ZB’s Start’ Em Sit Em’ Week 5 & TNF Preview

By ZachBrook@Zbrook Oct 4, 2018, 6:53pm EDT

QB that needs to be in your lineup in Week 5:

Matchup: @ Steelers

Week 4 Stats: 419 Passing YDS, 3 TD, 29.3 PTS

Matt Ryan has been a marvel through four games this year. He’s currently the second highest scoring quarterback in fantasy football, averaging 27.2 PTS per week. He finally has a receiver who likes to visit the end zone in Calvin Ridley, the rookie is currently leading the league in receiving touchdowns. And he has a terrific match up this weekend with a dreadful Steelers defense. This should be another shootout and I’m expecting excellent numbers for Matty Ice in Pittsburgh.

QB I am hesitant about in Week 5:

Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles:

Matchup: vs. Vikings

Week 4 Stats: 348 Passing YDS, 2 TD, 1 Fumble, 20.7 PTS

Two weeks removed from returning to the turf, I’m still not sold that Carson Wentz is totally healthy. He has fumbled in both games and hasn’t looked like the star the world saw last season. Both games have been nail-biters and this week he faces his toughest test of 2018 so far, the Vikings D. Everson Griffen won’t be in pads, but I’m severely worried about Doug Pederson’s signal caller, and I think Nick Foles should have never been pulled from the starting rotation.

Indianapolis Colts v Philadelphia Eagles

QB that I am avoiding in Week 5:

Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

Matchup: vs. Rams

Week 4 Stats: 172 Passing YDS, 21 Rushing YDS, 9 PTS

What a disappointment Russell Wilson has been to start off 2018. To give him the benefit of the doubt, this is the worst supporting cast that Pete Carroll has ever provided him with. Injuries have plagued this unit the entire year. Doug Baldwin returned last week against the Cardinals but was visibly not the same player and looks to be playing at less than full strength, promising tight end Will Dissly was lost for the season, and they still cannot manage to get Wilson much pass protection. This week against the Rams’ stout defense, I want no part of Russell Wilson.

RB that needs to be in your lineup in Week 5:

Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys:

Matchup: @ Texans

Week 4 Stats: 156 Rushing YDS, 4 Receptions, 88 Receiving YDS, 1 Receiving TD, 34 PTS

Although having some knee and ankle soreness this week in practice, Zeke should be good to go on Sunday against the Texans. After having the second-highest rushing total of his career on Sunday against Detroit, he should be ready to feast on Houston’s defense that has allowed 26-plus RB FPTS in 3 of the 4 games they’ve played in this season.

RB I like in Week 5:

Adrian Peterson, Washington Redskins

Matchup: @ Saints

Week 4 Stats: BYE

Adrian Peterson has found a career resurgence in the nation’s capital. The former Oklahoma Sooner has provided a veteran leader in the locker room and has been an absolute monster on the field. After manhandling Arizona in the opener, his tour against his former clubs continues with this week’s stop in the Big Easy on Monday Night Football.

RB to keep an eye on in Week 5:

Nyheim Hines, Indianapolis Colts

Matchup: @ Patriots

Week 4 Stats: 10 Rushing YDS, 9 Receptions, 63 Receiving YDS, 2 Receiving TD, 28.3 PTS

Even in defeat last weekend against the Texans, Nyheim Hines put the AFC on notice. I don’t expect the same output tonight at Gillette, but with Marlon Mack, T.Y. Hilton, and Jack Doyle all inactive, he’s going to get the opportunity for another breakout performance.

RB that I am avoiding in Week 5:

Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals:

Matchup: vs. Dolphins

Joe Mixon will be suiting up this Sunday for the first time since Week 2 on Thursday Night Football in Baltimore. He missed two games after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. He was a limited participant in practice this morning and knowing how well Giovani Bernard has been playing in Mixon’s absence, I’d be shocked to not see a committee approach in Week 5.

WR that needs to be in your lineup in Week 5:

Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams:

Matchup: @ Seahawks

Week 4 Stats: 9 Receptions, 162 YDS, 2 TD, 37.2 PTS

Cooper Kupp is the best receiver on the best team in the National Football League. Let that sink in. He ravaged the Vikings defense last week on Thursday Night Football for 37.2 PTS. The former 3rd round pick is averaging six receptions and a touchdown per game this season. The Legion of Boom is no more, Kupp is ready to put the league on notice

WR to keep an eye on in Week 5:

Julian Edelman, New England Patriots:

Matchup: vs. Colts

Julian Edelman returns from his four-game suspension this evening against the Colts. The veteran wideout will be participating in his first regular season game since 2016 after missing all of last season with a torn ACL. Look for Tom Brady to get Edelman going early tonight against a weak Colts’ secondary.

New England Patriots v Carolina Panthers

WR I am hesitant about in Week 5:

Devin Funchess, Carolina Panthers:

Matchup: vs. Giants

Week 4 Stats: BYE

As much as I like rollin’ with the Funchess, I’m going to sit Week 5 out. The Panthers match up with the improved Giants’ secondary a week removed from their bye, and with Janoris Jenkins likely to shadow the former Wolverine and cut into his already minuscule target share, I’m not foreseeing the best outing on Sunday.

WR that I am avoiding in Week 5:

Sammy Watkins, Kansas City Chiefs:

Matchup: vs. Jaguars

Week 4 Stats: 0 Receptions, 0 YDS, 0 PTS

First off, I would like to thank Sammy Watkins for winning me my Week 4 matchup. Up 25 points going into Monday Night Football, I did not expect the best outing against the Broncos, but a hamstring injury kept Watkins out of the first half and the remainder of the game and I was able to sleep soundly Monday night. This week he’s good to go, the downside is that he will be matched up with A.J. Bouye and the Jacksonville Jaguars. I can’t expect him to put up a worse outing than last week, but it’s not going to be pretty.

San Francisco 49ers v Kansas City Chiefs

TE that needs to be in your lineup in Week 5:

Eric Ebron, Indianapolis Colts:

Matchup: @ Patriots

Week 4 Stats:

As much as I talk down Eric Ebron, tonight he should be in for the game of his life. The Colts’ decimated arsenal makes him Andrew Luck’s top target against a mediocre New England secondary. He’s always a threat to score in the red-zone, but I expect his target share to get close to double digits when looking at who’s suiting up alongside him.

TE to keep an eye on in Week 5:

George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers:

Matchup: vs. Cardinals

Week 4 Stats: 6 Receptions, 125 YDS, 1 TD, 24.5 PTS

As much as I expected to see a major drop off in the effectiveness and confidence in the 49ers last week after losing Jimmy Garappolo for the season to a torn ACL, I was enlightened to see them come out swinging against the Chargers. They got out to an early lead in what many expected to be a tune-up game for Philip Rivers’ squad. Kittle was a major factor and he is currently leading the team in targets, receptions and receiving yards. He should be in for another good showing against the Cardinals.

San Francisco 49ers v Los Angeles Chargers

TE I am hesitant about in Week 5:

Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots

Matchup: vs. Colts

Week 4 Stats: 4 Receptions, 44 YDS, 8.4 PTS

If you have Rob Gronkowski, you are no-question starting him tonight, but there are major red flags. He hasn’t scored since the season opener. He has less than five receptions in three of the four games he’s been active in this season. On the flip side, the Colts have allowed the 7th most FPTS to tight ends this year. I’m not expecting much from him tonight and if New England goes way up in the first half, I wouldn’t count on Gronk playing in the second.

Thursday Night Football Starts & Sits: Indianapolis Colts (1-3) vs. New England Patriots (2-2)

Colts:

Andrew Luck: Stream

Nyheim Hines: Flex

Jordan Wilkins: Sit

Ryan Grant: Flex

Zach Pascal: Deep Sleeper

Chester Rogers: Sit

Eric Ebron: Start

Colts D/ST: Sit

Adam Vinatieri: Start

Patriots:

Tom Brady: Start

James White: Start

Sony Michel: Start

Julian Edelman: Flex

Josh Gordon: Sit

Rob Gronkowski: Start

Patriots D/ST: Stream

Stephen Gostkowski: Start