Last week I mentioned Tet McMillan here, and he went nuts against the Lions. I also had Josh Downs and watched him flop in a great matchup. The Colts simply got it done on the ground instead. This week I am heavily focused on the Cardinals/Lions game with its great shootout potential. It really should be a lot of fun.
I spent more time on deeper analysis this week and less time on the introduction. I hope that is ok with you <wink, wink>.
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Week 5 Starts and Sits
Wide Receiver Starts
Carnell Tate, Tennessee Titans
The Titans are playing the Texans, who give up the most fantasy points to opposing teams’ WRs. The Texans give up 15 receptions, 207 yards, and 1.5 touchdowns per week to opposing teams’ wide receivers. Tate was unleashed in Week 4 with 12 targets, 9 receptions, and 145 yards. Look for him and maybe even Wan’Dale Robinson to produce in Week 5.
Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals are playing the Lions, who give up the second most fantasy points to opposing teams’ wide receivers. Over the past two games, Wilson has 30 targets, 18 receptions, 184 yards, and a touchdown. He is back to being a target monster. There will be massive volume in a great matchup.
Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
Puka returned with 12 targets, 9 receptions, and 125 receiving yards. He also ran for 2 yards and a touchdown. In Week 5, he gets to play against a Bills defense that gives up the third-most fantasy points to opposing teams’ wide receivers, as if you needed any more reason to play Puka
Other wide receiver starts
Amon-Ra St. has a 32% target share in the Lions’ offense and faces a Cardinals defense that allows the fourth-most fantasy points to wide receivers. Malik Nabers has been unlocked by Jameis Winston with 112 yards and a touchdown in Week 4. In Week 5, he faces a Commanders defense that allows 15 receptions, 166 yards, and 1.5 touchdowns per game to wide receivers. You can look for Garrett Wilson, Zay Flowers, and Drake London all to put up good fantasy numbers in a great matchup in Week 5.
Wide Receivers Sits
Mike Evans, San Francisco Niners
The Niners play the Seahawks in Week 5. The Seahawks give up the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing teams’ wide receivers. Evan is an absolute stud. I also love his quarterback, but this matchup will produce less than you are used to.
Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
Higgins left the Week 4 game injured but is currently day-to-day and will most likely play in Week 5. Ja’Marr Chase was also injured and will most likely miss Week 5. Typically, we would bump Higgins way up here, but believe it or not, the Dolphins’ defense is good against wide receivers. The Dolphins give up the third most fantasy points to wide receivers through 4 games this season.
Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers
The Packers pass the ball a lot because they really stink at running the football right now. So, there may be some volume to offset a bad matchup. You see the Packers play the Bears in Week 5, and the Bears are very good at defending the pass. Chicago gives up the fourth-fewest fantasy points to opposing teams’ wide receivers.
Other wide receiver matchup concerns
CeeDee Lamb has a tough matchup against the Buccaneers. Jaxson Smith-Njigba will also see his toughest matchup of the season against the Niners. You are playing those guys, clearly, but it might be a little rough in Week 5.
Check out all of our Week 5 Rankings: Flex Rankings | QB Rankings | RB Rankings | WR Rankings | TE Rankings | MOP Rankings
Tight End Starts
Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals
If you need any more reason to play Trey McBride, this week is it. The Cardinals will play the Lions. The Lions give up the most fantasy points to tight ends. Never mind the fact that McBride has a 31% target share of all Cardinals passes this season; you can forget that he has seen 10 or more targets a game this season. Why? Because the Lions give up the most receptions to tight ends, 9.3 per game. They also give up the most yards per game to tight ends: 101.8. The Lions also give up the most touchdowns to tight ends, 1.5 per game. Everything is aligned for McBride to explode in Week 5.
Isaiah Likely, New York Giants
Jameis Winston also found a way to throw 12 passes to Likely in Week 4. Likely turned those targets into 7 receptions for 66 yards. In Week 5, the Commanders are the opposing team, and they give up the second-most fantasy points to tight ends. It is very Likely that Isaiah has a very big game in Week 5.
Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
I don’t know why I waited until now to mention this, but the Lions vs. the Cardinals has a 54.5 over/under this week. It looks like it will be a shootout. I have mentioned multiple players from each team in this article. To top this off, the Cardinals also stink against defending tight ends. The Cardinals give up the fourth most fantasy points to tight ends. LaPorta saw 13 targets in Week 4 and turned that into 8 receptions, 84 yards, and a touchdown. This will be fun to watch.
Other tight end starts
Jake Ferguson will find it easy going against the Buccaneers. Hunter Henry has his easiest matchup of the season against the Raiders, and T.J. Hockenson will find it easy going again in Week 5.
Tight End Sits
Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders
Reedy, what are you smoking, having Bowers listed here? Well, you need to hear me out. Bowers will probably have a decent day, and you are starting him. But the Patriots give up the fewest fantasy points to tight ends. They shut Dalton Kincaid down completely in Week 4. No tight end has more than 32 yards, and none have scored yet against the Patriots. It will be tough going; temper your expectations.
Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers
Kraft is involved in the Packers’ pass game. The Packers play the Bears in Week 5. The Bears’ defense defends tight ends exceptionally well. They give up the second-fewest fantasy points to tight ends. I know Kraft will see targets, but I don’t expect an easy day in Week 5.
Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills
Kincaid was horrible in Week 4, seeing only 2 targets. In Week 5, things do not get much easier. The Rams are the opponent, and the Rams, you see, give up the third-fewest fantasy points to tight ends. Yuck.
Other tight end matchup concerns
Brenton Strange will find it difficult to follow up his good game against the Eagles’ defense. Juwan Johnson has been heavily involved all season but has his toughest matchup so far against the Vikings in Week 5.
Volume identifies the opportunity. The matchup determines whether to attack it.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 5 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!
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