We’re now in Week 5 of the NFL season, and with TNF over, that means it's time to switch your focus to daily fantasy lineup building and taking a shot at some of those huge prize pools available every week in the DFS streets. 

Today’s goal? 

Week 5 DFS Picks for DraftKings GPPs and the Fantasy Football Millionaire 

I’ll be breaking down my favorite plays and stacks here every week while also highlighting a few GPP-only and higher-variance plays that I think offer great 5x blowup potential—at low ownership. 

These plays and salaries will be specific to DraftKings and their salary cap contests.

However, since we’re also relying on the FantasyLife+ projections, tools, and advice, the specific game matchups and correlations—aka game stacks—are things you can apply to lineup building across the DFS industry.

Hint: Use Code GRIND for 20% off a FantasyLife+ subscription today

If you'd like my favorite plays and GPP targets that are specific for FanDuel, you can also find that here. 

Let’s dive in. Week 5!!

With no Puka Nacua nor Christian McCaffrey on the main slate we’re not likely to see as concentrated ownership as we have seen in recent weeks. That said, players from the Jets-Cowboys game figure to be popular and players like Jaxon Smith-Njigba and De'Von Achane will certainly draw lots of interest as McCaffrey/Nucua replacements. 

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DraftKings Week 5 Stacks 

1. Bengals and Lions, Oh My!

• Jake Browning (4900) / Ja'Marr Chase (7800) 
• Pair with: Jameson Williams (4900) and/or Jahmyr Gibbs (7700)

Despite there being no Nacua on the slate and his salary being below $8,000, Chase isn’t likely to draw heavy ownership. He’s now posted multiple games in a row with less than 10.0 FP and Jake Browning was just exposed on national TV last Monday, making the sentiment on Chase as low as we have seen it in years. 

The Lions can certainly ramp up the pressure, but they’re also not the Broncos nor the Vikings. To date, Detroit has allowed multiple TD passes against in three of their first four games and are just 20th in yards per pass attempt against. They also lack a true shutdown corner. While I wouldn’t necessarily want to invest in Chase for season-long leagues, he’s still got the fourth-highest ceiling projection on the slate (via the Fantasy Life Week 5 Xfinity Best projections) and makes for a great contrarian target alongside Browning. 

From a value perspective, the Lion I like the most in this game is Williams, who racked up 195 unrealized air yards in Week 4 and had a couple of deep passes (and a TD) go just off the mark. Given how poor the Bengals pass rush has been (24th in sacks), Goff and Williams should have time to connect this week and get things back on track. 

I’d also be looking to grab Jahmyr Gibbs in this spot to make it a true game stack. He’s been inefficient to date as a receiver, but the Bengals just allowed RJ Harvey to go for four catches, 40 yards and a TD as a receiver last week, and he was one fingertip away from another long TD reception. Given his volume and the similar skill set he has to Harvey, this is a spot where we could see Gibbs break free for a long TD that has eluded him the last couple of weeks.  

2. Panthers redemption spot: Bryce and Tet go off

• Bryce Young (4700) with Tetairoa McMillan (5700)
• Pair with: Tommy Tremble (2900) and De'Von Achane (7300)

It’s been a roller coaster ride for Bryce Young this year in fantasy. He’s scored under 12.0 FP in three of his four starts but did explode for 26.3 FP in Week 2 vs. the Cardinals in a game where he dropped back 55-times. This week could see something of a repeat of that performance. 

The Panthers just ruled out Chuba Hubbard and will face off against a Dolphins squad that lacks a great pass rush and ranks just 31st in success rate per dropback on defense. They’re also second to last in yards per attempt against (8.3) and have allowed the second-most FP to opposing QBs on the season. With no Hubbard to rely on and no shutdown corner to deal with, Young and McMillan should have a real shot of balling out in this spot, and, at the very least, it’s likely we see the rookie grab his first TD. 

Miami has also allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing TEs on the year and with Ja'Tavion Sanders out last week, Tommy Tremble not only scored, but tied McMillan for the team lead in targets. Sanders is out again, so at under $3,000, Tremble’s not just a great one-off punt option, but a name you should think hard about if going for a Young triple stack.  

🌑 Week 5 DFS Moonshots: 

Malik Washington (3900)

Even with Tyreek Hill active the last two weeks, Washington had averaged 4.5 touches per game and should see his route and usage rate as a receiver go up in Week 5 with Hill now sidelined.

A solid open-field returner, whom the Dolphins like to use in a pseudo-Deebo Samuel role, if Washington starts to get 6-8 touches per game, the chances for a bigger “fantasy event” becomes much more probable. 

Adonai Mitchell (3600)

We have to take the Kylo Ren approach to Mitchell in Week 5, who famously said “Let the past die, kill it if you have to,” in The Last Jedi. Now that I’ve reminded you about the Last Jedi and fact it exists here’s my quick Mitchell pitch.  

• No Alec Pierce
• Raiders have allowed third-most FP per game to opposing WRs
• Zero chance he is early celebrating this week. 

Jalin Hyatt (3300)

In the three games that he’s seen 5+ targets, Hyatt’s managed 75+ yards twice, and posted 5 receptions and 109 yards on 6 targets vs. the Patriots back in November 2023. 

It remains to be seen if he can ever put together enough good reps to be an every-down WR, but the Saints have allowed the third-most passing TDs against are a 29th in EPA per dropback. 

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