Unless otherwise noted, references to "fantasy points" are based on PPR scoring with 25/10 yards per point and 4/6 points for TDs. Start percentage comes from Yahoo, as of Wednesday night / Thursday morning.
Start/Upgrade 👍
Quarterbacks 👍
- Geno Smith
(vs. IND) – 18% started
Start Over — Trevor Lawrence vs. KC , Drake Maye at BUF
Smith botched a great matchup last week against the Bears, so it's a bit dangerous to turn right back to him. The Colts are another good spot, as Xavien Howard abruptly retired after playing more than 80 percent of defensive snaps in the last three games. Indianapolis also looks likely to be without its starting slot corner in Kenny Moore (Achilles), leaving the team thin and potentially disorganized in the secondary.
The Colts are also a strong pass funnel. They've had the second-fewest rushing attempts to running backs, while allowing the eighth-most pass attempts to quarterbacks.
With Lamar Jackson, Brock Purdy and Jordan Love unavailable, Smith is a viable streamer that is widely available in most standard formats.
- Bryce Young
(vs. MIA) - 6% started
Young has had one usable fantasy performance in four games this season, but he's entering a key stretch of the season both for fantasy purposes and potentially his future in the NFL. The Dolphins are in a similar position to the Colts, having allowed the second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season and at least 25 fantasy points to every quarterback they've faced. Young is a deeper-league option, but he should be serviceable for fantasy managers in a tough position.
- Other Good Matchups: Justin Fields vs. DAL, C.J. Stroud at BAL, Jared Goff at CIN, Justin Herbert vs. WAS
Running Backs 👍
- Woody Marks
(at BAL) – 39% started
Start Over: Jordan Mason vs. CLE, Tony Pollard at ARI, any Washington RB, Chase Brown vs. DET
Marks took over the majority of the work in Houston's backfield and impressed with 119 yards from scrimmage and two scores. Coach DeMeco Ryans spoke positively about Marks after the game and suggested he'd continue to give Marks additional opportunity. We can't count on a replication of last week's final stat line, but he'll walk into another great matchup against the Ravens. Baltimore has struggled against the run this season (allowing 4.94 yards per rush) and are without Nnamdi Madubuike and (likely) Roquan Smith, while Kyle Hamilton was also downgraded to a DNP on Thursday with a groin injury.
- RJ Harvey
at PHI – 31% started
Start Over: Jordan Mason, J.K. Dobbins at PHI, any ARI running back, any NE running back, Nick Chubb
Harvey is another rookie who is on an upward trend, logging 18 total touches in Monday's win over the Bengals. More important was that coach Sean Payton sounded willing to change usage of his running backs, so 12-15 touches is a reasonable projection. The Eagles aren't the easiest matchup, but they've allowed an opposing running back to tally double-digit fantasy points in three of four weeks this season. J.K. Dobbins won't be eliminated from the offense, but Harvey is the more likely back to hit a big play.
Other good matchups: Alvin Kamara 
, Cam Skattebo 
, Breece Hall
Wide Receivers 👍
- Chris Olave vs. NYG – 51% started
Start Over: Brian Thomas vs. KC, Zay Flowers vs. HOU, Chris Godwin at SEA
Olave has found ways to piece together fantasy production despite the Saints' subpar quarterback play. He's one of five receivers in the league with a target share of more than 30 percent, making him a solid start in PPR formats regardless of matchup. The decision is trickier in 0.5 PPR or standard-scoring leagues, but Week 5 is a good spot for him regardless. The Giants are the biggest pass funnel in the league, with opponents post a 6.1 pass rate over expectation against them. They have also allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season.
- Wan'Dale Robinson
at NO – 31% started
Start Over: Cooper Kupp vs. TB, Travis Hunter vs. KC, Jerry Jeudy vs. MIN
We can flip to the opposite side of this matchup for a player fantasy managers are less likely to have confidence in. There is significant risk starting any Giants' skill-position player with the exception of Cam Skattebo based on what we saw in Jaxson Dart's debut. I'd turn to Robinson based on the types of receivers who have had strong performances when facing the Saints. Khalil Shakir and Jauan Jennings both hit double-digit points in 0.5 PPR scoring when facing New Orleans, and both have aDOTs lower than Robinson's season-long mark of 10.0
Other Good Matchups: Garrett Wilson vs. DAL, Michael Pittman vs. LV, Marvin Harrison vs. TEN
Tight Ends 👍
- Darren Waller
at CAR- 30% started
Start Over: Juwan Johnson vs. NYG, T.J. Hockenson vs. CLE, David Njoku/Harold Fannin vs. MIN
It's not apparent that the Panthers are a positive matchup for tight ends based on a basic look at the box score, but they've allowed 10.96 yards per target to the position this season. Malik Washington or Waller will have to step up in the absence of Tyreek Hill (knee), and Tua Tagovailoa's desire to look for Waller in the end zone in Week 4 ultimately gives him the edge.
Other Good Matchups: Dalton Schultz at BAL, Dalton Kincaid vs. NE
Sit/Downgrade 👎
Quarterbacks 👎
- Drake Maye
at BUF – 50% started
Start Instead: Justin Fields vs. DAL, Jared Goff at CIN
It's surprising to see Maye's start percentage this low, unless fantasy managers are already taking into account this very difficult matchup against Buffalo. The Bills limit quarterbacks at the best rate in the league in terms of both volume and efficiency. They've faced a league-low 102 pass attempts through four games and allow only 5.53 yards per attempt, also the fewest in the league. Their one vulnerability could be Maye's rushing ability. Buffalo's rushing numbers against are skewed because it already faced Lamar Jackson and Justin Fields, though Spencer Rattler did pick up 49 yards on the ground in Week 4.
Running Backs 👎
- Kenneth Walker
vs. TB – 87% started
Start Instead: Travis Etienne vs. KC, Quinshon Judkins vs. MIN, Cam Skattebo at NO
There are a lot of reasons to be confident in starting Walker based on what he's done this season. He excelled based on efficiency in Week 4 and based on role in Week 3 without Zach Charbonnet. This week, he faces a tough Tampa Bay run defense that has held Bijan Robinson, Breece Hall and Saquon Barkley to less than 2.5 yards per carry. The Buccaneers have been vulnerable to backs through the air, but that's the one way we haven't seen Walker excel this season as he has yet to reach 30 receiving yards in a game.
It's possible that benching Walker is neither advisable nor possible based on bye weeks and injuries, but he should be downgraded considerably in Week 5.
- Jordan Mason
at CLE – 66% started
Start Instead: Javonte Williams at NYJ, Tony Pollard at ARI
Mason had a big game against the Bengals in a blowout victory for the Vikings, but he's otherwise been underwhelming as Minnesota's lead back. He draws a Cleveland defense in Week 5 that is tied with Tampa Bay with only 2.9 yards allowed per rush. Unlike the Bucs, they also stifle running backs as receivers, a role Mason doesn't fare well in regardless of matchup. I'd be willing to sit Mason in more scenarios relative to Walker.
Other Tough Matchups: Javonte Williams at NYJ, Jacory Croskey-Merritt at LAC, Ashton Jeanty at IND
Wide Receivers 👎
- Chris Godwin/Emeka Egbuka
at SEA – 31 and 83% started
Start Instead: Tetairoa McMillan vs. MIA, Marvin Harrison vs. TEN, Xavier Worthy at JAX
The Seahawks have allowed only 5.7 yards per target to wide receivers, with only the Buccaneers maintaining a lower number (5.6). Put another way, only Ricky Pearsall has surpassed 7.0 yards per target in a matchup against them. Seattle also has allowed a season high of only 12.8 fantasy points to a wide receiver this season (Marvin Harrison in Week 4). Egbuka has had an excellent start to his rookie season, but that's very heavily reliant on big plays rather than opportunity. He's not likely to hit on explosive plays in this matchup.
- DeVonta Smith
vs. DEN – 62% started
Start Instead: Courtland Sutton at PHI, Jakobi Meyers at IND, Michael Pittman (if reports about his hamstring check out) vs. LV
The Eagles' lack of desire to pass to start the season has been well documented, and now they face a defense that has been good at slowing wide receivers. Only Keenan Allen has reached double-digit fantasy points (0.5 PPR scoring) against them, and they're of only three teams to allow less than 6.0 yards per target to wide receivers. The best hope for Smith to provide a good fantasy performance is that Denver jumps ahead and forces Philly to the air, but the Broncos haven't had the offensive firepower to accomplish that early in the season.
Other Tough Matchups: Jaylen Waddle at CAR, Deebo Samuel at LAC, Jaxon Smith-Njigba vs. TB, Stefon Diggs at BUF
Tight Ends 👎
- T.J. Hockenson at CLE (63% started)
Start Instead: Darren Waller at CAR, Dalton Kincaid vs. NE, Jake Ferguson at NYJ
Hockenson hasn't impressed to begin the season, but his starting rate is still relatively high so fantasy managers still seem to have faith in him. That's likely based on his name value, and this is a week to look elsewhere. The Browns have faced some strong tight ends this season such as Tucker Kraft, Sam LaPorta and Mark Andrews, whom they've held to 2.90, 3.90 and 0.40 fantasy points, respectively.
Other Tough Matchups: Evan Engram at PHI, Juwan Johnson vs. NYG, Mark Andrews vs. HOU
Streaming Picks
For Shallow Leagues (Less than 60 Percent Rostered)
QB Geno Smith at IND
RB Emari Demercado vs. TEN
RB Rachaad White at SEA
WR Tre Tucker at IND
WR Darius Slayton at NO
TE Darren Waller at CAR
TE Brenton Strange vs. KC
For Medium-depth Leagues (Less than 35 Percent Rostered)
QB Tua Tagovailoa at CAR
QB Bryce Young vs. MIA
RB Kendre Miller vs. NYG
RB Rico Dowdle vs. MIA
WR Elic Ayomanor at ARI
WR Malik Washington at CAR
TE Dalton Schultz at BAL
For Deep Leagues (Less than 15 Percent Rostered)
QB Spencer Rattler vs. NYG
RB Brashard Smith at JAX
RB Sean Tucker (if Bucky Irving is out) at SEA
RB Isaiah Davis vs. DAL
RB Zavier Scott at CLE
WR Isaiah Bond vs. MIN
WR Alec Pierce vs. LV
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster at JAX
TE Mason Taylor vs. DAL
TE Theo Johnson at NO
