Fantasy Football: Week 5 Starts And Sits
By Pat Pitts
It's time to gear up for the second quarter of the 2020 NFL season. Bye weeks are here, injuries aren't slowing down, and the Titans continue to have positive tests for COVID-19. Here are all the details of who to start and sit for Week 5.
BYE WEEKS: Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions
Start
Quarterbacks
Kyler Murray @ NYJ
The Cardinals turn down the difficulty this week as they travel to the Meadowlands to take on the worst team in the NFL. Kyler Murray has been making his case for MVP with his consistency to start the season. Murray has not finished a week under 20 fantasy points this season and that trend isn't going to stop as he rips apart the Jets’ atrocious defense.
Matt Ryan vs CAR
Matt Ryan has already thrown for over 1200 yards this season and he’s in the Top-3 in the NFL in pass attempts. Carolina has been decent so far this season covering the pass, but they’re young and still meshing. Even if Atlanta blows another double digit lead, that doesn’t mean Matt Ryan won’t produce in a bounce back game following a pretty bad game against the Packers.
Justin Herbert @ NO
Justin Herbert has been electric to start his young NFL career. He goes up against Drew Brees and the Saints on the Monday Night Football stage in what should be a game filled with points. Herbert has averaged around 20 fantasy points/week in his first three games and looks like a guy you can trust moving forward this season until proven otherwise.
Running Backs
James Conner vs PHI
James Conner has rushed for over 100 yards in his last two games. He comes off a surprise Bye week and a chance to get a little more healthy. The only worry would be the surprise Bye not being known until the Friday of it. Conner should be locked in as an RB2 against the Eagles.
James Robinson @ HOU
I am all aboard the James Robinson hype train. Robinson has produced low-end RB1 numbers over the past three weeks for a Jaguars offense that has been able to move the ball pretty well in three out of their first four games. The Texans have allowed the most rushing yards out of any defense this season, so when you have the odds in your favor, bet the house.
Joshua Kelley @ NO
Austin Ekeler will be missing 1-2 months due to his hamstring injury he sustained in Week 4. Joshua Kelley is not throwing away his shot. Although there have been some ball security issues lately with the rookie RB, he’s young, scrappy, and hungry for a shot at being the lead back. With the Chargers backfield being just Kelley and Justin Jackson for the time being, look for him to cease the opportunity in front of him against the Saints.
Wide Receivers
Calvin Ridley vs CAR
You can’t go any lower than zero! Calvin Ridley is looking to bounce back after a goose egg against Green Bay on Monday night and has a great matchup in Week 5 to do so.
The Panthers have had a surprisingly good passing defense this season, but like I mentioned with Matt Ryan being a start this week, the Panthers defense is young and Ridley should be able to rack up points in this game, especially without Julio Jones looking like he’s going to miss this one.
Amari Cooper vs NYG
Amari Cooper has been extremely consistent through the first quarter of the season, but should take it to another level in Week 5 against a dreadful Giants defense. Cooper has overall WR1 potential for the week.
Robert Woods @ WAS
Robert Woods is second on the team in targets and yards, only behind Cooper Kupp. Woods has been used in a variety of ways this season that have added to his overall yards and touchdown totals, fire Woods up in a game that should be points galore for the Rams.
Tight Ends
Rob Gronkowski @ CHI
With O.J. Howard done for the year, a new door has opened up for Rob Gronkowski to finally get involved in the Tampa Bay offense. He gets a Bears team that has been the second best defense against fantasy QBs this season, but Tom Brady’s lack of weapons due to injury should get Gronk involved and he’s my stream TE of the week.
Jared Cook vs LAC
Michael Thomas’ absence has been beneficial to Jared Cook’s production in the Saints offense. Cook will not be lining up against any of the Chargers top corners, and Drew Brees loves to check down to Kamara or Cook, so the target volume should be there for him on Monday night.
Dalton Schultz vs NYG
Dalton Schultz isn’t a big household name yet, but fantasy owners should be all over a guy who’s getting a massive target share in the Cowboys offense. If you’re a Noah Fant, Zach Ertz, or Jonnu Smith owner right now, Schultz should be on your roster. He’s playing the New York Giants this week, which calls for massive fantasy football opportunities.
Sit
Quarterbacks
Joe Burrow @ BAL
The Bengals play a Ravens defense that has been stellar all season outside of that matchup with Kansas City. Burrow’s weapons aren’t trustworthy enough to help him get by the Ravens. Stream a QB this week or look for one of the guys above.
Baker Mayfield vs IND
The Browns are a run-first organization and even though Nick Chubb is out due to injury, Kareem Hunt will slide right in as a sensational RB1 which doesn’t allow Baker Mayfield to be a viable option as a fantasy QB, especially against the Colts incredible defense.
Carson Wentz @ PIT
I love you, Carson, but not against the Steelers defense. The Eagles Wide Receivers are non-existent, Zach Ertz is struggling, and the Steelers are foaming at the mouth to get after the Birds’ banged up offensive line. Go look elsewhere for a QB.
Running Backs
Miles Sanders @ PIT
The Steelers have given up the least amount of rushing yards per game this season. Granted they’ve only played in three games, that’s still nothing to sneeze at. You drafted Sanders to start him, but don’t have high expectations this week.
Kenyan Drake @ NYJ
Kenyan Drake is currently on a wait a see timeout with me. This matchup with the Jets should tell us everything we need to know with Drake moving forward. The Jets are awful and if Drake struggles this week or loses more touches to Chase Edmonds, it’s time to panic.
Melvin Gordon @ NE
I referenced this on the show but I am staying away from everyone on the Broncos for a few weeks. Melvin Gordon has been performing well without Phillip Lindsay in the lineup, but playing against a Patriots defense that has been pretty good against the run, and a team as a whole coming off a prime time loss, and dealing with COVID-19 issues, be careful with Gordon this week.
Wide Receivers
All Browns WRs vs IND
I am all in on the Browns this season, just not this week. They face off against the Colts who have allowed the least amount of yards and points this season. Numbers don’t lie.
Terry McLaurin vs LAR
Dwayne Haskins has been demoted to inactive, making Kyle Allen QB1 and Alex Smith the backup. A wise man once said, “if you have two QBs, you have no QBs.” That statement along with whoever plays for Washington will have Aaron Donald bull rushing him all game. We don’t know how the chemistry will be between Scary Terry and Allen, so this is a pass to wait and see this week.
A.J. Green vs BAL
Green is permanently benched and even borderline droppable at this point. The Ravens are going to clamp him all game. The grass is greener.
Tight Ends
Jimmy Graham vs TB
Remember when I said to start Jimmy Graham against the Colts? I sure wish there was a way to wish that didn’t happen. While I wish it was that easy, I can only redeem myself this week by telling you to NOT start him.
Austin Hooper vs IND
Darius Leonard is the best coverage LB in the entire NFL. If that isn’t enough for you to be convinced that Hooper should be on your bench this week, I don’t know what will.
Chris Herndon @ ARI
Just a weekly reminder that Herndon was a fraud and that we here at Underground Sports did not buy into the hype. Just leave the TE spot empty if you are debating putting him in. It’s the same result every time. Chris Herndon is a lie.
Go win your matchups and kick the second quarter of the season off with a bang!