| | | | Wednesday, October 7, 2020 | | One of the nice perks of this job is that anytime I have questions about my Fantasy team, I can just jump on Slack and send a message to some Fantasy experts and get their take. My goal with this newsletter is to replicate that opportunity for all of you, so feel free to shoot me an email at Chris.Towers@CBSInteractive.com to get your question answered. | | On that note, here are my thoughts on three of the biggest questions in the Fantasy football world heading into Week 5: | | Did the COVID scares in Week 4 change how you are approaching your roster? | | I'm making changes to the leagues I'm commissioner for to allow late swaps in the event of an unexpected postponement, but otherwise, it depends on the league's transaction policy. If I play in a league with no day-of-game pickups, then I'll make a point of adding a backup QB if i don't have one. | | Who helped himself most in Week 4? | | DeVante Parker. That was the game I've been saying was going to happen all season. He has 86 catches, 1,280 yards, and nine touchdowns over his last 16 games, and he's done well against pretty much every tough matchup he's faced, so I'm really not particularly worried about this upcoming run against the 49ers, Broncos, Chargers, and Rams. He's too good to sit. | | Who hurt himself most in Week 4? | | Leonard Fournette. Okay, Fournette didn't hurt himself, but he definitely was one of the big losers in Week 4. Many assumed he'd have taken this job for himself by now, but that hadn't happened even before his ankle injury. With Ronald Jones rushing for 111 yards Sunday, Fournette's chances are even slimmer now. Sure, Jones' struggles catching the ball could still open the door, but we weren't excited about Fournette because he might be a pass-catching back by mid-season. | | To see the whole Fantasy Football Today team's answers to those questions and more, head here. And keep reading for five of my favorite buy-low candidates to target using Dave Richard's Trade Values Chart, plus our previews for each position for Week 5, including Heath Cummings' breakdown for each as well as our consensus rankings. | | More Week 5 Fantasy Prep: Waiver Wire | QB Preview | RB Preview | WR Preview | TE Preview | Trade Values | Cut List | | | | Week 5 Trade Values | | | | Every Wednesday, we're talking about trades here. Last week, I took some of your questions for an #AskFFT trade mailbag, and if you have any trade questions, send them my way with the subject line "#AskFFT" to Chris.Towers@CBSInteractive.com and you might find the answer here. Today is all about some more general advice, however, as I wanted to highlight five of my favorite buy-low candidates at the quarter mark of the season, along with a suggested offer to send out using Dave Richard's Trade Values Chart. Check out the chart to see what you should be looking for on the market. | | Josh Jacobs — Jacobs' season has been the mirror image of Joe Mixon's, with Jacobs' huge performance coming in Week 1 followed by three underwhelming games. Just like you missed your window to buy low on Mixon last week, Jacobs could go off any week. Suggested offer: Melvin Gordon plus Justin Jefferson — Two sell-high candidates! Gordon will likely share the load with Phillip Lindsay moving forward, while Jefferson's production could be sporadic in this low-volume offense. Deshaun Watson — You're probably thinking Watson's slow start is due to the absence of DeAndre Hopkins, but he's averaging 8.5 yards per target (7.8 last season) and a 4.7% touchdown rate (5.3%), so he's a lot closer than you might think. And he's done that against a ludicrously tough schedule to open the season. Things are about to get a lot better. Suggested offer: Marquise Brown. Brown has big weekly upside, but that just isn't that hard to find at WR. He doesn't have elite upside like Watson does. Michael Gallup — Gallup has five targets in three of four games, a troubling sign Dak Prescott is on pace for (and this is not an exaggeration) over 800 pass attempts. That pace will slow, but I would bet Gallup's actual target volume doesn't change much — his deep role is still going to have a place in this offense. And it's a very valuable role, as he leads the NFL in routes run and ranks fourth in air yards per target. Gallup might be a frustrating weekly play, but he could have a prime DeSean Jackson-type season. Suggested offer: Chase Edmonds . You're holding Edmonds for the same reason you want Gallup: Upside. Gallup has a much clearer path to that upside than Edmonds. Kenyan Drake — I'm just not as convinced as everyone else seems to be that Edmonds is about to steal Drake's job — especially after watching all of Edmond's touches yesterday, because he's been pretty unimpressive. Drake's passing game usage has been disappointing, but he's actually run more routes than Edmonds, so even that could change. Backs averaging 18 touches per game are rarely available at a discount. Suggested offer: Robby Anderson and Tyler Higbee. I like Anderson's role in the Carolina offense, but it wouldn't shock me if D.J. Moore was the better player moving forward. And Higbee is a touchdown-or-bust TE who might still have some name value. A.J. Brown — We saw Tennessee throwing the ball more early this season, and Brown's role as their No. 1 option coming off his historic rookie season makes him someone I'm looking to acquire. He has an uncanny ability to make plays after the catch while also earning targets down the field, a combination that could make him one of the absolutely best receivers in Fantasy after he gets back from his knee injury. Suggested offer: CeeDee Lamb . I loved Lamb coming into the season, and nothing has changed that. But his 14.3% target share might not look as good when Prescott's pass volume inevitable comes down, and unlike Brown, Lamb has real competition that should keep his share lower. | | | | Week 5 QB Preview | | | | Entering Week 5 — so, officially one-quarter of the way through the Fantasy season — five quarterbacks are averaging at least 30 Fantasy points, eight are at 25-plus, and a whopping 21 are averaging 22 or more. What do the top guys have in common? All but Aaron Rodgers have at least 83 yards on the ground through four games. Deshaun Watson hasn't been part of that elite group yet, but he's got a great opportunity to join them in Week 5 against the Jaguars. | | Injuries: Cam Newton (COVID/Reserve list) — Will need 10 days to pass from initial diagnosis or two consecutive negative tests more than 24 hours apart to be cleared to return; Sam Darnold (shoulder) — Hopes to play, but will likely miss time; Jimmy Garoppolo (ankle) — Getting closer, could return this week . Matchup that matters: Teddy Bridgewater at ATL — The Falcons haven't been able to stop anyone, most recently allowing four touchdowns to Aaron Rodgers without his top two receivers. This defense has made everyone look good so far. | | Consensus Expert Rankings | | Dak Prescott, DAL Patrick Mahomes, KC Lamar Jackson, BAL Russell Wilson, SEA Josh Allen, BUF Deshaun Watson, HOU Kyler Murray, ARI Drew Brees, NO Teddy Bridgewater, CAR Ben Roethlisberger, PIT Justin Herbert, LAC Gardner Minshew, JAC | | | Week 5 RB Preview
| | | | There are a bunch of key backfield situations to watch in Week 5, beginning with the time share for the Chargers and how the Browns handle Nick Chubb's absence. Throw in questions about how Buffalo, New England, the Jets, Denver, Tampa, San Francisco, and the Rams will integrate players (hopefully!) coming back from injuries, and there just isn't much certainty at this spot. | | Injuries: Nick Chubb (knee) — Heading for IR; Austin Ekeler (hamstring) — Heading for IR; Le'Veon Bell (hamstring) — Expected to return this week; Raheem Mostert (knee) — Hoping to practice Wednesday; Zack Moss (toe) — Was limited at practice before missing Week 4, and should be back soon; Phillip Lindsay (toe) — Could return in Week 5; Cam Akers (ribs) — Expected back in Week 5, role unclear behind Malcolm Brown/Darrell Henderson; Carlos Hyde (shoulder) — Could sit out again; Leonard Fournette (ankle) — May be a game-time decision; LeSean McCoy (ankle) — Did not practice, may miss Week 5. Matchup that matters: David Johnson vs. JAC — We'll see what the new coaching staff decides to do with Johnson, but he's run by far the most routes out of wide receiver spots of any running back. Eventually those are going to turn into production if they keep running him out there. This is a great opportunity to get the ball in his hands. | | Consensus Expert Rankings | | Alvin Kamara, NO Dalvin Cook, MIN Ezekiel Elliott, DAL Clyde Edwards-Helaire, KC Kareem Hunt, CLE Chris Carson, SEA James Conner, PIT Derrick Henry, TEN Mike Davis, CAR James Robinson, JAC Jonathan Taylor, IND Josh Jacobs, LV Joe Mixon, CIN Miles Sanders, PHI Jerick McKinnon, SF Devin Singletary, BUF Kenyan Drake, ARI Ronald Jones, TB Todd Gurley, ATL Melvin Gordon, DEN David Johnson, HOU David Montgomery, CHI Antonio Gibson, WAS James White, NE | | Week 5 WR Preview | | | | There's a pretty good chance Michael Thomas, Davante Adams, and Julio Jones were the top three WR off the board in your draft; Chris Godwin probably wasn't far behind them. All four were out in Week 4 and all four may be out yet again in Week 5 — Adams is on a bye, while Thomas probably has the best chance of the group to play coming off a three-game absences due to a high-ankle sprain. If you're unlucky like me, you might have three of the four on one team, so Thomas' return would be clutch. | | Injuries: Michael Thomas (ankle) — Seems likely to return Monday; Julio Jones (hamstring) — Seems like he could be out again in Week 5 after aggravating the injury Monday; Henry Ruggs (hamstring) — Could miss another game; Bryan Edwards (ankle) — Likely further away than Ruggs is; Mike Williams (hamstring) — Could miss another game; K.J. Hamler (hamstring) — A multi-week absence would not be a surprise; DeSean Jackson (hamstring) — Could miss another week; Alshon Jeffery (foot) — Could make his debut in Week 5; Mike Evans (ankle)/Chris Godwin (hamstring)/ Scotty Miller (hip)/Justin Watson (chest) — All missed practice Monday and Tuesday; A.J. Brown (knee) — Could be back at practice Wednesday. Matchup that matters: Justin Jefferson at SEA — There will be weeks when Jefferson's role will frustrate you, but the Vikings may have no choice but to pass to keep up with the Seahawks, who have been torched by opposing wide receivers. Jefferson figures to get at least a few deep shots, and if he hits on one, he's going to be a good starter. This should be one of the games when you have the most confidence in his chances of hitting. | | Consensus Expert Rankings | | Amari Cooper, DAL DeAndre Hopkins, ARI Tyler Lockett, SEA Tyreek Hill, KC Stefon Diggs, BUF Keenan Allen, LAC Allen Robinson, CHI Adam Thielen, MIN DK Metcalf, SEA Mike Evans, TB Robert Woods, LAR Terry McLaurin, WAS Cooper Kupp, LAR Calvin Ridley, ATL JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT D.J. Moore, CAR DeVante Parker, MIA Robby Anderson, CAR D.J. Chark, JAC Will Fuller, HOU Odell Beckham, CLE Tyler Boyd, CIN A.J. Brown, TEN CeeDee Lamb, DAL | | Week 5 TE Preview | | | | Tight end isn't quite the wasteland it usually is for Fantasy, with a whopping 20 players averaging double digits in PPR points. The problem is, few of those 20 are actually reliable; 11 are below 12.0 points per game. There's depth here, but still pitifully few reliable weekly starters. | | Injuries: Noah Fant (ankle) — Could miss Week 5 vs. Patriots; Jared Cook (groin) — Could miss another game, didn't practice last week; Jordan Akins (concussion) — Questionable; Tyler Eifert (concussion) — Questionable. Matchup that matters: Hunter Henry at NO The Saints have allowed 330 receiving yards and five touchdowns to opposing tight ends, the second-highest number in the NFL in both categories. And it hasn't just been superstars every time out — O.J. Howard, T.J. Hockenson, and Robert Tonyan have all found the end zone against the Saints this season. | | Consensus Expert Rankings | | Travis Kelce, KC George Kittle, SF Mark Andrews, BAL Darren Waller, LV Hunter Henry, LAC Dalton Schultz, DAL Evan Engram, NYG Zach Ertz, PHI Jonnu Smith, TEN Tyler Higbee, LAR Hayden Hurst, ATL Eric Ebron, PIT | | | | | | | | 24/7 Sports News | | Parlay Pick'em | Want your sports news and highlights straight without the noise? Stream CBS Sports HQ on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and more!
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