October 8, 2016

Jason Bales' week five DraftKings lineup picks. Daily fantasy football sleepers, value picks and lineups advice for DraftKings DFS games and tournaments.

Welcome to RotoBaller's Daily Fantasy football DraftKings lineup picks for Week 5 of the NFL season. In this article, I, Jason Bales, will be taking you, the reader, through the best DraftKings DFS plays of the week for this upcoming Sunday.

These DraftKings lineup recommendations are based on matchups, recent performances, overall upside/talent levels, and other factors such as Vegas odds, home field advantage, and more. There are still quite a few great value plays available, so read on to find out which players are the best for Week 5. Good luck with your DraftKings DFS lineups!

Editor's Note: If you like DraftKings, be sure to also check out FantasyAces. New users that sign up on Fantasy Aces and make a $20 deposit will receive RotoBaller's full season NFL Premium Pass for free (including Premium DFS), normally a $59.99 value. Expert DFS research, sample lineups, matchup ratings and lots more!

DraftKings Quarterbacks - Week 5 DFS Picks

Tom Brady (at CLE, $7,500)

Tom Brady is returning this week. It is all over the ESPN headlines, and he should definitely be on that good ol' reliable fantasy radar. He has yet to play a game this season, obviously, so taking a look at prior weeks will do us no good here. He is one of the best quarterbacks in the league, and he has been for years. He is not going to come out against the Cleveland Browns and disappoint. The New England Patriots have been scoring points without him, so the damage that is likely to ensue this week is tremendous. Brady will score touchdown after touchdown, looking into the camera, Goodell on his mind each time. This is a statement game for Brady, and he tends to play well in statement games. Look out, NFL. The tiger has been poked, and he is finally out of his cage.

DraftKings Running Backs - Week 5 DFS Picks

Jordan Howard (at IND, $5,200)

Jordan Howard started the season in a position battle with Jeremy Langford, but with his performance last week, he won. Head coach John Fox reported that Howard will be the workhorse for the Bears for the foreseeable future. That is great news for fantasy owners, and his price tag on DraftKings is still a little bit too low. The Indianapolis Colts' rush defense is soft, and the Bears will need a strong rushing attack, if they are going to win this game. Last week, Howard touched the ball 26 times (23 rush attempts, three receptions) for over 130 total yards. He neglected to find the end zone, but with that many touches, he will cross the goal line eventually. Use him in both 50/50 contests and tournaments this week. The job is his to lose.

DeAndre Washington (vs SD, $3,400)

DeAndre Washington has been one of the best change of pace running backs in the NFL since week one. Against the Atlanta Falcons, he rushed for 46 yards on only seven touches. Against the Tennessee Titans, he rushed for 57 yards on only six touches. Against the Baltimore Ravens, he rushed for 30 yards on only five touches. He also caught five balls over that three game time span. Now, Latavius Murray is out of the Oakland Raiders' starting lineup with a toe injury. Washington will touch the ball around 20-25 times this week, and his upside is on TERROR ALERT RED. The San Diego Chargers love to turn games into shootouts, but the Raiders will feed Washington the ball over and over again in an effort to control the clock. His price tag is a steal.

DraftKings Wide Receivers - Week 5 DFS Picks

Odell Beckham Jr. (at GB, $8,500)

Odell Beckham Jr. is constantly getting picked on for his uncontrollable temper tantrums on the field, and while that may be a hot (and hilarious - at least, in regards to his fight with a net) topic of conversation, it does not impact his fantasy value. This season, he only has 303 receiving yards on 22 receptions in four games, but do not abandon ship. This week, he gets a great matchup against the Green Bay Packers, and after announcing that he is no longer having fun playing football, he will likely return to the field and have himself some fun in the form of a boatload of receptions and possibly a touchdown or two. Beckham is easily one of the best talents in the league at his position, and his own-percentage is likely down right now, especially with everyone boarding the Julio Jones' train. Take advantage of that in tournaments.

Brandon Marshall (at PIT, $7,100)

Brandon Marshall is never included in the 'who are the best wide receivers in the league' dialog, but he probably should be. In his last two starts, he has double-digit targets in both of them, showing off how important he is to Ryan Fitzpatrick and the New York Jets' offensive game plan. So far this season, he has seen some very stiff competition, but still managed to produce over 18 fantasy points in two of his four games. The Pittsburgh Steelers are solid defensively, but this game, unlike a lot of Jets' games, should turn into a shootout. The Steelers love to score points, and if they are scoring, the Jets will be throwing. This opens up a lot of opportunity for Marshall, and his price tag is much lower than that of even Jordy Nelson or Alshon Jeffery. Use him in all formats.

DraftKings Tight Ends - Week 5 DFS Picks

Zach Ertz (at DET, $3,500)

Zach Ertz looked great week one against the Cleveland Browns, catching six of seven targets for 58 yards. Unfortunately, he injured his rib, an injury that kept him out of the last two games. He is set to return this week against the Detroit Lions, a team that does not cover the tight end very well. Ertz's price tag is down right now, but his production should not be impacted by his prior injury. He practiced in full all week long, and he is ready to go, especially coming off a bye week. The Eagles are going to look toward Ertz early and often, as Carson Wentz loves to check down when available. The Eagles' starting tight end should easily hit value, making him one of the best plays at any position this week.