Key Starters and Tough Calls - Lineup Spotlights for Fantasy Football Week 5 Include Miles Sanders, J.K. Dobbins, Chris Olave

Every week, I share some of my favored choices and players to go with when dealing with challenging lineup decisions. These selections are based on my Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available as part of the RotoBaller NFL Premium Pass. Enter promo code KING at checkout for a discount and get access to my ranks in all formats, plus a full roster of tools and analysis for the 2022 fantasy football season.

We feature players that you should lean to in tough calls, and guys who may exceed expectations this week are also highlighted, so you can feel even more confident about starting them.

Skill position analysis here is based on my PPR rankings.

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Running Backs – Fantasy Football Week 4

James Robinson

The Jaguars’ lead RB has a rushing TD in three of four games this season and he has 75+ scrimmage yards in two of his past three games. He had 88 scrimmage yards (75 rushing) and a rushing TD in his last meeting with the Texans. Robinson is aiming for his third game in a row at home vs. Houston with 75+ rushing yards and a rushing TD. He has a rushing TD in six of his past seven home games.

Robinson has produced more impressively than anyone expected after coming off an Achilles injury.  Houston has allowed the most Fantasy Points Per Game to RBs and an AFC-high five rushing TDs to the position. Robinson should be locked into your Week 5 lineups and he must get the call in any tight lineup decisions you may have involving him.

Damien Harris

He rushed for a season-high 86 yards and a  TD in Week 4. Harris is aiming for his fourth game in a row with a rushing TD. Harris also has 80+ scrimmage yards in two of his past three games. Harris has 10 rushing TDs in his past six games at home, and he is shooting for his seventh game in a row at home with a rushing TD.

Harris is obviously a quality source of TD production despite the presence of Rhamondre Stevenson in the New England backfield. He maintains an important role in the Patriots' offense, with two 15+ carry games in his last three outings. The New England offense must rely mainly on their RBs because of the apparent QB issues, and Detroit has allowed an NFL-high eight rushing TDs and the second-most FFPG to RBs. Harris is a must-start as a fantasy RB2 or flex option this week.

Miles Sanders

Finally, it seems like Sanders may be emerging as a true featured RB for the Eagles in his fourth pro season. He has three rushing TDs so far this year, which is a bit surprising when you consider he had none last season and a total of nine in his first three years. Sanders had 156 scrimmage yards (134 rushing) n Week 4. Most notably, Sanders had a career-high 27 carries in the win over Jacksonville.

The Eagles' offense looks better than ever around Sanders, and he is benefitting. He can now get more chances to finish off scoring drives, and with an improving QB who is also a rushing threat, defenses are vulnerable to an RPO attack. An improved passing game means opponents now have to plan to face a more balanced Eagles attack. Arizona is 23rd in FFPG allowed to RBs, so Sanders should be headed for another good outing, and he is a solid fantasy RB start.

J.K. Dobbins

In his second game of the season in Week 4, Dobbins rushed for a TD and caught a TD pass. It was a satisfying performance for Dobbins in his long road back from a major knee injury.  He totaled 63 yards from scrimmage on 17 touches as Dobbins’ workload expanded in his second game back. The Ravens did not rush Dobbins into action this season, and it appears the plan has worked well. He may be on the verge of posting consistent quality totals.

JK Dobbins game 2 usage update:

- 52% snap rate 📈
- 62% RB rush share 📈
- ran a route on 14 of 38 (37%) 📉 https://t.co/nG3KzQpXJ1

— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) October 3, 2022

Dobbins has rushed for a TD in his last five home games. The Ravens could be headed for a shootout with the Bengals this week, which could mean more TD chances for Dobbins. Rashod Bateman is out with a foot injury, so there could be more of a need to lean on Dobbins as an important part of the Baltimore offense, and he may be ready to handle an ample workload. The continued TD potential does at least mark him as a viable fantasy starter. If you patiently waited for Dobbins to return, now is the time to put him into your lineup with increased confidence.

Wide Receivers

Tyler Lockett

Many fantasy analysts expected Lockett to have a fantasy meltdown without Russell Wilson, but that has not happened, as Geno Smith has exceeded all expectations by operating as a solid and sometimes outstanding successor for Seattle at QB.  Lockett does not have a TD reception yet this season, but he has been a steady source of respectable PPR production.

In the Week 4 win at Detroit, Lockett had six catches for 91 yards. In his last three games, he has 6+ catches and 75+ receiving yards. Lockett has 25 receptions for 438 yards (109.5 per game) in his past four road games. As DK Metcalf engages in a highlighted WR/CB showdown with Marshon Lattimore this week, Smith can find Lockett for frequent connections on key downs. Lockett should have a safe PPR statistical floor in Week 5.

Chris Olave

The rookie led the Saints with 67 receiving yards and notched his first career TD in Week 4. Olave leads all rookies with 21 receptions and 335 receiving yards. Many NFL experts thought Olave would come into the league and make an impact more quickly than most other first-year WRs. In Week 3, he had nine receptions for 147 yards vs. the Panthers.

Olave has been targeted 33 times in his past three games. Michael Thomas is out again with a toe injury. Jarvis Landry has been quiet since the season opener and is trying to work through an ankle issue. Olave is the clear No. 1 pass-catcher for New Orleans right now, and expect him to be targeted again often this week vs. Seattle. Olave is a must-start fantasy WR3 for potential volume.

Garrett Wilson

Corey Davis led the Jets in receptions (five) and receiving yards (74) while catching his second TD pass of the season last week. Zach Wilson has an established on-field rapport with Davis. But the New York QB may be able to open things up more in his second start of the season. He is surrounded by a potentially exciting supporting cast this year. Wilson can be his top playmaking option, it may be just a matter of a short time before the Wilson-to-Wilson hookup starts to make more noise.

Garrett Wilson ranks second among rookies with 20 catches and 255 receiving yards. We do have to be patient with some first-year players before they start making consistent fantasy contributions, and the Jets just made a switch back to their projected starter last week. This can be the week where Garrett Wilson reminds us all why he was drafted 10th overall by the Jets this season. Miami ranks 28th in FFPG allowed to WRs, and we should see the New York passing game shine in a very good matchup.

Tyler Boyd

Here is the nifty play for those digging deep for WR or flex help in Week 5. As the third WR for Cincinnati, Boyd is only going to be occasionally useful as a fantasy option. You can certainly consider starting him when the matchup is right. And yes, the matchup is right for Boyd in Week 5. Baltimore’s league-worst pass defense allows the most FFPG to WRs.

Tyler Boyd turns on the jets after spinning off the hit #RuletheJungle #TakeFlight pic.twitter.com/XY2YmOeJbB

— 3rd and Forever (@3rd_forever10k) September 25, 2022

We saw Boyd burn the Jets' defense for a 56-yard TD catch in Week 3, and he will be a threat to bust loose for a big gainer or catch a TD pass against the Ravens.  Boyd has 95+ receiving yards and a  TD catch in two of his past three road games. You can’t regularly depend on Boyd, but all of Cincinnati’s top three WRs can flourish this week, and he is an upside option in a fine matchup spot.

Quarterbacks And Tight Ends

Trevor Lawrence

He is a top 10 QB fantasy QB starter for Week 5. The Texans faced Matt Ryan, the new and frustrating version of Russell Wilson, and Justin Fields in the first three games of the season. Then Justin Herbert unsurprisingly ripped them for 340 passing yards last week. That’s the Houston defense Lawrence will really be facing this week, a unit that can handle lesser passers but should often struggle vs. better QBs.

Lawrence is certainly on the rise this season and he should bounce back well from a loss to the Eagles. He has 2+ TD passes in each of his last three games. Expect Lawrence to recapture the form of Week 3, when he upended the Chargers with three TD passes.

Derek Carr

I was among many fantasy analysts who thought Carr could deliver his best fantasy season yet with a receiving crew that was upgraded in a major way when Las Vegas acquired Davante Adams. But we have not yet seen the hoped stellar results that we were looking for. Still, we should give Carr another chance to start in fantasy lineups this week.

Kansas City has allowed the fifth-most FFPG to QBs, and Carr and the Raiders should be ready to battle hard with the Chiefs after earning their first win of the year in Week 4. Carr has two TD passes in three of four games this season. He is shooting for his fifth game in a row vs. Kansas City with 250+ pass yards, and Carr has 2+ TD passes in three of his past four games against the Chiefs.  He also has passed for 2+ TDs in his last three games on Monday Night Football.

Gerald Everett

Until this season, Everett had never been regarded as a viable fantasy starter. But he is off to a good start with the Chargers, with two 5+ reception games and two TD catches. Everett is a viable play when Keenan Allen is out, and the star WR will miss another game this week. Everett had five catches for 61 yards and a TD in Week 4. He has 50+ yards in three of four games this season. Everett can provide solid fantasy TE production this week, and can be used if you are without Kyle Pitts, or are getting tired of George Kittle or Darren Waller failing to meet your expectations.

Isaiah Likely a sleeper TE for those of you in need https://t.co/NjXh0HQvEN

— Michael F. Florio (@MichaelFFlorio) October 7, 2022

Isaiah Likely

Rashod Bateman is out with a foot injury, so Likely may be a worthwhile dart throw for TE-needy fantasy players, especially those who will be looking to fill the lineup hole created by Pitts. Likely had an eight-catch. 100-yard game in the preseason and he caught four passes for 43 yards in Week 3. The rookie could see increased targets for the Ravens this week.

Scott Engel's fantasy and betting analysis is also featured at The Game Day.

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