Week 5 NFL Matchups Analysis: Start/Sit for Fantasy Football (Part 2)

Edward G. analyzes the Week 5 NFL matchups, and provides fantasy football start/sit advice. Set you optimal lineups with quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends & running backs.

Welcome to Week 5 of NFL and fantasy football action, RotoBallers. Each week of the NFL season, we will be breaking down each of the NFL matchups and providing you with some fantasy football advice and lineup recommendations based on matchups that we love, matchups that we hate, and some high-risk/high-reward players, as well.

Below, you will find our Week 5 NFL matchups & fantasy football start/sit analysis, which should hopefully help you prepare your lineups to win this week. It is essential to analyze the weekly NFL matchups to find lineup sleepers and gems, while also avoiding those players who may turn out to be busts. 

To read about the rest of this week’s NFL matchups, check out Start/Sit &  Matchups Analysis for Games 1-7 and our Week 5 Standard and PPR Rankings And of course you can always stop by the RotoBaller chat rooms for any live advice you may need.

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) rankings
• Quarterback (QB) rankings
• Tight end (TE) rankings
• Defense (D/ST) rankings
• Kicker (K) rankings
• FLEX rankings
• Dynasty rankings

Bills @ Lions - Sunday 10/5, 1:00 PM EST

Matchups We Love

Matthew Stafford: The Bills have put up an adequate defense against the pass this season, but Stafford's points have always come from volume rather than efficiency.  He's a QB1 this week.

Golden Tate: Calvin Johnson's ankle injury has led to an increased role for the former Seahawk, and if Johnson continues to struggle, Matt Stafford will most likely look Tate's way.  Tate is a high-end flex/low-end WR2 this week.

C.J. Spiller: He's seeing consistent usage in the Buffalo offense this season, and he's still a home run threat every time he touches the ball.  The Lions defense is good, but Spiller is still an RB2 this week.

Matchups We Hate

Reggie Bush: He's behind Isaiah Crowell in points scored this season in standard formats... and Crowell's had his bye already.  While the injury to Joique Bell means that Bush may see an uptick in usage, the Lions running game hasn't been great this year.  You can probably do better in the flex this week.

Kyle Orton: If you're considering starting Orton, you should probably take a step back and consider the choices you've made in your life and how they've brought you to this point.

Fred Jackson: While his receptions may make him more valuable in PPR leagues, Jackson's clearly the number two option in Buffalo against a stingy Lions front seven.  Pass on him this week.

High Risk, High Reward

Eric Ebron: Ebron's workload has increased with the injury to Joseph Fauria and he scored his first touchdown last week against the Jets. He could be an up-and-comer, or he could be a flash in the pan this season.

Other Matchups

Sammy Watkins: He's been a decent flex option with EJ Manuel under center, and Kyle Orton could be an improvement.  Emphasis on "could."  He's still a decent enough flex play this week, but don't expect much more than that.

Ravens @ Colts - Sunday 10/5, 4:25 PM EST

Matchups We Love

Andrew Luck: He has eight touchdown passes in the last two games versus one interception.  Start him, call Pharrell Williams and Daft Punk, and see if they'd be interested in playing a set for you in front of this week's opponent.

Steve Smith, Sr.: He's thriving in Baltimore (No. 3 WR in fantasy through four weeks), and he's not yet failed to put up 70 yards in a game.

Ahmad Bradshaw: Somehow, Bradshaw is the fourth-highest scoring RB in fantasy this season.  Somehow, the Colts have failed to realize this and give Bradshaw half the carries that Trent Richardson sees.  He's a good start at RB this week, but no higher than RB2 against the tough Ravens defense.

Matchups We Hate

Trent Richardson: Richardson sports a horrifying 3.3 yards per carry.  You may be tempted to start him based on his first double-digit game last week, but don't be fooled.

Colts wide receivers: Andrew Luck is like Drew Brees.  Both are incredibly talented quarterbacks, and both love to throw the ball to about 20 separate targets per game.  I'm pretty sure Chris Pratt's caught a touchdown pass from Luck this season, but Luck's top two fantasy receivers this season have caught one touchdown between them.

Ravens running backs: Is Bernard Pierce back?  If he is, Baltimore now has three backs in the stable, and nobody really knows how touches will be distributed.  Steer well clear of the RBBC unless you're in a PPR league in which case Forsett is flex'able.

High Risk, High Reward

Dwayne Allen: He's scored three touchdowns this season, but the Ravens defense is pretty stingy against tight ends.  In other news, I feel like I just need to bind "hope for a touchdown from this tight end, he's no Jimmy Graham," to Ctrl+T or something.  It'd save me a ton of time.

Other Matchups

Joe Flacco: Whatever his playoff bonafides, he's never been a great fantasy option.  There are better options than Flacco, but there're also worse ones.

Steelers @ Jaguars - Sunday 10/5, 4:25 PM EST

Matchups We Love

Antonio Brown: Typically, I try to avoid hyperbole when evaluating fantasy players, but if I were to be knocked out until Monday and you told me Brown had 400 yards receiving and eight touchdowns against the Jaguars, I'd probably say "yeah, that sounds about right."

Le'Veon Bell: Bell is one of the few consistent scorers at running back so far this season, and, you know, Jacksonville.

Ben Roethlisberger: I wouldn't usually recommend the 14th-ranked QB in fantasy that highly, but it's the Jags.  It may feel like I'm picking on Jacksonville, but I do it out of love.  Their defense makes anyone starting against them a goldmine.  I love owning those players.

Matchups We Hate

The Jacksonville Jaguars: I don't feel like there's anything else I can say without being cruel at this point.  Don't start them.

High Risk, High Reward

Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson: OK, OK, the Jags do at least have Hurns and Robinson.  You can trot them out this week and hope they go for 20+, but bear in mind they could also go for less than 5.

Other Matchups

Heath Miller: Please don't make me write it again.  I'm starting to hear voices in my head, and all they say is "hoooooope for a toooooooooouchdown," like a forgotten Scooby-Doo villain.

Cardinals @ Broncos - Sunday 10/5, 4:25 PM EST

Matchups We Love

Peyton Manning: Do not let yourself get psyched out by Arizona's legit defense.  He's still Peyton.

Julius Thomas: The rare tight end exception, and a breath of fresh air at this point.  He's scored five touchdowns this season; you're starting him.

Andre Ellington: Denver's run defense hasn't been stellar this season, and Ellington's had a bye week to heal up.  Play him as your RB2 this week.

Michael Floyd: He disappeared in Week 2, but in his other two contests, he's had 119 and 113 receiving yards.  He's a legit deep threat and a solid option at WR2 or flex.

Matchups We Hate

Arizona's Quarterback: It's either the uninspiring Drew Stanton or a less-than-100% Carson Palmer.  Play someone else this week.

Montee Ball: He's been unimpressive so far this season, and his game against the Seahawks may portend another no-show against a similarly talented defense.

Larry Fitzgerald: Age is hitting this Cardinals great, and with the iffy options at quarterback, it's worth looking elsewhere to fill your WR slot this week.

Wes Welker: Even without the concussion risk, Welker falls at around number four in the Broncos pecking order.  It may be time to move on from the diminutive dynamo.

High Risk, High Reward

Demaryius Thomas: It would've been unfathomable to find Thomas here around draft day, but he's been uncharacteristically quiet this season.  The recent production says bust, but history says he's a star.  It's up to you which way you think he's going.

Other Matchups

Emmanuel Sanders: He's yet to find the end zone, but he's producing on yards alone.  He may not be Peyton's favorite red zone target, but you can expect solid yardage out of him.