Fantasy Football Studs & Stinkers of Week 5
Every Monday, The Fantasy Footballers release the Studs & Stinkers podcast episode. Andy, Mike, and Jason discuss the high highs and low lows from the weekend. In this Studs & Stinkers article series, you can find the full list of Studs & Stinkers from the weekend and my favorite names from Monday Pun-day. I also provide commentary on a handful of notable studs and stinkers worth highlighting. To get the full breakdown, don’t miss Week 5 Studs + Stinkers podcast.
Monday Pun-day Power Ranking
- DJ Shart
- Chase Yay-pool
- Dalton Shucks
- Smiles Sanders
- Josh Yay-cobs
- Clyde Edwards MEH-laire
- Clyde Edwards No-where
- Terry Mc-Snorin’
- DJ Moore TD’s please
- No Allie-Cox
- Gigant-Snore
- CeeDee BAM
- Tyler Hig-bust
- Zack Hurts
What’s your favorite Monday Pun-day? You can find us on Twitter: The Fantasy Footballers (@TheFFBallers) and me (@TheFantasyEng).
Biggest Studs
Mike Davis (RB | Panthers)
Week 5 at ATL: 16 rushes for 89 yards | 9 receptions on 10 targets for 60 yards & 1 TD
Upcoming Schedule: CHI, @NO, ATL
Mike Davis has been an ELITE fantasy option while CMC has been out. Those who spent major FAAB or waiver priorities on Mike Davis have been extremely happy. Davis continues to be a must-play while CMC is absent.
Todd Gurley (RB | Falcons)
Week 5 vs CAR: 14 rushes for 121 yards & 1 TD | 4 receptions on 5 targets for 29 yards
Upcoming Schedule: @MIN, DET, @CAR
Gurley had his most efficient outing of the season this past week, averaging a whopping 8.6 yards per carry (ypc) on a respectable 14 carries. Gurley has been a prime “trade high” candidate since the season started, but we’ve now seen four out of five weeks with over 12 fantasy points from Gurley. Is Gurley trustworthy from here on out? I think he remains a must-play, although five touchdowns through five weeks certainly help elevate his fantasy production.
Chase Claypool (WR | Steelers)
Week 5 vs PHI: 7 receptions on 11 targets for 110 yards & 3 TD | 3 rushes for 6 yards & 1 TD
Upcoming Schedule: CLE, @TEN, @BAL
Chase Claypool had the fourth-most fantasy points ( 39.1) among any player so far this season. Claypool is a rookie wide receiver who has been competing with Juju, Diontae Johnson, and James Washington for targets. He looked absolutely electric this past week, scoring four touchdowns and racking up over 100 yards. Claypool is worth picking up in redraft leagues, but his production may be sporadic because of the talented wide receivers around him. Regardless, Claypool has proven himself as a top-tier talent in the right matchup.
Biggest Stinkers
Jimmy Garoppolo (QB | 49ers)
Week 5 vs MIA: 7 receptions on 17 passes for 77 yards & 2 interceptions
Upcoming Schedule: LAR, @NE, @SEA
Jimmy G was cemented as a game manager on a team that’s creative with touches. He looked terrible in Week 5, and it makes us wonder whether he deserves a starting QB job. The 49ers benched Jimmy G with the excuse that they wanted to protect him after he returned from injury. However… Jimmy G is as replaceable as they come. His career production has been pedestrian at best. Jimmy G won’t lose you a game, but he definitely won’t win you one. For those in Superflex leagues, we have to start thinking about Jimmy G as a more temporary asset moving forward.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB | Chiefs)
Week 5 vs LV: 10 rushes for 40 yards, 3 receptions on 8 targets for 40 yards
Upcoming Schedule: @BUF, @DEN, NYJ
No one is talking about it, but CEH has only been an RB2 so far this season. He’s only scored >11 fantasy points in two of five games. This matchup against Las Vegas looked great on paper, and fantasy GM’s were salivating at the opportunity for a monster week. CEH is still a valuable fantasy asset, but he hasn’t lived up to expectations as the RB for an elite Chiefs offense. CEH may be an asset to trade away to another owner who’s tied to his name value.
Other Studs
QB
Patrick Mahomes vs LV — 22/43 for 340/2/1 — 6/21/1 rushing
- @BUF, @DEN, NYJ
Kyler Murray @NYJ — 27/37 for 380/1/1 — 9/31/1 rushing
- @DAL, SEA, BYE, MIA
Deshaun Watson vs JAX — 25/35 for 359/3/2 — 2/25/0 rushing
- @TEN, GB, BYE, @JAX
Russell Wilson vs MIN — 20/32 for 217/3/1 — 5/58/0 rushing
- BYE, @ARI, SF, @BUF
Ryan Fitzpatrick @SF — 22/28 for 350/3/0 — 3/16/0 rushing
- NYJ, BYE, LAR, @ARI
Jared Goff @WAS — 21/30 for 309/2/1 — 3/0/1 rushing
- @SF, CHI, @MIA, BYE
Derek Carr @KC — 22/31 for 347/3/1
- BYE, TB, @CLE, @LAC
Ben Roethlisberger vs PHI — 27/34 for 239/3/0
RB
Ezekiel Elliott vs NYG — 19/91/2 — 2 targets for 1/14/0
- ARI, @WSH, @PHI
Todd Gurley vs CAR — 14/121/1 — 5 targets for 4/29/0
- @MIN, DET, @CAR
Miles Sanders @PIT — 11/80/2 — 4 targets for 2/19/0
- BAL, NYG, DAL, BYE
Josh Jacobs @KC — 23/77/2 — 3 targets for 2/8/0
- BYE, TB, @CLE, @LAC
Darrell Henderson Jr. @WAS — 15/38/1 — 4 targets for 3/30/1
- @SF, CHI, @MIA, BYE
WR
Chase Claypool vs PHI — 11 targets for 7/110/3 — 3/6/1 rushing
- CLE, @TEN, @BAL
Travis Fulgham (Eagles) @PIT — 13 targets for 10/152/1
- BAL, NYG, DAL, BYE
Brandin Cooks vs JAX — 12 targets for 8/161/1
- @TEN, GB, BYE, @JAX
Adam Thielen @SEA — 13 targets for 9/80/2 — 1/3/0 rushing
- ATL, BYE, @GB, DET
D.K. Metcalf vs MIN — 11 targets for 6/93/2
- BYE, @ARI, SF, @BUF
DeAndre Hopkins @NYJ — 7 targets for 6/131/1
- @DAL, SEA, BYE, MIA
Jamison Crowder vs ARI — 10 targets for 8/116/1
- @MIA, BUF, @KC
**Honorable Mentions at WR
Henry Ruggs @KC — 3 targets for 2/118/1
- BYE, TB, @CLE, @LAC
Preston Williams @SF — 5 targets for 4/106/1
- NYJ, BYE, LAR, @ARI
Calvin Ridley vs CAR — 10 targets for 8/136/0
- @MIN, DET, @CAR
D.J. Moore @ATL — 5 targets for 4/93/1
- CHI, @NO, ATL
- 57-yard score
Darius Slayton @DAL — 11 targets for 8/129/0
- WSH, @PHI, TB
TE
Travis Kelce vs LV — 12 targets for 8/108/1
- @BUF, @DEN, NYJ
Mark Andrews vs CIN — 9 targets for 6/56/1
- @PHI, PIT, BYE, @IND
Darren Waller @KC — 7 targets for 5/48/1
- BYE, TB, @CLE, @LAC
Darren Fells vs JAX — 2 targets for 2/57/1
- @TEN, GB, BYE, @JAX
Other Stinkers
QB
Matt Ryan vs CAR — 21/37 for 226/0/1
- @MIN, DET, @CAR
**Honorable Mentions at QB
Joe Burrow @BAL — 19/30 for 183/0/1 — 3/10/0 — 1 fumble
- @IND, CLE, TEN, BYE
Daniel Jones @DAL — 20/33 for 222/0/0 — 1 fumble
- WSH, @PHI, TB
RB
Le’Veon Bell vs ARI — 13/60/0 — 1 target for 1/7/0
- @MIA, BUF, @KC
James Robinson @HOU — 13/48/0 — targets for 5/22/0
- DET, @LAC, BYE, HOU
Antonio Gibson vs LAR — 11/27/0 — 5 targets for 5/24/0
- @NYG, DAL, BYE, NYG
Jerick McKinnon vs MIA — 1/0/0 — 4 targets for 2/5/0
- LAR, @NE, @SEA
Mark Ingram vs CIN — 11/57/0
- @PHI, PIT, BYE, @IND
WR
Amari Cooper vs NYG — 4 targets for 2/23/0 — 1/-2/0 rushing
- ARI, @WSH, @PHI
Tyler Lockett vs MIN — 5 targets for 4/44/0
- BYE, @ARI, SF, @BUF
Terry McLaurin vs LAR — 7 targets for 3/26/0
- @NYG, DAL, BYE, NYG
Cooper Kupp vs WAS — 8 targets for 5/66/0
- @SF, CHI, @MIA, BYE
Odell Beckham vs IND — 9 targets for 5/58/0
- @PIT, @CIN, LV, BYE
Tyler Boyd @BAL — 6 targets for 4/42/0
- @IND, CLE, TEN, BYE
JuJu Smith-Schuster vs PHI — 5 targets for 4/28/0
- CLE, @TEN, @BAL
Justin Jefferson @SEA — 5 targets for 3/23/0
- ATL, BYE, @GB, DET
**Honorable Mentions at WR
Deebo Samuel vs MIA — 8 targets for 2/19/0 — 1/3/0 rushing
- LAR, @NE, @SEA
Brandon Aiyuk vs MIA — 6 targets for 3/44/0
- LAR, @NE, @SEA
Russell Gage vs CAR — 5 targets for 2/16/0
- @MIN, DET, @CAR
TE
George Kittle vs MIA — 8 targets for 4/44/0
- LAR, @NE, @SEA
Zach Ertz @PIT — 6 targets for 1/6/0
- BAL, NYG, DAL, BYE
Tyler Higbee @WAS — 2 targets for 2/12/0
- @SF, CHI, @MIA
Dalton Schultz vs NYG — 3 targets for 1/6/0
- ARI, @WSH, @PHI
Hayden Hurst vs CAR — 6 targets for 2/8/0
- @MIN, DET, @CAR
**Honorable Mentions** at TE
Eric Ebron vs PHI — 6 targets for 5/43/0 — 1 fumble
- CLE, @TEN, @BAL
Rob Gronkowski @CHI — 6 targets for 3/52/0
- GB, @LV, @NYG
Mo Alie-Cox @CLE — 1 target for … a GOOSE!
- CIN, BYE, @DET, BAL
- Doyle – 2 targets / Burton – 6 targets
Cheat Sheat (2019 Baseline)
Whether this is your first fantasy football season or you’re a veteran, it’s helpful to place fantasy football production in context. Before we look at both the huge performances and huge disappointments from Week 2, let’s look at what happened in 2019. Last season, there were only 11 total fantasy performances of 40+ points from quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends. To put that into perspective, there were 79 such instances of 30+ points and 423 such instances of 20+ points. What does that tell us? A 40+ point game is legendary. 30+ games are great, and we should expect five or so players to reach this mark every week. And finally, we should expect about 25 players every week to eclipse the 20+ point mark. The table below summarizes the fantasy football stud games among QB, RB, WR, and TE in 2019.