2018 Fantasy Football Week 5 Rankings

When did it become October?!?  I guess a couple of days ago, yeah.  That means fall is here (or rather almost here if you take a look at the weather outside).  It also means we're going to see a lot of pink accessories on the field in Week 5.  Finally, it means we're a quarter of the way through the NFL season and nearly halfway through the fantasy regular season.  I realize that's a weird way to look at things, but that's reality.  The heavy bye weeks haven't hit too hard yet, but they're coming.  You need to be making smart moves on the waiver wire and pay attention to who other people may have dropped.  I was able to add T.J. Yeldon and Rams D in my money league, and I'm pretty happy about both pickups.  We'll see how they pan out this week and beyond.

Let's do the rankings!

BYE: Bears & Bucs

2018 Fantasy Football Rankings powered by FantasyProsECR ™ - Expert Consensus Rankings

QUARTERBACKS
As with most weeks in the NFL, Week 4 was a bit of a mixed bag.  My picks versus the ECR were no different.  I wasn't high on many quarterbacks, but I was 3 spots higher than the experts on Big Ben, so I talked him up a bit.  I wasn't afraid of the Ravens D without C.J. Mosley, but Mosley actually played and was a huge factor in this game.  Roethlisberger nearly finished outside of the top-20, and with Jimmy Smith returning this week for Baltimore, it's time to start thinking of the Ravens as an elite defense once again.  I still wasn't trusting Carson Wentz just yet, and I was 5 spots lower than the ECR on him last week.  I factored in Alshon not being back yet, but he was (and scored a TD).  I said Wentz could finish outside of the top-15 fantasy QBs again, and he did. 

I'd like to also point out that I updated my rankings on Sunday before the 1:00 kickoff, and I was 9 spots lower on Ryan Fitzpatrick versus the ECR.  I had a feeling Chicago's defense would dominate and the Fitzmagic could end.  All of that happened, and I was pretty happy with my prediction, so I thought I'd pat myself on the back real quick there.

This week, I'm actually high on Josh Rosen (+7).  I'm not suggesting you start him outside of maybe a 2 QB league because I have him as my #22 fantasy quarterback.  But I do think he could show some improvement in just his second NFL start.  He'll face a 49er defense that has given up nearly 3 passing TDs/game to start the season, so why can't Rosen throw a pair of scores?  I'm not really down on anyone very much, but I'm 4 spots lower on Drew Brees versus the ECR.  My Redskins are coming off a bye, and I have a feeling they'll put some pressure on Brees in this game.  I say he finishes outside of the top-5 QBs this week.

RUNNING BACKS

Last week I was way off with the guys I was high on versus the ECR: Peyton Barber (+10) and Buck Allen (+7).  I realized Barber was facing a stingy Bears defense, but I knew he'd at least have the opportunity to get things going in the first half.  Well, he had very little opportunity because the Bears steamrolled the Bucs.  Ronald Jones II was active for the first time this season, and he actually got most of the playing time in the second half.  Tampa Bay is on a bye this week, and I expect Jameis and Jones to get way more playing time from here on out.  As for Allen, he failed to find the endzone for the first time this season.  He had some decent yardage though, and he finished just inside the top-40.  I'll continue to rank him as a FLEX option this week against the Browns. I was way down on Kenyan Drake in Week 4 (-10), and I was spot on there.  The ECR had him well into their top-20, but I said he belongs in the rankings near Dion Lewis and James White rather than Marshawn Lynch and Alex Collins.  I thought the Patriots would bounce back and dominate the Dolphins, and Drake could find himself running low on touches.  Pretty spot on.  Drake finished with less than 2 fantasy points for the second week in a row.  I'd have a hard time trusting him in Cincy this week, especially with Burfict back in the lineup after serving his suspension. Speaking of this week, I'm super high on Robert Turbin (+30).  Indy's run game has been pretty terrible this year, but I think they'll try to get Turbin going in his first game back from suspension.  Of course he could also find himself in some serious negative game script (see also, Peyton Barber last week).  But I think ranking him #76 is a bit harsh.  I think he'll score some points in his return.  I'm also fairly high on Phillip Lindsay (+9) who feels like the best back in a strong committee.  He's an RB2 until proven otherwise. I'm down on Mark Ingram this week (-10) because I'd rather see him prove what he can do in this offense rather than just assume he'll have the same role he had last year.  Kamara is ballin out, and I'm not so sure Ingram is a top-20 RB this week.  I'm also down on Derrick Henry (-11) at Buffalo.  I just can't trust him as my RB2 until he starts scoring some touchdowns or something.

WIDE RECEIVERS
Like I mentioned above, Brady and the Patriots bounced back in a big way in Week 4, but Chris Hogan wasn't part of the blowout win.  I was 12 spots higher on Hogan versus the ECR, but he finished with just one catch for 25 yards.  With Josh Gordon picking up the offense (and now in the lineup) and Edelman coming back from suspension this week, Hogan might be an afterthought in this offense.  I wouldn't drop him just yet, but he's close to that territory.  I was down on Allen Robinson (-10), and he had just one catch and finished outside of the top-35 WRs in Week 4.  However, that one catch was for a touchdown (part of Mitchapalooza), so you weren't super disappointed if you started him.  Still, I'll likely continue to be slightly down on A-Rob versus the ECR when he returns from his bye week. This week, I'm really high on Will Fuller (+14).  Of course that's assuming he's healthy.  If he gets scratched, then scratch that pick too.  But if he plays, that dude will find the endzone.  I'm also high on Marquez Valdes-Scantling (+22).  I realize his name is a mouthful, but his head coach is hinting that his role will expand this week with Cobb likely out (and Geronimo 50/50 to play at this point).  Near the top of my rankings, I'm down on Odell Beckham, Jr. (-6).  I'm just not going to rank him in my top-10 until he looks like he belongs in the top-10. TIGHT ENDS In Week 4, I was high on Geoff Swaim (+10) and down on David Njoku (-7).   Swaim followed up the best game of his career with an even better game in Week 4.  He found the endzone and nearly broke double-digit fantasy points on his way to a top-10 finish.  Meanwhile, Njoku barely finished in the top-20 (I ranked him 17th).  With so many injuries at the tight end position, Njoku moves up my rankings by default, but I'm not happy about it. I'm staying high on Swaim this week (+7), and I'm also high on C.J. Uzomah (+7).  I think he'll slide ride into Eifert's role and Kroft will be more of a blocker.  If Gronk doesn't play tomorrow night, I may find myself picking up one of them and putting them in my lineup (*sigh*). DEFENSES

I nailed my defense picks versus the ECR once again.  I was high on the Jets (+8), who had been a top-5 fantasy defense this season.  They were facing a Jags offense that just scored 6 points against the Titans, and I thought the Jets could sneak into the top-12...and they did!

I was down 10 spots versus the ECR on the Vikings on Thursday night because that Rams offense has looked scary good.  I said this game would end up more of a shootout than a defensive struggle, and I was right about that.  Jared Goff looked like a young Tom Brady droppin dimes, and the Vikings were the WORST fantasy defense in Week 4!

This week, I'm high enough on the Packers (15th, 4 spots higher than the ECR) to make them borderline startable.  I'm down on the Cowboys (-6) because I believe in my boy Deshaun Watson lighting them up at home on Sunday night.  I sure hope I'm right there.

Good luck to everyone in Week 5!  

(Except you, Misciagna...)

Cheers,

Bart