Unless you’re playing in a two QB league, chances are you haven’t had to consider starting Sam Howell in your league. Now, after a four week sample size and with bye weeks on the horizon, Howell is putting himself into consideration among Week 5 fantasy QB options.
HOWELL’S PRODUCTION
Through four weeks, Howell has had two really good games with 20-plus fantasy points and one average showing with 15 fantasy points. The Bills dud can be thrown out the window for the sake of this article. Howell’s seen over 30 dropbacks in those three games while hovering near 300 yards passing. He hasn’t used his legs to their fullest extent, but the upside is there, as seen during the opening game touchdown and the season-high he had last week against the Eagles. He hasn’t been fantasy-viable every week, evidenced by the QB17 ranking, but he’s not someone you will plug into your lineup confidently.
One key aspect of Howell’s game that fantasy managers should be excited about is his willingness to take deep shots down the field. The Bears have struggled mightily against deep passes this season, and Howell’s ability to connect with his talented receiving corps on these types of plays could lead to explosive fantasy production.
TARGETING THE BEARS’ DEFENSE
In Week 5, four teams are on a bye week: Browns, Chargers, Seahawks, and Buccaneers. That’s an elite QB in Justin Herbert, a strong starter in Deshaun Watson, a quality backup most likely sitting on fantasy benches in Geno Smith, and then Baker Mayfield.
Enter Howell and a dream matchup against the Chicago Bears. The Bears are comically bad this year and have been an absolute sieve defensively. Check out their opposing QBs performances thus far:
- Week 1 – Jordan Love: 23.00 fantasy points, QB3
- Week 2 – Baker Mayfield: 18.38 fantasy points, QB18
- Week 3 – Patrick Mahomes: 25.68 fantasy points, QB5
- Week 4 – Russell Wilson: 22.22 fantasy points, QB9
Average of 22.32 fantasy points per game with an average QB 8.75 overall rank, which is firmly in the range of a startable fantasy quarterback. They’ve also allowed an average of over 300 passing yards per game and have given up multiple touchdowns in every contest. In fantasy terms, they’re a gift that keeps on giving to opposing quarterbacks.
It also helps that the Chicago defense is battling a handful of injuries, especially in the secondary.
STREAM HOWELL IN WEEK 5
While streaming quarterbacks can be a bit of a gamble, Sam Howell’s Week 5 matchup against the terrible Bears defense presents an enticing opportunity. With the potential for big passing yards, multiple touchdowns, and perhaps even some rushing yards, fantasy managers looking for a short-term solution at quarterback should seriously consider Howell as a Week 5 starter.
Howell currently sits as the QB12 in The Wolf’s Week 5 rankings above the likes of guys such as Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence, and Dak Prescott.
