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Should I start Chase Brown, JK Dobbins, David Montgomery for Week 5? Fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks and recommendations for the 2025 NFL season.
The start of the 2025 fantasy season has been challenging thanks to injuries. Starting in Week 5, fantasy managers will also have to find a way to navigate through the additional challenge of bye weeks.
Atlanta, Chicago, Green Bay, and Pittsburgh will all have Week 5 off. That takes at least three running backs that have been staples in your fantasy lineup off the table. Fantasy managers will need to get creative to navigate bye weeks and injuries.
This article will break down whether fantasy managers can start J.K. Dobbins, David Montgomery, and Chase Brown in Week 5. Check it out below.
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Should I Start J.K. Dobbins for Fantasy Football?
When the Denver Broncos drafted RJ Harvey in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the expectation in the fantasy community was that he would take over the backfield quickly. The signing of Dobbins shortly after the draft was just seen as a move to build depth in the backfield.
Instead, Dobbins has served as the lead back in Denver for the first four weeks of the season. More importantly, he’s been very effective in that role.
J.K. Dobbins Rankings, 2025:
'Explosive' Runs (10+ yds.): 1st (11)
'Explosive' Run % (Min. 50 att.): 1st (19.3%)
Rushing Avg. (Min. 50 att.): 2nd (5.7)
Rushing 1st Down % (Min. 50 att.): 3rd (28.1)
Rushing Yds.: 4th (323) pic.twitter.com/EjSzmUKgB4— Tyler Gorse (@Tyler_Gorse_) October 2, 2025
Dobbins is currently RB16, averaging 14.3 PPR points per game. The veteran running back found the end zone in each of Denver’s first three games before failing to score in Week 4. He was still able to post a double-digit scoring performance thanks to 16 carries for 101 yards and one reception for four yards.
The veteran running back is averaging 14.3 carries, 1.8 targets, and a 51.3% snap share to start the season. Harvey will inevitably earn more opportunities as the season goes on, but Dobbins is proving that he will continue to be a significant part of the offense as long as he’s healthy.
Dobbins should be considered a mid-level RB2 in Week 5 against the Eagles.
Should I Start David Montgomery for Fantasy Football?
Montgomery could not find any space in Week 4 against the Browns. Montgomery had just nine carries for 12 yards in the 34-10 win. The veteran running back’s fantasy value has mostly been tied to scoring touchdowns this season, making him extremely matchup dependent thanks to changes along Detroit’s offensive line.
On the surface, Montgomery should have more space to operate in Week 5 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Cincinnati has struggled with Jake Browning under center, which should lead to a positive game script. Historically, this has led to a big rushing volume for Montgomery.
Montgomery should be considered a low-end RB2 heading into the week, but he can finish as a low-end RB1 if the game script goes in his favor.
Should I Start Chase Brown for Fantasy Football?
Brown is in the conversation for the biggest fantasy football disappointments in 2025. Brown was a revelation in 2024, finishing as the RB7 after Week 4 (when Zack Moss was injured) by averaging 18.3 PPR points per game. Brown had five weeks with 20+ fantasy points, largely thanks to his role as a high-volume, three-down back in one of the best offenses in the NFL.
The expectation entering 2025 was that he would maintain a similar role in an offense that lost no key pieces this offseason. Unfortunately, that has not been the case.
Brown currently sits as the RB33 in PPR scoring, averaging 9.4 points per game. He has just two games with 10+ fantasy points this season despite logging a 70+% snap share in three of four games. Brown is averaging just 2.3 yards per carry this season with one rushing touchdown.
An injury to Joe Burrow certainly hasn’t helped Brown find running lanes, but the Bengals' offensive line has struggled this year as well. The Bengals are last among NFL teams in yards before contact (1.1) and explosive rush rate (2.6%) this season.
Brown should be considered a low-end/fringe RB2 based purely on volume. He has handled at least 10 carries and at least three targets in every game this season. However, Week 5’s opponent, the Detroit Lions, is one of the best run defenses in the NFL this season. They are the third-best defense against the run in expected points added (-20.5) and are sixth in stuff rate (25.5%).
If you have better options on your bench despite bye weeks and injuries, this may be a good week to start them over Brown. At the very least, he will get enough volume to have a chance of finding his way into your fantasy lineup in Week 5.
Who Should I Start Tool
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Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 5 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like Chase Brown, JK Dobbins, David Montgomery. 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 - Chase Brown, JK Dobbins, David Montgomery. 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 Chase Brown, JK Dobbins, David Montgomery compared to others:
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