Fantasy Football: Week 5 Streamers To Consider
Another week of football is over, and what a week it was. We had some nail-biters, surprising upsets, breakout performances from several rookies, and, unfortunately, a few key injuries.
Now that we are in October, we have four weeks of data to help identify reliable streamers. We can now clearly see which defenses are allowing the most points to each position, and that gives us a solid foundation to make matchup-based streaming decisions. With the first bye week upon us, Bears, Packers, Steelers, and Falcons players are unavailable, so it is a great time to plug in some strategic streamers.
Here are some of the best streaming options for Week 5.
And as always, check out Andy, Mike, and Jason’s weekly rankings and the Fantasy Footballers Star/Sit tool if you’re deciding between different options. You can also get tailor-made spot-start suggestions for your lineup in the Ultimate Dashboard.
Quarterbacks
Justin Fields – New York Jets (67% rostered)
The Jets may be 0-4, but Fields has been reliable in exploiting weak secondaries. We saw it in Week 1 against Pittsburgh and again last week in Miami, where he completed 20-of-27 passes for 226 yards and a TD, while adding 81 yards and another score on the ground. Now he draws a dream matchup against the Dallas Cowboys’ non-existent defense. Every QB who’s faced Dallas has delivered. Expect Fields to keep it rolling.
C.J. Stroud – Houston Texans (60% rostered)
It hasn’t been a flashy season for Stroud, but he turned in his best fantasy performance of the year last week in a blowout win over the Titans. Now he has a chance to keep the momentum going against the Baltimore Ravens in what could potentially be a high-scoring game. The Ravens have allowed over 270 passing yards per game on average, so C.J. Stroud should be able to make the most out of this matchup.
Bryce Young – Carolina Panthers (20% rostered)
Streaming Bryce Young might sound gross and a little scary. Last week, he struggled against the Patriots, but we have to trust the process here because this week he will play at home against the Miami Dolphins, who have been one of the worst defenses against the pass. This is the easiest matchup Bryce Young has seen this season, and he should be able to take advantage of it.
Kickers
Matt Gay – Washington Commanders (16% rostered)
Jayden Daniels is expected back this week, which should make the Commanders-Chargers game even more fantasy-friendly. Vegas has set the over/under at 47.5, and there’s a good chance it goes over. Gay has been sharp lately, converting 12 of his last 13 kicks. Expect plenty of opportunities in what could be a high-scoring contest.
Ka’imi Fairbairn – Houston Texans (42% rostered)
Despite the Texans’ offensive inconsistencies, Fairbairn has been perfect this season, hitting every field goal and PAT. Against the Ravens, Stroud should be able to move the ball enough to set up multiple field goal attempts. Fairbairn is a very interesting streaming option.
Nick Folk – New York Jets (0% rostered)
Absolutely nobody is rostering the Jets’ kicker, and he’s actually been pretty good for both fantasy and real life. He still hasn’t missed a kick, and he just nailed the longest field goal of his career against Miami. The offense has been bad, but just decent enough to provide their kicker with opportunities to make him fantasy relevant. Now the Jets will host the Cowboys, and I expect them to score more points than usual, which makes Nick Folk a trustworthy streamer for this week.
DST
Arizona Cardinals (20% rostered)
The Titans’ offensive line is not protecting their rookie QB Cam Ward. The first overall pick has already been sacked 17 times in just four weeks. The Cardinals’ front seven has thrived in matchups like this, and while they may not shut out the Titans like Houston did, they’re absolutely stream-worthy this week.
Indianapolis Colts (18% rostered)
The Colts have been a solid unit with 11 sacks and four interceptions so far. This week, they get a Raiders offense led by Geno Smith, who’s been underwhelming. Two weeks ago, he was sacked five times by the Commanders. Last week, the Raiders made some adjustments, and their offensive line improved considerably, which helped the running game, but Geno still threw three INTs. The Colts’ defense should be able to pressure Smith and get some sacks and turnovers.
Cleveland Browns (3% rostered)
Don’t let last week’s shootout against Detroit mislead you. The Browns’ defense is legit. And it’s streamable when they don’t face elite offenses. This week, they head to London to take on the Vikings, who have allowed nearly 10 fantasy points per game to opposing D/STs. Last week, the Vikings lost their center and right tackle, which resulted in Carson Wentz being constantly under pressure. He was sacked six times, and he threw two INTs. The Browns will feast on him.
BONUS: Tight Ends
Cade Otton – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11% rostered)
The Buccaneers have been really fun to watch this season, with Baker Mayfield spreading the ball around. Otton hasn’t had a breakout game this season yet, but that could change this week. He will face the Seahawks, who are giving up the most fantasy points per game to TEs. If you’re looking for a bye-week fill-in, Otton might be a good streaming option.