Welcome to the fantasy recap and this was the last week for a while without teams on bye. Next week it starts to get tricky for fantasy owners as waiver wires become important and there’s much less margin for error. What isn’t helping is just how hard some things are to predict this season. Some big names are putting up tiny scores, lesser heralded names are putting up the odd monster and nobody knows what a good score is anymore. We’re here to recap week 5 and look ahead to week 6.
NB: Scores based on PPR leagues
Fantasy Stars:
Josh Allen (BUF) – 20cmp/424yds/4td/1int + 5rsh/42yds 36pts
Josh Allen made the most of a matchup with a banged up Pittsburgh Defence and put up the biggest score of the week. Gabe Davis helped himself to 171 yards and 2 TDs on only 3 of those 20 completions to be the highest scoring wide receiver and in an unusual turn, none of Allens’ TDs came via his legs.
Leonard Fournette (TBB) – 14rsh/56yds/1td + 10rec/83yds/1td 36pts
I had my doubts about Fournette pre-season but he seems to be one of the major focal points for the Bucs in both the running and passing game. With the wide receivers often banged up, Fournette is seemingly a constant option for Brady and a ground and an air TD against Atlanta made his managers very happy.
Taysom Hill (NO) – 0rec/0yds + 1cmp/22yds/1td + 9rsh/112yds/3td 33pts
A Tight End is predominantly there to block players or grab low yardage receptions. So the statline above shows just how much of an anomaly Taysom Hill is. A passing TD as a QB (which we know he has in his locker) and 9 rushes (many of which were designed plays) is not normal and the old argument of “should he even count as a Tight End” may resurface. But in a team which had Alvin Kamara back but no Jameis Winston, this was extraordinary.
Surprise Packages:
Tevin Coleman (SF) – 8rsh/23yds/1td + 3rec/44yds/1td 22pts
Coleman was signed to the 49ers practice squad in late September after they lost Elijah Mitchell and this was his first game of the season… An outlet in both the rushing and passing game, he was the kind of player designed to assist Jimmy Garoppolo and he did that well. Jeff Wilson also had a solid day and the 49ers seem to have a trustable tandem again.
Carson Wentz (WAS) – 25cmp/359yds/2td/1int + 5rsh/15yds 20pts
There are sometimes fantasy stat-lines that you look at and have to question their validity. This is one of them. Wentz has been much maligned for the last few weeks and yesterday the interception on the goal line that result in the Commanders losing the game was the overriding memory. However, prior to that he’d had a solid game with his 2nd largest passing yardage and the 2nd highest of all QBs in week 5 (going into MNF). Sometimes even being QB6 on the week won’t change people’s opinions.
Darius Slayton (NYG) – 6rec/79yds 14pts
The Giants have a lot of issues when it comes to receivers. It’s Saquon Barkley or bust but somehow they keep winning. Each week a different receiver seems to be handy for them and in London it was the almost forgotten Darius Slayton. This isn’t a situation where you need to rush to grab him on the waiver wire as it was only his 2nd game with a reception and he still only say 54% of snaps, but if he gets up a head of steam then maybe he could be a bye week flex play.
Disappointments:
Jared Goff (DET) – 19cmp/229yds/0td/1int + 3rsh/7yds/1fum(lost) 6pts
A hero last week, my waiver wire suggestion for this week… oh dear. The Patriots were in the bottom 5 against QBs but they owned the Lions as they shut them out. The Patriots knew the Lions game plan and did not allow for the intermediate crossing routes that have given the Lions so much success this season. If other teams take a leaf out of the Patriots playbook here then the Lions offence may already need to adapt.
Chase Edmonds (MIA) – 1rsh/1yd + 0rec/0yds 0pts
All week, fantasy oweners and content creators have discussed whether Edmonds is cutable and if Raheem Mostert has taken over for good. Well this performance supported both of those theories and a non-existent day against the Jets would suggest that the writing is on the wall for Edmonds.
Christian Kirk (JAX) – 1rec/3yds 2pts
The Jags WR had a nice looking matchup against the Texans but Houston are the Jags bogey team and they shut down Kirk as well as a number of other weapons to somewhat quieten the hype that was building around Jacksonville. I suspect this is a temporary blip for Kirk but it is a concern.
Waiver Wire pickups:
BYE Weeks: DET, HOU, LVR, TEN
QB – Geno Smith (SEA) – 40% owned – Smith seems to be getting more and more comfortable in his QB1 role and this was a 3rd above average week in a row. He is retaining the ball and using it well in often high scoring games. Next week he has Arizona and their struggling defence.
Other QB Options – WinstonvsCIN, Lawrence@IND, Garoppolo@ATL, M.Jones@CLE.
RB – Eno Benjamin (ARI) – 20% owned – Benjamin outperformed James Conner this week and with Conners history of injury concerns this is a useful move now with the potential to be something much bigger were something to happen. 8 attempts and a TD is handy but the 3 receptions for 28 yards could get higher.
WR – Alec Pierce (IND) – 30% owned – For the 2nd week running Pierce outyarded Michael Pittman and sent alarm bells ringing in the fantasy community. The Colts offence has its issues but Pierce recently has been the outlet. They have JAX, TEN and WAS upcoming so it’s a patch where they can turn it around.
TE – Logan Thomas (WAS) – 10% owned – Taysom Hill seems to always be a boom or bust player but you may want to take that chance. Most Tight Ends are a weekly gamble this season so my suggestion here is Logan Thomas. He missed week 5 through injury but should play in week 6. Wentz would have been even more effective with Thomas in the line-up and may have won the game with him available in the endzone.
DST Options – Chargers vsDEN, Bears vsWAS, Patriots @CLE, Jaguars @IND.
