Week 5 of the NFL season has arrived! Injuries have already thrown a wrench into multiple receiving corps around the league, so it’s time to take a deep dive into the position.
Let’s break down my Week 5 start ’em, sit ’em fantasy football wide receiver picks.
Start ‘Em: Wan’Dale Robinson (Giants) at Seahawks
Amidst the Malik Nabers hype — which is well-deserved — as the overall WR1, another Giants receiver has quietly produced at a high level.
Robinson doesn’t turn his receptions into a ton of yards, but he catches a lot of balls. Through four games, the speedy slot receiver has brought in 26 of his 38 targets, also racking up a touchdown. With Nabers making plays downfield, Robinson serves as Daniel Jones’ security blanket over the middle.
That production has earned Wan’Dale the PPR WR22 ranking heading into Week 5, when he’ll take on a stout Seahawks defense. This matchup could get away from New York quickly, which benefits Robinson from a game script perspective. He may not put up huge numbers, but the 23-year-old is a solid start on Sunday.
Sit ‘Em: Jordan Addison (Vikings) vs. Jets
I don’t want to rain on the parade of fantasy managers who roster Addison… but I’m going to.
The 22-year-old racked up an impressive 22.9 PPR points against the Packers in Week 4, but the manner he did so gives me concern about his potential to repeat it. Addison only saw four targets on a 66% snap share, also earning a rare rushing touchdown on his only carry.
This Sunday, he’ll take on an incredibly tough Jets secondary in London. Minnesota’s No. 2 receiver will see a lot of Sauce Gardner, who doesn’t travel often. While last week’s production was a step in the right direction, I need to see Addison carve out a larger target share on a consistent basis.
Check out my full Week 5 start/sit article with picks at each position here!
Start ‘Em: Tee Higgins (Bengals) vs. Ravens
This feels like a breakout performance waiting to happen.
Higgins put together a solid Week 4 outing against Carolina, catching six balls for 60 yards. While Joe Burrow’s second option didn’t find the end zone, he did lead the team in targets and receptions. Tee showcased the dynamic playmaking that was missing for most of last season on a myriad of occasions in his second game back from injury.
This week, he’ll take on a Ravens secondary that is allowing the fourth-most receiving yards and a whopping 36.1 fantasy points to opposing WRs per game. Even if Higgins doesn’t find the end zone, his upward trajectory should continue in this crucial matchup for Cincinnati.
Fantasy Advice Twitter Takeover
On Sunday from 11-1 ET, Jeff Pratt will be taking over the DraftKings Network X account to answer all of your start/sit questions. Don’t miss out!
Sit ‘Em: Brandon Aiyuk (49ers) vs. Cardinals
It’s time.
Two weeks of underwhelming production could be a coincidence. Three weeks is when concerns are heightened. Four weeks is when you move a guy to the bench.
The frustrating thing about Aiyuk’s situation is we all know he’s due for a huge outing at some point. The 26-year-old is simply too talented to be kept under 10 fantasy points per game consistently. However, when a “franchise cornerstone” only sees 25 targets over four games, it’s time to look elsewhere until further notice.
With San Francisco’s receiving corps fully healthy — and the emergence of Jauan Jennings — there are almost too many weapons for Brock Purdy to work with, and this is without Christian McCaffrey available. Hopefully Aiyuk’s stint on your bench won’t last long and he breaks out of this slump, but there are better options available this week.
Start ‘Em: Christian Kirk (Jaguars) vs. Colts
The Jaguars are a mess, but both of their top receivers have quietly come to life over the last couple games. I’m also quite high on Brian Thomas Jr.’s prospects this week — so if you have him, start him — but I’m giving the slight edge to the veteran.
Kirk racked up a whopping 22 targets across Weeks 3 and 4, catching 15 of those balls for 140 yards, also finding the end zone against Houston. Jacksonville’s run game is in a state of complete disarray, which means Trevor Lawrence will have to keep looking to the air in hope of securing his squad’s first win.
Kirk has been Lawrence’s go-to guy when healthy, and I expect that to remain the case against a Colts secondary that has allowed 36.23 fantasy points per game to opposing receivers.
Those are my start ’em, sit ’em Week 5 fantasy football wide receiver picks! Stay tuned for more fantasy advice later this week.
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
