It’s already Week 5, and bye weeks are starting on the NFL schedule. The New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos and Washington Redskins are idle, so four viable to top-tier fantasy quarterbacks are not available this week.
With that, here are your quarterback, tight end and team defense streamers for Week 5.
Quarterback: Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Over his last two games, against the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans, Watson has 584 passing yards and seven total touchdowns (six passing) while completing 70 prevent of his passes. Going back over his three starts, he has 132 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground (counting the one in Week 4).
Watson doesn’t get an incredibly favorable matchup in Week 5, as the Kansas City Chiefs are in the top half of the league against quarterbacks (14.9 fantasy points per game, ESPN scoring) while allowing more than 270 passing yards just once in four games. But they have allowed the second-most rushing yards to the position (31 per game), and that’s obviously a big part of Watson’s game.
Watson may not light it up through the air against the Chiefs, but his running ability adds to his fantasy upside this week.
ESPN Ownership: 28.8%
Yahoo! Ownership: 35%
Others To Consider:Â Jacoby Brissett, Indianapolis Colts vs. San Francisco 49ers; Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals at Philadelphia Eagles; Jay Cutler, Miami Dolphins vs. Tennessee Titans; Brian Hoyer, San Francisco 49ers at Indianapolis Colts
Tight End: Cameron Brate, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New England Patriots (Thursday Night)
Brate had four catches for 80 yards and a touchdown in Week 4 against the New York Giants, and he has a touchdown in back-to-back games. Rookie tight end O.J. Howard had a 58-yard touchdown last week, but otherwise he’s been no threat to Brate’s role as Tampa Bay’s top tight end thus far.
If not for facing the Greg Olsen-less Carolina Panthers in Week 4, the New England Patriots would be even worse against tight ends than they have been. As it is they’ve allowed the fourth-most fantasy points (16.9 per game, ESPN PPR scoring) and the sixth-most yards (262) to the position. They also allowed a tight end touchdown in each of their first three games.
Brate should find ample room to operate on Thursday night, and the prospect of Howard vulturing snaps or targets looks minimal.
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ESPN Ownership: 10.4%
Yahoo! Ownership: 51%
Others To Consider:Â Evan Engram, New York Giants vs. Los Angeles Chargers, Jared Cook ,Oakland Raiders vs. Baltimore Ravens, Tyler Kroft, Cincinnati Bengals, vs. Buffalo Bills
Team Defense: Buffalo Bills, at Cincinnati Bengals
The Bills defense passed a big test in Week 4, holding the Atlanta Falcons to 17 points while forcing three turnovers on the road. They have now forced multiple turnovers in three of four games, with nine sacks over two games prior to last week and they’ve allowed no more than 17 points in any game.
The Cincinnati Bengals’ offense has looked better over the last two weeks, with a new coordinator, but last week’s 31-point output came against the Cleveland Browns and that has to be kept in mind. The Browns sacked Andy Dalton three times in Week 4, as all four teams the Bengals have played have done (at minimum) this season.
The Bills are still very widely available ahead of a favorable matchup, so they are my top streaming defense for Week 5.
ESPN Ownership: 5.2%
Yahoo! Ownership: 14%
Others To Consider:Â Detroit Lions, vs. Carolina Panthers; Baltimore Ravens, at Oakland Raiders; Los Angeles Chargers, at New York Giants
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