Fantasy Football Week 5: Flex Rankings, Waiver-Wire Targets and Projections

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers dropped a franchise-high 55 points on the Los Angeles Rams, and the New Orleans Saints won a game without scoring a touchdown for the first time since 1998. Professional football continues to defy all logical expectations, but that's what we are here to correct.

Most of the fourth week of the 2019 NFL season has come and gone, so it's time for us to put on our predictive goggles and take a prescriptive look at Week 5's top flexes, waiver-wire targets and projections.

For our rankings, we'll be using standard scoring (as opposed to point-per-reception) and providing general yardage, touchdown and points projections. For our waiver-wire targets, we will, as usual, use a 30 percent cutoff for ownership (based on Yahoo leagues) to ensure these players are mostly relevant and widely available.

Keeping in mind that these early rankings are subject to change depending on injury news, here are some self-explanatory rankings and projections for the top running backs, wide receivers and tight ends, followed by some waiver-wire targets (with a little additional analysis) for Week 5.

Flex Rankings and Projections

1. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys (vs. GB): 136 yards, two touchdowns (25.6 points)

2. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans (vs. ATL): 124 yards, two touchdowns (24.4 points)

3. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings (at NYG): 119 yards, two touchdowns (23.9 points)

4. Michael Thomas, WR, New Orleans Saints (vs. TB): 118 yards, two touchdowns (23.8 points)

5. Marlon Mack, RB, Indianapolis Colts (at KC): 95 yards, two touchdowns (21.5 points)

6. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns (at SF): 92 yards, two touchdowns (21.2 points)

7. Devonta Freeman, RB, Atlanta Falcons (at HOU): 83 yards, two touchdowns (20.3 points)

8. Leonard Fournette, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars (at CAR): 78 yards, two touchdowns (19.8 points)

9. Todd Gurley, RB, Los Angeles Rams (at SEA): 78 yards, two touchdowns (19.8 points)

10. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers (vs. JAX): 128 yards, one touchdown (18.8 points)

11. Marquise Brown, WR, Baltimore Ravens (at PIT): 119 yards, one touchdown (17.9 points)

12. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons (at HOU): 117 yards, one touchdown (17.7 points)

13. David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears (at OAK): 114 yards, one touchdown (17.4 points)

14. David Johnson, RB, Arizona Cardinals (at CIN): 112 yards, one touchdown (17.2 points)

15. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints (vs. TB): 108 yards, one touchdown (16.8 points)

16. Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. ARI): 103 yards, one touchdown (16.3 points)

17. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at NO): 98 yards, one touchdown (15.8 points)

18. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans (vs. BUF): 98 yards, one touchdown (15.8 points)

19. Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks (vs. LAR): 94 yards, one touchdown (15.4 points)

20. Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Denver Broncos (at LAC): 87 yards, one touchdown (14.7 points)

21. James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. BAL): 92 yards, one touchdown (15.2 points)

22. Melvin Gordon, RB, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. DEN): 83 yards, one touchdown (14.3 points)

23. Stefon Diggs, WR, Minnesota Vikings (at NYG): 77 yards, one touchdown (13.7 points)

24. Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings (at NYG): 136 yards (13.6 points)

25. Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at NO): 135 yards (13.5 points)

26. LeSean McCoy, RB, Kansas City Chiefs (at vs. IND): 75 yards, one touchdown (13.5 points)

27. Sony Michel, RB, New England Patriots (at WAS): 67 yards, one touchdown (12.7 points)

28. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. DEN): 6 yards, one touchdown (12.5 points)

29. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams (at SEA): 47 yards, one touchdown (10.7 points)

30. Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers (at DAL): 105 yards (10.5 points)

Week 5 Waiver-Wire Targets

• Marcus Mariota, QB, TEN (11 percent owned)

• Gardner Minshew II, QB, JAX (14 percent owned)

• Tyler Eifert, TE, CIN (15 percent owned)

• Noah Fant, TE, DEN (11 percent owned)

• Dawson Knox, TE, BUF (14 percent owned)

• Geronimo Allison, WR, GB (24 percent owned)

• Cole Beasley, WR, BUF (12 percent owned)

• A.J. Brown, WR, TEN (10 percent owned)

• DeVante Parker, WR, MIA (9 percent owned)

• Preston Williams, WR, MIA (9 percent owned)

Dawson Knox, TE, Buffalo Bills (14 percent owned)

Tight end is a wasteland in fantasy football, so we've gone heavy with the TE options for Week 5. One of the most interesting of said options is Dawson Knox, who hasn't necessarily made a major impact in the box score—but has to the eye test. While turning four targets into 67 yards and a touchdown in Week 3, Knox delivered a filthy stiff-arm into a filthier truck stick.

This week, on just three targets for 58 yards, he made an unbelievable catch down the sideline. The talent of the third-round rookie out of Ole Miss is really starting to shine through and is worth monitoring in case his usage amps up.

Preston Williams, WR, Miami Dolphins (9 percent owned)

While the touchdown production hasn't been there quite yet, Williams is racking in targets and could end up being the first viable fantasy player on Miami's team in 2019.

With seven targets for four receptions and 46 yards in Week 4, he is now averaging 7.5 targets per game. Josh Rosen has shown accuracy when he has time to sling it, and Williams will start racking up points if he just figures out how to catch the footballs being sent his way.