Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Week 5
With the bye weeks finally here, choosing who you should start and sit becomes easier and a bit more difficult at the same time. If you have set-it-and-forget-it type players on bye then you’re likely choosing between two backups with similar value. But knowing which one to put into your lineup can lead to frustration, especially if you make the wrong choice. On the other hand, if Week 5 is a big bye week for you then the choice may be made for you. Either way, certain players become more valuable, especially with injuries also taking a toll. Below are some names to consider when setting your lineups this week. Here are my starts and sits for Week 5.
WEEK 5 STARTS
Start Stat, Via Sleeper
JORDAN LOVE (QB)
GREEN BAY PACKERS @ LAR (32% START)
I understand the hesitancy to thrust Jordan Love into your starting lineup in his first week back, and after one half of football, those who chose to sit him looked pretty smart. But in the second half, something clicked in Love and he finished the game 32-54 for 389 yards, four touchdowns, and an overall QB2 finish. Now with a string of fantasy-friendly matchups ahead of him, Love will be ranked as a QB1 over the majority of the next month. First up are the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams have allowed the fourth most fantasy points to the position. I expect Love to be more comfortable and efficient in his second game removed from injury. He could be without Christian Watson in this one, but with the emergence of pass-catchers Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and Tucker Kraft I’m not sure it will matter. Love is a top-eight option with top-five upside this week.
D’ANDRE SWIFT (RB)
CHICAGO BEARS VS. CAR (42% START)
What a difference a week makes! Swift is the perfect example of why you don’t panic or rage-drop a player you drafted to be a starter. After three weeks of disappointing performances that caused many Swift owners to relegate him to the waiver wire, Swift broke out in a big way against the Los Angeles Rams. Swift had 23 touches for 165 yards and one touchdown. Swift averaged 5.8 yards per carry (easily his best mark of the season) and was heavily utilized throughout the game. It was the first time this season that the play-calling felt like it played to Swift’s strengths. Hopefully, this game is a sign of things to come. There may not be a better matchup for an encore performance than the Carolina Panthers. Through the first four weeks, the Panthers have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing running backs. Swift is a low-end RB2 with upside this week.
MICHAEL PITTMAN (WR)
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS @ JAX (43% START)
This suggestion comes with the caveat that I’m fully expecting Joe Flacco to get the start in Week 5. If Anthony Richardson is good to go then I can’t confidently recommend Pittman. But Richardson is reportedly dealing with oblique and abdominal strains and while he’s considered day-to-day, I’d be surprised if he started against Jacksonville. This past Sunday, after Richardson was injured, Flacco performed admirably, completing 16 of 26 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns. This led to Michael Pittman and teammate Josh Downs garnering the most targets they’ve had all season. While both could be useful for fantasy, I’m going with the more talented player. Pittman should be able to take advantage of a Jacksonville defense allowing the fourth most points to wide receivers this season.
COLBY PARKINSON (TE)
LOS ANGELES RAMS VS. GB (17% START)
It’s hard to find a tight end to recommend. They have all been underwhelming this season. But Colby Parkinson could be a nice option this week. The Rams are without key offensive weapons in Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. For the last few weeks, the Rams have been looking for a consistent option in the passing game. While Parkinson has had moderate success, he has played at least 80% of the snaps in every game this season and has had five or more targets in three of four games. In Week 5, the Rams will face a Green Bay offense that should be able to put up points in a hurry, forcing Matthew Stafford to air it out to stay in the game. He may not put up elite numbers but he should be good for 7-10 targets and 50+ yards, and if he’s able to get into the end zone, a top 10 finish isn’t out of the question. You could do much worse.
WEEK 5 SITS
PATRICK MAHOMES (QB)
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS VS. NO (94% START)
Before you stop reading, hear me out. I know that most people with Patrick Mahomes did not draft a second quarterback, so sitting Mahomes may be impossible. But if you can get away from him this week, I would consider it, because there are several causes for concern. First, is his overall production from a fantasy perspective. Mahomes has only had one game this season over 20 fantasy points, and it happened to be the only game in which he attempted 30+ passes. Beyond that, the Chiefs have had trouble getting the run game going since losing Isiah Pacheco two weeks ago. To make matters worse, on Sunday, Rashee Rice suffered a major knee injury. Mahomes is arguably one of the most talented quarterbacks to ever play the game. But in Week 5, against a New Orleans defense allowing the fifth-fewest fantasy points to the position, there are too many things working against him to trust him.
DEVIN SINGLETARY (RB)
NEW YORK GIANTS @ SEA (65% START)
I was surprised that Devin Singletary was being started in so many leagues. While he’s been competent, he hasn’t been a must-start player by any means. Still, he is the clear lead back in this backfield. I’m just not sure how much value comes with that position. Singletary is getting just north of 16 touches per game and has averaged four yards or fewer per carry in three of four games. In Week 5, they will face a Seattle team coming off a disappointing loss to the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football. With a solid passing attack and a potent run game now that Kenneth Walker is healthy, Seattle could put up a lot of points in this one. This could force the Giants to abandon the run as they try to keep up. With minimal involvement in the passing game, this would hurt Singletary’s value. Even if they commit to the run, there’s no guarantee that Singletary can be successful against a Seahawks team in the top five of fewest points allowed to running backs. Even with bye weeks and injuries, there are better options this week.
STEFON DIGGS (WR)
HOUSTON TEXANS VS. BUF (96% START)
I know this is a revenge game. I know Stefon Diggs has been a consistent WR2 in fantasy, finishing inside the top 20 at the position in three of his four games. I know he’s received 21 targets over his last two games. So why am I recommending you look elsewhere for wide receiver help this week? Because I think it’s all a trap. The Buffalo Bills have allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers to start the season. No receiver has gone over 80 yards receiving against them and they have allowed just one touchdown to a wide receiver all season. Also, don’t forget that revenge games go both ways. As much as Diggs will look to prove something to his old team, they will try to shut him down. I don’t see Diggs giving the type of performance you will be happy about. I’d downgrade the entire Houston passing attack in this one. Due to injuries and bye weeks, if you don’t have a better option, that’s understandable, but be sure to lower expectations if Diggs is in your lineup.
