By Ian Rosen (@iozen9)
My Week 5 predictions were, unfortunately, the epitome of mediocrity. While the Brissett-Hilton stack, Pierre Garcon and Leonard Fournette plays worked out well, others like Jay Cutler and Devante Parker did not.
The fantasy world learned a lot last week, like the fact that Deshaun Watson is legit, Andre Ellington is very reliable in PPR formats and Fournette is a top 3 fantasy running back. I’ve spent my week coping with the fact that my beloved Giants are terrible and they are only going to get worse. With all of that being said let’s get into the picks.
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Stacks that I like
Matt Ryan and Julio Jones (ATL, $7,000 and $8,300) — While this stack may be chalky, they may prove to be the highest point-scoring duo this week. The matchup is great and Julio hasn’t scored a touchdown this season. He’s hungry, and trust me, he will eat.
Case Keenum and Adam Thielen (MIN, $5,000 and $6,000) — This stack could be less than two percent owned and it has incredible potential. Aaron Rodgers is lethal no matter who he plays, so this should be a positive game script for Keenum. With Stefan Diggs out, Thielen should have a nice day for himself.
Other stacks that I like: Watson and Hopkins (HOU), Cousins and Pryor (WAS), Winston and Jackson (TB)
QBs that I like
Alex Smith (KC, $6,400) — One of the most underrated fantasy QBs in football, Smith will take on a mediocre Steelers defense at home. Big Ben has struggled mightily and if he continues to turn the ball over, expect the Chiefs to have plenty of good field position in this game.
Projection: 250 yd 2 td
Jacoby Brissett (IND, $5,800) — He’s going up against one of the worst pass defenses in the league and he’s always a threat with his running ability. I expect Brissett and Hilton to have really nice games.
Projection: 235 yd 3 td
RBs that I LOVE
C.J. Anderson (DEN, $6,600) — While Charles has emerged some, Anderson is still the clear No.1 back. He’ll also be well rested coming off of a bye week and the Giants have been atrocious against the run.
Projection: 120 yd 1td
Kareem Hunt (KC, $8,200) –Why Kareem Hunt will explode this week:
- He’s at home
- He’s playing a defense that just allowed Fournette to trample them
- Kelce will stretch the field and require more passing attention
- The Chiefs will be up early and lean on the run
Projection: 160 total yards 2 td
WRs that I like
Brandin Cooks (NE, $7,600) — I expect the Patriots-Jets game to be a lot closer than one would think, especially with the way that the Patriots defense has been playing. I think Cooks will take the top off of this defense and with Brady under center, Jets safety Jamal Adams is bound to have a tough time helping overtop.
Projection: 5 rec 110 yd
Mike Wallace (BAL, $4,300) — Wallace has had two decent games in a row, and if that 70-yard bomb last week had been thrown in stride it would have been a sure touchdown. I only recommend him in tournament settings.
Projection: 4 rec 77 yd 1 td
TE’s that I like
Rob Gronkowski (NE, $6,800) — As I previously mentioned, I expect this game to be much closer than people think. Gronk should see at least eight targets and a touchdown.
Projection: 7 rec 122 yd 2 td
Martellus Bennett (GB, $3,600) — If I told you that Bennett is tied for the most targets on the Packers would you believe me? Well, it’s true. The Vikings have been stout against the run, especially in the red zone, and with the Packers throwing 62.5 percent of the time in the red zone, look for Bennett to finally secure his first touchdown.
Projection: 5 rec 55 yd 1 td
Other TE’s that I like: Ryan Griffin (HOU), Hunter Henry (LAC)
DSTs that I like
I’m only going to give you guys one defense this week because there should only be one that you put in your lineups and this defense deserves to be in every single lineup.
Denver ($4,000) — The Giants’ number one receiver is Roger Lewis, their O-Line is still terrible and the only nice matchup is Evan Engram, who the Broncos will key in on. The Giants have no chance in this one.
Projection: 22 pts
Ian Rosen will be contributing DFS/DraftKings advice to 5thDownFantasy.com this season. Check out his blog at fancavelive.com for more football and other sports posts.
