Week 5 Start/Sit
As always, the most important takeaway from this article should be to never sit your studs. Let me say that again, NEVER sit your STUDS. Your studs are the guys that can prevail no matter the matchup because they are one of the best in the world at doing what they do. Every week I will have a list of the major studs at each offensive position that should never be on your bench unless they are on bye or if they are injured, don’t outsmart yourself with their matchups. This list is intended to help you decide between 1 or more players you may not be completely sold on, on a weekly basis. Just because I don’t particularly like a certain player does not mean they should be on your bench no matter what. Some people won’t have better options than the players I don’t like and, I am human, I will make mistakes. It is also important to note that the players listed here under Start should be considered for use in DFS leagues as they will likely be available at a cheaper price or I think they are ready for an amazing week.
Quarterbacks
Studs:
Cam Newton, Aaron Rodgers, Andrew Luck, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady
Start:
Carson Wentz – To be honest I am not yet sold on Wentz and the Philly team in general. Sure they have looked good, but besides Pittsburgh looking the worst they have in years against them, they haven’t played any real competition. That being said, this is about as juicy a matchup as you can get at QB and their running game seems to be up in the air. Bye week hero here folks.
Derek Carr – Carr is silently a top 8 QB in fantasy so far in 2016. The most impressive part about that is his #1 option is playing like crap. Playing on the road in San Diego should keep Carr going strong so if you have him in a committee like I do, play him and reap the benefits.
Phillip Rivers – Seems like Rivers is finding his way on this list every week. I’d be mad to make him a stud, but the volume alone makes him a weekly option for anyone who owns him. Oakland has been torched through the air just about every week in 2016. With Gordon only averaging 3.3 YPC I’d be relying more on River’s arm than Gordon’s legs to keep up with Derek Carr and Michael Crabtree this week.
Joe Flacco – Flacco had his best week so far in the young 2016 last week and the Redskins are vulnerable through the secondary. He’s a good bye week option for those of you looking, or if you have Cam or Palmer. I am also actively targeting Raven’s WR in DFS as they are running pretty cheap, just hope whomever you pick doesn’t see a lot of Josh Norman.
Sit:
Eli Manning – This is more about the fact that Eli hasn’t been able to string much together so far this season and less about the matchup. In fact, I think this is a decent matchup since Green Bay has been allowing teams to beat them through the air and Sam Shields is still in concussion protocol. I am fully aware that this could come back and bite me in the rear, but until I see some production from his #1 wideout I am looking elsewhere if I am able.
Jameis Winston – Even though the Panther’s defense has been particularly soft in the secondary, Winston is throwing INT’s at an alarming rate in 2016. With his running game being banged up as well, he may be a decent bye week filler. If I have a better option I’m leaning away from Winston to avoid the negative points that come with INTs, especially since he will be forced to throw throughout.
Ryan Fitzpatrick – Not playing well at all, won’t have Eric Decker, and the Steel D (besides week 3) has played rock solid. Not playing him unless he’s the best option available… *shudders*
Matt Ryan – I know he’s the #1 QB in fantasy right now, but he is not a stud and therefore subject to the bench if necessary. He’s up against Denver this week and I have a nagging feeling that this train is coming to a crashing halt sometime soon. I may be wrong and he may continue his success against one of the most solid defensive units we have seen besides Seattle in the past decade, but I’m going with my gut on this one.
Running Backs
Studs:
David Johnson, Lamar Miller, CJ Anderson, Le’Veon Bell, Ezekiel Elliott, DeMarco Murray
Start:
Jordan Howard – He had 29 touches last week and gets the Colt’s Defense this week. Play. Him.
Melvin Gordon – Not overly fond of his 3.2 YPC, but Oakland’s defense is giving up 5.1 YPC to opposing running backs and Gordon is scoring at an unsustainable rate. Ride him while he’s hot or trade him before he’s not if you have some depth at RB.
Frank Gore – The old man is never going to get you a 30 point performance, but he is steady in his scoring and if he’s the worst part about your team, you’re sitting pretty. Ride him as an elite RB2 option this week and enjoy watching him pound the injured Bears defense.
LeGarrett Blount – With Brady back everyone should expect James White to get it going as Brady loves to throw 40+ times a week, and he’s going to be pissed as hell when he finally steps back onto the field. That’s what everyone thinks, what Bill Belichek thinks is something nobody outside of the Patriot’s locker room knows. I’m thinking that the Pats go up by a ton and Blount rolls all over Cleveland in the 2nd half.
Terrance West – At the surface it seems like Baltimore has found their lead back after nobody seemed to want the job through the first 3 weeks. A word of caution though: West had a poor YPC average before his 5.4 YPC performance last week. There’s a reason he wasn’t doing so well before. I think the rookie Kenneth Dixon carves out a spot for himself starting this week and West goes back to his normal self after week 5. If Dixon is in the FA pool, scoop him up now if you can. He’s the only back that will be able to take control of this run game by himself.
Sit:
Isaiah Crowell – Even though the Pats give up a decent 4.1 YPC average to opposing RBs and Crowell is a top 5 RB in standard scoring in fantasy right now, game flow is a factor in whether or not Crowell is in or Duke Johnson Jr. is in. I think DJ is going to be on the field for more snaps than Crowell and Crowell will not be able to sustain his above 5.0 YPC average he’s had so far this season.
Matt Forte – Forte has officially come down to Earth after starting the season absolutely on fire. I think there is a nagging injury keeping him in check more than opposing defense, but the Jets are keeping that to themselves. The matchup is less than desirable in Pittsburgh this week as well. I might not be sitting him if I own him because there may not be better options, but I’d be looking elsewhere if I could.
Matt Jones – Jones seems to have stepped his game up over the last couple weeks, but as I said about Crowell above, game flow will be a factor here. The Raven’s D is pretty darn good and the Redskin’s D is not. Once Joe Flacco and the Ravens go up by a few scores you won’t see much from Jonesy.
Ryan Mathews – This Eagle’s run game is in a full blown RBBC. I’m not rolling the dice on him if I have him even though game flow might work in his favor and he had the bye week to rest up.
Charles Sims – He’s banged up and the Panthers are going to score the OVER themselves this week. After last week’s showing he might catch a few balls for those of you in PPR, but he won’t get much out of the run game and the Panthers are decent at stopping opposing backs in the passing game.
Wide Receivers
Studs:
Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr, Julio Jones, AJ Green, DeAndre Hopkins, Allen Robinson, Mike Evans, TY Hilton, Brandon Marshall
Start:
Jordan Matthews – He’s toward the top of the target leaderboard over the first 3 weeks and as I said about Wentz above, you can’t find a better matchup. As long as he doesn’t see a lot of Darius Slay (which I don’t think he will), he’s primed for a great week this week.
Will Fuller – For all you DeAndre Hopkins owners out there, I feel your pain. I don’t see anything changing for Hopkins this week in Minnesota as he will be seeing a lot of Xavier Rhodes and someone has to do something in order for Houston to stay in the game. My bet is Fuller. Yuck.
Travis Benjamin/Tyrell Williams/Dontrelle Inman – One of these guys is going to see 10+ targets, another is going to score, the other is going to put up a goose egg. I have no idea which ones are which, feel free to roll the dice with any and all of them as you see fit. Small tidbit here, Inman saw 11 targets last week and that was a first for him, I doubt that happens 2 weeks in a row.
Robert Woods – Seeing all the targets from Taylor with Watkins out, if you have him in a week with a lot of byes, he’s a good option. Also very cheap in DFS, just saying/not saying.
Eddie Royal – With White on IR again and the unbelievable fact that Jeffery only gets targeted when the Bears are desperate to score, Royal is a solid option in a game that should be high scoring.
Sit:
Randal Cobb – Running crap routes and Rodgers and Jordy are enjoying each other’s company again. He’s riding pine if I have him until he gets something straight, maybe that is this week. Who knows?
Golden Tate – Yeah, he got benched in the 2nd half after running the wrong route that led to an interception. Tate is saying it’s all mental. I don’t care what it is, he’s not playing on my roster until he explodes.
Chris Hogan – Has been enjoying some productivity so far this season, but now that Brady is back I expect to see a healthy dose of some Gronk and Edelman every week. He’s nothing, but a random dart throw from here on out.
Emmanual Sanders – Here is another projection I fully understand may make me look stupid. My thinking is that Thomas has finally figured his stuff out and that Atlanta’s top CB Trufant typically lines up on the same side of the field as Sanders. If I’m a Thomas owner, I’m giddy with the matchup this week. If I’m a Sanders’ owner, I’m worried.
Terrelle Pryor – He has seen 10+ targets a week on average through the first 10 games and his usage is not slowing down anytime soon. Only thing is the Patriots are actually good and should manhandle him.
Tight Ends
Studs:
Rob Gronkowski, Jordan Reed, Greg Olsen, Delanie Walker
Start:
Kyle Rudolph – Averaging almost 9 targets per game and has been entering the promise land with regularity, I doubt you have much better options, even with a less-than-ideal matchup.
Hunter Henry – As long as Gates does not play, I am playing Henry. It is not common that rookie TEs do ANYTHING in the NFL because TEs are used in a completely different role in college, but Henry has been getting it done. Plus he’s playing Oakland who let up the most points to opposing TEs in 2015.
Cameron Brate – Meet the #2 passing option in Tampa. You want him.
Sit:
Martellus Bennett – Brady is back and I’m willing to be that so is Gronk. I don’t think Bennett is worthless as the Patriots will run 2 TE sets very often all year, but it will be hard to tell when he is going to do well or not.
Jacob Tamme – Denver doesn’t give up a lot to TEs and Tamme has some competition for targets at the position.
Dwayne Allen/Jack Doyle – I’m not starting a TE in a TE committee, this is the last time they are on here for sit as I’d sit them every week. I actually wouldn’t own one unless the other gets hurt.
