Fridays are for Five Lists of Five! And, would you lookie there—it’s Week 5. Alliteration goes sicko mode right now.
I’ll be doing this for every week of the season. Think of these as byte-sized, two-minutes-to-yourself lists to scan during your weekend as you foam at the mouth for any competitive fantasy edge. As much relevant analysis as I can fit into, like, 250 words per player (notice how that number has already ballooned since the first list?).
Kicking it off this week with five fantasy football streamers. Many of you, I’m sure, are looking for defense and quarterbacks to stream. I’ll cover those positions, as well as a few others.
Follow along at my handle @dansby_edits for stat threads with minimal emojis all week long. The minimal emojis thing is how I differentiate myself in the market, you see.
Still some emojis, though. I’m human.
Also available from this week’s Friday’s Five Lists of Five:
- Top five fantasy football buy-low players for NFL Week 5
- Top five fantasy football stash players for NFL Week 5
- Top five fantasy football sell high players for NFL Week 5
Sneak peek: we’re all in on the Colts this week.
Indianapolis Colts D/ST (at Jacksonville Jaguars; 9.5% rostered)
As I said in my Fantasy Football Week 5 Defense Start ‘Em or Sit ‘Em Picks:
There is still value in this defense, even if they had a middling 7.0-FPT performance last week against the Steelers. They did, however, record four sacks and force two fumbles. The pressure rate remains well above league-average for the Colts, and they’re causing offense to make mistakes.
As for letting Pittsburgh back into the game, I’m not quite sure how to explain that one yet. But I’m willing to give this unit one last chance against a struggling Jacksonville offense.
Through four weeks, this defense has:
- 12 sacks
- 6 forced fumbles
- 2 interceptions
- 1 blocked field goal
Jacksonville currently allows the eight-most fantasy points to opposing defenses.
Am I terrified this is the week Lawrence figures it out, and the Colts defense gets utterly bamboozled in Duval? Sure I am. But I’m going to follow the data. You should, too.
Green Bay Packers D/ST (at Los Angeles Rams; 28.4% rostered)
Also in my Fantasy Football Week 5 Defense Start ‘Em or Sit ‘Em Picks:
The Packers are so back, baby. They weren’t even gone for that long. And thank goodness. They’re one of the most exciting teams in the league to watch right now, what with all their youth, speed, and moxie.
This will translate over to SoFi Stadium, where the battered-and-bruised Rams, fresh off a devastating last-minute loss to the Bears in Chicago, await. The Packers looked like they were getting their groove back against Minnesota in the second half of Week 4. The Rams look utterly bereft of groove.
The Packers have 13 sacks on the season. Expect them to get at least three, maybe four on Sunday against this patchwork offensive line in Los Angeles. Doesn’t seem like Stafford’s immune to chucking up a freebie every now and again in the current state of this offense, either.
Joe Flacco, QB, Indianapolis Colts (at Jacksonville Jaguars)
Put simply: if Flacco’s starting against the Jags, you’re free to start him in your quarterback slot. As my colleague Sean Barnard wrote in his Fantasy Football Millionaire Picks Today: Top DraftKings NFL DFS Plays for Week 5:
Through the opening four weeks of the season, Jacksonville ranks 30th in points allowed and 30th in yards allowed. They have forced the fewest turnovers thus far, and are allowing the second-most passing yards and the sixth-most passing touchdowns.
The Colts simply have too many air-attack weapons for Flacco, behind a league-average offensive line, not to have a 15+ point day. Look for at least two passing touchdowns, and potentially more against a porous Jags team.
Adonai Mitchell, WR, Indianapolis Colts (8.2% rostered) / Alec Pierce, WR, Indianapolis Colts (17.4%)
Told you we were all in on the Colts. Flacco and either of these guys represent a fantastic stack, so long as you hit on the right one.
I break down the stats below, and in even more depth here:
Michael Pittman leads the Colts in targets with 29. No other wide receiver behind him has fifteen-or-more targets.
Pierce was an early candidate to be 2024’s most surprisingly-and-consistently explosive wideout through two games. But, in the weeks hence, his opportunities have largely fallen off. His production, with it, has tanked. I doubt, however, his talent has seen any sort of dramatic dip, seeing as we’ve heard nothing about an injury.
Mitchell is a bit more of an interesting case. His catch percentage of 15.5% is atrocious; his expected catch percentage of 49.5% isn’t great, either. We know the Colts passing game isn’t stable right now. Mitchell is suffering the most of any of its wideouts: his -91 RecYOE is one of the worst figures in the league, and is dead last on the Indianapolis roster.
A reminder of Mitchell’s superlative athleticism, as per his NFL combine scores:
- 40-yard dash: 4.34 (97th percentile)
- Speed score: 117.1 (98th percentile)
- Burst score: 135.2 (96th percentile)
- Catch radius: 10.29 (92nd percentile)
Mitchell is an absolute athletic specimen, and Pierce has flashed spectacular-catch prowess so far.
Still—break it down however you want between them both, but the volume just hasn’t been there. Neither have the opportunities. Outlandish stat: both Pierce and Mitchell have run as many routes as they have registered targets—14 for Pierce and 13 for Mitchell.
This passing game is eventually going to have to become more inclusive of its other wideouts, whether it be Anthony Richardson or Joe Flacco at the helm. I like these guys to beat out Josh Downs.
I’ll go on record saying I think Pierce is the add, here. But Mitchell is a fantastic stash, and has flashed some real talent—albeit on empty production—early in his rookie season.
Cole Kmet, TE, Chicago Bears
I think Kmet’s made enough noise that the Bears don’t have a choice but to try to feed him the ball against Carolina this weekend. Something tells me this is going to be an absolute dogfight of a matchup. Kmet usually finds himself at the center of those.
Call this one a gut pick, but Kmet is still available in over 40% of season-long leagues, and his DFS price is worth of a long look over at DraftKings.
Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB, New York Giants
Double-dipping today, because there’s just too much value on Tracy. From my stash list:
Singletary is hurt, and Tracy might be in line for the start this week. Singletary, as of this writing, is practicing Friday. Nabers is confirmed out with his concussion. Tracy impressed all preseason long.
Even if Singletary plays, Tracy will see an uptick in usage this week. He’s still only owned in 6.4% of leagues. That’s too few. He’s a surefire backup running back with a guaranteed starting role on Sunday if his already-injured teammate is ruled out.
Go get him!
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $3.25M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st].
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is thegreatdansby9) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the s and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
