This roller coaster of a season continues as we watch some top picks dominate while others are slowly fading from existence. On the other hand, players once fast asleep in the depths of the waiver wire have quickly floated to the surface and become household names. Let’s take a look at what we can expect to not expect in Week 5.
The Cardinals backfield has not looked any prettier than previous weeks but Andre Ellington seems to be leading the pack now as he totaled five carries for 18 yards and nine receptions for 86 through the air against San Francisco. This week, he faces a tough Philadelphia pass rush that will force Carson Palmer to find easy short targets to Ellington. He has looked the best of all Arizona backs, and I like him this week as well as going forward in the absence of David Johnson.
The Ravens have officially crumbled. If it was not evident when they allowed the Jaguars to score 44 points on them in London, or when Joe Flacco went 8-of-18 for 28 yards and two picks, it was probably when Terrance West rushed four times for minus-seven yards. That is an achievement in of itself. He and Javorius Allen, who I was very high on, have virtually disappeared from the struggling offensive plan. Baltimore is third-worst in offensive production this season, so it is hard to trust anyone on that side of the ball. I am not confident playing any of their receivers, but if you want to take a chance on a tailback, I would go with Alex Collins as he seems to have appeared as the first and second down back and collected nine carries for 82 yards last Sunday. He is, however, on a short leash as he continues to deal with fumbling issues.
Matt Forte is expected to sit out at least another week with a suspected broken toe. Bilal Powell and Elijah McGuire combined on 37 touches for 321 yards and two scores last week against Jacksonville. You would have been happy with either in your lineup but Powell out-touched McGuire 25 to 12, and he’s the guy you will want to own going forward, although I expect them to continue sharing the workload.
The long-awaited return of Doug Martin in the Tampa Bay backfield is due Thursday night against the Patriots. The tailback is still available in a small percentage of leagues and I think he will quickly move ahead of Jacquizz Rodgers in terms of carries.
Seahawks running back Chris Carson, who you all know I loved going into Week 4, suffered a high ankle sprain and broken leg in Sunday’s competition against Indianapolis. It is safe to drop him as we’re not expecting him back on the turf anytime this season. As far as the rest of Seattle’s backfield goes, it’s a four-headed monster. Thomas Rawls, C.J. Prosise, Eddie Lacy, and rookie J.D. McKissic are all up for the job. If you want to take a chance on one, I would go with either J.D. or Eddie as they both got work after Carson’s departure. All four of these guys are readily available on the waiver wire but even if you happen to pick the main back, he’s going to disappoint you as he splits his carries with his buddies.
Oakland quarterback Derek Carr is expected to miss multiple weeks with a fracture in his back. Sources say 2-6, but Carr feels he can get back sooner than later. I would not bet on that as this is the same thing that Tony Romo struggled with for a year before eventually retiring. This is a huge worry for the Oakland offense as Michael Crabtree could be out another week and the top-ranked Amari Cooper has 3 receptions for 15 yards over the past two weeks. Cooper hasn’t compiled a 100-yarder since Week 8 of 2016 and he’s struggling to get his mojo back. E.J. Manuel is set to take the helm in Carr’s absence. Try to buy low on Amari Cooper as his owners are probably frustrated. If you have the Raven’s D/ST, you should consider playing them against Manuel and the depleted receiving core, but be wary as the Baltimore offense can’t keep themselves on the field.
Wendell Smallwood collected 10 carries for 34 yards and a score on the ground, with another 45 yards through the air in the wake of Darren Sproles’ season-ending injuries. LeGarrette Blount meanwhile tallied 156 yards on 17 touches. He remains the leading goal-line back but Smallwood is a great young runner as well as pass catcher and I expect his workload to increase in the coming weeks.
Rookie running back Dalvin Cook has been sent to the IR with a torn ACL and will miss the remainder of the season. The Vikings join the list of struggling offenses with Sam Bradford still week-to-week. In the meantime, Latavius Murray is the favorite to lead the backfield. He will be splitting carries with Jerick McKinnon, who I have loved ever since he entered the league. McKinnon knows the system better but has had his chances and never solidified himself as a RB1. To top it all off, both these backs are dealing with health problems and should be serving as RB2 options at best.
As of now we don’t know what the final decision will be on whether or not Ezekiel Elliot faces his six-game suspension this season. If you are in need of a deep sleeper and have an open spot on your roster, stash Darren McFadden or Alfred Morris. If Zeke is out, I expect McFadden to get the bulk of the carries, and he’ll do fine with the impressive Cowboys O-Line.
Other notable injuries include Bills wide receiver Jordan Matthews who will undergo season-ending thumb injury. Rookie Zay Jones should see an increase in production and is owned in a quarter of ESPN leagues. Charles Clay has also been a steady option at TE and will continue to prosper in Matthews’ absence. Atlanta wide receivers Julio Jones (hip flexor) and Mohamed Sanu (hamstring) are week-to-week after their matchup against Buffalo. I see an increase in production from running backs Freeman and Coleman in the passing game. Tight end Austin Hooper led the Falcons in catches and targets, and his ceiling continues to rise if Jones and Sanu miss any more time.
Sign: Cincinnati tight end Tyler Kroft has made a name for himself after starting TE Tyler Eifert is to miss several weeks with a back injury. Sunday he reeled in 85 percent of his targets for 68 yards and two scores. This was against Cleveland, however, and the Bengals face the Buffalo’s stout secondary next week. Nevertheless, I like Kroft if you’re itching for a reliable tight end.
Sign: Last weekend, Will Fuller V made his 2017 debut after a broken collar bone injury had him sidelined for the first three weeks of the season. Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson continues to improve every week and Fuller proved himself as a red zone target, reeling in four for 35 yards and two scores.
Drop: I am the first to admit I have been a huge fan of Eric Decker ever since his days in Denver. He’s the biggest or stronger guy on the field but he’s a touchdown machine. I have given him enough chances and he’s yet to break five receptions for 50 yards yet this season. Sorry, Eric, but I am sending you to the waiver wire.
Start: Jameis Winston has improved every week this season and topped off last weekend with a 332 yard, three TD performance against the Giants. He is a young quarterback but has really matured over a few short years. I like him this weekend against New England whose defense has been unable to piece things together this season. With Brady on the other end, it’s almost bound to be a shootout and I want in on the action.
Sit: Oakland Raiders
Pro Tip: Remember when signing new players that it is nearly impossible to successfully chase points. There is no way of really knowing what’s going to happen or how many points a player is going to score. The best way to ensure that you have potential on your roster is to pick up players who have increasing volume and a positive outlook to the future.