Fantasy Football Week 5 Rankings: Last-Minute Outlook for Flex Players

With one month in the books, nearly one-third of the fantasy football season has come and gone. That means now is the time for owners to either establish themselves as contenders or pretenders.

Week 5 could be a turning point for many, especially those who find themselves with a .500 record. A single decision could potentially mean the difference between entering the playoff race or falling out of it, which is why finding a good flex play is vital.

While finding two running backs and two wide receivers to start every week is usually fairly straightforward, things can get dicey at the flex position. The odds are that most owners have a player on their roster who can take advantage of a matchup and be a serviceable play, though.

Here is a rundown of the top 75 running back and wide receiver plays for Week 5, along with a closer look at some of the most intriguing flex options. 

Rank	Player	Position	Team	Opponent
1	DeMarco Murray	RB	DAL	HOU
2	Matt Forte	RB	CHI	CAR
3	Rashad Jennings	RB	NYG	ATL
4	Antonio Brown	WR	PIT	JAC
5	Le'Veon Bell	RB	PIT	JAC
6	Calvin Johnson	WR	DET	BUF
7	Dez Bryant	WR	DAL	HOU
8	Marshawn Lynch	RB	SEA	WAS
9	Jamaal Charles	RB	KC	SF
10	LeSean McCoy	RB	PHI	STL
11	Julio Jones	WR	ATL	NYG
12	Demaryius Thomas	WR	DEN	ARI
13	Arian Foster	RB	HOU	DAL
14	Brandon Marshall	WR	CHI	CAR
15	Andre Ellington	RB	ARI	DEN
16	Giovani Bernard	RB	CIN	NE
17	Steve Smith Sr.	WR	BAL	IND
18	A.J. Green	WR	CIN	NE
19	Zac Stacy	RB	STL	PHI
20	Emmanuel Sanders	WR	DEN	ARI
21	Frank Gore	RB	SF	KC
22	Alshon Jeffery	WR	CHI	CAR
23	Alfred Morris	RB	WAS	SEA
24	Kelvin Benjamin	WR	CAR	CHI
25	Montee Ball	RB	DEN	ARI
26	Reggie Bush	RB	DET	BUF
27	Victor Cruz	WR	NYG	ATL
28	Jeremy Maclin	WR	PHI	STL
29	Vincent Jackson	WR	TB	NO
30	Michael Floyd	WR	ARI	DEN
31	Percy Harvin	WR	SEA	WAS
32	Khiry Robinson	RB	NO	TB
33	DeAndre Hopkins	WR	HOU	DAL
34	Brian Quick	WR	STL	PHI
35	Doug Martin	RB	TB	NO
36	Bishop Sankey	RB	TEN	CLE
37	Roddy White	WR	ATL	NYG
38	Brandin Cooks	WR	NO	TB
39	Keenan Allen	WR	SD	NYJ
40	Michael Crabtree	WR	SF	KC
41	Andre Johnson	WR	HOU	DAL
42	Marques Colston	WR	NO	TB
43	Ahmad Bradshaw	RB	IND	BAL
44	Rueben Randle	WR	NYG	ATL
45	Reggie Wayne	WR	IND	BAL
46	Larry Fitzgerald	WR	ARI	DEN
47	Fred Jackson	RB	BUF	DET
48	Julian Edelman	WR	NE	CIN
49	Chris Ivory	RB	NYJ	SD
50	Wes Welker	WR	DEN	ARI
51	T.Y. Hilton	WR	IND	BAL
52	Steven Jackson	RB	ATL	NYG
53	Sammy Watkins	WR	BUF	DET
54	Darren Sproles	RB	PHI	STL
55	Pierre Garcon	WR	WAS	SEA
56	C.J. Spiller	RB	BUF	DET
57	Justin Forsett	RB	BAL	IND
58	Golden Tate	WR	DET	BUF
59	Ben Tate	RB	CLE	TEN
60	Shane Vereen	RB	NE	CIN
61	Eric Decker	WR	NYJ	SD
62	Toby Gerhart	RB	JAC	PIT
63	Trent Richardson	RB	IND	BAL
64	Markus Wheaton	WR	PIT	JAC
65	DeSean Jackson	WR	WAS	SEA
66	Allen Hurns	WR	JAC	PIT
67	Stevan Ridley	RB	NE	CIN
68	Isaiah Crowell	RB	CLE	TEN
69	Donald Brown	RB	SD	NYJ
70	Kendall Wright	WR	TEN	CLE
71	Eddie Royal	WR	SD	NYJ
72	Darrin Reaves	RB	CAR	CHI
73	Chris Johnson	RB	NYJ	SD
74	Lorenzo Taliaferro	RB	BAL	IND
75	Terrance Williams	WR	DAL	HOU

Brian Quick (STL)

Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images

After two pedestrian seasons to start his career, it looked as though former second-round pick Brian Quick was poised to be a bust at wide receiver for the St. Louis Rams. Through three games in 2014, however, Quick is proving to be one of the most consistent fantasy options at his position.

With 16 receptions for 235 yards and a score, Quick has been performing at a starting level from a fantasy perspective. This is despite the fact that he hasn't exactly had ideal options at quarterback with Shaun Hill and Austin Davis throwing him the ball. Now that Davis is somewhat entrenched, though, Quick should be feeling comfortable.

Quick has allowed Davis to stretch the field as he is averaging nearly 15 yards per reception. According to Bleacher Report's Matt Miller, Quick's ability to make plays on deep routes is a major asset:

"

It took a bit, but Brian Quick is starting to look like the WR many expected him to be. Good deep threat this year.

— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) September 21, 2014"

It is difficult to say for sure why it has taken Quick this long to emerge, but some guys are simply late bloomers. Per Luke Thompson of FoxSports.com, Quick believes the learning curve as it related to the playbook was the biggest obstacle standing in his way.

"That was the biggest adjustment, learning the playbook," Quick said. "It kept me from playing fast, but now that I'm dialed in, I can move fast and play to my speed."

Quick's speed could be a major factor in Week 5 when the Rams face the Philadelphia Eagles. Philly has allowed 10 touchdowns through the air, which is second-worst in the league behind the Jacksonville Jaguars. In addition to that, they have given up the most 40-plus-yard passing plays with five.

With blazing speed and ideal size, Quick can beat opposing defenses with a quick strike at any time. Since the Eagles like to play an up-tempo style, the Rams may have to match them with a high-volume passing game. If that is the case, then Quick will be the main beneficiary.

Bishop Sankey (TEN)

Tennessee Titans running back Bishop Sankey was taken fairly early in most fantasy drafts with the expectation he would be a starter from Day 1. That wasn't the case as the Titans opted to go with veteran Shonn Greene initially, but there is no question the tide is beginning to turn in Sankey's favor.

Sankey has gained 95 yards on just 16 carries over the past two games, and he scored the first touchdown of his NFL career last week against the Indianapolis Colts. The University of Washington product is also averaging over five yards per carry this season. Greene is picking up a respectable 4.7 yards per tote overall, but that number has been stuck at just 3.3 over the past two weeks.

With Sankey clearly picking up momentum, NFL Network's Michael Fabiano views him as an asset moving forward:

That thought is bolstered by Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt's recent comments regarding the rookie's usage, according to John Glennon of The Tennessean.

"You will see (more reps for Sankey). That's coming," Whisenhunt said. "And I think you'll see more of that earlier in the game this week."

One can only assume the Titans will be fully committed to the run this week. In addition to quarterback Jake Locker coming off a wrist injury, Tennessee has an advantageous matchup against the Cleveland Browns' struggling run defense.

As seen in this graphic courtesy of StatMilk, Cleveland is one of the worst teams in the league when it comes to stopping the run:

Fantasy owners have been waiting for Sankey to have a breakout week, and all signs point to that happening on Sunday. Sankey is a fantastic flex play in Week 5 and could easily put up RB2 numbers if he gets enough touches.

Rueben Randle (NYG)

Al Bello/Getty Images

The New York Giants' offense has suddenly come to life over the past couple games. Quarterback Eli Manning has found a great rhythm in the fast-paced attack, and his receivers are starting to benefit. Much of the attention has been paid to Victor Cruz and tight end Larry Donnell, but Rueben Randle is trending in the right direction as well.

Randle found his way onto fantasy radars last season as a second-year player with 611 receiving yards and six touchdowns. His 2014 campaign didn't get off to a great start, but that can be said for almost every Giants offensive player.

The LSU alum has started to improve along with the offense, resulting in a career-best game in terms of receptions last week, according to Art Stapleton of The Record:

Although Randle hasn't been explosive with less than nine yards per catch, he has 10 targets in each of the past two contests. That means Manning is looking in his direction, and he is bound to make some bigger plays if that persists. Randle averaged nearly 15 yards per reception last season, so he definitely possesses the necessary explosiveness.

The G-Men will face an Atlanta Falcons team in Week 5 that is allowing more than 276 passing yards per game. Atlanta's defense is a mess in general, which means New York's offensive momentum shouldn't be halted in any way, shape or form.

Randle will especially be an asset in point-per-reception leagues, but he is even worth a start in deeper standard leagues as well. The Giants are firing on all cylinders, and Randle is emerging as an extremely reliable option.

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