Week 5 gave us a surprisingly high-scoring game. With 60 total points put on the board, there were plenty of fantasy points to go around. Justin Fields is finally rewarding managers who have stuck by him after his mediocre first 3 weeks.
Week 5 Game Ball: DJ Moore – 8 catches, 230 receiving yards, and 3 touchdowns
This is the game we have all been waiting for with DJ Moore. This sets Moore’s career high in yardage and showcases what he can really do. It would be crazy to expect this to be the norm from him, but Fields should now look to him early and often. He should see plenty of opportunity against a Minnesota Vikings defense that is ranked 29th in the league.
Week 11 fantasy advice: Player rankings | Players to add | WRs to start
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Thursday night fantasy preview: Week 6 starts
Elite Starts
These are my locked-in starts that you never need to think twice about. Just put them in and watch the magic happen.
Patrick Mahomes – I expect Mahomes to do Mahomes things against a Broncos defense that is ranked dead last in the league and giving up 36.2 points per game. Mahomes has a lifetime QB rating of 101.5 when playing the Broncos at home as he looks to extend their lead in the division. Broncos seem to be going nowhere quick, and this game might be over before the 4th quarter starts.
Projection: 301 passing yards, 33 rushing yards, and 3 total touchdowns
Travis Kelce – This will be one to monitor, as Kelce injured his ankle against the Vikings this past weekend. Coach Reid did say that Kelce planned to practice on Tuesday, which is a positive sign moving forward. So far in 2023, the targets are there for him, but we have yet to see a big yardage game from him. A visiting Broncos defense may just be what the doctor prescribed to give him one of his signature games. Assuming he will be a full-go for this game, I expect big things.
Projection: 8 catches for 99 receiving yards and 1 touchdown
Solid Starts
These are the starts you shouldn’t be nervous about but certainly aren’t locked in for top-tier production.
Isiah Pacheco – Pacheco has scored in his last three games and accounted for 76.2% of the team’s rushing attempts last week against the Vikings. He’s also involved in the passing game as he has averaged just over 2 targets per game this year. This week, he goes up against the same Broncos defense that gave up 350 rushing yards to the Dolphins earlier this year. The only risk with this start is if he gets shut down after the Chiefs race out to a large lead early in the game. If this is the case, let’s hope he can get plenty of work in during the first half.
Projection: 2 catches for 105 all-purpose yards and 1 touchdown
Flex Worthy Starts
They are worth a start, but no one is going to blame you if you want to bench them.
Courtland Sutton / Jerry Jeudy – At this point, I’m actively avoiding all Broncos fantasy options if possible. This team has not made the leap people were hoping for when they brought in Sean Payton. They have to throw to someone though, right? Problem is that out of their five games so far this year, a running back has been their leading receiver for two of those games. Luckily for them, their defense is terrible. This translates to a heavy passing game and a fantasy manager’s best friend, garbage time.
Projections:
Sutton – 4 catches for 48 receiving yards
Jeudy – 5 catches for 61 receiving yards
Javonte Williams / Jaleel McLaughlin – I included McLaughlin here, with Javonte still questionable for Thursday night’s game after missing last week. I’m not excited about starting a Denver running back this week, but with bye weeks, I understand some people have no choice. So far, Kansas City has been giving up 4.3 yards per carry, but what concerns me is if Denver will need to run the ball this game based on the game script. Fortunately, Denver certainly does not shy away from throwing to their running backs. Involvement in the passing game is what will save the fantasy day. Only start McLaughlin if Javonte is ruled out on Thursday.
Projection: 2 catches for 65 all-purpose yards
Rashee Rice – In a sea of Kansas City wide receivers, Rice is slowly making his way to the top as the target favorite of Mahomes. Rice has gotten at least 5 targets in all but one game so far and he has already found the endzone twice in his rookie year. He likely won’t give you a week-winning performance, but he’s becoming reliable for an 8-10 point floor in full ppr formats. Plus, offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has been taking notice and would love to get him the ball more. If you need a home run play, look elsewhere, otherwise, Rice should give a solid baseline.
Projections: 4 catches for 48 receiving yards
Break Glass in Case of Emergency Starts
Starts that will have questionable usage, and you are just hoping you can sneak a touchdown out of them. Pick your poison.
- Russell Wilson
- Kadarius Toney
- Marvin Mims
- Clyde Edwards-Helaire
- Jerick McKinnon
- Skyy Moore
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