Dominate Your League

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley wasn't a big part of the game plan in the team's first loss of the season on Sunday against the visiting Denver Broncos in Week 5. Barkley had only six rushing attempts for 30 yards on the ground, but he salvaged his day for fantasy managers with three catches (three targets) for an additional 58 yards and a 47-yard receiving touchdown, his first receiving score of the year. It was some concerning usage for Barkley in a game that the Eagles led by multiple scores late into the second half. Barkley's previous low this year for rushing attempts has been 18. Perhaps it's all part of Philly's plan as they head into a short turnaround in Week 6 in a divisional clash against Barkley's former team, the New York Giants. If the 28-year-old isn't used as more of a bell-cow back in that one, fantasy managers will be even more worried.

From RotoBaller

New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson is now firmly in the mix as a waiver-wire pickup heading into Week 6 after catching six of his seven targets for 33 yards and two more touchdowns in Sunday's 26-14 loss on the road to the New Orleans Saints. Meanwhile, fellow TE Daniel Bellinger led the team with 52 receiving yards on four receptions. Both the 24-year-old's six catches and seven targets were season highs, and it's looking like he's going to need to be taken seriously as a high-end QB2 now that receiver Malik Nabers (knee) is lost for the season. Johnson's upside certainly takes a hit with Bellinger involved, but fantasy managers can't just ignore Johnson's three touchdowns in rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart's first two NFL starts. He'll be in play as a touchdown-dependent TE2 on a short week next Thursday night against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Flournoy stepped up in Week 5 with CeeDee Lamb (ankle) and KaVontae Turpin (foot) out, catching six of his nine targets for a team-high 114 yards in the 37-22 victory over the hosting New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. He also added 10 rushing yards on two carries. Flournoy's six catches were one behind team leader Jake Ferguson, and his nine targets were tied with Ferguson for the team lead. The 25-year-old stepped up alongside George Pickens in another big passing game from quarterback Dak Prescott. This was Flournoy's first game with over 41 receiving yards in his career, and while he proved he can step up when needed, this could easily be his best showing in 2025. It will all depend on when Lamb and Turpin can return, which could be as early as Week 6 against the Carolina Panthers. Flournoy shouldn't be high on your priority list as a waiver-wire addition in 12-team fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts had a strong day for his fantasy managers through the air, but it came in the team's first loss of the season in a 21-17 defeat at home to the Denver Broncos in Week 5. Hurts went 23-for-38 passing for 280 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. The 27-year-old only ran the ball two times for three yards while being sacked a season-high six times for a loss of 23 yards. Hurts' pass attempts, completions, and passing yardage were all season highs, and he has now thrown for multiple touchdown passes in the last three weeks. Given the strong defensive opponent, Hurts' overall performance was pretty impressive, but he was also unable to close out the visiting Broncos after leading for the majority of the game. Hurts has high-end QB1 upside because he can do it with both his arms and his legs, and he'll have a better matchup on Thursday night in Week 6 when the Eagles play the division-rival New York Giants.

From RotoBaller

Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. stayed heavily involved in the team's offense with Terry McLaurin (quadriceps) missing a second straight game on Sunday on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers. Samuel led the team in targets (11), receptions (eight), and receiving yards (96) while catching his third touchdown of the season in the 27-10 victory in Week 5 in quarterback Jayden Daniels' return from a knee sprain. The 29-year-old has had a nice bounce-back season in 2025 so far in his first year in Washington while being the team's most consistent pass-catcher. Through the first five weeks, Samuel has 346 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns. As long as he can stay healthy, Samuel should continue to be a must-start in fantasy lineups, even when McLaurin returns from his quad injury. Samuel will have quite a bit of upside in Week 6 on Monday night against the Chicago Bears, especially if McLaurin misses a third game.

From RotoBaller

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff led the charge as his team scored at least 34 points for the fourth straight week in a 37-24 Week 5 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Goff completed 19 of 23 pass attempts for 258 yards and three touchdowns, although he did get sacked four times and lost a fumble while playing without left tackle Taylor Decker (shoulder). Through five games this season, Goff has thrown for 1,187 yards, 12 touchdowns, and two interceptions. He remains a matchup-dependent, low-end fantasy starter in single-quarterback formats. Goff and the Lions will face a difficult test in Week 6 as they travel to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs on Sunday Night Football.

From RotoBaller

New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson (knee) has been ruled out for the remainder of his team's Week 5 matchup against the Buffalo Bills due to a knee injury. Gibson recorded six carries for 21 yards and one catch for five yards before getting injured. In his absence, Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson and veteran back Rhamondre Stevenson will likely split the backfield work. Stevenson fumbled for the third time this season in the first half against Buffalo, so Week 5 could be Henderson's best chance to stake his claim to the Patriots' backfield.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson recorded seven catches for 49 yards and two touchdowns on nine targets in his team's 37-22 Week 5 win over the New York Jets. Ferguson continues to produce like one of the best tight ends in the NFL in 2025. Through five games, the 26-year-old has hauled in 41 catches for 272 yards and three touchdowns on 48 targets. Ferguson looks like a must-start player at the tight end position heading into a juicy Week 6 matchup against the Carolina Panthers.

From RotoBaller

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed recorded four catches for 114 yards and a touchdown in his team's 26-14 Week 5 win over the New York Giants. Known as one of the league's premier big-play threats. Shaheed broke loose for an 87-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter. The 27-year-old has recorded 22 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns on 30 targets through five games so far this season. Shaheed ranks third on the Saints in targets behind wide receiver Chris Olave and tight end Juwan Johnson, but he's got far more explosive potential than any of his New Orleans teammates. Shaheed remains a boom/bust flex option in the majority of fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

Filling in for the injured Bucky Irving (shoulder, foot), Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White recorded 14 carries for 41 yards and two touchdowns in his team's 38-35 Week 5 win over the Seattle Seahawks. White also chipped in four catches for 30 yards. The 26-year-old looks like the clear lead back in Tampa Bay while Irving is sidelined. In Week 5, White earned 18 touches while fellow Bucs running back Sean Tucker earned just six. White now has 212 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns on 49 total touches through five games. For as long as Irving is out, White could provide solid fantasy RB2 production.

From RotoBaller

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle recorded six catches for 110 yards and a touchdown on nine targets in his team's 27-24 Week 5 loss to the Carolina Panthers. In the team's first game of 2025 without star wideout Tyreek Hill (knee), Waddle stepped in admirably as the number one option in the passing game for Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Waddle now has 23 catches for 295 yards and three touchdowns through five games in 2025. With Hill set to miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury, Waddle could be a must-start fantasy wide receiver the rest of the way.

From RotoBaller

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner hauled in all seven of his targets for 53 yards and two touchdowns in his team's 38-35 Week 5 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Barner is developing into a red zone weapon for Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold. The 23-year-old tight end now has 14 catches for 134 yards and four touchdowns on 16 targets through five games this season. Week 5 was the first time Barner earned more than three targets in a game so far this year, so he will likely remain dependent on touchdowns to produce in fantasy. Still, as a low-end streaming option at tight end, Barner could have some appeal on a week-to-week basis.

From RotoBaller

Washington Commanders rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt had the best game of his young career in his team's 27-10 Week 5 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Croskey-Merritt recorded 14 carries for 111 yards and two touchdowns, adding two catches for 39 yards as well. The 24-year-old has now recorded 43 carries for 283 yards and four touchdowns so far this season. Perhaps most encouragingly, Croskey-Merritt earned more than double the touches in Week 5 (16) of fellow Commanders running backs Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Jeremy McNichols combined (seven). If Croskey-Merritt can fully seize the lead rushing role in Washington, he could become a must-start fantasy running back sooner than later.

From RotoBaller

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba continued his excellent start to the 2025 season by recording eight catches for 132 yards and a touchdown on nine targets against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5. Smith-Njigba has been one of the most productive wide receivers in the NFL so far this season. Through five games, the 23-year-old has 34 catches for 535 yards and two touchdowns on 43 targets. Smith-Njigba profiles as a must-start fantasy wide receiver regardless of opponent.

From RotoBaller

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold completed 28 of 34 pass attempts for 341 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception during Sunday's Week 5 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was not sacked in the contest. Darnold essentially played mistake-free football for the first 59 minutes, keeping the underdog Seahawks in the game until the very end. Along the way, he turned in one of the week's best fantasy performances, which was a refreshing development since he hadn't exceeded 21 fantasy points in a single game through the first four weeks. Unfortunately for Darnold and the Seahawks, the veteran quarterback threw an interception with 58 seconds left, setting up a game-winning field goal for Tampa Bay. Seattle lost, but Darnold proved that he can perform against an above-average defense. He'll rank as a mid-range QB2 for Week 6 against Jacksonville.

From RotoBaller

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield completed 29 of 33 pass attempts for 379 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions during Sunday's Week 5 win over the Seattle Seahawks. He also took one sack and rushed for 15 yards. Mayfield played clean, turnover-free football while maintaining a terrific 87.9 percent completion rate and leading his Bucs to a win. The 30-year-old has been a top-10 fantasy quarterback once again this season, posting 18+ fantasy points in all five games so far, as well as 23+ fantasy points in three of five. He should continue to be started in all fantasy leagues ahead of next week's game against the San Francisco 49ers.

From RotoBaller

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase caught six of his 10 targets for 110 yards and two touchdowns during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Detroit Lions. For the first time since Week 2, when Joe Burrow (toe) went down, Chase posted double-digit fantasy points and found the end zone. His big performance was partly aided by a negative game script and some garbage time production, but it's also worth noting that he solidified his rapport with quarterback Jake Browning on Sunday. Don't be surprised if the two continue to demonstrate a solid connection in future games. Chase is a low-end fantasy WR1 heading into Week 6 against Green Bay.

From RotoBaller

Detroit Lions RB David Montgomery rushed 18 times for 65 yards and a touchdown, threw a three-yard touchdown pass and caught a six-yard pass in a 37-24 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 5.

Fantasy Spin: Montgomery's yardage totals have been hit and miss through the first five weeks, but he has five total touchdowns and has logged 12-plus touches four times. Meanwhile, Detroit has scored 34 or more points in four straight games, so it appears that this offense can still support two fantasy starters at the running back spot.

From TheHuddle

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka caught all seven of his targets for 163 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's Week 5 win over the Seattle Seahawks. The 22-year-old posted the highest reception and yardage totals of his young career, and he also scored his fifth touchdown in as many games. Egbuka has shown that he can handle matchups against opposing defenses' best cornerbacks, and he has established himself as Baker Mayfield's favorite target over players like Chris Godwin and Cade Otton. Egbuka should be deployed as a mid-range WR1 in fantasy football going forward. He has achieved must-start status and remains a fantasy staple regardless of his matchup. Look for him to dominate once again next week against the San Francisco 49ers.

From RotoBaller

Tennessee Titans WR Calvin Ridley registered five receptions for 131 yards on 10 targets in Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals.

Fantasy Spin: Ridley entered the day with 141 yards on 10 receptions in the first four games, so this was a very promising performance. Perhaps he and rookie QB Cam Ward are finally getting on the same page, and building rapport. For now, the 30-year-old receiver should still be treated as a WR4 or flex fantasy option, but he could fly up the rankings if Ward starts to show more improvement.

From TheHuddle