Yahoo Sports Fantasy MinuteFantasy sit-start: Lineup advice on every Week 5 game
Chargers vs. Giants: Start Antonio Gates, who continues to run more routes than Hunter Henry and gets a Giants defense whose biggest weakness by far is their linebackers. New York has allowed the most fantasy points to tight ends this season.
Sit Wayne Gallman, who impressed last week and ostensibly is taking over the Giants’ lead back role with Paul Perkins out (and in a favorable matchup). But New York’s ground game is simply too tough to trust, especially with someone who’s so unknown and had very poor measurables at the combine. He’s a fine stash right now, but New York can’t run block.
Bills vs. Bengals: Start Charles Clay, whose already big workload will only increase with Jordan Matthews now out. Clay is easily Buffalo’s No. 1 option in the passing game and already has as many targets inside the 10 (four) as he did all of last season.
Sit Andy Dalton, who’s coming off a big game and pickings are slimmer with byes here. But he gets a Bills secondary that’s allowed a 1:6 TD:INT ratio and a 64.1 Passer Rating this year.
Jets vs. Browns: Start Austin-Seferian Jenkins, who’s not only dominating target shares in New York but gets a Browns defense that’s routinely shredded by tight ends. ASJ is the No. 6 TE on my board in Week 5 and remains cheap in DFS.
Sit Isaiah Crowell, as although he got a vote of confidence from coach Hue Jackson this week, he’s yet to reach 45 rushing yards in a game and ranks No. 92 in fantasy points per opportunity.
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Jaguars vs. Steelers: Sit all Jaguars other than Leonard Fournette, as even though Jacksonville will likely be forced to throw playing from behind, Marqise Lee is banged up, and Pittsburgh has allowed the fewest YPA (5.2) in the NFL.
Start Le’Veon Bell in your DFS lineups even though he’s extremely expensive and has thus far disappointed, as he’s looking at another 30+ touches. The Steelers play far better at home and face a Jacksonville secondary that’s yielded the fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks, so the gameplan will once again center around Bell.
Titans vs. Dolphins: Sit Rishard Matthews, whom I really like as a player, but there’s a real chance Matt Cassel will start, downgrading all Titans significantly.
Start Jay Cutler, whom no one wants a part of at this point and is dirt cheap in DFS (and will have low ownership). Tennessee is getting destroyed through the air this season, so treat Devante Parker as a top-10 wide receiver in Week 5 as well.
49ers vs. Colts: Start Pierre Garcon, who’s on pace for 132 targets and lines up against an Indy secondary that’s been gashed for 8.5 YPA (Vontae Davis still doesn’t seem healthy) in a game that could sneakily turn into a shootout.
Start Frank Gore, who looks every bit his age but is primed to score in his “revenge game.” Also, treat T.Y. Hilton as a borderline top-10 WR this week.
Cardinals vs. Eagles: Start Jaron Brown, especially if John Brown remains limited. Jaron Brown has 29 targets over the past three games and the way to exploit this beatable Eagles secondary is on the outside and deep. Arizona is nearly touchdown underdogs, so they’ll be throwing a lot (they always do with David Johnson out), making Andre Ellington close to a must start as well.
Start LeGarrette Blount, who totaled 156 yards last week and should again dominate the carries with Wendell Smallwood likely out. The Eagles project to be playing mostly with the lead, and Blount ranks No. 9 in Juke Rate and No. 4 in yards created per touch.
[Week 5 fantasy rankings: Overall | PPR | QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | FLEX | DST | Ks]
Panthers vs. Lions: Start Devin Funchess, as he’s seen 19 targets over the last two games and scored twice last week. Lions shutdown corner Darius Slay should spend most of his time matched up against Kelvin Benjamin.
Sit Matthew Stafford, who’s gotten just 6.4 YPA with three touchdowns over the past three games. Ameer Abdullah also has a tough matchup, but at least the volume has been there lately, so he’s worth starting.
Seahawks vs. Rams: Sit all Seahawks running backs until we have more information, although J.D. McKissic isn’t the worst dart throw for those in deep PPR leagues if C.J. Prosise is sidelined.
Sit Sammy Watkins, as he saw just two targets last week during a game in which Jared Goff threw 36 times (second most of his career) for 255 yards and two touchdowns. Seattle’s secondary has ceded just 6.1 YPA this season.
Ravens vs. Raiders: Start Alex Collins, who admittedly carries risk of getting benched should he fumble again. But he clearly looks like the team’s best running back with easily the most upside, and while a small sample, he ranks No. 2 in yards created per touch (4.4).
Sit all Raiders, who will be without Derek Carr up against a Ravens defense that’s allowed an NFL-low 63.1 Passer Rating. The Over/Under for this game is just 39, which is tied for the lowest of the week.
Packers vs. Cowboys: Start Geronimo Allison if Davante Adams is out, as Green Bay is going to be throwing a ton with a banged up backfield in what should be a shootout. Treat Jordy Nelson as the No. 1 WR play this week.
Start Dak Prescott, as while Dallas will run a lot more than Green Bay, Prescott is going to throw more than usual given the game script. Dez Bryant is going to explode in this spot.
Chiefs vs. Texans: Start Alex Smith, as while some may shy away with him showing the inevitable regression and playing in Houston, the Texans have actually given up 7.6 YPA this year, and Deshaun Watson’s emergence should result in Smith having to throw plenty.
Start Deshaun Watson, who looks like the real deal. During the first three starts of his career, he’s gotten 7.8 YPA while totaling eight touchdowns and adding 132 rushing yards. He leads the NFL in Total QBR and fantasy points per dropback. Treat him as a weekly top-10 fantasy QB moving forward.
Vikings vs. Bears: Sit Latavius Murray, who’s still not 100 percent returning from offseason ankle surgery, will be splitting work with Jerick McKinnon and faces a Bears front seven that’s yielded just 3.5 YPC this season.
Sit Mitchell Trubisky, who’s making his first career NFL start in primetime up against a Vikings defense that stuffs the run and can get to the quarterback. Deshaun Watson immediately taking the league by storm is the exception, not the rule.
