Fantasy Focus: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em – Week 5
Courtesy of NFL Fantasy, the Gridiron Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em is your weekly guide to how real-life match-ups influence your fantasy football squads.
Players like Antonio Brown, Todd Gurley, and Rob Gronkowski will never be featured in this article because they should be in your lineup every week, regardless of matchup. Instead, we’ll touch on some borderline fantasy start-sit decisions in this column.
(All fantasy data is based on point-per-reception (PPR) scoring)
Quarterback
Start: Blake Bortles (vs. Chiefs)
This week, we should get ‘good’ Blake Bortles. The Chiefs flame-able secondary is allowing the second-most pass YPG (343), the ninth-highest passer rating (94.7) and the 11th-most fantasy points per dropback. What’s more, Leonard Fournette’s absence (hamstring) only bodes well for Bortles’ projection. In games without Fournette in the lineup over the last two years, Bortles averages 24.9 fantasy points per game versus 18.7 FPG when Fournette plays. Even with an elite defense, the Jags’ should have to throw to keep up with ‘Air Mahomes’ in Week 5.
Running Back
Sit: LeSean McCoy (vs. Titans)
Through three healthy games, LeSean McCoy has amassed just 21 carries and is the RB51 in PPR points per game. The Titans run defense has struggled a bit to start the year — they are 25th in FootballOutsiders’ Run Defense DVOA — but we can’t expect Buffalo to stay competitive in Tennessee. The Josh Allen offense has utterly destroyed McCoy’s fantasy outlook. Buffalo has trailed on 70 percent of their offensive snaps this season (second-most), and they will likely have to play from behind in Week 5.
Wide Receiver
Start: Marvin Jones (vs. Packers)
In four career games against Green Bay while in a Lions uniform, Marvin Jones has hit 6/205/2, 5/76, 7/107/2, and 4/81/1. Over his last 17 games specifically dating back to the start of the 2017 season, Marvin Jones has gained at least 50 yards and/or scored a touchdown 15 times. Now, Jones gets the Packers secondary he’s routinely beaten at home in a likely high-scoring affair. The over/under in Detroit is set at 51, the fourth-highest total on the Week 5 slate.
Tight End
Start: Austin Seferian-Jenkins (vs. Chiefs)
Through four games without S Eric Berry (heel), the Chiefs are getting whacked by enemy tight ends. So far, Kansas City has allowed the third-most YPG to the position (90.3) after permitting 8/164/1 (Steelers TEs), 5/79 (George Kittle), and 5/74 (Broncos TEs) receiving over their last three games. Seferian-Jenkins has yet to top 25 yards this season, but he’s seen a consistent target load (5, 5, 5, 4) and is running a pass route on 63 percent of Blake Bortles’ dropbacks, per PFF. The tight end landscape is a disaster and Seferian-Jenkins provides streamer appeal for fantasy managers in a bind.