DJ Moore aggravated his shoulder injury against New England, and while the issue is not considered long-term, his availability for Monday’s trip to Los Angeles is in doubt. If Moore cannot go, Buffalo loses its second most targeted pass catcher in the same week Keon Coleman finally delivered a breakout afternoon. Find out whether you should start or sit Keon Coleman in Week 5 if DJ Moore is out.
Start or Sit Keon Coleman if DJ Moore is Out in Week 5 Fantasy Football?
A Moore absence would leave behind 20 targets through four games, a 17.9% share at 5.0 looks per game, along with 131 air yards and three red zone targets. Coleman was already climbing, drawing seven targets against New England after seeing nine across the first three games combined and turning them into six catches for 116 yards and a touchdown.
Coleman has also caught 14 of his 16 targets, a figure that runs directly against his reputation for drops, and he is producing 13.6 yards per target. His 173 air yards edge Dalton Kincaid’s 172 for the team lead, so the downfield assignment in this offense already belongs to him.
The ceiling on volume is Buffalo itself. The Bills score 31.8 points per game behind a 100.1 passer rating from Josh Allen, yet they throw only 29.8 times per game. Khalil Shakir (23 targets, five in the red zone) and Kincaid (19 targets) would soak up plenty of Moore’s shorter work, which means Coleman’s gain arrives as a few extra deep shots rather than a flood of new targets.
The Biggest Fantasy Risk for Keon Coleman in Week 5
The Rams take away exactly what Coleman does. They allow 28.6 PPR points per game to wide receivers on a 55.4% catch rate, against a league average of 62.7%, and they hold opponents to 70.8 air yards per game when the league sits at 104.4. With only 44 YAC all season, Coleman has little room to manufacture production against coverage that keeps the ball in front of it.
Context matters, though. Los Angeles has faced San Francisco, New York, Denver and Philadelphia, and three of those passing attacks have struggled to move the ball through the air all season. Opponents have thrown for 153.8 yards per game against the Rams, 34% below league average, so the raw numbers flatter this unit. The Rams have still surrendered six touchdowns to receivers, well above the 3.7 league average, on 14 red zone targets. Cornerback Jaylen Watson was limited Thursday with a dislocated shoulder, and safety Quentin Lake did not practice with a hip injury.
The other worry is the sample. Before Week 4, Coleman posted 1.1, 12.3 and 4.7 PPR points, and one strong game does not erase three quiet ones.
Fantasy Outlook for Keon Coleman in Week 5
If Moore is ruled out, Coleman is a Borderline Start in Week 5, best used as an upside flex rather than a dependable floor play.
The matchup caps his floor, and Buffalo’s low passing volume limits how much new work there is to go around. Fantasy managers chasing a ceiling in deeper leagues or needing a flex with touchdown equity should feel comfortable plugging him into the lineup. If Moore suits up, Coleman slides back to a deep-league dart throw, and anyone with a steadier option holding a guaranteed target load should make that the safer call.
Find more Week 5 fantasy football start/sit coverage here!