Welcome to my Week 5 Start/Sit Advice Article. This week we have Bye Weeks (Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers). Also Cooper Kupp and Jonathan Taylor are coming back this week. Listen to practice reports before forcing them into your lineup. Hopefully you followed my advice last week and it was helpful to you. Let’s get going on Week 5.
Quarterback
Start:
Kirk Cousins (MIN vs KC) Cousins is playing at home, and we start him at home and playing against the Chiefs. The Chiefs team that has been stubborn against the QB (only allowing 11.7 fantasy points per game) but Cousins has been slinging it 45-50 times a game and you can expect that in a high scoring game with KC, he will at least get garbage time points. Cousins has averaged 355 yards and 2.5 TDs per game at home this season. You can start Cousins this week.
Jordan Love (GB @ LV) Love has been a serviceable QB all season (QB3, QB15, QB7, QB 14) and this week he gets the Raiders secondary that has allowed the 3rd most fantasy points per drop back and 19 points per game. You can start Love this week over QBs like Burrow and Stroud.
Sleepers: Jared Goff (DET vs CAR), Anthony Richardson (IND vs TEN, Joshua Dobbs (ARI vs CIN)
Sits:
Joe Burrow (CIN @ ARI): I’m sorry I told you to start him last week. That had the makings of a “get right” game and the Titans defense watched film of Burrow not being able to move in the pocket and they brought the house and because he couldn’t move, they get him on his backside. You know Arizona has watched the same tape and they will also beg Burrow to beat them. I’m not starting Burrow until I see a change.
Trevor Lawrence (JAX @ BUF in London) Lawrence has struggled this season and started out slow. He is only averaging 235 yards and 1 TD per game this season. Now he faces a Buffalo team that is only allowing 6.8 fantasy points per game. I would find another option this week.
Bust Alert: Matthew Stafford (LAR vs PHI), Russell Wilson (DEN vs NYJ), Dak Prescott (DAL vs SF)
Running Back
Start:
Breece Hall (NYJ @ DEN) The coaching staff is telling us that Hall won’t be limited anymore and now he is facing a Denver Defense that has allowed 50 fantasy points per game to the RB position and last week allowed 150 yards rushing to the Bears. This Jets team needs to lean on its run game and defense to win games, and they should be able to do that in Denver.
David Montgomery (DET vs CAR) Montgomery is a major player in this offense, especially if they get a lead, which I think they will have no issues with the Panther this week. Last week against the Packers, they got a lead and then held on to it by running Montgomery 32 times for 121 yards and 3 TDs, I would expect similar volume against a Panthers team that allows 33.5 fantasy points per game to the RB position.
Sleepers: Gus Edwards (BAL @ PIT), Miles Sanders (CAR vs DET), Raheem Mostert (MIA vs NYG)
Sits:
Rhamondre Stevenson (NE vs NO) Ouch, this guy has only had 164 total rushing yards this season and only scored one TD. Well, it doesn’t get much better versus the Saints who are historically tough against the run. This season they are only allowing 15.6 fantasy points per game to the position. This is a week that you can sit Stevenson if you haven’t already.
Dameon Pierce (HOU @ ATL) Pierce got going last week and he had 108 total yards against Pittsburgh but this week he gets the tough Atlanta defense that allows 13.5 point per game to the position. For all the issues Atlanta has with the offense, their defense is legit. I would expect a down week for Pierce this week.
Bust Alert: Kyren Williams (LAR vs PHL), Alex Mattison (MIN vs KC), Jonathan Taylor (IND vs TEN)
Wide Receivers
Start:
Garrett Wilson (NYJ @ DEN) Looks like we are going to pick on this Denver Defense until they turn it around. They are allowing 43.3 fantasy points per game to the WR position and 30.6 fantasy points per game to outside WRs. Zach Wilson is funneling the ball to Garrett Wilson 44% of the time, that doesn’t change in this game.
Romeo Doubs (GB @ LV) Doubs is the favorite target of the GB QB Jordan Love and he should probably be started every week. This week he gets a Raiders defense allowing 35 points per game to the WR position. Doubs should at least give you WR3/Flex play points.
Sleepers: Rashee Rice (KC @ MIN), Tyler Boyd (CIN @ ARI), Wan’Dale Robinson (NYG @ MIA)
Sit:
Courtland Sutton (DEN vs NYJ) Sutton gets a Jets Defense that shuts down the outside WR and that is where Sutton plays. Jets are allowing 0.27 fantasy points per route run to outside WRs (7th-fewest). You can throw on the Jets in the slot though, which is where Jerry Juedy plays. I would leave Sutton on the bench if you can.
Drake London (ATL vs HOU) London has seen just 13 catchable targets, which is 63rd among WRs. As long as Desmond Ridder is laying on his back, he won’t be able to get the ball to London. I understand you can throw on Houston, but I would leave London on the bench.
Bust Alert: Jameson Williams (DET vs CAR), Cooper Kupp (LAR vs PHL), George Pickens (PIT vs BAL)
Tight End
Starts:
Sam LaPorta (DET vs CAR) LaPorta already has 22 receptions, 3rd-most among TEs behind Evan Engram (25) and TJ Hockenson (25). LaPorta has established himself as a favorite target of Jared Goff and that will continue this week even against a Panthers offense that held TJ Hockenson to 2 catches.
Sleeper: Jake Ferguson (DAL @ SF), Hunter Henry (NE vs NO)
Sit:
Kyle Pitts (ATL vs HOU) For the same reason I am sitting London, I am sitting Pitts. It doesn’t matter that Houston allows 13 points per game to the TE position. That will probably go to Jonnu Smith. Pitts just isn’t used in this offense and hasn’t been since he was drafted in 2021. Bust Alert: Tyler Higbee (LAR vs PHL), Zack Ertz (ARI vs CIN)
Thank you for reading my article. I hope that I have helped with your Fantasy Football lineups for Week 5 of 2023. Here is where you can find all of my work: www.fantasyholics.com; www.facebook.com/thefantasyholics; www.youtube.com/channel/UC_8FTjJO0k5BFL-4hNv6-xw.
