Week 5 DraftKings NFL DFS Lineup Picks (2022): Break The Slate

Hello RotoBallers and welcome back to Break The Slate, our DraftKings NFL DFS Lineup Picks for Week 5! I appreciate you joining me in our season-long quest to find the best plays at each position for every DraftKings Main Slate.

After a Week 4 slate that featured very few obvious spots, we're faced with a similar situation in Week 5, as some of our favorite teams and players to use for DFS purposes are not available on the DraftKings Main Slate.

These DraftKings lineup recommendations are based on matchups, projected DK points and ownership, overall upside/talent levels, and opportunity, as well as factors such as Vegas odds, home-field advantage, and more. There are quite a few great plays available on DK for Week 5. Also, be sure to also check out our weekly FanDuel DFS lineup picks and lots of other great NFL DFS articles and NFL DFS tools to help you win big! Good luck with your DraftKings DFS lineups - let's Break The Slate together!

DraftKings Quarterbacks - Week 5 DFS Picks

Jalen Hurts - PHI @ ARI ($8,100)

A muted Week 4 outing – and an $8.1k price tag – might depress Jalen Hurts’ ownership a bit on this slate. However, I remain eager to lock the Philly signal caller into my DFS lineups across all game types.

While the Eagles were content to dominate on the ground in nasty weather conditions against Jacksonville last week, we should see a return to form for Hurts and the Philly passing attack in a cushy domed environment against a lifeless Arizona squad in Week 5. 

A true dual threat, Hurts has been a revelation to this point and trails only Josh Allen & Lamar Jackson in DraftKings points scored at the QB position. His elite rushing ability (205 yards & 4 TDs on the ground this year) elevates his DFS floor on a weekly basis, while his improved passing (1,120 yards, 4 TDs, & 9.1 yards per attempt) raises his ceiling to tournament-winning levels.

Tom Brady - ATL @ TB ($6,000)

Although the 45-year-old enters Week 5 a bit banged up (shoulder, finger) and reportedly dealing with off-the-field issues, Tom Brady sure does make for a tantalizing DFS play at this bargain $6k price tag. After getting off to a slow start this season, the GOAT reminded us of his upside last week against the Chiefs, throwing for 385 yards and 3 TDs on 52 attempts in a loss to KC. 

If history is any indicator, Brady is licking his chops at the prospect of this matchup against the Falcons in a spot where his Bucs have a massive projected team total of 28.5 points. He destroyed Atlanta last year to the tune of a combined 644 passing yards and 9 TDs across their two 2021 meetings. While this ATL secondary is arguably improved this season, they still rank bottom-10 in the NFL in passing yards (1,100), passing TDs (7), and DraftKings points (81.40) allowed to the QB position this year.

DraftKings Running Backs - Week 5 DFS Picks

Nick Chubb - LAC @ CLE ($8,000)

Chubb’s one-dimensional nature always makes him a frustrating play on a Full-PPR site such as DraftKings. Despite those pass-game limitations – and a not-insignificant role for backfield-mate Kareem Hunt – Chubb has still managed 20 or more touches in every game this season, leads every RB in DK points scored through Week 4, and continues to solidify his position as the best pure rusher in the NFL.

His elite ability on the ground makes him nearly impossible to ignore this week against a Chargers defense that has hemorrhaged yards on the ground. This L.A. unit has allowed an NFL-worst 6.08 yards per carry to opposing RBs and an average of 31.5 DK points per game to the position through their first four.

James Robinson - HOU @ JAX ($6,300)

The Jacksonville RB has made a truly remarkable recovery from a torn left Achilles suffered last December and has – surprisingly – been the alpha of this Jags backfield to this point, averaging 16.5 opportunities per game and a healthy 4.4 yards per carry.

Robinson comes into the week off his worst performance of the season against a stingy Philadelphia squad, but he should find both the matchup and game script more favorable this week as a home favorite against the scuffling Houston Texans. Houston ranks dead last in the NFL in both DK points (137.10) and rushing yards (564) allowed to opposing RBs. This profiles as a terrific bounce-back spot for Robinson, as the Jags should be willing and able to control this game on the ground.

DraftKings Wide Receivers - Week 5 DFS Picks

Stefon Diggs - PIT @ BUF ($8,400)

If there's such a thing as catching Stefon Diggs going under the radar, I suppose this qualifies. Buffalo's alpha/workhorse receiver heads into Week 5 on the heels of two relatively quiet outings, with an upcoming matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers expected to be a rather lopsided affair, as the Bills come in as big home favorites.

Conventional wisdom tells us to steer clear of a receiver in this type of projected game environment, with the traditional thought process being that offenses slow down and grind it out with leads. This Buffalo offense can't be labeled traditional or conservative, as they have proven themselves willing to throw throughout games no matter the score. They boast an NFL-high 70% situational-neutral pass rate and are averaging 42.5 pass attempts per game with Diggs earning an impressive average of 10.3 targets and 103.5 Air Yards per contest.

With a locked-in role in a high-powered, pass-happy offense and a sneaky-good matchup against a Steelers defense that's allowed the fourth-most DK points to opposing WRs this season, Diggs is a terrific high-upside option with ownership that should be reduced in comparison to the last couple of weeks.

Chris Olave - SEA @ NO ($5,700)

While Chris Olave’s DK price tag has (frustratingly) spiked to $5.7k, it is with good reason. After starting his rookie campaign with a rather quiet performance in the opener, Olave has since exploded in both usage and production. 

He comes into this week’s matchup against Seattle ranked fourth in the NFL in aDOT (16.0) and first in the league in Total Air Yards with a ridiculous 168.3. While there remains some uncertainty at the QB position for New Orleans as I write this, a smash matchup against the struggling Seahawks eases those concerns. Seattle stands dead last in the NFL in Pass Defense DVOA and is allowing a massive 9.25 yards per target to the WR position, which is the sixth-highest mark in the league this year.

DraftKings Tight Ends - Week 5 DFS Picks

Zach Ertz - PHI @ ARI ($4,800)

With no Travis Kelce and no Mark Andrews on the Main Slate, the TE position feels like a barren wasteland this week. As a result, it feels like a nice spot to lock in Zach Ertz and his consistent workload.

Ertz has been a major cog in this Cards’ offense over the first month of the season and we can expect that to remain the case, at least until DeAndre Hopkins returns from suspension. His 32 targets and 22 receptions are both the fourth-most among tight ends, while his 10 Red Zone targets lead the position. The matchup against his old Philly squad is middling at best, but his locked-in volume, DFS floor, and the positional scarcity on this slate make him an elite option in cash, single-entry, and 3-max formats.

Tyler Higbee - DAL @ LAR ($4,300)

With a rushing attack that looks broken and a wide receiving corps that – outside of superstar Cooper Kupp – has been plagued by injury and ineffectiveness, Rams' TE Tyler Higbee has become the de facto number-two pass catcher in this L.A. passing scheme.

Higbee's usage has been elite to this point, as he leads the TE position in total targets (38) through Week 4. He's made the most of that volume by snagging a position-leading 26 balls for 244 yards. Yet to find the paint this season, Higbee likely has some positive regression in the TD department on the horizon. Thanks to his consistent volume, he's a rock-solid option on this slate that lacks many of the NFL's superstar tight ends.

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