Week 5 Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

The calendar has turned to October, but fantasy football already got a head start on Halloween—because September was largely terrifying.

Injuries are an annual issue in fantasy, and 2025 has been no exception—Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was the latest big name to go down, but he has plenty of company in the blue tent.

There are also any number of purportedly prominent players who went POOF! over the first month of the season—especially at wide receiver. The first overall pick in most fantasy drafts this year (Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase) has failed to hit 10 PPR points in three of four games.

However, part of success in fantasy is overcoming adversity. Soldiering on. Fighting the good fight and stacking wins circumstances be damned.

And that's what we're here to help fantasy managers do—by pointing out Week 5's strong-starts and must-sit bummers waiting to happen.

Author's Note: "Starts" have a started percentage at NFL.com of less than 60 percent or do not exceed a maximum DFS salary threshold at DraftKings. "Sits" have a started percentage over 70 percent or exceed a minimum salary threshold. "Sleepers" have a started percentage of less than 30 percent or don't exceed an even lower salary threshold.

Quarterbacks

AP Photo/Marta Lavandier

Jets QB Justin Fields

Start 'Em

Justin Fields, New York Jets (vs. DAL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,600]

Fields is quietly seventh in fantasy points per game among quarterbacks, thanks mostly to the yardage he picks up on the ground. The Dallas defense is making every opposing quarterback look like Dan Marino this year—no team is allowing more fantasy points to the quarterback position.

C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans (at BAL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,200]

Stroud still hasn't thrown for even 250 yards in a game this season, but he did throw multiple touchdown passes last week for the first time this season. Now Stroud and the Texans face an injury-ravaged Ravens defense that couldn't stop anyone when it was at full strength.

Sit 'Em

Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. DEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,800]

For most managers, sitting Hurts isn't a realistic option. And despite Philly's offensive struggles, he's fifth in fantasy points among quarterbacks. But this has the makings of an "off" night for Hurts—the Denver defense is dead last in the league in fantasy points given up to quarterbacks this season.

Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at SEA) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,300]

Mayfield has been OK this year—he's ninth among quarterbacks in points after four weeks. But he's dealing with a pass-catching corps that has been walloped by injuries, and this week the Buccaneers travel west to face a Seahawks defense that has given up the seventh-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks in 2025.

Sleeper

Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers (vs. MIA) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,700]

Outside one big performance in garbage time against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2, Young has essentially been invisible statistically this season. But the Panthers rolled the Atlanta Falcons in their last home game, and no team in the AFC has surrendered more fantasy points to quarterbacks than the Dolphins.

Running Backs

AP Photo/Stephen Brashear

Saints RB Alvin Kamara

Start 'Em

Breece Hall, New York Jets (vs. DAL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,600]

Hall has started relatively slowly this year, averaging less than 60 rushing yards per game. But there's no better "get right" spot than against the Cowboys and a terrible defense that is allowing over 123 yards per game on the ground and the sixth-most PPR points to running backs.

Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints (vs. NYG) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,900]

Much like the Saints as a whole, Kamara has struggled to get going—he ranks outside the top-25 running backs in PPR points. But the Giants have been kind to opposing running backs this season—New York is 29th in the league in run defense after four weeks, allowing an average of 153 yards per game on the ground.

Sit 'Em

Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. DET) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,100]

The Bengals run game has been non-existent this season—Cincinnati is averaging just 50 rushing yards per game as a team. That in turn has decimated Brown's fantasy value—it's actually half a miracle that Brown is RB31 on the season. Leave him on the bench against a stout Lions run defense.

Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders (at IND) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,700]

Jeanty finally erupted last week against the Chicago Bears, logging 155 total yards and three touchdowns. But Jeanty's usage has fluctuated quite a bit early in his first season, and this week's matchup isn't good—the Colts have given up the sixth-fewest PPR points to running backs this year.

Sleeper

Emari Demarcado, Arizona Cardinals (vs. TEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,900]

With first James Conner and now Trey Benson in injured reserve, Demarcado is the next man up in the Arizona backfield. The third-year pro will likely share touches with Michael Carter this week against the Titans, but Tennessee is giving up the fourth-most PPR points to running backs in 2025.

Wide Receivers

AP Photo/Matt Slocum

Eagles WR A.J. Brown

Start 'Em

Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals (vs. TEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,400]

Harrison started slow again last week, but a strong second half led to a decent stat line—six catches for 66 yards and a touchdown. Harrison should be able to build on that performance this week against the winless Titans—Tennessee has surrendered the sixth-most PPR points to wide receivers this season.

Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts (vs. LV) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,100]

Pittman has been quietly solid for fantasy managers this year—he has found the end zone in three of four games this year and ranks inside the top-15 in fantasy points among wide receivers. The Raiders have struggled against the pass this year—only three teams have allowed more PPR points to wideouts.

Sit 'Em

A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. DEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,000]

Brown has been invisible much of the season—so much so that he's sending cryptic tweets on social media. That could set up a "squeaky wheel" game where Brown sees a ton of targets, but this week the Eagles face 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II and a top-10 Denver pass defense.

Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. KC) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,100]

After a fantastic rookie season, Thomas' numbers are way down in 2025—he has hit 50 receiving yards just once in four games and hasn't caught a touchdown pass. Things aren't especially likely to reverse Monday night against a Chiefs team that ranks outside the top-20 in fantasy points given up to wide receivers in 2025.

Sleeper

Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions (at CIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,900]

Williams has been more "miss" than "hit" this season—he has just two catches in each of the past two games and has found the end zone just once. But Williams will get touchdown No. 2 this week in the Queen City—right now the Cincinnati Bengals are bad at just about everything, including pass defense.

Tight Ends

AP Photo/Doug Murray

Dolphins TE Darren Waller

Start 'Em

Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions (at CIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,200]

LaPorta hasn't been much of a fantasy factor one month into the 2025 season, but at the risk of being accused of kicking a team when it's down, the Bengals have been well and truly terrible in recent weeks—Cincinnati has given up the fifth-most PPR points to tight ends this year.

Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans (at BAL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,500]

Schultz isn't exactly lighting up the stat sheet. But the 29-year-old has quietly caught five passes in back-to-back games, and Week 5 sets up well for his best game of the season—the Ravens have given up the 10th-most PPR points to tight ends, and Baltimore's defense has been decimated by injuries.

Sit 'Em

Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens (vs. HOU) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,000]

After a woefully slow start to the season, Andrews has picked it up the past two weeks. But the Ravens offense is a massive question mark with Lamar Jackson sidelined by a hamstring injury, and the Texans have surrendered the seventh-fewest PPR points to tight ends this season.

Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. DEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,100]

Goedert is coming off his best game of the season, catching four passes for 37 yards and a pair of touchdowns. But as has already been mentioned, the Broncos are solid against the pass (186.0 yards allowed per game) and have allowed the sixth-fewest PPR points to tight ends in 2025.

Sleeper

Darren Waller, Miami Dolphins (at CAR) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,400]

Waller caught three passes a week ago against the Jets, two of which went for touchdowns. With Tyreek Hill's season over the Dolphins need Waller to be a bigger part of the offense, and this week the Dolphins take on a bad Panthers defense that has given up the sixth-most PPR points to tight ends.

Team Defenses

AP Photo/Rick Osentoski

Browns EDGE Myles Garrett

Start 'Em

Arizona Cardinals Defense [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,600]

The Cardinals defense has disappointed in a couple of gravy matchups this season. But when Tennessee's own quarterback says the team's offense is a**, that's what you call a sign. Four weeks into the season, the Titans have allowed more fantasy points to defenses than any team in the NFL.

Indianapolis Colts Defense (vs. LV) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,300]

Daniel "Indiana" Jones and Jonathan Taylor have gotten all the run, but the Colts defense is sixth in fantasy points among defenses heading into a favorable fantasy matchup with the Raiders. While you were reading this paragraph, Las Vegas quarterback Geno Smith threw three more interceptions.

Sit 'Em

Denver Broncos Defense (at PHI) [DraftKings DFS Value: $2,700]

The Broncos were drafted in fantasy as an every-week starter, so most fantasy managers will probably just bite the bullet and ride this game out. That ride is probably going to be bumpy—the Eagles aren't firing on all cylinders offensively, but they are still giving up the 10th-fewest fantasy points to defenses.

Philadelphia Eagles Defense (vs. DEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,200]

Might as well hit the other side of what should be a good game Sunday, too. The Eagles have been a good but not great fantasy defense (eighth in fantasy points at the position), but the Broncos are a team that doesn't give up a lot of sacks or make the kind of mistakes that lead to fantasy points.

Sleeper

Cleveland Browns Defense (vs. MIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $2,500]

The Browns have been excellent defensively and would be far better from a fantasy perspective had the offense not been a total dumpster fire. That offense could be improved with Dillon Gabriel under center, and Browns edge-rusher Myles Garrett will be all up in Carson Wentz's business Sunday in London.

Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow Gary on X at @IDPGodfather.