Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 5: Marquise Brown, Aaron Jones, Isiah Pacheco

Four weeks of NFL football have taken place this season, but there are still plenty of tough start-or-sit decisions for fantasy managers to make, especially with bye weeks becoming a factor. Marquise Brown, Aaron Jones, and Isiah Pacheco are all hot names ahead of Sunday and Monday games in Week 5.

Brown has exceeded expectations this season, Jones was disappointing in his first game back from injury, and Pacheco is an up-and-down fantasy running back.

Should you start Brown, Jones, or Pacheco in Week 5? Let's dive in.

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Should I Start Marquise Brown for Fantasy Football?

Fantasy managers were understandably uneasy about Hollywood Brown's fantasy outlook in the absence of Kyler Murray at the start of the 2023 season. However, Brown has flourished with quarterback Joshua Dobbs under center, catching 21 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns. After four weeks, he ranks 18th among wideouts in total fantasy points.

In Week 5, he'll square off with the Cincinnati Bengals, who have surrendered the 13th-fewest fantasy points to wideouts. However, Brown is still an intriguing flex option given his early-season success.

He is the WR22 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

Should I Start Aaron Jones for Fantasy Football?

In Week 1, Jones was the RB1 overall with 25.7 fantasy points. He rushed nine times for 41 yards and a touchdown and caught two passes for 86 yards and another touchdown. However, he suffered a hamstring injury that kept him out of Week 2 and Week 3.

Upon his return in Week 4, his snaps were limited, and he handled just six total touches for 14 yards. He played on Thursday Night Football last week and is playing on Monday Night this week, so hopefully, he's had plenty of time to heal up.

Although there is a risk he could be held back once again, it's worth a dice roll given the scarcity of running back production and his preseason cost in drafts. The Raiders have allowed the 12th-most fantasy points to running backs thus far, so he has plenty of upside.

He is the RB14 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

Should I Start Isiah Pacheco for Fantasy Football?

Pacheco had his best performance of the season last week against the New York Jets. The second-year pro rushed 20 times for 115 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for 43 yards. He finished the week as the RB7.

In Week 5, he'll face the Minnesota Vikings, who are putrid against the pass but decent against the run so far this year. Minnesota has allowed the ninth-fewest fantasy points to running backs, though D'Andre Swift torched its defense for 175 rushing yards in Week 2.

Given Pacheco's workload in the Patrick Mahomes-led offense, he's well worth starting this week.

He is the RB10 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

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