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In Week 5 of the fantasy football season, bye weeks have started, the stakes get higher, and every lineup decision can make or break your week. If you’ve been riding the early season roller coaster, you know that managing a team is about more than just starting your stars -- it’s about avoiding potential landmines.
These landmines are players you’d generally feel good about starting. Still, this week, some are poised to underperform thanks to brutal matchups, poor recent form (individually or from teammate anchors), or just some good old-fashioned dysfunction.
Below, we’ll highlight five key players -- one from each offensive position, plus a flex -- who should be avoided if you have other options. These players may be fantasy regulars, but their Week 5 projections are dicey. Let’s break down why these guys might not meet expectations.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:- Quarterback fantasy football rankings
- Running back fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
- Tight end fantasy football rankings
- Kicker fantasy football rankings
- FLEX fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Superflex fantasy football rankings
- IDP fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Joe Burrow, QB, vs. Baltimore Ravens
It’s been a bumpy start for Joe Burrow, who has been struggling to find his groove despite putting up 978 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and only one interception so far this season. His 17.2 fantasy points per game aren’t terrible, but they don’t tell the whole story of his recent form.
He’s clearly out of sync, and things aren’t about to get easier in Week 5 against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens defense has been exceptional this season, allowing only nine total touchdowns all year and giving up just 315.3 yards on average. Against the pass, they’ve limited opponents to just 257.5 passing yards per game.
Need more proof of their dominance? In Week 4, they completely stifled MVP front-runner Josh Allen, holding him to 180 yards passing with zero touchdowns, while the Bills only managed to put up 10 points.
Burrow isn’t playing like the elite quarterback we expected coming into the season, and the Ravens’ fierce defense will likely expose those struggles even more. If you’ve got a safer option, it’s time to let Burrow take a seat this week.
Ravens defense- “Curtis Samuel is running immediately to Josh Allen ten yards behind the line of scrimmage. I wonder what they play is?”
— AJ Feldman (@AJFeldmanTV) September 30, 2024
Rico Dowdle, RB, vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Rico Dowdle has pleasantly surprised those who drafted him or picked him up off waivers. As a depth player, he has put up 134 rushing yards on the season and added a decent role as a pass-catcher with nine receptions for 74 yards and a touchdown while averaging nine fantasy points per game. While those numbers don’t scream RB1, he is now officially the lead back.
However, his Week 5 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers should make fantasy managers hit the brakes. The Steelers are a nightmare for opposing running backs, boasting the NFL’s third-ranked rushing defense.
They’ve allowed just 86.8 rushing yards per game and only surrendered one rushing touchdown all season. Dowdle, who’s only seeing a 44.5% snap share, is still sharing the backfield and isn’t getting enough volume to make a meaningful impact against such a formidable defense.
Even if you’re desperate, this is not the week to gamble on Dowdle. His production has been serviceable, but the matchup is too tough to expect anything beyond a handful of points. Find a more favorable option for your RB2 or flex spot.
DJ Moore, WR, vs. Carolina Panthers
DJ Moore has been a disappointing wide receiver option for fantasy managers, hauling in only 22 receptions on 34 targets for 189 yards and a touchdown this season. Averaging 11.9 fantasy points per game, Moore’s been only a flex-level option, especially in PPR leagues.
Week 5 could be another significant stumbling block for Moore due to one major problem: quarterback play. The Bears offense has been, frankly, a disaster. Caleb Williams, who was supposed to be a savior for Chicago, has struggled mightily. Through four games, Williams has completed just 61.7% of his passes for 787 total yards, tossing only three touchdowns while throwing four interceptions.
That kind of inefficiency won’t cut it in a matchup against the Panthers, whose defense is better than advertised. They may have had issues early in the season, but they have started to compete on both sides of the ball since Andy Dalton has taken over at quarterback.
Moore is seeing a 21.7% target share, which should inspire some confidence, but with Williams struggling to deliver the ball consistently, Moore’s Week 5 prospects are shaky. This isn’t the week to gamble on the “revenge game” narrative against his old team. Consider other WR options if you have them.
This Caleb Williams play would’ve gone for a 70 yard touchdown in the pac 12 . He’s playing against grown men with families so it’s an interception pic.twitter.com/b9mSJW37kC
— John (@iam_johnw) September 16, 2024
Hunter Henry, TE, vs. Miami Dolphins
Hunter Henry has shown upside as a fantasy tight end, especially during a huge Week 2, where he posted 109 receiving yards on eight receptions. With 14 receptions for 148 yards on 21 targets on the season, the rest of the weeks have been disappointing.
He’s averaged a modest 7.2 fantasy points per game, but what’s even more glaringly absent from his stat sheet? Touchdowns. Henry has yet to find the end zone this year, which is a big problem when dealing with a low-upside, touchdown-dependent tight end.
Making matters worse, his Week 5 matchup against the Miami Dolphins presents a challenging scenario. The Dolphins have allowed just three passing touchdowns all season and are giving up a paltry 162.5 passing yards per game. Miami’s defense is designed to take away short and intermediate routes, which is where Henry does most of his damage.
Unless New England suddenly transforms into an offensive juggernaut -- which seems unlikely -- Henry is going to have a tough time breaking free. Henry isn't your guy this week if you require a tight end with a touchdown upside. Look elsewhere in Week 5 unless you’re desperate.
Courtland Sutton, Flex, vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Through four weeks, Courtland Sutton has racked up 36 targets, which he’s turned into 15 receptions for 192 yards and a touchdown. He’s also getting a healthy 25.4% target share and has been the go-to red-zone option, with six end-zone targets on the year.
While those numbers might suggest he’s startable, Sutton’s Week 5 outlook is dimmed by his quarterback, Bo Nix. Nix has shown rookie struggles and has limited upside as a passer. In Week 4, he threw for just 60 yards against the Jets, which brings his season totals to a concerning 660 passing yards, a 60.1 completion percentage, and a woeful four interceptions to three touchdowns.
The Raiders, while not elite defensively, have allowed only 206.8 passing yards per game and could easily stifle a Broncos passing attack that’s looked out of sync. Sutton is getting the volume you want from a flex player, but with Nix under center, his ceiling is severely limited. He’s a risky play this week, and if you’ve got a more consistent option, it’s worth benching Sutton until the Broncos figure things out.
Bo Nix to a WIDE OPEN Courtland Sutton to take the lead 👀
pic.twitter.com/Zr1D2z0MQG— PFF (@PFF) September 29, 2024
Final Thoughts
Week 5 is packed with potential fantasy traps, and knowing when to avoid certain players is just as important as finding the next breakout star. Joe Burrow, Rico Dowdle, DJ Moore, Hunter Henry, and Courtland Sutton all face challenges this week that could limit their production, and it’s better to play it safe than sorry.
Don’t let these landmines blow up your chances for a win -- make the tough call, sit them, and find alternatives with better matchups. In fantasy football, sometimes it’s not about who you start, but who you don’t.
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