Fantasy Football Week 5: Soft Defenses for Your Studs To Exploit

With Week 5 of the 2011 fantasy football season already rapping on our door, it’s time to figure out which players have the best matchups they can exploit.

Week 5 is also the beginning of the bye week portion of the season, which means making the right choices in your staring lineup is even more important than ever.

There is nothing better than seeing a weak defense on the schedule and having the superstars on the offense that is going to pick that mediocre squad apart. That’s what this slideshow is about.

If you have players facing off with these squads this week, it’s time to go all in and start them to get the biggest output you possibly can.

Check back for more on the NFL world as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s Football Page to get your fill of the NFL.

5. Philadelphia Eagles

While Ryan Fitzpatrick may not have the best game of his season when the Buffalo Bills take on the Philadelphia Eagles this week, it will be a game full of Fred Jackson running the ball and the passing game capitalizing on the lack of talent in the middle of Philly’s defense.

This may mean fewer targets for Buffalo’s top receiver, Stevie Johnson, but there will be many more for the tight ends and whoever goes across the middle.

With a lack of quality linebackers and safeties, expect the Bills to go straight at the Eagles and put them on their backs early.

4. Carolina Panthers

The problems with the Carolina Panthers defense are spread across the board, but they will look even worse when Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints come to town on Sunday.

Brees is like a surgeon on the football field, picking apart even the best defenses in the NFL, and if anyone thinks for one second that the Panthers can stop the Saints' offensive onslaught, you are flat-out wrong.

With New Orleans having a mediocre defense themselves, this has the making of an epic shootout that could see 30-plus points scored for both teams. Start anyone on either team here!

3. Kansas City Chiefs

When the Indianapolis Colts take on the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, it could be one of the worst games we see all season, and there is a good chance that the terrible Colts sneak out a victory.

The reason Indianapolis has the inside lane to a victory here is because of just how bad the Chiefs defense is this year, and as hard as it is for me to say, Curtis Painter will carve up Kansas City.

While steering away from everything Colts this season has been my mantra for the first four weeks of the season, this is the one week for sure that you will get plenty of fantasy points out of your Indianapolis fantasy players.

2. Chicago Bears

The mighty Chicago Bears have always been known as one of the best defense in the NFL, but the team is allowing the second-worst amount of yards per game to opposing offenses with 425.8.

Week 5 brings the Bears to Detroit to play the undefeated Lions, and they will face one of the most potent offenses the NFL has seen this season.

With Calvin Johnson, Matthew Stafford and Jahvid Best leading the Lions’ charge to the top of the NFC North, the Chicago Bears will be in trouble Monday night.

1. New England Patriots

The New York Jets have not been great this season, but they are facing a New England Patriots team that is giving up 477.5 yards per game to opposing offenses.

Mediocre quarterback Mark Sanchez has no chance of being great, but a terrible defense in New England could make him look much better than he actually is.

With solid wide receivers in Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress and a stellar tight end in Dustin Keller, the New York Jets offensive will have a monster day. Whether they win or not is another story.

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