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
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Week 5 NFL Matchups Analysis: Start/Sit for Fantasy Football (Part 2)

By Broderick Delaney [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

By Broderick Delaney [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia CommonsWelcome to Week 5 of NFL and fantasy football action, RotoBallers. Each week of the NFL season, we will be breaking down each of the NFL matchups and providing you with some fantasy football advice and lineup recommendations based on matchups that we love, matchups that we hate, and some high-risk/high-reward players, as well.

Below, you will find our Week 5 NFL matchups & fantasy football start/sit analysis, which should hopefully help you prepare your lineups to win this week. It is essential to analyze the weekly NFL matchups to find lineup sleepers and gems, while also avoiding those players who may turn out to be busts. 

To read about the rest of this week’s NFL matchups, check out Start/Sit &  Matchups Analysis for Games 1-7 and our Week 5 Standard and PPR Rankings And of course you can always stop by the RotoBaller chat rooms for any live advice you may need.

 

Bills @ Lions - Sunday 10/5, 1:00 PM EST

Matchups We Love

Matthew Stafford: The Bills have put up an adequate defense against the pass this season, but Stafford's points have always come from volume rather than efficiency.  He's a QB1 this week.

Golden Tate: Calvin Johnson's ankle injury has led to an increased role for the former Seahawk, and if Johnson continues to struggle, Matt Stafford will most likely look Tate's way.  Tate is a high-end flex/low-end WR2 this week.

C.J. Spiller: He's seeing consistent usage in the Buffalo offense this season, and he's still a home run threat every time he touches the ball.  The Lions defense is good, but Spiller is still an RB2 this week.

Matchups We Hate

Reggie Bush: He's behind Isaiah Crowell in points scored this season in standard formats... and Crowell's had his bye already.  While the injury to Joique Bell means that Bush may see an uptick in usage, the Lions running game hasn't been great this year.  You can probably do better in the flex this week.

Kyle Orton: If you're considering starting Orton, you should probably take a step back and consider the choices you've made in your life and how they've brought you to this point.

Fred Jackson: While his receptions may make him more valuable in PPR leagues, Jackson's clearly the number two option in Buffalo against a stingy Lions front seven.  Pass on him this week.

High Risk, High Reward

Eric Ebron: Ebron's workload has increased with the injury to Joseph Fauria and he scored his first touchdown last week against the Jets. He could be an up-and-comer, or he could be a flash in the pan this season.

Other Matchups

Sammy Watkins: He's been a decent flex option with EJ Manuel under center, and Kyle Orton could be an improvement.  Emphasis on "could."  He's still a decent enough flex play this week, but don't expect much more than that.

 

Ravens @ Colts - Sunday 10/5, 4:25 PM EST

Matchups We Love

By Jeffrey Beall (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia CommonsAndrew Luck: He has eight touchdown passes in the last two games versus one interception.  Start him, call Pharrell Williams and Daft Punk, and see if they'd be interested in playing a set for you in front of this week's opponent.

Steve Smith, Sr.: He's thriving in Baltimore (No. 3 WR in fantasy through four weeks), and he's not yet failed to put up 70 yards in a game.

Ahmad Bradshaw: Somehow, Bradshaw is the fourth-highest scoring RB in fantasy this season.  Somehow, the Colts have failed to realize this and give Bradshaw half the carries that Trent Richardson sees.  He's a good start at RB this week, but no higher than RB2 against the tough Ravens defense.

Matchups We Hate

Trent Richardson: Richardson sports a horrifying 3.3 yards per carry.  You may be tempted to start him based on his first double-digit game last week, but don't be fooled.

Colts wide receivers: Andrew Luck is like Drew Brees.  Both are incredibly talented quarterbacks, and both love to throw the ball to about 20 separate targets per game.  I'm pretty sure Chris Pratt's caught a touchdown pass from Luck this season, but Luck's top two fantasy receivers this season have caught one touchdown between them.

Ravens running backs: Is Bernard Pierce back?  If he is, Baltimore now has three backs in the stable, and nobody really knows how touches will be distributed.  Steer well clear of the RBBC unless you're in a PPR league in which case Forsett is flex'able.

High Risk, High Reward

Dwayne Allen: He's scored three touchdowns this season, but the Ravens defense is pretty stingy against tight ends.  In other news, I feel like I just need to bind "hope for a touchdown from this tight end, he's no Jimmy Graham," to Ctrl+T or something.  It'd save me a ton of time.

Other Matchups

Joe Flacco: Whatever his playoff bonafides, he's never been a great fantasy option.  There are better options than Flacco, but there're also worse ones.

 

Steelers @ Jaguars - Sunday 10/5, 4:25 PM EST

Matchups We Love

Antonio Brown: Typically, I try to avoid hyperbole when evaluating fantasy players, but if I were to be knocked out until Monday and you told me Brown had 400 yards receiving and eight touchdowns against the Jaguars, I'd probably say "yeah, that sounds about right."

Le'Veon Bell: Bell is one of the few consistent scorers at running back so far this season, and, you know, Jacksonville.

Ben Roethlisberger: I wouldn't usually recommend the 14th-ranked QB in fantasy that highly, but it's the Jags.  It may feel like I'm picking on Jacksonville, but I do it out of love.  Their defense makes anyone starting against them a goldmine.  I love owning those players.

Matchups We Hate

The Jacksonville Jaguars: I don't feel like there's anything else I can say without being cruel at this point.  Don't start them.

High Risk, High Reward

Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson: OK, OK, the Jags do at least have Hurns and Robinson.  You can trot them out this week and hope they go for 20+, but bear in mind they could also go for less than 5.

Other Matchups

Heath Miller: Please don't make me write it again.  I'm starting to hear voices in my head, and all they say is "hoooooope for a toooooooooouchdown," like a forgotten Scooby-Doo villain.

 

Cardinals @ Broncos - Sunday 10/5, 4:25 PM EST

Matchups We Love

Peyton Manning: Do not let yourself get psyched out by Arizona's legit defense.  He's still Peyton.

Julius Thomas: The rare tight end exception, and a breath of fresh air at this point.  He's scored five touchdowns this season; you're starting him.

Andre Ellington: Denver's run defense hasn't been stellar this season, and Ellington's had a bye week to heal up.  Play him as your RB2 this week.

Michael Floyd: He disappeared in Week 2, but in his other two contests, he's had 119 and 113 receiving yards.  He's a legit deep threat and a solid option at WR2 or flex.

Matchups We Hate

Arizona's Quarterback: It's either the uninspiring Drew Stanton or a less-than-100% Carson Palmer.  Play someone else this week.

Montee Ball: He's been unimpressive so far this season, and his game against the Seahawks may portend another no-show against a similarly talented defense.

Larry Fitzgerald: Age is hitting this Cardinals great, and with the iffy options at quarterback, it's worth looking elsewhere to fill your WR slot this week.

Wes Welker: Even without the concussion risk, Welker falls at around number four in the Broncos pecking order.  It may be time to move on from the diminutive dynamo.

High Risk, High Reward

Demaryius Thomas: It would've been unfathomable to find Thomas here around draft day, but he's been uncharacteristically quiet this season.  The recent production says bust, but history says he's a star.  It's up to you which way you think he's going.

Other Matchups

Emmanuel Sanders: He's yet to find the end zone, but he's producing on yards alone.  He may not be Peyton's favorite red zone target, but you can expect solid yardage out of him.

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

NASCAR1 hour ago

Bubba Wallace Wrecked at Las Vegas, but Showed Promising Speed
Alex Bowman1 hour ago

Recovered From Loose Wheel to Finish Seventh
Austin Cindric1 hour ago

Won Stage 1, but Loose Wheel Foiled Victory Bid
William Byron1 hour ago

Lost Las Vegas Race on Strategy, but Still Expanded Points Lead
Ryan Preece1 hour ago

Earned Best Career Non-Drafting Oval Finish at Las Vegas
Mookie Betts6 hours ago

Won't Play In Tokyo Series Against Cubs
Tee Higgins6 hours ago

Becomes Highest-Paid WR2 In NFL History
Ja'Marr Chase6 hours ago

Bengals Make Ja'Marr Chase The Highest-Paid Non-QB In NFL History
Brandin Podziemski7 hours ago

On Track To Return Tuesday
Christian Braun7 hours ago

Tagged As Probable On Injury Report
Aaron Gordon7 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Monday
Jamal Murray7 hours ago

Iffy For Monday
Nikola Jokić7 hours ago

Nikola Jokic May Sit Out Meeting With Warriors
Quinten Post7 hours ago

Uncertain For Monday
Stephen Curry8 hours ago

Questionable To Play On Monday
Vince Williams Jr.9 hours ago

Returning On Monday
Coby White9 hours ago

Tagged As Probable For Monday
Josh Giddey9 hours ago

Doubtful For Monday
Gary Trent Jr.9 hours ago

Cleared For Sunday
Scotty Pippen Jr.9 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Monday
Ja Morant9 hours ago

Won't Play Monday
Aaron Nesmith10 hours ago

Questionable Versus Minnesota
Tyrese Haliburton10 hours ago

On The Injury Report For Monday Night
Michael Tonkin10 hours ago

Will Open Season On Injured List
Aaron Wiggins10 hours ago

Returns To Action Against Bucks
Michel Otañez10 hours ago

Michel Otanez Shut Down From Throwing
Myles Turner10 hours ago

Questionable Against Minnesota
Kyle Kuzma10 hours ago

Ready To Play Sunday
Pascal Siakam10 hours ago

Won't Play On Monday
Damian Lillard10 hours ago

Good To Go Sunday
Giannis Antetokounmpo10 hours ago

Available Against OKC
Brandon Marsh10 hours ago

Exits Early Sunday
Royce Lewis10 hours ago

Expected To Begin 2025 On Injured List
Miami Dolphins10 hours ago

Ryan Stonehouse Signs With Dolphins
Sam Darnold11 hours ago

Could Opt Out After One Season
Mark Andrews11 hours ago

Unlikely To Be Cut
Igor Shesterkin12 hours ago

Remains In Rangers Crease Sunday
John Gibson12 hours ago

Still Out On Sunday
Nick Bjugstad12 hours ago

Returns For Utah Sunday
Filip Chytil12 hours ago

Questionable For Sunday
Jiri Kulich12 hours ago

In Concussion Protocol
Adam Pelech13 hours ago

Out On Sunday
Zach Hyman13 hours ago

A Game-Time Call Sunday
Bailey Falter13 hours ago

Ready To Go For Monday
Yu Darvish13 hours ago

Dealing With Fatigue
Clarke Schmidt13 hours ago

Won't Start On Monday
Mark Leiter Jr.13 hours ago

Should Be Ready For Opening Day
David Bednar13 hours ago

Not Officially Named Closer
Yoán Moncada14 hours ago

Yoan Moncada Could Land On Injured List
Atlanta Falcons14 hours ago

Keith Taylor Signs With Falcons
Atlanta Falcons14 hours ago

Storm Norton Back With Atlanta
Ronnie Rivers15 hours ago

Re-Ups With Rams
Mason Adams15 hours ago

Diagnosed With Flexor Strain
Joey Gallo15 hours ago

White Sox Release Joey Gallo
Sean Burke15 hours ago

Named Opening Day Starter
Jung Hoo Lee16 hours ago

Expected To Remain Sidelined For A Few Days
Max Kepler16 hours ago

Exits Early On Sunday After Collision
Eiberson Castellano16 hours ago

Could Win Bullpen Job
Kyle Freeland16 hours ago

Rockies Name Kyle Freeland Their Starter For Opening Day
Royce Lewis16 hours ago

Exits Early On Sunday
Ramón Urías16 hours ago

Ramon Urias Expected To Return On Thursday
Emmanuel Rivera16 hours ago

Dealing With Sore Shoulder
New York Jets17 hours ago

Derrick Nnadi Signing With Jets
Washington Commanders17 hours ago

Eddie Goldman Joins Commanders On One-Year Deal
Cooper Rush18 hours ago

Agrees On Two-Year Deal With Ravens
Baltimore Ravens20 hours ago

Ben Cleveland Remaining With Ravens
Seattle Seahawks20 hours ago

Shemar Jean-Charles Signing With Seahawks
Velus Jones Jr.20 hours ago

Signs With Saints
Christopher Bell21 hours ago

Quest For Four Wins In A Row Just Got More Difficult
Kyle Larson22 hours ago

Should Contend For Another Win At Las Vegas
Ryan Blaney22 hours ago

Once Again The Chalk DFS Pick At Las Vegas
Ross Chastain22 hours ago

Fastest In Practice At Las Vegas
Chris Buescher22 hours ago

Has Sneaky Upside This Weekend
Quinton Byfield22 hours ago

Scores In Sixth Straight Contest
Chase Elliott22 hours ago

May Be A Sneaky DFS Option For Las Vegas Lineups
Artemi Panarin22 hours ago

Extends Point Streak To Eight Games
Pyotr Kochetkov23 hours ago

Shuts The Door On Flyers On Saturday
William Byron23 hours ago

Expect William Byron To Compete For The Win At Las Vegas
Tyler Reddick23 hours ago

Is One Of The Top DFS Options For Las Vegas
Anthony Cirelli23 hours ago

Strikes Twice On Saturday
Denny Hamlin23 hours ago

Could Denny Hamlin Be A Quality Driver For DFS At Las Vegas?
Alex Ovechkin23 hours ago

Scores Goal, Adds Assist In Victory
Connor Dewar23 hours ago

Scores Twice On Saturday
NASCAR23 hours ago

Bubba Wallace Could Be A Solid DFS Option For Las Vegas
Brad Keselowski23 hours ago

Qualifies Deep In The Field For Las Vegas
Erik Jones23 hours ago

Is Erik Jones Worth Rostering At Las Vegas This Week?
Daniel Suarez23 hours ago

Should Fantasy Managers Roster Daniel Suarez At Las Vegas?
Carson Hocevar23 hours ago

Showcases Speed And Can Be Worth Rostering At Las Vegas
Ryan Preece24 hours ago

Is Ryan Preece A DFS Fade For Las Vegas Lineups?
Joey Logano1 day ago

Likely To Lead At Las Vegas, But Will He Lead Enough For DFS Consideration?
Jordan Mason1 day ago

Vikings Acquire Jordan Mason From 49ers, Sign Him To Two-Year Deal
Dee Eskridge1 day ago

Sticking With Dolphins
JuJu Smith-Schuster1 day ago

Returning To Chiefs
Tennessee Titans1 day ago

Chidobe Awuzie Released By Titans
Parris Campbell1 day ago

Headed To Dallas
Jiri Kulich1 day ago

Sustains An Upper-Body Injury Saturday
Tyler Myers1 day ago

Set To Return Against Blackhawks
Nikita Kucherov1 day ago

Good To Go Against Bruins
Yegor Chinakhov1 day ago

Rejoins Blue Jackets Lineup Saturday
Joel Armia1 day ago

Expected To Return On Saturday
Brady Tkachuk1 day ago

Available Saturday
Adam Fox1 day ago

Ready To Rejoin Rangers Lineup
Philadelphia Eagles2 days ago

Patrick Johnson Rejoins Philadelphia
Los Angeles Rams2 days ago

Larrell Murchison Back With The Rams
Eeli Tolvanen2 days ago

Scores Twice In Victory
Roman Dolidze3 days ago

Set For A Rematch
Marvin Vettori3 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Chidi Njokuani3 days ago

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos3 days ago

Looks For His 12th UFC Win
Kurt Holobaugh3 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 104
Alexander Hernandez3 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Cody Gibson3 days ago

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Da'Mon Blackshear3 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 104
Brendson Ribeiro3 days ago

Searching For Second UFC Win On Saturday
Diyar Nurgozhay3 days ago

Set To Make His UFC Debut
MMA3 days ago

Seung Woo Choi In Dire Need Of Victory
Kevin Vallejos3 days ago

Makes Debut At UFC Vegas 104
Jacob Bridgeman5 days ago

Use Caution For Jacob Bridgeman At TPC Sawgrass
Nicolai Hojgaard5 days ago

Looks To Stay Consistent Heading Into PLAYERS Championship
Karl Vilips5 days ago

Makes PLAYERS Championship Debut After First PGA Tour Win
Taylor Pendrith5 days ago

A Sneaky Play At TPC Sawgrass
Sahith Theegala5 days ago

Out Of Form Ahead Of The PLAYERS Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick5 days ago

A Shaky Play Heading Into PLAYERS
Scottie Scheffler5 days ago

Eyeing Three-Peat At TPC Sawgrass
Aldrich Potgieter5 days ago

A Risky Play At TPC Sawgrass
Si Woo Kim5 days ago

Looks To Keep Building Momentum At The PLAYERS
Denny McCarthy5 days ago

Looks To Continue Solid Play At TPC Sawgrass
Collin Morikawa5 days ago

Poised For Another Strong Performance At TPC Sawgrass
Robert MacIntyre5 days ago

A Risky Play With Upside At The PLAYERS Championship
Jordan Spieth5 days ago

Looking To Change Fortunes At TPC Sawgrass
Cameron Young5 days ago

Avoid Cameron Young At The PLAYERS Championship
Michael Kim5 days ago

Continues Incredible Form Ahead Of The PLAYERS Championship
Justin Thomas5 days ago

Looking For More Magic At TPC Sawgrass
Xander Schauffele5 days ago

Continues Competitive Return At The Players Championship
Rory McIlroy5 days ago

Looks To Reverse Recent History At TPC Sawgrass
PGA5 days ago

Victor Hovland Looking To Find Form At The PLAYERS Championship
Brian Harman5 days ago

A Sleeper Pick At The PLAYERS Championship
Min Woo Lee5 days ago

A Hard Name To Trust At The Players Championship
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Albert Haynesworth - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Worst NFL Free Agent Signings Of All Time

With the free agency period for the 2025 NFL season now underway, many big-name players will find new homes as teams compete to sign anyone and everyone they think they need to help their squad. While many signings end up being good moves, or at least help their teams fill holes at certain positions on […]


Cole Kmet - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL injury News

Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets and Avoids: Tight Ends to Buy or Sell (2025)

It's tough to find good tight ends in dynasty fantasy football. Unfortunately, it's also very easy to be stuck with one that sticks around in the doldrums of low production. Such is the case for many TEs, and even those who have good seasons here and there often lack consistency year over year. It's not […]


D'Andre Swift - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injuries

Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets and Avoids: Running Backs to Buy or Sell (2025)

Running back volume and production is highly mercurial in the NFL. It can thus be difficult to know when to trade away and when to trade for tailbacks. There is constant competition for roles in certain backfields, and red-herring situations are abound due to injuries and plain luck. While some RBs are certainly safe in […]


Josh Downs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News Updates

2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Third-Year Breakouts

Patience can be tough, especially in fantasy football. We want instant production from rookies, but these players often take a while to get going. These youngsters need to adjust to the speed of the NFL and learn from their early struggles to break out fully. The third year in the NFL is oftentimes when things […]


Justin Fields - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL Free Agency Winners and Losers - Fantasy Football Outlooks from Florio

Free Agency is the most fun week of the NFL offseason. Even when it is not the strongest class, there is never a shortage of excitement. Players changing teams at a rapid rate. It is a week filled with hope that your favorite team will add stars and that those under-the-radar players you love will […]


Josh Downs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News Updates

Josh Downs Fantasy Football Dynasty Outlook (2025)

The 2025 NFL Draft is quickly approaching. For the last few months, dynasty fantasy football gamers have been meticulously studying the incoming rookie class to gain any edge they can on their league mates. While we should be anxiously awaiting our rookie drafts, we must also take time and analyze how veteran players are valued […]


Tyron Smith Top Landing Spots: 2025 NFL Free Agency Outlook

New York Jets and former long-time Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith was one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL for an extended period of time. He's made five All-Pro teams, two with the first team and two with the second team, been selected to eight Pro Bowls, and earned a spot on […]


Bills Defense - Von Miller IDP Rankings, D/ST Streamers, Fantasy Football Team Defense

Von Miller Top Landing Spots: 2025 NFL Free Agency Outlook

Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller, one of the greatest pass-rushers in NFL history, was released by his team on March 9, 2025. He had signed a six-year, $120 million deal with the team in 2022, but the soon-to-be 36-year-old wasn't able to make it to the end of that contract, so he's now looking for […]


Aaron Jones - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Staying Put - Impact Players Re-signed: Aaron Jones, Zach Ertz, Jaylen Warren, more

NFL free agency is a frenzy. As football fans, we love to see the movement around the league. It allows us to dream about the possibility of our team signing a fresh player who could make a serious impact. However, one cannot overlook the impact of re-signing significant contributors. While it is not as exciting […]


Tucker Kraft - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets: Wide Receivers and Tight Ends To Buy in 2025

My friend Josh used to make me listen to the Bring Me The Horizon song "Diamonds Aren't Forever," which begins with the line "We will never sleep, cause sleep is for the weak." That sentiment rings true in fantasy football dynasty leagues as well. You can't get complacent. You can't stop thinking about how to […]


Zay Flowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Dynasty Fantasy Football WR Buy or Sell: Zay Flowers, Rashee Rice, and Jordan Addison (2025)

The 2024 NFL Draft class had seven first-round wide receivers. Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze were selected in the top 10. Meanwhile, Brian Thomas Jr., Xavier Worthy, Ricky Pearsall, and Xavier Legette were Day 1 selections. More importantly, Nabers and Thomas finished their rookie seasons as top-7 wide receivers in half-point PPR […]


Courtland Sutton - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Sleepers, Draft Targets: Early 2025 Analysis

One of the biggest factors in winning fantasy football teams is finding middle-to-late-round sleepers. With wide receivers typically carrying the most drafted players of any position, it makes sense that taking multiple stabs at the position in search of hitting multiple-round values is the way to set yourself apart in drafts. For 2025, the draft […]


Caleb Williams - Fantasy Football Rankings, QB, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

2025 NFL Free Agency Frenzy: Biggest Winners and Disappointments at Every Fantasy Football Position

NFL franchises will have an opportunity to reshape their rosters before the draft. Fantasy managers will have a chance to read the tea leaves and make measured strikes against their fantasy football opposition ahead of rookie drafts. Savvy managers will use this period to try to get the best return on some previous investments, as […]