The Buccaneers might have lost in Week 4 against the Chiefs, but Tom Brady proved that he's back as a must-start Fantasy quarterback. Fantasy managers can now feel confident in him again, and he should have an outstanding performance in Week 5 against the Falcons.
Brady failed to score more than 16 Fantasy points in each of the first three games of the season against Dallas, New Orleans and Green Bay. Fantasy managers, rightfully so, were questioning if he was washed up at 45 years old. But he was missing receivers and dealing with a revamped offensive line, and it was only a matter of time before he was going to bounce back.
That's what happened against Kansas City. With Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Julio Jones healthy and active, Brady went off for 385 passing yards and three touchdowns. He attempted 52 passes, and this passing offense should be fine moving forward.
For Week 5, Brady should light up the Falcons. In four games with Tampa Bay against Atlanta, Brady has 1,433 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and two interceptions. His worst game over that span was 27 Fantasy points.
The Falcons have already allowed three quarterbacks to score at least 23 Fantasy points this season with Jameis Winston, Matthew Stafford and Geno Smith. The only quarterback under that total was Jacoby Brissett in Week 4, so Brady should be in a great spot.
It was a frustrating start to the season for Brady. But those poor performances are behind us now, and he's ready to lead Fantasy managers to plenty of victories moving forward.
Start of the Week
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I was wrong about James Robinson. I expected him to be sluggish coming off last year's Achilles injury, at least early in the season, and Robinson would take a back seat to Travis Etienne. The exact opposite has happened.
Robinson has looked amazing this year. He scored a touchdown in each of the first three games against Washington, Indianapolis and the Chargers, and he ran for 100 yards against Los Angeles in Week 3. He already has three runs of at least 22 yards.
It hasn't been perfect, and he struggled in Week 4 against Philadelphia with eight carries for 29 yards and no catches. But he should make up for that performance this week against the Texans -- in a big way.
Houston has allowed the most Fantasy points to opposing running backs this year. Four running backs have at least 11 PPR points against the Texans, including Jonathan Taylor (27 PPR points), Khalil Herbert (30 PPR points) and Austin Ekeler (34 PPR points). Based on the sliding scale, Robinson could be headed for a career day.
In two career home games against the Texans, Robinson has scored at least 15 PPR points in each outing. He has top-10 upside this week, and it's been awesome to watch Robinson in his comeback. I'm glad I was wrong about him this year, and hopefully he can stay healthy all season.
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- More Week 5: Sleepers | Starts, SIts, Sleepers and Busts | PPR Cheat Sheet | Non-PPR Cheat Sheet | Waiver Wire | QB Preview | RB Preview | WR Preview | Trade Values
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Quarterbacks
QBs to Start
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Cousins didn't have a great game in Week 4 against the Saints in London with just 14 Fantasy points, but he should rebound here. He scored at least 21 Fantasy points against the Bears in three of his past four meetings, including 28 points at home in Week 18. And in two home games so far this season he scored at least 22 Fantasy points. The Bears have allowed two quarterbacks this year to score at least 20 Fantasy points in Aaron Rodgers and Daniel Jones, and Cousins will add his name to that list with a quality outing in Week 5.
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Lawrence struggled with five turnovers (four fumbles) in the rain in Philadelphia in Week 4, and that snapped a two-game streak with at least 22 Fantasy points. He should get back on track this week against the Texans at home, and Houston just allowed Justin Herbert to pass for 340 yards and two touchdowns for 25 Fantasy points. We all know Lawrence had a rough rookie campaign under Urban Meyer in 2021, but his best Fantasy outing last year came in his first meeting with the Texans when he scored 25 points. History has a chance to repeat itself here in Week 5.
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Rodgers is starting to get rolling with three consecutive games with 20 Fantasy points. Does he have a higher ceiling than that? Let's hope so, and we'll see if he can light up this Giants defense in London in Week 5. Ryan Tannehill in Week 1 scored 22 Fantasy points against the Giants, and he's the only quarterback to top 14 points against New York this year. That's probably because the other three opponents have been Baker Mayfield, Cooper Rush and Justin Fields. This is Rodgers' first trip to London, and he should put on a show. His receivers are starting to make plays with Romeo Doubs, Allen Lazard, Robert Tonyan and Christian Watson all making an impact over the past two games against Tampa Bay and New England. This could be Rodgers' breakout game of the season.
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Carr must hate playing in Arrowhead Stadium. He's gone there eight times in his career, and he only has one game with more than 12 Fantasy points. The lone exception was Week 5 in 2020 when he scored 29 Fantasy points, and that was the famous game where the Raiders took a victory lap in the team buses around the stadium. Part of the problem could be that Carr played at Kansas City in the seven other times in November, December or January when the weather was cold, but that shouldn't be the case this week. Three of four quarterbacks have scored at least 26 Fantasy points against the Chiefs this season, and Kansas City has allowed 10 passing touchdowns and just one interception on the year.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Tannehill has two games this season with at least 20 Fantasy points and three games this year with multiple touchdowns. His only bad game was at Buffalo in Week 2, and we should give him a pass in that matchup. This week, he's facing a bad Washington defense that is allowing 24.5 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. The Commanders have allowed 10 passing touchdowns and just one interception this year.
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Bridgewater is starting for Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) this week, and he has a favorable matchup against the Jets. They are allowing an average of 20.5 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, and Bridgewater had plenty of time to prepare for this matchup since the Dolphins last played Thursday night in Week 4 at Cincinnati. The Jets should struggle to stop Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and Bridgewater is worth starting in 14-team leagues and larger. He's a quality No. 2 option in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues.
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This post will clearly change if Jameis Winston (back) is healthy, but it sounds like Dalton could start again for the Saints in Week 5. He has a great matchup against the Seahawks, who are allowing 24.0 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. Dalton would benefit greatly if Michael Thomas (foot) and Alvin Kamara (ribs) are active this week, and Dalton passed for 236 yards and one touchdown in Week 4 against the Vikings in Minnesota with a barren receiving corps. If Winston starts this week then you can consider him a sleeper as well given the matchup.
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QBs to Sit
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Stafford has not been a good Fantasy quarterback this season, and he has one game with more than nine points. It's hard to trust him in Week 5 against Dallas, and the Cowboys are giving up an average of 12.0 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. Through four games, Dallas has allowed three touchdowns and four interceptions, including matchups against Tom Brady and Joe Burrow. Stafford has been sacked 16 times on the season and has four touchdowns, six interceptions and one fumble. Hopefully better days are ahead, but Stafford is not worth using in one-quarterback leagues this week.
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Smith has been a top 10 Fantasy quarterback this season, and he's been a pleasant surprise as a streaming option. We had him as a sleeper in Week 4, and he delivered a huge performance with 34 Fantasy points against the Lions, which was his third game this season with at least 20 points. He's taken advantage of good matchups against Atlanta and Detroit in the past two games, but he should have a down performance this week at New Orleans. The Saints are allowing an average of just 13.5 Fantasy points per game, including matchups with Tom Brady and Kirk Cousins. I don't expect Smith to be awful, but he should score fewer than 20 Fantasy points for just the second time this year.
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Mariota has yet to score 20 Fantasy points in a game this season, and he's getting dangerously close to becoming the next Justin Fields with his limited pass attempts. He attempted 39 passes in his past two games against Seattle and Cleveland, and he combined for just 20 Fantasy points over that span. He's also stopped running, which is disappointing. In Week 1, Mariota had 72 rushing yards and a touchdown. Since then he has 23 rushing yards and a touchdown in three games combined. The Buccaneers just got abused by Patrick Mahomes in Week 4 for 28 Fantasy points, but Tampa Bay is allowing just 16.0 Fantasy points per game on average to opposing quarterbacks. That average is more in line with what Mariota should do this week.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Goff was listed as a sleeper in Week 4 against Seattle, and he had a monster performance with 41 Fantasy points. That's now two games this season with at least 34 Fantasy points, but he should struggle this week at New England. His two best games have come at home, and he scored just 15 Fantasy points in his lone road game at Minnesota in Week 3. While Goff was great in Week 4 without Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle) and D.J. Chark (ankle), he will likely need those guys against the Patriots. This New England defense is not as formidable as in past years, allowing an average of 23.5 Fantasy points per game, but part of that is Lamar Jackson going off for 46 points in Week 3. Goff is fine as a starter in 14-team leagues, but he's not a must-start option in 12-team leagues or smaller.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Running Backs
RBs to Start
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I thought about making both Patriots running backs the Start of the Week with their matchup against the Lions, and both should be standout Fantasy options in Week 5. Detroit leads the NFL in rushing touchdowns allowed to running backs with eight, and the Lions are No. 2 in Fantasy points allowed to the position, trailing only the Texans. Harris has scored a touchdown in three games in a row, so he should keep his touchdown streak alive in this matchup. He's been a pleasant surprise despite the New England offense struggling, and he's averaging 14.3 PPR points per game in his past three outings.
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Stevenson has been on fire the past two games with 31 PPR points over that span, and he has eight catches for 51 yards on 10 targets in those two outings. I like Harris as a borderline No. 1 running back in all leagues, and Stevenson is a quality No. 2 Fantasy option, with his value slightly higher in PPR.
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I thought Edwards-Helaire had the chance to outperform his Average Draft Position this year if he stayed healthy, but he's performing much better than I expected. He's scored at least 14 PPR points in every game this season, and he just ran for a season-high 92 yards on 19 carries in Week 4 at Tampa Bay. He also has three games with at least three games and two games with multiple touchdowns. It's time to treat him as a weekly No. 2 running back in all leagues. This week, he gets a Raiders defense that has allowed two running backs in the past three games to score at least 14 PPR points. And in his past two games against the Raiders, Edwards-Helaire has scored at least 18 PPR points in both outings.
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I had concerns about Sanders heading into Week 4 against Jacksonville, but he made me look silly with 27 carries for 134 yards and two touchdowns, along with two catches for 22 yards on three targets. He's now scored at least 11 PPR points in three of four games this season, and it's great to see him finding the end zone again. This week, Sanders gets a Cardinals defense that has allowed four running backs to score at least 12 PPR points for the season, and I hope the Eagles continue to lean on him. He has two games this year with 20 total touches, and he's averaging 20.0 PPR points in those outings.
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I'm not sure if Dobbins is all the way back in his return from last season's knee injury, but he looked the part in Week 4 against Buffalo. While he only managed 41 yards on 13 carries, he did find the end zone on the ground. Better yet, he had four catches for 22 yards and a touchdown on four targets, and that's just the second time in his career he had four receptions in a game. With Rashod Bateman (foot) hurt, we could see Dobbins more involved in the passing game, which would dramatically increase his Fantasy value. The last time Dobbins faced the Bengals in Week 17 in 2020 he destroyed them for 13 carries, 160 yards and two touchdowns, and Cincinnati has allowed a running back to score a touchdown in three of four games this year.
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Singletary has dominated playing time the past two weeks against Miami and Baltimore, playing 73 percent of the snaps against the Dolphins and 88 percent of the snaps against the Ravens. That should continue in Week 5 against the Steelers, who have allowed a running back to score at least 15 PPR points in each game this year. While Singletary only has one touchdown on the season, he does have 13 catches for 125 yards on 16 targets the past two games, which is great for his value in PPR. The Bills are two-touchdown favorites in this matchup, so Singletary should have plenty of scoring chances in this matchup. He's worth trusting as a No. 2 running back in all leagues.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Dillon is worth using as a No. 2 running back in all leagues this week against the Giants in London. The Packers are eight-point favorites as of Wednesday, and Dillon should have the chance for plenty of carries. He hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 1, so he's due, and the Giants have struggled with running backs of late as four guys in the past three games have either 100 total yards or a touchdown. I like Aaron Jones and Dillon in this matchup, with Dillon no worse than a flex in all formats.
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Wilson continues to produce in place of the injured Elijah Mitchell (knee), and he's now scored at least 11 PPR points in three games in a row. He scored his first touchdown of the season in Week 3 against the Rams, and he now has either 100 total yards or a touchdown in each of the past three weeks against Seattle, Denver and the Rams. He has at least 15 total touches in each outing, and he should continue to play well this week against the Panthers. Carolina has only allowed one rushing touchdown and three running backs to score more than 11 PPR points this season, but Wilson should be at least a flex option in the majority of leagues.
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We're waiting to find out the status for Alvin Kamara (ribs) in Week 5, but if he's out again then Ingram would be a borderline must-start running back in the majority of leagues. Latavius Murray is now in Denver, and Ingram would lead the Saints backfield in a dream matchup against the Seahawks. Seattle is No. 4 in Fantasy points allowed to running backs, and three guys (Javonte Williams, Cordarelle Patterson and Jamaal Williams) all scored at least 21 PPR points against the Seahawks this year.
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Hunt has been frustrating as a Fantasy option over the past three weeks because he's averaging just 7.7 PPR points per game, and he hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 1. It's been the Nick Chubb show, understandably so, but Hunt is still averaging 14.0 touches per game. This could be a week where both Browns get going against the Chargers, who are No. 3 in Fantasy points per game allowed to running backs. Six running backs have already scored at least 10 PPR points against the Chargers, with Clyde Edwards-Helaire, James Robinson and Dameon Pierce all scoring at least 15 PPR points. Hunt is worth trusting as a flex in all formats.
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RBs to Sit
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Kliff Kingsbury said the Cardinals wanted to feature Conner more heading into Week 4 at Carolina, and he had 18 total touches, including three catches. But Conner only managed 77 total yards with that workload for 10 PPR points, and he hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 1. This Eagles run defense is tough, and in the past three games against Dalvin Cook, Antonio Gibson and James Robinson, no running back has more than 38 yards on the ground or 40 total yards. That trio averaged 6.0 PPR points per game against the Eagles, and this could be another rough outing for Conner, even at home. He's only worth using as a flex option in the majority of leagues.
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Elliott should only be used as a flex option in most leagues for Week 5 at the Rams, and he only has one game this season with more than nine PPR points, which was Week 3 at the Giants when he scored 14. Elliott is not involved in the passing game with five catches on the season for 27 yards on seven targets, and he only has one touchdown. Tony Pollard continues to be a significant factor for the Cowboys and detractor for Elliott, and this is a tough matchup against the Rams. Jeff Wilson's 32-yard touchdown run in Week 4 is the lone touchdown for a running back against the Rams this year, and Elliott could be in trouble again if he doesn't find the end zone.
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Darrell Henderson might be the better running back for the Rams this week if they are chasing points, and Dallas is a five-point favorite on the road. Akers has one touchdown this season and one game with more than seven PPR points. In Week 4 at San Francisco, Akers had eight carries for 13 yards and no catches on one target. He only has two catches for 18 yards on four targets for the year, so he's tough to trust in PPR when facing a tough opponent like the Cowboys. Dallas has allowed just one running back to score a touchdown this season, which was Saquon Barkley in Week 3. Akers and Henderson are just flex plays at best this week.
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Allgeier is worth adding in all leagues with Cordarrelle Patterson (knee) out, but you shouldn't plan on using Allgeier as a starting Fantasy option at Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers struggled with Clyde Edwards-Helaire last week, but he's the lone running back to top eight PPR points against this defense, including matchups with Ezekiel Elliott, Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon. Allgeier just had 10 carries for 84 yards and one catch for 20 yards on one target in Week 4 against Cleveland in the game Patterson was hurt, but it's doubtful he'll dominate touches with Caleb Huntley also a factor. I'm fine with Allgeier as a flex play if you're stuck, but for now just stash him on the bench in Week 5 given the opponent.
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There's a chance Brian Robinson (knee) could play in this game now that he's back at practice following the gunshot wounds he sustained in an attempted robbery in August. We'll keep you aware of that scenario, which could crush Gibson's Fantasy value. But even if Robinson remains out, it's tough to trust Gibson in the majority of leagues. He's averaging just 9.7 PPR points in his past three games, and he only has six catches for 29 yards on eight targets over that span. J.D. McKissic is the preferred option on passing downs, and this offensive line has been a disaster also for Washington. The Titans haven't allowed a running back to score since Week 1, and Jonathan Taylor was just held to 20 carries for 42 yards in Week 4. Gibson is only worth using as a flex in most formats.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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I had Penny as a sleeper here last week, and he delivered his best game of the season against the Lions with 17 carries for 151 yards and two touchdowns, along with one catch for 6 yards. He's clearly the No. 1 running back for Seattle ahead of Kenneth Walker III, but that doesn't mean Penny is a must-start Fantasy option in all leagues. Prior to facing the Lions, who are terrible defensively, Penny combined for 16 PPR points in his first three games. The Saints have allowed one rushing touchdown and two touchdowns combined to running backs all year. It wouldn't be a shock to see Penny's production plummet in a tougher matchup this week on the road.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Wide Receivers
WRs to Start
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Godwin returned in Week 4 against Kansas City from a two-game absence with a hamstring injury, and hopefully he's here to stay. It was great to see him get 10 targets also, although he only converted that into seven catches for 59 yards. More production will come, likely starting this week against the Falcons, and he has an amazing track record against Atlanta with 35 catches for 558 yards and six touchdowns in his past five meetings. His worst game against the Falcons over that span has been 13 PPR points.
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Thielen is hot heading into Week 5 against the Bears with 14 catches for 133 yards and a touchdown in his past two games against Detroit and New Orleans on 17 targets, and he scored at least 15 PPR points in each outing. He actually has at least seven targets in three games in a row, and it's great to see Kirk Cousins continue to lean on him opposite Justin Jefferson. Thielen missed both games against Chicago in 2021 due to injury, but he scored three touchdowns against them in two meetings in 2020. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him find the end zone against the Bears again this week.
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Olave has become the No. 1 receiver in New Orleans with Michael Thomas (foot) banged up, and now Jarvis Landry (ankle) is hurt again heading into Week 5 against Seattle. Olave scored his first NFL touchdown in Week 4 against Minnesota in London, and he scored at least 11 PPR points in three games in a row. He has 33 targets over that span for 16 catches, 294 yards and a touchdown, and he should have the chance for another quality outing against Seattle. The Seahawks have already allowed six receivers this season to score at least 11 PPR points.
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We predicted here that Cooks would have his best game of the season in Week 4 against the Chargers, and he did with seven catches for 54 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. He should have the chance for another big game in Week 5 against the Jaguars. In his past five meetings against Jacksonville, Cooks has 28 catches for 601 yards and five touchdowns. His worst game against the Jaguars over that span was 17 PPR points, and he has either a touchdown or 130 receiving yards in each contest.
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Jahan Dotson (hamstring) is expected to be out this week, and Curtis Samuel is dealing with an illness, which forced him to miss practice Wednesday. If there was a time for McLaurin to step up it's this week against the Titans, who have already allowed five touchdowns to opposing receivers and six to score at least 11 PPR points. McLaurin has suffered this season with Washington having a diverse receiving corps, and he only has one touchdown on the year. He also just scored a season-low three PPR points in Week 4 at Dallas. But this is a great rebound spot for McLaurin, and he's worth starting as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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I'm hopeful that Aaron Rodgers sticks with Doubs despite his unfortunate drop in the end zone in Week 4 against New England. Rodgers threw a perfect 40-yard pass to Doubs, who lost the football as he hit the ground. Thankfully, Doubs caught a touchdown earlier in the game, his second in as many weeks, and he has consecutive games with eight targets. He's become a go-to option for Rodgers, and Doubs should be started as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all three-receiver leagues against the Giants in London.
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It's been a frustrating start to the season for Davis, but this could be his time to shine. He was a full participant in practice Wednesday, so hopefully the ankle injury he's been dealing with is behind him. Isaiah McKenzie (concussion) could be out this week, and Jamison Crowder (ankle) won't play. That puts Davis in line for a potential target bump against the Steelers, who have already allowed six receivers to score at least 13 PPR points this season. We've made plenty of excuses for Davis between the ankle injury and the poor weather in Baltimore in Week 4, but he only has one touchdown so far and one game with more than six PPR points. He should reward the Fantasy managers who stuck with him with a big game this week.
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With Treylon Burks (toe) out, this should be another good week for Woods against the Commanders, who lead the NFL with seven touchdowns allowed to opposing receivers. There have been seven receivers to score at least 12 PPR points against Washington, and Woods comes into this game having scored at least 12 PPR points in each of his past two games. He has eight catches for 115 yards and a touchdown over that span on 13 targets, and he should have the chance for another quality outing this week given the opponent.
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We'll find out if Zach Wilson starts to lean more on Garrett Wilson or Elijah Moore moving forward, but so far it appears like Davis is his guy. In Zach Wilson's first game in 2022 in Week 4 at Pittsburgh, Davis led the way with five catches for 74 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. Going back to last season, Davis scored at least 14 PPR points in three of his first six games with Wilson under center. Davis also scored at least 13 PPR points in three of four games this year, and it's time we started treating him like a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues. He's also facing a Dolphins defense this week that is No. 10 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers.
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Duvernay could be a sneaky No. 3 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues this week with Rashod Bateman (foot) banged up. If Bateman doesn't play then Duvernay could find his way into the end zone, and he already has three touchdowns on the season. The Bengals have only allowed one touchdown to a receiver this year, but this game has a projected total of 48.5 points, according to Caesars Sportsbook. I'm expecting a high-scoring contest, and Duvernay could end up with quality production as the No. 2 option in the passing game behind Mark Andrews.
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WRs to Sit
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Let's hope putting Moore here can turn into some sort of reverse jinx, and he starts to put up the type of production we were hoping for prior to the season. Heading into Week 5, Moore has one touchdown and no games with more than 50 receiving yards. He did get 11 targets in Week 4 against Arizona and had six catches for 50 yards, but more is expected of him. He needs better play out of Baker Mayfield, but this isn't the week to trust Moore in the majority of leagues. The 49ers have only allowed four receivers to score at least 12 PPR points, and they haven't allowed a receiver to score a touchdown since Week 1.
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Patrick Mahomes warned us prior to the season that the ball would get spread around in Kansas City without Tyreek Hill on the field, and Mahomes was right. Through four games, six different Chiefs have at least six catches, six different Chiefs have scored a touchdown and five different Chiefs have at least 12 targets. Smith-Schuster is second on the team in targets (27), catches (19) and receiving yards (224) behind Travis Kelce, but Smith-Schuster has yet to score a touchdown. As such, he has two games this season with at least 11 PPR points -- and a high of 13 -- and two games with nine PPR points or fewer. He could find the end zone for the first time against the Raiders, or he could leave us with modest production again in Week 5. It feels like he's a risky No. 3 receiver in most formats.
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If the 49ers run game gets going, Aiyuk could be left with minimal production. He also has to contend with Deebo Samuel making big plays, and George Kittle is going to have a breakout game at some point. Aiyuk has one touchdown this season and two games with more than 11 PPR points, including a high of 12. In Week 4 against the Rams, Aiyuk was held to four catches for 37 yards on four targets. At some point a big game is coming, but the Panthers have allowed just two touchdowns to opposing receivers and only four to score at least 12 PPR points. At best, use Aiyuk as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues in Week 5.
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It was great to see Mooney finally have a good game this year in Week 4 at the Giants with four catches for 94 yards on five targets. After being dropped in a lot of Fantasy leagues, it's smart to add him again where available. But I need to see him produce at a high level for a second time before trusting him as a starter, even in three-receiver leagues. Five targets isn't going to cut it, and this Bears offense is still not going to air it out, or so it seems, with Justin Fields any time soon. Let's see how he does against the Vikings, and hopefully we can start relying on Mooney once again as a reliable option in all formats.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Let's hope that Kenny Pickett taking over for Mitch Trubisky is the spark all the Steelers need to get going because it's been frustrating for almost everyone through four games. While Johnson scored at least 12 PPR points in each of the first three outings this year with Trubisky, he hasn't scored a touchdown and has only one game over 57 receiving yards. And Week 4 against the Jets was his worst outing of the year with two catches for 11 yards on four targets. Now here's where things get tricky. When Pickett came on for Trubisky, he seemed to have eyes for George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth, and Johnson might not get the typical volume we're used to from him. I'm still using him as a low-end starter in PPR, but he's not a must-start option in two-receiver PPR leagues. And in non- and 0.5-PPR leagues it's risky to trust Johnson because of his lack of touchdowns. The Steelers also have a tough matchup at Buffalo, so this could be a bad game across the board for Johnson, Pickens and Chase Claypool.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Tight End
TEs to Start
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Higbee has been the No. 2 option in the passing game for Matthew Stafford behind Cooper Kupp, and he's been great in PPR leagues. He scored at least 10 PPR points in three games in a row, including two outings with at least 14 PPR points over that span. He also has three games this season with at least nine targets and two games with at least seven catches. The Cowboys defense is tough on tight ends, but Higbee is playing too well to avoid in any matchup right now.
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Keep an eye on the injury report for Keenan Allen (hamstring), and if he's out again then consider Everett a must-start tight end in all leagues. With Allen leaving in Week 1, Everett has three games this year with at least 13 PPR points, including two touchdowns. He just had five catches for 61 yards and a touchdown on six targets at Houston, and he should have the chance for another quality outing against the Browns in Week 5.
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Thomas only has one game this season with more than seven PPR points, but this should be a good week for him against the Titans. Jahan Dotson (hamstring) is likely out, and Curtis Samuel was dealing with an illness at practice Wednesday. Thomas could get a bump in targets against the Titans, who have allowed four touchdowns to tight ends this year. Thomas should be considered a low-end starter in all leagues.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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The Dolphins have allowed a tight end to score in two of the past three games with Mark Andrews in Week 2 and Hayden Hurst in Week 4. Conklin had a down game in Week 4 against Pittsburgh in the first game with Zach Wilson, but he still managed three catches for 52 yards on five targets. Conklin scored at least 10 PPR points in each of his first three games this season, and he's capable of getting back to that level again this week.
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Tonyan had seven targets in Week 3 at Tampa Bay and finished with six catches for 37 yards. He came back in Week 4 against New England and scored his first touchdown of the year with two catches for 22 yards on two targets. He's hopefully starting to get going after coming back from last year's ACL tear, and he's worth using as a starter in deeper leagues this week against the Giants.
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TEs to Sit
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Schultz has now played two games with Cooper Rush, and he combined for two catches for 18 yards on seven targets in those outings. I hope that his catchless performance in Week 4 against Washington was due to the knee injury he's dealing with that caused him to miss Week 3. But this is a tough matchup for him in Week 5 at the Rams, who have yet to allow a tight end to score. The Rams have held Dawson Knox, Kyle Pitts, Zach Ertz and George Kittle to a combined 11 catches for 93 yards and no touchdowns on the season.
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Njoku has been great the past two weeks against the Steelers and Falcons with 14 catches for 162 yards and a touchdown on 17 targets over that span, but this should be a tough game for him against the Chargers. No tight end has scored against the Chargers, including matchups with Darren Waller and Travis Kelce. That duo combined for nine catches for 130 yards on 13 targets against the Chargers, and this defense should be able to keep Njoku in check this week.
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Gesicki just isn't trustworthy yet, even with the potential upgrade with a quarterback change from Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) to Teddy Bridgewater. He had 14 PPR points in Week 2 at Baltimore but has combined for six PPR points in his three other games. Even though this isn't a tough matchup against the Jets, you can't start Gesicki again in the majority of leagues.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
DST
DST to Start
Vikings (vs. CHI)
The Vikings defense hasn't been great the past three games, allowing at least 24 points in each outing against Philadelphia, Detroit and New Orleans. But things should improve this week against the Bears. Chicago has scored 12 points or less in two of the past three games, and the Bears have multiple turnovers in the past two weeks against the Texans and Giants. Justin Fields was also sacked 11 times over that span. This should be a breakout game for the Vikings DST at home in Week 5.
Sleepers
- Jaguars (vs. HOU)
- Titans (at WAS)
- Dolphins (at NYJ)
DST to Sit
Steelers (at BUF)
The Steelers defense had four interceptions, seven sacks, a fumble recovery and a touchdown in Week 1 against the Bengals. They also lost T.J. Watt (pectoral) in that game, which has been a problem. Since then, the Steelers have allowed 64 points in three games against the Patriots, Browns and Jets with only three sacks and two turnovers. It shows how much this defense misses Watt, and the Steelers are 0-7 when he doesn't play. Now, the Steelers head to Buffalo to face Josh Allen and the No. 5 scoring offense in the NFL. This is an easy week to fade the Steelers DST in all leagues.
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
KICKERS
Kicker to Start
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Lutz was nearly a hero for the Saints in Week 4 in London against the Vikings. He already made a 60-yard field goal in the game, and he just missed a 61-yard kick that would have forced overtime when the ball hit the upright and then the cross bar for the dreaded double doink. It's been an underwhelming season so far for Lutz, who is just 4-of-8 on field goal attempts in four games. But he could get right this week against the Seahawks, who have allowed three kickers this season to score at least nine Fantasy points. The Saints offense should have plenty of success this week, leading to increased scoring chances for Lutz. He could have his best game of the season in Week 5.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Kicker to Sit
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York did a good job for Fantasy managers in Week 1 at Carolina when he scored 15 Fantasy points, which included four field goals and two PATs. Since then, he's combined for four field goals on four attempts over his past three games, along with seven PATs on nine attempts. The Chargers have allowed three kickers to make multiple field goals this season, but only Riley Patterson in Week 1 scored more than nine Fantasy points. York is just a low-end option in all leagues this week.
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