We are now a full month into the 2022 NFL season. Things have been unpredictable with no signs of that slowing down in October. Our Fantasy Football Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em Week 5 will help you make the correct lineup decisions.
Injuries also had a big impact, which makes the waiver wire doubly important.
Here are our Fantasy Football Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em Week 5 picks.
QUARTERBACKS
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Bailey Zappe (New England Patriots) Yup, that’s how we’re starting. Zappe is just a placeholder for whomever the starting quarterback is against the Lions. Detroit is incapable of stopping anyone and their offense forces teams to keep scoring. They are allowing the third-most fantasy points to quarterbacks and in their games so far this season they have given up 38, 27, 28, and 48 points. That 48 was against Geno Smith by the way. Whoever starts for New England had a ton of streaming appeal.
Jared Goff (Detroit Lions) On the other side of the field in that same game start Goff. He has been the QB5 this season and is getting no respect. He’s rarely ranked in the top 12 and his start percentage is low every week. However, he is putting up numbers every week. The Pats are a tough defense, nonetheless, he hung 35 on the Eagles’ dominant defense throwing for 215 and two TDs. The Patriots’ defense is allowing the ninth most fantasy points to opposing QBs. He should be started this week and most weeks until further notice as a QB1.
Sit ‘Em
Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers) Rodgers has not looked good this season and has a tough matchup against the Giants this week who are allowing the seventh-fewest fantasy points to QBs. Last week, Rodgers was just out there throwing terrible fade routes and was lucky his team was facing backup quarterbacks in New England. Something is wrong with this offense and there is likely a better option out there this week.
Matthew Stafford (Las Angeles Rams) Speaking of QBs that don’t like right this season, Stafford currently sits as the QB25 sitting just behind Matt Ryan, Baker Mayfield, and Davis Mills. This week he has a tough matchup against the Cowboys who have allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to opposing QBs. Dallas may also be getting the best player in their secondary Jayron Kearse back.
RUNNING BACKS
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Melvin Gordon (Denver Broncos) Unfortunately, Javonte Williams went down for the year with a knee injury last week and has left the Denver backfield in flux. There has been some controversy about who will take over because of Gordon’s fumbling woes this season. Gordon will be the guy. He’s a much better back than either Mike Boone or Latavius Murray and the team will need production not to watch balls bounce off Boone’s chest. Despite the turnover risk, Gordon will be the guy in Denver.
Tyler Allgeier (Atlanta Falcons) This is a similar situation to the Denver backfield. Cordarrelle Patterson has been placed on IR with Damien Williams and there is a debate whether Allgeier or Caleb Huntley is the guy in Atlanta. Allgeier is the play and is good enough to seize this opportunity and lock up this job for years to come. He was an underrated prospect coming out of BYU and could prove to be a league winner moving forward.
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Ezekiel Elliott (Dallas Cowboys) Zeke has been better as of late, but this week takes on the Rams who are allowing the fewest fantasy points to running backs this season. He is now a matchup-based option and this is a terrible matchup. Leave him on your bench.
Antonio Gibson (Washington Commanders) Gibson needs to be benched this week and likely until further notice. Beyond the bad matchup against the Titans, he has already been losing snaps, and now Brian Robinson is expected to return this week. We are more likely to be discussing whether to cut Gibson than start Gibson in a week or two.
WIDE RECEIVERS
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Isaiah McKenzie (Buffalo Bills) Despite splitting snaps with Jamison Crowder this season, McKenzie is the WR30 on the season. He has also scored a TD in three of four games. Crowder broke his ankle last week and is out indefinitely. McKenzie is the clear No. 2 option in this offense. As long as he’s cleared to play Sunday from the concussion protocol, he needs to be started against the Steelers. Pittsburgh is allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to wideouts.
Robert Woods (Tennessee Titans) The Titans haven’t gotten much out of their wideouts this season and now Treylon Burks is going to miss an extended period. Ryan Tannehill is going to have to throw to somebody and the next man up is Woods. This week Tennessee takes on the Commanders who are allowing the second-most fantasy points to wide receivers. Woods is a scary start, but he’s a WR1 in an outstanding matchup.
Terry McLaurin (Washington Commanders) With Jahan Dotson sidelined, McLaurin should see a bigger piece of the target pie in Washington. He has disappointed so far this season but should break out this week against the Titans. Tennessee is allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to wideouts. Limited target competition and a great matchup make him a must-start for Week 5.
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Diontae Johnson (Pittsburgh Steelers) Kenny Pickett came in last week and we saw George Pickens out-target Johnson 8-4. This week you have a rookie QB going to Buffalo. The Bills have allowed the fewest passing yards in the league throwing. Johnson suddenly has a question mark surrounding his target rate. Keep him on your bench this week.
Allen Lazard (Green Bay Packers) The Giants are allowing the second-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers and as we mentioned earlier, this passing attack looks awful. Lazard isn’t a lock to be the top wideout and even if he is, what does that look like? Avoid this passing attack altogether this week.
Rashod Bateman (Baltimore Ravens) Bateman is dealing with a mid-foot injury that knocked him out of last week’s game. That’s the kind of injury that could see him start the game and come out on the first drive. He has a bad matchup against the Bengals who are allowing the seventh-fewest fantasy points to wideouts. Bateman also hasn’t been seeing the targets we expected him to this season.
TIGHT ENDS
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Gerald Everett (Las Angeles Chargers) There seems to be hesitancy around Everett this week due to the possible returns of Keenan Allen and Donald Parham. The Browns are also allowing the eighth-fewest fantasy points to tight ends. While those fears are not baseless, you need to ride Everett until the wheels fall off. He has been too good to sit. Don’t get cute. Start him until he gives you a reason not to.
Juwan Johnson (New Orleans Saints) Although his numbers haven’t been great, Johnson has established himself as the TE1 in New Orleans. A few missed connections last week could have drastically changed how we are looking at him this week. Granted, he is just a streaming option, but this week he takes on the Seahawks, who are allowing the most fantasy points to tight ends this year. If you are throwing a dart at a streaming option this week he’s as good as any.
Sit ‘Em
Dalton Schultz (Dallas Cowboys) Schultz has been ineffective since suffering his knee injury and this week has an awful matchup against the Rams who are allowing just 2.5 points per game to tight ends. That is the second-fewest in the league. Schultz should be nowhere near your starting lineup until Dak Prescott returns.
Kyle Pitts (Atlanta Falcons) (NOW OUT) This one is going to hurt, but it may be time to sit Pitts this week until he shows you something on the field. Marcus Mariota has only thrown for 779 yards and three TDs all season. The fantasy points just aren’t there in this passing attack and there is a good chance Mariota just can’t throw the ball against this defense. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him fail to hit 200 yards for the third time this season and Pitts owners will pay the price.
