It’s easy to let your DraftKings FLEX spot be left up to the amount of salary remaining after you fill out the rest of the squad. That’s the ‘flex-by-default’ strategy, and the purpose of this Week Five DraftKings DFS article is to help you avoid it. You can and should use the FLEX spot to strengthen and diversify your daily league lineups for Week 5 of the NFL season.

A couple of thoughts: 1) You don’t have to spend all the salary cap. A better player in a better situation may force you to leave a few hundred salary cap dollars on the table. Force yourself to roster the best lineup, even if it fails to use the whole cap. 2) As a scientist, I like to use players for which I can build a case based on multiple pieces of evidence. I look at things like opportunities, efficiency, opponent and game flow to start my research. I want as many players that are positive in all categories as I can fit. Having an idea of the players I want before I work with salaries helps me with #1 too.

Editor's Note: If you like DraftKings, then 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!

 

Week 5 DraftKings FLEX Options - Daily Fantasy Football Picks

Use this list as your flex cheat sheet; if a player is on here, there’s good reason to roster him in your last spot.

I assume that you have $6,500 or less to work with for this final spot on the roster. I also assume you’ll arrange accordingly so that the player with the latest game start is in the flex in case you should need to swap someone out.

 

Safe Options - Week 5 DraftKings Lineup Picks

Jordan Howard - $5,200

I’m probably not using a third running back in my flex spot this weekend as there are very few I trust. Howard is one of them though. I said last week that he had the talent and opportunity to shine, but faced a tough rushing matchup with the Detroit Lions. He made it look easy. I can’t wait to see what he does this weekend against the Colts, who have allowed over 150 total yards per game and six touchdowns to opposing backs this season.

Steve Smith Sr. - $5,300

Until Smith keels over, he’s Joe Flacco’s favorite target and a solid PPR play. He’s seen 11 targets in each of the past two games. Baltimore is the home favorite with a decent implied team total of 24 points, which is high enough to think Smith has a good chance to score again too.

Terrance West - $4,800

I can’t believe I’m writing up two Ravens this week, but it looks like West will be the primary back in a time share with rookie Kenneth Dixon ($3,600) debuting this week. West was terrific against the Raiders in Week 4, but gets the leagues best rushing matchup with the Washington Redskins this time around. The volume—I think he’ll be in the 15-20 touch range—and matchup (532 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns allowed) make West a safe RB2 or flex play.

 

Upside Options - Week 5 DraftKings Lineup Picks

Eddie Royal - $4,200

Kevin White has moved to IR and both Royal and Zach Miller are banged up, which might direct you straight to Alshon Jeffrey. However, if you need to save some salary and if Royal returns to practice, he’ll enter a nice role in Brian Hoyer’s pass heavy offense. Maybe he won’t catch 100% of the passes thrown his way again, but Royal could smash his value in a game with very little passing defense.

Tajae Sharpe - $4,400

Pre-season/Week 1 darling Sharpe has fallen from the minds and hearts of fantasy players, but a resurgence could be in order for the rookie receiver. Receivers have averaged 200/1 against Miami so far this season, and Sharpe is the #1 guy for the Titans. Marcus Mariota is not a stud quarterback by any means, but getting a healthy Sharpe more involved should be top priority this weekend.

 

Value Options - Week 5 DraftKings Lineup Picks

Zach Ertz - $3,500

Returning to action in the matchup I can’t get enough of is Philly’s favorite tight end. Ertz emerged as an elite pass-catching tight end last year, and started the season strong before suffering the rib/collarbone injury in Week 1. Detroit is a terrific passing matchup, as we saw last week with the Chicago Bears value plays (e.g. another Zach, Miller). Six of the 12 passing touchdowns allowed by the Lions this year have gone to tight ends.

Robert Woods - $3,900

Buffalo isn’t an offense I’m scrambling to get a piece of, especially in what should be a defensive showdown, but when a team’s number one wide receiver is priced under $4K and getting 8-10 targets per game, I’m taking notice. Woods is arguably a safe play in PPR formats given his target volume. I’m comfortable using him in all formats this week.