Fantasy Football Week 5: Starts, Sits, Sleepers and Risks for every game on the NFL schedule

Colts at Patriots

Risky Starter

There is absolutely no question about Luck 's arm strength, it' s offensive, and it 's about it. But playing with his best, fastest receiver should throw off the whole offense and allow the Patriots to turn up their defensive aggression. What's likely to happen is that the Colts trail and dink-and-dunk their way down the field but not come up with many touchdowns. While over 300 yards is a near-certainty for Luck, it is not promised.

Sneaky Sleepers in PPR

Without Hilton, the Colts' fastest skill-position is Hines and Rogers, both of them must be in position to rake in the targets. Hines is a problem of the backfield so long as the Colts utilize him; he has at least five grabs in three of four games. Rogers got a huge uptick in targets playing last week and volumed his way to an 8-86-0 stat line. Neither of these guys should be confused with fantasy superstars, but both should be better than your typical replacement-level players. The Patriots are allowing 9.2 yards to catch back, and slot cornerback Jonathan Jones has the most yards (174) of any New England pass defender, according to Sports Info Solutions.

Start Him

Julian Edelman

Welcome back to the field, Julian! Your return gift is a matchup against a Colts secondary! Poor Indianapolis lost slot cornerback Kenny Moore to a concussion last week and got carved up by rookie Keke Coutee in his first NFL game. What do you think a seasoned vet like Edelman will do when he lines up from safety Mathias Farley or backup corner Chris Milton gold, if the Colts are daring, hurt cornerback Nate Hairston? Do not be shocked if Tom Brady tries to get his good buddy in the end zone in his first game back. He's a must in PPR and a good option in non-PPR.

Titans at Bills

Risky Starter

The Force-fed Titans 15 targets last week, leading to an exciting 9-161-1 stat line – but it could have been more. Davis had a red-zone drop and Mariota was off-target on a couple of passes. Point is, this connection has got to get stronger but also involves some liabilities, especially if Davis' targets get dialed back. This box is in play this week because the Titans could try to get their game going against Buffalo's 22nd-ranked run defense. Top cornerback Tre'Davious White has done a nice job against opposing top perimeter receivers, limiting Davante Adams and Stefan Diggs in recent weeks (the Chargers did not even target White in Week 2). He figures to shadow Davis this week, so unless Davis uncharacteristically stays in the slot (he lines up there about 25 percent of the time), he'll get that sticky coverage from White. There are safer options.

Sneaky Sleepers

Through four weeks, Lewis has played more games than Henry Derrick, proving to be the most versatile option. Henry has been a touchdown-dependent running back who has not scored any touchdowns this year. Titans coaches have gotten to their point of view. The Bills have had five rushing touchdowns on the season, and they have also made up nearly 8.0 yards per wrestling and a generous 83 percent wrestling rate to run backs. 12 points against the Bills has found a minimum of nine non-PPR Fantasy points this season – Henry averages 14.3 hits per week, Lewis averages 15.3. Lewis is the best option in all formats and is a top-24 rusher in PPR.

Falcons at Steelers

Start Him

McDonald has taken a steady diet of five targets for non-PPR Fantasy points (11 in full PPR). You can know it for his sick stiff-arm and long touchdown gallop from Week 3, but he also paid dividends with his physical play in Week 4. His matchup versus Atlanta in Week 5 is perfect – the Falcons have major mismatch issues with their backup McDonalds down the road.

Sneaky Sleeper

Hooper is strictly a touchdown-or-bust tight end who had a chance to score last week. His end-zone target was too high, and he watched as another Falcons tight end hit a touchdown against the Bengals. If you can not get your hands on the other side of the yard, you can expect a lot from Steelers defense that's yielded three touchdowns and a 76 percent catch rate.

Broncos at Jets

Sit Him

Demaryius Thomas

You can not blame Thomas Keenum has a wide-open touchdown target. You can blame him for being a little slower and stiff on the field (as evidenced by his 8.4 receiving average, second-worst among Broncos with at least 12 targets). Sadly, both are issues that will plague Thomas until further notice, including this Sunday's game. The Jets' run defense might be shoddy and they might have had a hard time, but they've gotten a decent pair of perimeter cornerbacks along with an underrated front to make tough things on Keenum. Thomas is due for a touchdown, but it could not have been a week.

Risky Starters

The Jets run defense is a mixed bag – they 've gotten three 1-yard touchdown plunges over their past two, but just 3.6 yards out of their past three matches with a handful of 10-plus-yard rushes against. The Broncos continues to split these guys' reps almost evenly (with Devontae Booker handling third downs). That's annoying. It's especially shameful that the Broncos are not relying on one of these backs in the passing game, because that's where the Jets could really be exploited. The combination of the Jets 'so-so run defense, the Broncos' insistence on utilizing backs and downsides. If I had to pick one to start, it would be Freeman, who has a touchdown in three straight games.

Sneaky Sleepers

It is hard to resist these Jets when the Broncos have played against each other in their last three games. The defense let up just 3.5 yards per rush until Kareem Hunt exploded on them on Monday for 6.4 yards per tote. Now they're on the road on a short week against the Jets. Additionally, running backs own a 76 percent wrestling rate against Denver, which gives a nod to Powell in PPR. Aim Crowell has been their red-zone and short-yardage / goal-line and is a candidate for some decent yardage on top this week. Of all the rushers in this game, Crowell is actually my favorite.

Jaguars at Chiefs

Do not worry

The Jacksonville defense is obviously legit. It swallows up inferior offensive lines and has the stud corners to play man against almost anyone. But Mahomes has a couple of built-in advantages that keep him very much alive. One, his mobility will buy him, and he will be deadly for defenses. Two, Andy Reid is going to get creative – expect plenty of wrinkles. Reid does have some previous (modest) success against Jacksonville's current defensive scheme. Three, the Chiefs have plenty of speed to stretch the Jaguars defense and create openings for each other. I'll admit Mahomes' 30-plus-point upside does not seem likely in Week 5, but he should still come up with some good stats to keep you happy.

Start Him

The words "start Blake Bortles" always bring a cringe, but the matchup is real good. Before Monday night, the Chiefs allowed nine total touchdowns and 375.7 yards per game to quarterbacks, then they got their numbers propped up by Keenum's weakening case. Bortles has stepped up in big games over the years, including earlier this season against the Patriots, and should deliver a good game against Kansas City, particularly with the Jaguars run game has near-question mark with Fournette out. Look into the face of a couple of deep shots (and rushes) mixed in. He's the No. 1 streamable quarterback this week.

Sneaky Sleeper

If you're going to chase points, you might want to win a match Biletnikoff award winner playing a big-time game against the league's second-worst pass defense. Kendall Fuller has been burned for a bunch of yards this year, but Kansas City's linebackers and safeties have struggled in coverage as well. Westbrook has been improving on its over-the-middle routes and figures to get a lot of attention from Bortles there. There is not a tough matchup on the board for any Jaguars wideout, Westbrook goal is my favorite of the group.

Packers at Lions

Start Him

You could not ask for a better situation for Jones. A week after narrowly leading the packers running backs in snaps (by one), keys (by one), yards (by 8) and touchdowns (by one!), The second-year rusher should see a little more work versus a Lions worst -ranked run defense that's given up at least 10 Fantasy points to a running back in every game – and 21-more to a back of three games! You could see why Aaron Rodgers endorsed Jones before his Week 4 performance, scooting easily against the Bills. But it was his absence when he was the most – when he did not play in garbage time, you knew he was the Packers' most trusted back. He's not going to get every carry, but he should begin outpacing Jamaal Williams this week. Healthy, explosive and ready for more work, Jones should be in every lineup.

Start Him

Lions-Packers showdowns have a way of being high scoring, with Stafford usually a central character. Stafford has multiple passing touchdowns in seven straight meetings over 300 yards passing and 23-plus Fantasy points in four straight. Green Bay's pass defense looked great against poor Josh Allen last week – more than doubling its season sack total! Kevin King plays, but it will get stronger if cornerback. Nonetheless, Stafford's history is one of the last days of his life.

Ravens at Browns

Sit Him

Before and after Collins' Week 4 fumble, his second on the season, he was basically splitting reps with Buck Allen close to 50-50. Goal after the goal-line blunder at Pittsburgh, expect Allen to own the goal-line job for the Ravens for at least this week, if not the future future. Going far back as late 2015, Allen has not fumbled over his past 220 carries and 75 receptions. That matters to coaches and shoulders when you consider Collins for your lineup. If he's not scoring, and if he's not racking up big yardage (his last game with over 100 total yards was Week 14 last year), then he's not exactly helpful.

Risky Starter

The Browns are talking like they're going to start giving Nick Chubb a few more carries, but that's the least of Hyde's concerns. The touchdown-dependent rusher will face off against a back-to-back comedy runner-up gameplayer C.J. Mosley back in full swing. Even though Hyde's received more than 100 tons of yards from scrimmage (he's been above 90 yards ounces), it still has more than 100 ounces. This is his riskiest matchup to-date.

Sit Him

I like that Njoku had his best game of the year with Baker Mayfield, but I do not like how he's not scoring touchdowns. Baltimore's defense has been outstanding against both sides of the world. Until we see the Browns game plan more throws Njoku's way, it's tough to buy a starter, and it goes double this week given the matchup. In PPR, he is at his best at a low-end starter only because he's gotten more volume than most tight ends.

Giants at Panthers

Start Him

In the past, from Janoris Jenkins to a bad thing. Now? Jenkins has allowed a team-worst 236 yards through the air and a near-70 percent catch rate through four weeks. So even if Jenkins follows Funchess around, it's not necessarily a bad thing. Target volume should continue to be in Funchess' favor and Cam's Newton's outlook for the week is going to be a huge challenge.

Dolphins at Bengals

Sit Him

How in the world can you feel good about starting Kenyan Drake ?! The Dolphins rank 23rd in the league with 23.0 rush attempts per game. Of those 23.0 rush attempts, Drake is warning … hold your nose … 8.3 per game. Frank Gore is averaging slightly more. It's possible Dolphins coach Adam Gase was in charge of Josh Sitton – he could continue to ignore Daniel Kilgore out of action. The interior of the Miami O-line will be tested by Geno Atkins and the Bengals defensive front (with run-stopper Vontaze Burfict back). You might think this means more for Drake, but Sports Info Solutions has Drake with just 45 yards on 20 carries to the edges and off tackle. Gore has done better, and he actually played more than Drake last week. Pass the barf bag. Frankly, Drake will be in a difficult starting position. We might target him for a Week 7 start versus the Lions, but not this week.

Sneaky Sleeper

It's a feast-or-famine with Stills, who has either delivered 12 or more Fantasy points (15 in PPR) or four or fewer (seven in PPR). No in-between. Fact is, he leads the spread-it-around Dolphins pass attack in targets, yards and touchdowns, so it's safe bet, it's him. Meanwhile, the Bengals outside cornerbacks have been nearly 300 yards and five touchdowns. Miami figures to get along or play competitively, helping the pass opportunities for their receivers. Stills is fine as a flex.

Risky Starter

I do not have much compelling evidence to call Dalton an outright sit, but this just feels like a let-down game for him. The Dolphins have only one quarterback to find 20-plus points against each other and they have multiple interceptions in every game. Tyler Eifert, which may not be a disastrous thing since Tyler Boyd is catching on. Joe Flacco or Carson Wentz, but I'd like to go back to Blake Bortles or Matthew Stafford.

Raiders at Chargers

Sneaky Sleeper

Over the past two weeks, Nelson's been narrowly on the team in targets (16), second in receptions (11), first in yards (221) and a score in each game. More importantly, his speed to be a non-issue has been beating his coverage frequently. As his role has grown, the entire Raiders offense has come alive as an impressive experience. The cornerback matchups are good at the Chargers outside corners they have hit the corner while they are in their corner. The unit ranks 21st overall against the pass with 10 scores allowed. We should see a high-scoring matchup which Nelson should get in on.

Start Him

Ekeler has been given at least nine non-PPR (12 PPR) Fantasy points in three of four games. That's not so bad. He'll take a run at this game. Oakland has also given up at least eight non-PPR Fantasy points to six running backs this season, including three last week! He's fine as a No. 2 running back in any format.

Cardinals at 49ers

Start Him

Not only is the matchup great for RSJ – it's a 12:18 pm reception – it's got a legit upgrade at quarterback with Josh Rosen. This does not mean that the Cardinals coaching staff is not exactly the same as the Cardinals coaching staff. top players. Nonetheless, a tight end is a precariously thin position, so anyone who has a chance at scoring belongs in the starting conversation. Fortunately, Seals-Jones also has a chance to add yardage, too, thanks to his improved pass. Pick him up and use him!

Start Him

So much for Steve Wilks' incredible defense. Through four weeks, the Cardinals rank 31st against the run, allowing running backs 4.2 yards per carry, 11.0 yards per catch and a preposterous eight total touchdowns. Five running backs at least 14 Fantasy points against the Redbirds this season, including one per game. Morris could swipe a short-yardage touchdown, but it's Breida who has been the better playmaker. Expect more causes from him this week after last week.

Vikings at Eagles

Risky Starter

For all of the Vikings' defensive troubles, the one aspect they've hung in there is slowing down the run. The team did not have a chance to win a match yet, and the only two who won 10-plus Fantasy points did so because of their receiving numbers (and one was Todd Gurley, who beats up everybody). Ajayi still is not locked into a dominant role; he shared last week with Wendell Smallwood. Ajayi typically does not make a big impact in the passing game and should continue to touch Carson Wentz and the passing game (which has a better matchup). Most important of all, the Ajayi's Ajayi's chances of sustaining one's limited ventures. He probably will not play too poorly, but will need a touchdown to really make his week great.

Rams at Seahawks

Sneaky Sleeper

You're ready to quit Lockett after one touchdownless game ?! This is the week to buy back – the Seahawks are at home and they're underdogs against a just passing up 422 passing yards, three passing scores and five pass plays of 24-plus yards. A Shift in the Shelf – Aqib Talib on the Shelf, Marcus Peters Sam Shields can be exploited (he's already a team-high 194 yards) two touchdowns). Do not expect the Seahawks to be so run-centric – they might not have a choice. Lockett is one of my favorite boom-or-bust receivers this week.

Cowboys at Texans

Sit Him

Having a good run on the face of a cowboys run defense, even without Sean Lee, played well in Week 4. After giving up a big run on Kerryon Johnson's first run last week, it settled in and yielded just 3.4 yards per carry with a touchdown from 8 yards out. Miller, assuming his chest injury lets him, will need a touchdown to return even moderate value in Fantasy. The chances of a big game are slim, especially since the Texans coaches insist on giving Alfred Blue a slice of the rushing workload, limiting Miller to 15.0 keys per game over his past three. Miller has yet to play a single snap at the goal line – Blue has played two – and has just two carries from 5 yards or closer this year.

Redskins at Saints

Start Him

New Orleans has been outstanding against the run, holding rival rushers at 2.96 yards per carry, third best in the NFL. The Saints are also known for putting lots of points on the scoreboard when they're at home, especially in prime-time games. Call me crazy, but the Redskins are probably going to have a bunch to try to keep up with the Saints. That 's where Thompson comes in – he should have had a game with him when he was in Colts in Week. It also helps that the Saints are up 82 percent of their targets for 8.0 yards per catch on the season. Thompson has more Fantasy upside than Adrian Peterson in Week 5.