It’s Week 5 in the NFL, which means it’s time for the first wave of bye weeks in fantasy football. The Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers are on bye this week, which means Patrick Mahomes and Bryce Young will be out of lineups and need replacements. Is Kirk Cousins a worthy waiver-wire replacement? Let’s break it down.
Kirk Cousins Year-to-Date Fantasy Football Analysis
So far, Cousins has had an impressive fantasy start. The 38-year-old is QB7 in standard points per game and has shown remarkable consistency. Cousins has placed 18th, 10th, 11th, and 4th in weekly QB scoring, popping off against the Chiefs for 365 yards and two touchdowns in Week 4. Age and past injuries continue to take a backseat to his incredible poise, ability to make reads, and trust in his playmakers.
When it comes to sustaining this success, there are many positive signs for Cousins. The Raiders desperately want to run the ball — ranking fifth in total rush attempts — but they are dead last in yards per carry. That has made them all the more reliant on Cousins and their pass catchers to move the ball. Cousins’ job is a whole lot easier now that Brock Bowers is firmly back in the lineup. In his season debut in Week 3, Bowers caught 10 of 14 targets for 116 yards and a score, while Cousins finished as QB11. He did it again in Week 4, recording six catches for 86 yards and another score, while Cousins finished as QB4. So far, so good.
Cousins is clearly here to stay as a weekly starter in all leagues, depending on the matchups. In this Week 5 matchup with the Patriots, does he have the goods to start on your fantasy team?
Week 5 Matchup Analysis
A big problem for Cousins’ fantasy viability this week is the Patriots’ defense. So far, they’re fifth in total passing yards allowed and yards allowed per attempt, while holding opposing QBs to a 5:3 TD-to-INT ratio through four weeks. It hasn’t been a fantasy-friendly matchup for QBs this year.
What’s worse, the Patriots have been excellent at guarding tight ends this year. They’ve allowed only 13 receptions for 104 yards to all opposing tight ends through four weeks; though they haven’t faced any of the big stars at the position, they’ve done an excellent job keeping the seams from burning them. You’d better believe that Mike Vrabel’s defense will key in on Bowers, and if Cousins’ top target suffers, so will his fantasy production.
Instead of Cousins, I prefer Jacoby Brissett as my Week 5 streamer. Though the veteran is only QB18 in standard scoring this season — propped up by a dynamite Week 3 against the 49ers — Brissett is a locked-in QB1 this week against the Lions. So far, Detroit is dead last in passing yards allowed while allowing an 11:2 TD-to-INT ratio. Despite favorable matchups with Tyler Shough and Geno Smith early in the season, Detroit looks incapable of stopping anyone and got carved up by Bryce Young in Week 4.
Brissett doesn’t have the most realistic ceiling, but his floor is extremely high in this matchup. His additional rushing upside makes him the top streaming option over Cousins. If you can get Brissett off waivers, grab him first and Cousins second.
