Fantasy Football Week 5: Wayne Gallman, Aaron Jones, Alex Collins highlight sleepers with big-game potential to fill out your lineup
More Week 5: Start 'Em and Sit 'Em – Cheat Sheet – Trade Values – Things To Know– Rankings – Streaming Options – Waiver Wire
It's been an eventful week leading up to the start of games for Week 5, and we're going to have to follow several injuries prior to Sunday. The injury report could determine the outcome for a lot of Fantasy owners, especially at running back.
And it could lead to plenty of sleeper options in the majority of leagues.
Paul Perkins (ribs) is already out, which is good news for Wayne Gallman against the Los Angeles Chargers . And Ty Montgomery (ribs) is doubtful, which will help Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams at Dallas.
Wendell Smallwood (knee) looks like he'll be out against Arizona Wildcats , which creates the opportunity for another sleeper in Corey Clement . And guys like Alex Collins (at OAK), Andre Ellington (at PHI) and Elijah McGuire (at CLE) are looking to build off their recent strong performances with another good outing in Week 5.
At quarterback this week, you might have to trust guys like Jay Cutler and Jacoby Brissett . And at tight end, Hunter Henry and Antonio Gates are both in play against the New York Giants .
We also have plenty of sleepers at receiver, including Jaron Brown , Cooper Kupp , Jermaine Kearse , Marvin Jones and JuJu Smith-Schuster .
You can also see my FanDuel lineup below, and I hope Week 5 brings all of you plenty of Fantasy success. Good luck!
Editor's Note: Projections are provided by CBS Sports and not Jamey Eisenberg.
Quarterback sleepers 14.9 Projected points Carson Palmer Arizona Cardinals QB I don't love Palmer on the East Coast for a 1 p.m. start, but he should be good for at least 18 Fantasy points. He's done that in consecutive games, and he's passed for at least 300 yards in three in a row. The Philadelphia Eagles also have struggled in the past three games against Alex Smith , Eli Manning and Philip Rivers and are allowing 20.5 Fantasy points on average to opposing quarterbacks this year. It will also help Palmer if Fletcher Cox (calf) and Ronald Darby (ankle) remain out for the Eagles defense. 15.8 Projected points Jay Cutler Miami Dolphins QB I know, this doesn't make a lot of sense given his recent struggles, but I'm expecting Cutler to benefit this week from being home and facing a terrible defense for the Tennessee Titans . After three games on the road, Cutler gets his first official game in Miami, and Tennessee should help him rebound from two awful starts against the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints . The Titans are allowing an average of 29 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, and I consider Cutler a low-end starting option this week. 20.1 Projected points Jacoby Brissett Indianapolis Colts QB The last time Brissett was at home in a favorable matchup was against the Cleveland Browns in Week 3, and he scored 29 Fantasy points. We hope he follows suit this week against the 49ers. Now, San Francisco has only allowed one quarterback to score 20 Fantasy points this year, which was Jared Goff in Week 4, but the 49ers are averaging 19.5 points on average to quarterbacks. Brissett is a good streaming option in Week 5, and this should be a great week for T.Y. Hilton as well.
Running back sleepers 5.1 Projected points Alex Collins Baltimore Ravens RB If Collins didn't have a fumble issue, we'd be talking about him as a must-start option for this week. But he's fumbled twice in the past three games, and coach John Harbaugh is concerned. Still, Harbaugh shouldn't be concerned enough to keep Collins off the field. He's averaging 8.2 yards per carry on just 25 carries in the past three games, and he deserves more work, especially ahead of Terrance West and Javorius Allen . This is a game where the Baltimore Ravens can control time of possession, which should lend to Baltimore running the ball more. The Oakland Raiders have allowed a running back to gain at least 90 total yards in three games in a row. 6.1 Projected points Andre Ellington Arizona Cardinals RB The Arizona Cardinals can't run the ball, and Chris Johnson is just getting in the way of Ellington, who looks like a must-start running back in PPR leagues with his performance over the past two games. He has 14 catches for 145 yards on 22 targets against Dallas and San Francisco, and Ellington should get more work moving forward until David Johnson (wrist) returns. He also has 10 carries over the past two games, and we'd love to see what Ellington could do with 20 touches this week against the Eagles, who have allowed a running back to score at least 11 Fantasy points in a standard league in three of four games. 5.2 Projected points Wayne Gallman New York Giants RB Paul Perkins (ribs) is out in Week 5 against the Chargers, and even though Orleans Darkwa (back) is expected to play, coach Ben McAdoo has to stick with Gallman as the starter this week, right? Gallman had a strong showing in Week 4 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when he had 11 carries for 42 yards and two catches for 8 yards and a touchdown on two targets. The Giants should lean on Gallman in a positive matchup against the Chargers. Four running backs have scored at least 12 Fantasy points against the Chargers in the past three games. I consider Gallman a low-end No. 2 running back in all leagues. 6.1 Projected points Duke Johnson Cleveland Browns RB Johnson was mentioned as a starter this week in the blurb for Isaiah Crowell in Start 'Em and Sit 'Em, but we'll expand on him here. Johnson has become a must-start option in PPR. He's actually scored a rushing touchdown in each of the past two games, but that's not why I like him. He has been impressive catching the ball in the past two games since Corey Coleman (hand) got hurt, as Johnson has 15 receptions for 128 yards on 17 targets over that span. I'm expecting Crowell to play well this week in a rebound game against the Jets at home, but you can't overlook what Johnson has done as a receiver. He has the chance for another quality outing in Week 5. 6.8 Projected points Aaron Jones Green Bay Packers RB It appears like Jamaal Williams (knee) will play this week against the Dallas Cowboys , but Ty Montgomery (ribs) is expected to sit.. This is the key here, because I would be OK with Jones as a No. 2 running back if he's sharing touches with just Williams. With Montgomery and Williams hurt in Week 4 against Chicago, Jones saw his first action of the season with 13 carries for 49 yards and a touchdown. The Cowboys have allowed three running backs to gain at least 80 total yards this season and two to score at least 20 Fantasy points, so Jones could be a potential starter or flex this week, especially with Dallas linebacker Sean Lee (hamstring) out. Williams is also a flex option with Montgomery expected to be out. 6.8 Projected points Corey Clement Philadelphia Eagles RB Wendell Smallwood (knee) is not expected to play this week against the Cardinals, which means Clement will share touches with LeGarrette Blount . While Blount is a solid start now, don't be surprised if Clement gets a heavy workload. In the past two games, Smallwood has played more snaps than Blount (43 to 22 in Week 3 against the Giants and 35 to 26 in Week 4 against the Chargers), and Clement should play on passing downs against the Cardinals. In the past two games, Clement had six carries for 22 yards and a touchdown and 10 carries for 30 yards. Clement is just a flex option in the majority of leagues. 6.8 Projected points Elijah McGuire New York Jets RB Matt Forte (toe) is out again, which means the Jets will go with a backfield combination of Bilal Powell and McGuire. Powell is a must-start running back in all leagues, but McGuire is a potential flex too. He was a beast in Week 4 against Jacksonville with 10 carries for 93 yards and a touchdown and two catches for 38 yards, and we hope he can build off that performance this week. The Browns run defense has been good this season, but four running backs have already scored double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league, which should help McGuire if you need a starting option in deeper leagues.
Wide receiver sleepers 8.5 Projected points Jarvis Landry Miami Dolphins WR I had Landry listed as a starter in the blurb about DeVante Parker in Start 'Em and Sit 'Em, but we'll expand on him here. He's still looking for his first touchdown this year, but he's been solid in PPR leagues with 25 catches through two games. He only has a combined 15 Fantasy points in standard leagues, but he's scored 40 points in PPR. This week, Landry faces a Titans defense that has allowed a pair of receivers to score in three of four games, which is why Parker and Landry are both worth using in all leagues. 6.9 Projected points Adam Thielen Minnesota Vikings WR Thielen's done a nice job for owners in PPR leagues with five catches in every game this season, but he's still looking for his first touchdown. That could happen this week since the Chicago Bears have allowed six touchdowns to receivers, with four scoring double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league. Stefon Diggs is a must-start Fantasy option, but Thielen is right there with him, especially in PPR. And both Minnesota Vikings receivers would benefit greatly if Sam Bradford (knee) is able to return Monday night. 5.2 Projected points Jaron Brown Arizona Cardinals WR Brown has done a nice job each of the past three games with at least seven Fantasy points in a standard league in each outing. He has 29 targets over that span, and Palmer is leaning on him as the No. 2 receiver behind Larry Fitzgerald . Brown is facing an Eagles defense this week that has allowed four receivers to score at least 13 Fantasy points in a standard league. Since the Cardinals can't run the ball, Palmer is going to throw until his arm falls off, which is a good thing for Fitzgerald, Ellington and Brown, who is a borderline No. 2 Fantasy receiver this week. 6.0 Projected points Cooper Kupp Los Angeles Rams WR Kupp has three games this season with at least six targets, and he's scored at least 12 Fantasy points in two of them, including Week 4 at Dallas with five catches for 60 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. Seattle has been vulnerable to slot receivers this year, and cornerback Jeremy Lane (groin) is banged up. It could be another solid outing for Kupp in Week 5, especially in PPR leagues. He's worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver or flex in this matchup. 7.3 Projected points Jermaine Kearse New York Jets WR Kearse has cooled off recently following a hot start, but he remains the No. 1 receiver for the Jets. And the No. 1 receiver opposite Cleveland has done well this year, with Antonio Brown , Jeremy Maclin , T.Y. Hilton and A.J. Green all scoring at least nine Fantasy points in a standard league. Kearse is a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in Week 5, and Robby Anderson is also worth a look as a boom-or-bust No. 3 option. 5.4 Projected points JuJu Smith-Schuster Pittsburgh Steelers WR The Pittsburgh Steelers might decide to feature Smith-Schuster more moving forward, and he's already moved into their primary slot role ahead of Eli Rogers , who was a healthy scratch in Week 4 at Baltimore. Smith-Schuster has 10 targets in his past two games against the Bears and Ravens with five catches for 86 yards and a touchdown, and he should have a good matchup in Week 5 against Jacksonville since he should avoid the Jacksonville Jaguars standout cornerbacks on the outside in Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye. He's only worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week in deeper leagues, but there is plenty of upside here as a flier in all formats. 5.3 Projected points Marvin Jones Detroit Lions WR Golden Tate is a must-start Fantasy receiver this week, but Jones is a good No. 3 option as well. He's been quiet the past two games after scoring a touchdown in each of the first two games of the season, but this could be a good week to consider starting him. The Carolina Panthers have allowed five touchdowns to opposing receivers in the past two games, and safety Kurt Coleman (knee) is out this week. That should help Matthew Stafford , and Jones is a sleeper with upside.
Tight end sleepers 5.1 Projected points Evan Engram New York Giants TE Engram has been good so far this season, and he's on the verge of being great based on his target volume. He has 25 targets in his past three games, and he's come down with 15 catches for 156 yards and a touchdown over that span. He faces a Chargers defense this week that hasn't allowed a touchdown to a tight end this season, but Engram still has top-10 potential, especially in PPR. Let's hope the targets continue for Engram, and then Fantasy owners are going to be happy. 5.9 Projected points Benjamin Watson Baltimore Ravens TE Watson is dealing with a calf injury, but he's expected to play. And he's still worth using as a low-end starter in a good matchup against the Raiders. Watson didn't have a great game in Week 4 against Pittsburgh with five catches for 43 yards on six targets, but he's still been heavily involved in the offense with 17 targets in the past three games. That shouldn't change this week, and he's facing a Raiders defense that has allowed a tight end to score at least seven Fantasy points in a standard league in three of four games this year. Look for Joe Flacco to lean on Watson since he should have an advantage against this Oakland defense. 4.7 Projected points Hunter Henry Los Angeles Chargers TE Henry and Antonio Gates are both sleeper options this week given the matchup with the Giants, who have allowed five touchdowns to tight ends this year and at least one in each game. Go back to Week 4 when the Giants allowed two tight ends to score for the Buccaneers with Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard, and we hope the Chargers will follow suit. Henry finally scored his first touchdown of the season last week against the Eagles, and he's had two games this year with at least seven Fantasy points. Gates hasn't topped 30 yards in a game this season and has just one touchdown, but this is the game to look at both Chargers tight ends. The matchup is great, and this is where Philip Rivers can have some success against the Giants defense.
Week 5 DFS advice
Here's one of my FanDuel lineups for Week 5
QB: Dak Prescott ($7,700) vs. GB
($7,700) vs. GB RB: Le'Veon Bell ($9,500) vs. JAC
($9,500) vs. JAC RB: Bilal Powell ($6,600) at CLE
WR: Jordy Nelson ($8,600) at DAL
($8,600) at DAL WR: Dez Bryant ($7,800) vs. GB
($7,800) vs. GB WR: DeVante Parker ($6,100) vs. TEN
TE: Antonio Gates ($4,600) at NYG
K: Harrison Butker ($4,500) at HOU
($4,500) at HOU D: Eagles ($4,600) vs. ARI
I like the Cowboys stack this week with Prescott and Bryant, as both went off in the playoff game against the Green Bay Packers last year. Prescott had 302 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception, and Bryant had nine catches for 132 yards and two touchdowns on 12 targets. Let's hope that happens again.
Bell could have a dominant game against the Jaguars, who are on the road for the third game in a row and have been terrible against the run. And Powell has been exceptional every time Forte has been out, which should be the case again in Week 5 against the Browns.
Nelson didn't play in the playoff game against the Cowboys last year, but he should be great in this matchup, especially if Davante Adams (concussion) is out as expected. Dallas has allowed five touchdowns to receivers already this year.
Parker gets to face a Titans defense that has allowed the most touchdowns to opposing receivers this year with eight. And Gates faces a Giants defense that has allowed the most touchdowns to opposing tight ends this year with five. I'll buy those stats at their respective prices.
There's a lot of upside with this lineup, including Butker and the Eagles defense. If you follow this team, I hope you cash in.