Pierre Camus's Monday Night Football (MNF) matchups analysis and lineup starts/sits for Week 5 of the 2016 NFL season. Players to target or avoid for fantasy football lineups.

It's time for the Week 5 installment of Monday night matchups with my start/sit recommendations. This week, division rivals clash as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers travel to Charlotte, NC to challenge the Carolina Panthers.

Each week of the NFL season, we will be breaking down every game and providing you with some fantasy football advice and lineup recommendations based on matchups that we love, matchups that we hate, and injury information as well. Later this week, you will find parts one and two of our Week 5 NFL matchups, which should help you prepare your lineups to win this week. It’s 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.

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• 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

Bucs @ Panthers - Monday 10/10 @ 8:30 PM EST

Matchups We Love

Mike Evans (WR, TB) - The Panthers' secondary has been a weakness in the early going. Evans should be able to take advantage in this game, given his continual high volume of targets. Evans has been targeted a whopping 50 times in four games, coming away with at least five catches in each and a touchdown in three of those games. There is no reason to think he won't feast on Monday night.

Cameron Brate (TE, TB) - Make Cameron Brate Again! The third-year man is now the starter in Tampa and is starting to flirt with low-end TE1 status. Brate scored two TD in Week 3 and secured five catches each of the last two weeks for a combined 113 yards. Carolina has given up four TD to tight ends already this year and Brate could extend that streak.

Derek Anderson (QB, CAR) - Filling in for the reigning MVP is a tall order, but Anderson may be on the big stage at the right time. The last two times he was tasked with starting for Carolina, they were both wins against Tampa Bay in 2014. The Bucs have allowed the fifth-most fantasy PPG to opposing quarterbacks this season. Anderson, once a Pro Bowl QB who passed for 3,787 yards and 29 TD for Cleveland back in 2007, is one of the most capable backups in the league. Jonathan Stewart remains out, so the Panthers will rely on the passing game once again to generate offense.

Greg Olsen (TE, CAR) - Stewart is out, Ginn is questionable, Funchess has been ineffective. Enter Mr. Reliable - Greg Olsen. He is still among the top tight ends in the league with 335 yards and a pair of touchdowns in four games. After Cam Newton went down in Atlanta, Derek Anderson immediately sought Olsen out for a touchdown pass. He should rely heavily on him again this week. Olsen is a strong TE1 for this week and beyond.

Matchups We Hate

Ted Ginn (WR, CAR) - It has been Ginn, not second-year man Devin Funchess, who is Carolina's WR2 at this point in the season. Ginn has 132 receiving yards on the season, compared to just 84 for Funchess. Ginn is questionable with a foot injury, however, and may not see the field at all. Even so, Ginn would see a heavy dose of Brent Grimes, who still has lock-down ability at times. The unreliable Ginn is not worth consideration this week.

Vincent Jackson (WR, TB) - It appears as if Father Time has caught up with Jackson. At age 33, he has lost a step or two and it has shown. Jackson is posting a lowly 44.4% Catch% so far and the former deep threat has just 11.4 Y/R. Never known as a speed burner, Jackson is yet to score a touchdown and isn't making his presence felt in the red zone either. He has become a TD-dependent WR4 at best.
Notable Players

Kelvin Benjamin (WR, CAR) - Benjamin's production has been highly unpredictable. He should be able to take advantage of a matchup with rookie Vernon Hargreaves, but concerns about Carolina's overall offense productivity should be noted. The Panthers will be without their starting QB or RB and are still missing a big play threat opposite Benjamin at the WR2 spot. Benjamin should be a focal point of the offense, but he will also be targeted by the defense as well. His red zone effectiveness makes him a WR2 each week.

Jameis Winston (QB, TB) - This week represents a good chance for Winston to break out of his recent mini-slump. After a huge four-TD performance to start the year, Famous Jameis has a 4/7 TD/INT ratio since then. Carolina's defense has been generous against the pass, but given the depth at QB these days, the turnover-prone Winston can't be recommended as anything more than a QB2 in deep leagues.

Key Injuries: Cam Newton (QB, CAR) - out, Jonathan Stewart (RB, CAR) - out, Ted Ginn Jr. (WR, CAR) - questionable, Doug Martin (RB, TB) - out, Charles Sims (RB, TB) - doubtful