The NFL season is back for another round of action, and fantasy football managers are ready for a full slate of action to flood their TVs this weekend. As not all matchups or roles are equal, we’re breaking down our top fantasy football start/sit Week 5 plays.
Fantasy Football Start/Sit Week 5 | Quarterbacks
Start: Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. HOU
It was no real surprise watching Trevor Lawrence struggle last week. The Eagles are legit. Playing in the pouring rain, Lawrence completed 11 of 23 passes for 174 yards with two touchdowns, an interception, and four lost fumbles, while also rushing twice for an additional seven yards. As I said, not great.
However, Lawrence is bouncing back in Week 5. The QB16 in points per game takes on a Texans defense that’s allowed the 10th-most yards per attempt. While they have been somewhat stingy with yards (254 per game), Jacksonville has no issues turning up the pace if needed. With seven passing touchdowns in his last three games, Lawrence wins most Week 5 start/sit decisions as a high-end QB2 (QB13 in PFN’s QB fantasy rankings).
Start: Jared Goff, Detroit Lions at NE
Even missing Amon-Ra St. Brown, DJ Chark, and D’Andre Swift was not enough to slow down Jared Goff and the Lions. Goff ended last week as the QB1 thanks to a shootout with the Seahawks and now sits as the QB5 overall on the season.
Detroit is a fantasy manager’s dream and even blew away my expectations even though I wasn’t far off as to the why. The Lions’ defense is abysmal, allowing points to the local JV team. But they have an offense full of talent and have to keep the accelerator pinned to stay in touch. That’s fantasy gold.
St. Brown did return to practice but remains questionable. With that said, New England is allowing the ninth-most points to QBs. I’d trust Goff as a high-end QB2 once again in Week 5.
Sit: Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers at BUF
Did Kenny Pickett inject some much-needed life into the Steelers’ anemic offense? Yes, he did. Does that mean you should even consider starting him against the Buffalo Bills? Absolutely not.
Not only was Buffalo No. 1 in EPA last year, but once again, they are elite, having allowed the fewest fantasy ppg (8.26) and passing yards (693) to QBs. I’m staying away from the Steelers if at all possible.
Sit: Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams vs. DAL
Until the Rams figure out who they are, they remain a team impossible to trust unless your name is Cooper Kupp. Matthew Stafford looks rough to start the season. He’s scored a combined 17 points over the last two games and just appears frustrated when not targeting Kupp.
He’s already -24.9 FPOE and will likely be playing with pressure in his face all day due to how poor the offensive line play has been. Add in a ball-hawk secondary and a front seven that has generated the league’s second-highest pressure rate, and Stafford remains a sit for me in Week 5 until we see a drastic shift in the passing game. Preferably one that involves Allen Robinson, please.
Fantasy Football Start/Sit Week 5 | Running Backs
Start: James Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. HOU
James Robinson is a smash play in Week 5. While he’s coming off a down game, totaling 29 yards, that is more to do with the Eagles than anything else. They’re that good. This is a get-right game and one where I’m hoping I’m not facing Robinson.
After a spanking from Austin Ekeler, Houston has allowed the most fantasy points to RBs (32.78) and rushing yards (564), the second-most rushing touchdowns (five), and the eighth-most receiving yards (157) to RBs.
Robinson is a must-start this week, and I would even consider Travis Etienne Jr. as well, as he has been close to a breakout for quite some time. Now could be the time it happens.
Start: Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles at ARI
Do you remember when Miles Sanders told all of us not to draft him? That backfired but in a positive way. In Week 4, Sanders carried the ball 27 times for 134 yards and two scores while catching two of three targets for 22 yards. We can’t expect 30 opportunities in every outing, but Sanders has seen at minimum 15 in each game so far.
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Philly is rolling at the moment and comes into Arizona being able to get into the opponent’s red zone at will. After a year with no touchdowns, Sanders is making up for lost time (3). The RB9 on the season starts Sanders against a Cardinals defense that has allowed over 23 PPR points per game to RBs and letting opposing offenses light up the scoreboard.
Start: Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots vs. DET
If you have either Damien Harris or Rhamondre Stevenson, start them in Week 5. Where Harris is a low-end RB2, Stevenson is a high-end RB3, with finishes of RB42, RB8, and RB22 in his last three games.
Despite Harris’ ability to punch it in up close, Stevenson sits 13th in the NFL in red-zone touches (10) thanks to a Patriots offense that is ninth in RZ rushing rate, likely a side effect of the current QB play and a lack of trust when the zones tighten.
Through four weeks, Stevenson leads Harris in snaps 52% to 40%, with a 47% route participation and a 38% target/route run rate, acting as a de-facto receiving back when needed. He’s fifth in yards after contact per attempt and should be busy with Bailey Zappe likely getting his first career start.
Sit: Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers at BUF
I wasn’t kidding when I said I was fading Steelers players. Najee Harris was an avoidable landmine that caught fantasy managers in drafts, something that terrified me. After a season where Harris led the NFL in touches as a rookie (381) and was top three in targets, receptions, and yards, he is now leading the backfield for a team ranked 30th in target share to RBs and has an 8.8% target share.
Volume isn’t an issue. He’s averaged 18.7 touches (13th amongst RBs), turning it into 74.7 total yards per game but sits as the RB28 in points per game due to a lack of efficiency or scoring chances (2).
The Bills have been tough against running backs, with the third-lowest rushing yards per game while sitting inside the top five in adjusted line yards, second-level yards, and open-field yards. I get it if you don’t have a better option, but I’m avoiding starting Harris in Week 5.
Sit: Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons vs. TB
With Cordarrelle Patterson on IR, Tyler Allgeier takes over as the primary ball carrier for the Falcons. Last week, Allgeier turned his season-high 11 touches into 104 total yards, playing a season-high 44% of the snaps. However, Allegeier was in a dead-even rushing split (10) with Caleb Huntley, who was the 1B and also found the end zone. Additionally, Allgeier split passing reps with Huntley, Avery Williams, and Keith Smith last week.
Allgeier is what I thought he would be coming out of BYU. He’s a grinder that doesn’t make much happen on his own. He’s 29th in yards after contact/attempt and has just three missed tackles (45th). The matchup isn’t great, either.
While not the same pass funnel as last year, Tampa has surrendered the third-fewest points to RBs thus far. And in a game where they are massive underdogs (+10), Atlanta is unlikely to rush much in the second half. I’d sit Allgeier in what could be a painful committee.
Sit: Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys at LAR
At times, Ezekiel Elliott busts off a run and looks like a quality running back. Other times, he seems like someone on their last leg in the NFL. He’s also on his last leg as a fantasy asset at this rate.
Elliott has yet to reach 15 fantasy points and has scored 10 or fewer in three of his four games. There is also very little receiving upside, with Elliott yet to record more than two targets in a single game.
Elliott either needs a touchdown or, at minimum, 15 touches to be comfortably started as an RB2. This week’s matchup against the Rams isn’t great. This season, LA’s been tough against RBs, allowing the fewest fantasy ppg to the position (13.48) and sitting third in rushing DVOA.
Fantasy Football Start/Sit Week 5 | Wide Receivers
Start: Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints vs. SEA
Last week, Seattle was torched by Goff, who was missing his top three assets. Feed me Chris Olave in Week 5 for fantasy as a must-start top-24 wide receiver.
Olave is a game-changer and field stretcher. Through four games, he’s No. 1 in the NFL in AirYAC (air yards + yards after catch) at 179. The next closest? Tyreek Hill at 156.4.
Olave leads the league in air yards (673), is top 15 in air-yard share at 38.75, and has flashed his upside, recording 147 yards on nine of 13 receiving, scoring 23.7 PPR points as the WR6 in Week 4.
We’ll get the Red Rifle Andy Dalton again this week, but we just saw what those two can do and will need to do once again with Michael Thomas (toe) ruled out. After two weeks to learn his role, Olave has seen a ridiculous 26.1% target share (20th), adding a high floor to his already high ceiling. Start him if you can this week.
Start: Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers vs. NYG (London)
Romeo Doubs is the receiver many wanted Christian Watson to be. Doubs has 13+ PPR points in back-to-back games and should have had a monster game last week if not for a dropped touchdown in the end zone.
On the Pat McAfee Show, Aaron Rodgers noted Doubs’ development, talking about a subtle gesture he made at the line that Doubs caught onto and adjusted his route with no needed communication. That’s massive and isn’t getting talked about enough.
Over the last two weeks, Doubs is earned a full-time player role, posting a 22.8% target share while earning a 94.5% route-per-dropback rate. He leads the team with five red-zone targets, is 12th in yards after the catch/reception, and will face Fabian Moreau for roughly 80% of his routes.
While Moreau hasn’t seen a ton of targets come his way this year (8), he allowed seven touchdowns and a 116.3 passer rating last year when targeted. Watch for Rodgers to exploit this matchup early on Sunday morning.
Start: Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at ATL
It’s always touch and go when starting a receiver coming off an ACL injury. Soft tissue injuries tend to follow, which was the case for Chris Godwin when he returned. With that said, I do feel better about him in Week 5 after he was able to get in a busy afternoon last week.
Godwin returned to an 83% snap share last week with a 19.2% target share. With an 85% route participation, Godwin had a 22% target/route run rate (10), recording seven receptions for 59 yards. Atlanta, well, they struggle everywhere. DB is no different, as they come in ranked 26th in points allowed (40.6) and get to face a motivated Bucs offense.
Start Godwin in your fantasy lineup as a strong WR2 in Week 5. There is a good chance his first touchdown of 2022 comes Sunday.
Sit: DJ Moore, Carolina Panthers vs. SF
I hate it here. Honestly, I would rather watch the Thursday night game again than watch more film of the Panthers’ offense and how gross it is. Nothing matters when only 51% of your targets are catchable. DJ Moore has a 25.9% target share, but it doesn’t matter. He’s open all the time but still got called out by his team for needing to play better.
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I’m sorry, what? The last person in this offense who should feel any blame is Moore. Somehow, after three straight years of 1,250+ scrimmage yards (only WR with this streak) with passes from Kyle Allen, Cam Newton, Will Grier, Teddy Bridgewater, P.J. Walker, and Sam Darnold, it’s Baker Mayfield who finally breaks him. I’m sorry DJ, you deserve better than to be WR59 in PPR/game (9.0).
Sit: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kansas City Chiefs vs. LV
I must say I expected more from JuJu Smith-Schuster thus far. He’s the WR52 in PPR scoring and is still looking for his first touchdown and first 100-yard game as a Chief. Averaging 6.8 targets a game, Smith-Schuster’s 4.8 receptions and 56 yards have yet to see him score over 14 PPR in a game, with two games in the single digits.
There’s no reason a WR who has seen eight targets in three of four games from Patrick Mahomes having just 19 receptions and 224 yards on the season with an 8.5 aDOT. He’s their No. 1 WR option(usually) but second fiddle to Travis Kelce in the pecking order.
No question Smith-Schuster could always have a big game so long as No. 15 is under center, but I’m willing to take a wait-and-see approach and sit Smith-Schuster until he becomes more consistent for fantasy.
Sit: Elijah Moore, New York Jets vs. MIA
With Zach Wilson under center again, we knew we’d likely need to re-calibrate how we view this offense. After watching Garrett Wilson thrive, I wondered if we might see Elijah Moore surge ahead following his chemistry with the prized signal-caller after the magic last season. I was also wrong.
Moore saw just a 12% target share with Zach Wilson under center, catching three of his four targets for 53 yards. Equally as concerning is the lack of aggressiveness and verticality in his targets, accounting for only 19% of the air-yard total.
Moore has yet to score double-digit fantasy points in a game this season, and Week 4 was the first time he even cracked 50 yards. The Jets have a deeper receiver room than most, with Garrett Wilson, Corey Davis, Braxton Berrios, and Tyler Conklin drawing their own targets.
Even in a matchup that looks good on paper, Moore will ride the pine in Week 5. Something must change, or Moore will begin to appear on drop lists here shortly.
Fantasy Football Start/Sit Week 5 | Tight Ends
Start: David Njoku, Cleveland Browns vs. LAC
After a massive game in Week 3, which sent managers rushing to the waiver wire, David Njoku had a decent day last week, finishing as the TE14 (9.7 PPR) with 73 yards on five of seven receiving. He’s up to TE11 on the year, but over the last two games is the TE3 (16.8) behind only Kelce and T.J. Hockenson with a 26% target share and 20% air-yard share.
Los Angeles is not the easiest matchup for Njoku. They’re fifth in DVOA and 13th in points allowed (9.78), but Njoku’s upside after the catch and the lack of any passing option not named Amari Cooper keeps Njoku heavily involved, especially if they end up trailing. Njoku is a top-10 TE fantasy option to start in Week 5.
Start: Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Chargers at CLE
It was not my intention, but we are sticking with the same game as Gerald Everett also makes the Week 5 start/sit list. Everett was the TE4 last week, scoring 17 PPR points thanks to five of six receiving for 61 yards and a touchdown.
He’s now seen 6+ targets in each of his last three games and is the TE6 with a 16.4% target share (13th) and 67.1% route run rate. He’s also hyper-efficient, sitting ninth in YPRR, and remains one of Justin Herbet’s top red-zone options. Give me Everett on the road against the 22nd-ranked defense in DVOA and the 31st-ranked team against the position in points allowed (14.0).
Sit: Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. BUF
Oh, you thought Pat Freiermuth would escape my “fade all Steelers” mantra for the week? Sorry, I don’t make the rules, I just enforce them.
Freiermuth has been borderline elite this year. He’s the TE6 in fantasy points per game, third in TE target share (24%), fifth in YPRR, and sixth in yards per game. He’s had double-digit fantasy points in three of four games and is coming off an 85-yard outing on seven of nine receiving. He deserves his praise as young TEs don’t usually do this.
Yeah, but about that Bills thing. Buffalo’s been all but impenetrable this year. They are first in DVOA vs. TEs, allowing the third-fewest receptions, the fourth-lowest receiving yards, and the second-fewest fantasy points on the season (5.55).
The Steelers are about to begin a brutal part of their schedule, with games against the Bills, Buccaneers, Dolphins, and Eagles all in a row before a Week 9 bye and return to face the Saints. Things could get very rough for Steelers players and fantasy managers alike.
Sit: Irv Smith Jr., Minnesota Vikings vs. CHI
For the last couple of years, Irv Smith Jr. was a top breakout option for many. Yet, here we are in Week 5, and Smith has yet to pop off the page. He’s watched his volume drop this year, accounting for just 13.5% of the targets, and has yet to cross 40 yards in a game.
Smith is running routes on just 57% of the Vikings’ passing plays and is, at best, the fourth option up close. Chicago, for all their many faults, has been stingy against tight ends. They’re 15th in DVOA, allowing the eighth-fewest yards and just 8.4 ppg to the position.
It doesn’t make much sense to start a TE who’s watched his targets drop for three straight weeks and who relies on TD upside against a defense that has allowed only one score through four weeks.