Making the Call on Week 5's Toughest Fantasy Lineup Decisions

It's Week 5 in the 2014 NFL season, which means another week for us to make some difficult choices in fantasy football lineups.

Thankfully, only two teams—the Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders—are on a bye this week, but that only makes some choices more difficult, doesn't it? The more players to choose from, the hazier the picture.

Hopefully, your starting lineup is rock solid. If you're looking for a little nudge, though, here are 10 players to sit or start based on matchup, injury or just plain predicted success.

Start: Ben Tate, RB, Cleveland Browns

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Welcome back, Ben Tate.

The Cleveland Browns running back is back in action this week after an injury kept him out over the past several weeks. However, rookies Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell have done well in his stead, including big performances in Week 1 after Tate was knocked out with injury, so why start him?

You might think that West and Crowell will be taking the lead in that backfield, but that doesn't seem to be the case, at least according to Cleveland's running back coach, Wilbert Montgomery. He told The Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot:

"

That's what we brought Tate here for, to be the starter. He's the No. 1 running back in this offense. Tate is beyond what the other guys' skill [level is] because he's had to climb that mountain. Right now, you can say we miss him. We miss his experience. We miss his leadership with the group. We'll be open arms and welcome to have Ben back into the fold, so he can come out and help us win more ballgames. 

"

That seems to indicate Tate will have a nice workload against the Tennessee Titans this weekend, which makes him a good option if you've hung on to him thus far. Head coach Mike Pettine echoed those sentiments, saying Tate would start when he was ready.

He should be this week, which means he will likely retain much of his intended workload. West and Crowell will eat into that, but the Browns spent money on Tate—however little that may have been, relatively speaking—and a productive veteran is a safer bet than potentially inconsistent rookies.

Fantasy Prediction: 17 attempts, 70 yards, one TD; four receptions, 25 yards, 0 TD

Final Verdict: Tate will be the starter and garner the majority of the touches if he is fully healthy. He should have a nice fantasy day as a result.

Flex Only: Darrin Reaves, RB, Carolina Panthers

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Last week marked the second consecutive week a Carolina Panthers running back has burned fantasy owners. Shall we go for the hat trick?

Darrin Reaves is the last man standing in that M.A.S.H. unit Carolina calls a backfield. The undrafted rookie out of Alabama-Birmingham was No. 2 to DeAngelo Williams last week before the latter went out with injury, and Reaves now sits atop the depth chart due to attrition.

While having all the opportunity seems great from a fantasy standpoint, starting a Panthers running back has been a game of Carolina roulette that we have all lost. Injuries are unpredictable, but so are undrafted rookies getting their first start against the Chicago Bears.

Fantasy Prediction: 20 attempts, 65 yards, 0 TD; two receptions, 15 yards, 0 TD

Final Verdict: Who else is going to score fantasy points for the Panthers? This sounds familiar.

Start: Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants

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He's back!

Fantasy owners reticent to start Eli Manning this season for fear of the goose egg—relatively speaking, given zero points is pretty difficult for a quarterback to accumulate—can rest easier going forward. After all, Manning has proved that his turnaround wasn't a mirage, right?

The younger Manning has completed more than 70 percent of his passes over the past two weeks, efficiently leading his offense back to safe waters and providing stability for fantasy owners of the skill players around him.

This week, Manning gets a hemorrhaging Atlanta Falcons defense that is giving up oodles of fantasy points. That unit gave up more than 300 yards passing to rookie Teddy Bridgewater in his first NFL start last week.

It could be a shootout in New York this week, and Manning is playing well enough to have a big game in that event.

Fantasy Prediction: 25-of-35, 310 yards, two TD, one INT; five rushing yards, 0 rushing TD

Final Verdict: At this point, it's probably safe to start Manning on most weeks. Let's hope those aren't famous last words.

Sit: Mike Glennon, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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After last week's performance, it might be tempting to put Mike Glennon in there for his Week 5 matchup against the New Orleans Saints. Beware of the second-year quarterback, though; this matchup isn't as tasty as it seems.

Glennon started in the Superdome last year to the tune of 219 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. That isn't a terrible stat line—the fact the Buccaneers lost 42-17 notwithstanding—but it's hardly a great fantasy day. 

With little ability as a runner, Glennon's upside is limited. He is also without rookie receiver Mike Evans, with whom Glennon seemed to have a rapport before the pass-catcher exited due to a groin injury last week. 

That is not to say he is without an arsenal—Vincent Jackson, Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Doug Martin are still around, after all—but it is just another drag on Glennon's potential for Week 5.

Fantasy Prediction: 23-of-38, 235 yards, two TD, one INT; five rushing yards, 0 rushing TD

Final Verdict: Glennon shouldn't be trusted in the Superdome this week.

Start: Toby Gerhart, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

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The time has come to start Toby Gerhart. 

Gulp.

His horrendous start has pushed fantasy owners to the brink of dropping him, but Gerhart has slowly started to come around in the fantasy scoring department. He had 63 total yards in Week 3 and finally got into the end zone in Week 4.

Throw him a parade, right?

In all seriousness, Gerhart's productivity is headed in the right direction—perhaps because he is on the mend from his Week 1 ankle injury—even though he is losing snaps in that backfield to Denard Robinson.

That shouldn't be cause for major alarm, though. Gerhart was briefly benched for fumbling, and his coach is just trying to maximize his players.

"Just trying to utilize everybody’s strengths," coach Gus Bradley said, per ESPN.com's Michael DiRocco. "You see the receivers move around, too. We’re trying to utilize their strengths. That’s been kind of our philosophy."

Robinson hasn't been terribly effective despite being a more dynamic player. Gerhart will still be an integral part of that backfield and the goal-line back. 

With the Jacksonville defense having a tough time this season, ball and clock control might be the name of the game. At least until they fall behind.

Fantasy Prediction: 21 attempts, 80 yards, one TD; one reception, 10 yards, 0 TD

Final Verdict: Gerhart should get a ton of work this Sunday, and the Steelers are a decent matchup. He should at least put up decent numbers.

Sit: Donald Brown, RB, San Diego Chargers

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As if his Week 4 performance in a good matchup wasn't enough, Donald Brown is heading for a brick wall in Week 5.

The New York Jets have allowed the third-fewest rushing yards in the league, and the two teams ahead of them have each had a bye. It's no wonder the Jets are the stingiest fantasy defense in the land right now, allowing just 7.7 standard points per game to running backs. 

Brown, meanwhile, botched his big opportunity with a lackluster game against the Jacksonville Jaguars last week, giving little-known Brandon Oliver an opportunity to shine in the process. The latter didn't fare much better, but the performance was an indictment of Brown in the fantasy realm.

Bench Brown unless you have a dearth of options.

Fantasy Prediction: 16 attempts, 45 yards, 0 TD; three receptions, 20 yards, 0 TD

Final Verdict: The backfield is no longer his, and the matchup is terrible. Sit Brown unless you have no other options.

Flex Only: Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

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Yes, Travis Kelce went full supernova last week against the New England Patriots—something you may have benefited from had you peeked at the film study done by yours truly the week before—but does that guarantee future success?

The big Kansas City Chiefs tight end has the look and feel of a certain other No. 87—New England's Rob Gronkowski—but he is running into a much stiffer test than the Patriots were on Monday Night Football.

The San Francisco 49ers are among the best teams in the league when it comes to clamping down on opposing tight ends, at least in the fantasy realm. Martellus Bennett had a nice game when the Chicago Bears came to town, but he had just 37 yards receiving to go along with his touchdown. 

The 49ers are allowing just 4.9 standard points per game to opposing tight ends, the third-best mark in the league. That is not to say Kelce should be automatically on your bench, but he may not be the best option at tight end this week. 

Fantasy Prediction: four receptions, 55 yards, 0 TD

Final Verdict: The Chiefs may have finally figured out how to utilize their dynamic tight end, but the matchup is horrendous. Tread lightly.

Desperation Flier: Luke Willson, TE, Seattle Seahawks

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Perhaps you find yourself in a quandary at tight end this week; maybe you drafted Charles Clay as your primary guy and snaked out of guys like Larry Donnell or Travis Kelce on the waiver wire. What do you do?

If you need a guy you can plug into your lineup, you may want to take a peek at Luke Willson.

The Seattle Seahawks tight end will get the starting nod this week on the road against a woeful Washington defense thanks to a Zach Miller injury, and there is a nice opportunity to exploit. He will be the main man at the position.

Washington has given up the fifth-most fantasy points this season, so it's not a stretch to think Willson will have a startable game with a high potential for a score. He should be a decent option, particularly in points-per-reception (PPR) leagues.

Fantasy Prediction: five receptions, 55 yards, 0 TD

Final Verdict: He may not put up huge numbers, but Willson's output should be decent enough for a start if you are desperate.

Start: Brian Quick, WR, St. Louis Rams

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It's easy to forget about a guy like Brian Quick after his bye. A week seems like a lifetime when sifting through news and statistics, as we tend to focus on the flavor of the week.

Quick was pretty good through the first three weeks of the season, however, seemingly putting it all together after two underwhelming seasons. The former second-round pick has become the No. 1 receiver for quarterback Austin Davis and the St. Louis Rams, and he has put up a nice fantasy total to date.

Quick and Co. are going up against a Philadelphia Eagles defense that has allowed a whopping 26.7 standard points per game to opposing wide receivers. If the Eagles get back on track offensively—certainly probable at home—the Rams could find themselves in a need-to-pass situation.

Even if that's not the case, look at what Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Allen Hurns did to the Eagles in Week 1, scoring touchdowns on his first two receptions before the Eagles could wake up.

Fantasy Prediction: six receptions, 105 yards, one TD

Final Verdict: Quick has a great matchup in a game that should require a ton of passing from his team. He is flying under the radar, but don't let him fly off your starting squad if you need a quality spot start.

Flex Only: Pierre Garcon, WR, Washington

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Fantasy owners may be in a bit of a pickle when it comes to starting Pierre Garcon.

The Washington receiver is coming off a down week thanks to quarterback Kirk Cousins' implosion against the New York Giants in Week 4. Of course, any player can have a bad day; it's his opponent that is a bigger problem.

The Seattle Seahawks and that vaunted defense are coming to town, and they are going to make life difficult for Cousins and Co. They have allowed just 18.8 points per game to opposing wide receivers despite having faced Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers and Peyton Manning thus far.

Cousins isn't quite on that level, and Garcon's production will suffer as a result. The best he and his fantasy owners can hope for is some garbage-time points if the Seahawks are up big late in the game.

Fantasy Prediction: four receptions, 50 yards, 0 TD

Final Verdict: The matchup is horrendous for Garcon this week. Only start him if you are desperate.

All fantasy statistics and rankings courtesy of FFToday.com.

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