Fantasy Football rankings, Week 5

It’s fantasy football time! Week 5 kicked off with a divisional matchup in the NFC West, arguably the best division in the sport. The Los Angeles Rams traveled to Lumin Field in Seattle and defeated the Seahawks 26-17. The game started slow, and eventually couldn’t hit the 54.5 over/under. The biggest takeaway was a third quarter injury to the index finger of Russell Wilson’s throwing hand.

Geno Smith entered the game for Seattle and threw a touchdown pass to D.K. Metcalf - his second touchdown reception of the game. Wilson’s Week 6 availability is in question. There are a lot of injuries to monitor heading into week five: Dalvin Cook, Chase Edmonds, Curtis Samuel, Antonio Gibson and Joe Mixon are questionable for the game and both will be evaluated on Saturday.

If Gibson misses the game, rookie Jaret Patterson would assume his role along with J.D. McKissic. Khalil Herbert could see an uptick in carries as well with David Montgomery out. Herbert shouldn’t be trusted yet, but someone to add if Damien Williams sufferers an injury. Lions TE T.J. Hockenson popped up on the injury report on Thursday; he is questionable as well.

George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey are both doubtful to play. Kittle’s teammate Jimmy Garoppolo has been ruled out which leads to Trey Lance making his first start against the Cardinals in a 49.5 point over/under game. I have Lance in my top 10, due to his rushing floor. All of the first round rookie quarterbacks will be starting this weekend for the first time in 2021.

Julio Jones, Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton have also been ruled out. Expect a heavy rushing attack for the Titans, and a big dosage of Kadarius Toney, Kenny Golladay, and Saquon Barkley against the Cowboys - a game with a 52.5 point over/under.

Falcons’ wide receivers Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage failed to make the trip to England to play the New York Jets. This should open up a lot of opportunities for the running backs and Kyle Pitts. In three wide receiver, 12-team leagues, look for Olamide Zaccheaus to see more targets. He isn’t ranked in my top 35, but is an option in deeper formats.

Randall Cobb is another waiver wire target who could return some value on Sunday. He had six targets, five catches for 69-yards and two scores last season. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers loves Cobb and directly told the Packers to pursue him in a trade. He’s not exciting, but this would only be for deeper formats.

DeVante Parker, who is also questionable, could be interesting and is only rostered in 42% of leagues. The Buccaneers are very injured in their secondary, and the Dolphins will have to throw the football. Parker saw nine targets last week. The Dolphins will be without Jakeem Grant who was just traded and Will Fuller who is injured. The Buccaneers are a defense that absolutely shuts down opposing rushing attacks, and Miami can’t run the football, so expect Jacoby Brissett to throw the ball to Parker, Mike Gesicki, and rookie wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. The over/under is 47.5 with the Buccaneers having an implied total of 29 points.

Quarterbacks

1. Patrick Mahomes vs BUF
2. Josh Allen @ KC
3. Kyler Murray vs SF
4. Lamar Jackson vs IND
5. Tom Brady vs MIA
6. Dak Prescott vs NYG
7. Jalen Hurts @ CAR
8. Justin Herbert vs CLE
9. Trey Lance @ ARI
10. Kirk Cousins vs DET
11. Aaron Rodgers @ CIN
12. Daniel Jones @ DAL
13. Sam Darnold vs PHI
14. Joe Burrow vs GB
15. Trevor Lawrence vs TEN
16. Derek Carr vs CHI
17. Justin Fields @ LV
18. Ryan Tannehill @ JAX
19. Matt Ryan vs NYJ
20. Taylor Heineke vs NO
21. Jacoby Brissett @ TB
22. Baker Mayfield @ LAC
23. Teddy Bridgewater @ PIT
24. Jared Goff @ MIN
25. Jameis Winston @ WAS
26. Mac Jones vs HOU
27. Zach Wilson @ ATL
28. Carson Wentz @ BAL
29. Ben Roethlisberger vs DEN
30. Davis Mills vs NE

Running Backs

1. Derrick Henry @ JAX
2. Austin Ekeler vs CLE
3. Saquon Barkley @ DAL
4. Aaron Jones @ CIN
5. Ezekiel Elliott vs NYG
6. Dalvin Cook vs DET
7. Alvin Kamara @ WAS
8. Nick Chubb @ LAC
9. Leonard Fournette vs MIA
10. D’Andre Swift @ MIN
11. Najee Harris vs DEN
12. James Robinson vs TEN
13. Jonathan Taylor @ BAL
14. Kareem Hunt @ LAC
15. Clyde Edwards-Helaire vs BUF
16. Damien Harris @ HOU
17. Antonio Gibson vs NO
18. Cordarrelle Patterson vs NYJ
19. Chase Edmonds vs SF (if healthy)
20. Damien Williams @ LV
21. Mike Davis vs NYJ
22. Chubba Hubbard vs PHI (if Christian McCaffrey doesn’t play)
23. Josh Jacobs vs CHI
24. Latavius Murray vs IND
25. Zack Moss @ KC
26. Miles Sanders @ CAR
27. Jamaal Williams @ MIN
28. Melvin Gordon III @ PIT
29. Nyheim Hines @ BAL
30. Samaje Perine vs GB (with no Joe Mixon)
31. Trey Sermon @ ARI
32. James Conner vs SF
33. J.D. McKissic vs NO
34. Javonte Williams @ PIT
35. Tony Pollard vs NYG

Wide Receivers

1. Davante Adams @ CIN
2. Stefon Diggs @ KC
3. Justin Jefferson @ DET
4. Tyreek Hill vs BUF
5. DJ Moore vs PHI
6. CeeDee Lamb vs NYG
7. Keenan Allen vs CLE
8. Terry McLaurin vs NO
9. DeAndre Hopkins vs SF
10. Chris Gowin vs MIA
11. Diontae Johnson vs DEN
12. Amari Cooper vs NYG
13. Ja’Marr Chase vs GB
14. A.J. Brown vs JAX
15. Deebo Samuel @ ARI
16. Adam Thielen vs DET
17. Mike Evans vs MIA
18. Marvin Jones Jr. vs TEN
19. Courtland Sutton @ PIT
20. Mike Williams vs CLE
21. Marquise Brown vs IND
22. Tee Higgins vs GB
23. DeVonta Smith @ CAR
24. Kenny Golladay @ DAL
25. Antonio Brown vs MIA
26. Brandin Cooks vs NE
27. Corey Davis @ ATL
28. Laviska Shenault Jr. vs TEN
29. Odell Beckham Jr. @ LAC
30. Michael Pittman Jr. @ BAL
31. Allen Robinson II @ LV
32. Jaylen Waddle @ TB
33. Tyler Boyd vs GB
34. Jakobi Meyers @ HOU
35. Emmanuel Sanders @ KC

Tight Ends

1. Travis Kelce vs BUF
2. Darren Waller vs CHI
3. Mark Andrews vs IND
4. T.J. Hockenson @ MIN
5. Mike Gesicki @ TB
6. Kyle Pitts vs NYJ
7. Dalton Schultz vs NYG
8. Dalton Knox @ KC
9. Noah Fant @ PIT
10. Hunter Henry @ HOU
11. Dallas Goedert @ CAR
12. Jared Cook vs CLE
13. Tyler Conklin vs DET
14. Jonnu Smith @ HOU
15. Robert Tonyan @ CIN
16. Evan Engram @ DAL
17. Zach Ertz @ CAR
18. Cameron Brate vs MIA
19. Austin Hooper @ LAC
20. Dan Arnold vs TEN
21. Cole Kmet @ LV
22. Max Williams vs SF
23. Anthony Firkser @ JAX
24. Ricky Seals-Jones vs NO
25. C.J. Uzomah vs GB

3 streamable defenses (Yahoo ownership percentage)

1. New Orleans @ WAS (62)
2. Minnesota vs DET (59%)
3. Las Vegas vs CHI (26%)

3 streamable kickers (Yahoo ownership %)

1. Greg Joseph vs DET (14%)
2. Brandon McManus @ PIT (41%)
3. Nick Folk @ HOU (19%)