X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Surprise Fantasy Football Studs, Duds - Real or Mirage?

Week 5 of the 2021 NFL season brought unexpected fantasy football surprises and busts. Mike Riggall analyzes overreactions to Kadarius Toney, Myles Gaskin, Hunter Henry, and more.

Week 5 of the NFL season is now in the books and as expected Justin Herbert, Lamar JacksonTom Brady, Josh Allen and Dak Prescott finished as QB1's. On the unexpected side of things Davis Mills shocked the world and threw for three touchdowns against the Patriots to finish as QB-6 and Jameis Winston carved up Washington for four touchdowns of his own to finish as QB-5. Kyle Pitts finally broke out with 119 yards and a score to finish as TE-3 while Mark Andrews was a Monday night hero with two scores of his own finishing as TE-1. Travis Kelce and Dawson Knox shined once again while Darren Waller had a down game with just four catches for 45 yards.

Mike Williams was targeted 16 times and turned that into 165 yards, two touchdowns and a WR-1 finish. Davante Adams, Ja'Marr Chase, DK Metcalf and Antonio Brown all had big games finishing as WR1's which is familiar territory for them. Kadarius Toney had another solid week finishing as WR-7, Marquez Callway finished as WR-9 off of a desperation hail Mary at the end of the first half and Robert Woods was fed the rock finishing as a top-12 WR for the first time this season.

Cordarrelle Patterson finished outside the top-10 this week, but he did score over 15 fantasy points and touched the ball 21 times which is a lot for him. Derrick Henry touched the ball less than 30 times for once (29 carries) but he still finished as RB-1 and Alvin Kamara got back involved in the Saints passing game to come in at RB-5. Both Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt finished inside the top-10 against a Chargers defense that gives up serious fantasy points to running backs and with Saquon Barkley out with an ankle injury, Devontae Booker was an RB2. Now, let's take a look at some of the outliers from Week 5 and evaluate whether they're worth a spot on your roster or in your starting lineup.

Editor's Note: Steer clear of costly draft mistakes with RotoBaller’s expert Fantasy Football Bust analysis. We break down overvalued players, potential letdowns, and risky ADPs to avoid, so you can build a smarter, safer roster.

 

Sam Darnold, Carolina Panthers

Week 5 Stats: 21-of-37 passing, 177 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT, 2 carries, 10 yards

The Eagles pass rush had Sam Darnold very uncomfortable in Week 5 and as a result, Darnold had a season-low in yards (177) and yards-per-attempt (4.8). The Eagles defense has gotten a bad rap so far this season, but in reality they've been brutal against the run, surrendering the third-most rushing yards in the league (710) while giving up just 6.6 yards-per-pass which is fourth-best in the league. Darnold ran into a tough matchup, had a bad day throwing the ball, didn't come through with his legs, and as a result he also didn't come through for fantasy.

Bottom Line: The Vikings defense struggled to start the year, but they're starting to round into form. The Vikings have given up less than 10 fantasy points to Baker Mayfield and Jared Goff over the last two weeks, so using Darnold against them in Week 6 may be a little risky.

 

Davis Mills, Houston Texans

Week 5 Stats: 21-of-29 passing, 312 yards, 3 TD, 1 carry, 2 yards

Davis Mills played well in the Texans Week 5 loss to the Patriots but a majority of his fantasy points came on two plays. Mills' longest pass of the day came on a throw to Chris Moore where there were two Patriots defenders near him after he caught the ball, but one fell down and the other overplayed him on the sideline which allowed Moore to run free down the field for the score. Mills also connected with Chris Conley for a touchdown off of a flea-flicker which had the Patriots defense fooled.

Bottom Line: The Texans play the Colts in Week 6 who have been starting to figure things out on defense a little bit, but they were absolutely torn apart by Lamar Jackson in the second half of Monday night football in Week 5. Mills is a viable option in 2-QB leagues but other than that you would have to be really desperate to use him.

 

Kadarius Toney, N.Y. Giants

Week 5 Stats: 1 carry, 7 yards, 13 targets, 10 catches, 189 yards

Kadarius Toney played just 54.4% of the Giants offensive snaps in Week 5, but he was ejected from the game in the fourth quarter which cost him some playing time. Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, Kenny Golladay and Saquon Barkley were all injured before or during the Giants Week 5 game against the Cowboys and Toney was the best playmaker left standing which resulted in a massive workload.

Bottom Line: Kadarius Toney is an absolute baller and as long as he remains in the Giants starting lineup he can be trusted in your lineups. Monitor Toney's situation though, because he may be suspended by the league for throwing a punch on Sunday.

 

Chris Moore, Houston Texans

Week 5 Stats: 5 targets, 5 catches, 109 yards, 1 TD

After playing just two offensive snaps through the first four weeks of the season, Chris Moore played 62.7% in Week 5, taking over for the recently-released Anthony Miller. Moore had a 67-yard touchdown catch where he caught a deep throw from Davis Mills where the Patriots defenders misplayed him and he was able to run for about 41 yards untouched for a score.

Bottom Line: Chris Moore looks to have taken over as the Texans slot receiver, but this isn't exactly the best offense to support multiple fantasy-relevant wide receivers. Brandin Cooks is the only wide receiver on the Texans worth rolling out there in your lineups on a weekly basis. Moore is worth a stash in very deep leagues but you can't trust him in your lineup until he gets volume on a consistent basis.

 

Odell Beckham Jr., Cleveland Browns

Week 5 Stats: 3 targets, 2 catches, 20 yards

The Cleveland Browns put up 42 points against the Chargers in Week 5 and Odell Beckham Jr. had just two catches for 20 yards. Beckham was fifth on the Browns in targets with three, behind David Njoku (7), Donovan Peoples-Jones (6), Kareem Hunt (6) and Rashard Higgins (5). Since seeing nine targets in his return to the lineup against the Bears in Week 3, Beckham has seen his targets decline each week.

Bottom Line: Odell Beckham Jr. now has 19 targets, 9 catches, 124 yards and zero touchdowns on the season through three games played, and he's doing that without Jarvis Landry in the lineup. You cannot rely on Beckham in your starting lineups until you see him turn things around. At this point, if you're in a 10-team league with a shallow bench you can cut Beckham, but if you're in a 12-team league or a league with a deep bench you may want to hold on for a few more weeks with hopes that he's simply coming back slowly from his knee injury.

 

Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears

Week 5 Stats: 18 carries, 75 yards

After playing just 10 offensive snaps for the Bears through the first four weeks of the season, Khalil Herbert logged a season-high 53.1% in Week 5 with David Montgomery out of the lineup. Damien Williams played 48.4% of the Bears offensive snaps. The Bears went with a run-heavy approach in Week 5 and handed Damien Williams the ball 16 times compared to 18 carries for Herbert.

Bottom Line: If you're struggling at running back go out there and get Khalil Herbert off the waiver wire if he's still available because he will have a decent role as long as David Montgomery remains inactive. According to Yahoo, Herbert is only rostered in 19% of leagues so there's a chance he's still out there.

 

Myles Gaskin, Miami Dolphins

Week 5 Stats: 5 carries, 25 yards, 10 targets, 10 catches, 74 yards, 2 TD

Myles Gaskin played a season-high 68.5% of the Dolphins offensive snaps in Week 5 as the Dolphins took a very pass-heavy approach against a stingy Buccaneers defense. One week removed from a two-carry and zero-target showing, Gaskin was the most-targeted running back in fantasy football in Week 5.

Bottom Line: The Dolphins ran the ball just seven times in Week 5 and Gaskin is clearly the running back they favor on passing downs. Gaskin's Week 5 usage was game plan specific, which means you cannot rely on him for this type of production each week.

 

A.J. Dillon, Green Bay Packers

Week 5 Stats: 8 carries, 30 yards, 4 targets, 4 catches, 49 yards, 1 TD

A.J. Dillon only played 21 snaps (32.8%) in Week 5 but he touched the ball 12 times. Aaron Jones still led the way for the Packers playing 68.8% of the offensive snaps and had 18 touches. Jones seemingly disappeared for a stretch during the first half, but he's clearly still the guy in Green Bay. The Packers clearly have a package for Dillon and are using him in spurts to keep Jones fresh down the stretch.

Bottom Line: Based on his usage, A.J. Dillon is a viable flex option in fantasy leagues moving forward but he will likely be touchdown-dependent because Aaron Jones is still leading the team in snaps and touches.

 

David Njoku, Cleveland Browns

Week 5 Stats: 7 targets, 7 catches, 149 yards, 1 TD

David Njoku played 63.9% of the Browns offensive snaps in Week 5 which is about his usual complement. Njoku is a very explosive athlete and the Browns took advantage of a good matchup against a Chargers defense that's giving up the second-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends.

Bottom Line: Njoku's performance looks to be the product of the Browns game plan and he's not likely going to come through like this on a consistent basis. Prior to Week 5, Njoku had just 10 targets on the season, so don't chase the points.

 

Hunter Henry, New England Patriots

Week 5 Stats: 8 targets, 6 catches, 75 yards, 1 TD

In Week 5 Hunter Henry played a season-low 40 snaps, or 62.5% which was also a season-low. Jonnu Smith played the exact same number of snaps as Henry, but Henry ran 25 routes on Sunday compared to just eight by Smith.

Bottom Line: If you haven't already arrived at this conclusion, Hunter Henry is the Patriots tight end you should be starting on your fantasy teams, not Jonnu Smith.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
Laken Tomlinson

Confident in Texans Offensive Line
J.K. Dobbins

the Starter in Denver?
JT Woods

Seahawks Release JT Woods
Darren Waller

Trade to Miami Becomes Official
Asante Samuel Jr.

Dolphins Interested in Asante Samuel Jr.
Nyheim Hines

Seeking Return to NFL
Dak Prescott

Expects to be Full-Go for Training Camp
Ajay Mitchell

Posts 16 Points in Summer League Win on Monday
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Waived by Bucks
Brice Sensabaugh

Logs 37 points in Summer League Win on Monday
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
GG Jackson II

Collects 27 Points in Summer League Loss
Ace Bailey

Scores 18 Points in Summer League Victory
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Kobe Bufkin

Cleared for Summer League Action
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Agrees to Contract Buyout with Bucks
PGA

Sungjae Im Still a Liability at Scottish Open
James Wiseman

Pacers Bring Back James Wiseman
Ludvig Aberg

is a Solid Option at Scottish Open
Tyrese Haliburton

to Miss Entire 2025-26 Campaign
Paolo Banchero

Signs Historic Five-Year Extension with Magic
Anthony Santander

Hoping to Hit Soon
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning in Short Order
Alex Bregman

Could Return Later This Week
Ketel Marte

Day-to-Day with Groin Tightness
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Hunter Greene

Suffers Setback on Monday
Kyle Lowry

Staying With 76ers
Kyle Anderson

Lands in Utah
Kevin Love

Traded to Jazz in 3-Team Swap
Norman Powell

Traded to Miami
John Collins

Dealt to Clippers
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied For 14 at Travelers Championship
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 61 at Travelers Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Tied For 17 at Travelers Championship
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 11 at John Deere Classic
Viktor Hovland

Withdraws From Travelers Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For Second at Travelers Championship
Brian Campbell

Wins John Deere Classic
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 10 Points
Harrison Ingram

Limited on Sunday
Golden State Warriors

Isaiah Mobley Drops 16 Points
Ryan Rollins

Staying with Bucks
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Terry McLaurin

Still Not Pleased with Contract Situation
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Yu Darvish

to Make Season Debut on Monday
MLB

Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF