Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, October 6, 2024, 1:00 ET
Location: NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
Network: CBS
Buffalo Bills
Quarterback
Josh Allen: Start, QB1
Josh Allen is a set-it-and-forget-it option at quarterback. He faces a tougher matchup in the Houston Texans, but you don’t need to overthink it. Allen is a top 3 quarterback option every week.
Running Back
James Cook: Start, RB1
James Cook scored less than double-digit fantasy points for the first time all season in Week 4. In Week 5, he has another tough run defense. He has seen inconsistent usage in the passing game, which takes away his floor in tough matchups. Still, he is the engine to the Bills offense outside of Josh Allen most weeks, and you can rely on him to be involved often.
Wide Receiver
Khalil Shakir: FLEX Option
Keon Coleman: Sit
Curtis Samuel: Sit
The Bills’ wide receivers are more than likely going to be rotating who is getting involved the most from week to week, but Khalil Shakir is the safe bet to lead the way for the next few weeks at least. Shakir has been a playmaker for the Bills thus far through the air and one of the few reliable options not named Josh Allen or James Cook. This week, as the Bills face the Texans, Shakir could have a bounce-back week after a down game against the Ravens. The Texans have allowed the sixth most passing yards per game. Expect Shakir to see his regular compliment of 5-6 targets. Outside of Shakir, there aren’t any Bills wide receivers you can rely on.
Tight End
Dalton Kincaid: Start, TE1
Dalton Kincaid caught three passes in the first quarter, and it looked like the young tight end was going to have a record day. Unfortunately, he only recorded two more catches in the rest of the game. In Week 5, he has a tough matchup with the Texans, who have allowed only 10 receptions to tight ends in the last three weeks. Kincaid comes in as my TE6 this week, but you should temper expectations in this one.
Houston Texans
Quarterback
CJ Stroud: Start, QB1
CJ Stroud had a strong day against a laughably bad Jaguars team in Week 4., posting 345 passing yards and two scores. Stroud may find it much more difficult to find passing windows against the Bills’ defense this week. The Bills can be beaten on the ground so far this year, so they may need to rely on their group of backup running backs in Week 5. Stroud is still one of the best passers in the league, and he is tied to a great wide receiver core. He comes in as my QB8 on the week.
Running Back
Sit All
It is looking increasingly like Joe Mixon will miss the Texans game this week. If he does, we are going to get some combination of Dameon Pierce and Cam Akers. Neither should be in your starting lineups this week in the RB slot, but in a bind, you could throw Akers in your FLEX. The hope would be that he finds his way to the end zone.
Wide Receiver
Nico Collins: Start, WR1
Stefon Diggs: Start, WR2
Tank Dell: FLEX Option
The Texans’ wide receivers have been a difficult trio to evaluate in the early goings of the season. Nico Collins stands apart from both Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell as the bonafide WR1 for this team, though, and that is something that you should not expect to change all season. Collins is the WR2 on the season in full PPR leagues, averaging 11 targets per game. His physical frame makes him an immediate mismatch for nearly every DB in the league, and his chemistry with second-year quarterback Stroud keeps improving. Collins should be a top-ten option this week and should remain a WR1 option for the foreseeable future. Diggs and Dell will alternate who leads in targets all season. In potentially his first game back from injury, Dell is not likely to out-target Diggs in this one, but the matchup isn’t necessarily an easy one. Ultimately, if you rostered all three players in a league, you would have a WR1, WR2, and WR3/FLEX option to roll out this week, assuming health.
Tight End
Dalton Schultz: Sit
Dalton Schultz is unable to find enough volume to register on the fantasy radar. That trend will likely continue as long as the Texans’ top three pass catchers are healthy. There are players with a similar floor and much higher upside.