Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 5: Jahmyr Gibbs, Nico Collins, Adam Thielen

October 5, 2023

Should I start Jahmyr Gibbs, Nico Collins, Adam Thielen for Week 5? Fantasy football start em, sit em picks and recommendations for the 2023 NFL season.

The Week 5 NFL slate is right around the corner, meaning it's time for fantasy managers to make tough, last-minute start 'em, sit 'em decisions. Jahmyr Gibbs, Nico Collins, and Adam Thielen are all hot names ahead of Sunday's games.

Gibbs finds himself behind David Montgomery again, Collins boomed in Week 4 after a quiet Week 3, and Thielen's dependence on a rookie quarterback has made fantasy managers hesitant to start him.

Should you start Gibbs, Collins, or Thielen in Week 5? Let's dive in.

Should I Start Jahmyr Gibbs for Fantasy Football?

Gibbs spent one week as the Lions' primary back in the absence of David Montgomery, who was dealing with a thigh injury. However, Montgomery returned in Week 4, rushing 32 times for 121 yards and three touchdowns. Gibbs handled 12 touches for 51 yards.

Ultimately, it's tough to trust Gibbs in fantasy football right now. He can be interested in lineups as a shaky flex option in PPR formats, but in other scoring systems, you might want to bench him. His Week 5 opponent, the Carolina Panthers, has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to running backs. That said, there is upside here, but it's tough to know how many touches the rookie will get.

He is the RB22 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

Should I Start Nico Collins for Fantasy Football?

Collins has scored the seventh-most fantasy points among wideouts in half-PPR formats. He has 22 receptions for 428 yards and three touchdowns. Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud has averaged over 300 yards per game and has not thrown an interception.

Simply put, the Texans' offense has exceeded expectations mightily, and Collins is a must-start in all formats given his nuclear start to the 2023 campaign. Despite the tough matchup with the Atlanta Falcons (sixth-fewest fantasy points allowed to WRs), his upside remains high.

He is the WR19 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

Should I Start Adam Thielen for Fantasy Football?

Thielen looked like a shell of his former self during his last few seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, but he has been a great fantasy option this season as Bryce Young's go-to option. He is the WR10 overall through four weeks and has already seen 33 targets.

Given his matchup with the mid-level Detroit Lions' secondary, he is also a must-start until proven otherwise.

He is the WR26 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

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