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Welcome back to the Rookie Report! We’re 5 weeks in to the season now, so you should have a pretty good idea what your team’s strengths and weaknesses are…but things aren’t always so clear with the rookie class at this point. There are almost certainly some rookies that have been non-factors so far that will make a difference before season’s end. Ronald Jones, Nick Chubb, Rashaad Penny, James Washington, and Anthony Miller haven’t had much of an impact so far, but it doesn’t mean they won’t before season’s end. With that in mind, most of this week’s sleepers are guys that are likely better as stashes for later in the year than players you should be using this week. That doesn’t mean there aren’t any usable rookies this week. Quite the contrary. Let’s dive in and see what to expect in week 6…

Rookies to Start:

RB Saquon Barkley, NYG (Wk. 6: vs. Phi.): Barkley remains an every week starter, even in tougher matchups like this one. The Eagles have allowed the 3^rd-fewest RB fantasy points per game (all scoring and ranks are in PPR format), but Barkley has tallied at least 16 touches and 100 scrimmage yards every week, and has found the end zone in 4 of 5 games.

RB Sony Michel, NE (Wk. 6: vs. KC): The Chiefs rank 32^nd in Football Outsiders’ run defense DVOA stat and have allowed the 2^nd-most RB fantasy points per game, including over 140 rushing yards allowed in 2 of the past 3 games. Michel owns the early down work in New England with Burkhead on IR, and he’s safely a top-15 option this week.

WR Calvin Ridley, ATL (Wk. 6: vs. TB): There is some risk here after Ridley posted just 4-38 on 5 targets last week, but Tampa’s pass defense is miserable (ranks dead last in pass defense DVOA) and Ridley has scored more than half of Atlanta’s receiving TDs this season. If you don’t have 3 studs to start over him, you can’t keep Ridley’s upside benched this week.

Borderline Rookies:

RB Phillip Lindsay, DEN (Wk. 6 vs. LAR): Lindsay’s usage makes him the safer weekly play of he and Royce Freeman, and game script this week should certainly favor him with the Rams favored by 7 on the road in this one. Freeman has had very little impact as a receiver, and Lindsay’s use as a pass-catcher makes him a reasonable flex play in all formats this week.

RB Nyheim Hines, IND (Wk. 6: @NYJ): Hines remains a PPR flex option this week. He’s been averaging 7 catches a game in his past 3 contests, and his receiving floor should be safe even if Marlon Mack manages to return this week. His explosive speed makes him a constant threat to break a bit play, even if we haven’t seen that big play on the field yet.

WR Keke Coutee, HOU (Wk. 6: vs. Buf.): Will Fuller’s health has been a big factor in Coutee’s breakout over the past 2 weeks, but I like the chances that Coutee continues to impress even if Fuller is closer to full strength. The Bills have been very strong defending perimeter receivers, but they rank just 25^th in pass defense DVOA on passes thrown to WRs that aren’t the #1 or 2 guy on their team. Tre’Davious White should be shadowing DeAndre Hopkins, and Coutee should be a great outlet for Deshaun Watson this week. He’s a little riskier this week than he’s been in the past 2, but I like him as a PPR flex play.

WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, GB (Wk. 6: vs. SF): There’s always value in being a starting WR playing with Aaron Rodgers. Randall Cobb is almost certain to sit again this week, and there’s no guarantee that Geronimo Allison returns either. That means Valdes-Scantling has a chance to be the team’s WR2 again this week. That’s a role that earned him a 97% snap share last weekend, and he’ll be a viable WR3 in all formats again this week if G-Mo is out again.

Rookies to Sit:

QB Sam Darnold, NYJ (Wk. 6: vs. Ind.): This is a matchup that looks more inviting on paper than it really is. The Colts have given up the 5^th-most passing yards per game, but they haven’t been beaten deep, and Darnold has thrived on the long ball. Of his 8 touchdown throws, 3 of them went for 40+ yards, and 4 of the other 5 went for 20+. The Colts are one of just 2 teams that have given up zero passes that went 40 yards. Indy can be thrown on, but this doesn’t project to be a ceiling game for Darnold. He’s no more than a low-end QB2 this week.

QB Josh Rosen, ARI (Wk. 6: @Min.): The Vikings’ pass defense hasn’t lived up to their reputation in the first 5 weeks, allowing the 6^th-most QB fantasy points per game and ranking 26^th in pass defense DVOA, but Rosen failed to come through in a similarly inviting spot a week ago. The Vikings talent is better than the numbers would suggest, and Rosen could be in for a long day with Larry Fitzgerald ailing.

QB Josh Allen, BUF (Wk. 6: @Hou.): There isn’t enough upside to roll the dice on Allen in DFS tournaments, and his floor is too low to feel great about using him in season-long leagues of any format. He remains a boom-or-bust QB2 if you’re desperate.

RB Royce Freeman, DEN (Wk. 6: vs. LAR): Freeman saw as little work as he has all year in week 5 after head coach Vance Joseph claimed they were going to get him more involved. The Rams haven’t been shutting down the run game, ranking just 28^th in run defense DVOA, but game script could really work against Freeman here with LA a touchdown favorite. I’d be hesitant to play Freeman if I had other strong options. He’s a contrarian play in DFS tournaments. It’s within the range of outcomes that Denver leans on Freeman and the run game to keep the ball away from the Rams’ offense and has success, but it’s not the most likely outcome.

RB Nick Chubb, CLE (Wk. 6: vs. LAC): Sorry if you have Chubb shares, but like him you get to keep waiting for Hue Jackson to get a clue or for something to happen to Carlos Hyde. Chubb hasn’t seen more than 3 carries in any game, and the Chargers have allowed fewer than 55 rushing yards to opposing RBs in 3 of their 5 games. There’s no reason to bank on this being the week when Chubb sees increased opportunity.

RB Jordan Wilkins, IND (Wk. 6: @NYJ): Marlon Mack is practicing in full this week, and if he plays it’s Wilkins who will lose the most work of the two Colts’ rookies. Wilkins’ role has already been shrinking and he’s yet to reach 10 fantasy points in any game this year.

WR Antonio Callaway, CLE (Wk. 6: vs. LAC): The Chargers are not great against wide receivers – they allow the 7^th-most points per game to the position, but Callaway has been unable to get out of his own way. He’s struggled with drops and mental mistakes, and he’s seen his targets scaled back as Hue Jackson promised. He saw just 5 targets in week 5 after drawing 10+ in each of the previous 2 contests. I’m not sure you can bank on more than 5 targets this week, and Callaway has been inefficient with the targets he’s seen.

WR Courtland Sutton, DEN (Wk. 6: vs. LAR): The Rams have allowed 8 touchdowns to wide receivers in the past 3 weeks, but they’ve also allowed fewer than 10 catches to the position in 4 out of 5 games. Sutton is still 3^rd banana in the Broncos’ passing game, and that makes him just a TD dart throw this week.

WR Anthony Miller, CHI (Wk. 6: @Mia.): There’s a decent chance that Miller returns from his shoulder injury this week, but he will likely be limited and Taylor Gabriel really emerged in his absence. The Dolphins allow just the 6^th-fewest WR points per game, so even if Miller gets a decent snap share, the chances he produces are slim.

WR DJ Chark, JAX (Wk. 6: @Dal.): Chark had his best game as a pro last weekend, but that’ll happen when your QB throws the ball 61 times in comeback mode. The Jaguars are a 3-point road favorite this week, so it’s unlikely that the game script repeats itself. Chark will likely go back to being a spectator this weekend.

WR Michael Gallup, DAL (Wk. 6: vs. Jax.): Gallup has just 6 catches in 5 weeks, and faces a Jaguars’ defense that has lived up to its reputation – they’ve allowed the 2^nd-fewest points per game to wide receivers on the year. This isn’t a tough call to sit Gallup.

TE Dallas Goedert, PHI (Wk. 6: @NYG): The G-Men are allowing just the 3^rd-fewest tight end points per game, and the return of Alshon Jeffery has made Goedert a forgotten man in the Eagles’ passing attack.

TE Mike Gesicki, MIA (Wk. 6: vs. Chi.): The Bears have allowed a tight end score in 3 straight games, but Gesicki’s last red zone target came in week one, and he’s yet to hit paydirt all season long.

Rookies on Byes: RB Kerryon Johnson, DET, TE Hayden Hurst, BAL, TE Mark Andrews, BAL

Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:

QB Baker Mayfield, CLE (Wk. 6: @LAC): The turnovers from Mayfield over the past 2 weeks have been troubling, but he’s averaged over 300 yards per game in his 2 starts, and the 2 teams he faced have been less giving to QBs than the Chargers have been on the year. Los Angeles is allowing 284 passing yards per game and nearly 3 touchdowns per game. Mayfield is an intriguing play in DFS and a solid QB2 option.

RB Ito Smith, ATL (Wk. 6: vs. TB): It looks like Devonta Freeman is going back on the shelf this week, which means Ito is back in play as a cheap DFS option and flex option in the deepest of leagues. The Bucs allow the 6^th-most RB points per game, and this game has the highest over/under of the week. It’s always wise to target players in a shootout in DFS tournaments. Tevin Coleman will still be the main cog in the backfield, but Ito has shown that he can be productive as the number 2 guy.

RB Ronald Jones II, TB (Wk. 6: @Atl.): Peyton Barber has continued to be wildly inefficient, and Jones dressed for the first time in week 4 ahead of the bye week. It’s only a matter of time before the Bucs see what they have in the rookie. He’s worth a stash in deep leagues, and he might start to show what he can do as soon as this week. Atlanta allows the 3^rd-most RB points per game and ranks 31^st in run defense DVOA, and there isn’t much else to speak of in the Bucs backfield. Things could be lining up for a surprising day from Jones. He is at the very least a cheap punt option for DFS tournaments.

WR Christian Kirk, ARI (Wk. 6: @Min.): Kirk clearly has the best connection with Rosen of any Arizona wide receiver, and there should be plenty of garbage time in this game with the Vikings a double-digit favorite. Kirk will gain value as the year goes on and Rosen gains experience. He’s a player to target in DFS leagues if there are any impatient owners out there.

WR DJ Moore, CAR (Wk. 6: @Was.): Moore is close to being a stash in all formats. He was finally utilized a bit last week, and he showed why people have been itching to see more of him. Moore caught all 4 of his targets for 49 yards, and took one rushing attempt for 18. He’s not quite start-able yet, but it’s coming.

WR James Washington, PIT (Wk. 6: @Cin.): Most people are going to be off Washington this week after he put up a goose egg and played limited snaps last Sunday, but it was more the result on an unexpected blowout rather than his role being diminished. Washington is still more of a stash in deep leagues and dynasty formats, but it’s possible that we get the shootout here that the Falcons-Steelers game was supposed to be. The Bengals-Steelers game has the 3^rd-highest over/under of the week, and Washington should be more utilized than he was last Sunday. He’s only worth consideration in DFS tournaments as a punt option, but his talent will start to show through eventually.

WR Equanimeous St. Brown, GB (Wk. 6: vs. SF): St. Brown made a few plays last week and finished with 3 catches for 89 yards with Cobb and Allison both out. There’s a chance that we have the same situation again this week, and if that’s the case, ESB becomes a shoot the moon DFS tournament option. Valdes-Scantling is the higher percentage play this week, but St. Brown should be on the radar if Allison sits.

TE Ian Thomas, CAR (Wk. 6: @Was.): Thomas was quietly being more utilized over the past couple weeks and isn’t far from being a name to know in deeper dynasty leagues. It looks like Greg Olsen will be back this week, but Thomas has made huge strides this year after playing just 2 years of college ball. Olsen has had a hard time staying on the field in the last 2 years, and he may be rushing back from his current injury that will require surgery at some point. Thomas has seen 11 targets in the past 2 weeks, and that type of usage will become the norm again if something happens to Olsen. The production hasn’t been impressive so far, but it’ll come.

That’s all I’ve got for this week. Hopefully it helps with your tougher lineup decisions that involve rookies. Keep a close eye on the injury report this week, and don’t forget to double check and make sure your players are all active before kickoff. If you have any questions or want to yell at me about anything written above, feel free to hit me up on twitter and let me know (@Shawn_Foss). As always: Good luck, trust your gut, and have fun. It’s just a game.

Wow, week 4 threw us a serious knuckleball (wrong sport, I know!) with unexpected performances to coincide with the many upsets on Sunday. But we're made of stronger stuff than that - let's regroup and try to figure out where the pieces may fall in the coming weeks. In Week 5 we're looking at Frank Gore, Jaylen Samuels, Jarvis Landry, and Mike Williams as being better than expected based on their matchups and trends.

Pay attention to these rankings throughout the week, as they will continue to evolve based on the latest injury updates, news, and player/matchup analysis. Good luck this season and remember, you can tweet us @drinkfive with any of your lineup questions!

Welcome to Statistically (in)Significant, the place to find great stats that probably only matter at the water cooler (or bar). Each week I'll dig through the stats of the week gone by and deliver you some choice conversation starters. All fantasy stats are standard Yahoo scoring, unless otherwise noted.

14.6 Yards per Carry

Isaiah Crowell (CAW!!!) turned in the best rushing yards total for anyone on the season with a whopping 219 yards. What's more impressive is that he reached that total on just 15 carries, good for a 14.6 yards each time he was handed the ball. As stated by our very own Mike Mocerino just two weeks ago on our podcast, Crowell is an odd-week player. It's now...a trend? In weeks 1, 3 and 5, Crowell has 68.4 points thanks to 355 rushing yards and 5 TDs. In weeks 2 and 4, he's got a whopping 4.20 points. For now, Mike's Nostradamus-like prediction of Crowell's season has held true and is a trend that I'll be considering when setting my lineup on at least one team. Crowell finds himself as the 8th best RB on the season in total fantasy points. If you take the average of just his odd week games, he's 3rd, behind only Alvin Kamara and Todd Gurley.

2 Turnovers, 28.68 Fantasy Points

Aaron Rodgers had one of the most unique games of his career in Detroit on Sunday. In the first half, all the Packers drives either ended on an Aaron Rodgers fumble, or a Mason Crosby missed field goal. Rodgers would finish the game with his best stat line of the season, throwing for 442 yards and 3 TDs and was the QB2 this week (so far) just behind Tom Brady. Unfortunately for Rodgers, the Packers just can't quit Mason Crosby, who missed 4 field goal attempts and his lone extra point try. That's 13 points in a game that the Packers lost by 8, if anyone's counting. Crosby did kick a 41 yard FG as the game ended, so I guess he's warmed up for next week. Given the state of kicking in the NFL this year, Crosby's job is assured through at least next week, but I have to at least wonder if the Packers might go for it on 4th and medium a bit more now, considering that no-man's land seems to be expanding for their kicker.

5 Straight 100-yard Games

Adam Thielen has set a league record by starting the season with 5 straight games with at least 100 receiving yards. This amazing consistency (with a brand new QB) has him as the #1 WR in standard scoring, just above Cooper Kupp. That's right, Cooper Kupp is the #2 overall WR through 5 weeks of the NFL. They say that the white WRs are gritty, maybe they have the emergence of Gritty to thank for this success. Thielen's 13 targets per game is tied with Antonio Brown for the most on the season. I expect his production to continue considering the Vikings running game is non-existent so far this season. At 2, Kupp is maintaining his strong fantasy performances by finding the end zone 5 times this year. In fact, he only has one game where he has not scored a TD. The Rams continue to roll, the Vikings are finding an offensive groove, and both of these WRs will have the opportunity to turn in career years if they can keep this up.

9 TDs on the Season

Todd Gurley is steamrolling through all the teams he has played this season, finding the end zone 9 times in just 5 games. He's averaging almost 25 points per game and has amazing consistency. His low total was in week 3 where he had 19.6 points. It feels nice when a consensus #1 overall pick can play like it. Right behind him at the top is Alvin Kamara, who hasn't even played this week, but is still the #2 overall RB. These two guys are in a class of their own and are on offenses that are total juggernauts. If Gurley can keep up this pace, he will have over 2000 yards from scrimmage and 28 TDs on the year. That's a bit of a stretch to extrapolate that over just 5 games, but what else is this column for? While we're at it, Jared Goff is going to throw for 5500 yards and 38 TDs. This is fun!

22 Points for the D/ST

A pair of teams reached 22 points for the defense and special teams in week 5. The Cincinnati Bengals scored twice on defense in their impressive comeback against the Dolphins. The Kansas City Chiefs defense finally found their way to the field on the same day as their offense. The picked off Blake Bortles 4 times, sacked him 5 times and scored a TD en route to putting up 22 fantasy points. An honorable mention goes to the Arizona Cardinals, putting up 21 fantasy points in their first victory of the season. I don't know what conclusions to draw from all of this, as I find D/STs (and kickers) to be very chaotic and unpredictable. Backing up my claim is the fact that the top 5 D/STs this week are all owned by less than 50% of Yahoo teams. The Rams, Jags and Eagles all combined for 10 points this week. Streamers rejoice!  

Welcome back to the Rookie Report! Week 4 was a rough one for me here at the Rookie Report, and it was a rough week to be a rookie in general unless your name is AJ Brown or Diontae Johnson. TJ Hockenson found the end zone, but also suffered a brutal concussion. Terry McLaurin was unable to play in a plum matchup. DK Metcalf, Hollywood Brown and Mecole Hardman had a brutal week as they COMBINED for just 37 yards – and Hardman lost a fumble as well. Miles Sanders got to watch firsthand as Jordan Howard put up a monster fantasy game and took the majority of the Eagles’ backfield production against a bad run defense, and David Montgomery finally got some serious volume but managed just 53 yards on 21 carries (2.52 ypc). As for the quarterbacks, Daniel Jones and Kyler Murray both had lackluster days, but Dwayne Haskins wouldn’t be outdone. Haskins was Nathan Peterman-esque in his debut, throwing 3 interceptions in just 17 attempts. Josh Jacobs and Gardner Minshew both posted respectable weeks, but the rest of the rookie pool was mostly a wasteland. Let’s talk about what to do with your rookies in week 5 and see who might bounce back…

Rookies to Start:

RB David Montgomery, CHI (Wk. 5: @Oak.): While the overall efficiency for Montgomery was frustrating last week, the volume is a great sign. Monty saw season highs in snaps, carries, and targets with Chase Daniel under center. It’ll be Daniel at the helm again in London, and the Bears are favored by 5 & a half points. The Raiders have been solid against the run so far this year, but they aren’t on par with the Vikings. A similar workload against a less formidable defense should lead Montgomery to a solid RB2 afternoon (or evening if you’re in London).

WR Marquise Brown, BAL (Wk. 5: @Pit.): Hollywood definitely failed to put on a show in week 4, but the targets were still there. He’s going to consistently see the football come his way, and the Steelers are not a pass defense to fear. They rank 19^th in pass defense DVOA. Brown showed you what the floor looks like in week 4, but you’ll be kicking yourself if you leave him on the bench and he hits his ceiling.

Borderline Rookies:

QB Kyler Murray, ARI (Wk. 5: @Cin.): I like Kyler in this matchup, but I’m a little hesitant to give a full-throated endorsement here. Murray hasn’t exactly set the world on fire like I thought he would yet, and he’s likely to be missing his number 2 receiver Christian Kirk. The expected replacement is Pharoh Cooper. The matchup is a good one. Only Miami and the Cards themselves have allowed a higher passer rating to opposing QBs than the Bengals. Murray should be a safe QB2 option this week, and his QB1 ceiling remains intact in the plus matchup.

QB Daniel Jones, NYG (Wk. 5: vs. Min.): This isn’t the best spot for Jones as a potential streamer, but it’s also not quite as bad a spot for him as it could be. Jones’ dink-and-dunk style could work well against a Vikings’ defense that has allowed the 6^th-highest completion percentage to opposing QBs, especially with the return of Golden Tate. 7 of the 8 offensive touchdowns Minnesota has given up have been through the air. Jones would be outside of my top-12 QBs for the week, but not by a lot.

RB Josh Jacobs, OAK (Wk. 5: vs. Chi.): The trip to London for Jacobs this week is unlikely to be a pleasant one. His volume keeps him on the flex radar, but this is still a bit of a committee situation for Jacobs. After coach Jon Gruden talked about wanting to get more targets for Jacobs during the week, the rookie RB was targeted just twice in the passing game. He also played just 54% of the snaps in a game that Oakland led for most of the day. Oakland is a 5.5-point underdog this week against the Bears, who rank 3^rd in Football Outsiders’ run defense DVOA stat and have allowed fewer RB rushing yards per game than everyone except New England, Philly and Tampa. You can start Jacobs if you have to, but temper your expectations.

RB Miles Sanders, PHI (Wk. 5: vs. NYJ): It’s tough for me to endorse starting Sanders this week. He’s going to see enough volume to at least be in consideration for your flex spot, especially with the Eagles favored by two touchdowns, but the Jets have been stout against the run. Outside of 4 magical Devin Singletary carries in week 1, the Jets have allowed opposing backs to run for just 146 yards on 54 carries (2.7 ypc) despite facing Nick Chubb and Sony Michel in one-sided losses. The Jets have surrendered 3 rushing scores through 3 games, but after watching Thursday night’s game it’s hard to imagine the goal line carries would go to anyone but Jordan Howard. Sanders is going to need to break a long play or two to return solid value as a flex this week.

WR DK Metcalf, SEA (Wk. 5: @LAR): Metcalf posted just 1 catch for 6 yards last week, but the opportunity has still been there. He had 107 air yards worth of targets last weekend and was targeted in the end zone once and didn’t cash in. In fact, 40% of all of the Seahawks pass attempts into the end zone have targeted Metcalf so far. The opportunities will continue to be there this week and he matches up with a Rams defense that gave up 385 passing yards and 4 TDs to the Bucs Sunday. Metcalf is a boom-or-bust WR3 this week.

WR Mecole Hardman, KC (Wk. 5: vs. Ind.): Hardman had an abysmal game in Detroit last week, and while I’d like to see him get back on track at home against Indy, Patrick Mahomes hasn’t put up quite the same video game numbers in matchups against teams that play a lot of zone. In 5 games against teams that ranked in the top-10 in zone defense %, Mahomes topped 300 yards just once and threw for more than 2 TDs just twice (per Rotoworld’s Ian Hartitz). The upside is still there as it always is in this offense, but Hardman is probably on the wrong side of the borderline for me this week.

WR Terry McLaurin, WAS (Wk. 5: vs. NE): I can’t completely write off McLaurin this week since he’s had at least 5 catches for 60 yards and a TD in every game this year, but this is a week where I wouldn’t be very confident he gets to those numbers. The Patriots have been the league’s best defense this year. Sure it’s been aided by a schedule that included the Jets, Dolphins, and Bills already, but Washington still hasn’t decided who will be starting at QB this week. It could be a rough game for the entire offense. You can give McLaurin a try this week if you’re feeling spicy, but know that there is a low floor.

WR Diontae Johnson, PIT (Wk. 5: vs. Bal.): Johnson’s recent play with Mason Rudolph at quarterback has been solid enough to at least get him on the flex radar for now. Diontae has a 20% target share with Rudolph at the helm (just one fewer target than JuJu), and he’s found the end zone in back-to-back games. It was also a promising sign that the Steelers went right back to him after an early fumble. The concern for Johnson is that the Steelers have been a low volume passing offense that isn’t throwing the ball downfield. He was the recipient of a long TD pass on Monday night, but it was one of just 3 passes that Rudolph threw more than 10 yards downfield. The Ravens haven’t exactly been a shut down unit, ranking 25^th in pass defense DVOA, but the Steelers’ current offense doesn’t make Johnson a high upside option. You’ll likely need him to find the end zone again to return strong value.

Rookies to Sit:

QB Gardner Minshew, JAX (Wk. 5: @Car.): Week in and week out, Minshew continues to put up solid performances and has proven to be a passable weekly QB2 option. That’s not too bad for a kid that NO ONE thought would start games this year. This week’s matchup isn’t one to target Minshew in though. He still may finish as that steady QB2 he’s been, but it’s hard to see the upside for much more than that. The Panthers are allowing a league-low 182 passing yards per game and have given up just 4 passing scores so far. There are more appealing QB2 options this week.

QB Dwayne Haskins, WAS (Wk. 5: vs. NE): Haskins’ NFL debut was an unmitigated disaster. It makes you wonder why Washington didn’t have him better prepared if they knew they would have such a quick hook with Keenum. It was bad enough that he might not even make the start this week. Colt McCoy is apparently now healthy and could get the nod Sunday. If Haskins does start again, this would be about as bad a week as I could imagine to play him. The Patriots have allowed zero passing scores and have 10 interceptions through 4 games. Run far away from him this week.

RB Alexander Mattison, MIN (Wk. 5: @NYG): Mattison’s fantasy upside this season has been directly tied to game script. He’s done nothing in close games and when the Vikings have trailed (6 carries for 30 yards against Green Bay and Chicago in losses), but he’s shown value in positive game scripts (21-107-1 against Atlanta and Oakland in blowout wins). The Vikings are favored this week by 5.5 points, so there is a chance for another strong outing. If you’re in a really deep league and are confident the Vikes win easily he’s a guy to keep in mind, but be aware that the highest reasonable expectation for Mattison would be in the ballpark of 50 yards and a TD.

RB Ryquell Armstead, JAX (Wk. 5: @Car.): Armstead surprised last week with nearly 50 scrimmage yards and a touchdown, but I wouldn’t chase last week’s points. It was the first extended playing time he’s gotten all year, and he still played just 14 offensive snaps. The Panthers haven’t been great against the run, ranking 29^th in run defense DVOA, but I don’t expect Armstead to play enough to take advantage of that.

RB Tony Pollard, DAL (Wk. 5: vs. GB): The Packers look like a defense to target with your running backs this season, but your running back has to see the field to be able to take advantage. Pollard was great against the Dolphins in a blowout win, but in a close game with the Saints on Sunday night he played just 2 offensive snaps. Dallas is favored by 3.5 in this game, but I don’t see Green Bay getting too far out of this one at any point. Keep Pollard sideline this week.

RB Dexter Williams, GB (Wk. 5: @Dal.): Williams will likely get some chances to spell Aaron Jones if Jamaal Williams isn’t recovered from his head injury in time for this one, but I wouldn’t expect the split to be anywhere near as even as it is with Jones and Jamaal. Aaron Jones should operate as the clear lead back. The matchup isn’t ideal as the Cowboys have allowed the 8^th-fewest RB points per game. Dexter is also a bit overpriced to be a cheap DFS play at $4,200 on DraftKings,

RB Jon Hilliman, NYG (Wk. 5: vs. Min.): Hilliman saw 10 carries last week with Saquon Barkley out of commission, but much of that work came with the game already out of hand after two Wayne Gallman touchdowns. New York is much less likely to run away with this game as a 5.5-point underdog against the Vikings. There isn’t any reason to consider Hilliman this week.

WR AJ Brown, TEN (Wk. 5: vs. Buf.): Brown came up with a huge performance in week 4, with his second game with 90+ yards while also scoring his first 2 touchdowns. The weekly performance swings with Brown are going to be huge, and this isn’t a week to target him to go off again. The Bills have a reputation as one of the most formidable secondaries in the league and rank 3^rd in pass defense DVOA thus far. This is likely to be more of a floor week than ceiling for Brown.

WRs Deebo Samuel & Jalen Hurd, SF (Wk. 5: vs. Cle.): The 49ers have already had one of the toughest WR rotations to figure out from a fantasy perspective, and things get even messier this week with Jalen Hurd expected to make his debut and Tevin Coleman likely to return to steal some targets from the WR group. George Kittle is still option #1 in the passing game, but your guess is as good as mine when it comes to who is #2, 3, and 4. The Browns rank 9^th in pass defense DVOA, so I’d prefer to look for other options rather roll the dice on one of the 49ers’ receivers this week.

WR Hunter Renfrow, OAK (Wk. 5: vs. Chi.): Renfrow’s role as the Raiders’ primary slot receiver is secure, but so is his limited upside. He’s yet to top 4 catches or 30 yards in a game and has just 2 red zone targets on the year. He faces the Bears’ elite defense this week. There isn’t a reason to expect a breakout game from Renfrow this week.

WR Miles Boykin, BAL (Wk. 5: @Pit.): Boykin found the end zone for the 2^nd time in 4 games last weekend, but he’s still playing behind Willie Snead and Seth Roberts and the Ravens’ passing game runs through Hollywood and Mark Andrews. Boykin will have the occasional game where he finds the end zone, but they’re going to be hard to predict. Until he moves up the depth chart he’s best left on your bench.

WR Andy Isabella, ARI (Wk. 5: @Cin.): There was speculation that this could be the week that Isabella sees an expanded role with Christian Kirk out of action, but head coach Kliff Kingsbury dumped a bucket of cold water on that thought on Wednesday. Kingsbury reiterated that Isabella will continue to work primarily as a perimeter receiver for the time being, and Kirk plays the vast majority of his snaps in the slot. It’s possible that Kliff is just trying to keep plans to unleash Isabella in the slot secret, but for now I’ll take him at his word. Isabella has been running behind KeeSean Johnson and Trent Sherfield on the outside and is yet to play more than 8 snaps in a game. It’s still a situation to monitor on Sunday, but I would avoid playing him anywhere.

TE Zach Gentry, PIT (Wk. 5: vs. Bal.): Gentry profiles as more of a receiving tight end than newly acquired Nick Vannett, but it was Vannett who played 75% of the offensive snaps on Monday night and saw the only 2 tight end targets with Vance McDonald sidelined. If McDonald sits again this week, I wouldn’t expect much to change. The Ravens have given up 60 yards per game to opposing tight ends, but I wouldn’t count on Vannett and Gentry to combine for that amount this week.

TE Foster Moreau, OAK (Wk. 5: vs. Chi.): Moreau had his best game of the year last Sunday, going 3-30-1 on 3 targets, but he still has just 7 targets on the year and isn’t seeing enough volume to even be a DFS dart throw against the Bears in London.

Rookies on Byes: RB Ty Johnson, DET, WR Preston Williams, MIA, TE TJ Hockenson, DET

Deep League Sleepers, Stashes, and Cheap DFS Options:

RB Devin Singletary, BUF (Wk. 5: @Ten.): It appears that Singletary is on track to return from injury this week, but I’d be a little hesitant to trust him to have a full workload after a multi-week layoff. Still, there is some upside for him to have a solid return. The Titans have allowed 6.5 catches per game to opposing RBs. Frank Gore has just 5 targets on the year, and TJ Yeldon played just 7 offensive snaps in the 2 weeks Singletary was active. There is some upside for a decent PPR game if Singletary is a full go this week.

RB Damien Harris, NE (Wk. 5: @Was.): I mainly mention Harris here as a stash in deeper leagues. Sony Michel has been much less effective than expected this year. He has literally zero broken tackles through 4 games and he’s averaged just 2.8 yards per carry. If that continues, he’s eventually going to lose playing time. We’ve already been seeing a decent amount of Rex Burkhead mixing in, but it’s only a matter of time before Harris starts getting looks as well. In his first 2 years as a Patriot, Rex hasn’t exactly been a picture of health, missing 14 of a possible 32 games with a range of maladies. There isn’t a reason to consider Harris this week as he may be inactive again, but he’s definitely a guy to be aware of playing in an offense that has scored 42% of their touchdowns with the ground game since the start of 2017.

WR Parris Campbell, IND (Wk. 5: @KC): This is a moot point if TY Hilton winds up being active this week, but Campbell led the team with 8 targets last Sunday with their WR1 sidelined. They were mostly short targets, but this is a game where game script is likely to force the Colts to throw just as much as they did last week. If he manages to turn a couple of those short throws into bigger gains, he could suddenly be a sneaky WR4 in PPR leagues. Monitor Hilton’s status if you’re considering using Campbell this week.

WR KeeSean Johnson, ARI (Wk. 5: @Cin.): The Christian Kirk injury will open a ton of opportunity in this offense this week, and I don’t imagine that all of it will go to David Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald. Kirk is averaging better than 9 targets per game, and it isn’t as if the Cards will suddenly be run-heavy this week. The Bengals defense is strongest on the perimeter, where Johnson plays, but he’s a better bet to pick up some extra work this week than Trent Sherfield or Pharoh Cooper. That makes him an intriguing DFS dart throw at just $3,500 on DraftKings. The Bengals rank 31^st in pass defense DVOA.

TE Noah Fant, DEN (Wk. 5: @LAC): Fant scored his first touchdown of the year in week 4, and while his yardage totals have been between 29 and 37 each week, his snap share has been consistently high. The Chargers have allowed 3 touchdowns to opposing tight ends in the first 4 games, which makes Fant a decent bet to find the end zone for a second consecutive week. There isn’t much more you can ask for from a bottom of the barrel TE option in DFS ($2,800 on DraftKings)

TE Dawson Knox, BUF (Wk. 5: @Ten.): Knox has worked his way into the rotation as the Bills’ primary receiving tight end and has posted lines of 3-67-1 and 3-58 in the past two weeks. He’s only seen 7 targets total in those two games, but so far he’s making the most of them. The Titans allowed a TD to an opposing tight end in each of the first 3 games of the year. They managed to prevent it from becoming 4 straight last Sunday, but they allowed Austin Hooper to go 9-130. This is an enticing matchup for Knox. It’s reasonable to expect him in the 40-50 yard range with possible TD.

That’s all I’ve got for this week. Hopefully it helps you with the toughest lineup decisions you have that involve rookies. Keep on eye on the injury report leading up to the games this week and make sure you don’t start any inactive players. If you have any specific questions for me or just want to yell at me because you started DK Metcalf on my advice last week, feel free to reach out on twitter and let me know (@Shawn_Foss). As always: Good luck, trust your gut, and have fun. It’s just a game.