Fantasy Football Week 5: Flex and PPR Rankings

Four weeks of the 2014 NFL regular season are already in the books. For fantasy owners, the games are flying by too fast, but it’s already time to think about which players to put in your lineup for Week 5.

Only two teams are on bye in Week 5 (Oakland and Miami), so there could be several potential decisions fantasy owners need a second opinion on before making a call. When in doubt, check the flex and points-per-receptions rankings and start the higher-ranked player.

Here are the overall flex and PPR rankings to get you through Week 5 with a victory.

Flex Rankings

Rank	Player	Week 5 Opponent
1	DeMarco Murray, Dal, RB	Houston
2	Calvin Johnson, Det, WR	Buffalo
3	Antonio Brown, Pit, WR	Jacksonville
4	Jimmy Graham, NO, TE	Tampa Bay
5	LeSean McCoy, Phi, RB	St. Louis
6	Julio Jones, Atl, WR	New York Giants
7	Demaryius Thomas, Den, WR	Arizona
8	Rob Gronkowski, NE, TE	Cincinnati
9	Marshawn Lynch, Sea, RB	Washington
10	Dez Bryant, Dal, WR	Houston
11	Matt Forte, Chi, RB	Carolina
12	A.J. Green, Cin, WR	New England
13	Julius Thomas, Den, TE	Arizona
14	Le'Veon Bell, Pit, RB	Jacksonville
15	Jordy Nelson, GB, WR	Minnesota
16	Keenan Allen, SD, WR	New York Jets
17	Brandon Marshall, Chi, WR	Carolina
18	Steve Smith, Bal, WR	Indianapolis
19	Arian Foster, Hou, RB	Dallas
20	Reggie Wayne, Ind, WR	Baltimore
21	Jamaal Charles, KC, RB	San Francisco
22	Andre Johnson, Hou, WR	Dallas
23	Percy Harvin, Sea, WR	Washington
24	Rashad Jennings, NYG, RB	Atlanta
25	Giovani Bernard, Cin, RB	New England
26	Alfred Morris, Wsh, RB	Seattle
27	Zac Stacy, StL, RB	Philadelphia
28	Roddy White, Atl, WR	New York Giants
29	Montee Ball, Den, RB	Arizona
30	Doug Martin, TB, RB	New Orleans
31	Eddie Lacy, GB, RB	Minnesota
32	Kelvin Benjamin, Car, WR	Chicago
33	Andre Ellington, Ari, RB	Denver
34	Randall Cobb, GB, WR	Minnesota
35	Victor Cruz, NYG, WR	Atlanta
36	Jeremy Maclin, Phi, WR	St. Louis
37	Alshon Jeffery, Chi, WR	Carolina
38	Cordarrelle Patterson, Min, WR	Green Bay
39	Michael Floyd, Ari, WR	Denver
40	Reggie Bush, Det, RB	Buffalo
41	C.J. Spiller, Buf, RB	Detroit
42	Julian Edelman, NE, WR	Cincinnati
43	Larry Fitzgerald, Ari, WR	Denver
44	Donald Brown, SD, RB	New York Jets
45	Sammy Watkins, Buf, WR	Detroit
46	Trent Richardson, Ind, RB	Baltimore
47	Frank Gore, SF, RB	Kansas City
48	Vincent Jackson, TB, WR	New Orleans
49	Emmanuel Sanders, Den, WR	Arizona
50	Pierre Garcon, Wsh, WR	Seattle

The top fantasy player on my rankings this week is Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray. After racking up an incredible 99 carries for 534 yards and five touchdowns through the first four games, there is no player making the fantasy impact Murray has made thus far.

The Cowboys have shown a dedication to the run, and coupled with one of the most impressive offensive lines in the NFL, Murray has been able to reach at least 100 yards and add a touchdown in every week thus far. That’s the consistency fantasy owners are looking for, and 100 yards and a touchdown should be expected once again in Week 5.

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

Dallas owner Jerry Jones told Todd Archer of ESPN.com about what Murray’s success Sunday means moving forward, saying, "DeMarco was inspirational. I’m glad to see him have a game where he didn’t turn the ball over. It became a positive not only that our offensive line was playing so well, but then we saw DeMarco gaining yards after they had finished their jobs."

If you weren’t lucky enough to draft Murray, there were several late-round picks who have blossomed into starters. If you took educated risks on veterans like Steve Smith and Reggie Wayne, this was your time to bask in the glory.

Smith took on the Carolina Panthers in Week 4 and exploded. After catching seven passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns, fantasy owners should be starting Smith as a flex or even a WR2 in some cases. Baltimore is squaring off against a beatable Indianapolis Colts secondary.

Fantasy owners don’t have to go very far for another player who should shine in Week 5, as Wayne will be going up Sunday against Smith and Baltimore. Wayne racked up seven catches for 119 yards and a touchdown, and he looked like the player he was before last year’s season-ending knee surgery.

Both Wayne and Smith are looking to prove their worth as older receivers in the NFL. Owners should be looking for six receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown from each player in what could become a shootout between the Ravens and the Colts.

PPR Rankings

Rank	Player	Week 5 Opponent
1	Antonio Brown, Pit, WR	Jacksonville
2	Calvin Johnson, Det, WR	Buffalo
3	Demaryius Thomas, Den, WR	Arizona
4	Jimmy Graham, NO, TE	Tampa Bay
5	DeMarco Murray, Dal, RB	Houston
6	LeSean McCoy, Phi, RB	St. Louis
7	Dez Bryant, Dal, WR	Houston
8	Julio Jones, Atl, WR	New York Giants
9	Matt Forte, Chi, RB	Carolina
10	Jordy Nelson, GB, WR	Minnesota
11	Brandon Marshall, Chi, WR	Carolina
12	Le'Veon Bell, Pit, RB	Jacksonville
13	Rob Gronkowski, NE, TE	Cincinnati
14	Percy Harvin, Sea, WR	Washington
15	Jamaal Charles, KC, RB	San Francisco
16	A.J. Green, Cin, WR	New England
17	Keenan Allen, SD, WR	New York Jets
18	Kelvin Benjamin, Car, WR	Chicago
19	Steve Smith, Bal, WR	Indianapolis
20	Julius Thomas, Den, TE	Arizona
21	Marshawn Lynch, Sea, RB	Washington
22	Reggie Wayne, Ind, WR	Baltimore
23	Doug Martin, TB, RB	New Orleans
24	Andre Johnson, Hou, WR	Dallas
25	Reggie Bush, Det, RB	Buffalo
26	Eddie Lacy, GB, RB	Minnesota
27	Giovani Bernard, Cin, RB	New England
28	C.J. Spiller, Buf, RB	Detroit
29	Victor Cruz, NYG, WR	Atlanta
30	Randall Cobb, GB, WR	Minnesota
31	Larry Fitzgerald, Ari, WR	Denver
32	Rashad Jennings, NYG, RB	Atlanta
33	Andre Ellington, Ari, RB	Denver
34	Michael Floyd, Ari, WR	Denver
35	Emmanuel Sanders, Den, WR	Arizona
36	Jeremy Maclin, Phi, WR	St. Louis
37	Pierre Garcon, Wsh, WR	Seattle
38	Arian Foster, Hou, RB	Dallas
39	Cordarrelle Patterson, Min, WR	Green Bay
40	Roddy White, Atl, WR	New York Giants
41	Shane Vereen, NE, RB	Cincinnati
42	Alshon Jeffery, Chi, WR	Carolina
43	Greg Olsen, Car, TE	Chicago
44	Alfred Morris, Wsh, RB	Seattle
45	Julian Edelman, NE, WR	Cincinnati
46	DeSean Jackson, Was, WR	Seattle
47	Vincent Jackson, TB, WR	New Orleans
48	Sammy Watkins, Buf, WR	Detroit
49	Frank Gore, SF, RB	Kansas City
50	Brandin Cooks, NO, WR	Tampa Bay

While Murray has emerged as the top star in the flex rankings, there is a new No. 1 on the PPR rankings board as well. If you have Pittsburgh Steelers running back Antonio Brown on your roster, you are living the high life.

Brown has totaled at least 90 receiving yards in each game this season and added 131 yards and two touchdowns Sunday. Add in the 29 receptions he has through four games, and Brown is a PPR juggernaut.

Yahoo fantasy insider Brad Evans was impressed with Brown’s performance in Week 4:

Start Brown as a WR1 with confidence and expect eight receptions for 100 yards and another touchdown against the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars defense Sunday.

One player who doesn’t get enough love in PPR leagues is Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch. With a favorable Monday night matchup against the Washington Redskins and a larger role in the passing game during the two games before the bye week, Lynch should have no problems finding holes against a suspect run defense.

For Lynch, expect 22 carries for 100 yards, three receptions for 45 yards and two total touchdowns.

It’s hard to predict how the Philadelphia Eagles offensive touches will shake out each week, but wide receiver Jeremy Maclin has been the one constant. While Maclin did not score a touchdown in Week 4, he had scored one in each of the first three games and was going up against a stingy San Francisco defensive unit on Sunday.

Maclin has a favorable matchup in Week 5 against the St. Louis Rams. Fantasy owners should bank on six receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown.

*Stats via NFL.com.