NFL DFS Positional Rankings for DraftKings and FanDuel - Week 5 Picks (Cash and GPP)

Doug Shain ranks his top three players for both cash games and GPP contests on FanDuel and DraftKings for Week 5 of the NFL season.

Week 5 is upon us, and that means that the byes are here. The Browns, Chargers, Seahawks, and Buccaneers are off this week. Couple that with an International game, and we are left with a modest 10-game slate. Unlike last week’s slate, the NFL has blessed us with four games in the late window and all four should be very fantasy-friendly in one way or another.

The highlight of the week will see the defending World Champion Chiefs head to Minnesota to face the Vikings. The Vikes are a treasure trove of fantasy goodness with a defense that stinks and an offense that is capable of putting up monster numbers. Exposure to this game will be crucial, but the key is going to be figuring out how to get that exposure while still avoiding an overly chalky lineup. Flying just under the radar could be the equally as exciting Rams/Eagles game; featuring the potential return of Cooper Kupp.

The early window may lack marquee games, but that doesn’t mean it won’t have its share of fireworks. The most exciting offense in football, the Miami Dolphins, will face a struggling Giants team and they will look to get back on the winning track. The Lions/Panthers and Titans/Colts have surprisingly high totals and may offer pivot points off of some of the more popular games this weekend. There are quite a few great plays available on DK for Week 5, but my goal is to create a hierarchy of plays so you know who to prioritize when building your lineups! Also, be sure to check out all of our other great NFL DFS articles and NFL DFS tools to help you win big!

DraftKings NFL DFS Cash Rankings - Quarterbacks

Joshua Dobbs (Arizona Cardinals - $5,200)

It’s time to start taking Joshua Dobbs seriously as a starting fantasy quarterback. He’s scored 17 or more DraftKings points in three straight games, and for the season he’s 11th in fantasy points per game on DraftKings. He’s been even better when you take out his first game of the season (2.97 DraftKings points on the road against the Commanders), a game where he literally had only had the playbook in his hands for about three weeks. 

Quarterback is a position where spending down makes sense in cash as spike weeks at the position tend to have less of a ceiling compared to the spike weeks of running backs and wide receivers. It’s especially easy to spend down at quarterback when you do so with a player who is adept at running the football. Dobbs has proven to be just that as he’s accumulated at least 40 rushing yards in each of his last three games. That built-in floor of four DraftKings points is worth an entire touchdown from a quarterback who won’t get you rushing yards (I’m looking at you, Kirk Cousins).

While the Bengals' defense isn’t generous by any means, they also aren’t a lockdown squad that should be run from. Dobbs is at home for this game and he doesn’t need to do much more than hit his three-week floor of 17 DraftKings points to be worth a play this weekend. As he gets more comfortable in this offense, Dobbs is going to find more ways to use his creativity to move the ball down the field, and this should open up more opportunities to increase that ground game floor. At a savings of nearly $2,000 over Anthony Richardson, and of nearly $3,000 over Jalen Hurts, using Dobbs will also allow you to spend up at other positions where spike weeks can carry you to a cash game win. 

We’ve been saying it for years, just give Joshua Dobbs a chance and he can do DAMAGE!!! pic.twitter.com/Io6U9to7RL

— @TorresOnTennessee (@TorresontheVols) September 24, 2023

2. Anthony Richardson (Indianapolis Colts - $7,000)

3. Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles - $8,000

Others in consideration: Zach Wilson, Lamar Jackson

DraftKings NFL DFS GPP Rankings - Quarterbacks

Kirk Cousins (Minnesota Vikings - $6,900)

While it’s true that Kirk Cousins is a statue in the pocket, he does bring significant upside for GPP lineups. The difference between cash and GPP quarterback choices is that in cash you are looking for what your quarterback can do on his own, while in a GPP you are looking for who that quarterback can bring along with him to help vault your squad up a tournament leaderboard.

With Cousins you get to bring along the best wide receiver in football, Justin Jefferson (more on him in a bit), and it’s not like Cousins has been a slouch this year as he’s thrown for two or more touchdowns in every game and has 22 or more DraftKings points in all but one game. There is a legitimate ceiling with a Vikings stack.

The Chiefs/Vikings game has the highest projected total on the slate, and the Vikings are going to have to throw if they want to keep up with Patrick Mahomes and the high-powered Kansas City offense. It may seem more desirable to chase the Mahomes side of this game, but who are you stacking alongside him? It’s Travis Kelce and who else? You are taking a big chance if you double-stack the Chiefs with the uncertainty of which wide receiver will carry value.

With the Vikings there isn’t much debate, you stack Cousins with Jefferson and either T.J. Hockenson, Jordan Addison, or K.J. Osborn. The target tree and snap shares for the Vikings are very concentrated; making it the easier team to stack. It also makes the bring-back player much easier to identify as it’s Travis Kelce (or Isiah Pacheco if you want to get a little wild). 

Kirk Cousins vs the blitz this year

🟣 36/52 (69.2%)
🟣 357 passing yards
🟣 7 TDs (1st), 0 INTs
🟣 128.0 passer rating (2nd) pic.twitter.com/a5v5uHeQoU

— PFF MIN Vikings (@PFF_Vikings) October 3, 2023

2. Joshua Dobbs (Arizona Cardinals - $5,200)

3. Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens - $7,800)

Others in consideration: Tua Tagovailoa, Patrick Mahomes, Zach Wilson, Anthony Richardson, Jalen Hurts, Matthew Stafford

DraftKings NFL DFS Cash Rankings - Running Backs

Bijan Robinson (Atlanta Falcons - $7,700)

Quite simply, Bijan Robinson is the most consistent running back on the Week 5 main slate. He has scored 20 or more DraftKings points in three of four games and has five or more targets in every game this year. The Falcons' offense isn’t any great shakes, but they know how to get the ball into their most dynamic player’s hands. 

The Texans are a great fantasy matchup, having allowed 100 or more yards on the ground to every team they’ve faced so far in 2023; including this past week where they allowed over five yards per carry to the inefficient Najee Harris. This follows a year where the Texans were the team you’d want to play all of your cash games running backs against. The bottom line is that running on the Texans isn’t a new phenomenon, and it doesn’t appear like the problem has been fixed. Bijan being as cheap as he’s been all year is simply the cherry on top of this delicious cash game sundae. 

Bijan Robinson could shake a defender in a telephone booth! My GOODNESS!🔥🔥🔥

pic.twitter.com/QBVnxFXS4o

— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) October 1, 2023

2. Alvin Kamara (New Orleans Saints - $6,300)

3. Isiah Pacheco (Kansas City Chiefs - $5,700)

Others in consideration: David Montgomery, Kyren Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin

DraftKings NFL DFS GPP Rankings - Running Backs

Isaiah Pacheco (Kansas City Chiefs - $5,700)

Pacheco is running away (pun very much intended) from the pack as the lead back for the Chiefs this season. Not only is his snap share increasing (60% of the Chiefs snaps in Week 4), but he’s also seen his opportunities increase in every game this year (from 12 in Week 1 all the way to 23 this past weekend).

Pacheco hasn’t disappointed with those opportunities, culminating with a 27.8 DraftKings points performance in Week 4 against the Jets. What’s most encouraging about Pacheco’s role is that he’s finally being used in the passing game. His average of three targets per game isn’t going to shatter any records, but it does give Pacheco’s bottom line that much more juice. 

The Chiefs and Vikings game has the highest total on the slate and is one that should be targeted for tournament lineups. The problem there is that it will be a widely used game, so getting different with your exposure is important. That’s where Pacheco’s value truly shines this week; either as a bring-back player to a Vikings stack or as the Chiefs component of a secondary stack alongside Justin Jefferson. At just $5,700, Pacheco isn’t going to break the bank to get you the exposure you want to the most fantasy-friendly game of the weekend. 

Isiah Pacheco has an interesting running style. Looks as if he’s trying to stomp holes in the ground with every step, every play. pic.twitter.com/aArocfjeiG

— Dominic White (@DomWWhite) October 2, 2023

2. Breece Hall (New York Jets - $5,400)

3. Joe Mixon (Cincinnati Bengals - $6,400)

Others in consideration: Derrick Henry, Bijan Robinson, David Montgomery, De’Von Achane, Saquon Barkley

DraftKings NFL DFS Cash Rankings - Wide Receivers

Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings - $9,400)

Justin Jefferson is fast approaching peak Christian McCaffrey/Cooper Kupp levels of consistency with his play this year. He has been a target monster with nine or more in each game this year, and he’s yet to score less than 26.5 DraftKings points. Most impressively, Jefferson has achieved that scoring floor twice this year in games when he didn’t even score a touchdown. It is always desirable to be able to roster players in your cash lineup who can achieve a high floor without having to get into the end zone. 

It’s something that’s going to be said ad nauseam, but the Chiefs and Vikings game has the highest total on the slate. Getting exposure to this game in your cash lineup should be a priority. Sometimes it’s not easy to get that exposure from the most expensive player on the slate, but this week it’s very easy to get Jefferson on your roster with the value to be found at quarterback and tight end. Relatively speaking, Jefferson isn’t even all that expensive as he can be rostered this week at a $200 discount from last week’s price point. That’s just silly, and it’s a pricing anomaly of which you can take advantage. 

Justin Jefferson’s stats in each game this season…

Week 1 - 9 catches, 150 yards

Week 2 - 11 catches, 159 yards

Week 3 - 7 catches, 149 yards, 1 TD

Week 4 - 6 catches, 85 yards, 2 TDs pic.twitter.com/cdpyIGx9Yh

— NFL Stats (@NFL_Stats) October 3, 2023

2. Marquise Brown (Arizona Cardinals - $5,000)

3. Adam Thielen (Carolina Panthers - $5,100)

Others in consideration: Garrett Wilson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Nico Collins, Josh Downs

DraftKings NFL DFS GPP Rankings - Wide Receivers

Marquise Brown (Arizona Cardinals - $5,000)

You can honestly flip-flop this blurb’s position with the one for Justin Jefferson as both are very attractive options in cash and GPP builds this weekend. Marquise Brown has quietly been a stud this year with seven or more targets and 16 or more DraftKings points in each of his last three games. While his numbers won’t “wow” you, they do signal that there is a beast ready to break out. That kind of volume, coupled with Brown’s open-field ability, means that the potential is there for long runs after the catch against a leaky secondary. 

The Bengals haven’t been atrocious, but using Brown as part of a Cardinals stack is about more than just the productivity he can give you. Sure, there’s an upside with the Arizona offense, but they are also so cheap to stack with a bring-back player (Dobbs/Brown/Michael Wilson with Tyler Boyd or Joe Mixon) that you can complement them with premium secondary and tertiary stacks like Justin Jefferson/Travis Kelce,  Saquon Barkley/Tyreek Hill, or any number of combinations from the Eagles/Rams game.

Using that under-the-radar stack with high-end secondary stacks is exactly the advice that Mark Kieffer (@Mark_Kieffer) wrote last weekend in his Premium Tournament Stacks article, where he suggested using a Bears stack. That suggestion brought him to third place in the DraftKings Milly Maker last weekend. You should finish this article, then check his work out, and then go enter a Cardinals stack. 

#Cardinals Marquise Brown over the last 2 weeks:

- Air%: 50.27%
- Target% 34%
- 2 TDs
- 10.86 aDOT
- 94% snap% or better each week
- 3 of 5 RZ targets (60%)pic.twitter.com/kHGeIzbwXH

— Mike Kurland (@Mike_Kurland) September 25, 2023

I wrote this in the Premium Tournament Stacks Article for @RotoBaller and then took down 3rd place in the Milly Maker this week, missing out on $1M by just 1 fantasy point!

If you want my stacks rest of year, sub to @RotoBaller premium! pic.twitter.com/t08WZZNsyw

— Mark Kieffer (@Mark_Kieffer) October 2, 2023

2. Garrett Wilson (New York Jets - $6,100)

3. Puka Nakua (Los Angeles Rams - $7,700)

Others in consideration: Tyreek Hill, Justin Jefferson, DeAndre Hopkins, Michael Pittman, Cooper Kupp, Tyler Boyd, Michael Wilson, Braxton Berrios

DraftKings NFL DFS Rankings - Tight Ends

Jonnu Smith (Atlanta Falcons - $2,900)

I’ll be honest, I had no idea that Jonnu Smith was still in the league until a couple of weeks ago when I saw that J. Smith was leading the Falcons in receiving early in a game. It’s weird that he’s being so productive on a team that has Kyle Pitts as their starting tight end, right? As silly as it is, he’s having a heck of a year and needs to be on your radar this weekend.

Smith has a staggering six or more targets in each of the last three weeks, out-targeting Pitts by two over those three games. He’s yet to hit paydirt, but he’s still returned three times his price in each of those three games. One of Smith’s strongest abilities has always been his downfield ability running the seam route, and he’s popped off for multiple plays of 15 or more yards this year. The Texans have given up a little bit of production to the tight end position this year, including strong games from Evan Engram and a combination of Colts tight ends. As long as Smith continues to see six targets per week, he’s going to have value at his price point. He makes for a cheap option for any of your lineups and allows you to spend up on premium players at running back and wide receiver.

Atlanta Falcons Jonnu Smith vs Kyle Pitts this season:

Jonnu Smith

20 Targets, 15 Catches, 179 Yards

Kyle Pitts :

21 Targets, 11 Catches, 121 Yards pic.twitter.com/QhXdzwRcRV

— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) October 3, 2023

2. Sam LaPorta (Detroit Lions - $5,000)

3. Zach Ertz (Arizona Cardinals - $3,500)

Others in consideration: Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, Tyler Higbee, Tyler Conklin

DraftKings NFL DFS Rankings - D/ST

Tennessee Titans ($2400)

The Miami Dolphins are going to be the defense that most people flock to after the Giants allowed 11 sacks against the Seahawks last weekend, but they are $3,600 and will make you have to pivot down off some premium players at other positions. They are fine for your GPP lineup (especially stacked with De’Von Achane), but in cash games, it’s preferable to spend down on defense so you can get as much volume from your skill position players.

The Titans offense hasn’t looked great so far this year, but their defense has been quietly solid. They are a pass funnel defense, but that actually works in your favor as it will promote the opposing offense to drop back more to pass. More pass volume equals more opportunities for your defense to get sacks and force turnovers. The single most valuable skill a defense needs to have in fantasy is the ability to pressure the opposing quarterback. Thankfully, the Titans can do just that. They have at least three sacks in every game this year, and that has allowed them to score at least 5 DraftKings points in all but one game in 2023. At just $2,400, five points with some upside for more is exactly what we want out of our defense. 

Titans defense wasn’t playing around today pic.twitter.com/iZpGNcOkae

— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) October 2, 2023

2. New York Jets ($3,100)

3. Miami Dolphins ($3,600)

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