Week 5 Starters & Benchwarmers

Wondering whether or not to start Tom Brady and Le’Veon Bell, or to bench Colin Kaepernick and Tre Mason? The network bozos specialize in that kind of advice. If you’re looking for help with your real starting lineup conundrums, read on.

Here are my picks to roll, and get rolled, in Week 5 of the 2015 season.

Watch ‘em roll

Marcus Mariota, QB, Titans vs. Bills. The ahead-of-schedule rookie has had an extra week to prepare for a defense that has already coughed up 10 passing TDs and nearly 300 passing yards per game. With little likelihood of success on the ground for the Titans, Mariota will be asked to sling it often again.

Rashad Jennings, RB, Giants vs. 49ers. Jennings was widely dropped after his slow start, but perhaps that was a bit rash. Though he’s not piling up the rushing yards, he’s contributing nicely as a receiver. And Sunday night, Jennings will be facing one of the league’s true defensive doormats. 

Todd Gurley, RB, Rams at Packers. Not only did the rookie showcase the skills last week that made him such a coveted draft pick; he became the Rams’ instant workhorse, with Tre Mason and Benny Cunningham combining for just four carries in Week 4. Gurley will be facing a below-average run defense in Green Bay, so plug him in and enjoy the ride.

Travis Benjamin, WR, Browns at Ravens. Strangely enough, Josh McCown has been putting up very respectable numbers lately, and Benjamin has been the primary beneficiary. Against a suspect Baltimore secondary that wasn’t tested much by Mike Vick, Benjamin should have another stellar outing.

Pierre Garcon, WR, Redskins at Falcons. Kirk Cousins will likely be missing both DeSean Jackson (hamstring) and Jordan Reed (concussion) against an Atlanta secondary that surrenders more than 300 passing yards per game on average. Garcon, who has two TDs already this season, should be a very busy man on Sunday.

More thumbs up (excluding the no-brainers): QBs Carson Palmer, Eli Manning, Matt Ryan, Philip Rivers; RBs Justin Forsett, T.J. Yeldon, Dion Lewis, Alfred Morris, Chris Johnson, Mark Ingram, LeGarrette Blount; WRs James Jones, Emmanuel Sanders, Jeremy Maclin, Brandin Cooks, Jordan Matthews, Kendall Wright, Larry Fitzgerald, Leonard Hankerson, Julian Edelman, Mike Evans, Doug Baldwin, Keenan Allen, Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns, Kamar Aiken.

Roll ‘em back

Derek Carr, QB, Raiders vs. Broncos. Denver is playing ferocious defense, so anyone but a bona fide fantasy stud is too risky to start. Carr has been sharp most of this season, and he’s making Amari Cooper a star, but the young gunslinger can’t be trusted in this divisional showdown.

Carlos Hyde, RB, 49ers at Giants. With opposing defenses stacking the box to stop the only legitimate threat the 49ers have, Hyde has had nowhere to run in recent weeks. Now he faces a New York defense that averages a league-low 70 rushing yards per game. Ouch.

Melvin Gordon, RB, Chargers vs. Steelers. Danny Woodhead has been out-performing his backfield mate lately, especially in PPR leagues. On Monday night, Gordon will face a Pittsburgh run defense that has allowed just one rushing score thus far this season. Look for the Chargers to rely on Philip Rivers’ arm in this contest.

Golden Tate, WR, Lions vs. Cardinals. Can Detroit bounce back from being robbed of a possible last-minute upset in Seattle? Against Arizona’s solid secondary (let’s overlook last week’s letdown against the Rams), Matt Stafford and any receiver not nicknamed Megatron come with great risk.

Anquan Boldin, WR, 49ers at Giants. It’s hard to trust anybody in this passing attack, owing primarily to Kaepernick’s ineffectiveness. Boldin has been dropped in many leagues, and could be jettisoned in many more after this cross-country trip. Torrey Smith is even less attractive in this not-ready-for-primetime matchup.

More thumbs down: QBs Matt Stafford, Joe Flacco, Nick Foles, Kirk Cousins, Mike Vick; RBs Darren McFadden, C.J. Anderson, Doug Martin, Ameer Abdullah, Latavius Murray, Thomas Rawls, Bishop Sankey, Duke Johnson, C.J. Spiller, Karlos Williams, Tevin Coleman; WRs Nelson Agholor, Roddy White, Tavon Austin, Michael Crabtree, Percy Harvin, Martavis Bryant, Markus Wheaton.

TAKING A FLIER

Alex Smith, QB, Chiefs vs. Bears. Only Kansas City has surrendered more TD passes than Chicago. Meanwhile, Smith has built a solid rapport with Jeremy Maclin to go along with his affinity for Travis Kelce and Jamaal Charles. If you’re hurting at QB, Smith offers real upside this weekend.

DON’T BE THE BONEHEAD WHO…lets Michael Floyd linger on the waiver wire. Many owners gave up on the Arizona wideout after finger injuries held him out of preseason and limited him in the first quarter of the season. But Carson Palmer targeted him seven times against the Rams, signaling that Floyd is ready to play a meaningful role in the Cardinals’ high-flying passing attack again. Grab him now, if he’s available, to avoid the inevitable waiver-wire rush once he explodes.

Week 4 Heroes & Zeros

This was a great week to start…

QBs

Philip Rivers, Chargers – Passed for 358 yards and 3 TDs without a turnover.

Sam Bradford, Eagles – Nobody started him, but maybe they will next week after his 270-yard, 3- TD game, without a turnover.

Nick Foles, Rams – Only 171 passing yards, but collected 3 TDs and no turnovers.

RBs

Devonta Freeman, Falcons – Nearly matched last week’s stellar output with 68 rushing yards and a TD trifecta, plus 5 receptions for 81 yards.

Jeremy Hill, Bengals – Oh, so he’s still part of this offense? I guess so, after his 40-yard, 3-TD performance.

Le’Veon Bell, Steelers – Ran for 129 yards and a TD, and caught 7 passes for 21 more.

Chris Ivory, Jets – Ran roughshod over the Dolphins for 166 yards and a TD.

WRs

Tavon Austin, Rams – Scored twice while hauling in 6 passes for 96 yards.

Allen Hurns, Jaguars – Reeled in 11 receptions for 116 yards and a TD.

Vincent Jackson, Bucs – Tallied 10 catches for 147 yards and a score.

D/STs

Falcons – Registered 1 sack, an INT, 3 fumbles and two TDs on fumble returns.

Ks

Cairo Santos, Chiefs – Accounted for all of KC’s scoring, with field goals of 22, 29, 34, 40, 40, 51 and 51 yards.

This was a great week to play against…

QBs

Joe Flacco, Ravens – Passed for 189 yards and a TD, but also had an INT and a fumble.

Colin Kaepernick, 49ers – Only 160 passing yards with an INT but no TDs, plus 57 rushing yards.

Matt Stafford, Lions – Just 203 passing yards without a score (though that wasn’t his fault).

RBs

Lamar Miller, Dolphins – Only 26 rushing and 10 receiving yards in London.

Matt Jones, Redskins – Only 11 rushing yards.

Arian Foster, Texans – His 2015 debut was only good for 10 rushing yards and 3 catches for 25 yards, and he lost a fumble. But that was better than Alfred Blue’s 17 yards.

Darren Sproles, Eagles – Held to 17 rushing yards, without a reception.

Carlos Hyde, 49ers – Just 22 combined yards on the day.

Melvin Gordon, Chargers – Ran for 38 yards and added just 8 receiving yards.

Ameer Abdullah, Lions – Only 33 rushing and 11 receiving yards.

Jonathan Stewart, Panthers – 50 yards rushing won’t cut it.

DeMarco Murray, Eagles – Rushed for 36 yards and caught 2 balls for 12 yards.

Thomas Rawls, Seahawks – Was a shell of Beast Mode with only 48 rushing yards.

Latavius Murray, Raiders – Limited to 61 combined yards and lost a fumble.

Alfred Morris, Redskins – Ran for 62 yards and caught 2 balls for 3 yards.

WRs

Roddy White, Falcons – Continued his career decline with just 8 yards on 2 balls.

Anquan Boldin, 49ers – Had 12 yards on 3 catches.

Steve Smith, Ravens – Just 24 yards on 4 receptions before leaving with broken ribs.

Rishard Matthews, Dolphins – Caught just 1 pass for 16 yards in London.

Marques Colston, Saints – Barely rosterable anymore with only 19 yards on 4 grabs.

Brandin Cooks, Saints – Left with just 25 yards on 4 receptions.

Percy Harvin, Bills – When they needed him most, he was held to 26 yards on 3 catches.

Golden Tate, Seahawks – Only 29 yards on 3 catches.

Mike Evans, Bucs – Just 32 yards on 3 receptions.

Julius Jones, Falcons – Remarkably, had just 38 yards on 4 catches in a 48-21 rout.

Odell Beckham, Jr., Giants – Limited to 38 yards on 5 receptions.

Randall Cobb, Packers – Held to 44 yards on 5 receptions.

Jordan Matthews, Eagles – Only 50 yards on 3 catches.

Calvin Johnson, Lions – Not very Mega, with 7 catches for 56 yards, plus a very costly fumble.

TEs

Kyle Rudolph, Vikings – Only 7 yards on 2 receptions.

Eric Ebron, Lions – Just 22 yards on 2 balls before leaving with an injury.
Jimmy Graham, Seahawks – Limited to 29 yards on 4 catches on Monday night.

Fantasy points scarce in Week 4

According to my unscientific survey, scoring was down significantly across fantasy leagues this weekend, especially when compared to their prolific outburst in Week 3.

That’s partly because NFL teams put up a season-high total of 773 points last weekend, versus just 630 in Week 4 (with one game remaining tonight). Of course, the Patriots and Titans were idle, so that accounted for much of the decline.

But a more significant factor was in play that caused the dip in this weekend’s fantasy output: who did – and didn’t do – the scoring.

For starters, only three quarterbacks accumulated as many as three touchdowns – Nick Foles, Sam Bradford and Philip Rivers – but virtually nobody owns Foles, precious few trust Bradford and even Rivers was started in fewer than half of all leagues.

Devonte Freeman, Jeremy Hill (finally), Chris Ivory and Le’Veon Bell held up their end of the bargain, but the week’s top receivers were Tavon Austin, Allen Hurns and Vincent Jackson (whose recent production earned him a seat on the bench from more than half of his owners).

In other words, it was an odd week; so don’t get down on yourself if your starting lineup took an unexpected vacation.

Meanwhile, fewer than a fifth of all fantasy players with Todd Gurley on their roster started him in Week 4. Like me, they were waiting until the Rams set loose their prized first-round selection before risking him in their lineup. After his 161-combined-yard coming-out party on Sunday, it appears the Gurley Era is now upon us. This weekend could mark the last time he sits on a bench barring a new injury or bye week for the next five or more years.

Okay, I may be getting ahead of myself. But I’m on record as predicting fantasy superstardom for Gurley once he is fully recovered from his college knee injury. By all indications, he is now ready for prime time.

It was also good to see Arian Foster back in action, albeit with limited results. Hopefully he had no setbacks Sunday and will be going full throttle Thursday night against the Colts.

As for Drew Brees? Perhaps his shoulder is still not 100 percent, but he’s certainly sharp enough to lead most any fantasy squad.

Finally, Week 5 marks the return of Antonio Gates and Martavis Bryant from their four-game suspensions. Don’t be surprised if Gates immediately resumes his role as Rivers’ go-to receiver. Bryant, on the other hand, returns to less-hospitable conditions with Michael Vick at the controls of Pittsburgh’s offense. (See Brown, Antonio.)

FREE AGENT PICKS AND PANS

To win a fantasy championship, it helps to start with a great draft. But filling in your roster throughout the season with the right free agents is also important. Here's a look at players worth considering, and others who would look better in someone else's lineup.

Catch ‘em while you can

Leonard Hankerson, WR, Falcons. The No. 2 wideout in Atlanta’s offense has been a valuable commodity throughout the Matt Ryan era. For years, that’s been Roddy White. But times have changed, and Hankerson is now benefitting from all the attention being paid to Julio Jones. Matty Ice is turning the former Redskin into a reliable fantasy performer.

Allen Hurns, WR, Jaguars. Honestly, I’m not interested in any Jacksonville receiver not named Allen Robinson. But Hurns has tallied 314 yards in four games and all three of his TDs over the last two weeks. If you need WR depth, and believe in Blake Bortles, knock yourself out.

Charles Clay, TE, Bills. With 9 receptions for 111 yards, Clay was Tyrod Taylor’s most targeted and most prolific receiver on the field Sunday. Sure, he’s benefitting from the absence of Sammy Watkins; but he’s also taking advantage of this time to build trust with his quarterback.

Don’t be fooled

Sam Bradford, QB, Eagles. It was refreshing to see Bradford throw downfield for a change against the Redskins. But as erratic as Philly’s offense has looked thus far this year, he has a lot of work to do before he can be trusted.

Tavon Austin, WR, Rams. Prior to Sunday’s 96-yard, two-touchdown outburst, Austin had amassed just 42 receiving yards on the season (including minus-2 in Week 1). Though he has added 77 yards and a TD as a rusher, he is exasperatingly inconsistent. This has been Austin’s pattern since his 2013 rookie season. Let someone else take the bait.

Kenny Stills, WR, Dolphins. He had just three receptions for 20 yards, including a goose egg in Week 3, prior to his trip across the pond. Given how pathetic the Dolphins looked against the Jets, and the team’s upcoming bye, there are much better options out there.

Sunday morning updates -- Week 4

Good morning, Fools. I write this while watching my Dolphins "hosting" the Jets in London town. I was in Wembley Stadium the first time the Dolphins played overseas, for the "American Bowl" against the 49ers in 1988. That was when I was young, single, working for American Airlines and could fly to London for about $30 roundtrip -- in first class, mind you. I'll never forget being amongst the enthusiastic, but confused, British fans who chanted "Offense! Defense!" during the game. Very strange...

It's also very strange to have live football on so early now. Can't image you all on the West Coast tuning in at 6:30 am!

There were no significant offensive inactives for either of this morning's teams, as I tweeted earlier. Here's the rest of the news we can use to dominate our opponent(s) this weekend...

It's not yet official, but Andrew Luck is expected to be inactive today due to his nagging shoulder injury. Matt Hasselback will be leading the Colts offense, which means it could be trouble for those counting on TY Hilton, Donte Moncrief and the rest of Indy's receivers. Hasselbeck was sharp in limited mop-up action late last season, but we haven't seen him start a game since he was a Titan in 2013. I wouldn't start anyone but Hilton and Frank Gore from Indy's side, and then only if you don't have better alternatives.

Jay Culter may return today. You're not desperate enough to start him, of course; but his presence would sure help Matt Forte and Martellus Bennett. If Alshon Jeffery is active, everyone benefits. But Jeffery's status is less optimistic than Cutler's.

Arian Foster is expected to make his first appearance of the 2015 season today. If he plays, he's a good -- though not entirely safe -- start against the Falcons.

Marshawn Lynch's arrow is pointing down even further now, due to his bum hammy. He's the proverbial game-time decision. Looks like Thomas Rawls will get the first start of his NFL career on Monday night against the Lions, with Fred Jackson remaining the third-down back. Rawls is my "Flier of the Week," so he could be strong whether or not you're a Lynch owner. The problem is, you'll probably have to make your decision before we know Lynch's status for certain. Risky indeed...

On the opposite side, Joique Bell won't play for the Lions, leaving the backfield mostly in rookie Ameer Abdullah's hands. It's a tough matchup, and Abdullah hasn't looked great yet. But he's scored twice in three games and will have a lot more opportunities this week with Bell out. Fellow rookie Zach Zenner will also get in the action. If he outshines Abdullah, as some think he may, look for him among my recommended pickups in Monday's column.

DeMarco Murray should be back in the lineup today, but it's hard to trust him against the Redskins. Actually, it's hard to trust him in the Eagles offense against anybody.

If you've been enjoying Steve Smith's performance thus far this season, you'll need to make other plans for a while. He broke four ribs during the Thursday nighter. No indication yet how long he'll be sidelined, though he's definitely out at least Week 5. Fellow wideout Michael Campanero is out for the season with a back injury. The Ravens acquired Chris Givens from the Rams yesterday. Breshad Perriman can't get healthy fast enough for Baltimore.

Givens' departure means Brian Quick will finally see the field today against the Cardinals. He was a fantasy stud for a brief stretch in 2014, until he suffered a serious shoulder injury. If he's fully healthy, perhaps Quick can give the Rams' passing game a lift. Lord knows, Nick Foles could use the help.

Looks like Davante Adams (ankle) will miss today's game. You know you have to start James Jones now. Crazy that neither the Giants or the Raiders saw anything in him.

TE Dwayne Allen is expected to be back today, but see above for Colts receiver prospects.

Vernon Davis (knee) most likely won't play today, though you could argue he really hasn't played all season.

Josh Scobee was a fixture in Jacksonville for 11 seasons. Then everything fell apart when the Jags traded him to the Steelers. Scobee was released after he missed two more field goals on Thursday night. Chris Boswell will be Pittsburgh's fourth kicker this season. As long as Big Ben is sidelined, he's not worth picking up; even if he proves to be accurate.

That's it for now. My Dolphins look pretty awful so far. Gonna need to send them some positive, uninterrupted vibes in the second half. As any Dolphin or Jet fan knows, no lead is ever safe when these teams meet.

I'll be tweeting the inactives and other late-breaking news a little later. Good luck today, Fools!

Week 4 Starters & Benchwarmers

Wondering whether or not to start Aaron Rodgers and Odell Beckham, Jr., or to bench Josh McCown and Dwayne Bowe? The network bozos specialize in that kind of advice. If you’re looking for help with your real starting lineup conundrums, read on.

Here are my picks to roll, and get rolled, in Week 4 of the 2015 season.

Watch ‘em roll

Andy Dalton, QB, Bengals vs. Chiefs. You have to be impressed by the way Dalton and his receiving corps dismantled the Ravens pass defense in Week 3. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have given up 10 passing TDs already, with Aaron Rodgers collecting half of them Monday night. Dalton & Co. should continue their roll at home this weekend.

Derek Carr, QB, Raiders at Bears. Carr has been en fuego over the last two weeks, teaming up with rookie Amari Cooper as one of the most prolific young duos in the league. They’ll face a Chicago team that already appears to be angling for the first pick in the 2016 draft, after trading away two defensive starters. The Carr-Cooper combo should eat these guys for lunch.

Chris Ivory, RB, Jets at Dolphins. I know, I know…he left you with a goose egg last week. But the Jets presumably learned their lesson by holding Ivory out, running poorly as a team against the Eagles. He’s not expected to be limited by his ailing quad against Miami’s pathetic run defense. Ivory should run wild in London.

Donte Moncrief, WR, Colts vs. Jaguars. T.Y. Hilton has been a disappointment so far this year, while Andre Johnson has been invisible. Moncrief has been anything but. With 200 receiving yards to date and a TD in each of his first three games, the second-year wideout is quietly building his case for must-start status.

Percy Harvin, WR, Bills vs. Giants. It’s been a long time since I’ve been high on Harvin. But with Sammy Watkins (calf) already declared out, and young gunslinger Tyrod Taylor quickly emerging as a reliable passer, Harvin should be the primary beneficiary of this highly favorable matchup.

More thumbs up (excluding the no-brainers): QBs Matt Ryan, Carson Palmer, Cam Newton, Russell Wilson, Eli Manning, Tyrod Taylor, Philip Rivers; RBs Matt Forte, Melvin Gordon, Lance Dunbar, Joseph Randle, Isaiah Crowell, Devonta Freeman, Latavius Murray, Chris Johnson, Carlos Hyde, Darren Sproles, Mark Ingram, Karlos Williams; WRs James Jones, Brandon Marshall, Amari Cooper, Mike Evans, Rishard Matthews, Keenan Allen, Jordan Matthews, Jeremy Maclin, Allen Robinson, Larry Fitzgerald, Leonard Hankerson.

Roll ‘em back

Drew Brees, QB, Saints vs. Cowboys. My Magic 8 Ball says “signs point to yes” when asked if Brees will return from his shoulder injury for the Sunday night showdown. But I will be sitting him in two leagues regardless. Even against a Dallas secondary that was lit up by Matt Ryan last week, he’s hard to trust right now. And I can’t remember ever writing those words about Brees. I hope I’m wrong; but I don’t think I am.

C.J. Anderson, RB, Broncos vs. Vikings. Shockingly, Anderson has yet to rush for 30 yards in a game this season. His owners can’t afford to show patience any longer, despite another favorable matchup on deck. Ronnie Hillman has been more effective than Anderson thus far, but only marginally. Denver’s offensive line isn’t giving anyone room to run, forcing the offense to run through Peyton Manning’s arm yet again.

Alfred Morris, RB, Redskins vs. Eagles. Not only has Matt Jones gotten more touches lately, but Morris doesn’t look anywhere near as effective as the ostensible starter. This is a full-fledged RB by committee now, with Jones acting as leader of the pack. You shouldn’t drop Morris, but his transition from “workhorse” to “handcuff” shows just how quickly things can change in the NFL, and Fantasyland.

Mike Wallace, WR, Vikings at Broncos. Teddy Bridgewater has just one passing TD this season – despite facing three fairly average opponents – and there’s every chance that number won’t change on Sunday. He and his receivers will be facing the mighty Broncos pass defense, so look for another quiet afternoon for Wallace.

Travis Benjamin, WR, Browns at Chargers. Benjamin has had a magical start to his season, despite shagging balls from two mediocre quarterbacks. But he’ll be facing a stout Chargers pass defense on Sunday. This looks like a setback in what’s shaping up to be a career year for the veteran wideout.

More thumbs down: QBs Nick Foles, Ryan Tannehill, Sam Bradford, Matt Stafford, Colin Kaepernick, Jameis Winston, Teddy Bridgewater; RBs Rashad Jennings, Andre Ellington, Ameer Abdullah, Matt Jones, Doug Martin, Jeremy Hill, Tre Mason, DeMarco Murray, Todd Gurley; WRs Terrance Williams, Kenny Britt, Torrey Smith, Stevie Johnson, Nelson Agholor, Marques Colston, John Brown, Pierre Garcon, Michael Floyd.

TAKING A FLIER

Thomas Rawls, RB, Seahawks vs. Lions. Rawls emerged out of nowhere last week to rush for 104 yards while Marshawn Lynch played sparingly with a variety of injuries. Beast Mode’s availability for Monday night is in question, opening the door for Rawls’ first NFL start against the below-average Detroit run defense. Fred Jackson is expected to remain the third-down back.

DON’T BE THE BONEHEAD WHO…fails to plan ahead for the bye weeks. Were you caught off guard by the Patriots being idle this weekend? (Okay, the Titans are, too.) It gets tougher in Week 5, with the Panthers, Dolphins, Vikings and Jets off. Savvy players look at least a week ahead and make the necessary adjustments before they have to compete with others on the waiver wire.