Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 5: Lineup Advice, Stars to Exploit and Sleeper Options

Lineup decisions are harder than ever in 2020 as added safety precautions have made bye weeks a spontaneous phenomenon. The Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers just used theirs earlier than anticipated, while the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots (and, therefore, Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs) nearly had to as well.

So far, all we know is that the Lions and Green Bay Packers will be taking their scheduled weeks off in Week 5. But, as is the case with this season, everything is subject to change.

With limited early information about surprise byes and injury situations, we're looking at some starts and sits for the coming week, including some stars who can carry your team and some sleepers who may make you proud if necessity forces them into your starting lineup.

Quarterback

Start 'Em: Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals at New York Jets

Despite the Arizona Cardinals seemingly falling apart as a contender early in this season and sliding to a 2-2 record, Kyler Murray has remained a great fantasy option. In an embarrassing loss to the Carolina Panthers, he threw for three touchdowns and no interceptions despite only passing for 133 yards. 

Fortunately, he also ran for 78 yards and now goes against a New York Jets defense whose home field appears to be a greater threat than its secondary. The Cardinals need a statement game, and Murray should help deliver one with a big performance.

Sit 'Em: Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams at Washington Football Team

Jared Goff went from great to gross as a fantasy starter in Week 4, as he only managed 200 yards and one touchdown (accompanied by negative-three rushing yards) against a New York Giants defense that, like its neighbors', is less threatening than the home field.

Now, Goff faces the Washington Football Team, who have applied consistent pressure on quarterbacks all year. He could still have a solid week, but it's not worth banking on it until he proves that Week 4 was an outlier.

Sleeper: Teddy Bridgewater, Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons

Teddy Bridgewater broke the Cardinals, and his work isn't done just yet. Aaron Rodgers just decimated the Atlanta Falcons secondary, as practically every opponent has this season. Now, Bridgewater can continue his hot streak as a glorious pinch start for fantasy managers. 

In his past two games, Bridgewater has completed 73.9 percent of his passes for 511 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He's also added 44 yards and a touchdown on the ground. It may have been the Cardinals defense helping him look good, but an injury-riddled Falcons defense is an even more appealing matchup. 

Running Back

Start 'Em: Kenyan Drake, Arizona Cardinals at New York Jets

Kenyan Drake has continued to see the rushing volume this season, but not the high-end production he enjoyed in 2019. Last week, against the woeful Panthers defense, Drake once again struggled to get much going, turning 13 carries into 35 yards.

But Arizona Cardinals fans learned that Drake isn't the only issue with Kliff Kingsbury's offense against the Panthers, as the revamped team lost to a middling opponent for a second consecutive week. One has to imagine that Kingsbury and his staff are taking a step back and adjusting their recently sputtering attack.

As noted by FanDuel's JJ Zachariason, Drake hasn't had a target share higher than three percent in Arizona's past two games, a departure from having 10-plus percent in seven of his eight games as a Cardinal in 2019. The New York Jets just let Melvin Gordon turn 26 looks (23 carries and three targets) into 128 yards and two touchdowns. Either fantasy managers rejoice as Arizona's passing attack lessens Kyler Murray's load by involving Drake this week or the highly touted running back hits waivers after having his role usurped by Chase Edmonds.

Sit 'Em: David Montgomery, Chicago Bears vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

David Montgomery should be great for fantasy as the season goes on, but that production may not come until later. Montgomery has had fewer than eight fantasy points in standard, non-point-per-reception leagues in three of his four games this season and now moves toward a tough matchup with the stout Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Last week, Tampa Bay shut down the Los Angeles Chargers' rushing attack ,and Tom Brady's five touchdowns ensured the team needed to give up the run entirely to keep up. That same recipe should limit Montgomery's productivity in Week 5.

Sleeper: Devonta Freeman, New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys

A big waiver claim who has, in two weeks, not earned those bids. Devonta Freeman's emergence could very well be on its way, as he is trending toward control over New York's backfield and faces a Dallas Cowboys defense that seems to relish in putting pressure on Dak Prescott to break records.

Against the Rams, Freeman received 11 carries and four targets, both leading the backfield. On that volume, he managed just 68 yards. But 15 looks is three times as many as he received in his first week as a Giant and he now faces a Dallas team that gave up 307 rushing yards in Week 4.

Wide Receiver

Start 'Em: Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks

The rookie wide receiver earned his starting job and is making the most of it. After totaling just six targets, five receptions and 70 yards in his first two weeks, Justin Jefferson has turned 14 targets into 11 receptions for 278 yards and a touchdown over his last two matches.

He deserves Kirk Cousins' trust and should see even more volume in Week 5, as the Seattle Seahawks' Russell Wilson continues to light up the scoreboard. If Jefferson does get more targets against a mediocre Seahawks secondary, he could provide a massive fantasy week.

Sit 'Em: Jerry Jeudy, Denver Broncos at New England Patriots

Another rookie receiver making the most out of a starting gig, Jerry Jeudy has shown why he was a first-round pick in recent weeks. But the Denver Broncos quarterback situation is muddy and despite scoring a touchdown, Jeudy only saw four targets for two receptions and 61 yards in Week 4.

That lack of volume may have been because the Broncos could get whatever they wanted on the ground, but as Denver's best receiver, Jeudy should get enough of Stephon Gilmore's attention in Week 5 against the New England Patriots to make him a comfortable sit.

Sleeper: Laviska Shenault Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans

It's very easy to consider Laviska Shenault Jr. a sleeper every week. The third rookie of these receiver options, defenders simply bounce off of Shenault, and he looks like one of every game's more dominant physical talents.

In Week 4, Shenault saw a decent six targets (tied for second-most on the team) and turned them into five receptions and a season-high 86 yards. He was also the only Jacksonville Jaguar to receive a hand-off aside from James Robinson, for a nice five-yard gain.

Now, Shenault faces an uninspiring Houston Texans defense and could be comfortably deemed a quality sleeper. He hasn't scored since Week 1, but his upside is visible, and the volume feels inevitable with the Texans offense running up the score.