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Should I start Khalil Shakir, Quentin Johnston, Stefon Diggs for Week 5? Fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks and recommendations for the 2025 NFL season.
The first set of bye weeks will take place this week, which means fantasy managers might have to rely on some players deeper on their bench. Also, add in the fact that superstar fantasy players like Lamar Jackson, CeeDee Lamb, Bucky Irving, and Chuba Hubbard will all be out this week due to different injuries.
In this article, we will see if wide receivers Khalil Shakir, Quentin Johnston, and Stefon Diggs should be started in fantasy in Week 5. All three wide receivers have played well in recent weeks and could be solid plays in this pivotal week.
So, should fantasy managers start Shakir, Johnston, and Diggs in Week 5? Where do they rank this week? Let's dive in and find out.
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Should I Start Khalil Shakir for Fantasy Football?
Shakir has been a high-floor WR3 option for fantasy managers through the first four weeks of the season. He has scored above 12 PPR fantasy points in three of four contests and has totaled over 60 receiving yards twice. However, the Bills playmaker doesn't have much of a fantasy ceiling, as he owns a subpar 16.8% target share.
Despite that, Shakir will continue to be a solid WR3 in this matchup against the Patriots in Week 5. New England is allowing just over 11 PPR fantasy points per game to opposing slot WRs, and Jakobi Meyers totaled nine catches for 97 yards against this defense while working in the slot back in Week 1.
Khalil Shakir puts on the moves for a 43-yard TD!
NOvsBUF on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/9MamPqDeHg
— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025
As a result, Shakir is a safer wide receiver option this week. He has caught a touchdown pass in back-to-back games, and this Bills versus Patriots game has one of the highest over/unders of the week (50). That's why the Bills wideout comes in as the WR29 in RotoBaller's half-PPR rankings for Week 5.
Should I Start Quentin Johnston for Fantasy Football?
At this point in the season, Johnston should be in all fantasy lineups. He has scored above 14.5 PPR fantasy points in every game this season and is coming off his best fantasy performance of the year by catching eight passes for 98 yards and one touchdown. Therefore, the Chargers playmaker will be a WR1 this week.
The stutter route from Quentin Johnston 😳
LACvsNYG on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/2S6J4KIbEl
— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025
Johnston ranks first on the team in targets (37), receiving yards (337), and touchdowns (four). Given that he is currently the WR4, fantasy managers can't possibly sit him. The Commanders have also allowed an outside WR to total over 100 receiving yards in back-to-back games. Tre Tucker (145 yards and three touchdowns) did it in Week 3, and Drake London (110 yards and one touchdown) did it last week.
That's enough to start him in all formats this weekend. He ranks top-20 at the WR position in target share (25.7%), receptions per game (5.5), end zone targets, and route participation (88.8%). The volume will continue to be there for Johnston this week, which is why he will come in as the WR12 in RotoBaller's half-PPR rankings for Week 5.
Should I Start Stefon Diggs for Fantasy Football?
Diggs has been limited on the field to begin the year, as he works his way back from a torn ACL. However, he played his most snaps of the season last week, earning a 63% snap share. That resulted in him finishing with six catches for 101 yards in last week's blowout win over the Panthers. As we head into Week 5, his snaps should only increase moving forward.
That makes him a potential flex play in 12-plus team leagues this week. Diggs will go back to Buffalo for the first time since being traded before the 2024 season. So, this is sort of a revenge game for the veteran wide receiver. Although he only has an 18.2% target share through four weeks, his 41.2% target share in Week 4 is an encouraging sign for his fantasy value.
UN. REAL.
📺: @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/AWZpDUIK79
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 8, 2023
With the Patriots and Bills game having one of the highest over/unders of the week (50), Diggs will be a nice start in fantasy this weekend. New England will have to throw to stay in this game against one of the best offenses in the NFL. The 31-year-old comes in as the overall WR30 in RotoBaller's half-PPR rankings for 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 Khalil Shakir, Quentin Johnston, and Stefon Diggs. 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 - Khalil Shakir, Quentin Johnston, and Stefon Diggs. 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 Khalil Shakir, Quentin Johnston, Stefon Diggs compared to others:
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