Kenyan Drake, Keenan Allen, and Rob Gronkowski didn’t have great Week 4 performances, but everyone else scored a touchdown in last week’s recommended daily fantasy lineup. Hopefully all these guys can find pay-dirt for our Week daily fantasy recommendations.
QB: Matt Ryan @ PIT
DraftKings: $6,600 | FanDuel: $8,300
Ideally, your Week 5 daily fantasy lineup is going to be led by one of the two quarterbacks in the Falcons-Steelers game, as both Matt Ryan and Ben Roethlisberger have been putting up numbers while their defenses have been struggling to stop anyone. Anything can happen, but 60+ combined points feels like a lock. I’ll go with Matty Ice over Big Ben because he comes cheaper with a matchup on the road.
RB: Christian McCaffrey vs. NYG
DraftKings: $8,000 | FanDuel: $8,100
Heading into the bye, Christian McCaffrey was handed the ball 28 times (30 total touches), and the well-rested second-year back could get a similar workload this week. He isn’t quite in that top-price tier with Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon, but he should have the same opportunities of those two star runners. Also, the Giants cornerbacks have played well this season, so Cam Newton might be forced to target CMC underneath.
RB: Derrick Henry @ BUF
DraftKings: $4,400 | FanDuel: $5,800
This has not been a good statistical start to the season for Derrick Henry, but he’s simply too good not to eventually break a long run or score a couple of touchdowns for the Titans. Buffalo’s run defense is allowing under 4.0 yards per carry, which is 11th-best in the NFL through four weeks, but they showed vulnerability last week against the Packers. Henry has 100-yard, double-digit touchdown upside at a great cost.
WR: Julio Jones @ PIT
DraftKings: $8,500 | FanDuel: $8,800
It’s probably fair to say that no one for the Steelers can cover Julio Jones, who might be due for one of his epic performances in a likely shootout. He’s going to have to find the end zone at some point, too, and the scores could start to come in bunches soon.
WR: JuJu Smith-Schuster vs. ATL
DraftKings: $7,500 | FanDuel: $8,000
Again, we’re targeting the Atlanta-Pittsburgh game. JuJu Smith-Schuster has been the Steelers’ best receiver this season, and he’s been getting a lot of time in the slot, where the Falcons have struggled to defend this season. Nothing is guaranteed, but Smith-Schuster is as good a bet as anyone for 100+ yards in Week 5.
WR: Calvin Ridley @ PIT
DraftKings: $5,800 | FanDuel: $6,800
At some point, Calvin Ridley is going to slow down from his scorching pace with six touchdowns the last three weeks, but this is not the week to stop riding him in fantasy lineups. The rookie receiver should be able to get deep on Pittsburgh’s corners, and we know he’s quickly gained the trust of his quarterback.
TE: Austin Hooper @ PIT
DraftKings: $3,000 | FanDuel: $5,000
You may have noticed I recommend getting guys from this game into your daily fantasy lineup this week. The Steelers have allowed the most PPR fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends (20.5), and again, this is expected to be a very high-scoring affair. Austin Hooper was hyped throughout the summer, and this could be a big breakout game for him.
FLEX: Marquez Valdes-Scantling @ DET
DraftKings: $3,300 | FanDuel: $4,800
Randall Cobb (hamstring) has been ruled out for Week 5, and Davante Adams (calf) and Geronimo Allison (concussion) are both in danger of missing the game—or in Adams’ case, playing at less than 100%. Packers head coach Mike McCarthy identified Marquez Valdes-Scantling as the rookie they’re most likely to count on in a big role, and Aaron Rodgers doesn’t seem to have much trouble trusting receivers if they’re in the lineup. Valdes-Scantling is available at a great price.
D/ST: Ravens @ CLE
DraftKings: $2,800 | FanDuel: $4,200
The Titans are the top D/ST option for Week 5, but the Ravens have one of the league’s best units and come at a much better cost. Going with Baltimore allows us to save money for other positions and target premium players like Christian McCaffrey and Julio Jones.