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

Every Sunday morning, fantasy football managers check their lineups one final time to make sure there weren't any last-minute injury developments. It's a routine for anybody who wants to be successful and avoid ending up with zero points from a player in their lineup.

Ahead of Week 5, players such as standout running backs Dalvin Cook and Joe Mixon are dealing with injuries, and it's unclear whether they will play. If they don't, then hopefully you have a backup plan. And it's not too late to develop one if you haven't.

Here's a look at flex rankings for Week 5, followed by a breakdown of some players you may want to consider adding as contingency plans before Sunday.

Top-40 Flex Rankings

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1. Tennessee Titans RB Derrick Henry at JAX

2. Kansas City Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill vs. BUF

3. Green Bay Packers WR Davante Adams at CIN

4. Dallas Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott vs. NYG

5. Green Bay Packers RB Aaron Jones at CIN

6. New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara at WAS

7. Buffalo Bills WR Stefon Diggs at KC

8. Minnesota Vikings RB Dalvin Cook vs. DET

9. New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley at DAL

10. Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson vs. DET

11. Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce vs. BUF

12. Carolina Panthers WR DJ Moore vs. PHI

13. Washington Football Team WR Terry McLaurin vs. NO

14. Cleveland Browns RB Nick Chubb at LAC

15. San Francisco 49ers WR Deebo Samuel at ARI

16. Los Angeles Chargers RB Austin Ekeler vs. CLE

17. Detroit Lions RB D'Andre Swift at MIN

18. Jacksonville Jaguars RB James Robinson vs. TEN

19. Pittsburgh Steelers RB Najee Harris vs. DEN

20. Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor at BAL

21. Dallas Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb vs. NYG

22. Los Angeles Chargers WR Keenan Allen vs. CLE

23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Leonard Fournette vs. MIA

24. Arizona Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins vs. SF

25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin vs. MIA

26. Washington Football Team RB Antonio Gibson vs. NO

27. Dallas Cowboys WR Amari Cooper vs. NYG

28. Atlanta Falcons RB Cordarrelle Patterson vs. NYJ

29. Cincinnati Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase vs. GB

30. Pittsburgh Steelers WR Diontae Johnson vs. DEN

31. Baltimore Ravens WR Marquise Brown vs. IND

32. Minnesota Vikings WR Adam Thielen vs. DET

33. Los Angeles Chargers WR Mike Williams vs. CLE

34. Kansas City Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire vs. BUF

35. Cleveland Browns RB Kareem Hunt at LAC

36. Chicago Bears RB Damien Williams at LV

37. New York Jets WR Corey Davis vs. ATL

38. Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Mike Evans vs. MIA

39. Jacksonville Jaguars WR Marvin Jones Jr. at TB

40. Houston Texans WR Brandin Cooks vs. NE

Samaje Perine, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

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Joe Mixon may not suit up for the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday because of an ankle injury that caused him to miss practice this week. If you're a fantasy manager who's waiting to see what's decided, there's a simple solution: pick up Samaje Perine, Mixon's primary backup.

If Mixon doesn't play, then Cincinnati will likely rely on both Perine and rookie Chris Evans to fill the void in its backfield. However, Perine has more fantasy upside, as he came into the game when Mixon got hurt during the Bengals' Week 4 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Perine likely wouldn't put up huge numbers, and he shouldn't be started if Mixon is active. But if you have no better options to fill the hole in your lineup caused by Mixon's potential absence, Perine should at least pick up some points and help you to stay afloat.

Plus, Perine is still available in 66 percent of Yahoo leagues and 70 percent of ESPN leagues, so this strategy should be doable for many.

Jamison Crowder, WR, New York Jets

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Early in the season, it wasn't a good idea to start any New York Jets players in fantasy. But New York is starting to get some more favorable matchups, rookie quarterback Zach Wilson is gaining experience and the team is getting healthier, so now it's not as bad of a decision.

Jamison Crowder was one of the key players the Jets were without early, as he missed the first three games of the season because of a groin injury. He returned in Week 4 and immediately became a notable part of their offense again, as he had seven catches for 61 yards and a touchdown in a win over the Tennessee Titans.

New York has a favorable matchup against the Atlanta Falcons in London on Sunday. Both teams are likely to put up big offensive numbers, and there should be plenty of passing opportunities.

Crowder, who is rostered in only 39 percent of Yahoo leagues and 31 percent of ESPN leagues, is a great last-minute flex option if you are dealing with some lineup uncertainty.

Hunter Henry, TE, New England Patriots

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Hunter Henry hasn't quite lived up to expectations in his first season with the New England Patriots, failing to make a huge impact on their passing game through four games. But he scored his first touchdown of the year against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last time out, which may give him some positive momentum.

New England has a favorable matchup in Week 5, as it's going on the road to face the Houston Texans. The Pats should have plenty of success through the air, and Henry could get quite a few targets and may find his way into the end zone again.

Henry is rostered in 43 percent of Yahoo leagues and 35 percent of ESPN leagues. So if he's available on the waiver wire and you are still in need of a streaming option at tight end, Henry isn't a bad choice. There's also the potential for him to break out now that rookie quarterback Mac Jones is more comfortable leading the offense.

Availability information per FantasyPros.