X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

Boom and Bust Candidates for Week 5: The Early Games

One rule I live by hard and fast in fantasy football is to never make any judgments about my team or any players before the first four weeks of the season. Especially now, with abbreviated practices and training camps, the first four weeks are often an extension of the preseason. But with Week 4 officially in the books and Week 5 upon us, we now have a large enough sample to start drawing some real conclusions about who a player is and what he can and can't do.

For example, the first four weeks of the season have shown that TE Jimmy Graham is likely to be highly inconsistent this season, with two weeks of double digit points in PPR leagues and two highly forgettable weeks. On the other side, RB Dion Lewis (especially after signing his two year extension) looks like he will be a potent fantasy option every week in PPR leagues especially. Things can still change, but the molds have been cast and are beginning to dry.

Using the information we've learned from the first four weeks of the season, we can better prognosticate what's to come in Week 5. Here are a list of players who look like candidates to either have monster Sundays or put up stinkers.

Potential Booms

Quarterbacks:

Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers: The legend of Aaron Rodgers grows with each week. So far, he's put up 11 TDs and thrown no picks. At this point, no matter the matchup, you can pencil him in for at least 16. But this week he's at home, where he's nearly unstoppable. Since Dec. 2, 2012, Rodgers's TD-INT ratio at Lambeau Field is a ridiculous 48:0. You would be starting Rodgers even if he was playing on Pluto, but at home, even against a tough Rams defense, expect big returns.

Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons: The Redskins just let Sam Bradford throw three TDs against them last week, and the Eagles' offense right now is questionable at best. Meanwhile, Matt Ryan hasn't thrown an INT since Week 1, is traditionally better at home and has yet to have an explosive fantasy game. He's due. This all points to a breakout for Ryan and the unbeaten Falcons on Sunday.

Running Backs:

Jamaal Charles, RB, Chiefs: Jamaal Charles has been one of the few RBs drafted in the opening round who have been worth the high price tag. Expect the trend to continue this week. The Bears have given up 4.4 YPC and over 40 receiving yards per game to RBs so far this season and have also allowed two rushing TDs. They have yet to face a back of Charles's caliber and don't appear to have the manpower or skill to slow the perennial fantasy superstar down.

T.J. Yeldon, RB, Jaguars: The touches have been there for Jacksonville's workhorse, with T.J. Yeldon receiving the third most carries in the NFL so far this season. The problem is that the touchdowns have not been there. Last week was a step in the right direction, with the rookie topping 100 yards for the first time in his young career. This week they face a Buccaneers squad that has been highly vulnerable to the run, giving up three consecutive games of 20 plus points to running backs from Week 1 to Week 3. This is the week of Yeldon's breakout.

Justin Forsett, RB, Ravens: As a general rule of thumb, you could do worse than starting any running back against the 31st ranked Browns rushing defense. It also helps that Justin Forsett roared to life and had his first big game of the season last week, rumbling for 150 yards on the ground. It's safe to assume that he'll have a second consecutive big week at home against Cleveland.

Wide Receivers:

Jeremy Maclin, WR, Chiefs: Fantasy owners were likely worried after the first two weeks of the season when Jeremy Maclin hadn't reached the end-zone or even 60 receiving yards in a game. The last two weeks have restored faith in the receiver, as he's put up 141 and 148 receiving yards and scored a TD. Meanwhile the Bears passing defense has been missing in action for most of the season, allowing eight TDs to receivers in the first four weeks. Look for a third straight big game from Maclin.

Leonard Hankerson, WR, Falcons: An afterthought to start the season, Leonard Hankerson has made himself into a household name among the fantasy community in the first quarter of the season. With Julio Jones battling an injury and Roddy White looking old and ineffective, the door is open for Hankerson in Atlanta's offense. The Redskins have been awful against receivers this season, so you can expect a big game in Atlanta.

Tight Ends:

Charles Clay, TE, Bills: Charles Clay has already separated himself as a low-end TE1 and has been the most targeted Bills player in the passing game this season. Tennessee has looked somewhat vulnerable against TEs this season, giving up a pair of scores and 110 yards in Week 1 and then seven receptions and 83 yards in Week 3. With the way he is being targeted early this season, it's best to keep riding the Clay train.

Defense:

Buffalo Bills: Buffalo's defense has not exactly been a stalwart this season, registering negative points against New England and just three against the Giants (both home games). But against a Titans team that has allowed 12 sacks, six turnovers and two defensive TDs in just three games, plug in Buffalo with confidence.

Kansas City Chiefs: Three consecutive defenses have scored double digit points against the Bears, who have allowed nine sacks, four INTs, three TDs and two fumble recoveries. While the Chiefs have been awful over the last two weeks, they aren't facing Rodgers or Andy Dalton this week, so they should be good for big points.

Potential Busts

Quarterbacks:

Andy Dalton, QB, Bengals: I'm a believer in the Red Rifle, just not this week against Seattle. The Seahawks haven't allowed a TD pass in their last two games and although Cincy is at home, I would steer clear of Andy Dalton this week if at all possible. It seems like Seattle's defense has woken up and that Cincinnati may come back down to Earth in Week 5.

Blake Bortles, QB, Jaguars: With three consecutive respectable-to-good performances, Blake Bortles is officially on fantasy radar. Still, I would temper expectations in Week 5's tilt in Tampa. While the Buccaneers haven't exactly been a shutdown defense this fall, they've fared decently well against quarterbacks, allowing just four passing TDs in the last three games, and an average of 202.33 passing yards per game.

Running Backs:

Jeremy Hill, RB, Bengals: Whether home or away, the Seattle Seahawks have been downright nasty against RBs this fall. In four games, no RB has scored a rushing TD and only one team has topped 100 yards on the ground. Add in the fact that Jeremy Hill seems to be in a timeshare with Giovanni Bernard and it's tough to expect a big game from Hill on Sunday.

Mark Ingram, RB, Saints: One of the few bright spots for the Philadelphia Eagles this season has been their running defense. No back has scored a rushing touchdown and the Eagles have allowed an average of 3.41 YPC. Mark Ingram has performed solidly this season, but the emergence of CJ Spiller and a tough Eagles run defense has this looking like a matchup to avoid.

Wide Receivers:

Pierre Garcon, WR, Redskins: Pierre Garcon has performed like a low to mid-range WR2 this season in PPR leagues. He has been targeted consistently and has at least five receptions in every game this season. However, his modest receiving yard totals make him far too TD dependent. The Falcons have surrendered two passing TDs so far, and will be focused on stopping Garcon in the passing attack. Don't bet on Garcon this week.

A.J. Green, WR, Bengals: You're most likely not benching A.J. Green under any circumstance, but be weary this week against Seattle. Green has really only had one big time game and Seattle has only allowed one passing score in four weeks. There's always a chance Green can break loose, but I wouldn't bank on it.

Tight Ends:

Jimmy Graham, TE, Seahawks: Jimmy Graham has been somewhat of a disappointment so far and has not drawn the volume of targets fantasy owners were likely expecting. Coming off of a four reception, 29 receiving yard game and facing a Bengals defense that has not surrendered a score to a TE this season, it may be prudent to bench Graham or temper expectations.

Defenses:

St. Louis Rams: The Rams have been a very strong defensive unit this season, racking up 17 sacks in four weeks, which is good enough for second in the league. But against Green Bay at Lambeau Field, I'm not sure there's any defense worth rolling the dice on. Leave St. Louis on the bench.

NFL & Fantasy Football Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-0" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Brock Boeser21 mins ago

Returns To Action Tuesday
Joel Embiid31 mins ago

Won't Play Wednesday
Jordan Poole51 mins ago

Unavailable On Tuesday
David Montgomery3 hours ago

Likely To Play On Thanksgiving
Nolan Arenado3 hours ago

Willing To Move To First Base
Evan Carter3 hours ago

Swinging A Bat, Expected To Be Ready For Spring Training
Josh Jung3 hours ago

Expected To Be Ready For Spring Training
Aaron Rodgers3 hours ago

Hasn't Decided On Playing Status In 2025
Adolis García3 hours ago

Adolis Garcia Resumes Running
Corey Seager3 hours ago

Nearing Full Baseball Activities
Daniel Jones5 hours ago

Clears Waivers, Officially A Free Agent
Derrick Henry6 hours ago

Notches Another 100-Yard Game
Lamar Jackson7 hours ago

Bounces Back With Three Touchdowns
Aidan O'Connell7 hours ago

Raiders To Start Aidan O'Connell At Quarterback In Week 13
Dallas Cowboys7 hours ago

Cowboys Won't Rule Out Mike McCarthy Extension
Kyle Filipowski7 hours ago

Sits Out Second Consecutive Game
Jameson Williams8 hours ago

Won't Face Legal Action
Jordan Clarkson8 hours ago

Back On The Shelf Tuesday
Devin Vassell8 hours ago

Expected To Return On Wednesday
Joe Ingles8 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Tuesday
Mike Conley8 hours ago

Iffy For Tuesday's Action
Taurean Prince8 hours ago

Questionable To Face Heat
Giannis Antetokounmpo8 hours ago

Considered Probable For Tuesday
Macklin Celebrini9 hours ago

Records First Career Three-Point Game
Connor Hellebuyck9 hours ago

Stops 43 Shots In Win Against Wild
Seth Jarvis9 hours ago

Returns With A Three-Point Effort
Sebastian Aho9 hours ago

Racks Up Four Points In Impressive Win
Nico Hischier9 hours ago

Nets Historic Hat Trick Versus Predators
Jakob Chychrun9 hours ago

Tallies Three Points In Monday's Win
Brandon Hagel9 hours ago

Dishes Out Career-High Five Assists
Demarcus Robinson16 hours ago

DeMarcus Robinson Arrested On Suspicion Of DUI
Aidan O'Connell17 hours ago

Raiders To Open Aidan O'Connell's Practice Window
Ja'Tavion Sanders17 hours ago

Avoids Serious Injury
Tommy Devito17 hours ago

Tommy DeVito Avoids Injury Report To Open Week 13
J.K. Dobbins19 hours ago

Won't Return On Monday Night
Jerami Grant19 hours ago

Injured Versus Memphis
Robert Williams III19 hours ago

Won't Return On Monday Night
J.K. Dobbins20 hours ago

Questionable To Return On Monday
Jonathan Kuminga20 hours ago

Inactive On Monday Night
Keldon Johnson20 hours ago

Listed Probable For Tuesday Night
Daniel Jones20 hours ago

Won't Join The Raiders
Jalen Green20 hours ago

Questionable For Tuesday Night Against Timberwolves
Dennis Schröder21 hours ago

Dennis Schroder Available To Play On Monday Night Against Warriors
Malik Monk21 hours ago

Officially Active On Monday, Won't Have Minutes Restriction
Miles McBride21 hours ago

Active On Monday Night Against Nuggets
Karl-Anthony Towns21 hours ago

Available For Knicks On Monday Against Nuggets
Peyton Watson21 hours ago

Officially Active For Monday Night Game Against Knicks
Nicolas Claxton21 hours ago

Officially Ruled Out For Monday Night
Aaron Gordon21 hours ago

Now Without Timetable For Return
Baltimore Ravens22 hours ago

Roquan Smith Out On Monday Night
Ladd McConkey22 hours ago

Officially Active On Monday Night
Jake Ferguson23 hours ago

Looking Like A "Long Shot" To Play On Thursday
Ladd McConkey23 hours ago

Expected To Play On Monday Night
Patrik Laine23 hours ago

Practices In Regular Jersey
Mason McTavish24 hours ago

Returns To Ducks Lineup Monday
Chris Kreider24 hours ago

Unavailable Versus Blues
Artem Zub24 hours ago

Out With Fractured Foot
TB24 hours ago

Nicholas Paul To Remain Out For At Least One More Week
Pyotr Kochetkov1 day ago

Lands In Concussion Protocol
Kirill Kaprizov1 day ago

Considered A Game-Time Call For Monday
Romeo Doubs1 day ago

Picks Up DNP On Monday
Brock Purdy1 day ago

Does "Light Throwing" On Monday
Devin Williams1 day ago

Brewers Plan To Hang Onto Devin Williams For Now
1 day ago

Blue Jays Could Make Aggressive Play For Anthony Santander
Alec Bohm1 day ago

Phillies, White Sox Have Discussed Alec Bohm, Garrett Crochet
1 day ago

Mets The Clear-Cut Favorites To Land Juan Soto
Yusei Kikuchi1 day ago

Signs Three-Year Deal With Angels
Yan Xiaonan1 day ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Tabatha Ricci1 day ago

Drops Decision At UFC Macau
Muslim Salikhov1 day ago

Gets Highlight-Reel Knockout Win At UFC Macau
Song Kenan1 day ago

2-2 In Last Four Fights After UFC Macau Loss
Zhang Mingyang1 day ago

Gets TKO Win At UFC Macau
Ozzy Diaz1 day ago

Gets TKO'd At UFC Macau
Jack Roslovic1 day ago

Continues To See Success With Hurricanes
Alex Lyon1 day ago

Starts For Red Wings On Monday
Mikhail Sergachev1 day ago

Collects An Assist In Sunday's Loss
Logan Cooley1 day ago

Leads Utah's Offense Sunday
William Nylander1 day ago

Enjoys Another Multi-Point Outing
Mitchell Marner1 day ago

Extends Multi-Point Streak With Pair Of Goals
Volkan Oezdemir3 days ago

Drops Decision At UFC Macau
MMA3 days ago

Carlos Uberg Extends Win Streak At UFC Macau
MMA3 days ago

Cong Wang Gets Submitted In Upset Fashion At UFC Macau
Gabriella Fernandes3 days ago

Pulls Off Massive Upset At UFC Macau
Deiveson Figueiredo3 days ago

Falls Short At UFC Macau
Petr Yan3 days ago

Gets Dominant Win At UFC Macau
4 days ago

Nationals Non-Tender Kyle Finnegan On Friday
4 days ago

Rays Non-Tender Dylan Carlson
4 days ago

Rockies Non-Tender Brendan Rodgers, Cal Quantrill
Mike Yastrzemski4 days ago

Avoids Arbitration With Giants
4 days ago

Blue Jays Non-Tender Closer Jordan Romano
Dustin May4 days ago

Dodgers Sign Dustin May To One-Year Deal To Avoid Arbitration
Brady Singer4 days ago

Shipped To Cincinnati
Jonathan India4 days ago

Traded To Kansas City
Shohei Ohtani4 days ago

In Early Stages Of Recovery From Shoulder Surgery
Tabatha Ricci4 days ago

Looks To Extend Her Win Streak
Yan Xiaonan4 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Muslim Salikhov4 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Macau
Chris Sale4 days ago

To Have Normal Offseason
Garrett Crochet4 days ago

Drawing Plenty Of Interest
Song Kenan4 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Zhang Mingyang4 days ago

Set For His Second UFC Fight
Ozzy Diaz4 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Macau
Carlos Ulberg5 days ago

Looking To Cement Himself As A Title Contender At UFC Macau
Volkan Oezdemir5 days ago

Eyes Another Knockout At UFC Macau
Gabriella Fernandes5 days ago

A Big Underdog At UFC Macau
Austin Eckroat6 days ago

Heads To The RSM Classic After Win
Harris English6 days ago

Finding Form Heading To The RSM Classic
Ben Griffin6 days ago

Continues Playing Well Heading To The RSM Classic
Denny McCarthy6 days ago

Returns to The RSM Classic

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Michael Florio's Football Show - Podcast RotoBaller Network

Florio's Football Show: Gus Edwards, Jerry Jeudy, Taysom Hill, MVS and more!

Michael Florio is back going over his top waiver wire targets for Week 13! Florio also discusses his favorite streaming defenses of the week before going over all of his starts and sits! Get everything you need for the week, before you even set your waivers! Be sure to also tune into RotoBaller Radio on SiriusXM […]


Lamar Jackson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL DFS: First Look of Week 13 - Totals, Salaries, Slates, and more

Happy Thanksgiving week! We are in store for a lot of NFL action this week and we're here to look at all of the data for the Sunday main slate. Let's see who it points us to and which teams to stack. We will also see who we should fade and what teams to avoid. […]


Jonathan Taylor - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Week 13 Fantasy Football Rankings for Half-PPR: Jonathon Taylor, Deebo Samuel, DeAndre Hopkins, Chuba Hubbard, Chase Brown, Taysom Hill, DJ Moore

Thanksgiving football awaits, and with no teams on a bye, all of your healthy stud fantasy assets should be available this week. Still, if you're tasked with tough start-or-sit decisions, our half-PPR fantasy football rankings for Week 13 of the 2024 NFL season are here to help. Use our early overall Week 13 rankings for […]


Ladd McConkey - Fantasy Football Rankings, Rookies, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Week 13 Fantasy Football FLEX Rankings (RB, WR, TE) for Half-PPR: Ladd McConkey, Bucky Irving, George Pickens, Chase Brown, Gus Edwards, Tank Dell

The Week 13 slate is unique, as there are three stand-alone games on Thanksgiving and a Friday night game. There are also no byes this week, so fantasy managers will be tasked with making tough start-or-sit decisions with no shortage of available options. If you need assistance this week, use our Week 13 fantasy football […]


David Montgomery - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Week 13 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings for Half-PPR: David Montgomery, Chase Brown, Bucky Irving, Chuba Hubbard, Rico Dowdle, Nick Chubb

The always-exciting Thanksgiving NFL slate is ahead, meaning no teams are on a bye, and we're treated to six standalone games this week! Today we will go over our NFL team's updated Week 13 fantasy football running back rankings for 2024. Let's analyze the rankings and see where key start 'em, sit 'em options like […]


Jaxon Smith-Njigba Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Week 13 Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings for Half-PPR: Nico Collins, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jaylen Waddle, Jayden Reed, Malik Nabers, DJ Moore

The clock is ticking on the 2024 fantasy football season, and it's time to set yourself up for the fantasy football playoffs or play spoiler if you are already eliminated. With no teams on a bye this week, there is no shortage of options, but that can cause even trickier lineup calls. Our Week 13 […]


Taysom Hill - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, Draft Sleepers

Week 13 Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings for Half-PPR: Trey McBride, Taysom Hill, David Njoku, T.J. Hockenson, Jonnu Smith, Cade Otton, Tucker Kraft

Many fantasy managers are looking to clinch a first-round bye or quality for the playoffs as the final two weeks of the fantasy football regular season get underway. Needless to say, it's a critical week, so use our Week 13 fantasy football tight end rankings for 2024 to guide your start-or-sit calls. Tight ends are […]


Tua Tagovailoa - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Week 13 Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings: Joe Burrow, Baker Mayfield, Brock Purdy, Bo Nix, Kyler Murray, C.J. Stroud, Tua Tagovailoa, Jared Goff

It's Thanksgiving week, and no teams are on a bye! That means all quarterback options are on the table, but that can sometimes make start-or-sit decisions even trickier. If you need assistance this week, we're here to help with our NFL team's Week 13 fantasy football quarterback rankings for 2024. It's make-or-break time for many […]


Cameron Dicker - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups, Kickers, Streamers

Week 13 Kicker Streamers and Starts - 2024 Fantasy Tiers, Rankings

The full slate of games in Week 13 means fantasy managers have a wide selection of kickers available. While this variety is beneficial, it also makes choosing the right option more challenging. The kicker position, often overlooked, can still make a significant impact in tight matchups as the fantasy playoffs approach. Certain kickers benefit from […]


Patrick Mahomes - Fantasy Football Rankings, DFS Lineup Picks, NFL Injury News

Backfield Breakdowns and Target Shares - Fantasy Football Week 13 Outlooks for Patrick Mahomes, Josh Jacobs, Courtland Sutton, and More

Week 12 of the 2024 NFL season is behind us, and what a rollercoaster it was for fantasy. Some even referred to it as "bye-mageddon," with the Bengals, Bills, Jaguars, Jets, and Saints on a bye, all making our lineups more complicated, but the games more than delivered. Whether you were riding the highs of […]


Travis Etienne Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

The Cut List - Who to Drop for Fantasy Football Week 13

Each new week of NFL games gives us more information to make more informed decisions. This is crucial when figuring out who to add and who to cut. It can be difficult to admit we were wrong on a particular player. For example, using a high draft pick on someone and cutting them so early […]


nick westbrook-ikhine fantasy football rankings NFL DFS lineup picks

FAAB Waiver Wire Bidding - Fantasy Football Pickups to Target for Week 13 (2024)

Let's strap up for a holiday week with three Thursday games on Thanksgiving and then a Friday tilt for good measure. Many of you face must-win scenarios with the fantasy playoffs right around the bend. We're all going to reach the championships together with our famous waiver wire pickups list and our fantasy football waiver […]


Brock Purdy - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Fantasy Football Injury Reports: Week 13 Updates for Brock Purdy, Isiah Pacheco, Trevor Lawrence, Brian Robinson Jr., Austin Ekeler, Romeo Doubs, Ja'Tavion Sanders, Josh Downs, David Montgomery

The race to the fantasy playoffs continued in Week 12, a week full of close games and exciting finishes. However, that excitement came at a cost. We didn't see many injuries in Week 10 and 11, but multiple fantasy-relevant players got hurt in Week 12. Unfortunately, impactful injuries exist every week throughout an NFL season. […]