Fantasy Football Week 5 Recap & Trade Targets
Going over all of the Week 5 matchups and new values for Fantasy Football
Fantasy Football Week 5 Recap & Trade Targets
Game Recaps
SF 26, LAR 23 (OT)
Mac Jones showed streaming potential whenever Purdy misses time. Kendrick Bourne is a pickup worth considering, but only startable if one or both of Jennings and Pearsall are out. Don’t forget Kittle is on his way back in Week 7. CMC, as long as healthy, will remain a top-3 running back weekly and the overall RB1. Stafford delivered a vintage performance with 389 yards and a touchdown. Puka Nacua continues to cement himself as the WR1 with 10 catches for 85 yards and a touchdown. Davante Adams showed he can still finish as a top 12-15 receiver this season with 11 targets. Kyren Williams remains a floor-based RB1 you never need to worry about, posting 14 carries for 65 yards and adding 8 receptions for 66 yards and 2 touchdowns.
MIN 21, CLE 17
Carson Wentz has been serviceable under center. Justin Jefferson continues showing elite WR1 upside with 7 catches for 123 yards on 11 targets. Jordan Addison caught the game-winning touchdown after being benched to start. Jordan Mason had a fumble and touchdown—still a high-end weekly RB2, but once Aaron Jones returns, expect a committee approach making him a prime sell-high candidate. T.J. Hockenson looked better after a slow start. Dillon Gabriel will keep some Cleveland values afloat. Quinshon Judkins is a high-end RB2 without passing work. The Njoku/Fannin situation will be annoying all year. Jerry Jeudy and Isaiah Bond remain tough to trust.
LV 6, IND 40
Geno Smith will be inconsistent throughout the season. Ashton Jeanty will be up and down, but it’s great to see him involved in the receiving game. Tre Tucker is a flex option. What happened to Jakobi Meyers? Brock Bowers’ PCL injury is concerning, he’s now week to week. Jonathan Taylor is a threat to be the RB1 after a 3-touchdown performance. Daniel Jones continues to produce as a QB1/QB2. Tyler Warren found the endzone, looks like a top 3 TE ROS. Michael Pittman Jr. remains a top-15 receiver rest of season.
NYG 14, NO 26
The Jaxson Dart’s experience will be wild—not sure who the number one receiver will be week to week, probably a nightmare to predict. Skattebo will have volume but lack huge games. Spencer Rattler is probably the starter all year long. Olave and Shaheed will be tough to trust as anything more than WR3/flex plays weekly. Taysom Hill is back… does that make Juwan Johnson a sell-high? Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller are in a split, with Kamara being a trade candidate in real life.
DAL 37, NYJ 22
Dak Prescott was elite with 237 yards and 4 touchdowns. George Pickens will be a WR1 until CeeDee Lamb returns. Jalen Tolbert, Ryan Flourney both have some flex upside but are too inconsistent to trust. Javonte Williams is really an RB1—currently the RB3 overall with 135 yards and 2 touchdowns. Jake Ferguson will challenge for the TE1 spot with 7 catches for 49 yards and 2 touchdowns. Justin Fields did most of his damage in the second half and still had 20+ fantasy points. Breece Hall continues to be elite with over 150 total yards. Garrett Wilson is a WR1 rest of season with 6 catches for 71 yards and a touchdown. Mason Taylor has 25 targets in his last 3 games, looks like the 2nd option in the pass game right now.
DEN 21, PHI 17
Bo Nix is a QB2. J.K. Dobbins is the clear lead back. RJ Harvey is a risky flex-worthy play during bye weeks until his role increases. Evan Engram is a good buy-low candidate with 4 catches for 33 yards and a touchdown. Courtland Sutton is the clear receiver to own in Denver. Jalen Hurts is missing the passing production that makes him a threat for the top QB spot. A.J. Brown is tough to trust until something changes. DeVonta Smith had good target volume, which might be a good sell-high moment. Saquon Barkley doesn’t have the same appeal as last year but is still a top-5 running back weekly. Dallas Goedert is a consistent threat to be a top-10 tight end weekly with 9 targets including a touchdown—he has 4 touchdowns on the season.
MIA 24, CAR 27
Tua had a great game against a tough Carolina defense with 256 yards and 3 touchdowns. Jaylen Waddle will be a high-end WR2 rest of season. Darren Waller is emerging as a real TE1 threat until further notice with 5 catches for 78 yards and a touchdown. De’Von Achane had a terrific touchdown catch… lacking true upside to be a top-3 running back but still a consistent RB1. Bryce Young had a nice comeback win and is more valuable than advertised. Tetairoa McMillian has been a WR2/3 but is still waiting on a real breakout performance. Rico Dowdle had a monster game and will have another opportunity against Dallas next week if Chuba Hubbard is out—top waiver pickup this week, but don’t blow your FAAB.
HOU 44, BAL 10
C.J. Stroud had a bounce-back game with 4 touchdowns. Nico Collins isn’t showing the elite WR1 upside he had in the past but is still a WR1. Xavier Hutchinson had a surprise 2-touchdown performance. Nick Chubb led the backfield after Woody Marks’ hype, expect it will still be a hot-hand approach. Cooper Rush isn’t viable with Lamar Jackson expected to miss a couple weeks. All pass catchers are a big downgrade until Lamar returns. Derrick Henry is looking more like an RB2 right now, but he should bounce back at some point. All Ravens might be buy-low candidates after next week with their Week 7 bye and Lamar’s probable Week 8 return.
DET 37, CIN 24
Business as usual for the Lions. Jameson Williams’ is a boom or bust WR3/Flex until further notice. Sam LaPorta remains a weapon at TE. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery are in full effect. Jake Browning struggled early but rallied in the second half for fantasy purposes. Ja’Marr Chase will be fine, as predicted, as a backend WR1… though inconsistent. Tee Higgins is a WR3, inconsistent and touchdown-dependent. Chase Brown is a backend RB2 until further notice—not enough offense for him to be truly viable.
WSH 27, LAC 10
Jayden Daniels had a great second half in his first game back from injury. Deebo Samuel is looking like a top-20 receiver in fantasy rest of season with 11 targets. Curious to see when Terry McLaurin returns what the WR core looks like weekly. Jacroy Croskey Merritt is now a high-end RB2 with 111 yards and 2 touchdowns. Omarion Hampton dealt with a high ankle injury and is in a boot, Chargers just placed him on IR. Chargers receivers will be annoying WR2/WR3 plays all year. Justin Herbert is more of a QB2 after cooling down—QB5 in Week 1 but QB18, 12, 20, and 18 in his last four weeks.
TEN 22, ARI 21
Cam Ward is improving but still ways away from being fantasy relevant. Calvin Ridley had a strong game. Tony Pollard scored a touchdown, but expect Tyjae Spears to get more involved after his first game back from IR. Chig Okonkwo played well in the second half but still isn’t a real option at TE yet. Elic Ayomanor showed rookie struggles and will be inconsistent. Kyler Murray had a rushing score and just missed a touchdown on a long 40-yard catch to Harrison. Harrison is showing the upside we want—still looking for that monster game. Michael Carter is the back to own until Trey Benson returns from IR especially after Emeri Demercado had a terrible fumble at the goal line. Trey McBride is showing why he’s the TE1 floor play to own.
TB 38, SEA 35
Baker Mayfield is elite—no other way to put it. 379 yards and 2 touchdowns. Emeka Egbuka is the real deal. Would say sell high, but with Mike Evans out, just keep him. Cade Otton became a bigger part of the offense. Chris Godwin is a tough start right now until we see a regular game from him. Bucky Irving is out for a couple weeks with shoulder and foot injuries, so Rachaad White stepped up with 2 touchdowns and will be a high-end RB2 until Bucky returns. Sam Darnold is playing well overall. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a threat for WR1 overall with his workload. Tory Horton is an upside flex—would rather have him than Cooper Kupp. Kupp has no real weekly upside yet. A.J. Barner is becoming an interesting tight end play. Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet seem to be capping each other in more of a hot-hand approach than we want for fantasy.
NE 23, BUF 20
Drake Maye is a top 5-10 option weekly. Rhamondre Stevenson fumbled again but scored 2 touchdowns. Antonio Gibson was more involved but he tore his ACL—now out for the year. Treveyon Henderson’s value is going wayyy up. Hunter Henry is touchdown-or-bust and just missed on one. Stefon Diggs went crazy in his revenge game against the Bills, still a WR3 play. Josh Allen is the best quarterback in fantasy. Keon Coleman is droppable. Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid are the pass catchers to own in this offense. James Cook has been top-5 RB all season, value in the 4th round after offseason ADP drop.
KC 28, JAX 31
Patrick Mahomes will be elite all season long. Kareem Hunt had 2 touchdowns, but this backfield is tough to trust with Isiah Pacheco and Brashard Smith involved. Smith should start getting more involved as the season goes on. Xavier Worthy is a buy-low candidate with volume coming his way. Tyqaun Thornton will be a boom or bust upside flex even when Rashee Rice returns. Travis Kelce had his best performance of the season. Trevor Lawrence continues to be good enough to start. Travis Etienne is a high end RB2, capped by limited touchdowns. Brian Thomas had a frustrating endzone drop, but the looks are there—buy low as a backend WR1 with high-end WR2 upside. Travis Hunter flashed big-play potential and could be an asset down the stretch. Brenton Strange has been serviceable but lacks upside.
Buy Low Candidates
Evan Engram - Still producing with 4 catches for 33 yards and a touchdown, good value opportunity.
Derrick Henry - Looking more like an RB2 right now but has the talent to bounce back to RB1 territory.
Xavier Worthy - Volume is coming his way in the Chiefs offense, good time to buy before it clicks.
Brian Thomas - Frustrating drops but seeing excellent target volume, backend WR1/high-end WR2 upside.
A.J. Brown - Tough to trust right now but still elite talent if you can buy during this downturn.
Sell High Candidates
Jordan Mason - High-end RB2 now, but Aaron Jones’ return will create a committee.
George Pickens - WR1 production until CeeDee Lamb returns, maximize value now.
DeVonta Smith - Good target volume right now could be a sell-high moment before regression.
Juwan Johnson - Taysom Hill is back, which could eat into his value.