Welcome back to Cap’s Fantasy Corner, your go-to article series for all of your fantasy football needs! In this week’s edition, I’m breaking down my favorite starts and sits at each position, giving you a one-stop-shop for your start/sit questions for Week 5 of the NFL Fantasy Football season. You won’t find obvious starts in this article. If you have Patrick Mahomes, of course, you’re starting him. The point of this article is to preview the best matchup-based starts for your teams. If you want the best fantasy football tools, personalized fantasy coaching, and a team of experts at your disposal this season, then be sure to sign-up for our premium fantasy football season pass.
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Quarterback Starts of the Week
Daniel Jones vs. Dallas Cowboys
If Daniel Jones isn’t rostered in your league yet, he should be. Jones is the QB6 for fantasy in 4-point per passing touchdown formats. He’s averaging 27 points per outing and now faces a Dallas defense that’s allowing the 3rd most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. With what should be a high-scoring game, I’d expect Jones to put up another fantasy QB1 performance this week.
Sam Darnold vs. Philadelphia Eagles
This matchup isn’t quite as good as Jones’ on paper, since the Eagles have a middle-of-the-pack defense in terms of fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks, but I still think Darnold is a viable stream and start this week. Darnold is the QB5 in 4-point per passing touchdown leagues and is averaging 27.6 fantasy points per game, but most of his fantasy value has been propped up by an absurd 5 rushing touchdowns in 4 games, with 4 of those touchdowns coming in the past 2 weeks. I don’t expect Darnold to keep up the rushing pace, but he should still be a QB1 this week.
Quarterback Sits of the Week
Matt Ryan vs. New York Jets
At first glance, this looks like an ideal matchup for Matt Ryan and the Falcons. However, when you dig a little deeper, you quickly see it’s not quite as juicy. The Jets are allowing the 5th fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks and Ryan has been less than stellar thus far this season (to put it kindly). I’m fading Ryan in this matchup and I hope you’ll do the same by leaving him on the bench.
Derek Carr vs. Chicago Bears
Carr finally came back down to earth last week against the LA Chargers with a 17.4 point performance. Chicago allows the 10th fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks and I believe this game will be fairly low scoring, with an emphasis on controlling the clock via rushing the football with a healthy Josh Jacobs. If you have to start Carr, I understand. However, I’m not expecting a high volume passing performance out of him this week.
Running Back Starts of the Week
Damien Williams vs. Las Vegas Raiders
On the flip side of this Bears vs. Raiders matchup, I’m all over Damien Williams this week. With starter David Montgomery sidelined 4-5 weeks with a knee injury, Williams should be the primary recipient of his vacated workload. In limited action last week, Williams had 15 points (full-PPR). With a full game against the Raiders, who allow the 6th most fantasy points to running backs, it’s wheels up on Williams.
Darrell Henderson vs. Seattle Seahawks
Despite dealing with a rib injury, Henderson produced 16.60 fantasy points (full-PPR) against the much-improved Arizona Cardinals defense last week. Henderson now faces the Seattle Seahawks, who are allowing the 2nd most fantasy points to running backs. In a game where the Rams could get ahead early, I’d expect Henderson to benefit from a positive game script where he should see workhorse usage in this backfield. Start Henderson with confidence as an upside RB2.
Running Back Sits of the Week
Javonte Williams vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Not only does Williams draw a terrible matchup with the Steelers defense, who allow the 5th fewest fantasy points, but Williams isn’t getting the workload needed to warrant starting him; unless you’re in a very deep league. With only 10 touches last week against the Ravens, Williams needs to be hyper-efficient with his limited touches to be fantasy relevant. Barring a touchdown, he’s likely not a usable fantasy asset in this game, as his efficiency will likely suffer due to the bad matchup.
Miles Sanders vs. Carolina Panthers
I can’t in good faith advise anyone to start Miles Sanders until further notice, especially against a stingy Panthers defense that allows the 3rd fewest fantasy points to running backs. Not to mention, Sanders is the RB33 in full-PPR, while fellow backfield mate Kenneth Gainwell is the RB24. I’m not trusting Sanders in my lineups until I see him prove it. With a matchup against a good Panthers team, I’d expect Sanders to get game scripted out in favor of Gainwell, yet again.
Wide Receiver Starts of the Week
Corey Davis vs. Atlanta Falcons
Coming off a stellar 21.1 point performance last week (full-PPR), Davis has another plus matchup this week against the lowly Falcons passing defense. The Falcons allow the 7th most fantasy points to wide receivers and Davis has emerged as rookie quarterback Zach Wilson’s favorite target. I’d be comfortable plugging Davis into my flex this week as a high-upside WR2 in terms of expected production.
Marvin Jones vs. Tennessee Titans
After a stinker in the stat sheet from Marvin Jones last week (5.40 full-PPR) points, I’m fully expecting a bounceback performance against the Titans defense, which allows the 2nd most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. With D.J. Chark out for the year with an ankle fracture, I’d expect Jones’ target share to tick slightly higher, which should lead to more overall consistency going forward.
Wide Receiver Sits of the Week
Juju Smith-Schuster vs. Denver Broncos
This sit is less about the matchup against the Broncos and more about how awful Big Ben and the Steelers’ offense has looked this season. Last week, Juju was only able to haul in 2 of 8 targets for 11 receiving yards in a negative game script against the Green Bay Packers. The Broncos’ passing defense has been better than the Packers, and with Chase Claypool coming back from injury this week, I can’t trust Juju in any of my lineups.
Rondale Moore vs. San Francisco 49ers
I hope the Rondale Moore hype has died down enough that you can see the player clearly for what he is as a rookie: a boom or bust option that’s much lower in the target share pecking order on this offense than you thought. Moore’s talent is there, but he simply hasn’t been given the same amount of opportunities these past 2 weeks in the offense. A.J. Green has been consistently out-targeting and outproducing Moore, so he’s on my bench this week and until further notice (unless you’re desperate for a boom/bust).
Tight End Starts of the Week
Dawson Knox vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Knox is quickly approaching “must-start” territory at the tight end position. In full-PPR scoring, Knox currently sits as the TE6 overall through 4 weeks. He’s running a lot of routes and getting targets on a great deal of those routes, which is more than can be said for most starting NFL Tight Ends. Knox is averaging 5 targets, 3.75 catches, and 1 TD per game. Obviously, a great deal of his fantasy output is coming from the touchdown department.
However, there’s not much reason to believe this production will stop anytime soon. Knox is quickly shaping up to be this year’s Robert Tonyan (high TD volume on lower target share). There’s no way I can sit Knox against a Chiefs defense that’s allowed the 3rd most fantasy points to tight ends this season. Fire up Knox as a TE1 in your lineups.
Mike Gesicki vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I’m not the biggest Mike Gesicki truther on the planet, to say the least, but I can’t deny how juicy this matchup is for Gesicki and his newfound connection with the incumbent starting quarterback, Jacoby Brissett. Since Brissett has taken over as starter in Week 3, Gesicki has averaged 9 targets, 7.5 receptions, 73 yards, 0.5 TDs and 17.65 PPR points per game. He’s firmly been a TE1 with Brissett. I think that trend continues this week against a depleted Buccaneers secondary that’s allowing the 3rd most fantasy points to the tight end position.
Tight End Sits of the Week
Kyle Pitts vs. New York Jets
Are you catching onto a trend yet? The trend being: I’m not confident in the Falcons offense in this week’s matchup against the New York Jets. Pitts is currently sitting as the TE20 in full-PPR, which is an absolute bust compared to what his ADP was in preseason drafts. If you drafted Pitts, you feel obligated to start him since you paid a pretty penny for the privilege of rostering him. I’m here to tell you it’s okay to bench him in favor of a streaming option.
The peripherals have been there for Pitts, as he’s averaging 6.5 targets per game, but it just hasn’t come together yet. I don’t believe the matchup vs. the Jets is a “get right” week for Pitts since the Jets allow the 8th fewest fantasy points to tight ends. Couple that with the insistence of Arthur Smith to utilize Cordarrelle Patterson as his do-it-all chess piece in the offense and I can’t in good faith start Pitts with any degree of certainty this week.
Dallas Goedert vs. Carolina Panthers
Goedert has performed as a Top-10 TE thus far, but his peripherals are concerning. He’s only averaging 4 targets per game. His saving grace has been receiving TDs. Goedert has busted in 2/4 weeks this season, and those bust weeks have come when he didn’t have a touchdown. Most fantasy tight ends are touchdown-dependent, so this isn’t anything earth-shattering. However, in a tough matchup against a great Carolina Panthers defense (that just got better via trading for cornerback Stephon Gilmore), I am fading Goedert this week.
Defensive Starts of the Week
Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants
I actually expect this one to be a higher-scoring affair, since the Giants offense has found ways to at least stay competitive in recent weeks, but I’m chasing potential turnovers here. The Cowboys are much-improved and currently sit as the DST5 for fantasy. They’re currently averaging 2 INTs per game, 0.25 forced fumbles, and 2.25 sacks per game. I’d expect Jones and the Giants to at least turn the football over a few times and take some unnecessary sacks, leaving a high floor for the Dallas Defense this week in fantasy.
New England Patriots vs. Houston Texans
If you watched the abysmal excuse of an offense that was the Houston Texans last week, then you should be all over the Patriots’ defense this week. The Patriots defense is the DST10 thus far and averaging 2.5 sacks per game and 1.25 INTs. I’d expect Belichick to take full advantage of this matchup against rookie QB, Davis Mills, and force multiple turnovers at the least. The game’s overall point total should also remain relatively low.
Defensive Sits of the Week
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Green Bay Packers
The Bengals’ defense has outperformed consensus expectations, as they sit as the DST13, but I’m leaving them on my bench this week in a matchup against the Green Bay Packers. In what looked to be a plus matchup against the Jaguars last week, the Bengals D only got you one point. The Packers are an obviously better offense than the Jaguars, so I can’t confidently stream the Bengals this week.
Cleveland Browns vs. Los Angeles Chargers
The Browns have been a consistently strong defense this year (DST7). However, outside of a Week 1 matchup against the Chiefs, the Browns have not faced any elite teams (Texans, Bears, Vikings). The Chargers are a better offense than any the Browns have faced since Week 1, so I’d be sitting the Browns in what projects to be a higher-scoring game.
Outside of a 9 sack outing Week 3 against the Bears, the Browns are only averaging 1.6 sacks per game and 0.6 INTs per game. To offset a high implied point total, you need turnovers or sacks. I don’t think the Browns will have enough of either to crack the Top-10 in scoring this week.
I hope you enjoyed these start/sits and that you win all your fantasy matchups this week! To find more of my fantasy advice, follow me on Twitter @ClinicCapp. You can also listen to my weekly podcast, where I go more in-depth about players and matchups each week.
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