Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 5: Garrett Wilson, Courtland Sutton, Jaylen Waddle

It's still early in the 2023 NFL season, meaning fantasy managers are still tasked with making tough lineup decisions based on limited data. Garrett Wilson, Courtland Sutton, and Jaylen Waddle are all hot names ahead of Sunday's games.

Wilson has been downgraded to the low-end WR2 range after the season-ending injury of Aaron Rodgers, Sutton has been the Broncos WR1 with Jerry Jeudy banged up, and Waddle has been unreliable through Week 4.

Should you start Wilson, Sutton, or Waddle in Week 5? Let's dive in.

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Should I Start Garrett Wilson for Fantasy Football?

Garrett Wilson's fantasy outlook changed dramatically just four snaps into the first Monday night game of the season. Coming off a rookie season when he took home AP Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, Wilson was in line for a significant bump in production with Aaron Rodgers behind center for the Jets. The duo flashed their potential with an end zone fade in the last preseason game, and fantasy managers were excited about what was in store for Wilson.

Since Week 1, the narrative surrounding the Jets' offensive woes has been centered around the ineffectiveness of quarterback Zach Wilson. Encouragingly, the Wilsons are building on their chemistry with each passing game. The Jets wide receiver has seen his targets tick up each week from eight in Week 2, nine in Week 3, and 14 in Week 4. The Jets put up a fight against the reigning Super Bowl Champions and have momentum heading into Week 5.

Wilson and the Jets face the Denver Broncos on Sunday. The Broncos have been one of the easiest matchups for offenses, allowing the highest completion percentage and the most passing touchdowns. The Broncos have also given up the fourth-most passing yards and highest yards per attempt. The Jets offense should continue to improve, and Wilson will be the primary beneficiary. Wilson is a strong start for Week 5.

He is the WR17 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

Should I Start Courtland Sutton for Fantasy Football?

Courtland Sutton has been operating as the Broncos WR1 with Jerry Jeudy missing Week 1 and working through a knee injury the past few weeks. Sutton has done a decent job, earning at least five targets in every game and scoring a touchdown in three of four games. Last season, Sutton took a backseat to Jeudy when both receivers were healthy, but Jeudy still might not be healthy, and the new coaching staff could prefer running through Sutton.

The Denver Broncos face the New York Jets at home in Week 5. The Jets have been one of the tougher matchups for wide receivers, earning the eighth-highest PFF grade for defensive coverage against receivers. With the Jets improving offense and strong defense, it could be tough sledding for the Broncos.

Sutton is the WR32 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings, putting him in the WR3/flex range for his Week 5 matchup. With reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Sauce Gardner guarding him, Sutton could have a tough time in this contest. I recommend sitting Sutton if you have the luxury to do so.

Should I Start Jaylen Waddle for Fantasy Football?

The Dolphins offense has been one of the best in the league through four weeks, and their game against the Denver Broncos showed just how explosive the team can be. The Dolphins exploded for 70 points against the Denver Broncos without the help of their WR2, Jaylen Waddle. Waddle had struggled to find the weekly upside he possessed last season.

Waddle had two decent performances in Weeks 1 and 2, gathering four receptions for over 75 yards in both contests. While those numbers are solid, they are pedestrian compared to what you would expect from a wide receiver often selected in the second or third round of fantasy drafts. After missing Week 3, Waddle returned in Week 4 with four catches for 46 yards. The Dolphins speedster has yet to score a touchdown this season, so a week-winning performance could be on the way.

Despite his underwhelming start, Waddle is the WR10 in our weekly rankings against the New York Giants. The Giants have not given up many passing yards or touchdowns, but this is because the Giants are often losing, and teams choose to run more against them. The Giants have the fourth-lowest PFF grade for defensive coverage against receivers, and Waddle should be able to capitalize on the easy matchup. Waddle is a strong start against the Giants in Week 5.

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