantasy Football Rankings.
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Week 5 Fantasy Football Rankings: Who Should I Start?
We have you covered, and you can check out all of our rankings on the website. These are my rankings on the FantasyPros ECR. I have highlighted some players that I am higher on than the expert consensus. Good luck this week, and if you want any advice this season, please reach out. The easiest way to find us is by joining our Patreon and Discord.
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Week 5 Starts of The Week
QB, C.J. Stroud – HOU vs. ATL
C.J. Stroud is playing at a historically high rate as a rookie and has been playing with his backup offensive line. The Texans have not held him back, and he is throwing the ball at an extremely high rate. His weapons are playing really well. Nico Collins and Tank Dell are getting open. Stroud is currently QB10 on the year and has back-to-back 30-point performances. Since Week 1, his season low was 25 points. I am playing him over Burrow and Lawrence.
QB, Brock Purdy- SF vs. DAL
Brock Purdy has not only taken the job, but he is playing extremely well. Yes, this is probably the easiest quarterback job in the league. That being said, he is playing it better than any quarterback has played it in the last five years. Purdy is pushing the ball down the field, and the office is absolutely rolling. Micah Parsons is banged up, and Trevon Diggs is out for the season. I am starting Brock Purdy, and ECR has him all of the way down at 16.
Quarterback Streaming Options: Zach Wilson at DEN, Sam Howell vs. CHI, and Matthew Stafford vs. PHI
RB, Breece Hall – NYJ at DEN
The Denver Broncos have allowed over 150 fantasy points to running backs in the last three weeks. Khalil Herbert had 22 fantasy points against them. This team is not playing hard, they are not tackling, and they are a mess. New York has already come out and said there is no more pitch count for Hall. Wheels up on a player we have already seen look explosive on the field. This is an A1 matchup, and Hall is a buy before it happens.
RB, Gus Edwards – BAL at PIT
Gus Edwards has been the best running back for the Ravens this season. The Steelers are expected to have Mitch Trubisky or a banged-up Kenny Pickett at quarterback. Baltimore is expected to have a positive game script, and the Steelers are already 26th against the fantasy running backs. Edwards will get the volume, and volume is king, on top of the goal line work. He had 69% of snaps and 15 rushes last week.
Honorable Mentions: Jaleel McLaughlin vs. New York Jets, Jaylen Warren vs. Baltimore
WR, Marquise Brown – AZ vs. CIN
Marquise Brown is WR17 this season and has been a consistent option every single week. Bigger names are above him in the ranks, but I am seven spots higher than the ECR on Brown. He gets open, and Dobbs is doing a great job feeding him. Brown is the clear-cut #1 on his team and is getting 7-10 targets a game in his last three. Brown has scored a consistent 17 points during that same stretch. Put him in your lineups with confidence in Week 5.
Carolina WR1 Trade Targets:
1. Marquise Brown – contract year, new regime in ARI, have Michael Wilson & decent chance to draft Marvin Harrison Jr
2. Tee Higgins – CIN unlikely to extend. Popular name
3. Jerry Jeudy – DEN unlikely to pay him + moves Marvin Mims ⬆️
4. Michael…
— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) October 4, 2023
WR, Christian Watson – GB vs. LV
Christian Watson played on limited snaps last week and got you 10 fantasy points. Watson got an extra few days to rest because of the Thursday night game. This is a great matchup for this entire offense. Las Vegas is letting up fantasy points all over. They are the 13th-best offense to target for wide receivers, and Watson should see an increase in opportunities. I am comfortable putting him in my lineup this week. I love the upside.
Honorable mentions: Tutu Atwell vs. Philadelphia, Michael Thomas at New England, Tyler Boyd at Arizona
Zach Ertz – AZ vs. CIN
Arizona has been much better than advertised, and Joshua Dobbs has been playing great. Ertz has been targeted 10, 8, 2, and 10 times this season. He is a great streaming option in all PPR formats, and we could see his production go up. Last week, he ran a route on 87% of the team’s dropbacks. His 24% target share was amongst the top for all tight ends, and ECR has him at 11 this week.
Honorable Mentions: Luke Musgrave at Las Vegas, Jonnu Smith vs. Houston, and Tyler Conklin at Denver
Miami Dolphins vs. New York Giants
The Seattle Seahawks looked like the 1985 Chiaco Bears on Monday night. For the second time this season, the Giants’ offensive line looked like they couldn’t block anyone. They gave up 11 sacks on Monday, and Daniel Jones turned back into a turnover machine. Miami’s offense should put the Giants in comeback mode early. This could turn into another monster D/ST performance.
Honorable Mentions: Green Bay at Las Vegas, Indianapolis vs. Tennessee, and Tennessee at Indianapolis
Week 5 Sits of The Week
QB, Daniel Jones – NYG at MIA
I am five spots lower on Daniel Jones, and he has been tough to watch. The offensive line problems and Saquan Barkley being out have put too much on Jones. He is having to do too much, and it is turning into turnovers. In most leagues, you are getting negative points for fumbles lost and interceptions. In some leagues, you are getting more negatives for taking sacks or just fumbling. He is too volatile of a player right now. I am sitting him against Miami.
QB, Joe Burrow – CIN at AZ
Joe Burrow has struggled all season, and he needs to be benched until he proves otherwise. Arizona is not as much of a pushover as we thought it would be. Ask Dallas. The Bengals are struggling, and Joe Burrow is not himself. He can’t push off and get the ball down the field. His mobility in the pocket is limited. The Cardinals are 22nd against fantasy quarterbacks right now, and Burrow is currently ranked 31st amongst fantasy football quarterbacks.
Honorable Mentions: Derek Carr at New England and Russell Wilson vs. New York Jets
RB, Miles Sanders, CAR at DET
Miles Sanders gets the Detroit Lions, and he is dealing with a groin injury. I am looking for other options right now after we have seen a few rough weeks. Last week, we saw Chuba Hubbard outsnap Sanders. He is obviously hurt, and I am not risking it. This offense is really struggling, and this matchup is not great. You can do better than Miles Sanders this week.
This is, by far, the best explanation I’ve seen for Jahmyr Gibbs’ low usage. And it comes from a guy that is virtually the same exact playerhttps://t.co/xGhO9HCfOn
— Mike Payton (@AtoZ_Payton) October 4, 2023
RB, Jahmyr Gibbs, DET at CAR
We continue to see the usage of Gibbs leaving us wanting more. Until we see Gibbs more involved, he is hard to start. David Montgomery is the starter, and he is their back when they are closing out games. Not only all of that, but Montgomery gets all of their goal-line touches. Detroit has used Montgomery primarily when leading. They are expected to lead early against Carolina. Montgomery is an obvious start, and Gibbs should be an obvious sit.
Honorable Mention: Najee Harris vs. Baltimore and Zack Moss vs. Tennesee
WR, Jameson Williams, DET vs. CAR
I know we are all excited to put Williams in our lineups. Personally, I am going to wait a little while. When players are suspended, they are not with the team. He will get a few snaps, but with limited opportunities, you could end up with a big fat zero. Let someone else gamble. Keep him on the bench for now.
WR, Drake London, ATL vs. HOU
You can’t deny the talent, but you can’t rely on the talent when they play for Atlanta. Desmond Ridder is not playing well, and Drake London is touchdown-dependent. If he scores, I am wrong, and I will take my chances against another touchdown. The targets are not there, and the targets are not great. There are a lot of better options on the slate. I have Drake London as my thirty-second wide receiver so far this week.
Honorable Mentions: George Pickens vs. Baltimore and Courtland Sutton vs. New York Jets
Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers
The Cowboys’ defense has slowed down in the last few weeks. San Francisco is playing great on both sides of the ball. You do not HAVE to sit the Cowboys, but you can definitely find better options this week.
Honorable Mentions: New York Giants at Miami and Pittsburgh vs. Baltimore
