Making lineup decisions can be the most frustrating — or most rewarding — part of fantasy football. We’re to help you make those decisions with our fantasy start ’em/sit ’em picks.
It’s now Week 5. We are starting to gather enough in-season data to rely on as we evaluate matchups and try to start the correct players. With that in mind, let’s take a look at our top Week 5 start/sit plays.
Which Players Should You Start in Week 5?
Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers (vs. ARI)
For a run-heavy offense, Brock Purdy sure has thrown for a whole lot of yards the past three weeks. His totals have been 319, 292, and 288. Unfortunately, this hasn’t resulted in more than one big game for fantasy managers, as Purdy threw for a single touchdown in two of those three games.
This is an eruption spot for Purdy. After a one-week absence, he got both Deebo Samuel and George Kittle back. Aside from Christian McCaffrey, this offense is fully healthy.
The Cardinals have been a very favorable matchup for quarterbacks, allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game to the position.
The last time these two teams met, Purdy threw for 242 yards and four touchdowns. Historically, Purdy has always performed well against the Cardinals. He is a QB1 this week and a dark horse to finish as the overall QB1.
D’Andre Swift, RB, Chicago Bears (vs. CAR)
Is this point chasing? Maybe. But we saw a different D’Andre Swift in Week 4. Evidently, he was motivated by the reports that the Bears were going to give Roschon Johnson an increased look. Instead, the opposite happened.
Swift dominated the Bears backfield like he hadn’t all season. He set season highs in carries (16), targets (seven), and total yards (165). Swift also found the end zone for the first time.
Man, D'Andre Swift looked dynamic on replay. If Bears can get him into the second level on a more consistent basis, he can be a weapon.
165 total yards and a long TD run. Huge performance. pic.twitter.com/FOwECaFihX
— Blake (@SoldierFieldBlg) September 30, 2024
Now, a rejuvenated Swift gets a Panthers defense allowing the second-most fantasy points per game to running backs. With the Bears home favorites and Swift’s improved role, he is looking like a smash in Week 6.
Jerome Ford, RB, Cleveland Browns (at WAS)
In what will be a theme this week, we are going to be picking on the Commanders’ defense. The first instance is with Jerome Ford. The Browns’ lead running back has alleviated all concerns of any sort of timeshare with D’Onta Foreman.
Ford has now played a hair under 80% of the snaps in each of his past two games. Although negative game script against the Raiders limited him to 10 carries, he still managed a highly efficient 58 yards. More excitingly, Ford gave managers PPR scam production with seven receptions for 27 yards.
The script couldn’t be better against a Commanders defense allowing the 10th-most fantasy points per game to running backs. In extreme negative game script, James Conner was able to run for 104 yards on 18 carries. Ford is in for a strong outing this week.
Amari Cooper, WR, Cleveland Browns (at WAS)
One week after one of the best games of his career — catching seven passes for 86 yards and two touchdowns — Amari Cooper went back to being unstartable. But that doesn’t tell the full story.
Cooper actually should’ve had a WR1 week. He had a long fourth-quarter touchdown reception called back due to a penalty. While that doesn’t count for fantasy managers, it’s a reminder of what Cooper can still do.
This is a prime spot for Cooper to get back on track. The Commanders are poor against the run, but they are downright disastrous against the pass.
Washington currently allows the most fantasy points per game to wide receivers. This is one year after having a historically bad pass defense. Nothing has changed.
The Commanders have been unable to contain Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, Malik Nabers, Ja’Marr Chase, and Marvin Harrison Jr. Cooper is up next. He is a strong WR2 option this week.
Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts (at JAX)
At this time, we don’t yet know whether Anthony Richardson will be able to start this week. Even if he does, I’m still optimistic about Pittman. But this is more predicated on Joe Flacco making the start.
With Flacco replacing an injured Richardson, Pittman had his best game of the season against the Texans. He caught six of nine targets for 113 yards. His 18.8 yards per reception marked the third-highest mark of his last three seasons.
The Jaguars have been atrocious against wide receivers this season, allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game to the position. If Pittman can get one more week of Flacco, he should be viewed as a WR1 in Week 5.
Michael Pittman has a target share over 30% on the season, but Week 4 was the first time he scored double-digit PPR points. In Week 4, he had his highest catch rate over expected, YAC over expected, and air yards per target rates. Wonder why?
— JJ Zachariason (@LateRoundQB) September 30, 2024
Tucker Kraft, TE, Green Bay Packers (at LAR)
In the year 2024, we chase points at tight end. Last week, Tucker Kraft continued his dominance over Luke Musgrave as the Packers’ TE1.
Kraft played 85% of the snaps last week. He commanded a season-high nine targets, catching six for 53 yards and a touchdown. He was the overall TE1 with 17.3 fantasy points at the conclusion of Sunday’s games.
This week, the Packers should feast on the Rams’ disastrous pass defense. So far, the Rams have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends. That’s more than enough reason to start Kraft.
Which Players Should You Sit in Week 5?
Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys (at PIT)
The Cowboys may not be able to run the ball overly effectively, but that hasn’t translated into big-time fantasy numbers for Dak Prescott. While the QB has thrown for multiple touchdowns in each of his last two starts, only the game with severe negative game script against the Ravens resulted in elite QB1 numbers.
This week, the Cowboys have a tough challenge on the road in Pittsburgh. Coming off a tougher-than-expected win against the Giants, this feels like a classic Cowboys flop spot.
The Steelers are allowing the eighth-fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. They play slow, and outside of last week’s shootout against the Colts, have been in low-scoring games. Prescott is an unappealing Week 5 option.
Devin Singletary, RB, New York Giants (at SEA)
Given the state of the running back position, it is exceedingly difficult to bench a guy like Devin Singletary. He’s seen at least a 68% snap share in every game this season. He’s dominating touches. Even though Singletary struggled against the Cowboys, he still saw 15 opportunities.
It feels like low-hanging fruit to recommend benching a guy after a dud, but bad matchups are bad matchups. Singletary bungled a soft Cowboys run defense. Now, he gets a Seahawks run defense that, prior to Monday Night Football, allowed the second-fewest fantasy points per game to the position.
The Giants are not an explosive offense and severely lack playmakers outside of Nabers. This is not going to be a game conducive to the Giants moving the ball on the ground, making Singletary’s touchdown upside low. If you can’t bench him, you have to at least temper expectations.
Zamir White, RB, Las Vegas Raiders (at DEN)
Zamir White has been the RB1 for the Raiders. It just doesn’t mean anything. Through a month of the season, he hasn’t scored more than 6.8 fantasy points in a single game. Last week, he turned 17 carries into 50 scoreless yards. White hasn’t caught a pass since Week 2 and saw one total target over the past two weeks. He has yet to find the end zone.
This week, the Raiders get a surprisingly spry Broncos defense. Initially looking like a run funnel, the Broncos just completely shut down Breece Hall, holding him to 10 carries for four yards.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if Alexander Mattison started seeing more and more touches ahead of White. Fantasy managers cannot continue starting White.
Jordan Addison, WR, Minnesota Vikings (vs. NYJ in London)
Returning after a two-game absence, Jordan Addison reminded everyone just how good he is at football last week. Fantasy managers who trusted Addison were rewarded with 22.9 fantasy points. Those are elite WR1 numbers.
It is always difficult to sit players coming off big weeks, but Addison was very fortunate to score as many points as he did against the Packers. Addison only earned four targets, catching three for 72 yards and a touchdown. He added a second touchdown on a rare rushing attempt.
Addison was efficient, which is great. But it’s not repeatable. The challenge will be even more difficult against a Jets defense allowing the ninth-fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers.
Despite a really bad home loss to the Broncos, the Jets played really well defensively. Going up against Sam Darnold in a revenge game isn’t the same as facing Bo Nix, but this Jets defense is legitimately very good. Even with Pat Surtain II shadowing Justin Jefferson, I’m still not optimistic about Addison’s prospects.
Rashid Shaheed, WR, New Orleans Saints (at KC)
We saw a different Rashid Shaheed last week. Just one week after failing to catch any of his five targets, most of which were downfield, Shaheed caught eight of 11 targets for 83 yards.
If Shaheed is going to be used more underneath, then he will be able to survive tougher matchups. I’m just not convinced Shaheed is suddenly a guy who can excel all over the field.
I hope Shaheed proves me wrong, but he still appears to be more of a deep threat than a do-it-all guy. His 15.6-yard aDOT (average depth of target supports that).
The Chiefs allow the 11th-fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers. They’re a tough matchup based on that alone. But they also do a great job at limiting splash plays.
Against the Chiefs, Drake London’s longest reception was 14 yards, Chase’s longest reception was 13 yards, and Zay Flowers’ longest reception was 19 yards. They are not going to let Shaheed beat them deep, which caps his upside in an already difficult matchup.
Dalton Schultz, TE, Houston Texans (vs. BUF)
Dalton Schultz continues to play a lot of snaps. He continues to run a lot of routes. Yet, he continues to not earn targets.
The Texans scored 24 points against the Jaguars. C.J. Stroud attempted 40 passes. Schultz commanded five targets. His three receptions for 34 yards qualified as his best performance of the season. That came in a game where Tank Dell and Joe Mixon did not play. If Schultz can’t even earn volume as the clear third option in the passing game, I’m not optimistic about his chances this week, when I expect both Dell and Mixon to be back.
While the Bills have allowed the 12th-most fantasy points per game to tight ends, that’s only amounted to 10 PPG surrendered to the position. They haven’t exactly struggled to defend it. Schultz can be left on Week 5 benches.