Fantasy Football Week 5 Plays and Fades

Photo Credit: Khalil Shakir (10) at Buffalo Bills Media Day, May 12, 2022. Photo by Ben Green

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Week 5.

This really feels like it is the calm before the storm for fantasy football. This is the last week before bye weeks start in Week 6, so enjoy your full lineups now, cause it could be the last time you have a full team until the playoffs begin. On a side note, don’t be afraid to start using bye weeks as a trade chip. Talk to the Swift manager who is 1 – 3 and offer them a trade for him using a player with a late bye week. Anyways, this is the time to start collecting wins to help yourself out if you run into a ‘bye-pocalypse’. 

Here at Go For Two, we split players into a few different categories. We’ll give you a Go For Two option, a field goal play, and a turnover on downs. The Go For Two option is a player that is rostered in very few leagues, but has the potential to blow up and win you the week. This is a player that you start and bask in the glory when they go off. The field goal option is a player that is a borderline start, but we are giving you confidence this week. Start them and enjoy the points that you collect. The turnover on downs player is a highly rostered player who is set up to disappoint you. Do what you can to avoid a turnover on downs.

Field Goal Plays

Damien Harris, RB (NE) – Harris gets the pleasure of playing against the atrocious Detroit Lions defense this week. The Lions are on pace to give up the most points in league history, so don’t be afraid of Harris not being able to get it done. Third string rookie QB for the Patriots, Bailey Zappe, will get the start this week. Bill Belichek is not a risk taker, so the game plan will be to play tight defense and run the ball to take the pressure off Zappe. Harris has great potential for a touchdown, but has a safe floor as well. As a bonus, his backfield partner, Rhamondre Stevenson is also a fantastic start.

Chris Godwin, WR (TB)- While his box score production was mediocre last week, the biggest takeaway was that he was able to survive the entire game without suffering any setbacks with his hamstring, so he should be a full go this week. Earning double digit targets in an offense quarterbacked by Tom Brady is no joke, and it is obviously reasonable to suggest it was not an anomaly given how he has previously been deployed in this offense. Add in the fact that he has a dream matchup against Atlanta this week, and Chris Godwin WR1 szn could be here before our eyes. Fire him up in all formats this week. 

Turnover on Downs

Ezekiel Elliot, RB (DAL) – I warned you not to draft Zeke, but you didn’t listen did you. Now, he’s sitting on your team and is tempting you to start him solely based on the volume he’s been getting. I’m here to tell you that the volume alone will not be enough to save him this week. Zeke is facing off against the stout Rams defense, who are rated No. 2 overall in run defense by PFF, and are giving up less than 100 yards per game on the ground. The Rams will focus on stuffing the run game, forcing Cooper Rush to be the one to beat them. Stay away from Zeke and the sub-50 yards he rushes for this week.

Matthew Stafford, QB (LAR) – Don’t do it. I understand there is an allure here that Stafford has to break out eventually, but don’t do it. Stafford has been downright bad the last 2 weeks and is facing a stout Dallas defence. There should be better options available to you this week on the waiver wire. It’s not time to look elsewhere for the rest of the year, but this isn’t Stafford’s week.

Antonio Gibson, RB (WSH) –  Gibson has actually been pretty useful in fantasy so far this year, especially relative to ADP. However, it is noteworthy that both his fantasy points and snap rates have decreased in every game this year. It is also noteworthy that Brian Robinson is expected to make his season debut this week, meaning this has the potential to turn into a full blown three-man committee. You are likely crossing your fingers for a touchdown from Gibson to return any fantasy value if that ends up being the case. It may be tough to sit him this week given how disastrous the RB position has been this year, but it is definitely worth considering other options. Until things are made more clear, Gibson will need to be downgraded to RB3/Flex territory. 

Go For Two Option

Khalil Shakir, WR (BUF) – With a number of injuries to skill position players in Buffalo, Shakir could figure heavily into Buffalo’s air attack this week. Factor in a ‘so-so’ Pittsburgh secondary and an elite offense in Buffalo, and this Go For Two option could pay serious dividends.