Week 5 Fantasy Football Preview: Everything You Need Before Setting Your Lineup | Fantasy Focus

On lineup locks for Vikings-Saints game, but Vikings defense has allowed fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs through four weeks; only Ollie Gordon reached 13 fantasy points against Minnesota this season.

Touched the ball a bunch in Week 4 against Miami Dolphins when Vikings ran the ball a ton; context for understanding Vikings' run-heavy approach under Kyler Murray.

Aaron Jones is part of Minnesota's offensive arsenal that Express Delivery believes has the pieces to move the football and score points against New Orleans in Week 5.

Express Delivery recommends Aaron Jones as a flex play for Week 5 against the Saints, who have allowed the most fantasy points to running backs. Jones has strong volume and an excellent matchup for both DFS and season-long formats. However, Express Delivery notes this is likely one of the last weeks to utilize Jones at this volume level, as Jordan Mason is expected to return after Week 5 (with a potential bye in Week 6), which will significantly reduce Jones's touches and value going forward.

Express Delivery ranks Aaron Rodgers one spot ahead of Sam Darnold for Week 5 streaming, citing a much better matchup against the Colts. Looking ahead, Rodgers has favorable matchups over the next two weeks (Tampa Bay and New Orleans after Indy), making him a better multi-week streaming option than Darnold. Rodgers is pushing the ball downfield aggressively and could provide enough upside to be a QB2 option, though he won't add significant rushing value. When Caleb Williams returns from IR, Rodgers should be dropped.

Did not practice yesterday due to back injury (not knee injury); knee injury briefly sidelined him Monday night; expected to play.

Express Delivery uses Blake Corum as an example in a flex spot strategy discussion, illustrating how playing a Thursday/early-game player in flex instead of their natural position could prevent you from pivoting to Corum (or another late-game option) if an injury occurs to your primary player.

Express Delivery identifies Lance as a deep-league sleeper with three specific reasons: (1) the Saints are determined to give him shots weekly despite 0.1% roster rate; (2) Tyler Shuck is one of the most aggressive QBs in the NFL and will take hits to deliver downfield; (3) the Vikings are the blitz-happiest team in the NFL, forcing man-to-man coverage where Lance's elite speed creates explosive play potential. Express Delivery is comfortable with Lance even if it's just one catch, as long as it goes for a touchdown, and specifically mentions a potential 62-yard touchdown scenario.

Bucky Irving had 16 carries for 61 yards last week but zero targets, which is concerning. While he has enough rushing volume and talent to warrant starting, the lack of passing game involvement is problematic. The Buccaneers' offense was inefficient with Jalen Daniels (19 of 27, 148 yards, 5.5 yards per attempt, 8 carries for Daniels), limiting Irving's upside.

CJ Stroud's 23.1 fantasy points against Dallas last week was only his fourth-best fantasy game over his last 39 games (since Week 1 2024), illustrating poor fantasy production; while he's top-8 in passing attempts, completions, and yards, game script has been a huge factor with the Texans trailing 71% of the time (fourth-highest in NFL); against Tennessee, no quarterback has hit 19 fantasy points, and Express Delivery does not view Stroud as a viable streamer going forward.

Cade Otton had 13 yards on four targets in Week 4, showing some involvement but limited production in the Buccaneers' inefficient passing game.

Carnell Tate has an easy strength of schedule for wide receivers the rest of the way, with upcoming matchups against Houston, Cleveland, Jacksonville (twice), Dallas, Washington, and Detroit—all teams that have been generous to wide receivers so far.

Carnell Tate is a lineup lock and is now a full-on wide receiver two, not just a flex play, based on his escalating target share (28%, 25%, 42% over the last three weeks) and the Texans' matchup against Tennessee, where four straight opposing WR1s have scored 18+ fantasy points (Keenan Allen 18.3, DJ Moore 21, Jamar Chase 26.5, CeeDee Lamb 41.3); only concern is lack of end zone targets (one all season).

Listed as rest on injury report with speculation about possible underlying injury; expected to play Sunday against Vikings despite uncertainty.

Chris Rodriguez is not recommended as a start; Express Delivery believes he would need to replicate last week's performance of a 20+ yard touchdown run to be viable, indicating limited upside without scoring.

Christian McCaffrey faces a difficult remaining strength of schedule for running backs. The 49ers have a mid-pack schedule so far but it gets tough ahead with matchups against the Commanders (good against RBs), Atlanta, Minnesota, Seattle, the Rams, and the Chiefs. However, McCaffrey's extensive involvement in the passing game mitigates some of this concern.

Dak Prescott gets his all-pro guard Tyler Smith back tonight against Tampa Bay, a team that has just six sacks and cannot pressure the quarterback. This should give Prescott plenty of time to throw and support his passing game.

In a rest-of-season comparison, Debo Samuel is ranked behind Denzel Boston; Express Delivery leans toward Boston due to the Browns offense trending upwards and Boston's growing role potential, while Debo has had only three games over 15 fantasy points and could eventually lose touches when John Stribbling returns.

Express Delivery uses Debo Samuel as an example of a decent receiver you should not drop in order to stream a backup quarterback. In a 10-team league, dropping Debo to pick up Aaron Rodgers as a streaming option over Sam Darnold is not worthwhile, as you'd be sacrificing too much bench depth.

Denzel Boston is preferred over Debo Samuel for rest of season; Express Delivery sees growing role potential and the Browns offense trending upwards; Boston is ascending and looks like the real deal, with a high-end outcome comparison to Drake London through four games, though there's uncertainty about whether he'll settle in as a T. Higgins-type player (boom-bust with touchdown dependency) or something more consistent.

Devonta Smith is expected to miss the Eagles-Jaguars game in London; he did not participate in practice but was present, suggesting his absence will open up target opportunities for other Eagles receivers.

George Pickens is projected to score tonight against Tampa Bay. He has just one end zone target through four weeks despite his elite talent, making a touchdown likely given the matchup. The Buccaneers have allowed the fifth-highest completion percentage and have just six sacks, giving Dak Prescott (who gets Tyler Smith back) plenty of time to throw. Pickens is ranked as WR16, three spots higher than consensus.

Express Delivery mentions Pickens as a potential parlay partner with Bryce Lance in a deep-league touchdown-scorer contest, suggesting Pickens might be a better bet than Lance for scoring upside.

If Malik Nabers is unavailable against Washington, Isaiah Likely would likely become the focal point of the Giants' passing game in what the source describes as a great matchup for the tight end.

Isaiah Likely is mentioned as part of the Giants' offensive weapons in the Week 5 matchup against the Commanders.

Jamar Chase is going through the concussion protocol and may be cleared for this weekend, but remains uncertain. He is currently in projections pending Friday's injury report designation.

Express Delivery's pivot option at QB this week; added off waivers as a replacement for Tyler Shuck in Week 5.

Jalen Hurts has scored under 16.5 fantasy points in three straight games and under 13.5 fantasy points in back-to-back games, placing him outside the top 12 at the quarterback position heading into Week 5 against Jacksonville.

Jalen Daniels' Week 4 performance was inefficient: 19 of 27 passing (fine completion percentage), only 148 yards, one touchdown to Kenny Gainwell, and two interceptions. His average depth of target was just 4.2 yards, indicating a very short-range passing game. He also ran 8 carries for 55 yards, which is a lot of plays for a low-volume, inefficient offense.

Jalen Daniels is a good story as an undrafted player who won the number two job and is starting this early in the season, though the hosts note it's a positive narrative without making specific fantasy projections.

Jawan Jennings has been quiet this season so far, limiting his fantasy relevance despite being available as a passing-game option for Minnesota.

Jaden Daniels was upgraded from DNP to practicing on Wednesday, a positive sign for his availability against the Giants. The Commanders have not added a veteran quarterback and Marcus Mariota will not play, making Daniels' return to practice significant for Week 5 projections.

Jaden Daniels maintains a high fantasy floor due to his rushing ability; even if Terry McLaurin and Stevon Diggs remain unavailable, Daniels will still be a solid fantasy starter and lineup lock because of his dual-threat upside.

David Blau confirmed that Jaden Daniels is full go with no limitations coming back off injury. Express Delivery is excited to see Daniels return to his rookie-season form, noting he was fun to watch and hoping to see him thrive with the full offense available (including Terry McLaurin if healthy).

Jalen Wright had just five carries for seven yards last week with nothing in the passing game, making him an unattractive option in a tough running back decision; Express Delivery is eliminating him from consideration.

Jordan Addison did not practice on Wednesday, contrasting with Justin Jefferson's return to limited practice for the Vikings.

Not starting in Week 5; Express Delivery would bench Addison if Justin Jefferson is back, citing concerns about Kyler Murray's ability to support a second wide receiver in the Vikings offense.

Josh Allen's remaining strength of schedule for quarterbacks is the hardest in the NFL. He faces the Rams, Ravens, Vikings, Jets (twice), Chiefs, Patriots, and Broncos. While he gets Miami twice (including Week 17), the gap between Allen and other elite QBs like Lamar Jackson and Brock Purdy narrows due to this difficult slate.

Express Delivery prefers Josh Downs over Amari in Hampton for Week 5 flex consideration. Despite disappointing last week, Downs had 20 targets over the prior two games with 70+ yards in both. While not a big touchdown scorer, he typically finds the end zone 4-5 times per season and will eventually score. Express Delivery is concerned about Hampton's floor being too low, as he's not getting enormous rushing volume and is nothing in the passing game.

On lineup locks for Vikings-Saints game, but Vikings defense has allowed fewest fantasy points to opposing wide receivers over past three weeks; no receiver has scored over 12 fantasy points against Minnesota.

Justin Jefferson returned to practice on a limited basis after nursing an ankle injury, generating positive sentiment about his availability for Week 5.

Limited at practice but expected to play; will be a top 10 wide receiver if active. Express Delivery ranks him highly despite Kyler Murray's offensive struggles, suggesting Jefferson's talent transcends the current QB situation.

If Justin Jefferson returns alongside Hawkinson and potentially Addison, Minnesota will have the offensive weapons to move the football and score points against New Orleans; Express Delivery notes confidence in this matchup despite scar tissue from Minnesota's scoreless performance against Miami.

Keaton Mitchell is recommended as a start over Jalen Wright and Chris Rodriguez in a tough running back decision; Express Delivery expects Mitchell to get 4-5 targets and has seen him get goal line carries and score due to his explosiveness, making him a viable flex play.

Kenny Gainwell scored a touchdown in Week 4 with Jalen Daniels at quarterback, indicating he is involved in the red zone.

Express Delivery is worried the Vikings offense never takes off under Kyler Murray; first two games back have not met expectations with only 13 fantasy points last week. Despite Minnesota's easy schedule moving forward and leading on 59% of offensive snaps (third-highest in NFL), Murray hasn't shown reason to start him until seeing something different on the field. However, the Saints matchup presents an opportunity if Saints score early and force Minnesota to pass.

Express Delivery is not starting Makai Lemon in the Eagles-Jaguars game, indicating a stay-away recommendation due to limited upside in the matchup.

Malik Nabers did not practice on Wednesday due to a sore knee, marking him as at least a question mark for Sunday's game against Washington. The source notes potential gamesmanship given Nabers' similar situation in Week 1 against Dallas when his status seemed uncertain despite earlier indications he would play.

Malik Nabors is mentioned as part of the Giants' offensive weapons in the Week 5 matchup against the Commanders.

Mike Gesicki is a known quantity who is prone to finding the end zone when receivers are unavailable; he has already scored three times this season. His projection will receive a boost if Chase or Higgins are out, though he is inconsistent and can also get zero targets.

Najee Harris is splitting carries series-for-series with Cam Scadaboo in the backfield, which is a factor being considered in fantasy analysis for the Steelers running back room.

Nico Collins went for 30.8 fantasy points last week, demonstrating that Dallas has allowed 15-plus fantasy points to a receiver in three straight games.

Nico Collins is a lineup lock for the Texans-Titans game, indicating he is a must-start receiver in Week 5.

Only running back to reach 13 fantasy points against Vikings defense through four weeks of season; Vikings have allowed fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs.

Parker Washington is a lineup lock for the Jaguars-Eagles game but has fallen off over the past couple of games; he has the 11th-best target share in the NFL but drew a DJ Turner shadow for a ton of his routes last week against Cincinnati, which may limit his upside.

Express Delivery uses Puka Nakua as an example in a flex spot strategy discussion, advising that if both Puka Nakua and Emeka Abuka are in your lineup, you should put Abuka at wide receiver (his natural position) rather than flex, to preserve flexibility in case something happens to Nakua and you need to pivot to another player for Monday night.

Rachaad White did not clear 37 yards in Week 4, indicating minimal production in the Buccaneers' inefficient offense.

Express Delivery has Sam Darnold ranked very close to Aaron Rodgers but slightly behind for Week 5. Darnold faces the 49ers in a big divisional game against a good defense, which could stifle his production. Looking ahead, Darnold's matchups deteriorate significantly: Denver Broncos in Week 6 and Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7, making him a candidate to drop after this week. However, Darnold has a better receiving option in JSN compared to Rodgers' options.

Sean Tucker is mentioned as a potential recipient of trick plays (hook and ladder plays) if the Buccaneers employ a kitchen sink game plan due to being 0-4.

Bills wide receivers face the hardest remaining schedule in the NFL. After having the easiest schedule so far (Houston, Detroit, Chargers, Patriots), they now face the Rams, Raiders, Ravens, Vikings, Jets, Dolphins, Chiefs, Patriots, Packers, plus Chicago, Denver, and Miami during the fantasy playoffs. This represents a dramatic shift to the toughest slate.

Stevon Diggs did not practice for the Commanders and remains a monitoring point for Week 5; his availability alongside Terry McLaurin will impact Jaden Daniels' passing-game ceiling.

Stefan Diggs becomes a flex option if healthy with Jaden Daniels back in the lineup; his fantasy value is contingent on both his health and the quarterback's return.

Low-end tight end one based on recent performance; Express Delivery sees him as a grasp-onto option given the weak tight end position overall. Can maintain fantasy value for guys around him in the Vikings offense, but Murray hasn't shown reason to start him confidently.

Tee Higgins is dealing with an abductor injury and a neck issue, was listed as DNP on Wednesday, and will be monitored through Friday when the Bengals decide if he is listed as questionable or out.

Terry McLaurin did not practice on the Commanders' injury report; he was held out last week despite reportedly wanting to play, and his status for Week 5 against the Giants remains a key monitoring point.

With Jaden Daniels back, Terry McLaurin will be a lock-in wide receiver if healthy; the return of the quarterback significantly elevates his fantasy outlook.

Express Delivery mentions Terry McLaurin in the context of Jaden Daniels' return, expressing hope that McLaurin plays and noting that having the full offensive weapons available (including McLaurin) will help Daniels get back to his rookie-season form.

Tyler Warren loses a trade comparison to Travis Kelsey; Express Delivery prefers Kelsey, noting it's at least close but Kelsey is the better asset.

Will Shipley is ranked in the RB24-30 range and is not someone to feel great about starting; the best an Eagles running back has done this year is 11.9 fantasy points, and Shipley will likely split carries with Damian Pierce in a committee approach rather than receiving a full-time role.