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Should I start Elic Ayomanor, Troy Franklin, Malik Washington for Week 5? Fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks and recommendations for the 2025 NFL season.
Week 5 is here, and that means bye weeks are in full swing. There are four teams on break this week in the Falcons, Bears, Packers, and Steelers.
That still leaves us plenty of options to consider when making our lineup decisions this week. The first quarter of the season is down, which is about the time it takes to know if the production so far is meaningful.
This article will examine whether Elic Ayomanor, Troy Franklin, or Malik Washington are worth starting in fantasy football for Week 5. Let’s dive in.
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Should I Start Elic Ayomanor for Fantasy Football?
Ayomanor has emerged out of the gate as an impact rookie for the Titans. The rookie fourth-rounder earned a starting receiver role out of training camp and has been the team's most reliable pass catcher so far through four games. He's caught 12 of 25 targets for 151 yards and two of the team's three touchdowns.
The Stanford product clearly has budding chemistry with fellow rookie Cam Ward, with some of the off-script plays they've already made. He's just been very inefficient on his targets due to how poor the overall offensive environment is, plus Ward has struggled with his accuracy, posting the third-lowest Accuracy Rate (68.4%) out of 36 qualified QBs, per FTN Fantasy.
Cam Ward to Elic Ayomanor is THRIVING pic.twitter.com/UvRpYvP8Lj
— Justin M (@JustinM_NFL) September 28, 2025
The rookie wide receiver caught just two of seven targets for 44 yards last week in a blowout against Houston. It's at least a positive that he is earning volume down the field, as he has racked up 343 air yards on the season, 19th most among receivers. That signals some positive regression for later weeks.
Tennessee travels to Arizona in Week 5, which has been a neutral matchup so far for WRs. They've allowed 19 PPR points per game to the position, 13th lowest in the league. Ayomanor will rank as a WR4 for this week and is likely best kept on the bench.
Should I Start Troy Franklin for Fantasy Football?
Franklin has operated as a full-time WR this season alongside No. 1 option Courtland Sutton. Franklin and Sutton are the only two Broncos to run at least 120 routes this season, and no other player is above 83 routes. And Franklin has made the most of his opportunities, catching 18 of 27 targets for 196 yards and a touchdown.
Out of Oregon, Franklin was a very good prospect with excellent production markers and tested athleticism. He's dynamic as a runner with the ball in his hands, and his long speed is critical for stretching defenses vertically. We've already seen him used in a number of ways with designed touches and handoffs, but he's also a legit route runner with the ability to separate.
Targets this season:
Courtland Sutton - 27
Troy Franklin - 27— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) September 30, 2025
Franklin, unfortunately, dropped two deep passes last week against Cincinnati that could have made people even more optimistic about him. Finding consistency will be the key for the young receiver, but it's super encouraging to see Sean Payton trust him to be a full-time player.
He lines up in the slot more than 60% of the time, which may not be ideal in Week 5 against Philadelphia with nickel corner Cooper DeJean. However, he is moved around the formation a good bit to find matchup advantages. With stud corner Quinyon Mitchell likely handling the Courtland Sutton responsibility, Franklin could be the beneficiary. He'll rank as a WR3/WR4 type for Week 4 and could be fired up as a FLEX.
Should I Start Malik Washington for Fantasy Football?
Malik Washington is expected to see more snaps after the season-ending injury to Tyreek Hill last week against the Jets. Washington has held a small role in the offense already, seeing multiple targets and a rushing attempt in every game. In total, he has eight catches for 47 yards and eight rushes for 60 yards, in addition to a 74-yard punt return touchdown.
How head coach Mike McDaniel reconfigures the passing attack will be one of the most important elements in fantasy football for the rest of the season. Miami's offenses have been incredibly consolidated among the top players since McDaniels joined in 2022. Jaylen Waddle and De'Von Achane should be expected to see obvious bumps, but what does the rest of it look like?
Washington is an electric ball-in-hand player and could overtake the low aDOT, quick-hitting passes role that Tyreek Hill thrived in. He's an elite athlete with high-end agility, almost a diet Tyreek. Washington was a sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of the University of Virginia, and he led the country in receptions in his last season with 110.
Malik Washington was drafted in round 6 pick 184 in the 2024 draft class. He scored a 8.63 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 467 out of 3402 WR from 1987 to 2024. https://t.co/sTDub8xYAO pic.twitter.com/15uTqLzSz5
— RAS.football (@MathBomb) April 27, 2024
There's clearly been a bit of an emphasis by McDaniel to get the ball in Washington's hands a few times a game. That number could tick up with their best receiver lost for the year. Washington faces the Panthers in Week 5 and is likely best put in wait-and-see mode for now.
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Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 5 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like Elic Ayomanor, Troy Franklin, Malik Washington. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 5. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 5 of the 2025 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
Week 5 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Elic Ayomanor, Troy Franklin, Malik Washington. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 5.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed our Who Should I Start? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 5 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 5 (2025)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 5 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 5 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for Elic Ayomanor, Troy Franklin, Malik Washington compared to others:
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