From skeleton decorations to candy corn delights, Target and Walmart aisles are lined with Oct. 31 necessities. If you head to the back of these stores and take a gander in the clearance section, you’ll find back-to-school essentials and leftover firecrackers. For some, they’ll find their fantasy football team here too, slouching and collecting dust. Meanwhile, others are in the front with the prized goods, upright and gathering admiration. If you want to move your team to this part of the store and avoid having the team put on the discount rack, then let’s talk about what’s required heading into Week 5 of the NFL.
Catch this: WRs to Start or Bench
Rivalries in the NFL run just as common as basketball championships do for the University of Connecticut. Great ones are found within divisions, such as the Cowboys vs. Eagles, yet more are found between players and former teams — sometimes fate gives us both. The tension has begun to boil to new heights between the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots as Stefon Diggs, a former Bills receiver, now wears the Flying Elvis. The matchup between these two AFC East teams promises to be a fun watch as emotions will run high. However, what won’t be running high are Stefon Diggs’ fantasy points. The 11-year veteran does not have Josh Allen throwing to him anymore and Drake Maye has shown that his preferences lie elsewhere, specifically with his tight-ends and running back TreVeyon Henderson. While Diggs did have a promising Week 4, it’s worth noting that it was against a struggling Carolina defense. Diggs has been all around the NFL, and if he’s all over your fantasy lineup, his new residency should be the bench as the Buffalo defense will have him covered throughout Week 5.
The Return of the Jedi is a must-watch for any Star Wars fan, but the return of Jordan Addison was far more exciting for Vikings fans in Week 4. Coming off a three-game suspension, the third year wideout put up 114 yards on a mere four receptions. This average of 28.5 yards per catch allowed Addison to climb the fantasy ranks and drop 15.4 points. The former University of Southern California standout proved why he was worth the draft as he is quickly picking up where he left off. While he lives in the shadow of Justin Jefferson, Addison is sure to see the open ball when Jefferson draws double coverage. Minnesota will cross the pond and take on the Cleveland Browns in the NFL’s annual London Games this week. Be sure to have Addison somewhere in the lineup as the Browns’ secondary is failing to stop the deep threat. In short, Addison is the Luke Skywalker your team needs in Week 5.
You’ve got Airmail: QBs to Keep or Dump
There are many New York Fans who experienced a roller coaster of emotions this past Sunday. They watched eagerly as the Giants recorded their first win of the season and then suffered endlessly as the Mets eliminated themselves from the playoffs. So, as they pack up their Francisco Lindor jerseys, they look to break out their new Jaxon Dart. The rookie quarterback got his first-ever start this Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers, in which he threw for 111 yards on 13 completions, while also rushing for an eye-popping 54 yards. Dart dumped a 3-yard shuffle pass off to TE Theo Johnson for his first-ever throwing touchdown after he logged his first-ever rushing touchdown in quarter one. The 22-year-old has given hope to the Big Blue fan base, but Week 5 might not replicate the same story. Head Coach Brian Deboll will take his team to New Orleans this week without one of his key players, Malik Nabers. The star wide receiver suffered a torn ACL on Sunday, and Dart will be without his right-hand man for the rest of the season. As the Giants look to manage a run-heavy offense this week because of this absence, fantasy users should be hesitant with Dart and look elsewhere for a quarterback in Week 5.
The Cincinnati Bengals make any opposing quarterback look like an MVP. The latest addition to the coaching staff, defensive coordinator Al Golden, just can’t seem to get his defenders to do their jobs, and the stats prove this. The Bengals gave up 327 total yards to the Browns in Week 1, 400 to the Jaguars the following week, 352 to the Vikings shortly after and a whopping 512 to the Broncos just this past week. It has been and will be a rough season for the Cincinnati defense as the injury bug chips away at the stars. Jared Goff is next in line to battle with the Bengals as the Detroit Lions look to go 4-1. The 10-year quarterback has only produced one fantasy performance worth appreciating, but he should get another this week. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown should have a field day with Who-Dey’s secondary, which is why Goff should find your starting lineup in Week 5.
Best of luck Huskies.