Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 5: Jonathan Taylor, Alexander Mattison, Brandon Aiyuk

Should I start Jonathan Taylor, Alexander Mattison, Brandon Aiyuk for Week 5? Fantasy football start em, sit em picks and recommendations for the 2023 NFL season.

Bye weeks begin in Week 5, making start-or-sit decisions tougher for fantasy managers. It's time for last-minute lineup swaps ahead of the Week 5 slate.

Jonathan Taylor, Alexander Mattison, and Brandon Aiyuk are all hot names ahead of Sunday's games. Taylor is set to return from the PUP list, Mattison has been underwhelming, and Aiyuk faces a tough matchup with the fierce Cowboys' defense.

Should you start Taylor, Mattison, or Aiyuk in Week 5? Let's dive in.

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Should I Start Jonathan Taylor for Fantasy Football?

Taylor will make his season debut after being activated from the PUP list and signing a three-year deal with the Colts. In Week 5, he'll face the Tennessee Titans, who have surrendered the fifth-fewest fantasy points to running backs. In four games, Joe Mixon is the only running back to surpass 45 rushing yards against the strong Titans' defensive front.

To make things even trickier, the Colts are expected to ease Taylor into action, meaning he'll split time with Zack Moss.

Ultimately, the former rushing champion is a risky play this week, but if you're in a tough spot on running back, he might be worth rolling the dice on. In shallow leagues, he should probably be benched.

He is the RB20 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

Should I Start Alexander Mattison for Fantasy Football?

In Mattison's first game with Cam Akers active, he handled 18 touches for 98 yards. Akers rushed five times for 40 yards and caught both of his targets for 11 yards. Akers looks to have a role in the Minnesota backfield, but Mattison should still be viewed as the primary back until further notice.

Although the matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs is tough (seventh-fewest fantasy points allowed to RBs), this Vikings-Chiefs matchup has the highest projected point total this week (53.0), so hopefully, Mattison will get in on the scoring action.

He's risky given his shaky start to the season, but he has plenty of flex value.

He is the RB21 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

Should I Start Brandon Aiyuk for Fantasy Football?

Heading into Sunday, Aiyuk is ninth among wideouts in fantasy points per game (17.5 half-PPR). He has hauled in 17 of his 20 targets for 320 yards and two scores in three games.

Based on his hot start to the season, he should be started in all formats, despite the tough matchup with the Cowboys -- who have allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to wideout through four weeks.

He is riskier than usual, but stud wideouts are often matchup-proof, and the 49ers have the personnel to flourish against an elite defense.

He is the WR10 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

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