Although we rely on big-name players to guide our fantasy football teams to victory, knowing how to locate the sleepers in a given week could be what pushes your team over the edge. With Week 5 of the NFL and fantasy football season on the horizon, here are some sleepers to keep in mind when setting your lineups.
Week 5 Fantasy Football Sleepers | Quarterbacks
Jared Goff, Detroit Lions at NE
At some point, fantasy managers will be forced to acknowledge the existence of Jared Goff. He was one of my sleepers last week, and while I saw a good game in the forecast, I didn’t see this game combining for 93 points.
Goff tossed four touchdowns against the Seahawks despite missing Amon-Ra St. Brown, DJ Chark, and D’Andre Swift. Throwing for 378 yards on 26 of 39 passing, Goff ended Week 4 as the QB1. There is a legitimate argument to make that Goff is a top-12 rest-of-season quarterback for fantasy.
If you need a starter in a deeper league, Goff remains on the short list of streamers I would consider for fantasy in Week 5.
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. HOU
I am giving Trevor Lawrence and this Jags team a pass for Week 4. This was their big test to see how they could stack up against the No. 1 team in the NFC, and one that sits on top of many power rankings.
Throw in torrential rain thanks to Hurricane Ian, and it was always going to be tough. Lawrence didn’t have a great day, completing less than 50% of his attempts (11 of 23) for 174 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He also added seven yards on two rushes.
This is not indicative of who this team is. I’d argue that even in this loss, the Jags passed many tests, and I feel they are the most improved team of 2022 based on the circus we saw last year.
The difficulty level is drastically reduced in Week 5 as the Jags take on a Houston Texans defense that allowed both Matt Ryan and Justin Herbert to throw for over 340 passing yards against them. With the possibility of a Zay Jones return mixed in, Lawrence is a strong high-end QB2 sleeper that should get back on track.
Week 5 Fantasy Football Sleepers | Running Backs
Mike Boone, Denver Broncos vs. IND
This sucks. Plain and simple. On Monday, we received the awful news that Javonte Williams, one of the more celebrated rookies of last year, would miss the remainder of the season after tearing his ACL and LCL on Sunday.
Williams suffered the injury on the Broncos’ first play of the second half in Denver’s 32-23 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Williams entered the game as the Broncos’ leader in carries (47) and rushing yards (204).
MORE: Early Week 5 Waiver Wire Pickups
Mike Boone replaced Williams in the Broncos’ lineup right after Williams went down and would be the sleeper to target for fantasy. Melvin Gordon III jumps into a massive role in an offense where he has success, but Boone is the far more assessable option, rostered in just 0.1% of leagues and started in <0.1% last week.
With a game on Thursday night, Nathaniel Hackett won’t have long to adjust, and Boone could have a significant opportunity share against a Colts team that is reeling and down their top defensive player in Shaquille Leonard (concussion).
Tyler Allgeier and Caleb Huntley, Atlanta Falcons at TB
Atlanta’s RB room was already thin with Damien Williams (ribs) on the IR, and it’s about to get even more crowded. Cordarrelle Patterson joins him on the IR after sustaining a knee injury. It’s a shame, too, as Patterson, the RB6 entering the week, was off to another flying start against Cleveland, rushing nine times for 38 yards with a score.
Atlanta’s rookie RB Tyler Allgeier split the reps with Caleb Huntley, each rushing 10 times, with Allgeier leading in yards 84 to 56 even though Huntley found the end zone.
Arthur Smith must be terrified of Marcus Mariota as he refuses to open up the offense, at one point rushing 14 straight times in the second half. Per ESPN Stats and info, the Falcons’ seven completed passes tied for the fifth-fewest in a win in franchise history, their lowest in a win since 2001.
It’s not a great matchup at all against Tampa Bay this week, but given the volume and length of Patterson’s absence, both Huntley and Patterson are sleepers for Week 5.
Brian Robinson, Washington Commanders vs. TEN
Whether it’s been in sleeper articles or waiver wires, I have been pleading with fantasy managers to stash Brian Robinson on their rosters. Heck, I even busted out the sad Sarah McLachlan music last week, for crying out loud.
Well, guess what? Robinson has been medically cleared and will be activated from the injured list at some point in the next three weeks, according to head coach Ron Rivera.
This is a life ring being tossed in your direction if you lost Williams or even Patterson. Robinson is a starting-caliber RB on Washington and likely had the job. It is my civic duty to continue reminding people that Robinson is a trajectory-altering starter masquerading as a fantasy sleeper.
Week 5 Fantasy Football Sleepers | Wide Receivers
George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers at BUF
After three weeks of mediocre outings in an offense that couldn’t move the ball, George Pickens had his best day yet, pulling in six of eight targets for 102 yards on Sunday. Pickens’ 31% target share doubled Diontae Johnson, while Chase Claypool failed to record a catch. With Kenny Pickett, Pickens saw a 33% target-per-route-run rate in the second half and averaged a 5.92 YPRR.
Mike Tomlin made the switch at halftime to put Pickett in the game, and while he remains noncommittal for next week, it’s near impossible to put that back into the box once it’s out.
Pickens is the highest-upside option, recording an aDOT of 20, benefiting from Pickett’s aggressiveness. Now I don’t love him against Buffalo, but when the Steelers inevitably fall behind by a million and need a shot in the arm, they should turn to Pickens. In deeper leagues, I could see Pickens as an attractive upside sleeper for Week 5.
Kadarius Toney, New York Giants at GB
New York is a disaster. Kenny Golladay’s knee injury adds him to a list that already included Sterling Shepard (ACL) and Collin Johnson (Achilles), who are out for the season, along with Wan’Dale Robinson (knee) and Kadarius Toney (hamstring) with injuries of their own.
On Monday, Giants head coach Brian Daboll gave a rather positive update on both Toney and Robinson, saying they’re making progress and the former to be re-evaluated before the team’s trip to London.
After sitting for the last two weeks, if Toney can get back onto the field, he’d have little to no resistance for opportunities outside of Richie James. By no means a lock, Toney fits the sleeper criteria as if he gets out there, he could have a boom week out of nowhere.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Tennessee Titans at WAS
It was a quiet day for Nick Westbrook-Ikhine on Sunday, as all he did was get in his cardio, failing to record a target on his 35 snaps (18 routes). The only reason he makes the Week 5 sleeper list is due to Treylon Burks suffering a turf toe injury that is believed to keep him out multiple weeks.
MORE: Early Fantasy Football Start/Sit Week 5
The 2020 UDFA has managed to stick around on Tennessee’s roster and worked his way into the starting rotation last year, making seven starts in his 16 games while recording 48 receptions for 476 yards and four TDs. Robert Woods will see the bulk of the volume, but with Kyle Philips also injured and making his way back, Westbrook-Ikhine becomes a sleeper to watch this week.
Week 5 Fantasy Football Sleepers | Tight Ends
Logan Thomas, Washington Commanders vs. TEN
After a standout first two games, Logan Thomas bounced back in Week 4 after a slow outing against the Eagles. Thomas secured a team-high five catches on Sunday against the Cowboys, albeit for 19 yards.
Playing on 79% of the snaps, Thomas has hauled in 13 of 20 targets for just 106 yards and a touchdown over the first four weeks of the season. Aiding in the sleeper discussion for Thomas is the matchup against Tennessee, who, despite the presence of Kevin Byard, has allowed the second most points to the position and just surrendered two touchdowns to Mo Alie-Cox in Week 4.
Tyler Conklin, New York Jets vs. MIA
Catching three passes for 52 yards against the Steelers, Tyler Conklin continues his underrated start to the season. The TE7 on the year, Conklin is sixth in targets (29), fourth in receptions (21), eighth in yards (192), and has double-digit PPR points in three of his four games.
Conklin remained involved in Zach Wilson’s season debut under center and faces a Miami Dolphins defense that is 27th vs. tight ends on the year (18.45 PPR). Despite his season, Conklin somehow remains a sleeper based on current perception.