Stars of Week 5
QB: Aaron Rodgers, GB: 32-52, 442 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs
RB: Isaiah Crowell, NYJ: 15 carries, 219 yards, 1 TD
WR: Robby Anderson, NYJ: 3 catches, 123 yards, 2 TDs
TE: Eric Ebron, IND: 9 catches, 105 yards, 2 TDs
We’ve got an OG leading the way at quarterback this week, followed by a bunch of uninvited guests to the party. Aaron Rodgers started off slow against the Lions, but he turned it on during the second half with three TD passes. He was too late to pull the Packers up for a victory, but nevertheless helped out his fantasy owners. Who would’ve thought the New York J…E…T…S Jets! Jets! Jets! would provide both the top RB and WR this week? The young squad took apart the Broncos defense this past Sunday, with Isaiah Crowell roaring past the two hundred yard mark and previously lifeless Robby Anderson snagging two TD bombs from Sam Darnold. Crowell should be viewed as a high variance RB2, as he’s been boom or bust so far. The booms have been magnificent, so that keeps him above the flex line. We’ll take a further look at Robby Anderson below. Eric Ebron has been a great free agent pickup for the Colts, as he has scored five TDs so far this year. Importantly for fantasy purposes, his TDs have been spread out – he has scored a TD in four of his five games. Ebron won’t keep up this TD pace, but he’s integrated himself nicely into the Colts offense and will be a low end TE1 moving forward.
Week 5 Takeaways – A Closer Look
Each week we take a closer look at a handful of performances and sort out what such performances mean going forward.
- Chris Carson, RB – SEA: 19 carries, 116 yards, 0 TDs
- Mike Davis, RB – SEA: 12 carries, 67 yards, 1 TD
- Rashaad Penny, RB – SEA: No carries
Analysis: We’re taking our second look at the running back situation of the Seahawks, given that we’ve had major developments (i.e. Pete Carroll has finally figured out what we already knew) transpire over the last few weeks. The best Seahawks RB is Chris Carson, the second best is Mike Davis, and Rashaad Penny is clearly behind Carson and Davis. The first few weeks we saw timeshares with Carson and Penny, along with Pete Carroll thinking that Carson was tired due to three special teams plays…in other words, shenanigans. Well, the Seahawks have had a rusher eclipse 100 yards in each of the last three weeks - Carson, then Davis, then Carson this past week against the Rams. With both Carson and Davis healthy this week, the team settled into the rotation that it needs to have moving forward – roughly a 65/35 split between Carson and Davis. The Hawks offensive line mauled the stout line of the Rams, and look for this trend to continue in the weeks to come. This is an improved Seahawks’ offensive line, and both Carson and Davis run with a nasty, “Beast Mode light” type edge. Carson cements himself as an RB2, with Davis a flex play going forward. Next week the team has a juicy matchup against the hapless Raiders – look for both RBs to eat.
- James Conner, RB - PIT: 21 carries, 110 yards, 2 TDs (4 catches, 75 yards, 0 TDs)
Analysis: The Steelers have enjoyed James Conner stepping up for the team to fill Le’Veon Bell’s shoes while he’s continued his ill-advised holdout. Much like with the Seahawks RB situation, we covered Conner earlier this year as well – he’s an RB1 while Bell remains out. But, given what’s transpired over the last month, there’s an important additional angle to revisit here. Bell declared that he will return during the bye week, but there’s an open question as to whether or not the Steelers will allow him to rejoin the team. Bell does not appear to be in good graces with his teammates, coaches or the front office in the Steelers organization, and with Conner playing well, the team may very well decide to jettison Bell off to another team. So for those of you who own both Conner and Bell, you could end up splitting aces and having two RB1 for the second half of the season. On the flip side, if you don’t have Connor, give some thought to checking in on Connor’s asking price. No question there’s a risk here, but you may be able to snag Conner on the cheap with Bell’s pending return. And if Bell gets traded (let’s say 50 percent chance here), then you’ve got yourself a steal. Food for thought for those of you looking to maneuver at the RB position.
- Wendell Smallwood, RB – PHI: 3 carries, 27 yards, 0 TDs (3 catches, 44 yards, 1 TD)
Analysis: The Eagles have gotten off to a rough start in 2018, sitting at 2-3 after having won the Super Bowl last season. The team has suffered a few significant injuries over the first month of the season, and news came that starting running back Jay Ajayi has a torn ACL and will be out the remainder of the season. So what happens with the Eagles RB situation? There are outside names being thrown out there as trade possibilities – Le’Veon Bell, which the Eagles have denied, and LeSean McCoy, who makes logical sense if Bell is not in the cards. Whether a starting caliber RB comes from outside the organization remains to be seen, but in the meantime, the two next men up are Wendell Smallwood and Corey Clement. Smallwood is healthy and has averaged six yards a carry in limited duty, while Clement has averaged roughly four yards per carry in similar usage to Smallwood. Clement has also been nursing a quad injury, so Smallwood is the priority add here, with Clement also warranting an add in deeper leagues. Smallwood will be a flex option starting this week, with RB2 upside in PPR leagues.
- Robby Anderson, WR – NYJ: 3 catches, 123 yards, 2 TDs
Analysis: Jets wide receiver Robby Anderson was one of the biggest busts of the year heading into week 5. Anderson flashed last year as the Jets’ primary receiving target, and the arrow pointed up for continued ascension in 2018. Through four games, Anderson had 108 yards and 1 TD, and found himself rightfully in the discard pile in fantasy leagues. In response to being dropped by many owners, Anderson went out and connected with QB Sam Darnold on two long TD plays against the Broncos. So, is Robby Anderson going to fulfill his promise for this season after all? And should you scramble to scoop Anderson back up if you dropped him? The answer depends on your expectations. Throwing out the first game, Anderson has been targeted between four and six times per game by Darnold, as he has otherwise looked to Quincy Enunwa on a more consistent basis. That leaves Anderson as your classic boom or bust weekly option – he’ll score you twenty points one week and just four the next. Anderson should be rostered in leagues, but he’s not a weekly starter. Matchups and your other options will dictate how often Anderson starts.
- Keke Coutee, WR – Hou: 6 catches, 51 yards, 1 TD
Analysis: Rookie WR Keke Coutee found his way onto last week’s Rapid Fire Pickups section, and this week we’ll dive deeper as to why. Coutee made his NFL debut in Week 4 and hauled in 11 catches for 109 yards, with QB Deshaun Watson targeting Coutee 15 times. What a debut! For an encore, Coutee scored his first NFL TD against the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. Given that Will Fuller returned to the Texans lineup, Coutee’s targets (7) and yardage (51 yards) are not insignificant, as Coutee showed that he can remain fantasy relevant as the team’s third WR. Coutee will be the Texans’ primary slot receiver, which fits his skills well. The Texans have a poor offensive line and a subpar running game, which means that Watson will be slinging the rock. With both Hopkins and Fuller in the lineup, reasonable expectations for Coutee are somewhere in the 6-8 targets range, and this number will jump to double digits if either of his counterpart WRs miss games. Coutee needs to be rostered in all leagues, and he should be considered a flex option in deeper leagues, and bumped up if Hopkins or Fuller sit a game.
Rapid Fire Pickups
Each week we throw out potential free agent pickups from each position for deeper leagues, in each case 1) someone who has NOT been featured above, and 2) a player available in most leagues.
QB: Baker Mayfield, CLE
RB: Nick Chubb, CLE
RB: Corey Clement, PHI (see above)
WR: David Moore, SEA
WR: Christian Kirk, ARI
TE: CJ Uzomah, CIN
Week 6 Rankings
Quarterbacks:
- Patrick Mahomes, KC @NE
- Tom Brady, NE KC
- Aaron Rodgers, GB SF
- Matt Ryan, Atl TB
- Deshaun Watson, Hou Buf
- Cam Newton, Car @Wsh
- Kirk Cousins, Min Ari
- Andy Dalton, Cin Pit
- Jameis Winston, TB @Atl
- Jared Goff, LAR @Den
- Russell Wilson, Sea @Oak
- Philip Rivers, LAC @Cle
- Ben Roethlisberger, Pit @Cin
- Andrew Luck, Ind @NYJ
- Baker Mayfield, Cle LAC
- Alex Smith, Wsh Car
- Mitchell Trubisky, Chi @Mia
- Derek Carr, Oak Sea
- Joe Flacco, Bal @Ten
- Blake Bortles, Jax @Dal
Running Backs:
- Todd Gurley II, LAR @Den
- Melvin Gordon, LAC @Cle
- Ezekiel Elliott, Dal Jax
- C. McCaffrey, Car @Wsh
- Kareem Hunt, KC @NE
- Joe Mixon, Cin Pit
- James Conner, Pit @Cin
- David Johnson, Ari @Min
- Sony Michel, NE KC
- T.J. Yeldon, Jax @Dal
- Chris Carson, Sea @Oak
- Marshawn Lynch, Oak Sea
- Tevin Coleman, Atl TB
- Carlos Hyde, Cle LAC
- Jordan Howard, Chi @Mia
- James White, NE KC
- Phillip Lindsay, Den LAR
- LeSean McCoy, Buf @Hou
- Adrian Peterson, Wsh Car
- Dion Lewis, Ten Bal
- Alfred Morris, SF @GB
- Nyheim Hines, Ind @NYJ
- Tarik Cohen, Chi @Mia
- Isaiah Crowell, NYJ Ind
- Alex Collins, Bal @Ten
- Lamar Miller, Hou Buf
- Aaron Jones, GB SF
- Bilal Powell, NYJ Ind
- Royce Freeman, Den LAR
- Kenyan Drake, Mia Chi
- Austin Ekeler, LAC @Cle
- Javorius Allen, Bal @Ten
- Mike Davis, Sea @Oak
- Peyton Barber, TB @Atl
- Ito Smith, Atl TB
- Derrick Henry, Ten Bal
- Jamaal Williams, GB SF
- Ty Montgomery, GB SF
- Kapri Bibbs, Wsh Car
- Latavius Murray, Min Ari
Wide Receivers:
- Antonio Brown, Pit @Cin
- Julio Jones, Atl TB
- DeAndre Hopkins, Hou Buf
- Adam Thielen, Min Ari
- A.J. Green, Cin Pit
- Davante Adams, GB SF
- Tyreek Hill, KC @NE
- Mike Evans, TB @Atl
- Keenan Allen, LAC @Cle
- JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pit @Cin
- Stefon Diggs, Min Ari
- Julian Edelman, NE KC
- Jarvis Landry, Cle LAC
- Cooper Kupp, LAR @Den
- E. Sanders, Den LAR
- Robert Woods, LAR @Den
- Allen Robinson, Chi @Mia
- Brandin Cooks, LAR @Den
- Tyler Boyd, Cin Pit
- T.Y. Hilton, Ind @NYJ
- D. Thomas, Den LAR
- Corey Davis, Ten Bal
- Will Fuller V, Hou Buf
- Amari Cooper, Oak Sea
- John Brown, Bal @Ten
- Sammy Watkins, KC @NE
- Doug Baldwin, Sea @Oak
- Calvin Ridley, Atl TB
- Josh Gordon, NE KC
- Tyler Lockett, Sea @Oak
- Randall Cobb, GB SF
- Devin Funchess, Car @Wsh
- Michael Crabtree, Bal @Ten
- DeSean Jackson, TB @Atl
- Jordy Nelson, Oak Sea
- Keke Coutee, Hou Buf
- Mohamed Sanu, Atl TB
- Ryan Grant, Ind @NYJ
- Robby Anderson, NYJ Ind
- Kenny Stills, Mia Chi
Tight End:
- Rob Gronkowski, NE KC
- Travis Kelce, KC @NE
- Jimmy Graham, GB SF
- George Kittle, SF @GB
- Jordan Reed, Wsh Car
- Eric Ebron, Ind @NYJ
- Jared Cook, Oak Sea
- Kyle Rudolph, Min Ari
- Trey Burton, Chi @Mia
- Vance McDonald, Pit @Cin
- Cameron Brate, TB @Atl
- David Njoku, Cle LAC
- Greg Olsen, Car @Wsh
- Austin Hooper, Atl TB
- Ricky Seals-Jones, Ari @Min
- C.J. Uzomah, Cin Pit
- Hayden Hurst, Bal @Ten
- Geoff Swaim, Dal Jax
- Niles Paul, Jax @Dal
- Charles Clay, But @Hou
Defense/Special Teams:
- Chicago Bears @Mia
- Jacksonville Jaguars @Dal
- Houston Texans Buf
- Green Bay Packers SF
- Minnesota Vikings Ari
- Los Angeles Rams @Den
- Baltimore Ravens @Ten
- Dallas Cowboys Jax
- Tennessee Titans Bal
- Los Angeles Chargers @Cle
- Cleveland Browns LAC
- New York Jets Ind
- Seattle Seahawks @Oak
- Carolina Panthers @Wsh
- Miami Dolphins Chi