Tag: fantasy football week 5

Quarterback concussions were the story of Week 4. We saw two veterans knocked out on Sunday in addition to the gruesome injury sustained by Tua Tagovailoa on Thursday. Scary head trauma aside, make sure to keep your brain in check and limit yourself to a short memory when setting DFS lineups.

DFS: The Primetime Slate

Sunday Night

CINCINNATI @ BALTIMORE

Seldom will Joe Burrow (QB3) find himself as the third-worst QB on a slate of four passers. It actually is a pretty strong matchup for him as Baltimore is putrid against the pass. Unfortunately, two of the other three have juicy matchups, too. If you want to avoid the heavy ownership numbers, definitely consider Burrow here.

One of those who will be more heavily owned is Lamar Jackson (QB1). His matchup isn’t as smooth as Burrow’s but Jackson offers the elite rushing production to go along with his passing stats. This alone makes him the safest floor option among the QBs.

Efficiency has never been a calling card for Joe Mixon (RB1). Fortunately, he gets so much volume that it doesn’t really matter. Samaje Perine (RB6) is his backup, but his usage is far too sporadic to rely on outside of Showdown contests.

J.K. Dobbins (RB2) looked comfortable in Week 4. This should strike fear into the hearts of all of Baltimore’s opponents as now they have one more weapon to deal with. Justice Hill (hamstring – RB8) was running strong before getting knocked out of last week’s game. If he can go, consider him as a flex option. If Hill is out, Mike Davis (RB11) will be the backup. He has no value. Patrick Ricard (RB10), on the other hand, is always a fun TD-dependent Showdown flyer.

The only thing that kept Baltimore’s secondary from getting thrashed by Buffalo last week was the remnants of a hurricane. They remain one of the worst pass defenses in the league. Ja’Marr Chase (WR1) and Tee Higgins (WR3) can both be considered as WR1. I also love Tyler Boyd (WR8) as the third leg to a Burrow stack. You can ignore the depth options here barring a practice-week injury.

Rashod Bateman (foot – WR5) was repeatedly in and out of the Week 4 game with an injury. Watch his practice status this week. If he can go, consider him as a WR2. I particularly like him as the run-it-back play in a Bengals’ stack.  Devin Duvernay came close to scoring once again last week. He is a great WR3 option here. Demarcus Robinson (WR12) could be a sneaky WR3/flex option, especially if Bateman is limited.

Hayden Hurst (groin – TE4) would be a strong play against Baltimore with the revenge game narrative. Unfortunately, he is ranked fourth among the active TEs on this loaded slate. Consider him as a cheap flex play in a multiple-TE lineup.

Mark Andrews (TE2) failed in the cake matchup last week. Forget about it and move on. Cincy has been gouged by both Pat Freiermuth and Tyler Conklin already this season. They are chopped beef compared to Andrews. On a loaded slate, Isaiah Likely (TE5) can be left to Showdown contests.

Monday Night

LAS VEGAS @ KANSAS CITY

Kansas City’s pass defense is shaky enough to consider using a punt lineup with Derek Carr (QB4). His value is even higher if Hunter Renfrow can go.

Patrick Mahomes (QB2) is facing the second-worst pass defense on this slate. Yes, Baltimore is even worse than Vegas (30th versus 31st). Last Sunday night, Mahomes showed once again how ridiculously good he can be … expect another huge game here.

Josh Jacobs (RB3) scored twice last week. That was twice more than I predicted going up against Denver. He was also the second-most-targeted option in the Vegas passing attack. KC has struggled with pass-catching backs allowing 40 receptions through the first four games. Even if Hunter Renfrow returns, Jacobs is a safe play at either RB1 or RB2. Brandon Bolden (RB9) and Zamir White (RB12) don’t see enough usage to deploy here.

Coming into Week 4, Kansas City had split the workload between all three of Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB4), Jerick McKinnon (RB7), and Isaiah Pacheco (RB5). CEH lapped McKinnon in season touches in just Week 4 securing his spot as the lead man. While McKinnon seemingly has fallen even behind Pacheco, CEH can be used as an RB2 this week. Pacheco can be considered as a flex play, and McKinnon should probably be limited to Showdown lineups.

Davante Adams (WR2) continues to hoard targets for Vegas. I love pairing him with one of the Bengals as WR1 and WR2. Hunter Renfrow (concussion – WR6) has missed a pair of games with a concussion. If he can go, roll him out as a WR3. I prefer him on DK, where he gets the full PPR. If Renfrow misses another game, you can use Mack Hollins (WR7) as a WR3. That said, I wouldn’t trust him as more than a desperation punt play if Renfrow returns.

The Chiefs have spread the ball around through the first four weeks. Still, JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR4) has been consistently the top WR option. You will have the choice to use him as a cheap WR2 or an expensive WR3. Marques Valdes-Scantling (WR10) has been far less consistent and has battled some injuries. He could be used as a WR3, at best. Mecole Hardman (WR11) is cheap, but he has been ignored for the last two weeks. I can’t trust his usage right now. Skyy Moore (WR13) finally made the box score this past week, but I’d like to see more consistency before using him outside of Showdown.

Darren Waller (WR3) is ranked lower here than most weeks. He will be my least-owned option as I’d rather take the savings on Hurst if I choose to fade the top two options.

KC loves to attack their divisional rivals with Travis Kelce (TE1). In his last eight meetings with Vegas, Kelce has posted 56-808-5.  His price is high, but I would do everything possible to ensure he is in my lineup.

The Main Slate: recommended DFS lineups

DK Lineup: QB Carson Wentz ($5.7k), RB Rhamondre Stevenson ($5.5k), RB Dameon Pierce ($6.2k), WR A.J. Brown ($7.5k), WR Robert Woods ($5.2k), WR Curtis Samuel ($5.8k), TE T.J. Hockenson ($4.9k), FLEX James Robinson ($6.3k), DST Detroit Lions ($2.8k)

FD Lineup: QB Carson Wentz ($6.8k), RB James Robinson ($8k), RB Damien Harris ($7.2k), WR A.J. Brown ($8k), WR Curtis Samuel ($5.8k), WR Robert Woods ($5.9k), TE David Njoku ($5.7k), FLEX Jamaal Williams ($8.3k), DST Minnesota Vikings ($4.3k)

FB Lineup: QB Joe Burrow ($6.6k), RB Jamaal Williams ($6k), RB Dameon Pierce ($5.6k), WR A.J. Brown ($6.7k), WR Tee Higgins ($6.2k), WR Elijah Moore ($4.3k), TE Cameron Brate ($3.4k), FLEX James Robinson ($5.7k), FLEX Damien Harris ($5.3k)

Quarterback

Weekly strategy – Jalen Hurts and Justin Herbert are the best plays on the board this week. If you choose to pivot to under $6k on DK consider Tom Brady, Ryan Tannehill, Carson Wentz, or Trevor Lawrence. Wentz is my favorite from that group as he should have low ownership. His FD price is also palatable. Teddy Bridgewater and Davis Mills could be barrel-scraping bargains.

Fantasy Four-pack

Jalen Hurts, Eagles @ ARI
($8,100 DK, $8,600 FD) Hurts has two games with three total TDs and two games with one total TD. Fortunately, his rushing acumen keeps his value up even when he has a bad passing game. Arizona was decimated by Patrick Mahomes in Week 1 but has held middling QBs in check since then. Hurts is good enough to turn this into a shootout.

Justin Herbert, Chargers @ CLE
($7,100 DK, $8,200 FD) Herbert leads the league in passing yards, but he has only thrown for nine TDs this year. Meanwhile, Cleveland has allowed zero or one passing TD in three of four games. You might think this is a bad sign for Herbert until you realize that the best QB that Cleveland has faced was Joe Flacco. Cleveland is about to be exposed.

Josh Allen, Bills vs. PIT ($8,200 DK, $9,000 FD) Pittsburgh has faced only one above-average QB this season. That was Joe Burrow back in Week 1. He threw for 338-2 in that game and even gained 47 rushing yards. After facing three straight subpar QBs, Pittsburgh may not be ready for Allen. I like him to approach 300-3 with a floor of 275-2 plus another 40 yards on the ground.

Tom Brady, Buccaneers vs. ATL
($6,000 DK, $7,800 FD) Tom Brady has all of his weapons back healthy and will get healthy as well against an Atlanta pass defense that has allowed multiple passing TDs in three of four games.

DFS Sleepers

Carson Wentz, Commanders vs. TEN
($5,700 DK, $6,800 FD)  Wentz is coming off a pair of stinkers against top-tier pass defenses. Recency bias will keep most DFS players off of him as they forget about his two early-season blowups against the Jags and Lions. Tennessee has allowed the third-most passing yards and the most passing TDs per game. With two horrible pass defenses facing off here expect big scoring on both sides.

Teddy Bridgewater, Dolphins @ NYJ
($5,400 DK, $6,400 FD)
I’ve always bad-mouthed Bridgewater for his standard line of 210-1. That said, this feels like a two-TD game for Teddy-one-TD. I could see stacking him with either Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle, but Waddle would be my choice because he is cheaper.

Running Back

Weekly strategy – Christian McCaffrey finally saw the targets he deserved last week, but this matchup is ugly. Derrick Henry has a slightly better matchup, so I prefer him here. Austin Ekeler and Nick Chubb have much better matchups than both of them. Still, Dalvin Cook has the best matchup of any of them and is cheaper. If I spend up at RB it will be for one of these five. That said, there are just too many bargains to not skip the high-priced guys. James Robinson Jamaal Williams, Dameon Pierce, Kareem Hunt, and the Patriots’ RBs will make up most of my lineups. You can even punt easily with Breece Hall (knee), Mark Ingram (if Alvin Kamara (ribs) is out again), or Tyler Allgeier.

Fantasy Four-pack

Nick Chubb, Browns vs. LAC
($8,000 DK, $9,400 FD) The Chargers have allowed rushing TDs each of the last two weeks. They also were torched by pass-catching backs all season. Chubb is not involved in the passing game at all, but he still is among the top two in both total yards and scores among RBs. Both Chubb and Kareem Hunt will score this week.

Derrick Henry, Titans @ WAS
($8,200 DK, $8,900 FD) Tennessee is using Henry in the passing game. That is a scary thought as he has already scored in three straight games on the ground. 

Dalvin Cook, Vikings vs. CHI ($7,300 DK, $7,300 FD) Cook is cheaper than all of the other decent plays among the high-priced tier. Plus, only two teams are allowing more RB rushing yards per game than Chicago. At home against this decrepit franchise, Cook will feast in a blowout (at least until Alexander Mattison is asked to finish this one off).

Austin Ekeler, Chargers @ CLE
($7,800 DK, $9,000 FD) Ekeler woke up from his TD slumber to score three times last week. His success will continue this week as Cleveland has already given up five total RB scores this season. Plus, all of those targets add up fast in the full-PPR world of DK.

DFS Sleepers

Tyler Allgeier, Falcons @ TB
($4,700 DK, $5,700 FD) Allgeier has a tough-on-paper matchup with the Buccaneers. Still, with Cordarrelle Patterson out for at least the next month, Allgeier is going to get all the touches he can handle. This volume should make him a favorite sleeper play this week.

Breece Hall, Jets vs. MIA ($5,400 DK, $6,600 FD) Only one RB has more targets through the first four weeks than Hall. Now, he faces a Miami team that is tough against the run but has allowed the fifth-most RB receptions. This game will be a sneaky shootout where Hall hauls in six or seven passes. 

Wide Receiver

Weekly strategy – Stefon Diggs and Justin Jefferson have great matchups but high prices. This WR slate is kind of gross, so strongly consider using one of them. You can also save a little money by rolling out Deebo Samuel or A.J. Brown instead. Christian Kirk, Brandin Cooks, and Terry McLaurin are decent WR2 options. At WR3, consider Curtis Samuel, Robert Woods, Elijah Moore, Josh Reynolds, or DeVonta Smith. There are not a lot of good punt plays this week. If you must go there, use one of the Titans, Jaguars, or Texans’ depth WRs.

Fantasy Four-pack

Justin Jefferson, Vikings vs. CHI
($8,900 DK, $8,800 FD)
Jefferson has scored and/or topped 100 yards in each of his four career matchups against Chicago. This season Chicago hasn’t really been tested. They will be this week.

Stefon Diggs, Bills vs. PIT
($8,400 DK, $8,600 FD) Diggs leads all WR in TDs and is second in both receiving yards and receptions. This is impressive seeing as how last week he was playing in the remnants of a hurricane. Prior to last week’s meeting with the Jets, the Steelers had allowed the WR1 on their first three opponents to post a combined 26-325-2.

Deebo Samuel, 49ers @ CAR
($7,700 DK, $7,300 FD) Marquise Brown and Chris Olave have clobbered Carolina over consecutive weeks. This week, they have to deal with the Swiss Army Knife that is Samuel. We know Samuel can score through the air or on the ground. This week, don’t be surprised when he scores both ways. 

A.J. Brown, Eagles @ ARI
($7,500 DK, $8,000 FD) Jalen Hurts is my favorite QB of Week 5, so his top WR needs to be my favorite stack. Through four weeks, Brown has scored only once, but he is averaging over 100 receiving yards per game. He will do both this week in a shootout.

DFS Sleepers

Curtis Samuel, Commanders vs. TEN
($5,800 DK, $5,800 FD) I need to dig somewhere to find a third Samuel to stack with Deebo and Curtis this week. He was dealing with an illness early in the week but should be good to go for Sunday. He could be in for a big day against the Titans’ 29th-ranked pass defense with Jahan Dotson (ankle) unlikely to go.

Robert Woods, Titans @ WAS
($5,200 DK, $5,900 FD) Only one team is allowing more yards to opposing WRs than Washington. With Treylon Burks (toe) doubtful to play, Woods should easily have his best game of the season here. He was the only WR other than Burks to catch a pass last week and already has 36% of the WR receptions on the team.

Tight End

Weekly strategy – Most of the top TEs are off of the main slate. Fortunately, the remaining TEs actually have decent matchups. T.J. Hockenson is the best of the best on this board but that FD price is extreme. Zach Ertz, Tyler Higbee, and Kyle Pitts (hamstring) could be in for decent volume production. Dallas Goedert has a great matchup as well. David Njoku (knee) has also emerged as a weekly reliable option. Cameron Brate (concussion), Logan Thomas, Will Dissly, or one of the Saints are the only punt options.

Fantasy Four-pack

T.J. Hockenson, Lions @ NE
($4,900 DK, $7,000 FD) With injuries to Detroit’s top two WRs, Hockenson feasted against Seattle to the tune of 8-179-2. If the Lions remain short-handed, expect them to lean on Hockenson once again. This will be a strong game plan since New England has allowed five TE scores over the last three weeks.

Tyler Higbee, Rams vs. DAL
($4,300 DK, $5,500 FD) So, Higbee is the real WR2 in Los Angeles this season. If Matthew Stafford doesn’t look at Cooper Kupp, he looks immediately to Higbee. Kupp will have to deal with Trevon Diggs, which should open up another healthy dose of targets for the TE who is leading the league in that category.

Dallas Goedert, Eagles @ ARI
($4,700 DK, $6,100 FD) Arizona has given up a ton of yards and points to opposing TEs. Of course, they have also faced three of the best in the league. Goedert is currently fifth at the position in receiving yards, so there is no rest for the weary this week. He will continue his 5-60 production and may even score this week, too.

Zach Ertz, Cardinals vs. PHI
($4,800 DK, $5,900 FD) This game could be gold for TEs. Consider the Jalen Hurts-A.J. Brown-Dallas Goedert stack, and then run it back with Ertz. Philly has a pair of studs at the outside corners to frustrate the Cardinals’ top outside WRs. This should mean that passes will be funneled to Ertz and Rondale Moore in the middle of the field.

DFS Sleepers

David Njoku, Browns vs. LAC
($3,800 DK, $5,700 FD) Njoku has been on fire, posting 14-162-1 over the last two weeks. He always had the pedigree to support this level of production, but he never had the chance until now. Expect consistent 6-60 production all season.

Will Dissly, Seahawks @ NOS
($3,300 DK, $5,100 FD) Don’t look now, but Dissly has scored in three of the first four weeks. The Saints are actually posting solid stats against the position, but the only above-average TE they have faced is Kyle Pitts (and it isn’t as if he is being used as a top TE currently).