Quarterback and tight end matchups: the positions where people seem to take the most risk in fantasy football.
More than one month into the season, the injury bug has caught up across the NFL and the waiver wire is slim.
To make it more difficult, bye weeks are also a factor from now through Week 14.
Maybe you bought low on Patrick Mahomes or Travis Kelce. Or turned to Bryce Young since Bo Nix and Justin Herbert have struggled through the first month of the season.
You now have to worry about an injury to Lamar Jackson, and Caleb Williams and Baker Mayfield remains out.
Suddenly, streaming a quarterback, or starting the guy you drafted as your QB2, starts to look intriguing.
So, who are our top fantasy football Week 5 QB & TE streamers? Let’s dive in.
Editor’s Note: The majority of point values are based on standard scoring leagues.
Fantasy Football Week 5 QB Streamers
Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas @ New England
Fantasy managers are hesitant to add Kirk Cousins with No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza seemingly counting down the weeks until he takes over for the veteran and Raiders.
But Cousins has three touchdowns in three of four games this season, with his worst stat line finishing at 160 yards, three scores, and two interceptions for 22 points. I’m still not really sure who he’s exactly throwing to, but he’s finding them in the end zone every. single. week.
En route to their No. 1 pick last season, the Raiders beat the Patriots in New England to open the year. They’re back in Foxborough and again an underdog (+3.5).
Drake Maye possibly figuring out his rough start to the year last week against Buffalo can only bode well for Cousins and Las Vegas in order to create a back and forth game. Cousins is tied for the league lead in touchdowns (11), and a back-and-forth game could get him upwards of 250 yards and another three-TD game.
It also helps that nearly the entire Patriots’ defensive backfield will be sidelined:
Kirk Cousins is QB 17 on The Wolf’s Week 5 rankings.
C.J. Stroud, Houston @ Tennessee
No one needed Nico Collins back more than C.J. Stroud.
The duo connected for two touchdowns in Week 4 in a battle with Dallas and have three overall in two games.
Both AFC West teams are seeking their first win of the season, but Houston is better than its record suggests. With the Texans’ defense lights-out, Stroud and the offense should get more chances to build a lead. Furthermore, despite adding David Montgomery in the offseason, Houston’s suspect run game means the Texans will likely rely on passing until they find the answers.
Tennessee has gone back and forth this season with points to quarterbacks, seeing Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson score more than 22 points each, but also limiting Jameis Winston and Geno Smith to seven and 11 points, respectively.
C.J. Stroud is QB 19 on The Wolf’s Week 5 rankings.
Fantasy Football Week 5 TE Streamers
Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati @ Miami
It’s trending that, at best, only one of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins will suit up on Sunday. That leaves the door open for Mike Gesicki, who’s got even more oomph since he’s facing his former team.
I like Gesicki in any form of PPR more (and any TE, for that matter, right?) because the Dolphins don’t necessarily get beat in the end zone as they do in the open field.
But Gesicki has quietly scored in three of four games so far this year and hit double-digit PPR points in those games. He’s currently the TE 12 on the season, and should finish in the Top 10 in Week 5.
Mike Gesicki is TE 19 on The Wolf’s Week 5 rankings.
Isaiah Likely, New York Giants @ Washington
This will be Isaiah Likely’s second interdivision game with his new team, and we are hoping it mirrors his Week 1 against Dallas.
After scoring two touchdowns against the Cowboys, Likely has been kept out of the end zone and had his yardage capped at 66 yards.
I like that he had 12 targets (seven catches) in Week 4 at home against Arizona and he could be in line for a similar share against Washington, who has given up the fifth-most points to tight ends so far this season.
Braxton Berrios (foot) is the latest Giant receiver to hit injured reserve and Malik Nabers (knee, shoulder) is back on the injury report and will likely garner an official questionable designation for Sunday. That, paired with up and down quarterback play, has made any offensive weapon for New York questionable. But someone has to catch the ball and the cards are stacked in Likely’s favor.
Isaiah Likely is TE 10 on The Wolf’s Week 5 rankings.
