Daily Fantasy Football Week 5: DraftKings DFS Rankings and Best Values

It's that time of the week. Time to finalize your lineups and prepare for a full day of NFL action. There's big games scattered across DraftKings, which means that we need to not only take a look at the rankings for each position, but also find a few value plays.

This week specifically, there are some great value options, and taking advantage of these options will allow you to get the higher priced studs into your lineups. But there are also the guys like the one above, Carson Palmer, who could fit just perfectly onto your roster for Week 5.

There're great matchups, sleepers poised to break out, superstars who we'll be hoping can live up to their price tag and a whole lot more to check out. Let's get right into it.

Quarterback Rankings and Value Plays

Charles Krupa/Associated Press

1. Tom Brady, New England Patriots ($7,800)
2. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers ($7,900)
3. Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals ($6,600)
4. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks ($6,900)
5. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons ($6,700)

Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are set to face off against the Dallas Cowboys and St. Louis Rams, who both have mediocre pass defenses. Each team has allowed over 235 passing yards per game, and obviously when you're up against Brady and Rodgers, it's pretty much asking for a hit to your defensive stats.

As for Palmer, you're talking about a quarterback who's coming off his team's first loss and will obviously look to bounce back in a big way. The Cardinals are taking on the Detroit Lions, who have allowed an average of 271.5 passing yards per game this season. Palmer, who's thrown 10 touchdowns against three interceptions this year, should bounce back in a big way in Week 5 after a pretty mediocre outing in Week 4.

When the Seahawks square off against the undefeated Cincinnati Bengals this weekend, the way that they can go into Cincinnati and get the win is by airing it out. The Bengals have one of the best run defenses in the NFL, allowing just 85.8 yards per game on the ground, while they allow 279 passing yards per game. This bodes well for Wilson, who has a price tag that won't break the bank this Sunday.

To top it all off for Seattle, according to Marc Sessler of NFL.com, running back Marshawn Lynch will miss his second straight game on Sunday against Cincinnati. That obviously means that signs will likely point to Wilson playing a huge role in Seattle's game plan on Sunday.

Last up in the top five is Ryan, who has led the Falcons to an impressive 4-0 start. While he wasn't asked to do much in Week 4, as the Falcons were up 42-0 through three quarters, I expect him and Julio Jones to both have big days against the Washington Redskins. Washington doesn't have a bad pass defense, but will likely be without both Chris Culliver and DeAngelo Hall.

It's worth noting the Redskins have given up seven passing touchdowns this year and have still yet to intercept a pass through four games. Expect a big day from Ryan and the passing game.

Value Plays

Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans ($6,000)

While Rex Ryan made it known he doesn't plan on his Buffalo Bills letting Mariota "have his way" on Sunday, according to Conor Orr of NFL.com, I'm not buying into it. Obviously the Bills will try to shut down Mariota, but they haven't been great against the pass in 2015, not by a long shot. This team has given up the fourth-most passing yards per game in 2015 at 297.8.

I fully expect Mariota and the Titans to be playing from behind, though, which will lead to an even better fantasy day for the rookie quarterback. At a cost of just $6,000 on DraftKings, there's no reason to not give Mariota a run, especially since Buffalo has allowed 10 passing touchdowns this season.

Josh McCown, Cleveland Browns ($5,100)

When McCown took back over under center in Cleveland in Week 3, fans were clamoring for Johnny Manziel to keep the job. Well, McCown shrugged it off and just went back to work. While he started off with a bit of mediocre play in Week 3, completing 57.1 percent of his passes with two touchdowns and one interception, he basically looked like a completely different player in Week 4.

McCown completed 78 percent of his passes last Sunday, for 356 yards and two touchdowns. What's even better about McCown is that he's topped 340 yards in each of his last two starts, while averaging 24.94 fantasy points. Don't shy away from McCown against a mediocre Ravens pass defense, especially at just a cost of $5,100.

Running Back Rankings and Value Plays

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

1. Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers ($8,500)
2. Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs ($7,800)
3. Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons ($6,300)
4. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears ($7,000)
5. Justin Forsett, Baltimore Ravens ($5,800)

The top three names on this list, Le'Veon Bell, Jamaal Charles and Devonta Freeman, are just a step ahead of everyone else, with Bell likely two steps ahead. Bell is by far the best running back this week, as the Steelers will continue to do anything possible to get him the ball with Ben Roethlisberger out injured.

As for Charles and Freeman, the fact that these two catch so many passes out of the backfield and have been running great recently gives them another bump. Charles has caught 20 passes through four games, while Freeman has caught 17.

For Charles, he's averaging 24.2 fantasy points per game and is facing a Chicago team that has allowed the eighth-most rushing yards per game to opponents in 2015.

While the three players listed above are all great options, don't overlook Forte. He's averaging 17.8 fantasy points per game on DraftKings and is up against a Chiefs defense that has given up 295.5 passing yards per game and 101.5 rushing yards per game. Basically, Forte should be a major factor both on the ground and through the air.

Lastly is Forsett, who spent the first few weeks frustrating fantasy owners. Forsett topped 10 fantasy points just one time in the first three weeks, and that was in Week 2 when he finished with 12 points. Then, Week 4 rolled around and Forsett looked like the player we saw last season who rushed for 1,266 yards and eight touchdowns. He rushed 27 times for 150 yards, leading the Ravens to a win they simply had to have.

Now, Forsett and the Ravens take on the Cleveland Browns, who are simply terrible against the run. Cleveland ranks No. 31 in the NFL, allowing 141.5 rushing yards per game on the ground, and Forsett should have no issue shredding this defense.

Value Plays

Dion Lewis, New England Patriots ($4,800)

As Mike Reiss and Field Yates of ESPN reported, the Patriots are obviously fans of what Lewis is doing for them in 2015, as they signed him a to a two-year contract extension during their bye week. Best of all, Lewis is facing a Dallas Cowboys team that, after a hot start to 2015 defensively, has fallen off quite a bit in the last two weeks.

Through 2015, Dallas has given up 322 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns, while allowing running backs to catch 32 passes for 333 yards and a touchdown. This absolutely bodes well for Lewis and the Patriots.

Lewis' ability to find the end zone on the ground, while also catching passes out of the backfield is huge for his fantasy value. Through three games, Lewis has scored two rushing touchdowns and caught 15 passes. On average, he's scored 19.5 fantasy points per game. No reason to shy away from Lewis this Sunday.

T.J. Yeldon, Jacksonville Jaguars ($4,400)

The Jaguars haven't been consistent running the ball, nor have they done a great job of it, at least over the first three weeks. Week 4 though, well, that was a different story. Their rookie running back rushed 22 times for 105 yards and looked like the real deal against the Indianapolis Colts.

Now, Yeldon and the Jaguars are taking on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have the No. 30-ranked run defense in the NFL. The Buccaneers are allowing an average of 136.8 yards per game, which bodes perfectly for Yeldon and Jacksonville's run game. Expect the Jaguars to run it 20-plus times Sunday and for Yeldon to torch Tampa Bay's defense.

Todd Gurley, St. Louis Rams ($4,300)

Say hello to the "sexiest" pick of the Week 5 daily fantasy action. Fans had been patiently waiting for Gurley to explode onto the scene in his rookie season after missing the first two weeks of action. While he rushed just six times for nine yards in Week 3, he absolutely lit up the Arizona Cardinals in Week 4, rushing 19 times for 146 yards.

Now, fresh off their impressive victory over the Cardinals, the Rams are taking on the Green Bay Packers. The only way the Rams will be able to beat the Packers in Green Bay is to control the clock, meaning Gurley should get plenty of touches. Best of all, the Packers have allowed 115 yards on the ground per game, so don't be surprised if and when Gurley has a big day.

Wide Receiver Rankings and Value Plays

Charles Krupa/Associated Press

1. Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons ($9,200)
2. Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants ($9,000)
3. Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos ($8,100)
4. Julian Edelman, New England Patriots ($7,000)
5. Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers ($8,700)

Betting on guys like Julio Jones, Odell Beckham Jr. and Demaryius Thomas is a pretty smart move. Obviously, you won't be able to get more than one of these guys in your lineup in most situations, so you have to pick and choose. While all three have had an off week at one point in 2015, I expect them all to post huge numbers in Week 5.

Jones and the Falcons take on a Washington defense that should be without Chris Culliver and DeAngelo Hall, as previously mentioned when touching on Matt Ryan. Beckham and the Giants are facing the 49ers, who have allowed 263.3 passing yards per game, ranking them No. 21 in the NFL. Lastly, Thomas and the Broncos have a great matchup against the No. 31-ranked pass defense in the Oakland Raiders.

All three of those wide receivers are studs, so if you can fit one in, take your pick and expect their high price to pay off in Week 5.

Now, let's talk about the slot machine, Julian Edelman. At this point, I'm not sure if anyone will be able to slow down the Patriots and Edelman. One of Brady's favorite targets in the passing game had a "mediocre" game in Week 3, catching eight balls for 85 yards and scoring 16.5 fantasy points. Now he faces a Dallas defense that's simply reeling. Don't shy away from Edelman, especially at a cost of just $7,000.

As for Antonio Brown, well, I wouldn't blame you for being a bit iffy on using him after his first game without Ben Roethlisberger. Brown caught just five balls for 42 yards, but he did drop a touchdown in the loss against the Ravens. I fully expect Brown to bounce back in a big way and for the Steelers to make sure they get him the ball early and often. It's not time to hit the panic button on Brown, not even close.

Value Plays

Jeremy Maclin, Kansas City Chiefs ($6,000)

This mention of Maclin is a well-deserved one. The former Philadelphia Eagle has seen his cost as high as $6,900 and as low as $5,800, but we're looking at him at $6,000 in a spot where he's been rolling. Over the last two games, Maclin has totaled 289 yards and a touchdown.

From a fantasy perspective, Maclin has averaged 29.95 fantasy points over the last two games and has been dominant. While the Chiefs were playing from behind quite a bit against the Packers and Bengals, there is a reason to tread lightly here, as the Chiefs should be ahead early and often against the Bears. Even with that said, Maclin is worth using against a Chicago team allowing 31.3 points per game.

Allen Hurns, Jacksonville Jaguars ($4,500)

Now is not the time to jump off the Allen Hurns train. As a matter of fact, we should be doing just the opposite. The connection between Blake Bortles and Hurns is getting stronger and stronger as the season goes on. Hurns scored a touchdown each of the last two weeks, while totaling 186 yards and 13 catches.

While 11 of those 13 catches came in Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts, there's no reason to shy away from Hurns in a matchup against Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers have allowed 48 catches for 620 yards and six touchdowns through four games to opposing wide receivers this season.

Kendall Wright, Tennessee Titans ($5,400)

If you think Hurns is in a great spot against the Buccaneers, Wright's spot is even prettier. The Titans are squaring off with the Buffalo Bills, who have been one of the worst teams in the NFL when it comes to defending wide receivers. Through four games, the Bills have allowed 69 receptions for 772 yards and seven touchdowns.

On top of that, through the three games the Titans have played, Wright has been stellar in two of them. He caught four balls for 101 yards and a score against the Buccaneers, and then caught seven balls for 95 yards and a score in Week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts. Wright is hard to ignore at a cost of just $5,400.

Tight End Rankings and Value Plays

Matt Ludtke/Associated Press

1. Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots ($7,500)
2. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs ($5,200)
3. Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys ($4,500)
4. Charles Clay, Buffalo Bills ($4,100)
5. Martellus Bennett, Chicago Bears ($5,000)

There aren't a lot of players in fantasy football who you can consistently rely on to produce. One of those players who you can, is Rob Gronkowski. Gronkowski is not only the best tight end in the NFL, but he's possibly the best player in the NFL, which is why there's almost no reason for him to ever fall from that No. 1 spot on a weekly basis.

When looking at the rest of the top five, you have a home run hitter in Travis Kelce, who has been consistent, but has shown flashes of being a complete stud. This week, against the Bears, I think we see the stud Kelce. The Bears haven't been bad against the pass, but I expect the frustrated Chiefs to try to hit the Bears in the mouth early and often on Sunday.

Then comes Mr. Consistency in Jason Witten, who has been solid, catching at least four passes in every game this season. It's also pretty safe to assume the Cowboys are going to be throwing quite a bit against the Patriots on Sunday. New England has allowed 15 receptions for 148 yards and two scores to opposing tight ends through three games as well, so there's no reason to think Witten won't get plenty of work.

As for Clay and Bennett, they have both been nice surprises for daily fantasy players, as Clay is averaging 15.4 fantasy points per game and Bennett is averaging 14. Bennett struggled without Jay Cutler under center, but with Cutler back in Week 4, he caught 11 balls for 83 yards and a touchdown, putting together an impressive 25.3 point performance.

Clay has actually improved in each game this season, which is a great sign. He's gone from 8.3 points in Week 1 on DraftKings, up to 23.1 in Week 4. Clay and the Buffalo Bills also draw the Titans this week, who have given up 13 catches for 210 yards and two scores this year to opposing tight ends. Both Bennett and Clay are great values this week, especially Clay, at a cost of just $4,100.

Value Plays

Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers ($4,200)

Obviously, Clay could fall under the "value" section here as well, but we'll talk about a few other intriguing options. First off, the Chargers are getting Gates back from his suspension against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5. The Steelers have struggled against tight ends, allowing 22 receptions for 226 yards and four touchdowns, so Gates may have a big coming out party.

Gates had a stellar 2014 season, catching 69 balls for 821 yards and 12 touchdowns, so there's no reason to believe he won't build on that in his first start of the 2015 season.

Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans ($3,800)

Walker has been dealing with a wrist injury this season, so Tennessee's bye week definitely came at the right time. While he has played in just two games so far in 2015, he's totaled 10 catches for 111 yards and a touchdown. Expect Walker to be one of the most targeted Titans for rookie Marcus Mariota moving forward this season.

Defense/Special Teams Rankings and Value Plays

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

1. Denver Broncos ($3,600)
2. Kansas City Chiefs ($2,800)
3. Arizona Cardinals ($3,800)
4. New York Giants ($2,900)
5. Atlanta Falcons ($3,200)

In the defense of the Oakland Raiders and Chicago Bears, both offenses have shown glimpses of being much improved. Unfortunately, this week those two teams draw the Broncos and Chiefs, which is just not a great spot to be in. For the Broncos, they're a unit averaging 16 fantasy points per game, and one that has never fallen below 10 points.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Chiefs have struggled over the past two weeks, but their awful showings have come on the road against two of the best teams in the NFL: the Green Bay Packers and Cincinnati Bengals. Expect Kansas City to be much improved and to make Jay Cutler's life miserable on Sunday.

The Cardinals and Giants are two teams that just have great matchups. Arizona faces the Detroit Lions, who haven't really struck fear into opponents thus far in 2015. The Giants, on the other hand, face the woeful Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco 49ers offense. Kaepernick hasn't thrown a touchdown in the last two weeks, while the 49ers as a whole have scored 10 total points during that span.

Last up, a unit that deserves quite a bit of love. While they didn't exactly excel from a fantasy perspective over the first three weeks, the Falcons turned a corner in Week 4. Against the Houston Texans, Atlanta had three fumble recoveries, two defensive touchdowns, one interception and one sack. With Atlanta at home against the very hit-or-miss Kirk Cousins, I expect a big showing from the Falcons.

Value Plays

Jacksonville Jaguars ($2,700)

On paper, the Jaguars don't look like much of a threat defensively. The good news? They're facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jameis Winston, who's fresh off a game where he threw four interceptions against the Carolina Panthers. Winston has thrown at least one interception in three of his four starts and has totaled seven so far in 2015.

To top it off, the Jaguars are coming off a solid showing against the Indianapolis Colts, where they tallied three sacks and two fumble recoveries in Week 4.

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Pricing information and scoring data obtained from DraftKings.com. All statistics courtesy of ESPN unless otherwise specified.

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