Yet another NFL Sunday is upon us, meaning it’s time for the latest edition of our weekly must-starts column. Last week’s write-up slotted into the weekly Five Lists of Five as we played substitute for the usual author, but I called my shot by going 4-for-5 on standout fantasy performances — Puka Nacua (39.0), Bijan Robinson (31.1), James Cook (25.5) and Jake Ferguson (17.0) headlined that list.
Now, we run it back once more with the Week 5 edition of fantasy football must-starts. Whether a player to build lineups around or an insane value with matchup and salary, these are guys who can smash and win you a contest this week. Let’s jump right in.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $2.75M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st]
QB Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers, $6,100
Sure, the Chargers lost last week in an ugly contest against the Giants, but three out of four games of Justin Herbert this season have been absolutely fantastic. His 21 DK FPPG comes in third-most of any starting quarterback on this slate behind only Lamar Jackson (OUT, hamstring) and Jalen Hurts, so Herbert sits among elite company. He’s completing just 62.8% of his passes but has 1,063 yards and seven touchdowns through the air so far with the 15th-highest aDOT and ninth-most big-time throws. Herbert also has 93 rushing yards as he looks to run a little more than usual, so that helps boost the floor a hair as well.
With elite weapons like Keenan Allen, Ladd McConkey, and yes… Quentin Johnston, he’s set up for success once more in a weak matchup this week. Herbert and the Chargers face a Commanders unit ranked 27th in defensive EPA/pass, 25th in passing yards allowed and 23rd in passing touchdowns allowed. With L.A. looking to throw the ball more than ever this season, watch for Herbert to access his ceiling with plenty of yardage and a handful of touchdowns in a game he may need to air it out in.
RB Woody Marks, Houston Texans, $5,400
He’s not a household name just yet, but Woody Marks seems to already be approaching that status among the fantasy football community. The rookie fourth-rounder burst onto the scene as the Texans’ lead halfback with 119 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns, good for 27.9 DKFP on the day against a soft Titans defense. Now, you may be thinking, “But isn’t the Houston offense bad?” That’s a fair question to ask, but the group showed signs of life with 26 points last week and Marks won’t look back as he secures the role of lead runner.
The opposing Ravens rank 31st in defensive EPA/rush, 27th in opponent rushing yards allowed and 32nd in opponent rushing touchdowns conceded with seven in four games. This defense is also missing players all over the field with Roquan Smith, Chidobe Awuzie, Marlon Humphrey and Nnamdi Madubuike all out as well as Kyle Hamilton dealing with a questionable tag. That spells positive game script for the Texans as they look to build momentum on offense. Even if it’s a close contest, Marks also brings elite pass-catching upside with a staggering 261 receptions in college. His soft hands help both his fantasy floor and upside, so I love the combo of salary and matchup here.
WR Garrett Wilson, New York Jets, $6,100
Rounding out the list of three, we look toward the Jets. Receiver Garrett Wilson is showcasing his talent as a quarterback-proof option and seems like he never skipped a beat with his former college quarterback Justin Fields back under center for New York. Wilson averages 19 DK FPPG with outings of 20 or more in three of four contests. Among all NFL wideouts, he ranks second in receptions (27), seventh in receiving yards (311) and has three touchdowns to his name already.
Wilson’s a legitimate WR1 this season and commands an elite 36.5% target share, second-highest of any player around the league behind only Puka Nacua. He can once more explode for a big game against a weak Cowboys secondary that sits dead-last in defensive EPA/pass, as well as passing yards and touchdowns allowed. Yes, Daron Bland came back for Dallas last week, but the usage Wilson sees as well as the potential for a shootout in this contest outweigh the coverage the star will provide. If the Jets struggle to contain an opposing offense that can pour on the points even without CeeDee Lamb, I fully expect Wilson to haul in a ton of targets and pad his stats due to game script.
