Let’s dive into some news and notes around the league, my top fantasy plays and favorite picks for Week 5.
Notes:
• All eyes are on the status of Lamar Jackson, who exited Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs with a hamstring injury. Jackson is QB2 on the young season, and both the Ravens and fantasy owners will have to adjust without the two-time MVP in the lineup. It is not a season-ending injury for the Ravens quarterback, but he might miss this week and possibly more.
• Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for a couple of highly-drafted receivers. Malik Nabers and Tyreek Hill suffered gruesome knee injuries that will end their 2025 seasons. Nabers was a first-round pick for fantasy owners, while Hill was a popular choice in the third and fourth rounds. Jaylen Waddle will see a boost in his fantasy value, and Wan’Dale Robinson should be rostered in most leagues.
• It was another dreadful weekend for tight ends around the league. Jake Tonges, Tommy Tremble, AJ Barner, Hunter Long and Mitchell Evans all finished as a TE1 in Week 4. And like we all expected, Hunter Henry, Jake Ferguson and Dalton Kincaid are the top three tight ends after four weeks. This has become the most volatile position in fantasy football. Matchups matter the rest of the season.
• Some good news, shall we? The rookie running back class was electric in Week 4. Ashton Jeanty led all players in fantasy scoring. Woody Marks and Omarion Hampton finished as RB6 and RB7, respectively. Quinshon Judkins and RJ Harvey were not far behind as RB11 and RB13. Cam Skattebo and TreVeyon Henderson finished with double-digit points as well. Fantasy owners should be thrilled with how well these backs have kicked off the year. Expect even more to come.
• It’s important to note that there is another international game this week that will kick off at 9:30 a.m EST. Jaylen Warren was a surprise inactive last week and burned many fantasy owners who did not adjust their lineups Sunday morning. Make sure to check the status of all players in London before setting your roster.
• Remember to check the weather heading into Sunday for your kicker selection. Target kickers playing in domes and good weather conditions.
Thursday Night Game: 49ers vs. Rams
Sunday Morning Game: Vikings vs. Browns (in London)
Sunday Night Game: Patriots vs. Bills
Monday Night Game: Chiefs vs. Jaguars
Start ‘Em:
Quarterback: Jared Goff
Running Back: Woody Marks
Wide Receiver: Jaylen Waddle
Tight End: Dallas Goedert
Defense: Cardinals
Sit ‘Em:
Quarterback: Bo Nix
Running Back: Jacory Croskey-Merritt
Wide Receiver: A.J. Brown
Tight End: David Njoku
Defense: Ravens
Sleepers:
Quarterback: Tua Tagovailoa
Running Back: Brashard Smith
Wide Receiver: KaVontae Turpin
Tight End: Tommy Tremble
Defense: Colts
NFL Picks for Week 5
All odds are from FanDuel Sportsbook at time of writing
Weekly Pick ‘Em (Season Record: 44-19-1)
Rams (vs. 49ers)
Vikings (vs. Browns)
Cowboys (at Jets)
Colts (vs. Raiders)
Texans (at Ravens)
Eagles (vs. Broncos)
Panthers (vs. Dolphins)
Giants (at Saints)
Cardinals (vs. Titans)
Seahawks (vs. Buccaneers)
Chargers (vs. Commanders)
Lions (at Bengals)
Bills (vs. Patriots)
Chiefs (vs. Jaguars)
Five Picks Against the Spread (Season Record: 12-8)
Vikings -3.5 vs. Browns
Texans +3.5 at Ravens
Panthers -1-5 vs. Dolphins
Giants +1.5 at Saints
Chargers -2.5 vs. Commanders
Five Over-Under Totals (Season Record: 10-10)
49ers-Rams under 46.5
Raiders-Colts under 47.5
Broncos-Eagles under 44.5
Buccaneers-Seahawks over 44.5
Lions-Bengals over 49.5
One Bold Prediction for the Week
Week 1: Trevor Lawrence finishes as a top-10 QB against the Panthers (miss)
Week 2: Zay Flowers remains the overall WR1 after torching the Browns (miss)
Week 3: Daniel Jones makes it three straight weeks finishing as a top-five fantasy quarterback (miss)
Week 4: Josh Allen accounts for five total touchdowns against the Saints (miss)
Week 5: A tight end leads all FLEX-worthy players in scoring
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox