Fantasy Football Week 5 Rankings: Examining Lineup Options After Injury Reports

It's always important to stay on top of NFL injury reports throughout the week if you're a fantasy football manager. Even more so in 2020, when pretty much everybody who plays has likely been affected by an injury or two (or more).

Heading into the majority of Week 5 action, that continues to be the case—especially with positive COVID-19 tests starting to have an impact on the schedule. This week's Denver Broncos-New England Patriots game was postponed to Monday, while the Buffalo Bills-Tennessee Titans game was moved to Tuesday.

For fantasy managers, it will be important to keep an eye on the status of injured players, especially for those later matchups, in case you need to pivot to a backup option.

Here's a look at some fantasy rankings for this week, along with an update on notable injuries and potential fill-players to add to your roster.

Quarterback Rankings

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. LV)

2. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks (vs. MIN)

3. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (vs. NYG)

4. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens (vs. CIN)

5. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (at TEN)

6. Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans (vs. JAX)

7. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals (at NYJ)

8. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons (vs. CAR)

9. Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams (at WAS)

10. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (vs. LAC)

11. Teddy Bridgewater, Carolina Panthers (at ATL)

12. Gardner Minshew II, Jacksonville Jaguars (at HOU)

Running Back Rankings

Jose Juarez/Associated Press

1. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints (vs. LAC)

2. Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys (vs. NYG)

3. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. LV)

4. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings (at SEA)

5. Kareem Hunt, Cleveland Browns (vs. IND)

6. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans (vs. BUF)

7. Mike Davis, Carolina Panthers (at ATL)

8. Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks (vs. MIN)

9. Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles (at PIT)

10. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders (at KC)

11. James Conner, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. PHI)

12. James Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars (at HOU)

Notable Injury: Raheem Mostert, San Francisco 49ers (Knee)

Adam Hunger/Associated Press

Mostert hasn't played since suffering a knee injury in Week 2, and he's questionable for Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins. However, he was a limited participant at practice on Friday, so it's possible this could be the week he returns to the 49ers' backfield.

If Mostert returns, he's clearly a back who should be started in fantasy. He has 23 carries for 148 yards and two total touchdowns this season and the Dolphins are allowing 124.8 rushing yards per game. But fantasy managers may not know Mostert's status until Sunday, so it'll be important to have a backup option.

Jerick McKinnon should certainly be started if Mostert doesn't play (and potentially even if he does), but he's not available in many leagues. If for some reason McKinnon is on your league's waiver wire, then he should be rostered one way or the other.

Possible Replacement: D'Ernest Johnson, Cleveland Browns

Michael Ainsworth/Associated Press

With Nick Chubb (knee) going on the short-term injured reserve, the opportunity is there for Kareem Hunt to be the lead back in the Browns' offense. However, as last week's game against the Dallas Cowboys proved, there are likely going to be chances for Johnson, too.

Johnson had 13 carries for 95 yards in Cleveland's win over Dallas, and there's no reason to think he won't get a similar number of touches in games moving forward. The Browns have a strong rushing attack, and Hunt isn't likely to be used on every down.

As The Athletic's Zac Jackson wrote, Cleveland is unlikely to start flinging the ball around or to "give Hunt 30 touches," noting that there "are still going to be touches for Johnson."

Johnson is only rostered in 45 percent of Yahoo leagues and 24 percent of ESPN leagues, and because he plays in a late-afternoon game on Sunday, he could be a nice contingency option in case you have an injured player in an early game.

Wide Receiver Rankings

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

1. DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals (at NYJ)

2. Amari Cooper, Dallas Cowboys (vs. NYG)

3. Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. LV)

4. Calvin Ridley, Atlanta Falcons (vs. CAR)

5. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks (vs. MIN)

6. Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings (at SEA)

7. DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks (vs. MIN)

8. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams (at WAS)

9. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers (at NO)

10. Terry McLaurin, Washington Football Team (vs. LAR)

11. D.J. Moore, Carolina Panthers (at ATL)

12. D.J. Chark Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars (at HOU)

Notable Injury: Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints (Ankle)

Tyler Kaufman/Associated Press

Once again, it's unclear whether Thomas is going to return to action for the Saints this week. He hasn't played since Week 1 due to an ankle injury, and he's been limited in practice the past two days. New Orleans has a bye in Week 6, so if Thomas doesn't play this week, he'd have some extra time to be ready for its next game.

The Saints don't play until Monday night, so we won't know whether Thomas will have an injury designation until their final injury report comes out Saturday. But it wouldn't be surprising to see him included, considering he has yet to fully participate in practice. However, even if he's questionable, it's possible he'll return to take on the Los Angeles Chargers.

If things trend the opposite direction after the Saints' final practice, then it will be important to have another player ready. But if Thomas is active, then he should be in all fantasy lineups because he's certainly going to be a focal point of New Orleans' offense upon his return.

Possible Replacement: Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals

Aaron Doster/Associated Press

Higgins is a player who should be rostered if he's still on the waiver wire in your fantasy league. He's available in 50 percent of Yahoo leagues and 63 percent of ESPN leagues, and the rookie wide receiver is likely only to get better as the year goes along.

So far, Higgins is having a solid debut season for the Bengals, hauling in 12 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns (both of which came in Cincinnati's Week 3 tie against the Philadelphia Eagles). He's been targeted 22 times over the past three weeks, showing that rookie quarterback Joe Burrow is likely to continue to look to him as they keep developing a connection.

The Bengals may be playing from behind this week against the Baltimore Ravens, so don't be surprised if Burrow frequently goes to the air, especially during the second half. That should bode well for Higgins, who has continued to increase his yards total every week thus far.