It’s only Week 5, but we’re already into bye week szn with the Chargers, Browns, Seahawks, and Buccaneers all on vacation. Thus, this week’s fantasy football sleepers and streamers may be forced into lineups.
Sadly, our girl Kayla is also on a bye week, but she’ll be back to save your lineups in Week 6. Until then, you’re stuck with me. Let’s break down the fantasy football Week 5 sleepers, highlighted by a stud running back, two intriguing receivers, a quarterback, and a tight end in a plus-matchup.
Let’s get it!
JALEEL MCLAUGHLIN, RB DENVER BRONCOS
VS NY JETS
Our favorite Week 5 waiver wire target this week comes in as our top RB streamer of the week. With Javonte Williams exiting Week 4 with a hip injury, most assumed Samaje Perine would carry the lead running back role. But instead, most of the work and production went to Jaleel McLaughlin (55% rostered). The rookie was up to the challenge, rushing for 72 yards on seven carries and adding 3 for 32 more and a touchdown through the air.
The matchup isn’t ideal this week against a tough Jets defense, but surprisingly, the Jets’ are beatable on the ground. Outside of holding the Bills running backs to 57 yards on the ground in Week 1, they’ve surrendered 114 RB rushing yards to the Cowboys, 139 to the Patriots, and 134 yards to the Chiefs. He may start out behind Perine and likely lose some third-down work to him, but McLaughlin should cook on Sunday.
RASHID SHAHEED, WR NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
The Patriots are in a tailspin right now, and its defense is on life support after losing lock-down CB Christian Gonzalez and its top pass-rusher, Matthew Judon, last week to serious injuries. CB Jonathan Jones, CB Shaun Wade, DT Christian Barmore, and DT Davon Godchaux are all questionable for Week 5, and the team got its ass kicked by the Cowboys.
When it comes to Rashid Shaheed (38%), he’s coming off three straight poor games, where he’s caught only seven of 13 targets for 96 yards. Luckily, he gets a beat-up Patriots defense that allowed CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Tolbert, Michael Gallup, and Jake Ferguson to get loose last week. Hopefully, Derek Carr shows up this week, and he can get this passing offense on track after an abysmal start to the season.
Shaheed finished as the WR10 in Week 1, and I expect a big game for him at Gillette Stadium filled with a completed deep ball, or two after seeing a 30% air yard share last week.
JOSH REYNOLDS, WR DETROIT LIONS
VS CAROLINA PANTHERS
Josh Reynolds (37%) is third on the team in target share behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta, and it appears the Lions will likely be without St. Brown on Sunday due to an abdomen injury. Jameson Williams will enter on three-receiver sets to run a few go routes, but Reynolds and Kalif Raymond (2%) will get an increased snap share.
Reynolds will get a favorable matchup against the Panthers’ secondary that is not as good as it is on paper due to its Week 1 matchup against useless Desmond Ridder. Expect Reynolds to get behind the secondary a few times and command a significant target share, assuming the Sun God is sidelined. Raymond is also an intriguing deep sleeper option.
JOSHUA DOBBS, QB ARIZONA CARDINALS
VS CINCINNATI BENGALS
It’s a bye week and if you missed our advice to start Sam Howell on Thursday night, you still have a chance to stream Joshua Dobbs (20%) against the Bengals. Dobbs is coming off a QB8 week against the 49ers, throwing for two scores and adding another 48 yards on the ground. He also has a QB5 finish against the Giants in Week 2 and a QB16 finish against Dallas. Not too shabby.
Dobbs has been the surprise QB and story of the season after arriving in Arizona a week before the season kicked off. This week, he gets a spiraling Bengals squad that is definitely softer than the defense he shredded to the tune of 23 fantasy points last week. Fire up Dobbs if you’re a desperate Justin Herbert or Deshaun Watson owner.
HAYDEN HURST, TE CAROLINA PANTHERS
AT DETROIT LIONS
Rinse, wash, and repeat. The tight end position is such a wasteland… again. This week, we will try our luck to stream Hayden Hurst (13%) against the Lions. Yes, Hurst has been bad since his TE2 finish in Week 1, ranking TE39, TE41, and TE46, since then. However, he gets a strong Lions’ defense with a major hole: they can’t cover tight ends. The Lions are giving up the second-most fantasy points to tight ends and have allowed the most yardage to that position this year.
Do I trust Bryce Young to boost Hurst into the TE1 conversation this week? Not really. But, the matchup is as juicy as it gets. If you don’t trust Young and Hurst to make sweet, sweet music together, then roll with the Falcons’ real TE1, Jonnu Smith, who’s available in 86% of leagues and gets the Texans’ defense.
