Fantasy Football Rankings & Tiers. Week 5
It is time to make those tough lineup decisions for Week 5, and Dwain has you covered with in-depth player tiers, rankings, and analysis.
It is time to make those tough lineup decisions for Week 5 of the fantasy football season.
Below you’ll find positional rankings, player analysis, betting totals, and implied points for every game on the slate.
Find all of our positional rankings here.
Fantasy Football Rankings & Tiers – Week 5
Last updated: 8P, Wednesday, October 5th. Please refer to our Rankings page for updates!
Quarterback
| Tier 3 – Tom Brady | Mike Evans | Chris Godwin | Brady returns to mid-range QB1 status in Week 5. | Additional QB Notes & Movers: | Jalen Hurts | SMASH | Carson Wentz | Running back | Tier 1 – Dalvin Cook | Justin Jefferson | Adam Thielen | Scoring Environment: | Matchup: | Cook returns to SMASH status in Week 5 with multiple factors aligning in his favor. | Tier 2 – Leonard Fournette | Rachaad White | Player | Week | Snaps | Rush Att | Routes | Targets | TPRR | SDD Snaps | i5 Att | LDD Snaps | 2MIN Snaps | PPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leonard Fournette | 1 | 76% | 64% | 76% | 7% | 9% | 83% | 0% | 80% | 100% | 15.7 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2 | 87% | 80% | 68% | 13% | 16% | 100% | 0% | 94% | 0% | 9.4 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | 91% | 80% | 72% | 15% | 19% | 100% | 100% | 67% | 100% | 12.0 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | 61% | 43% | 47% | 13% | 25% | 60% | 0% | 86% | 73% | 18.4 | ||||||||||||||||||
| YTD | 79% | 71% | 64% | 13% | 18% | 80% | 33% | 83% | 87% | 13.9 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Rachaad White | 1 | 27% | 18% | 24% | 7% | 29% | 17% | 0% | 20% | 0% | 4.1 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2 | 13% | 7% | 16% | 3% | 17% | 0% | 0% | 6% | 0% | 0.1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | 9% | 0% | 12% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 33% | 0% | 0.0 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | 41% | 43% | 35% | 10% | 28% | 40% | 100% | 14% | 27% | 15.6 | ||||||||||||||||||
| YTD | 22% | 13% | 23% | 5% | 22% | 20% | 67% | 17% | 13% | 5.0 |
Fournette’s efficiency data is down from 2021, with the Bucs interior line struggling. His explosive rush rate (12%) is average, but his average yards after contact (2.37) are well below his career norms and three-year NFL averages.
Tampa Bay offers a friendly scoring environment with the third-highest implied point total and a top-three game total against the Falcons. As nine-point favorites, there should be plenty of opportunities for RB touches on Tampa’s side of the ball.
Fournette might not see as much action moving forward, but the game environment puts him in the RB2 mix for Week 5.
Tier 2 – Devin Singletary
Singletary completely controlled the Bills backfield over the last two games. In Week 4, he tallied season-highs in snaps (87%), rushing attempts (55%), and route participation (79%).
| Player | Week | Snaps | Rush Att | Routes | Targets | TPRR | SDD Snaps | i5 Att | LDD Snaps | 2MIN Snaps | PPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Devin Singletary | 1 | 59% | 40% | 47% | 6% | 11% | 0% | 0% | 75% | 100% | 8.2 |
| 2 | 54% | 26% | 67% | 6% | 7% | 30% | 0% | 55% | 0% | 4.1 | |
| 3 | 74% | 53% | 53% | 18% | 26% | 86% | 33% | 85% | 56% | 24.1 | |
| 4 | 87% | 55% | 79% | 16% | 15% | 88% | 0% | 88% | 100% | 13.6 | |
| YTD | 69% | 43% | 61% | 12% | 16% | 65% | 17% | 75% | 75% | 12.5 |
Buffalo is hurting at WR after losing Jamison Crowder for the season (ankle). Gabriel Davis and Dawson Knox aren’t earning targets at a high clip, which mirrors their historical talent profiles. So they might just be tertiary options. Singletary has 18% and 16% target shares in the last two weeks.
In his last eight games with 70%-plus snaps, he has delivered RB29, RB20, RB14, RB7, RB10, RB5, RB4, and RB23 finishes.
The Bills get a juicy matchup against the Steelers as 14-point favorites with the No. 1 implied point total on the slate. Pittsburgh allows the fourth-most rushing attempts (124) per game in non-overtime play. The Bills are a pass-heavy team in all scripts, but Singletary should see plenty of work in a favorable spot.
I have Singletary 13 spots ahead of expert consensus this weekend – he is a SMASH play.
Tier 2 – Rashaad Penny
Penny is another Utilization Report darling who moves up the ranks in Week 5. He has eclipsed the 67% snap mark in three out of four games this season as the clear No. 1 in an ascending attack.
Most importantly, he has picked up part of the passing-down work in the last two weeks after an injury to Travis Homer. That role and the Seahawks' new up-tempo offense provide Penny with a buffer against bad game scripts.
When it comes to Penny in efficiency metrics, it is litty city, y’all.
Penny efficiency stats versus all RBs with at least 30 rushing attempts (39):
| Missed Tackles Forced % | Average Yards After Contact | Explosive Rush % |
|---|---|---|
| 0.24 (12th) | 4.57 (1st) | 18% (5th) |
The Saints are a sound defensive front with the third-best pest run defense EPA (-0.31). However, they haven’t led often (2% of plays leading by four or more) and are offering up the fifth-most rushing attempts in regulation play (124), so the Seahawks RBs should have plenty of opportunities to get things going on the ground.
Penny is a mid-range RB2, and this ranking represents a 14-spot differential versus consensus.
Tier 3 – Nyheim Hines
Hines climbs into low-end RB2 territory with Jonathan Taylor ruled out for the Thursday night tilt against the Broncos. We could see Deon Jackson and/or Philip Lindsay get involved as well, but this preseason, the Colts almost exclusively used Hines as an every-down option in drives with the starters while Taylor rested.
That doesn’t guarantee we will see an every-down version of Hines, but his role in the run game will expand, and the Colts could opt to throw the ball more to take advantage of the most talented RB they will have on the roster this week.
Additional RB Notes & Movers:
- Josh Jacobs wrestled away a Saquon Barkley-like utilization workload in Week 4; if he remains a lock in the passing game, it will be hard to keep him out of the top 12 regardless of matchup.
- Alvin Kamara hits the trifecta across utilization (if healthy), implied points and matchup; he will move into my top-eight with a full practice by week end
- Patriots RBs in a great matchup against the Lions run defense
- Packers RBs have a nice matchup against the Giants as 8.5 favorites, but I remain below consensus on A.J. Dillon every week.
- Breece Hall moves up on his recent fantasy points and upgraded utilization; This rank is nine spots above consensus.
- Jeff Wilson Jr. dominated the 49ers backfield in Week 5, and San Francisco is 6.5 favorites against a Panthers team that has given up 131 regulation attempts.
Wide Receiver
| Tier 1 – Davante Adams | Adams is a top-four option in Week 5. | Tier 1 – A.J. Brown | Brown is a SMASH option as a mid-range WR1 in Week 5. | Tier 2 – Chris Olave | Olave is a low-end WR2 this weekend. | Tier 2 – Chris Godwin | Player | Pos | Week | Routes | TPRR | Targets | ADOT | Air Yards | EZ Tgts | 3rd/4th Down Targets | PA Targets | PPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Evans | WR | 1 | 79% | 30% | 26% | 12.9 | 30% | 50% | 29% | 43% | 18.1 | |||||||
| 2 | 65% | 17% | 13% | 16.0 | 21% | 0% | 14% | 0% | 9.1 | |||||||||
| 3 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0.0 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0.0 | |||||||||
| 4 | 96% | 20% | 21% | 14.6 | 43% | 75% | 9% | 0% | 30.3 | |||||||||
| YTD | 59% | 22% | 15% | 14.3 | 26% | 44% | 13% | 14% | 19.2 | |||||||||
| Chris Godwin | WR | 1 | 34% | 30% | 11% | 0.7 | 1% | 0% | 0% | 33% | 6.5 | |||||||
| 2 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0.0 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0.0 | |||||||||
| 3 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0.0 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0.0 | |||||||||
| 4 | 89% | 22% | 19% | 5.7 | 15% | 0% | 27% | 0% | 12.5 | |||||||||
| YTD | 35% | 24% | 9% | 4.5 | 5% | 0% | 8% | 8% | 9.5 | |||||||||
| Russell Gage | WR | 1 | 62% | 11% | 7% | 3.0 | 2% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 3.3 | |||||||
| 2 | 81% | 21% | 19% | 1.8 | 4% | 0% | 14% | 0% | 7.8 | |||||||||
| 3 | 84% | 34% | 33% | 5.2 | 28% | 50% | 14% | 8% | 26.8 | |||||||||
| 4 | 68% | 12% | 10% | 8.0 | 11% | 0% | 18% | 0% | 4.4 | |||||||||
| YTD | 75% | 21% | 17% | 4.8 | 10% | 11% | 13% | 4% | 10.6 | |||||||||
| Julio Jones | WR | 1 | 76% | 23% | 19% | 19.8 | 33% | 0% | 14% | 20% | 11.6 | |||||||
| 2 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0.0 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0.0 | |||||||||
| 3 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0.0 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0.0 | |||||||||
| 4 | 30% | 12% | 4% | 25.0 | 13% | 0% | 9% | 0% | 1.7 | |||||||||
| YTD | 23% | 18% | 5% | 21.3 | 12% | 0% | 5% | 14% | 6.7 | |||||||||
| Cameron Brate | WR | 1 | 79% | 13% | 11% | 5.0 | 5% | 0% | 29% | 0% | 1.7 | |||||||
| 2 | 68% | 8% | 6% | 10.5 | 7% | 0% | 14% | 0% | 1.9 | |||||||||
| 3 | 86% | 16% | 15% | 6.3 | 16% | 0% | 14% | 33% | 10.2 | |||||||||
| 4 | 37% | 35% | 13% | 6.7 | 13% | 25% | 9% | 29% | 7.2 | |||||||||
| YTD | 65% | 17% | 12% | 6.7 | 10% | 11% | 15% | 22% | 5.3 | |||||||||
| Cade Otton | 1 | 14% | 0% | 0% | 0.0 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0.0 | ||||||||
| 2 | 27% | 20% | 6% | 5.5 | 4% | 0% | 0% | 50% | 1.4 | |||||||||
| 3 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0.0 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0.0 | |||||||||
| 4 | 58% | 10% | 6% | 4.7 | 4% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 5.9 | |||||||||
| YTD | 27% | 12% | 3% | 5.0 | 2% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 2.4 |
The Falcons allow the seventh-most non-overtime points to pass catchers this season (64.1), and the Buccaneers provide the second-best implied point total on the slate.
Tampa Bay is a nine-point favorite, so we could see more running late in the game, but Godwin’s utilization and the upside for TDs are enough to make him a low-end WR2 in Week 5.
Additional WR Notes & Movers:
- The Bengals WRs have a choice matchup in a game that could get wild against the Ravens.
- Mike Evans, like Godwin, is in a great spot against the Falcons.
- DeVonta Smith could have a boom week for the same reasons we are excited about A.J. Brown from a matchup and game environment standpoint.
- Marquise Brown gets a slight downgrade thanks to middling implied points and a tough matchup against the Eagles secondary.
- Michael Pittman Jr. gets a downgrade in a matchup against a strong Denver secondary paired with a low implied point total.
- Diontae Johnson faces the toughest secondary in the NFL with a rookie QB; the Steelers are 14-point dogs on the road, and Johnson falls from his normal Tier 2 status to Tier 3.
- Amari Cooper is in a plus spot against in a game with a solid total and the seventh-best matchup; we have seen Cooper with some big target games already.
- Gabe Davis is practicing in full, and the Bills have the highest implied total on the slate; this could be his week to come up with a big play against a secondary allowing 59.8 points to pass catchers in non-overtime.
- Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel have a top-three matchup against a Titans secondary, allowing 70.0 points per game in non-overtime to pass catchers.
Tight end
| PPR Pos Rnk | Tier | Pos Rnk | Player | Opp | Total | Spread | Implied Points | PPG |
| 1 | 1 | TE1 | Travis Kelce | vs LV | 51.5 | -7.0 | 29.25 | 19.6 |
| 2 | 1 | TE2 | Mark Andrews | vs CIN | 48.0 | -3.5 | 25.75 | 17.1 |
| 3 | 2 | TE3 | Darren Waller | at KC | 51.5 | 7.0 | 22.25 | 9.9 |
| 4 | 2 | TE4 | T.J. Hockenson | at NE | 45.5 | 3.0 | 21.25 | 16.0 |
| 5 | 2 | TE5 | Zach Ertz | vs PHI | 49.0 | 5.5 | 21.75 | 13.5 |
| 6 | 2 | TE6 | Dallas Goedert | at ARI | 49.0 | -5.5 | 27.25 | 11.5 |
| 7 | 2 | TE7 | Tyler Higbee | vs DAL | 42.0 | -5.5 | 23.75 | 12.6 |
| 8 | 2 | TE8 | George Kittle | at CAR | 39.5 | -6.5 | 23.00 | 5.6 |
| 10 | 3 | TE10 | Pat Freiermuth | at BUF | 45.5 | 14.0 | 15.75 | 11.6 |
| 11 | 3 | TE11 | David Njoku | vs LAC | 47.5 | 2.5 | 22.50 | 10.4 |
| 12 | 3 | TE12 | Gerald Everett | at CLE | 47.5 | -2.5 | 25.00 | 12.3 |
| 13 | 3 | TE13 | Dalton Schultz | at LAR | 42.0 | 5.5 | 18.25 | 5.0 |
| 14 | 3 | TE14 | Tyler Conklin | vs MIA | 45.0 | 3.5 | 20.75 | 11.6 |
| 15 | 4 | TE15 | Logan Thomas | vs TEN | 43.0 | 1.5 | 20.75 | 7.4 |
| 16 | 4 | TE16 | Evan Engram | vs HOU | 43.5 | -7.0 | 25.25 | 6.2 |
| 17 | 4 | TE17 | Hunter Henry | vs DET | 45.5 | -3.0 | 24.25 | 2.3 |
| 18 | 5 | TE18 | Robert Tonyan | vs NYG | 41.0 | -8.0 | 24.50 | 7.4 |
| 19 | 5 | TE19 | Irv Smith Jr. | vs CHI | 44.0 | -7.5 | 25.75 | 6.3 |
| 20 | 5 | TE20 | O.J. Howard | at JAC | 43.5 | 7.0 | 18.25 | 6.1 |
| 21 | 5 | TE21 | Hayden Hurst | at BAL | 48.0 | 3.5 | 22.25 | 7.6 |
| 22 | 5 | TE22 | Mo Alie-Cox | at DEN | 42.5 | 3.0 | 19.75 | 8.7 |
| 23 | 5 | TE23 | Will Dissly | at NO | 45.5 | 4.5 | 20.50 | 10.4 |
| 24 | 5 | TE24 | Juwan Johnson | vs SEA | 45.5 | -4.5 | 25.00 | 5.2 |
| 25 | 5 | TE25 | Noah Fant | at NO | 45.5 | 4.5 | 20.50 | 5.4 |
| 26 | 5 | TE26 | Daniel Bellinger | at GB | 41.0 | 8.0 | 16.50 | 7.3 |
| 27 | 5 | TE27 | Austin Hooper | at WAS | 43.0 | -1.5 | 22.25 | 2.5 |
| 28 | 6 | TE28 | Taysom Hill | vs SEA | 45.5 | -4.5 | 25.00 | 8.3 |
| 29 | 6 | TE29 | Cole Kmet | at MIN | 44.0 | 7.5 | 18.25 | 2.7 |
| 30 | 6 | TE30 | Isaiah Likely | vs CIN | 48.0 | -3.5 | 25.75 | 3.4 |
| 31 | 6 | TE31 | Mike Gesicki | at NYJ | 45.0 | -3.5 | 24.25 | 5.3 |
| 32 | 6 | TE32 | Eric Saubert | vs IND | 42.5 | -3.0 | 22.75 | 3.2 |
| 33 | 7 | TE33 | Cade Otton | vs ATL | 46.5 | -10.0 | 28.25 | 2.4 |
| 34 | 7 | TE34 | Kylen Granson | at DEN | 42.5 | 3.0 | 19.75 | 5.4 |
| 35 | 7 | TE35 | Harrison Bryant | vs LAC | 47.5 | 2.5 | 22.50 | 5.7 |
| 36 | 7 | TE36 | Trey McBride | vs DET | 49.0 | 5.5 | 21.75 | 5.4 |
| 37 | 7 | TE37 | Quintin Morris | vs CAR | 45.5 | -14.0 | 29.75 | 1.9 |
| 38 | 7 | TE38 | Parker Hesse | at SEA | 46.5 | 10.0 | 18.25 | 1.6 |
| 39 | 7 | TE39 | Jordan Akins | at CAR | 43.5 | 7.0 | 18.25 | 8.7 |
Waller is running cold, but his route participation remains elite at 87% and 90% over the last two games.
Target competition is much higher with Davante Adams around, but Mack Hollins has been the biggest unforeseen obstacle. Since 2017, Hollins has been a 13% TPRR player, which means this passing attack likely remains a three-person funnel as the season moves on with Adams, Waller, and Hunter Renfrow.
The Raiders currently rank 10th in points per game (24) and eighth in regulation passing plays per game (41.5), which is enough to support multiple weapons.
Las Vegas is seven-point dogs and will need to score points to keep up with the Chiefs this weekend. Kansas City allows the most non-overtime fantasy points per game (75) to opposing pass catchers.
Waller is in a nice bounce-back spot as a high-end TE1 in Week 5.
Additional TE Notes & Movers:
- Dallas Goedert’s route participation has been juicy; he is flush with a great scoring environment and matchup against the Cardinals.
- Kyle Pitts’ route participation has come in below 70% in two consecutive games (68% and 60%), and the Bucs sport the second-best PFF coverage grade (83.9). He is a boom-bust low-end TE1.
- David Njoku gets another nice matchup against the Chargers, who allow the fifth-most regulation-time fantasy points to pass catchers. Njoku has eclipsed the 80% route threshold in three consecutive games (82%, 82%, 82%).
Key
- Total = Game total per BetMGM
- Implied points = Team expected points based on game total and spread
- Route participation = routes divided by team pass plays per PFF
- LDD = long down and distance – third and fourth down with three or more yards to go per PFF
- SDD = short down and distance – second, third and fourth down with two or fewer yards to go per PFF
- TPRR = targets per route run
- YPRR = yards per route run
- Explosive rush rate = percentage of runs that go for 10-plus yards per PFF
- Explosive target rate = percentage of targets that go for 15-plus yards per PFF
- Regulation = excludes overtime
- Injuries: Q = Questionable; D = Doubtful (typically removed from ranks on Saturday); GTD = game-time decision