DraftKings NFL Millionaire Picks: Best DFS Plays for Week 5

It’s a full day of NFL action across the Week 5 slate, starting across the pond with a morning matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars and building out to the Sunday night battle between the Baltimore Ravens and Atlanta Falcons. In between, we’ve got eight games kicking off at 1 p.m. and three matchups in the afternoon windown.

You can get involved with DraftKings Sportsbook and DFS contests. To maximize your DFS lineups, here are a few players poised to outperform their price point and give you an edge across the Sunday slate. Here’s my top DFS lineup and the logic behind each selection.

Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $2.75M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st]

DraftKings NFL Millionaire Picks: Best DFS Plays for Week 5

Quarterback

Jacoby Brissett ($5,500)

Jacoby Brissett may not be the flashiest name to start with, but he is affordable and effective enough to save bigger stars for later in your lineup. Through the opening four weeks, the Cardinals’ starting quarterback has completed 67.8% of his passes for 818 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions. Brissett has added 43 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground, and currently ranks 23rd among quarterbacks in fantasy football output on DraftKings at 15.8 points per game. This is far from ideal, but the path should get easier against the Lions this week. Detroit enters the matchup ranking 31st in opponent points allowed and dead last in yards conceded. They also rank 23rd in net yards per pass attempt and 30th in passing touchdowns conceded, and have given up more passing yards than any team in football. Make no mistake: the Lions’ identity is clearly on offense. They rank fifth in the league in scoring, and it feels like the unit still hasn’t hit its stride this season. Expect Detroit to put up points at a high rate and for the Cardinals to be forced to play from behind. Garbage-time points count the same as early-game points, and Brissett should have plenty of chances to air it out in the second half. You cannot pay a premium at every position, and Brissett can produce enough to make it worth saving for other spots.

Other Considerations: Joe Burrow ($6,900), Tyler Shough ($6,100), Sam Darnold ($5,800), Kyler Murray ($5,200)

Running Back

Jahmyr Gibbs ($9,800)

Speaking of paying a premium, Jahmyr Gibbs is the highest-priced player at any position — and for good reason. The Lions star has taken full control of Detroit’s backfield, handling 80 carries for 353 yards and five touchdowns, while adding 187 yards and two scores through the air. Gibbs is averaging 30 fantasy points per game on DraftKings scoring, trailing only Jaxon Smith-Njigba and CeeDee Lamb for the league’s top scorer. The three-time Pro Bowler has tallied 23+ fantasy points in three of his four games, and has a great chance to top his season-high of 41.4 points against this porous Cardinals defense. Arizona ranks 29th in opponent points allowed and 24th in total yards conceded. They have allowed 31+ points in three straight games, and Gibbs is the Lions’ primary scoring option. He has big-play potential that can turn any opportunity into a long score, and he has tallied an NFL-high 102 touches this season. Count on the Lions putting up plenty of points against the Cardinals in this matchup, with Gibbs at the forefront of the effort. He has nearly singlehandedly won DFS and fantasy football weeks for plenty of teams already this year, and he should deliver once again in Week 5.

Cam Skattebo ($6,000)

The New York Giants will face their NFC East rival Washington Commanders this week and quietly sit at the top of the division. Despite the noise about potentially splitting carries in a crowded running back room, Cam Skattebo has been the clear headline running back with more than three times as many carries as the next RB on the team. The Arizona State product has tallied 68 rush attempts for 235 yards and a touchdown, while adding 67 yards through the air. Skattebo is averaging 11 fantasy points per game on DraftKings scoring and can pad his stats against a vulnerable Commanders defense. Washington ranks 30th in points allowed and 18th in total yards conceded, and it just allowed 95 yards and two touchdowns to Jonathan Taylor last week. Even with a bit of shoulder injury, we should know enough about the second-year running back to expect no limitations when he hits the field. Even without Jaxson Dart, Jameis Winston has enough arm talent and willingness to let it fly to keep rushing lanes open and prevent opponents from stacking the line. This is an important matchup for the Giants, and New York should treat it as such. Skattebo has received 18+ carries in three of his four games this year, and the touchdown production will come. Expect a strong performance from the star running back and for him to outperform his $6,000 price point.

Other Considerations: Jonathan Taylor ($7,800), Chase Brown ($6,900), D’Andre Swift ($6,200), Braelon Allen ($5,400)

Wide Receivers

Michael Wilson ($6,200)

Brissett’s outlook covered plenty, but Michael Wilson will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the underwhelming defensive matchup. As Marvin Harrison Jr. continues to struggle at the NFL level, Wilson has stepped up as Arizona’s top wide receiver option and largely delivered. Through the opening four weeks, he has tallied 25 receptions on 44 targets for 258 receiving yards and a touchdown. Wilson ranks 20th among wide receivers in fantasy football production, recording 14.2 fantasy points per game on DraftKings. He has tallied 30 targets over the last two weeks alone; against a Lions team that ranks dead last in receiving yards and 30th in receiving touchdowns allowed, he should add to that. Trey McBride is the biggest competitor for targets, with Harrison having just five receptions this season and Kendrick Bourne recording the next-most at wide receiver with 12 on the year. Count on Arizona to air the ball out at a high rate as they try to keep pace with the high-powered Lions attack, and for the Brissett/Wilson QB/WR stack to bring some DFS success.

Jaylen Waddle ($6,100)

Expectations were high when the Denver Broncos traded for Jaylen Waddle this offseason. Results have been mixed so far, with the 27-year-old recording 16 receptions for 185 yards and a touchdown. The former Dolphins standout was limited to one reception for two yards in the season opener before breaking free for eight receptions for 138 yards in Week 2. Over the past two weeks, Waddle has tallied seven receptions for just 45 yards, but did find the end zone in Week 4. Denver will next face its AFC West rival Los Angeles Chargers, who are 0-4 and have largely looked like a disaster. The Chargers were expected to have a strong defense, but they currently rank 24th in points allowed, 16th in total yards conceded, and 26th in net yards per pass attempt. Bo Nix deserves some blame for Waddle’s underperformance, but the Broncos traded for the star wide receiver for a reason and have a vested interest in getting him to peak form. This is a great chance to beat up a vulnerable opponent, and Denver should look to capitalize on their new weapon as a driving force. The Broncos have proven they can get him the ball at a high rate when they make a clear effort, and they should put that on full display in this favorable divisional matchup.

Tre Tucker ($4,800)

Also in the AFC West, the Las Vegas Raiders have shown to have more of a pulse than many expected coming into the season. Off to a 2-2 start, Kirk Cousins has provided the necessary competence at quarterback, and Tre Tucker has been one of the biggest beneficiaries. The fourth-year pass-catcher has tallied 15 catches for 233 yards and a touchdown early on. His 11.8 fantasy points per game on DraftKings scoring currently ranks 31st among all wide receivers. He has also tallied 4+ receptions in three straight games. Las Vegas will next face the New England Patriots, who are 2-2 and have not lived up to the high standard they set last season. At $4,800, Tucker has a comfortable price point and a clear role in this Raiders offense. He leads the team in receiving yards and targets. While Brock Bowers will likely continue to play a headline role, Tucker’s skill set remains extremely valuable in this offense. Count on Cousins to keep Tucker in the game at a high rate for an output above his price this week. 

Other Considerations: Amon-Ra St. Brown ($7,900), Nico Collins ($7,500), Mike Evans ($6,500), Deebo Samuel Jr. ($5,500)

Tight End

Harold Fannin Jr. ($4,400)

The Cleveland Browns have quietly found their footing with Deshaun Watson at quarterback and have climbed to 3-1. Harold Fannin Jr. has become a key part of this offense, and his role should keep growing. The second-year tight end has tallied 17 receptions on 23 targets for 153 yards — and has already reached the end zone three times this season. Fannin currently ranks ninth among tight ends with 12.6 fantasy points per game on DraftKings scoring. He and the Browns will look to add to this against a New York Jets team that allows an average of 5.3 receptions for 44.8 yards per game to tight ends. Fannin is a high-caliber red-zone weapon who recorded six touchdowns in his rookie season. All three of his touchdowns this year came over the past two weeks, with 10 total receptions across that stretch. His chemistry with Watson is only growing, and it should continue to develop this week.

Other Considerations: Trey McBride ($6,700), George Kittle ($5,200), Kenyon Sadiq ($3,800)

Flex

Antonio Williams ($3,800)

One low-priced player worth a flyer this week is Antonio Williams. The third-round rookie is beginning to make his mark on this Commanders team, pulling in 12 receptions on 19 targets for 124 yards and a touchdown early on. He is coming off a season-high eight targets in Week 4 and could benefit from Jayden Daniels returning to the field this week. Washington will face a Giants team with a strong overall defense, but one that can be vulnerable through the air. New York ranks eighth in total points allowed and ninth in yards allowed, but 26th in passing touchdowns conceded. Even with Stefon Diggs and Terry McLaurin leading the receiving corps, Williams is a big-play threat the offense needs — and has more receptions than McLaurin. It feels like Washington has taken steps to learn how to unlock his role in the offense and use his skill set as the weeks have gone by. His production has been respectable so far, but a full breakout is coming. I am taking the $3,800 price-point swing that it happens in Week 5.

Defense & Special Teams

Houston Texans ($3,400)

The Houston Texans have had an ugly start to the season, entering with a 0-4 record and serious big-picture questions. Despite entering the year with an expected defensive-minded identity, Houston currently ranks 26th in points allowed and 20th in total yards conceded. This is largely the same unit that finished last season holding opponents to the second-fewest points and fewest total yards. To spark the offense, head coach DeMeco Ryans announced he is taking on play-calling responsibilities. The Texans will face a Tennessee Titans team that has yet to win a game and currently ranks 31st in points scored and dead last in yards gained. Cam Ward has already thrown two interceptions this year, and the team has fumbled the ball seven times. Facing an extremely vulnerable opponent, this is a get-right spot for the Texans and a clear path to the top-performing fantasy football defense of the week. 

Other Considerations: Bengals ($3,500), Broncos ($3,200), Jets ($2,700)