Fantasy Football Week 5 Rankings: Examining Lineup Options After Injury Reports
The injury report is any fantasy manager's greatest enemy and while Week 5 lacks any major surprises, there are still considerable contributors who are either expected to miss this week's slate of games or could be severely limited.
Who can fantasy managers turn to on the waiver wire, in free agency, or through trades in an attempt to make up for missing points as they battle for supremacy in their league?
Find out with this preview of the week and a few players that can potentially carry teams to quality victories.
Injury reports via NFL.com. All stats from FantasyPros.com.
Quarterback
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Injured: Derek Carr (New Orleans, questionable)
The quarterback position in the NFL, at least among starters, is remarkably injury-free right now, with the exception of the shoulder injury suffered by Derek Carr.
The former Raider and current Saint was able to gut through it a week ago in New Orleans' lopsided loss to Tampa Bay but there are questions about his availability for Sunday's showdown with the New England Patriots.
Carr is likely not in a ton of fantasy starting lineups based on his production thus far in 2023, but if he is, you may want to consider benching him in favor of rookie phenom CJ Stroud, who is still shockingly available in 24 percent of Yahoo leagues and 39 percent of ESPN leagues per Fantasy Pros, despite having a fantastic start to the season.
While he did not pop up on the Bengals' injury report, Joe Burrow has not been himself all season as he continues to deal with a calf injury suffered in the preseason. He expressed optimism and claimed to feel the best he has all season, but game tape does not lie and he is clearly not 100 percent right.
Against the Arizona Cardinals, he will have a chance to get right, but it still bears watching with him. If you choose to do the previously unthinkable and bench him on your roster for the time being, consider grabbing Jared Goff, who may only be available in 17 percent of Yahoo leagues, but can be picked up in 46 percent of ESPN leagues.
A solid match-up against Carolina, and consistently great play across the board in 2023, make him a quality addition to your roster. The only downside? Detroit and head coach Dan Campbell's stubborn insistence to run the ball in the red zone instead of letting the Pro Bowler sling it.
Running Back
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Injured: Rhamondre Stevenson (New England, questionable), Jahmyr Gibbs (Detroit, questionable)
Rhamondre Stevenson and Jahmyr Gibbs are both RB2 at worst and if they are unable to go Sunday, will leave considerable holes in fantasy managers' lineups.
Breece Hall of the New York Jets has one of the best match-ups of the day against a historically bad Denver Broncos defense, David Montgomery will have an opportunity to put up big numbers against a Panthers rush defense that is not much better, and no matter how much they have overperformed to this point, the Houston Texans are still sub-par against the run, making Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier potentially strong options this week.
Can't get your hands on any of those four? Pick up Tyjae Spears from the waiver wire. He is currently enjoying over 50 percent of carries for the Tennessee Titans and while he has yet to have that big, breakout game, he will combat a defensive unit in Indianapolis that allowed 164 on the ground to the Los Angeles Rams a week ago.
There will be opportunities there for a big day if Spears can capitalize.
Wide Receiver
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Injured: Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit, doubtful), Zay Jones (Jacksonville, questionable), Josh Reynolds (Detroit, questionable), Odell Beckham Jr. (Baltimore, questionable)
Jared Goff is a worthwhile option at quarterback, but he could be missing his top two receivers Sunday against Carolina as Amon-Ra St. Brown is officially doubtful and there are questions about Josh Reynolds' availability.
If Jameson Williams plays in his first game back after serving a suspension for gambling, the second-year wide receiver could have a big game. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson did not commit to him seeing the field but admitted that there will be plays in the gameplan for him if he does.
Williams is an explosive wideout with tremendous speed. He can be the best receiver in this Lions' offense if he can consistently catch the ball. There will be opportunities against Carolina for him to do just that and remind fans why he was considered the best player at his position in last year's draft class.
He is currently available in 41 and 61 percent of Yahoo and ESPN leagues, respectively.
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Tight End
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Injured: Pat Freiermuth (Pittsburgh, out)
The injury to Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Friermuth, which will keep him out of Sunday's game against Baltimore, is the latest blow in a season that has been far from what the team and its fans expected.
Brimming with potential, the season has turned into one nightmare after another, thanks to what can only be described as an awful offense, sub-par defensive performances, and injuries to key players.
While fantasy managers likely were not getting much out of Friermuth anyway, and probably either benched him or dropped him from their rosters outright, anyone still reserving a spot for him in their starting lineup based on pure potential and the hopes that quarterback Kenny Pickett or Mitch Trubisky look to him as a safety net, now have the ammunition they need to make a change.
Luke Musgrave in Green Bay is a quality match-up against a Raiders defense giving up 12th-most tight end targets, per Fantasy Pros. Dalton Schultz in Houston may not be putting up the numbers he flashed in Dallas but with a rookie quarterback under center, almost always has the potential to be an outlet for a rushed or hurried signal caller.
Neither of them will win you their league but a few receptions or a red zone target or two could be the difference between a six-point day and a 12 or 13-point afternoon.
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