Analysis
10/9/23
6 min read
2023 Fantasy Football: Takeaways From Every Week 5 Game
The article below details one need-to-know takeaway from each NFL Week 5 contest, aimed at providing readers with immediately actionable fantasy football information.
Top Takeaways
Bears’ Johnson, Foreman Must Adds
The Chicago Bears’ backfield suffered multiple injuries on Thursday night. Khalil Herbert (high-ankle sprain), Roschon Johnson (concussion) and Travis Homer (hamstring strain) were injured in the team’s 40-20 win against the Washington Commanders.
#Bears RB Khalil Herbert is expected to miss multiple weeks because of the ankle injury he suffered Thursday night against the #Commanders, per sources.
With Roschon Johnson (concussion) and Travis Homer (hamstring) also ailing, it could be D’Onta Foreman time for Chicago. pic.twitter.com/V0Ayv4Blzq
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 8, 2023
Per Doctor of Physical Therapy Adam Hutchison’s Injury Report, running backs average 3.5 weeks missed due to high-ankle sprains, 2.8 weeks missed due to hamstring strains and 1.8 weeks missed due to concussions.
However, 25 percent of concussed running backs miss no time. Johnson has decent odds of clearing the NFL’s concussion protocol in time for Week 6 because of the post-TNF grace period.
Chicago’s next three games come against running back-friendly defenses, allowing more than 100 yards rushing per game: the Minnesota Vikings (111.25 yards rushing allowed per game, No. 18), Las Vegas Raiders (134.25 yards rushing allowed per game, No. 26) and Los Angeles Chargers (104.25 yards rushing allowed per game, No. 14)
Johnson and No. 4 RB D’Onta Foreman are Week 6 waiver wire must-adds.
Kupp, Nacua Are WR1s in PPR
Los Angeles Rams’ long-time No. 1 WR Cooper Kupp (hamstring strain) returned to play following a four-week Injured Reserve stint. Upstart fifth-round rookie WR Puka Nacua assuaged skittish fantasy manager fears over Kupp’s return by executing in a high-volume No. 2 role.
The table below compares Kupp and Nacua’s Week 5 usage and results.
| Rams WRs in Week 5 | Cooper Kupp | Puka Nacua |
| Routes Run (% of QB Dropbacks) | 35 (85.4%) | 36 (87.8%) |
| Rec./Tgt - Yards - TDs | 8/12 - 118 - 0 | 7/11 - 71 - 1 |
| TPRR - YPRR | 34.4% - 3.37 | 30.6% - 1/97 |
| aDot - YAC/Rec. | 11.42 - 6.50 | 11.45 - 2.00 |
| Catch % | 66.7% | 63.6% |
| Slot % - Perimeter % | 52.2% - 47.8% | 57.1% - 42.9% |
| PPR Points (WR Rank) | 19.80 (No. 11) | 20.10 (No. 10) |
Both players can be started as PPR WR1s moving forward.
Remaining Storylines
Injuries Make Bills Defense Fantasy-Friendly
Former first-team All-Pro (2022) LB Matt Milano suffered a season-ending knee injury. Plus, DL DaQuan Jones suffered a pectoral injury that carries extended-absence implications.
Those injuries hit hard just one week after the Buffalo Bills lost CB Tre’Davious White to a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Just a terrible all around day for the Bills. https://t.co/xNuNrZQMeZ
— DocFlynn (@DocFlynnNFL) October 8, 2023
Slot CB Taron Johnson appears to have avoided a severe knee injury. Safeties Jordan Poyer (knee) and Micah Hyde (back and hamstring strain) have been mainstays on Buffalo’s injury report.
Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints passing game options can capitalize in Weeks 6 and 7 respectively.
Start TEs vs. Texans, Falcons
The Houston Texans' (84 percent) and Atlanta Falcons’ (79.4 percent) defenses entered Week 5 as top-10 in catch rate allowed to tight ends.
Neither unit disappointed for fantasy purposes. Houston’s Dalton Schultz (seven receptions on 10 targets) and Atlanta’s Kyle Pitts (seven receptions on 11 targets) led their respective teams in receptions and targets.
Atlanta’s No. 2 TE Jonnu Smith tailed Pitts closely, catching six of seven targets for 67 yards receiving.
Tight end-needy fantasy managers should consider streaming the Commanders’ Logan Thomas (at Atlanta) and the New Orleans Saints’ Juwan Johnson (calf injury, at Houston) if active.
LaPorta Pushing for Overall TE1
Detroit Lions rookie TE Sam LaPorta closed the Week 5 early slate averaging 14.38 PPR points per game. He trails Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews by fewer than 0.50 points-per-reception points.
Among 15 tight ends with at least 25 targets, LaPorta’s 24 percent targets per route run (TPRR) ranks fifth-highest, and his 2.24 yards per route run (YPRR) is just 0.5 yards out of first place.
Indianapolis’ Richardson Could Miss Week 6
Indianapolis Colts QB Anthony Richardson missed Week 3 because of a concussion and left Week 5 early because of an AC Joint injury.
DPTs Edwin Porras and Jeff Mueller concur that Indianapolis’ conservative medical staff will likely keep Richardson out for at least one week.
Update 10/9/23: Initial results indicate Richardson suffered a Grade 3 AC joint sprain, likely resulting in surgery and pre- and post-op rehabilitation. Should Indianapolis move forward with this plan, Richardson will be moved to the Injured Reserve for four to six weeks.
Giants’ Waller Has Week-Winning Upside
TE Darren Waller’s 11 targets led all New York Giants’ pass catchers in Week 5. Although it was Waller’s fourth time doing so, it was just the second game in which he earned more than seven.
Waller (hamstring/nerve irritation) appears healthy enough for coach Brian Daboll to rely on him as the team’s featured passing-game weapon. That unlocks a week-winning ceiling for Waller’s fantasy managers moving forward.
Saints’ Kamara Is a PPR RB1
New Orleans Saints coach Dennis Allen has run the offense through Alvin Kamara since the veteran running back returned from suspension in Week 4.
In two games, Kamara has 25 combined rushing attempts and targets, solidifying his status as a PPR RB1 in his age-28 season.
Watch Out for Keaton Mitchell
Baltimore Ravens No. 1 RB Gus Edwards averaged just 4.0 yards per rushing attempt, and change-of-pace RB Justice Hill had one rushing touchdown with one fumble lost. He produced just 0.72 YPRR.
Speedy (4.37-second 40-yard dash) rookie RB Keaton Mitchell returned from injured reserve (shoulder) this week and is expected to debut in Week 6.
Burrow is Back
Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow (calf strain) demonstrated significantly improved health, throwing for season highs in passing yards (317) and touchdowns (three). His five outside-the-pocket dropbacks were the most since Week 1, and he’s scrambled twice in each of the past two games after totaling just one scramble in Weeks 1-3.
Jets RB Hall Is Clear RB1
New York Jets RB Breece Hall rushed for a Week 5, position-high 177 rushing yards on 22 attempts, tacking on one touchdown, three receptions and 17 receiving yards. He is a weekly PPR RB1 moving forward, as promised by coach Robert Saleh and predicted by DPTs Edwin Porras and Jeff Mueller.
Breece Hall reached a max speed of 21.50 MPH on his 72-yard touchdown run, per @NextGenStats
The second-fastest max speed by a non-Dolphins ballcarrier this season.
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) October 8, 2023
Steer Clear of Cowboys' Defense
The Dallas Cowboys entered the season with an elite, star-studded defense. No. 1 CB Trevon Diggs (ACL) was lost for the season in a Week 3 practice and three more starters exited Week 5 with injuries of unknown severity: slot CB Jourdan Lewis (ankle), LB Leighton Vander Esch (neck) and S Donovan Wilson (leg). FS Malik Hooker (shoulder) and DE Micah Parsons (knee) are playing through the pain. Dallas visits the Los Angeles Chargers and their top-five offense (388.8 yards from scrimmage per game) in Week 6.
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