It’s time for Week 5 of The List! You can expect positional rankings and top 150 FLEX rankings each week to help you win your fantasy football leagues!
Week 4 has come and gone, and somehow, we are entering the second month of the NFL season. What we have learned so far is that fantasy football makes grown men and women cry, and it almost always makes no sense. With that in mind, there are some key injuries or storylines I am monitoring this week, so you don’t have to!
First, let’s start at Quarterback. Anthony Richardson is once again injured, and the dreaded injury-prone tag is being applied here. It is warranted, but it is important to note that Richardson is likely to suit up in Week 5. The more concerning issue for fantasy managers is how dreadful he has been as a passer. The argument for Richardson is that his production with his legs would offset that, but it looks like the Colts are doing their best to limit his rushing to avoid injury. Well, that has not worked, and the alarm bells are ringing. He is not a sell for anything you can get, but in redraft leagues, you can find an interim option like Justin Fields or stash Drake Maye. In Dynasty, moving him for a young, unproven commodity or an unsexy vet like Jared Goff while throwing in a younger asset to receive on top may be the move. The additional asset will vary based on league and team needs, but there are options. The one thing you shouldn’t be doing is just moving on for scrubs; the upside is still there, and Richardson is younger than Jayden Daniels. Be strategic, don’t panic.
Next, the running backs. We have a bit of bad news and then a glimmer of hope heading into Week 5. Jonathan Taylor is dealing with a high-ankle sprain. The Colts have been vague about this injury, to say the least, but there is still talk about him suiting up for Week 5. I am not confident in that, but until we are sure that he will not be playing, he is going to be included in my rankings, even if his production should dip. We are stuck in the weirdest range of Taylor suiting up this week or going on IR, and that should have fantasy managers feeling uncomfortable. Taylor is a tough player, so I would not be surprised if we get the worst of the possible scenarios where he plays this week and reaggravated his injury, leaving fantasy managers with one-half of JT before he eventually heads to IR. It is a situation to monitor throughout the week, as I don’t have the medical expertise and can’t be in the locker room. It comes at a terrible time, as Taylor was on a tear the last three weeks.
In a trend that is wreaking havoc this season, another elite running back, Bijan Robinson, was banged up last week. Robinson is dealing with a hamstring injury that will likely limit him in this Thursday’s matchup against the Buccaneers. If he can manage a full practice before Thursday, his ranking in this article will stand for me. If he remains limited, he will drop to my RB19 on the week. The reality is that Tyler Allgeier has not gone away, and he is a more than capable backup. If they are both active with Robinson less than 100%, Allgeier would jump to my RB20 right behind Robinson.
Finally, some hope! Nick Chubb is practicing, and while he has three weeks before he has to be activated, it is hard not to get excited about Chubb’s potential when he returns. Don’t expect a 70% rush share right away, but he could be a worthy RB2 if he is used in 50% of the running back snaps with how efficient he is as a runner. It also helps that the Browns need him desperately.
As we get ready to jump into my FLEX rankings for Week 5, we need to talk about wide receivers. The headline here is obviously Rashee Rice. It was feared that Rice had a torn ACL, but at the time of writing this, reports are coming out that he may have avoided the season-ending injury. Either way, you can expect to be without Rice for around a month, if not more. The smart move here is to trade AWAY Xavier Worthy. He does not play the same role as Rice in the offense, and he has the speed that people want to hype their way into being the next man up. The real value spike I expect to see for the Chiefs is Travis Kelce. Kelce has had a down season, as all of his middle-of-the-field targets were being swallowed up by Rice, and in his absence, I expect Kelce to step up in a major way. I don’t want to play the wide receiver carousel for the Chiefs. It’s Travis Kelce time again.
The next wide receiver we have to talk about is Davante Adams. He has officially requested a trade, a move we all saw coming about a year ago. Adams may not be involved or even play this week, and you can expect him to be on a new team shortly. The Jets and Commanders are the favorites to land Adams right now, and neither makes me that excited. If a manager in your league is tempted by the potential change in scenery, look to move Adams for another asset. Names I like are Brandon Aiyuk, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Brian Thomas Jr., and DJ Moore. The end is near for Adams in terms of fantasy football, and even if he does produce some BOOM weeks, I don’t consider him a reliable option for the rest of the season.
Before I give my Top 150 FLEX options, don’t forget the teams on BYE this week:
Philadelphia Eagles
Los Angeles Chargers
Detroit Lions
Tennessee Titans
Without further ado, here are my top FLEX options for Week 5!