Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em — Fantasy Football Week 5 (2023)

Welcome back to another edition of fantasy football Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em. In this series, we’re here to help you set your lineups and put yourself in a position to win your fantasy football matchups each week. With three weeks in the books, it’s time to take a look at Week 5 of the 2023 NFL season.

These players will be those “less-obvious” players that you’re on the fence about starting as your WR3 or Flex type of options. Nobody needs to tell you to start Justin Jefferson or Christian McCaffrey.

Week 4 Start ‘Em

Zach Wilson (QB)

New York Jets vs. Denver Broncos

I am just as shocked as anyone that I am picking Zach Wilson as a start this week. We try to pick the ones that are a little less obvious, and this is exactly that! Wilson is coming off arguably one of his best performances as a pro, throwing for 245 yards and two touchdowns against a decent Kansas City defense. This week he’s facing the Broncos defense who has been giving up massive amounts of points to opposing quarterbacks, averaging 24.8, and allowed Justin Fields to put up 335 yards and four touchdowns. With the first round of bye weeks this week, and if you find yourself in a bind, Zach Wilson would be a decent spot starter.

Jared Goff (QB)

Detroit Lions vs. Carolina Panthers

You probably guessed this was coming. Jared Goff at home is an auto-start, every time. It would go without mentioning. However, with the performances he puts out from away games, we keep seeing reasons to think twice about starting him for fantasy. All things considered? We shouldn’t doubt him.

In his two home games this year, Goff has thrown for 323 yards and three scores and 243 yards, one passing score, and a rushing touchdown. Additionally, in his last five home games of 2022 totaled 10 touchdowns and no interceptions. Those are solid performances that tell us to ‘trust the process,’ and go with Goff in Week 5.

Joe Mixon (RB)

Cincinnati Bengals @ Arizona Cardinals

I have been down on Joe Mixon all season, but this is the game that you want to make sure he’s starting. Currently, Arizona is giving up 32 points per game to opposing running backs, with the highest D-PAC score in the league at 10.27. With a running back Consistency Score of 1.58, he should be treated as an RB2 with a low-end RB1 value in your lineup. However, Mixon is a bell-cow back being in on nearly 82% of all offensive snaps in Cincinnati. All in all, this is high-level usage against a low-level opponent.

Gus Edwards (RB)

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers

As the leader of touches in Ravens clubhouse, Gus Edwards is the closest thing to a bell-cow running back that you’re going to find in Baltimore. With his 44 carries, he’s averaging a respectable 4.4 yards per carry. We also know Edwards isn’t much of a pass catcher, but that really doesn’t matter. The Ravens running backs have only seen 16 targets this season.

Furthermore, the upcoming Steelers matchup is quite good as they have allowed 135.3 yards per game and 5.1 yards per carry across their last three contests. You can start Edwards with confidence this coming week.

Tutu Atwell (WR)

Los Angeles Rams vs. Philadelphia Eagles

In the Puka Nacua breakout to open up the season, Tutu Atwell has quietly been putting together a solid WR3/Flex season. He’s averaging 13 targets, with nine receptions and 125 yards per game. Last week he had an amazing game hauling in nine receptions for 163 yards and a touchdown. This week the Rams face the Eagles. Despite what you might think, the Eagles can be had in the passing game, giving up nearly 47 points per game to opposing wide receivers. If you have Atwell on your bench, it’s time to start him before Cooper Kupp comes back.

Marquise Brown (WR)

Arizona Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Bengals

In his last three games, Marquise Brown has hauled in 18 receptions and two touchdowns. Additionally, in each week, he has finished with more receiving yards than the previous game. From all of that, Brown now sports the 16th-highest Consistency Score among wide receivers in 2023. In Week 5, he’ll meet up with the Bengals struggling defense that has surrendered 593 receiving yards and 13.8 yards per reception to opposing wide receivers this season. With all of those stats, how can you not want to start Brown in Week 5?

Zach Ertz (TE)

Arizona Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Zach Ertz (much like almost every tight end in the league) has been very hit-or-miss over the last few weeks. In week three he only had two catches for six yards. Last week, he had 10 catches for 53 yards. This week they face the Bengals who are giving up 15 points per game to tight ends, so I expect Ertz to have another good showing. Ertz has also yet to find the end zone, I think that will change this weekend.

Dalton Kincaid (TE)

Buffalo Bills vs. Jacksonville Jaguars in London

I’m probably one of the last guys who’s going to tell you to start a rookie tight end for fantasy, so a nod from me should say something. Dalton Kincaid has been pretty consistent with at least four catches in three games this year – a slow start that we expect. The Week 5 face-off with Jacksonville looks sneaky good to me for tight ends. In each of the last three weeks, the Jaguars have allowed a tight end to score or surpass 90 receiving yards. Opposing tight ends are also averaging a respectable 11.3 yards per catch in 2023. I think we’re about to see a breakout performance from this rookie tight end.

Week 4 Sit ‘Em

Trevor Lawrence (QB)

Jacksonville vs. Buffalo Bills in London

Trevor Lawrence and this sputtering Jaguar offense have yet to put up over 300 yards in a single game this season. Last week against the Falcons, he barely eclipsed 200 yards at only 207 yards. This week he faces the Buffalo Bills defense that is only giving up 7.57 points per game to opposing quarterbacks with a low D-PAC score of 3.05. This defense also held the heralded Miami passing attack to only 282 yards and one touchdown. The Jaguars do not have the weapons the Dolphins have and this is going to be a tough outing for Lawrence.

Brock Purdy (QB)

San Francisco 49ers vs. Dallas Cowboys

The story of Brock Purdy has been magical. From Mr. Irrelevant to Mr. Consistency. He’s still scored at least twice in every start, having thrown and run for a score last week. This week, he gets a menacing challenge with the Dallas defense that has the fourth toughest D-PAC rating (3) against quarterbacks. Only 62 completions have been completed against the Cowboys this season, the second-fewest in the league. It’s time to leave Purdy on the bench.

Miles Sanders (RB)

Carolina Panthers @ Detriot Lions

Detroit is killing it against the run this season, giving up only 14 points per game to opposing running backs. Not to mention, a league-low D-Pac Score of 2.07. Meanwhile, Miles Sanders has not been killing it lately as he’s only averaging 2.8 yards per carry. He’s also got just one touchdown on the season and for the first time all season, Chubba Hubbard saw more snaps than Sanders. Needless to say, this is not a good start for a running back declining in production. Personally, I would pick up Hubbard off the waiver wire as security if Sanders continues to slide.

Isiah Pacheco (RB)

Kansas City Chiefs @ Minnesota Vikings

Since taking over as the Chiefs’ starting running back, Isiah Pacheco has been great. In nine of his 14 career starts, he has averaged more than 4.7 yards per carry. Additionally, six of those games totaled at least 70 rushing yards.

While many folks are seeing the Vikings as an overall soft defense, they’d be wrong. Running backs not named D’Andre Swift are averaging 2.6 yards per carry this season with zero total touchdowns. The volume alone could keep Pacheco in the running for a flex start, but I’m going to hold back. Passing will be the name of the game in Minnesota this weekend.

Brandon Aiyuk (WR)

San Francisco 49ers (vs. Dallas Cowboys)

After missing week 3 due to a shoulder injury, Brandon Aiyuk returned to the lineup in week four and didn’t miss a beat. He had a decent showing hauling in all six of his targets for 148 yards. However, much like the Brock Purdy sit, I would be hesitant to start Aiyuk this week as well. Cowboys have been one of the best teams in the league against opposing wide receivers, only allowing 23 points per game to opposing wide receivers. This 49ers and Cowboys game is going to be a defensive battle highly reliant on the running backs. I would stay away from the passing game.

Jerry Jeudy (WR)

Denver Broncos vs. New York Jets

Jerry Jeudy has done little to move the needle in fantasy this season. He’s caught just three passes in two of his three games with only one game over 55 receiving yards. With as many points as the Broncos defense has been allowing, you’d think there’d be ample opportunity for pass catchers. However, the incoming Jets haven’t shown to be able to run up the score. They have, however, stymied the passing attack from multiple teams. They have the third most imposing D-PAC Score (6.71) so far. In their last two contests, the only wide receiver to average more than 11 yards per catch was Demario Douglas who caught one of three targets for 15 yards. There’s not a lot of leeway coming from the Jets passing defense and Jeudy isn’t getting enough chances to be worth a start for fantasy this week.

Hunter Henry (TE)

New England Patriots vs. New Orleans Saints

Wow, the savior of the New England offense in Bill O’Brien for this season, has turned into a dud. They could only muster a field goal last week against a good Cowboys defense, and Mac Jones got benched. Not a good showing at all. Hunter Henry was the Patriot’s number one pass catcher last week, which isn’t saying much as he was only targetted five times for four catches and 51 yards. The Patriots play the Saints this week, who are only allowing 6.55 points per game to tight ends. I wouldn’t start Henry, and I wouldn’t start anyone on the Patriots.

Sam LaPorta (TE)

Detroit Lions vs. Carolina Panthers

Sam LaPorta has been the exception to the rookie tight end expectation in 2023. He’s already caught 22 passes, with at least four receptions and 54 yards in each of his last three games. This week, he’ll battle the second toughest tight end defense based on our D-PAC rating, the Panthers. Giving up just 44.8 receiving yards per game and zero total scores to the position is not good. Most of the fantasy teams that have been riding LaPorta this season started with another tight end and now it’s time to pivot back to the other guy.

Don’t forget to hit us up on Twitter with any of your lineup questions. You can find Benjamin @FFRabbitDad and Brendan @OBryanBren. If you have a question, we will give you some guidance. After all, we want you to win!

For the latest free agent news, check out the Fantasy Football News Tracker.

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