Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 5: Breaking Down Biggest Fantasy Question Marks

There are so many questions in fantasy football each week—far more than any single person could hope to answer in a single sitting—so instead of looking at everything, we thought it would be more prudent to focus on the main topics of debate prior to Week 5. 

Since we like to be fair, our discussion here will revolve around three different topics. Don't let that scare you off, because at least one of them will be relevant to you in some way. It can be what you are doing with your lineup, what's going on with your opponent's lineup or what's happening on the waiver wire. 

You can never have too much information at your fingertips when it comes to the intense weekly battles you find yourself in while trying to dominate your opponent and claim bragging rights over the league. That's why we like giving out our expertise, so pay close attention to what you are about to read. 

What Should I Do With Vernon Davis?

Tim Sharp/Associated Press

The biggest question at tight end in Week 5 is the health of San Francisco 49ers star Vernon Davis. Colin Kaepernick's favorite red-zone target left last week's game against Philadelphia early in the third quarter with a back injury. 

Davis hasn't practiced this week and told reporters on Friday, via ESPN's Paul Gutierrez, he would "know tomorrow. Still healing. Small chance." 

His absence would be a huge blow to fantasy owners, though not a crippling one because they already had to find a replacement for Davis when he missed a game against Arizona in Week 3 with an ankle injury suffered the previous week. 

Davis' absence becomes magnified when you factor in that Kansas City's defense has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. Tight end isn't a deep position, so unless you have one of the top five players, points are going to be hard to find. 

Back injuries are different animals than anything else because it's the foundation of the body. The slightest tweak could cause everything to fall out of whack, so your best course of action is to find someone on the waiver wire—Eric Ebron had a more prominent role in Detroit's offense last week—or start your backup. 

Verdict: Sit Vernon Davis

How Healthy Is Cam Newton?

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

The million-dollar question in Carolina, even more than how to fix a leaky defense, is: When will Cam Newton be his old self again? The Panthers have lost their last two games, and Newton has gotten progressively worse in the three games he's played. 

After having 18 points in standard scoring leagues against Detroit in Week 2, Newton has totaled 23 points in the last two games. He's even admitted to not feeling the same, telling Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer that his offseason ankle surgery has turned out to be more significant than he thought:

"

We kind of teased about it a couple weeks ago, how the doctor kind of downplayed how the surgery was going to go. I just thought this was a surgery just to clean up the ligaments and what not. But after reading a lot of reports from you guys, hearing about so much of ligament repair and this major ankle surgery that may hold Cam Newton off for a couple months, that’s when I started scratching my head like, man, this may be bigger than I thought. And something I thought may have a cast on for a couple weeks end up to be a couple months. 

"

This is a huge admission by Newton. Fantasy owners were expecting a big year from the Panthers quarterback after his breakout 2013 season, when he posted a career-high 24 touchdown passes and a completion percentage of 61.7. 

Newton hasn't been bad this year. In some ways, he's actually been better with a higher completion percentage (63.8) and passing yards per game (242.7). The difference has come on the ground. He has just eight carries for 33 yards in three games.

It doesn't help that Carolina's offensive line has been terrible this season. Newton has been sacked nine times on 94 passing attempts. The only player with a worse ratio than that is Chad Henne, who has been benched in Jacksonville. 

If Newton is just going to be a pocket passer this season, that severely limits his value because Carolina doesn't have the weapons to make him an elite fantasy quarterback. Still, it's not quite time to sit him for a better option because Chicago's defense is dreadful and can make anyone look good. 

On the off-chance the Bears do cause Newton problems, then it's time to start exploring your options for a No. 1 quarterback. 

Verdict: Start Cam Newton

Larry Donnell, Good or Bad?

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

New York Giants tight end Larry Donnell became the apple of the few fantasy owners' eyes who remembered to start him against Washington in Week 4. It just turns out that one of the many people who didn't start the second-year playmaker was himself, via Art Stapleton of The Record:

When you catch three touchdowns and rack up 23 points in standard leagues, everyone is going to be curious about you. The good news is Donnell doesn't appear to be some flash in the pan. The game against Washington was his second double-digit-point effort of the year. 

Donnell has also been a pass-catching machine through four games. He leads the Giants with 25 receptions, is second with 31 targets and is the only player with more than one touchdown catch. Adding to his value this week is a matchup with the lowly Atlanta defense. 

Even though the Falcons have allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to opposing tight ends, they give up 429.8 yards per game. The Giants are going to have plenty of opportunities in the red zone, and Donnell will be the beneficiary of Eli Manning's passes in those situations. 

Verdict: Start Larry Donnell

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