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Disaster Recovery Week 5 - Studs Turned Duds

Welcome to Disaster Recovery, where each week I'll examine why your studs played like duds. This isn't a place to find out why you should have benched a player for somebody on your bench. Disaster Recovery is to examine the guys who you didn't think twice about benching, and deciding if you should be panicking at all about their value moving forward.

The players covered in this column will usually have to be in the RotoBaller top-10 at their respective positions, but it may vary depending on the status of the players each week.

Week 5 saw plenty of studs play like studs, but we did see some surprisingly poor performances from some of this season's best fantasy options.

Editor's Note: The FFPC Baby Gorilla Tournament is now open, featuring a $100,000 grand prize and a $675,450 total prize pool! This 12-team, Tight End Premium contest uses a 20-round draft format, with the overall winners determined by total points scored during Weeks 15–17. Get $25 to use toward your first entry by signing up through our link. Grab your team now! Sign Up Now!

 

Week 5 Duds

Todd Gurley (RB, LAR) (#4 RB)

What Happened: Gurley ran 14 times for 43 yards and added two receptions for seven yards in a low-scoring loss to the Seahawks.

How Did It Happen: Gurley came close to scoring a touchdown early in the game, but Earl Thomas swatted the ball out of hands and through the back of the end zone, resulting in a safety. Gurley didn't receive as much volume as he usually does and the Rams offense was finally slowed down after four impressive showings to open the season.

Panic Meter: LowTodd Gurley had 596 total yards and seven total touchdowns in his first four games this season. He was due for a dud at some point. His 16 touches this week was his lowest of the season. Even with Tavon Austin rushing for a touchdown out of the backfield, owners should not be concerned about Gurley's volume moving forward. He's going to get fed. I'm not sure how often he'll be able to replicate what he did over the last two weeks, but numbers closer to the first two weeks of the season are very doable as the season moves along. There's no reason to panic on Todd Gurley.

 

Jordy Nelson (WR, GB) (#2 WR)

What Happened: Nelson caught two of his four targets for 24 yards and a touchdown.

How Did It Happen: Nelson was held out of the final drive due to an injury evaluation, paving the way for Davante Adams to score the game winning touchdown. His four targets are his lowest in almost a year, excluding Week 2 of this season. Even in a bad game, Nelson still managed to save himself from complete disaster by scoring a late game touchdown.

Panic Meter: Low. Similar to Gurley, Nelson was due for a slow game, but the fact that he was held out of the final drive due to an injury gives me a little pause. Nelson missed almost the entirety of the Packers' Week 2 matchup due to a thigh injury and is only two years removed from missing the entire 2015 season. He's a 32 -year-old playing in his 10th NFL season. By no means am I benching a healthy Nelson, but we need to hope that this week's injury is just a minor tweak and nothing that will continue to nag him as the season moves along.

 

Mike Evans (WR, TB) (#1 WR)

What Happened: Evans caught five of his eight targets for 47 yards on Thursday night.

How Did It Happen: Four different Tampa Bay players caught five passes and eight total players had receptions in Week 5. Winston was giving everybody a shot, and Evans found himself sharing the workload with a couple different guys.

Panic Meter: Medium. The good news is that even in a game where DeSean Jackson and Cameron Brate both received nine targets, Evans still managed to get eight passes thrown his way. He's yet to receive less than eight targets in a game this season. He's going to have a nice floor moving forward.

Here's the bad news: Mike Evans is on pace for 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns this season. That's fine for a normal receiver, but not for a guy who was viewed as a consensus first round pick. Evans has failed to eclipse 70 yards in each of his past three games. He hasn't crossed the 100 yard mark or had multiple touchdowns in his last nine games. He's never a bad play due to his high floor and his red zone capabilities, but it doesn't look like he's going to be the dominant WR1 most expected him to be.

 

Carlos Hyde (RB, SF) (#8 RB)

What Happened: Hyde ran eight times for 11 yards and added a reception for seven yards in Week 5.

How Did It Happen: Backup Matt Breida took the bulk of the carries, running 10 times for 49 yards in addition to 22 yards receiving. Hyde was banged up entering the game, but both Hyde and Kyle Shanahan insisted that he was healthy, with Shanahan saying that he chose to ride the hot hand in Week 5.

Panic Meter: Medium. I'm cautiously optimistic on this whole situation. Hyde has ran well for the most part this season. His monster performances in Weeks 2 and 3 show that he can be a RB1 at times. Even as Matt Breida's carries rise, Kyle Shanahan managed his timeshare running backs well in Atlanta, and I find it hard to believe that Hyde wouldn't play the Devonta Freeman role should they split the carries a bit this season. Hyde was the only 49er running back to receive a carry inside the five, and I still believe he'll receive the goal line touches all season long. The only reason the concern here is medium is because games like this have happened to Shanahan's starting running backs in the past. Hyde's upside is still too high for him to be benched in most leagues.

 

More Week 6 Lineup Prep




REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Corey Seager

Expected to Return This Weekend
Bo Nix

Expected to Have More of a Role in Minicamp
Jaylen Waddle

Sean Payton has "Crystal Clear" Vision for Versatile Jaylen Waddle
Alvin Kamara

Hasn't Talked Pay Cut, "No Beef" With Saints
George Pickens

Brian Schottenheimer Expects George Pickens to Return for Mandatory Minicamp
Kendrick Law

Rookie Receiver Kendrick Law Suffers Torn ACL
Jahmyr Gibbs

Dan Campbell Expects Jahmyr Gibbs to be "Bellcow" in 2026
Ben Sinnott

Can Dynasty Managers Comfortably Drop Ben Sinnott?
Sam Darnold

Superstar Receiver Boosts Sam Darnold's Dynasty Value
Justin Fields

Has Short-Term Upside in Dynasty Fantasy Football
Dallas Goedert

New Opportunity to Buy Low on Dallas Goedert in Dynasty Leagues
Christian Watson

Packers Sign Christian Watson to a Four-Year Extension
Lucas Erceg

Royals to Mix and Match in Ninth With Lucas Erceg Struggling
Theo Johnson

Has Theo Johnson Become a Dynasty Steal After Market Overcorrection?
Kyle Monangai

Can Kyle Monangai Live Up to the Growing Dynasty Hype?
Amon-Ra St. Brown

Can Amon-Ra St. Brown Reach an Even Higher Ceiling?
Jerry Jeudy

Can Jerry Jeudy Provide Low-Cost Dynasty Depth?
Jonathan Toews

Expected to Retire
Skyler Bell

Is Skyler Bell One of the Safest Picks in the Later Rounds of Dynasty Rookie Drafts?
Anders Lee

Set to Hit Open Market
TB

Jon Cooper Wins First Jack Adams Trophy
De'Aaron Fox

Struggles Again Wednesday Night
Dylan Harper

Turns Heads in Finals Opener
Stephon Castle

Close to Double-Double in Game 1 Loss to Knicks
Victor Wembanyama

Notches 26 Points in Finals Debut
Josh Hart

Grabs 15 Rebounds in Game 1 Win Over Spurs
Karl-Anthony Towns

Opens Finals With Double-Double
Jalen Brunson

Scores Game-High 30 Points in Finals Opener
Josh Sweat

Cardinals Won't Trade Josh Sweat
Mac Jones

Not Throwing Due to "Soreness"
Aaron Judge

to Undergo Additional Imaging
Adonai Mitchell

Chemistry With New Jets QB is Growing
Darnell Washington

Steelers, Darnell Washington Agree to Four-Year Extension
Micah Parsons

Eyeing a Mid-October Return After Having Another Knee Surgery
Ketel Marte

Out on Wednesday With Back, Hamstring Injuries
Mitchell Robinson

is Available for Game 1 on Wednesday
Kawhi Leonard

Unlikely to be Traded
Chicago Bulls

Bulls Host Potential Lottery Picks for Workout
Washington Wizards

Wizards Considering Trading Down in Draft
Corbin Burnes

has Teres Major Strain, Unlikely to Return Until September
Rickie Fowler

Looks To Continue Resurgent Season At Memorial
CFB

Can Eric Singleton Jr. Fully Break Out at Third School?
CFB

Katin Houser Steps into QB1 Role for Illinois
CFB

Savion Hiter an Immediate Impact Freshman for Michigan
CFB

Isaiah Horton Set to Take Over KC Concepcion's Role
CFB

UCLA Transfer Karson Gordon Signs with Austin Peay
CFB

Will Muschamp Bringing New Intensity to Texas Practices
Gary Woodland

Brings Boom-or-Bust Potential to Memorial
Jordan Spieth

Still Searching for a Breakthrough
Alex Smalley

Brings Elite Form to Memorial Tournament
Justin Rose

Looks to Recapture Memorial Tournament Success
Cameron Young

Looks to Get Back to His Contending Ways at Murifield Village
Chris Gotterup

Needs to Find Fairways at Muirfield Village
Si Woo Kim

Looks to Stay Hot at Memorial Tournament
Matt Fitzpatrick

Positioned for Success at Muirfield Village
Jalen Chatfield

Records Two Assists in Tuesday's Loss
Keegan Bradley

Looking for Another Strong Finish at Muirfield
Nikolaj Ehlers

Nets Two Goals in Game 1 Loss to Golden Knights
Shea Theodore

Notches Three Points in Game 1 Win
Brayden McNabb

Sets Up Three Goals in Game 1 Win Over Hurricanes
Justin Thomas

is an Exciting Play This Week in Ohio
Brett Howden

Starts Finals With Multi-Point Effort
Scottie Scheffler

Looks to Win Memorial Tournament for Third Consecutive Year
Tomas Hertl

Scores Game-Winner in Finals Opener
Rory McIlroy

Looking for Better Performance at Muirfield Village
Drake Baldwin

Could Return During Braves Next Homestand
Garrett Crochet

Diagnosed With Low-Grade Lat Strain
Russell Henley

Coming to Ohio on the Heels of Latest Victory
Tommy Fleetwood

Looking for Better Iron Play at Memorial Tournament
Patrick Cantlay

Looks to Continue Dominance at Muirfield Village
Ludvig Aberg

a Great Fit for Muirfield Village
Isaiah Hartenstein

Hopeful to Stay with Oklahoma City
Luguentz Dort

Wants to Remain with Thunder
Mitchell Robinson

is Questionable for Game 1
Moussa Diabaté

Moussa Diabate Has Contract Guaranteed for 2026-2027 Season
Oso Ighodaro

Gets Guaranteed Contract for Next Season
NAS

Chris MacFarland Joins Predators as President and General Manager
VAN

Canucks Name Manny Malhotra as New Head Coach
Brendan Gallagher

to Leave Canadiens This Offseason
Patrik Laine

Looking Forward to Free Agency
Jeremy Lauzon

Returns to Action Tuesday
Zach Werenski

Wins 2025-26 Norris Trophy
Aaron Judge

Out on Tuesday With Rib/Shoulder Injury
Josh Hader

Set to Return from Injured List on Tuesday
CFB

SEC Coach Calls Buster Faulkner a "Home-Run Hire"
CFB

Auburn a Sleeper in the SEC Under Alex Golesh?
CFB

Noah Fifita Primed for Strong 2026 Campaign
CFB

Oregon Assistant Coach Charged with DUII, Reckless Driving
CFB

Tight End Nick Pollack Commits to Clemson
Akshay Bhatia

Needs the Driver to be True in Ohio
Aaron Rai

Primed to take on the Memorial Tournament
J.J. Spaun

Rebounded at Charles Schwab Challenge
Xander Schauffele

One to Watch This Week in Ohio
Elly De La Cruz

to Miss 2-4 Weeks of Action
Chase Burns

is Scratched Due to Illness
Deiveson Figueiredo

Suffers Second-Round Submission Loss
Song Yadong

Gets Second-Round Submission Win
Zhang Mingyang

Suffers Back-To-Back Losses
Alonzo Menifield

Gets Back In The Win Column
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Sergei Pavlovich

Scores First-Round Knockout Win
Cameron Smotherman

Suffers Third Loss In A Row
Edwin Arroyo

Reds Promote Top Infield Prospect Edwin Arroyo, Viewed as Priority Pick Up Ahead of MLB Debut
Kai Asakura

Earns His First UFC Win
Elly De La Cruz

Placed on IL with Right Hamstring Tightness
Denny Hamlin

Earns the first Nashville Cup Series Victory of his Career on Sunday
Christopher Bell

Finishes as the Runner-Up at Nashville
Chase Briscoe

Earns First Career Podium Finish at Nashville
Ryan Blaney

Scores A Solid Top-10 Finish at Nashville
Kyle Larson

Top-10 Streak at Nashville Ends after Late Flat Tire Spin
Elly De La Cruz

Exits with Hamstring Tightness
Tyler Reddick

Is One of the Top Favorites to Win at Nashville
Kyle Larson

May Continue his Top-10 Consistency at Nashville this week
Christopher Bell

Is One of the Top Competitors for the Win at Nashville
Chase Briscoe

Is A Must Start for Nashville DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

has Plenty of Upside for Nashville DFS Lineups
William Byron

Is William Byron A Playable DFS Option for Nashville Lineups?
Carson Hocevar

Is Likely to have Another Solid Result at Nashville
NASCAR

Should Fantasy Players Roster Bubba Wallace at Nashville?
Chris Buescher

Is A Decent All-Around DFS Option for Nashville Lineups
Daniel Suarez

is Likely to Drop Positions during the Cracker Barrel 400
Garrett Crochet

Suffers Setback, Likely to Undergo MRI for Lat Tightness
Denny Hamlin

Could Denny Hamlin Dominate at Nashville?
Ryan Blaney

Is a DFS Tournament Option at Nashville
Ty Gibbs

Don't Overlook Ty Gibbs at Nashville
Joey Logano

Could Show Life at Nashville
Ross Chastain

Needs a Good Run at Nashville
Chet Holmgren

Fails to Step Up in the Season Finale
Cason Wallace

Ends Postseason with Strong Showing
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Caps MVP Season with Game 7 Exit
Stephon Castle

Continues Postseason Run with 16 Points
Julian Champagnie

Shines in Series-Clinching Win
Lane Hutson

Posts a Power-Play Assist in Game 5 Loss
Cole Caufield

Nets a Power-Play Goal in Season-Ending Loss
Seth Jarvis

Closes Out East Finals With Multi-Point Game
Logan Stankoven

Notches Three Points in Big Game 5 Win
Taylor Hall

Racks Up Three Points in Series-Clinching Win
Frederik Andersen

Remains Stellar as Hurricanes Clinch Finals Berth
Jacob Gonzalez

is Heading to the Big Leagues
Munetaka Murakami

Exits with Hamstring Tightness
Eury Pérez

Eury Perez is Placed on 15-Day Injured List
Deiveson Figueiredo

Set For UFC Macau Main Event
MMA

Yadong Song Returns At UFC Macau
Alonzo Menifield

An Underdog At UFC Macau
Zhang Mingyang

Set For UFC Macau Co-Main Event
Tallison Teixeira

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF