As you evaluate the Week 5 Fantasy football rankings, it’s important to examine the defenses that have allowed opponents to go off. The Super Bowl champs are an example, as the Buccaneers have allowed both the most passing yards and passing touchdowns this season. With the Dolphins coming to town, DeVante Parker, Jaylen Waddle and Mike Gesicki could all pique your interest as potential Week 5 Fantasy football picks.
Can you build a winning Week 5 Fantasy football strategy with any of those Dolphins pass-catchers, or should you look elsewhere? What other defenses besides Tampa are vulnerable and could give a boost to their opponents in the Week 5 Fantasy football rankings? Before you lock in your lineups, be sure to check out the Week 5 Fantasy football rankings from the advanced computer model at SportsLine.
When it comes to ranking players, SportsLine’s model beat human experts in Fantasy football for the past several seasons especially when there were big differences in ranking. Over the course of a season, that could literally be the difference between winning your league or going home emptyhanded.
Last week, the model was extremely high on Panthers wide receiver D.J. Moore, saying he’d finish as a top-10 player at his position. The result: Moore hauled in eight receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns against the Cowboys. Anybody who had him in their lineup was well on their way to a huge week.
Now, the model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, has revealed its Fantasy football rankings for Week 5 of the 2021 NFL season. Head to SportsLine now to see them.
Top Week 5 Fantasy football picks
One player the model is extremely high on this week: Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold. The former No. 3 overall pick is proving that his struggles in New York were more about the Jets than about him. He’s topped 300 passing yards the last three weeks, has thrown five touchdowns on the season and, shockingly, leads the NFL with five rushing TDs.
Darnold and the Panthers get an ideal matchup versus a besieged Eagles defense that has given up 41 and 42 points over its last two games. Philly hasn’t been the same since it lost captain Brandon Graham for the season in Week 2. After allowing one passing touchdown over the first two weeks combined, the Eagles have allowed eight over the last two weeks. The model acknowledges Darnold’s competition this week and ranks him as a top-10 quarterback, ahead of players like Justin Herbert and Derek Carr.
And a massive shocker: Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, who’s thrown for over 500 yards and seven touchdowns in his last two outings, stumbles big-time and doesn’t even crack the top 15 at his position. Herbert is coming off a strong performance against the Raiders on Monday night, completing 25-of-38 passes for 222 yards and three touchdowns.
Herbert has already racked up 1,178 passing yards this season, but now he’ll face-off against one of the NFL’s stingiest defenses. The Browns are giving up just 250.3 yards per game on average to opposing offenses, which ranks second in the league. Cleveland is also tied for first with 14 sacks, with Myles Garrett leading the charge with six. With such a tough matchup on Sunday, Herbert is a player to consider putting on the bench in Week 5.
How to set your Week 5 Fantasy football rankings
The model is also calling for a surprising quarterback you aren’t even thinking about to finish in the top 10 of its Fantasy football rankings. This pick could be the difference between winning big and going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.
So who should you start and sit this week? And which surprising quarterback could lead you to victory? Visit SportsLine now to get Week 5 Fantasy football rankings for every position, plus see which QB is going to come out of nowhere to crack the top 10, all from the model that has out-performed experts big-time.
