NFL Fantasy Recap
What a start to week 5 watching D.J. Moore score nearly 50 fantasy points and the Bears earn their first victory. The same day NFL legend, Dick Butkus, passed away. You love to see that. Rest easy, legend! The next game we saw was the Jaguars taking care of business in London for the second week in a row. They are the Bills kryptonite. The Dolphins had a solid day at the office. Winning 31-16 against the Giants. The Steelers came away victorious in a tight victory. Defense won that game! Patriots seemed to be very lost. The Saints won big. Colts walked away with a W but Richardson got hurt. The Lions, despite everyone being injured, put up 42 points in a win. Falcons barely won, but it was the Texans.
The afternoon slate started slow but got fun. The Eagles and Rams played an awesome game, what a thrill that was to watch. The Bengals got a much-needed victory in the Arizona desert. The Jets got revenge for Nathaniel Hackett as the defense came up clutch. The Chiefs tried to let the Vikings win but without JJet (who is now on 4-week IR), that is tough to accomplish. Cowboys got embarrassed and Jordan Love must’ve had money on the Raiders to win.
Bears vs Commanders
The Commanders simply came out too slow. They were down 27-3 at one point. Led by Sam Howell and his 388 passing yards and 2 touchdowns. He led the team in fantasy points, scoring 25.4 on Thursday night football. Close behind him was a popular streamer option this week, Logan Thomas. He caught 9 passes for 77 yards and a touchdown. He scored 20.7 points this week. The next high scorer was Curtis Samuel. Another streamer option this week as people deal with byes and injuries. He scored 18.5 points. Antonio Gibson was the highest-scoring running back but only hit 10 points. Brian Robinson had a sort of letdown week with 8.3 points. Tough week for McLaurin managers. On to next week…
The Bears came out firing. And mostly D.J. Moore. Game high-scorer with 49 points. 8 receptions for 230 yards and 3 touchdowns! Hell of a game. Justin Fields was a direct benefactor from his big game. Fields scored 33 points. 282 passing yards and 4 TDs. Fun fact about this game; D.J. Moore was the only receiver to catch a pass or score fantasy points. They all scored 0. Cole Kmet was the only other person catching passes. Kmet had 15 points on 5 catches for 42 yards and a score. Khalil Herbert ended with 7 points and an injury. He is set to miss a couple of weeks.
Jaguars vs Bills
I would say the Bills showed up to this game just a bit too late. The offense didn’t really get going until the late third quarter. Too little, too late. Josh Allen had a heck of a week scoring 27 points. 359 passing yards and 2 TDs with a rushing touchdown as well. Solid week, just not enough for the win. Stefon Diggs had a massive day. He scored 24 points on 8 catches for 121 yards and a touchdown. We also saw Gabe Davis post a 22-point week. 6 catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. Not much from other Bills’ players after him. 8 from Deonte Harty but little to no one started him. James Cook only had 5 so that was a bummer for many.
The Jaguars walked away victorious against the Bills yet again. Except, this time we saw touchdowns. Not just field goals. Travis Etienne Jr. had a lot to do with that. 136 rushing yards with 2 TDs and 4 catches for 48 yards. 36.4 fantasy points and RB1 on the week. Calvin Ridley showed up in a huge way. 20 points for him on 7 catches for 122 yards and some rush yards sprinkled on top. No touchdown but they will come! Trevor Lawrence had an average fantasy week. 15.7 points isn’t the worst but it’s not winning you matchups. Christian Kirk managed to score 14 points. 6 catches for 78 yards for him. If you happen to be playing Zay Jones due to byes/injuries you were happy to see 11.8 points from him as he snagged a touchdown this week.
Texans vs Falcons
Not the prettiest game of the day that’s for sure. Only 3 touchdowns scored by both teams combined. Ridder ran one in, Bijan caught a short screen pass and Stroud found Dalton Schultz on a TD pass. The Texans came up short, however. Losing 21-19 on a late-game field goal. Stroud had a quiet day with 249 passing yards and 1 TD. 14 points for him. Dalton Schultz was the leading scorer for the Texans with 19.5 points. He had 7 catches for 65 yards and a touchdown to get him there. Dameon Pierce was the third highest-scorer with 9.2 but it wasn’t a great day for the Texans offense. Shoutout to Fairbain for the 15-point week!
Atlanta had some better fantasy production than the Texans. Desmond Ridder led with 26 points. 329 passing yards, a passing TD, and a rushing TD. Kyle Pitts showed up and was second in scoring for the Falcons. 7 catches for 87 yards was good for 15.7 points. Drake London scored 14.6 and he had 6 catches for 78 yards. No touchdown for him this week. Bijan saved his week with his receiving touchdown. 11.8 points and 8 of them came on that catch. Sheesh. Wild win for the Falcons, but they move on to 3-2.
Panthers vs Lions
Lots of points were scored in this one! Lions took the W 42-24. Big game from the Lions despite not having a couple of playmakers on offense. Carolina came up short but it was to no fault of Adam Thielen who was their high-scoring player. He recorded a 27.7-point week. 11 catches, 107 yards and a touchdown. Bryce Young fed the veteran that’s for sure. Young threw for 247 yards and 3 TDs. He did throw 2 picks as well, not great. He had 18 points on the day but it could have been 22 with no interceptions. D.J. Chark added a 13.2-point week into the mix but after him, it was pretty bleak.
The Lions, as I mentioned, were down Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs. They leaned on Monty all game giving him 19 carries and 2 catches. 109 rush yards and 20 receiving. He found pay dirt as well, giving him 20.9 points this week. Jared Goff led the Lions in fantasy, he had 27.4 points. 236 passing yards and 3 TDs will get you there! Oh, he also had a goal-line rushing TD. Sam LaPorta had a big game as well. 19.7 points on 3 catches for 42 yards and 2 TDs! The rookie tight end is feasting! In Amon-Ra’s absence, Josh Reynolds posted a 17-point week. 4 catches for 76 yards and a TD is a big week for many people who were streaming him. Lions are now 4-1!
Colts vs Titans
Another AFC South showdown here. As the week went on we got confirmation Jonathan Taylor would be active and playing, but man it didn’t feel like it. 6 rushes for 18 yards and 1 catch for 16 yards. Not ideal. 4.4 points in his triumphant return. Zack Moss kept on rolling this week with 23 carries for 165 yards and 2 TDs. An unreal 33.5-point game with JT back in the backfield. Love to see that. What you don’t love to see is Anthony Richardson getting hurt again. Injured his shoulder and is probably going to miss some time, but I don’t think it’s a hefty amount of games. Josh Downs added on to his rookie campaign this week. He caught 6 passes for 97 yards. No TD, but he is due. I am flexing Josh Downs as long as Minshew is under center! Michael Pittman Jr. had a quieter week, scoring 10.2 points on 5 catches for 52 yards. the
The Titans were not victorious in this one but they did get some solid fantasy scores from a couple of players. DeAndre Hopkins had himself a nice day. Reeling in 8 catches for 140 yards. Good for 22 points. Tyjae Spears also made some noise this week as he found pay dirt. 7 carries for 34 yards and a TD as well as 4 catches for 35 yards. Spears scored 16.9 points this week! Love to see the rookie getting in the action. Derrick Henry did not fare as well this week. 9.2 points for the vet. Tannehill continues to stink, scoring 9.7 points in week 5. The Titans have a lot of figuring out to do!
Patriots vs Saints
This was ugly. Extremely ugly. The Patriots failed to put up a single point. Their leading fantasy score was 7.8 points from Zeke. 8 rushes for 21 yards and 4 catches for 17 yards. A horrible day for the Patriots offense. Mac Jones had 110 passing yards and 2 interceptions. He was benched for Bailey Zappe yet again. Where has Rhamondre Stevenson gone? Is his juice empty??? Not one receiver had a fantasy-relevant day. Kendrick Bourne had six points. Yuck. Bad, bad day for Patriots players.
The Saints did not play like hot garbage, and they put up 34 points in this shutout. Alvin Kamara has had two solid weeks in a row returning from suspension. 18.7 points for him this week on 22 carries for 80 yards and a score. He also added 3 catches for 17 yards. Derek Carr played an okay game throwing for 183 yards and 2 TDs. Chris Olave (9.2 pts) and Foster Moreau (7.6 pts) were the two recipients of those TD passes. Kendre Miller got in the mix this week, he scored 13 points from 90 all-purpose yards and 4 catches. Simply a one-sided game here so there’s not too much analyzing to do.
Ravens vs Steelers
The Ravens had trouble getting into the end zone this week. Division rivals who have your number (or Lamar’s number in this scenario) are always tough matchups. Mark Andrews escaped the week in double digits, logging 12.5 fantasy points. 6 catches for 65 yards and a dropped pass for a TD in the end zone. You hate to see it. Justice Hill found pay dirt this weekend, he had 12.5 points as well. Zay Flowers was all over the field but could only put together a 12.3-point week. Lamar didn’t have a good week. 236 passing yards, no TDs, a pick, and a fumble. 9 points is not what you want out of your QB.
The Steelers, despite dismal offensive production, keep getting wins. Sitting at 3-2 and first in the AFC North. George Pickens was the only one to have a great day. Pickens caught 6 passes for 130 yards and a TD (26.6 pts). Kenny Pickett put together 224 passing yards and a TD on the day, not great for fantasy but it was enough for his team to get the win. 12.36 points for him. Jaylen Warren was the third highest-scorer on the Steelers this week with 10.9 points. Najee scored 5 points. FIVE. What happened to him???
Rams vs Eagles
The Eagles walked out of this one 5-0 and one of the NFL’s last remaining unbeaten teams. Them and the 49ers. Jalen Hurts had a lot to do with that (obviously), posting 303 passing yards and a TD while also slapping on 72 rush yards and a TD. 27 points for Mr. Hurts this week. After a couple of abysmal performances, Dallas Goedert feasted on Sunday. 8 catches for 117 yards and 1 TD put Dallas Goedert right back on the map! A.J. Brown came back down to earth slightly this week, only putting up 18.7 points, but he did still have 6 catches for 127 yards. Big day! D’Andre Swift lost a little work to Hurts but scored 16.8 points on 108 scrimmage yards and 6 catches. Ain’t nothing wrong with that. Good win for the Eagles this week!
Cardinals vs Bengals
At one point in time, the Cardinals were leading this ballgame! But “Cool Joe” Burrow had something to say about that. Or shall I say Mr. 7/11 Ja’Marr Chase who is always open? They went off! Burrow threw for 317 yards and 3 TDs. All three touchdowns went to Mr. 7/11! Ja’Marr had a crazy game. 15 catches for 192 yards and 3 TDs. Good for 52.2 points. That’s insane. Burrow was second to Chase in points. He had 23.3 this week. The next high scorer?? You guessed it. Trenton Irwin. Because of course. Irwin had 8 catches for 60 yards. Solid day. Joe Mixon had an okay game. He put up 13.4 points on 81 rush yards and 4 catches. His fellow veteran, Tyler Boyd, had 9.9 points on 6 catches for 39 yards. Much needed win here and the Benglas move on to week 6.
The Cardinals fight. There’s no doubt about that. Dobbs had 166 passing yards, 2 TDs, and 2 INTs. Not a great game for him as he scored < 10 points. Marquise Brown continues to be a solid fantasy asset week to week. This week, posted 16.1 points on 4 catches for 61 yards and a TD. You love to see it. So many people faded him this year. With James Conner leaving the game due to an injury, rookie RB Emari Demercado filled in and scored 12.7 points. He had 45 rushing yards and a TD with one catch. Keep an eye on him as waivers are approaching. He might be a good pickup if you are thin at RB. Rondale Moore made some noise this week scoring 10.6 points and veteran tight end, Zach Ertz, also messed around and scored 9 points.
Player News Update:
Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (knee) is expected to miss multiple weeks with the knee injury that he suffered in the Week 5 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He will be a candidate to land on Injured Reserve, according to source. If Conner goes on IR, he will be forced to miss at least four games, so fantasy managers need to prepare for an extended absence. Keaontay Ingram (neck) has also missed the last two games, so rookie Emari Demercado was forced into action on Sunday when Conner went down. The 24-year-old saw 10 carries for 45 yards and a touchdown and will be a popular waiver-wire pickup for those that have Conner or are in need of RB reinforcements entering Week 6. Ingram should mix in when he’s healthy, and the Cardinals also claimed Tony Jones Jr. off waivers from the Saints on Monday.
Jets vs Broncos
This game on paper was a disgusting matchup. But Zach Wilson and Russell Wilson decided otherwise! This was a close one down until the final couple of minutes. Russell Wilson wound up fumbling late in the game and the Jets scooped it and ran it in for a touchdown, giving them the 31-21 edge. Russ threw for 196 yards and 2 TDs (18.74 pts) which was a solid day but it wasn’t quite enough. Jaleel McLaughlin got his first crack at leading the Broncos’ backfield and boy did he look like he’s got the juice! 9 carries for 68 yards and 3 catches for 21 yards and a TD. 17.9 points in his debut as a starter. Trautman, Perine, and Jeudy all had 10+ so clearly Russ was spreading the ball around, but he left out Courtland Sutton who only put up 2.3 points. Oof.
The Jets came to Denver and left with a win. It may not have been pretty, but at least Breece Hall is back. He scored 28.4 points! Thank goodness Saleh took his leash off. 22 rushes for 177 yards and a TD. Welcome back, Mr. Hall! Good to see you. The funny thing is, after Breece, the next high score is Tyler Conklin with 10 points. Minus the Jets defense of course. They had 18 points thanks to the scoop and score at the end of the game. I should also add that Greg “The Leg” Zuerlein had 18 points as well. Who would have thought that defense and special teams win fantasy matchups?
Vikings vs Chiefs
The Chiefs did their best to keep the Vikings in this game. It didn’t help that Justin Jefferson suffered a leg injury and was placed on the 4-week IR. Kirk Cousins did his best to bring the Vikings back as they were down two scores at one point, but he came up short. Cousins led them in fantasy points. He scored 19.8 this week and he got there from 284 passing yards and 2 TDs. Jordan Addison stepped up in a big way, reaching 18 points this week on 6 catches for 64 yards and a TD. Let’s see how he does while JJet is out! T.J. Hockenson had a quieter week than usual. Only 10 points from him this week. 5 catches for 51 yards for Hock. If you’re someone who is relying on Mattison week to week, now is the time to thank him. Only 12.6 points but that was good for a top-20 finish this week. Tough losses for the Vikings this week. Another loss in the standings and JJet to IR. Stinks.
The Chiefs obviously got the victory here, and it was largely due to Travis Kelce and his 22.7 points. Always nice when your tight end is getting 10 catches. He had 67 yards and a TD to go with that. FEED KELCE! Mahomes was the next high-scorer for the Chiefs. He had 19.2 this week. 281 passing yards and 2 TDs for Mr. Mahomes. I love that they found Pacheco and utilize him a lot these days. Pacheco makes Mahomes’ job easier. They gave him the ball 16 times for 55 yards and a TD. He had a catch for 9 yards to go with that giving him 13.4 points on the week. If you were someone who happened to be playing Rashee Rice, you got 13.3 from him which is more than fine from a flex streamer!
Player News Update:
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson suffered a hamstring injury late in the game this past Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs and did not return. After getting an MRI yesterday to determine the severity of the injury, Minnesota plans to put the star receiver on Injured Reserve this week. While the timeline for his return is still to be determined, Jefferson will miss the next four weeks. It is a massive blow for the Vikings and fantasy managers alike. Expect rookie Jordan Addison and veteran K.J. Osborn to see an increased target share over the next month. Tight end T.J. Hockenson should also be heavily involved as the Vikings try to come back from a 1-4 start to the season.
Cowboys vs 49ers
What a messy outing by the Cowboys. Dak has to be better than that. 153 yards and 1 TD with 3 INTs to go with it is not going to win you games that matter. The 49ers defense ate his lunch this week. A measly 4.3 points from Dak this week. You know when Kavontae Turpin is the leading fantasy scorer there’s not much to talk about. CeeDee Lamb posted an 8.9-point week. Yikes. Not to mention, Tony Pollard had 8.4 points. What is going on in Dallas? Was it just the 49ers defense? I feel like the Cowboys should be producing more than that…
The 49ers got the best of the Cowboys this week, that is for sure. Led by none other than Brock Purdy and George Kittle. Purdy tossed three TDs to Kittle this week and the best part is that those 3 catches were the only ones he had and they all went for a TD. Now that is efficiency. Kittle scored 27.7 points and Purdy had 26. Purdy threw for 252 yards and 4 TDs. Hell of a day in primetime! Christian McCaffrey came back down to earth this week. Only 13 points for him this week but he did sneak into the endzone and continued his TD scoring streak. I believe he is at 14 games now. Deebo Samuel (11.5 pts) and Brandon Aiyuk (9.8 pts) took the back seat this week. Heck of a win for the 49ers!
Packers vs Raiders
Simply put, Jordan Love cannot be throwing 3 interceptions against a sub-par passing defense. 182 yards and no TDs is going to get you nowhere. Neither is 4.9 points for his fantasy managers. Sigh. A.J. Dillon was the only player to show up this week and thank god he did because Aaron Jones was out. Dillon ran for 76 yards and a TD (13.6 pts). Christian Watson can’t seem to put up the kind of numbers we were hoping for, as he scored 11.6 this week. Not horrible, but you want more from him based on where he was being drafted. Tough week for the Packers here.
The Raiders had everyone healthy for this one, or so they say. I doubt Davante Adams was 100% because he did not practice all week and was then declared active for the game. Something tells me that he might’ve been a decoy for this game but also it was his former team so he probably wanted nothing more than to play. Only 8.5 points for him this week, but luckily Josh Jacobs had a solid week to make up for it. As did Jakobi Meyers. Josh Jacobs ran for 69 yards and a TD plus he had 5 catches for 20 yards. This gave him 19.9 points this week. Jakobi Meyers is proving to be Jimmy G’s go-to guy. 7 catches for 75 yards and a TD gave him 20.5 points this week and was the Raiders’ high-scorer! Solid win for the Raiders here, I am excited to see this offense as the season goes on!
