Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, October 6, 2024, 1:00 ET
Location: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
Network: CBS
Baltimore Ravens
Quarterback
Lamar Jackson: Start, QB1
Lamar Jackson has not fallen outside the top 10 quarterbacks any week this season. Week 5 may still be his best performance. You are never benching Jackson, fire him up and get ready for another BOOM week.
Running Back
Derrick Henry: Start, RB1
Justice Hill: FLEX Option
Derrick Henry has six touchdowns in the first four games of the season. Not only that, but he is averaging 22 touches a game and over 130 total yards. He is the RB3 on the season and is my RB1 overall this week against a Bengals defense allowing the eight most fantasy points to opposing running backs. Justice Hill is not overly reliable, but he should find some room to run and be the change of pace back behind Henry. He is only FLEX viable in full-point PPR leagues.
Wide Receiver
Zay Flowers: Start, WR2
Zay Flowers is the favorite to be the top pass-catching option for the Ravens, who have inexplicably stopped using Mark Andrews AND Isaiah Likely this season. Flowers is going to be volatile as the Ravens commit harder to the run than they have in years past. Flowers is a mid to low-end WR2 with the hope that he can eclipse the two targets he saw last week.
Tight End
Isaiah Likely: Start, TE1
Mark Andrews: Sit, TE2
Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely have been used sparingly since Week 1, and it has been one of the more confounding situations in fantasy football. Another couple of weeks of this usage could have them both approaching drop territory, Andrews is already there for me if you are in a 12-person or less league. It is something we will need to revisit heading into Week 7.
Cincinnati Bengals
Quarterback
Joe Burrow: Start, QB1
Joe Burrow was a back-end QB1 in Week 4. Posting his lowest yardage total since Week 1 while throwing for two touchdowns and one interception. He faces the Ravens this week which has been a softer matchup than in years past, but still not a walk in the park by any means. Expect Burrow to find his go-to options in Chase and Tee Higgins on his way to another 200+ yard performance through the air.
Running Back
Zack Moss: Start, RB2
Chase Brown: FLEX Option
Zack Moss and Chase Brown split touches last week and both were productive for fantasy football. They face a much stiffer matchup with the Ravens in Week 5. Moss should lead the backfield in touches which makes him a low-end RB2, and Brown falls just outside that range as my RB25 on the week. I am still betting on Brown ultimately emerging as the lead back down the stretch. He has been inconsistent, but he has more to offer in terms of playmaking ability out of the backfield and makes the Bengals a more versatile offense.
Wide Receiver
Ja’Marr Chase: Start, WR1
Tee Higgins: FLEX Option
Andrei Iosivas: Sit
The Ja’Marr Chase tour has arrived. After scoring two touchdowns in Week 3 and another in Week 4, he has another beatable matchup in Week 5. He may lose some work to a fully integrated Tee Higgins, but you should not shy away from expecting big things from Chase, who currently comes in as my WR2 on the week. Higgins tied Chase in targets last week (6). I expect Higgins to be even more involved in Week 5 as far as target share goes. He already was on the field for over 90% of the snaps in his first week back and 80% last week, which bodes well for his rest of season usage and production.
Tight End
Mike Gesicki: Sit
Erick All: Sit
It’s best not to play the Mike Gesicki game in fantasy football. The only caveat would be if you lost a player and you need a short-term fill-in. There are certainly worse streaming options out there than the owner of the World’s Worst Griddy. Note for dynasty leagues: Erick All should be 100% rostered. He is slowly pushing for time on the field and could be an impact player next season.