'Who Needs Reality?': Excellent Fantasy Football Starts for Week 5

Week 5 is here folks, and this is about the time of year when I start to scream at the NFL season to slow down. 

Last week in this column, I suggested you start Steve Smith Sr. because he was playing his former team. I said this rather arbitrarily; I figured he would be productive, but I had no idea he would be as dominant as he was. 

Smith turned out to be the start of the week, going off for seven catches, 139 yards and two touchdowns.

I also mentioned that Smith is "an avid fan of trash talk." Once again, I underestimated him, and apparently I'm not alone. He did not stop talking from the minute he took the field last week, and he hasn't stopped talking since. He has proven to everyone that he can still play with the youngsters, and that he's not just an avid "fan" of trash, but he's a connoisseur of the art, or even, a virtuoso. 

The point here is that when you make your fantasy lineup decisions on Sunday, always be sure to remember that emotion will, and should, play a huge role in your decision making process. If a guy has pride on the line, throw him into your lineup. If your gut is pushing you in the direction of certain player, listen to it. 

That said, here are some solid objective picks for Week 5 that I hope will prove to be solid starts. Last week was one of my best weeks of the season, (no thanks to Donald Brown or Julian Edelman) so here's to riding the wave of momentum forward.

Please remember that I use a standard scoring system when projecting these points:

• One point per 10 rushing or receiving yards
• One point per 25 passing yards
• Six points per each rushing or receiving touchdown
• Four points for passing touchdowns
• Minus-two points for interceptions and fumbles lost

Additionally, be sure to stay tuned to the official NFL Injury Report to get the official word on who is in and who is out come game day.

Quarterbacks to Start

I'm not fighting the logic that I just touted in the opening of this column. 

Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images

The San Francisco 49ers gave up on quarterback Alex Smith, and now he returns to the Bay Area with a Kansas City Chiefs squad that has won two straight. 

The Chiefs are rolling, Smith is playing great football and while I doubt he'll be telling anyone to "Ice Up!", I do expect him to play with a little vengeance. I love Smith to do big things this week, and I love the Chiefs to win this ballgame. 

• 290 yards, three touchdowns and one interception = 21 points 

Other Solid Ball-Throwers

• Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers: 270 yards, 3 touchdowns = 22 points
• Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers: 320 yards, 3 touchdowns, one interception = 22 points
• Mike Glennon, Tampa Bay Bucs: 310 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions = 16 points

Running Backs to Start   

It's finally time... The time you've all been waiting for... Bishop Sankey is a starter! 

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That's right, the Tennessee Titans rookie, who was drafted fairly high in most fantasy drafts, is finally in control of the rock and should see a healthy number of touches moving forward. Veteran running back Shonn Greene seems to have finally taken a backseat to Sankey, as most predicted was the plan all along. 

Tennessee definitely wanted to take their time weaning Sankey off the backup bottle, yet if they are smart, (and I think they are) they will start using him to his full potential. He could be the answer to this offense that is barely holding on like a candle in the wind. He's also got a great matchup this week against the Cleveland Browns. 

• 17 carries, 110 yards and a touchdown = 17 points

Other Solid Ball-Carriers

• Rashad Jennings, New York Giants: It's near impossible to not like Jennings, who has been great this year, against an Atlanta Falcons run defense that is simply terrible. They got shredded last week by Minnesota's Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon. This is one of those weeks you're going to be very happy you drafted Jennings. 
• Darren Sproles, Philadelphia Eagles: From what I've seen, the Eagles are a better team when Sproles is involved. He's been a very frustrating player, because while you know he'll succeed when he touches the ball, there's no guarantee he'll get those opportunities. I think this week the Eagles look to Sproles to make something happen. It was clear from last week that Nick Foles cannot be expected to deliver all their scores via air mail. 
• Reggie Bush, Detroit Lions: The Buffalo Bills have a great run-defense, so I don't love this pick, yet it appears as though fellow running back Joique Bell won't play, giving Bush an increase in work. If Bush sees a lot of carries in addition to his role in the passing game, it's tough to argue that he won't produce. 

Wide Receivers to Start 

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I think the New Orleans Saints are going to be partying this week at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, and I like wide receiver Brandin Cooks to be a nice beneficiary of this madness. 

The Saints were embarrassed last week on Sunday Night Football, losing to the Dallas Cowboys 38-17. They are no longer a great football team, and their defense is not even in the "good" category, yet this offense is still capable of major production. The Tampa Bay Bucs are coming to town this week, and I don't think they'll have an answer for Cooks' blistering speed and quarterback Drew Brees' ability to find him. 

• Seven catches, 95 yards and a touchdown = 15 points. (22 in PPR)

Other Solid Ball-Catchers

• Brian Quick, St. Louis Rams: The Philadelphia Eagles are likely to control this game, yet the Rams are going to have to produce some offense. Quick is the best receiver on St. Louis, and a great target for quarterback Austin Davis. 
• Markus Wheaton, Pittsburgh Steelers: Wheaton has quietly been putting together a productive season as the No. 2 wide receiver in Pittsburgh. He's yet to find the end zone, however. I think that changes this week. 
• Michael Floyd, Arizona Cardinals: The Cardinals are going to be able to move the ball in the game. Don't let quarterback Drew Stanton scare you; he's been doing a fine job, and he'll continue to find Floyd against a Denver Broncos secondary that is more adept at covering slot receivers than defending deep threats. 

Tight Ends to Start 

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Last week I said, "the economy would be in great shape if Travis Kelce was the stock market; he just keeps going up." 

Well, I stand by these words and expect more of the same. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end finds himself on this list for the third week in a row, and with one more great week, he'll find himself in the "must-start" department. 

Unless you own Jimmy Graham or Martellus Bennett, Kelce should be starting for your team. (I would even rank him ahead of Rob Gronkowski, currently.) 

• Six catches, 85 yards and two touchdowns = 20 points. (26 in PPR)

Other Solid Big Guys Who Catch Balls

• Larry Donnell, New York Giants: Why would you sit him? You'd have to be crazier than Larry Donnell.
• Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans: He's slightly less obvious than Donnell, but again, why would you sit him? He's the go-to red zone threat for Tennessee and the only receiver whom quarterback Jake Locker has any chemistry with. 
• Clay Harbor, Jacksonville Jaguars: Deep sleeper pick here, but I think Jacksonville will move the ball effectively on a few drives in this game. Baltimore Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta and Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen both had productive games against Pittsburgh, so I think Harbor will get looks in the red zone since all of Jacksonville's receivers are deep-threat sprinters and the Jags can't run the ball. 

Defenses to Start

Speaking of the Steelers, I like the Pittsburgh Steelers D/ST a lot this week. They were embarrassed last week when they let the Tampa Bay Bucs storm down the field and win the the game in their house, so I think they'll be playing with a chip on their shoulder. Against the Jacksonville Jaguars, I like their chances. 

Other Solid Defense Starts

• Kansas City Chiefs (at San Francisco)
• Philadelphia Eagles (vs. St. Louis)
• San Diego Chargers (vs. New York Jets)

And there we have it folks. Best of luck with your leagues this week. 

When making a tough lineup choice, remember the three golden rules: 

1. Trust your gut
2. See Rule No. 1
3. See Rule No. 2

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All stats courtesy of NFL.com and FFToday.com. Feel free to email any question to [e-mail] and I'll try my best to answer them before kickoff on Sunday.