Fantasy Football Week 5: Projecting Top Performers at Each Offensive Position

A lot of fantasy football owners will be scrambling to the waiver wire if their seasons aren't off to a great start ahead of Week 5's NFL slate. But which stars can owners count on to continue performing at a high level in the next game?

That depends on talent level, matchups, prospective game plans and many other circumstances that create constant fantasy conundrums. Some studs have lived up to the hype, while others are in dire need of a return to form.

One notable fantasy stalwart who has struggled in recent weeks is Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy. He is due to bounce back, and ought to be galvanized by the Eagles' first loss of the season this last Sunday in San Francisco.

Read on for rankings of the top Week 5 performers, an explanation as to why McCoy will bounce back and a breakdown of the other standouts who will continue to shine.

Rank	QB	RB	WR	TE
1	Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers	LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles	Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers	Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints
2	Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers	Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers	Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers	Larry Donnell, New York Giants
3	Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints	Matt Forte, Chicago Bears	Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons	Julius Thomas, Denver Broncos
4	Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions	Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks	Keenan Allen, San Diego Chargers	Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
5	Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts	Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs	Brandon Marshall, Chicago Bears	Jordan Cameron, Cleveland Browns
6	Eli Manning, New York Giants	DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys	Steve Smith, Baltimore Ravens	Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans
7	Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers	Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals	Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia Eagles	Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys
8	Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos	Andre Ellington, Arizona Cardinals	Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys	Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers
9	Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens	Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers	Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions	Martellus Bennett, Chicago Bears
10	Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons	Rashad Jennings, New York Giants	Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos	Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles

Analyzing Top Week 5 Stars

Philip Rivers, QB, San Diego Chargers

Denis Poroy/Associated Press

Talk about a dream matchup. After facing the horrible Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 4, Rivers gets his shot at a thin New York Jets secondary.

Rivers has had a renaissance of sorts ever since Mike McCoy took over as coach in 2013, cutting down on turnovers and benefiting from the accompanying breakout stardom of receiver Keenan Allen.

Pro Football Focus notes how precise Rivers has been en route to a 114.5 passer rating, which is tops in the league:

"

Adjusting for drops etc, Philip Rivers has been accurate on 81.3% of his aimed passes this year. Leads NFL

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) September 29, 2014"

Although the Jets lead the NFL with 14 sacks and got to Detroit star Matthew Stafford four times last week, they still yielded nearly 300 yards through the air—even though Calvin Johnson was hobbling. That spells doom for New York in Week 5.

Allen has led the way among Chargers pass-catcher with 22 receptions and 244 yards, but slot dynamo Eddie Royal and ever-reliable tight end Antonio Gates have four and three touchdowns respectively. That is more than the Jets can even account for.

An improved San Diego defense will also likely force Jets' young, turnover-prone QB Geno Smith into multiple mistakes, giving Rivers short fields that he'll be happy to capitalize on.

Averaging just over 34 pass attempts per game, it stands to reason Rivers will air it out just as much in Sunday's home contest. Look for him to put on a show of aerial artwork, rewarding fantasy owners with another spectacular effort.

Projected Week 5 Stats: 28-of-40 passing for 350 yards, 3 TDs

LeSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

As elusive as McCoy is in the open field, he hasn't had much real estate because of an injury-depleted Eagles offensive line. A dose of good news comes in Week 5, though, because right tackle Lane Johnson will return from suspension.

That will allow right guard Todd Herremans to move back to his natural position after being out on the edge. Johnson's athleticism is invaluable in the Eagles' uptempo rushing attack and screen game.

Darren Sproles will steal some receptions from McCoy, but Shady isn't one to be denied too many touches moving forward. QB Nick Foles isn't playing as efficiently as last year. He needs the backfield to pick up the slack and make his job easier.

Whenever coach Chip Kelly called for Philadelphia to run a fake swing pass to a receiver in motion, and throw a screen to the weak side against San Francisco, it got blown up. Part of that was the penetration of the Niners' pass rush and their anticipation.

Kelly knows his offense is built around the run, so with enhanced play up front, he will work to get McCoy involved more prominently. The coach also knew the line was the culprit in Week 4's loss.

"We got whooped up front," said Kelly said, per CSN Philly's Reuben Frank. "We're not very good up front right now. We've got a lot of guys banged up. That's not an excuse, it's just the reality."

The NFL on ESPN highlighted a crazy stat that likely has McCoy's fantasy owners in panic mode:

Facing the St. Louis Rams at home helps a lot. They're without star defensive end Chris Long, have a league-low one sack in three games and are 30th against the run. That seems like a recipe for McCoy to get back on track to say the least.

Philly hasn't played to its offensive potential at all this year. Week 5 figures to be the time the Eagles soar again. With the Dallas Cowboys catching up to them at 3-1 in the NFC East, the sense of urgency will increase, and McCoy will reap the benefits of better blocking, much to the delight of his fantasy owners.

Projected Week 5 Stats: 24 carries, 140 yards, 2 TDs; 3 receptions, 30 yards

Jordy Nelson, WR, Green Bay Packers

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Hard to bet against the leading receiver in all of football. It appears Nelson is playing with something to prove, and it's hard to believe he has never made a Pro Bowl.

That should change if Nelson's incredible pace keeps up, as he already has 33 receptions on 49 targets for 459 yards and three touchdowns. The former three numbers are all NFL bests.

Football Perspective's Chase Stuart points out just how valuable Nelson has been to the Packers in 2014:

Thankfully I can relate to the following SportsNation GIF, so here's to hoping this writeup isn't a Jordy Jinx:

Nelson's big frame makes him an attractive red-zone target. You'll also be hard pressed to find anyone better than Rodgers at the back-shoulder throw, which can pile on chunks of yards in a hurry.

The upper-body strength Nelson has, combined with his precise route-running, make him a near-impossible matchup on quick slants, a staple of Green Bay's West Coast offense. From there, Nelson can YAC it up, too.

Now the Packers get to enjoy some home cooking on a short week at Lambeau Field against the NFC North rival Minnesota Vikings.

I've noticed a successful pattern at predicting the horrible, blowout Thursday night games that have transpired thus far. Either bet on the home team, or bet against the side that is in its first year under a new coach.

Seattle and Baltimore won in home routs, while Lovie Smith and Jay Gruden were blown out. Vikings coach Mike Zimmer is on the road and will either be starting Teddy Bridgewater or first-round bust Christian Ponder at quarterback. Preparing players for a quick turnaround is perilous, and something Zimmer won't yet have a feel for.

With the way Thursday games have gone, look for Nelson to have another big day and for the Packers to cruise.

Projected Week 5 Stats: 10 receptions, 150 yards, 2 TDs

Jimmy Graham, TE, New Orleans Saints

David Richard/Associated Press

Get ready to celebrate if you're a Graham owner. 

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Heath Miller had a career game in Week 4, hauling in 10 receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Bucs happen to be New Orleans' opponent, in the friendly confines of the Mercedes-Benz Super dome no less. Even if tending to Graham is the primary focal point of the game plan, Saints signal-caller Drew Brees will still find a way to get the ball to his most dangerous pass-catcher.

Graham and New Orleans are coming off a tough road loss to the Dallas Cowboys and have fallen to a shocking 1-3. In this time of relative desperation, it's time for Graham to produce like we know he can, per ESPN Stats & Info:

Given how much of a gash Miller left in Tampa Bay's soft defense last week, there's no reason Graham can't do even more damage after his eight-catch, 86-yard performance in Dallas that included a TD.

If the Saints fall flat at home to their NFC South rival, it will be because Graham is shut down and the defense continues to leak. That will all but destroy New Orleans' hopes for a Super Bowl, and perhaps trigger the dismissal of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.

A lot is on the line for the team in Week 5. Those circumstances are often what make or break any given fantasy football game. Those who have Graham will rake in the rewards when the Saints march all over the Bucs, led by Graham's unique talents at the tight end position.

Projected Week 5 Stats: 11 receptions, 160 yards, 2 TDs