Fantasy Football 2019: Who To Start – And Who To Sit – In Week 5

fantasy football start sit week 5

Getty Image / Ralph Freso


Last week was a crazy fantasy week in general. A lot of no-names poaching the big numbers from the superstars you started.

We’re now one-third into the fantasy season, and this is where we really know how good or bad our team is.

Here are your starts and sits for Week 5.

Quarterbacks: Who To Start Week 5

Starts

Jameis Winston at New Orleans Saints

Winston has started to take command of this Bruce Arian offense and is flourishing. He’s been a top fantasy quarterback the last two games throwing for 765 yards and 7 touchdowns.

This week he has an NFC South rivalry against a New Orlean’s defense that gives up an average of 35.3 points-per-game to the position. They did shut down Dak Prescott, but that was a fluke game.

Kyler Murray at Cincinnati Bengals

Murray hasn’t been lighting up the boards the last couple of games, but he hasn’t been a complete bust.

He has a great opportunity this week against Cincinnati that has given up an average of 18.6 fantasy point-per-game. They’ve also allowed the second-most rushing attempts to quarterbacks; Murray has the chance to pick up yards with his arm and legs.

Other QBs to start: Tom Brady, Andy Dalton, Matt Ryan, Carson Wentz

Quarterbacks: Who To Sit Week 5

Daniel Jones

Danny Dimes has been riding a two week high with 561 yards and 3 TD in his short career.

However, the Vikings defense is only allowing an average of 206.5 passing yards on the road this year, and unfortunately for the mobile Jones, not a single rushing yard.

Marcus Mariota vs Buffalo Bills

Mariota will be riding a high after throwing for three touchdowns and posting a 127.9 passer rating against the Falcons.

Unfortunately, this ride is about to come to a screeching halt. The Bills defense has only given up just over 13 points to quarterbacks and a 64.3 passer rating.

Other QBs to sit: Gardner Minshew, Jared Goff, Phillip Rivers, Derek Carr

Quarterback Sleeper for Week 5

Jacoby Brissett at Kansas City Chiefs

Can you name all the quarterbacks that have multiple-touchdowns in every game this season? You should be able to because it’s only Brissett.

The Chiefs have given up nearly 20 points-per-game to the quarterback. I smell a shootout.

Quarterback Bust for Week 5

Baker Mayfield at San Francisco 49ers (Monday)

Mayfield helped wake up this Cleveland squad to a huge upset victory in Baltimore.

In his second game on Monday night, he will travel to the west coast where he’s facing a surprisingly good San Francisco defense that has given up the seventh-fewest passing yards this season.

Mayfield has thrown at least one interception in each game this year, and the 49ers defense has forced an interception in each game this season.

Wide Receivers: Who To Start Week 5

Allen Robinson at Oakland Raiders

Robinson’s starting quarterbacks in his career are as follows: Blake Bortles and Mitch Trubisky. I don’t think you need to worry about Chase Daniels throwing to him.

The Raiders have given up six touchdowns to wide receivers and an average of 27.9 fantasy points to the position. He’s the only Bears offensive player I feel comfortable starting.

Tyler Boyd vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Boyd has put up some duds the last couple of games, but on a positive note, he still has 16 targets in those games. With John Ross on the IR, Boyd is the number one receiving option.

The Cardinals’ defense has allowed the third-most points to the slot receiver position this year. Boyd will get plenty of opportunities in what looks to be a lot of scoring.

Other WRs to start: Julian Edelman, Larry Fitzgerald, Marquez Valdez-Scantling, Will Fuller

Wide Receivers: Who To Sit Week 5

Emmanuel Sanders at Los Angeles Chargers

Sanders has been the security blanket for Joe Flacco and leads the team with a 22.5% target share. He’s been valuable in PPR with his double-digit fantasy score in three of four games this season.

He has a difficult matchup this week against the Chargers. The veteran Casey Haward will most likely shadow Sanders throughout the game.

Terry McLaurin at New England Patriots

After last week, this Washington offense looks abysmal. They had the perfect opportunity against a bad Giants secondary and couldn’t make anything happen.

This week they face the opposite of the spectrum, the Patriots have the number one passing defense. McLaurin will have a tough game with no true quarterback and Stephon Gilmore covering him.

Other WRs to sit: John Brown, Keenan Allen, D.J. Clark, Jarvis Landry

Wide Receiver Sleeper for Week 5

Adam Theilen at New York Giants

We need to give Theilen and the Vikings passing game this week a chance to get themselves right. Even with how well the Giants’ secondary played last week, only allowing 49 yards to wide receivers, they’re still third-worst amongst fantasy points per game to the WR with 30.3 points.

It’s a risky start, but it could have a big reward.

Wide Receiver Bust for Week 5

Tyrell Williams vs. Chicago Bears

If you’ve kept Williams in your lineup, you’ve lucked out with a receiving touchdown in each game. In his last three games, he’s only averaged 37 receiving yards.

He gets a tough matchup in Chicago who has only given up one touchdown to receivers lined up outside; this is where he mostly runs routes.

Running Backs: Who To Start Week 5

David Johnson at Cincinnati Bengals

If you don’t know, Johnson through four games does not have a rushing touchdown, and since Week 2, he’s only rushed for an average of 30.3 yards. What’s saved him in fantasy is his heavy involvement in the passing game with 13 reception on 17 targets.

This week he gets his best matchup; the Bengals have given up the third-most amount of rushing yards and the second-most touchdowns. He will get that first rushing touchdown this week.

Marlon Mack at Kansas City Chiefs

Mack’s ankle injury cut his day short last week, but he has practiced this week so he should be able to go.

He gets a great matchup in the Chiefs who are 29th in rushing yards allowed this season.

Other RBs to start: Mark Ingram, Chris Carson, Darrel Williams, Joe Mixon

Running Backs: Who To Sit Week 5

Josh Jacobs vs. Oakland Raiders

The first-round rookie out of Alabama has been the lead-back the Raiders were hoping for. Jacobs has 100+ yards from scrimmage in three of his four-game this season.

I wouldn’t expect that type of performance this week. The Bears have kept running backs quiet this year, including the containment of leading rusher Dalvin Cook to just 35 yards last week.

Other RBs to sit: Aaron Jones, Phillip Lindsay, LeVeon Bell, Carlos Hyde

Running Back Sleeper for Week 5

Devonta Freeman at Houston Texans

Fantasy fans have been quite disappointed with Freeman so far this season. Although he only has one game over 30 rushing yards this year, he’s heavily involved in the passing game with 17 receptions.

This is an excellent matchup for him as the Texans have allowed the most receptions to running backs and the fourth-most receiving yards. He could very well end up with more receiving yards than rushing yards this Sunday.

Running Back Bust for Week 5

Wayne Gallman vs. Minnesota Vikings

If you’re expecting Gallman to go off as he did against the Redskins, temper your expectations. The Vikings are only allowing an average of 84.7 rushing yards this season with one touchdown.

Gallman was heavily involved in the passing game with six receptions last week; Minnesota is the fourth-best amongst receiving yards to running backs.

Tight Ends: Who To Start Week 5

Jimmy Graham at Dallas Cowboys

It was a tough two weeks for Graham; he only saw one target in each of the last two games. He had a resurgence game last week with six receptions on nine targets.

He has a favorable matchup against the Cowboys, and without Davante Adams and a struggling run game, Graham could see an increase in opportunities.

Tyler Eifert vs. Arizona Cardinals

Eifert has not been a reliable option this season, but he’s this week contestant in “Which Tight End Goes Off On The Cardinals.” They’ve given up six touchdowns to the position and monster games to Will Dissly, Mark Andrews, and T.J. Hockenson.

Other TEs to start: Austin Hooper, Darren Waller, Will Dissly, Noah Fant, Eric Ebron

Tight Ends: Who To Sit Week 5

O.J. Howard at New Orleans Saints

It was tough to watch Jameis Winston throw for 385 yards and four touchdowns and Howard having no involvement.

Mike Evans and Chris Godwin combined have half of the targets; Howard is next with 9.6%. He’s on your bench till he gets involved in this offense.

Trey Burton vs. Oakland Raiders

You may see this as an excellent matchup for Burton this week, but he hasn’t performed well enough to warrant a start. In a mediocre passing offense, he’s averaging less than four targets-per-game. Add the fact it’s now Chase Daniels at QB; his low value will take an even bigger hit.

Other TEs to sit: Jared Cook, Vernon Davis, Kyle Rudolph, Jason Witten

Tight End Sleeper for Week 5

Dawson Knox at Tennessee Titans

Knox is starting to get involved in the passing game for the Bills and has been effective with an average of 18 yards per-reception.

With the possibility of Matt Barkley behind center, they’ll rely on the run game and short passes. Knox could see heavy involvement against the Titans who are 28th in fantasy points-per-game to the tight end.

Tight End Bust for Week 5

Delanie Walker vs Buffalo Bills

Walker was a great late-round tight end pickup in a position that has not performed well this year. Last week, he put up a dud against Atlanta, and I expect the same this week.

The Bills have only allowed 21 yards-per-game and zero touchdowns to the position this year.

ASK A FANTASY BRO MAILBAG

Every week, I’ll open up questions on my Instagram story.

You can ask me anything fantasy related to the upcoming week in the NFL.

Here are some of the more popular questions I received this week:

What do I do with JuJu? 

This has been a common question I get. I have lots of stock in JuJu myself. Mason Rudolph only had 3.5 air yards per-target last week and 16 of 31 targets were to running backs. Right now they’ve simplified this offense for him. I think as he gets comfortable you’ll see him target JuJu more. I like him long term.

Austin Ekelar or Melvin Gordon?

Short answer, both. I think as time goes along, Gordon will be the lead back, but Ekelar has performed well in his absence so he’ll still get his opportunities. The Broncos have been very bad against the run this year, they both have a chance for good performances.

Will Deandre Hopkins bounce back?

Hopkins’ bounce back starts this week in Atlanta. Three of his next four games are Kansas City, Oakland, and Jacksonville. If you can buy low on him this week, I would.

What’s the trend with D.J. Moore?

Unfortunately, he’s trending down. With Cam Newton this year he had a 28% target share, with Kyle Allen it’s only 12%. He’s at best a flex start till Newton returns.

Chiefs running back to start?

You have to play the hot hand. LeSean McCoy is banged up, Damien Williams is hurt, Darrel Williams is the guy getting touches in the red zone, he’s one you have to go with.

Eagles?

It’s another situation that can change week to week. I have Miles Sander and Jordan Howard as RB’s weekly. Doug Peterson loves Running Back By Committees; under his offense, a running back never has averaged more than 13 carries a game for an entire season.

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John “Supi” Supowitz is graduate from Quinnipiac University with a Masters in Sports Journalism. He is also currently a part of the Game Day Production Staff for a minor league baseball team. If you want to pique his interest, bring up the Yankees, pro-wrestling, or King of The Hill. You can follow him on Twitter @Imthatsupi85 and Instagram @Imthatsupi.