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  4. Start Joe Burrow, sit Matthew Stafford, and more fantasy advice for Week 5 of the NFL season

Start Joe Burrow, sit Matthew Stafford, and more fantasy advice for Week 5 of the NFL season

Tyler Lauletta   

Start Joe Burrow, sit Matthew Stafford, and more fantasy advice for Week 5 of the NFL season
Matt Patterson/David J. Phillip/AP; Ezra Shaw/Getty Images; Rachel Mendelson/Insider
  • The NFL season is in full swing.
  • Each week, we're listing players to start or sit in fantasy football.

START: Joe Burrow

START: Joe Burrow
Joe Burrow signals after running for a first down against the Pittsburgh Steelers.      AP Photo/Jeff Dean

Week 5 opponent: at Baltimore Ravens

Daily fantasy price: DraftKings — $6,700 / FanDuel — $7,800

Why you should start him: The Bengals offense hasn't looked as sharp as last year, but this week's matchup against the Ravens could be a favorable one. Baltimore has allowed more passing yards than any team in the NFL this year, giving up more than 315 yards per game to opponents. Further, this could easily turn into a shootout, at which point Burrow might be inclined to throw even more than he already does.

SIT: Matthew Stafford

SIT: Matthew Stafford
Matthew Stafford warms up before a game against the San Francisco 49ers.      AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn

Week 5 opponent: vs. Dallas Cowboys

Daily fantasy price: DraftKings — $6,400 / FanDuel — $7,400

Why you should sit him: The Cowboys defense has been quite stingy to start the year and deserves just as much credit as backup quarterback Cooper Rush does for the team's 3-1 start. Meanwhile, Stafford and the Rams appear to have lost a step on offense, with wide receiver Cooper Kupp being the sole source of spark on many drives. If the Cowboys can contain Kupp to just a great, rather than record-setting, performance, you might be better off finding another quarterback for your lineup this week.

START: Dameon Pierce

START: Dameon Pierce
Dameon Pierce runs down the sideline against the Los Angeles Chargers.      AP Photo/David J. Phillip

Week 5 opponent: at Jacksonville Jaguars

Daily fantasy price: DraftKings — $6,200 / FanDuel — $7,500

Why you should start him: Rookie running back Dameon Pierce has made quite a splash for fantasy players, with 100 total yards and a touchdown in each of his past two games. Last week against the Eagles, the Jaguars defense gave up 210 yards on the ground.

SIT: Leonard Fournette

SIT: Leonard Fournette
Leonard Fournette runs with the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs.      AP Photo/Chris O'Meara

Week 5 opponent: vs. Atlanta Falcons

Daily fantasy price: DraftKings — $6,900 / FanDuel — $7,800

Why you should sit him: Leonard Fournette should be a bigger part of the Buccaneers offense than he is, but as he is being used right now, it's tough to trust him in your fantasy lineup. While he found the end zone last week, he took his three rushing attempts for negative three yards — hardly an inspiring performance. This week could be a bounce-back game against the Falcons, but I would rather Fournette prove his place in the Tampa offense before starting him in fantasy.

START: Nyheim Hines

START: Nyheim Hines
Nyheim Hines.      AP Photo/Wade Payne

Week 5 opponent: at Denver Broncos

Daily fantasy price: DraftKings — $5,500 / FanDuel — $6,300

Why you should start him: Starting running back Jonathan Taylor is out for Thursday night's game against the Broncos, which should be a boon for Nyheim Hines. Hines is a very different back than Taylor, but that could work to his advantage in fantasy, as Hines is used more in the passing game and could stack up some PPR points on the cheap.

SIT: J.K. Dobbins

SIT: J.K. Dobbins
J.K. Dobbins scores a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills.      AP Photo/Julio Cortez

Week 5 opponent: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Daily fantasy price: DraftKings — $5,600 / FanDuel — $6,500

Why you should sit him: If you have JK Dobbins on your fantasy team, it will be hard to sit him this week, especially coming off a two-touchdown performance. Still, there's reason to be wary of how sustainable that showing was. Dobbins gained just 41 yards on 13 rushing attempts last week, far from efficient. While he still might find the end zone, I would advise against including him in daily fantasy lineups.

START: Mike Evans

START: Mike Evans
Mike Evans reels in a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs.      Peter Joneleit via AP

Week 5 opponent: vs. Atlanta Falcons

Daily fantasy price: DraftKings — $6,900 / FanDuel — $7,500

Why you should start him: The Buccaneers seem poised for a huge game in the air against the Falcons. After a slow start to the season, Tom Brady and the Tampa passing attack finally found their mojo against the Chiefs last week. They lost that game, but if they can keep the offense moving this week, the Falcons should not be able to keep pace.

SIT: Tyreek Hill

SIT: Tyreek Hill
Tyreek Hill runs with the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals.      AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel

Week 5 opponent: at New York Jets

Daily fantasy price: DraftKings — $8,000 / FanDuel — $8,400

Why you should sit him: Again, if Tyreek Hill is on your fantasy roster, you probably have to play him. But with Teddy Bridgewater coming in at quarterback for the Dolphins this week, it might be smart to temper your expectations a bit on Hill. Bridgewater is more than capable of leading an offense, but there's always the chance that it takes a moment for things to click with a new man under center. If you're going to invest heavy capital in daily fantasy on a wide receiver, I would look elsewhere.

START: Tyler Boyd

START: Tyler Boyd
Tyler Boyd runs free against the New York Jets.      Brad Penner/AP Images for Panini

Week 5 opponent: at Baltimore Ravens

Daily fantasy price: DraftKings — $5,200 / FanDuel — $5,900

Why you should start him: Tyler Boyd is a great stacking option to pair with Joe Burrow this week against the Ravens. While Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are the two top receivers in Cincinnati, Boyd is more than capable of putting up big points and is far cheaper in daily fantasy lineups.

SIT: Drake London

SIT: Drake London
Drake London celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks.      AP Photo/Ashley Landis

Week 5 opponent: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Daily fantasy price: DraftKings — $5,900 / FanDuel — $6,200

Why you should sit him: Last week, the Falcons were at their most efficient when they committed to running the ball. Additionally, this is a game the Buccaneers defense will know they can win as long as they keep everything in front of them. While London has helped stretch the field for the Falcons this year, Tampa will likely do their best to lock him down and force Atlanta to beat them elsewhere.

START: George Pickens

START: George Pickens
George Pickens warms up ahead of a game against the New York Jets.      AP Photo/Matt Durisko

Week 5 opponent: at Buffalo Bills

Daily fantasy price: DraftKings — $4,300 / FanDuel — $5,500

Why you should start him: George Pickens looked like a brand new man in the second half last week against the Jets after Kenny Pickett took over at quarterback for the Steelers. With Pickett set to start again this week against the Bills, and with the Bills likely scoring a lot of points, this could be a breakout fantasy day for Pickens if things shake out into a high-scoring affair.

SIT: Allen Robinson

SIT: Allen Robinson
Allen Robinson misses a catch in the end zone.      AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

Week 5 opponent: vs. Dallas Cowboys

Daily fantasy price: DraftKings — $5,300 / FanDuel — $5,700

Why you should sit him: Allen Robinson's Los Angeles debut has been disappointing. His biggest game included just four catches, and he often appears to not even factor into the Rams' game plan. Head coach Sean McVay has said he's committed to getting Robinson more involved. There's a chance that some week soon, he will have a breakout game if the team decides to target him at all costs to jumpstart his season. However, if you keep guessing which game that will be, chances are you will keep putting up a low score at wide receiver for a while.

START: Terry McLaurin

START: Terry McLaurin
Terry McLaurin runs a route against the Philadelphia Eagles.      AP Photo/Susan Walsh

Week 5 opponent: vs. Tennessee Titans

Daily fantasy price: DraftKings — $6,200 / FanDuel — $6,500

Why you should sit him: The Commanders will be without rookie receiver Jahan Dotson on Sunday, leaving a few extra targets to be had in the Washington offense. Terry McLaurin is a top-tier receiver who has yet to really light up the box score this year, but this is just the sort of game he should shine in, provided Carson Wentz can get him the ball.

START: Logan Thomas

START: Logan Thomas
Logan Thomas scores a touchdown against the Detroit Lions.      AP Photo/Rick Osentoski

Week 5 opponent: vs. Tennessee Titans

Daily fantasy price: DraftKings — $3,200 / FanDuel — $5,200

Why you should sit him: With Dotson out of the Commanders' lineup, some targets should be up for grabs. Around the red zone, Logan Thomas could be the beneficiary and get in for a cheap score.

SIT: Kyle Pitts

SIT: Kyle Pitts
Kyle Pitts fights off a defender against the Seattle Seahawks.      AP Photo/Ashley Landis

Week 5 opponent: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Daily fantasy price: DraftKings — $4,400 / FanDuel — $5,600

Why you should start him: Kyle Pitts is off to one of the most baffling starts to a fantasy season that I can remember. He's so good, yet he's giving fantasy players absolutely nothing through four games. The Falcons have put their offensive identity in their run game, leaving Pitts with less to do. With the injury to running back Cordarrelle Patterson, that might change this week, but asking for Pitts to finally show up against one of the best defenses in the league feels like a tall order.

START: Miami Dolphins

START: Miami Dolphins
Christian Wilkins makes a tackle against the Buffalo Bills.      AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee

Week 5 opponent: at New York Jets

Daily fantasy price: DraftKings — $3,200 / FanDuel — $4,900

Why you should start him: The Dolphins will be without Tua Tagovailoa on Sunday and will likely want to turn this into a game of ball control. Zach Wilson is a gunslinger, but he's prone to turnovers.

SIT: Philadelphia Eagles

SIT: Philadelphia Eagles
Fletcher Cox celebrates recovering a fumble against the Jacksonville Jaguars.      AP Photo/Matt Slocum

Week 5 opponent: at Arizona Cardinals

Daily fantasy price: DraftKings — $3,500 / FanDuel — $4,500

Why you should sit him: The Eagles defense has been one of the best in fantasy to start the year, averaging 13 points per game. Still, the Cardinals have shown they are capable of impressive bursts of offense, including a 21-point fourth-quarter comeback against the Raiders. It's tough to bench a defense playing this well, but Kyler Murray is pretty special. Proceed with caution.

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