Fantasy Football Starts/Sits - NFL Week 5 2024 (RB, WR, TE, D/ST, K)
- Noah Drouin
- Oct 6, 2024
- 8 min read
The first October week of the 2024 NFL season is here, and we here at 4QWI are, as always, ready to come through with the hottest, juiciest, steamiest nuggets of fantasy football wisdom to get you right for the week ahead.
Like last year, we will go ahead and leave out the effective matchup-proof picks such as Justin Jefferson and Derrick Henry. Let's get into it.
Running Backs: @spechty49
Start: Josh Jacobs @ Los Angeles Rams (Sunday, 10/6 @ 4:25 PM EST)
Jacobs being on a pass heavy team has tempered his performance to high teens/mid twenties in position rankings this season. Still a start worthy back in almost every league but this week in particular. Getting absolutely crushed by Swift last week, the rams have given up decent numbers to every back this season. I would expect decent numbers out of most Packers this weekend.
Start: Jerome Ford @ Washington Commanders (Sunday, 10/6 @ 1:00 PM EST)
Going up against a shoddy Commanders defense Ford should be in line for a potentially above average start. I wouldn’t expect anything outrageous just to temper expectations. The commanders defense has allowed scores above Fords average to 4 other backs this season. He’s definitely a serious RB2 / Flex option this week.
Start: Brian Robinson Jr vs. Cleveland Browns (Sunday, 10/6 @ 1:00 PM EST)
Even with Ekeler return looming I think Robinson Jr has cemented himself firmly as a solid back just due to his running and pass catching ability. Browns defense is down this season compared to last. Allowing some decent games to RBs so far means Robinson has so potential for good day regardless of Ekeler.
Sit: Chase Brown vs. Baltimore Ravens (Sunday, 10/6 @ 1:00 PM EST)
A nice performance in week 4 makes Brown worth a look. But I want to see more. A staunch Ravens D awaits the back. I just am not buying into the hype after 1 game.
Sit: Kareem Hunt vs. New Orleans Saints (MNF, 10/7 @ 8:15 PM EST)
The KC backfield is hard to sort out. It seems Kareem Hunt may rise to the top but I’m willing to sit him until finding out. I don’t think the injury of Rice means Hunt just inherently gets more work. I think KC always has a way of getting the ball into so many different players hands it’s hard to pin down one guy yet.
Wide Receivers: @jvr1210
Start: Brian Thomas Jr. vs. Indianapolis Colts (Sunday, 10/6 @ 1:00 PM EST)
The 2024 first round draft pick Brian Thomas Jr. will look to build off of a strong Week 4 performance in which he reeled in 6 receptions on 9 targets for 86 yards and a TD. Thomas Jr. has emerged as one of the favorites in the Jaguars receiving core, receiving 26 targets thus far (18 of which have come in his last 2 games) which is second only to Christian Kirk.
In week 5 the Jaguars will match up against the Indianapolis Colts who are currently the 26th ranked fantasy defense against wide receivers. So far the Colts have allowed 1031 receiving yards (6th most in the NFL) and 6 receiving TDs (5 of which were to Wide Receivers). It should be a favorable match-up for Thomas Jr. who should have a high WR2 upside in Week 5.
Start: Jauan Jennings vs. Arizona Cardinals (Sunday, 10/6 @ 4:05 PM EST)
When in doubt, continue to ride the hot hand. Jauan Jennings followed up on his monster Week 3 performance with a decent 3 catches for 88 yards against a pretty solid Patriots secondary. All in all, it's not too shabby for one of the more popular waiver wire additions. Jennings received 6 targets in Week 4 and continued his streak of having a rather high receiving yards per catch.
Week 5 sees a favorable matchup for Jennings and the 49ers who will face off against the Arizona Cardinals who are currently the 20th ranked fantasy defense against opposing wide receivers. When it comes to allowing receptions of over 20 yards, the Cardinals are tied for the 9th most with 11 receptions of 20+ yards allowed. They also have an overall yards per catch allowed of 10.9. Needless to say, the potential is there for Jennings to make some big plays in Week 5.
Sit: Brandon Aiyuk vs. Arizona Cardinals (Sunday, 10/6 @ 4:05 PM EST)
On the opposite side of the 49ers receiving core, we have Brandon Aiyuk. You can forgive a slow start in the first couple weeks of the season, but now that we are four weeks in, the concerns are there. In PPR formats, Aiyuk is averaging a disappointing 7.4 points per game with just 13 catches on 26 targets, not to mention the fact that Aiyuk has yet to find the endzone. Even more telling to me is in week three when both Deebo Samuel and George Kittle were out, Aiyuk only managed 5 catches for 48 yards, while Jauan Jennings was the star of the show. With such a slow start and the emergence of Jennings, I would bench Aiyuk until he proves otherwise that he is worthy of starting again.
Tight Ends: @jvr1210
Start: Pat Freiermuth vs. Dallas Cowboys (SNF, 10/6 @ 8:20 PM EST)
We are starting to enter must start territory for Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth. Freiermuth has been a large part of the Steelers passing game this season, hauling in at least 4 receptions in each of his first four games this season. In week four Freirmuth also went ahead and added a TD to his resume. Through the first four games, Freiermuth is second only to George Pickens in the Steelers target share. Expect Justin Fields to continue throwing the ball to Freiermuth, which should lead to a productive fantasy week as the Steelers match up against the Cowboys who have allowed the 4th most receiving yards and are tied for the 6th most receiving TDs allowed thus far. With 2024 being a rather abysmal year for TEs thus far, Freiermuth is quietly entering the lower end of the TE1 tier.
Start: Tucker Kraft @ Los Angeles Rams (Sunday, 10/6 @ 4:25 PM EST)
The return of Jordan Love saw quite a productive week for Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft. After three consecutive weeks of 2 receptions and an average of about 25 receiving yards per game, Kraft went ahead and caught 6 receptions for 53 yards, a TD, and a 2pt conversion in Week 4. This performance managed to propel him to the TE11 ranking (remember how we just said it has been a rather abysmal year for TEs). Week 4 will see a favorable match-up for Kraft as the Packers will face the Rams who are currently ranked 25th against opposing TEs and who still have a rather beat-up secondary.
Sit: Mark Andrews @ Cincinnati Bengals (Sunday, 10/6 @ 1:00 PM EST)
It truly cannot get much worse for Mark Andrews owners. In the Ravens best game of the season, Mark Andrews saw 1 target which he dropped. Through four weeks Andrews has 9 total targets, with 6 catches and 65 yards (all of which came in Weeks 3 and 4). There is just no way I can justify starting someone who has 0 catches in his last 2 games. This also isn’t about Likely who hasn’t done much of anything either since his week 1 outburst. The Ravens haven’t been using their TEs as much, Henry is also coming off his best game of the year. Until he shows us otherwise, there is no reason to start Mark Andrews.
Defenses: @Endydoe
Start: Green Bay Packers @ Los Angeles Rams (Sunday, 10/6 @ 4:25 PM EST)
The Packers travel to LA to take on the ever-ailing Rams on Sunday. Mostly due to half of their team being in the ICU, the Rams have been friendly to opposing defenses this season, and are currently giving up the 9th most points to opposing D/STs; meanwhile the Packers are tied for most interceptions in the NFL with 8, and are 5th in sacks with 13. A solid matchup awaits Green Bay and they can be safely slotted into your lineup.
Start: Denver Broncos vs. Las Vegas Raiders (Sunday, 10/6 @ 4:05 PM EST)
Coming into the season projected as one of the worst teams in the NFL, the Broncos are hanging tough in the AFC, and a large part of that is strong defensive play in the Mile High City. The Broncos have allowed 55 points and 676 yards, both good for 3rd in the league, and boast the 2nd most sacks with 16. Along with a hot start, they enter Week 5 against a Raiders team in disarray. Las Vegas is generating the 9th least yards per game right now, and starting QB Gardner Minshew has taken 13 sacks this season, tied for 6th in the NFL. With Davante Adams likely out in this one, along with a great home matchup, I love the Broncos D this week. Start ‘em if you got ‘em.
Sit: Cleveland Browns @ Washington Commanders (Sunday, 10/6 @ 1:00 PM EST)
The consensus first defense off of most draft boards this season, the Browns have been fine if unspectacular this season. Entering Week 5 as PRK10, that ranking is mostly buoyed by a strong showing against the Raiders last week (see above entry). Otherwise the Browns have been largely ineffective. In fact, they are one of just four teams without an interception this season, and their fantasy appeal just doesn’t currently have the high ceiling they had last year. Couple that with a road matchup against the red-hot Commanders, and I’m personally leaving the Browns on my bench, but not dropping them in Week 5.
Sit: New York Jets vs. Minnesota Vikings (London Games, Sunday 10/6 @ 9:30 AM EST)
The first of several London games this season, the Jets take on the Vikings this Sunday morning. The Jets have been expectedly solid on both sides of the ball thus far, but from a fantasy perspective their defense is likely not as good as their PRK8 ranking implies. The Jets have been blessed with a schedule of the Titans, Patriots, and Broncos all in a row wherein they generated some fantasy appeal. And even with that in mind, the Jets have only managed 1 interception all season. Their Week 1 matchup against the 49ers had them putting up -1 fantasy points, and in Week 5 they face their second real challenge of the season in the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings have been relentless this season, currently sitting at the 4th most points scored in the NFL, and this comes from some genuinely sterling QB play from Sam Darnold. I do not like the Jets this week.
Kickers: @Endydoe
Start: Evan McPherson (Cincinnati Bengals) vs. Baltimore Ravens (Sunday, 10/6 @ 1:00 PM EST)
McPherson is one of my personal favorite kickers in the league, and he comes into Week 5 as PRK 6, with several strong showings on the season. He and the Bengals take on the Ravens in a big divisional matchup this week, and I see McPherson set up for a lot of volume against the Baltimore define allowing the 4th most fantasy points to Kickers this season.
Start: Austin Seibert (Washington Commanders) vs. Cleveland Browns (Sunday, 10/6 @ 1:00 PM EST)
The journeyman Seibert is having a great 2024 campaign with the hot Commanders, connecting on 100% of his field goals and extra points to date. He and the Commanders face a competent Browns defense that is allowing the 11th most points to opposing Kickers in the NFL right now. Expect the Commanders to drive downfield and the Browns to not make it so easy to reach the endzone. A recipe for a great day for Seibert.
Sit: Daniel Carlson (Las Vegas Raiders) @ Denver Broncos (Sunday, 10/6 @ 4:05 PM EST)
Carlson has had true flip-flop performances this season, and now he and the Raiders travel to Denver for a Week 5 matchup. Despite the crisp Denver altitude, I don't love Carlson's prospects in an offense struggling to make it work, especially with Davante Adams health and status on the team in question. The PRK20 on the season rides the pine this week.
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