Jamie Calandro's Week 5 Fantasy Football Rankings: Top-3 Industry Accuracy Ranker

October 9, 2026

Fantasy football Week 5 rankings for RB, WR, TE, QB from the No. 3 most accurate ranker last year, Jamie Calandro. Read his 2026 fantasy rankings analysis and outlooks.

RotoBaller writer Jamie Calandro shares his Week 5 fantasy football lineup rankings for RB, WR, TE, and QB. Last year, Jamie finished as the third-most accurate ranker in the industry among hundreds of other industry experts! This rankings article also includes rankings analysis that will hopefully help you make some tough decisions when it comes to sit/start. Jamie is also on X @jac3600 and in our RotoBaller Discord channel, answering questions.

Regular starting options are included to highlight that some of your must-start players have a good chance of supplying winning totals. Much of the analysis helps fantasy players make the tough decisions between two or more similarly valued players.

The rankings are updated as news breaks until the full slate begins on Sunday. Following the positional advice below, you can consult the player rankings tables. The fantasy football lineup rankings analysis is based on half-PPR scoring rules.

Quarterback Rankings – Fantasy Football Week 5

Jacoby Brissett is quarterbacking in the highest-totaled game on the slate, and he's thrown the ball 87 times over the past two weeks with four TD passes. The Lions have allowed 327 YPG, which is by far the most in the league. They've also allowed the most FPPG and the fourth-highest passer rating. The only thing preventing me from ranking Brissett higher than QB7 is the whispers of Carson Beck starting to happen.

Bo Nix is the current QB19 on the season and only has 25 rushing yards, creating hopeless thoughts for all of Nix's owners. However, Sean Payton is taking over play-calling from Davis Webb, which should be instant magic. I envision Nix to Jaylen Waddle as a smoking hot tandem this week, and the rankings are going to reflect it.

Brock Purdy is someone I've streamed to 3-1 and 4-0 records this year, so I can't technically recommend sitting him. However, Seattle's defense is real and has allowed the second-fewest FPPG to opposing QBs. I would start the above-mentioned Nix and Brissett over him, as well as returning Jayden Daniels and Jordan Love.

I was a big Tyler Shough guy coming in, but he's a sit this week despite leading the league in pass attempts. The Vikings lead the league in sacks and pressure rate, and have allowed the fewest FPPG and the lowest completion percentage. ... Kyler Murray is a shaky start on the other side of the ball as well, and is missing several key offensive linemen.

Running Back Rankings – Fantasy Football Week 5

Bhayshul Tuten is someone I'm aggressively buying in all leagues. He's the current RB15 on the season but has left a LOT of points on the board due to bad luck and penalties. Tuten has all but fazed out Chris Rodriguez Jr. of any sort of timeshare and has an increased role in the passing game. Philadelphia has a lot of holes in their rush defense, and Tuten's slate-breaking game is coming.

During this writing, Kyle Monangai was ruled out for the Bears. D'Andre Swift is now going to be firmly in my top 10, and top-five is not unheard of.

Braelon Allen had a 94% snap share and took every single carry. The Browns have given up 113.2 rushing YPG and the fifth-most yards after contact. He's flirting with the top 12 for me this week. ... TreVeyon Henderson could be playing without Rhamondre Stevenson, who picked up a knee injury at the end of last week's game. If Henderson is the lead back, he should get as much run as he can against Las Vegas.

Aaron Jones Jr. has 69 touches over the last three games, and Jordan Mason is still out. Believe it or not, the Saints have now allowed the most FPPG to opposing RBs. Jones is an easy RB1 this week and has top-five upside. ... On the flip side of the ball, Alvin Kamara has a tough draw on the ground, but he had seven targets last week. Against Minnesota's blitz, that should be his floor again, which makes him a very viable option in full-PPR.

Will Shipley was a hot waiver wire commodity this week, but he starts with about the toughest matchup you can have. The Jaguars have not allowed a running back to eclipse 75 yards since the beginning of last season, and Jalen Hurts doesn't pass to RBs. I wouldn't start him unless you're destroyed by injuries.

Jeremiyah Love can't be called a sit in the ARI-DET shootout, but it has to be mentioned that he fell back into an annoying committee with Tyler Allgeier last week after being the bell cow for the previous two. He's a worrisome start, but you have to use him. Allgeier is even shakier but can be used in an absolute pinch if you're in need.

J.K. Dobbins and R.J. Harvey are both sits for me this. Sean Payton taking over the play-calling should help the Denver offense in general, but Harvey will lose a lot of the check-down work we saw with Davis Webb, and Dobbins is averaging 3.6 yards per touch. ...  David Montgomery and Woody Marks are also in a gross timeshare that needs to be avoided for now (even in a good matchup).

The Chargers are in an even worse spot, as Omarion Hampton, Keaton Mitchell, and Kimani Vidal each got 33% of the snaps (vomit). I apologize to anyone who followed me on the Hampton train.

Wide Receiver Rankings – Fantasy Football Week 5

As I said above, Jaylen Waddle is my guy this week. I think they make it a priority to feed him the ball to his heart's content after paying the draft capital they did. The Chargers have allowed the 12th-most FPPG to opposing WRs, and also the fifth-highest aDOT. I'm ranking him inside my top-20, and may even push top-15.

Zay Flowers has two top-six finishes this season, but I'm dropping him all the way to WR18 with Tyler Huntley looking like the Ravens' QB this week. You're still starting him, but expectations should be tempered. ... The Titans are bad, but Carnell Tate has 26 catches and 9.4 YPT over the past three weeks. The Texans' defense is not the feared unit we thought.

While this write-up was in process, Stefon Diggs was ruled out. Terry McLaurin will vault up the rankings if he's cleared, which is looking more and more likely. Start McLaurin aggressively in all formats, and Antonio Williams would also enter the WR2/3 conversation with Jayden Daniels set to return at QB.

Malik Washington's upside is capped because...he's a Dolphin, but he's getting a steady target share (28 on the season). This is a trend that should continue with Miami destined to play from behind almost every week, and Cincinnati's secondary is soft. ... Khalil Shakir is a high-end WR3 play this week with D.J. Moore likely to sit. He went 8-82-0 last week, and his slot usage should avoid the Rams' perimeter corners Monday night.

After Ja'Marr Chase left the game, Dohnte Meyers went 7-82-0 on a 92% snap share and nine targets. Chase has to clear concussion protocol, but I'm guessing they let him sit with the attitude that they can beat the Dolphins without him. If Chase sits, Meyers is a great FLEX play against the worst pass defense in the NFL.

Rome Odunze, like his Bears' receiving teammates, has been disappointing this year. However, he has FLEX appeal after receiving eight targets from Tyson Bagent and going 6-94-0. The Packers have allowed over 30 PPG since Micah Parsons got injured last year. ... I want to like Marvin Harrison Jr. in the track meet against Detroit, but he only has 13 targets on the year.

This is Michael Wilson's and Trey McBride's show. I guess there's a SMALL chance they target him more to showcase him for a trade, but you're taking a leap of faith there.

Tre' Harris could be an interesting option if Ladd McConkey sits, and Quentin Johnston is banged up as well. The Denver secondary is hurting right now. ... Don't fall for the Brian Thomas Jr. siren song. His target share last week was just over 8%. The TD was lucky.

Tight End Rankings – Fantasy Football Week 5

There's no one I banged the drum for louder than Colston Loveland this offseason, ranking him over Trey McBride. That hasn't remotely panned out, but there are signs of optimism. He had nine targets last week and played on 92% of snaps. It hasn't yet shown in the box score, but that usage combined with his talent has me holding out hope for him to continue to break out this year.

Last year when one of Ja'Marr Chase or Tee Higgins sat, Mike Gesicki averaged 6.2 targets per game. He should have been a waiver priority for you this week, and I'm going as far as ranking him TE7 against the hapless Fins. ... Isaiah Likely likely (ha) won't recreate his Week 1 with Jaxson Dart, but he had 12 targets last week from Jameis Winston, and the Commanders have allowed the sixth-most FPPG to TEs.

Dallas Goedert is set to return this week against Jacksonville, and should immediately be considered at top-10 TE with Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith both ruled out. Jacksonville's defense is stout against everything, but Goedert could conceivably be the top offensive option for the Eagles all game.

Kenyon Sadiq, Oronde Gadsden II, and Juwan Johnson are all streamable this week. Johnson has the toughest matchup of the three, but has been the most consistent option and is quietly the TE3 of the season.

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