Who Should I Start for Fantasy Football Week 5? Zach Charbonnet, Justice Hill, Rico Dowdle, Trevor Etienne, Brashard Smith, Kareem Hunt, Kendre Miller, Chris Rodriguez Jr., Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill had his best game of the 2025 season in Week 4, recording 117 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns on eight touches. Hill has just eight carries through four games this season and should not be expected to steal much rushing work away from Ravens RB1 Derrick Henry.

However, Hill has 12 catches for 107 yards and a touchdown on 15 targets, and appears locked in as the team's primary passing-downs back. With Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (hamstring) potentially facing a multi-week absence and the team's defense struggling, Baltimore could be chasing points more frequently over its next few games than in years past.

That would unquestionably be a good thing for Hill's fantasy outlook. He profiles as a low-end flex option in PPR leagues heading into a Week 5 matchup against the Houston Texans.

Carolina Panthers running back and former Dallas Cowboy, Rico Dowdle, is set to be the lead back in the Panthers' backfield in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins, with Chubba Hubbard (calf) ruled out for Week 5.

Hubbard is considered week-to-week, so Dowdle isn't expected to be a hot commodity for a season-long play, but he immediately rises in the Week 5 ranks and becomes a top-25 running back against the Dolphins defense, which allows the seventh most fantasy points to the running back position.

Dowdle is no slouch either; last year with the Cowboys, he accumulated 1,328 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns. Rookie running back Trevor Etienne becomes the team's RB2 and should also be in line for additional carries.

Carolina Panthers rookie running back Trevor Etienne is seemingly set to see some additional touches in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins, with Chuba Hubbard (calf) ruled out for Week 5.

Etienne saw his snap percentage and workload increase in Week 4 with the Panthers getting blown out by the Patriots 42-13, but now with Hubbard out, Rico Dowdle will be the lead back, and Etienne will back him up. Etienne will likely see anywhere between five and 10 touches. On the season, he is averaging 4.63 YPC and has 37 rushing yards with one reception.

He did have a fumble in Week 3 on his only touch, which happened on a kick return. In deeper leagues, he might be worth a stash in case he breaks out during his limited opportunities and starts to challenge the team a bit to give him more touchdowns down the stretch.

Kansas City Chiefs rookie running back Brashard Smith is gaining more trust in the coaching staff as he produces on the field. "He's willing to listen, very humble kid, and works hard," head coach Andy Reid said.

It's become clear that the Chiefs are looking for more ways to use Smith to jumpstart their struggling backfield in 2025. Although Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt are still very much involved, Smith's rise is certainly bad news for them. The 22-year-old had four carries for nine yards and caught three of his four targets for 27 yards in the Week 4 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, seeing a season-high 19 offensive snaps in the process.

While the production doesn't exactly jump off the page, Smith is a name worth watching in fantasy leagues. If you're desperate for RB depth, he might even be worth a pickup off the waiver wire heading into the team's Week 5 tilt against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday night.

New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller rushed for 65 yards on 11 carries and scored a touchdown in Sunday's 31- 19 loss to the Buffalo Bills. He failed to command a target in the passing game. Alvin Kamara predictably led this backfield in touches.

Still, for the second straight game, Miller garnered a larger snap share, and he's looked much better off this season when given the opportunity. Kamara played an absurdly high rate of snaps in Weeks 1 and 2, but his rushing volume has tapered off since, while Miller is on the field for roughly a third of the team's snaps. It's a little too early to trust the TCU product to provide standalone value.

However, if he continues stealing work from Kamara, this could become more of a 1A/1B situation than we anticipated. Miller will have a good chance to set career highs in rushing yards and touchdowns in Week 5 when New Orleans hosts the New York Giants at home.