The Detroit Lions got good news this week when the NFL shortened the suspension of wide receiver Jameson Williams. The thought of pairing Williams with the already explosive offense had fans excited about what this Lions offense could be.
However, he could be even more important as the Lions’ current No. 1 receiver, Amon-Ra St. Brown, is dealing with an abdomen issue that could keep him out Sunday. How will this impact your fantasy football lineup?
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!
Is Amon-Ra St. Brown Going to Play Week 5?
Chances are, if you have St. Brown on your fantasy roster, he has been — at worst — your No. 2 receiver and — more likely — your No. 1.
He has been valuable for fantasy managers to start the year, as he is currently 11th in both catches (26) and yards (331). However, the closer we get to the game, the less likely it is that St. Brown is going to play.
MORE: Fantasy Week 5 WR Start/Sit
He missed Friday’s practice, which is usually a good indicator that a player isn’t playing. Dan Campbell said the team is still waiting to see with St. Brown, but he is currently listed as doubtful on the Lions’ injury report.
With it starting to look like St. Brown may not be going against the Carolina Panthers, what should fantasy football managers do?
Fantasy Options With Amon-Ra St. Brown out
Replacing St. Brown is not an easy task at all, as he is currently WR5 in the PFN Consensus Rankings.
The first obvious player from the Lions is the aforementioned Williams, whose role in this game may be even bigger than expected. The former first-round pick from Alabama has the ability to produce big plays and could be the Lions’ No. 1 wide receiving option in this game.
However, while the Panthers are the only winless team in the NFL, their secondary has played extremely well. Carolina allows only 176.8 passing yards, which ranks sixth in the league. While St. Brown is the type of receiver who is going to have a big game against pretty much any defense, this may not be the most favorable matchup for the other Lions.
Another player who could be a valuable Week 5 play is Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. The Titans play the Indianapolis Colts, a team that hasn’t been able to stop the pass early in the season.
The Colts allow 263.8 yards through the air, which ranks 28th in the league. Hopkins had a solid four catches for 63 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals last week. Those numbers could have been higher, but the Titans blew the Bengals out, 27-3.
The Colts are going to prepare for Derrick Henry, who is coming off his first 100-yard game of the season. This should allow Hopkins to have some favorable matchups and potentially score his first touchdown as a Titan.