Fantasy Football Week 5: Fact or Fiction on Week 4's Top Superstars

The beautiful thing about fantasy football is that every week you never know what exactly you are going to get. 

Sure, we have been waiting to see Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Cam Newton put up the numbers they did in Week 4, but eventually you knew they were going to break out. They are too good and too talented to be down for very long. 

But there were a few players who no one would have expected to do anything all season who could have saved you this week. That is, of course, assuming you even bothered to start them. It's not like anyone would blame you if you didn't have Brian Hartline ready to go against Arizona. 

So after all the craziness had died down and we have time to assess exactly what it was we just saw on Sunday, it is time to figure out if these are going to be a sign of things to come or just a one-time aberration. 

Here is what we think we know about the top fantasy stars in Week 4 and whether it is a sign of things to come in Week 5. 

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Peyton Manning, QB, Denver Broncos

Week 4 Stats vs Oakland

30-of-38, 338 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT

What We Saw

For the first time this season, it really appeared that we saw the Peyton Manning who dominated the NFL for more than a decade with the Indianapolis Colts. The methodical destruction of the Raiders was vintage Manning. 

There was never any doubt about the outcome of the game, but to see Manning look so comfortable in the pocket, controlling the game as only he can and being so efficient was welcome after some inconsistencies to start the season. 

Is it Fact or Fiction?

I wanted to include Manning on this list even though he had high expectations for two reasons. One, he is an easy player to talk about each week given that he is coming back from not taking a snap in 2011, and you want to see the progress from game to game. 

The second reason is, despite having said what I did, it is important to remember who Manning was doing it against. 

The Raiders are battling Cleveland for the crown of worst team in the NFL. Every quarterback who has played them has looked like Joe Montana and John Elway merged into one, including Ryan Tannehill. 

At the same time, Manning and the Broncos have a showdown with New England in Week 5. The Patriots still don't have a secondary capable of stopping teams from throwing against them, so I think there are big things in store for Manning heading into Week 5. 

Brian Hartline, TE, Miami Dolphins

Week 4 Stats vs. Arizona

12 receptions, 253 yards, 1 TD, 19 targets

What We Saw

Raise your hand if you had Brian Hartline having the biggest scoring output for a tight end in 2012? If you have your hand up, you are a liar. 

Hartline's output against a very good Arizona defense was an encouraging sign for a Dolphins team that is starved for playmakers outside of Reggie Bush. If you had him in a points per reception league or standard league, you are smiling wide today. 

Is it Fact or Fiction?

The obvious answer is fiction, if only because no wide receiver or tight end is going to catch 12 passes for 200 yards every week. 

However, it is important to note that Hartline had another game this season when he had nine catches for 111 yards. The ability is there for him to be a star at a loaded tight-end position. 

Ryan Tannehill clearly loves throwing to Hartline, as his two best passing days in fantasy came when Hartline had at least 100 yards receiving. 

You have to play things cautiously, though, because Tannehill is so turnover prone. If he has a bad game, it is going to be incredibly difficult for Hartline to do anything.

Don't put all your eggs in the Hartline basket, but next week against Cincinnati looks like a safe play. The Bengals have had problems on defense this season, allowing 365 yards and 28 points per game. 

Andre Roberts, WR, Arizona Cardinals

Week 4 Stats vs. Miami

6 receptions, 118 yards, 2 TD

What We Saw

Just when you think the Cardinals are out, here comes the dynamic duo of Kevin Kolb and Andre Roberts to save the day. 

Roberts has actually been a solid No. 3 fantasy receiver even before Week 4. He only had 111 yards in the first three games, but he did have two touchdown receptions. 

Larry Fitzgerald is always going to command the attention of multiple defensive players. The problem is the Cardinals have struggled to find a capable No. 2 who can step up and make plays when he isn't getting open looks. 

It is a small sample size, but Roberts has already matched his touchdown total from 2010 and 2011. He did have 51 catches last year and is being put in spots where he can run after the catch. 

Is it Fact or Fiction?

Roberts strikes me as something of a one-game anomaly. The Cardinals aren't taking many chances down the field--even if they do, Fitzgerald is going to be the receiver making those plays. 

It is good that the Cardinals appear to have found a capable No. 2 behind Fitzgerald, but that doesn't necessarily mean good things for fantasy football.

The Cardinals will take on St. Louis next week in an NFC West showdown. The Rams have performed well against the pass this season. The only receiver to have more than 80 yards against them was Calvin Johnson in Week 1. 

Michael Turner, RB, Atlanta Falcons

Week 4 Stats vs. Carolina

13 carries, 103 yards, 3 receptions, 68 yards, 1 TD

What We Saw

After struggling in the first two games of the season, not to mention being arrested and charged with a DUI two weeks ago, Turner's stock was as low as it could possibly be. 

Yet here we are, two weeks later, and Turner has had a nice resurgence. He ran for 80 yards and one touchdown against San Diego in Week 3 before posting his best numbers of the 2012 season against Carolina. 

The Falcons have turned into one of best offensive teams to watch thanks to the development of Matt Ryan, Roddy White doing the things he has done for the last three years, and Julio Jones, when he can stay healthy, looking like the player everyone expected him to be when he was drafted last year. 

For all that firepower outside, they are still a team that needs to run the ball to be great. Turner is the glue that holds the running game together and is showing signs of life. 

Is it Fact of Fiction?

Beware what you see from a running back against Carolina. The Panthers have been disastrous against the run this season, though their pass defense isn't much better. 

Turner has built up confidence and seems to be running harder now than he was at any point this season, so keep him in the back of your mind when debating lineups for Week 5. 

The Redskins do have good numbers against the run this season (10th in the NFL), but they have done it against the likes of New Orleans, St. Louis and Tampa Bay, who all rank in the bottom half of the league in rushing. 

I am leaning towards starting him without thinking next week, though it is not a slam dunk right now. 

Stevan Ridley and Brandon Bolden, RB, New England Patriots

Week 4 Stats vs. Buffalo

Ridley: 22 carries, 106 yards, 2 TD

Bolden: 16 carries, 137 yards, 1 TD

What We Saw

The Patriots were nice enough to tease the Bills into thinking they had a chance to win the game before exploding for 45 points in the second half en route to a 52-28 victory. 

In a nice change of pace, the Patriots made a commitment to running the ball. Ridley entered the season with high expectations after having 441 yards on just 87 carries in 2011. He had a great start to the year against Tennessee with 125 yards. After that, he had just 108 the next two games before the Buffalo destruction. 

Bolden came out of nowhere. He had seven carries coming into this game for 15 yards and one touchdown. The rookie running back is going to be the hot fantasy name leading up to this week after his breakthrough performance. 

Is it Fact of Fiction?

Ridley is the leader of the Patriots running-back group. He has good potential in an offense that doesn't always like to run the ball, which is too bad because it would be nice to see him get 300 carries in a season. 

Bolden is the kind of player who fantasy owners will take a chance on, hoping to catch lightning in a bottle.

Of these two performances, you have to like Ridley more heading into the Denver game on Sunday. The Broncos defend the run well, so it will be interesting to see just how much the Patriots commit to keeping the ball on the ground. 

Bolden took advantage of a Buffalo defense that plays with no intensity or sense of urgency. The Patriots do like the two-back system, but don't look for another 100-yard game until Nov. 11 when they play the Bills again.