We’re firing into the Week 5 weekend action, and this is where the fantasy football season starts to get much more challenging — and much more interesting.
In addition to finding replacements for slow starters and injured players, we also now must contend with bye weeks, too. The Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans are off, and that means a solid number of fantasy regulars are on a bye, too.
The good news is that the weather appears to be mostly favorable, although we might get some rain in the Indianapolis-Jacksonville game, as well as the Sunday night contest between Dallas and Pittsburgh, so make sure to double-check the weather forecast on Sunday morning.
We also have our first London game, as the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings tangle at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Kickoff is at 9:30 a.m. ET, so be cognizant of the early start time if you have players on those two teams.
Doing start/sit articles can be a little challenging. The players featured on the list below should not be taken as “must starts” or “must sits.” Instead, these are more suggestions on what we believe managers should do with fringe players heading into the weekend. The choice is ultimately up to the manager.
Just because a player is listed as a “start” doesn’t mean he should be put in the lineup over the secure, bona fide studs. Vice versa for the “sits.” If there’s no better option on the waiver wire or the bench, a manager shouldn’t automatically sit the player. That’s why these can be tricky waters to navigate.
Feel free to ask any specific start/sit questions via X, formerly Twitter, (@danieledobish), or check out our start/bench list for Week 5: