Welcome to the Week 5 Fantasy Football Rankings from FantasyProjection… the ONLY source for reliable fantasy advice. I feel like there have been so many injuries already in this early season… not only by frequency but also severity. Every injury you hear about is another season ending ACL or another torn ligament that apparently you can’t play through and results in a lost season. Dalvin Cook was the most recent fantasy star to be bitten by the injury bug. In week 4 Cook tore his ACL and will be done for the season. I know all of you are scrambling for fill-ins at RB and it will get even tougher with the BYE weeks starting. This is the best time to be reading the rankings as the start sit decisions you make week in and week out will only get more difficult as injuries pile up and BYE weeks progress. Use the following rankings to make these decisions and good luck in week 5!
Quarterbacks
- Tom Brady, NE QB at TB
- Aaron Rodgers, GB QB at DAL
- Jameis Winston, TB QB vs. NE
- Carson Palmer, ARI QB at PHI
- Deshaun Watson, HOU QB vs. KC
- Dak Prescott, DAL QB vs. GB
- Russell Wilson, SEA QB at LAR
- Ben Roethlisberger, PIT QB v. JAC
- Matthew Stafford, DET QB vs. CAR
- Cam Newton, CAR QB at DET
- Eli Manning, NYG QB vs. LAC
- Carson Wentz, PHI QB vs. ARI
- Philip Rivers, LAC QB at NYG
- Tyrod Taylor, BUF QB at CIN
- Jacoby Brissett, IND QB vs. SF
Deshaun Watson continued his rookie year fantasy explosion in week 4 with 283 yards passing and 4 TDs while rushing for a 5th TD on the ground. Watson is definitely not “elemetary” as Sherlock would say but is explosive both through the air and with his feet. I expect his dominance to continue in week 5 against the KC Chiefs who are allowing the 8th most passing yards per game at 248 yards and 4 TDs. Expect Watson to look for DeAndre Hopkins frequently and often hence his rankings in the below WR column. Fantasy Projection: 303 yards passing 2TDs and 25 yards rushing 1 TD.
Eli Manning looks like the “good” Eli that we all know and love when OBJ is on the field. In the past 2 weeks he has averaged 327 yards passing with 2.5 TDs. This is a monster improvement from his first two games without OBJ where he average 230 yards passing and 0.5 TDs. I like the trend Eli is showing and I think as long as OBJ is on the field Manning always has top 10 QB potential. He faces the Chargers in week 5 who are 6th best against the pass on passing yards per game basis, but they have allowed 6 TDs over the young season through the air. This game could very well turn into a shootout and that is where Eli can score some garbage points for your fantasy teams. Fantasy Projection: 297 yards passing 2 TDs
Running Back
- Le’Veon Bell, PIT RB vs. JAC
- Todd Gurley, LAR RB vs. SEA
- Ezekiel Elliott, DAL RB vs. GB
- Kareem Hunt, KC RB at HOU
- Carlos Hyde, SF RB at IND
- LeSean McCoy, BUF RB at CIN
- Melvin Gordon, LAC RB at NYG
- Leonard Fournette, JAC RB at PIT
- Jay Ajayi, MIA RB vs. TEN
- Bilal Powell, NYJ RB at CLE
- DeMarco Murray, TEN RB at MIA
- Jordan Howard, CHI RB vs. MIN
- Duke Johnson, CLE RB vs. NYJ
- Lamar Miller, HOU RB vs. KC
- Doug Martin, TB RB vs. NE
Duke Johnson is acting more like a WR than a RB in 2017, but in a half point PPR league his output will always make him eligible for the top 15. Last week he had a TD rushing and 9 receptions for 47 yards. 9 receptions is amazing for a WR let alone a RB. I expect him to take advantage of the weak NYJ defense and make himself relevant once again in week 5. Fantasy Projection: 20 yards rushing 9 receptions 53 yards 1 TD
The Muscle Hamster is BACK…finally after serving his 3 game suspension Doug Martin will play against the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football. I don’t expect Martin will have a huge role right off the bat, but his match-up against the Patriots gives him huge upside. The Patriots have allowed the 7th most rushing yards per game this season and 3 TDs. Their defense has been exploited on a regular basis and I don’t expect the Buccaneers to be too far behind as they may have been with past Patriot teams. The Buccaneers will run the ball and if Martin shows any of his explosiveness it should earn him plenty of touches. Fantasy Projection: 65 yards rushing 1 TD
Wide Receivers
- Mike Evans, TB WR vs. NE
- Jordy Nelson, GB WR at DAL
- Odell Beckham Jr., NYG WR vs. LAC
- Antonio Brown, PIT WR vs. JAC
- DeAndre Hopkins, HOU WR vs. KC
- A.J. Green, CIN WR vs. BUF
- Brandin Cooks, NE WR at TB
- Doug Baldwin, SEA WR at LAR
- Larry Fitzgerald, ARI WR at PHI
- Dez Bryant, DAL WR vs. GB
- Stefon Diggs, MIN WR at CHI
- Jarvis Landry, MIA WR vs. TEN
- T.Y. Hilton, IND WR vs. SF
- Keenan Allen, LAC WR at NYG
- Tyreek Hill, KC WR at HOU
- Golden Tate, DET WR vs. CAR
- Michael Crabtree, OAK WR vs. BAL
- Chris Hogan, NE WR at TB
- Randall Cobb, GB WR at DAL
- Pierre Garcon, SF WR at IND
- DeSean Jackson, TB WR vs. NE
- DeVante Parker, MIA WR v. TEN
- Kelvin Benjamin, CAR WR at DET
- Alshon Jeffrey, PHI WR vs. ARI
- Rishard Matthews, TEN WR at MIA
B-Cooks is settling in very nicely to the Patriots offense and was just missed on a few passes from Tom Brady last week. Cooks will get his chance to bounce back in week 5 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who are allowing the second most receiving yards per game with the first most being their opponents the New England patriots. If that doesn’t spell shoot out I don’t know what does. Each team will throw and throw often to stay in the game and Cooks will get his fair share of targets. Fantasy Projection: 6 receptions 95 yards 1-2 TDs
Pierre Garcon has been much more fantasy relevant than I would have expected this year although he has been extremely boom or bust. He has also not yet found the endzone on his new team which I expect will end this week. Garcon is taking on the Colts who have allowed the 4th most receiving yards on a yards per game basis and 6 TDs to receivers. This is a great match for Garcon and I think he is in for a potentially big day. Fantasy Projection: 5 receptions 57 yards 1 TD
Tight Ends
- Rob Gronkowski, NE TE at TB
- Travis Kelce, KC TE at HOU
- Zach Ertz, PHI TE vs. ARI
- Delanie Walker, TEN TE at MIA
- Charles Clay, BUF TE at CIN
- Jimmy Graham, SEA TE at LAR
- Cameron Brate, TB TE vs. NE
- Evan Engram, NYG TE vs. LAC
- Kyle Rudolph, MIN TE at CHI
- Martellus Bennett, GB TE at DAL
- Austin Seferian-Jenkins, NYJ TE at CLE
- Jason Witten, DAL TE vs. GB
All hail BRATE THE GREAT! Out of the depths of fantasy despair at the TE position week in and out came Cameron Brate in week 4 with 80 yards and 1 TD against the NYG. Not only did he have a big game last week, but he will have another even BIGGER game this week. He takes on the New England Patriots who are allowing the most yards receiving per game and 11 TDs over 4 weeks. 11 TDs is tied for the most TDs allowed on the season and the third most are the Cleveland Browns with 9! Brate will be GREAT once again. Fantasy Projection: 5 receptions 68 yards 1 TD
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