X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

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
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Fantasy Football Pop Quiz - Week 5 Lineup Questions

Normally I try to write this column somewhere around mid-week, usually in the vein of trying to spend some quality time with my wife, work out a reasonable amount, and get my dog to stop biting my hand long enough to tire her out. Usually it doesn't mean I wait until Thursday to meet that Friday deadline, but this week's column was the exception. By the time I had a paragraph written, we saw Andrew Luck get the Drew Brees neck-sack treatment as well as a Patriots offensive player being attended to by medical personnel. Sometimes an injury like that just sticks with you. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about "AB."

In this case, AB isn't the guy whose frustrating fantasy owners on the Steelers. Much like how Adrian Peterson wasn't "All Day", nor did his initials even match, in this case, Christion Abercrombie's nickname doesn't make much sense either (apparently it's due to the first two letters of his last name). Abercrombie doesn't even play in the NFL, instead playing at Tennessee State University. Abercrombie had five tackles and hurried the Vanderbilt quarterback in a matchup Saturday, before collapsing on the turf later on in the game. He complained of a headache. Suddenly, he was being rushed to Vanderbilt's top-of-the-line medical facilities. Abercrombie doesn't even play in the NFL, which means things like raising money for the young player have been complicated, with in fact the only GoFundMe being allowed by the NCAA is the one set up through his school. TSU worries about his eligibility when it comes to these sorts of things. His family hopes he wakes up again. The linebacker went into emergency surgery not long after complaining of that headache, and went from being unresponsive to being conscious but unresponsive, to as of the writing of this article starting to show responsive signs of brain activity as he reacts to the gospel music that his mother plays for him. There's plenty to stay updated about on the subject, and a quick search of his name will bring you hours of reading.

Abercrombie doesn't even play in the NFL, but you can quickly muster up enough stories of guys whose mortality was fingertips or moments away, though none have yet happened on an NFL field. In a week that has so many injuries, both big and small, they've become so mainlined that we forget about the much bigger deal of it all. Many of these guys will be taken care of and cared for. I feel bad for them and get tired of looking for the "next man up" the more I think about the guys who are left on the pile, but I don't carry many of those injuries around for a week thinking of what happens next. Abercrombie doesn't even play in the NFL, so he won't affect your fantasy life. But you can affect his. I encourage you to donate, even just a little, to "AB" this week.

Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers won two writing awards and received 12 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. A big congrats to our very own Byron Lindeque (Golf) and Jordan McAbee (NASCAR) for both winning Writer Of The Year awards! Be sure to follow RotoBaller's analysis and advice all year long, and win more. Win More With RotoBaller!

 

Week 5 Pop Quiz

For everyone new to this column, I'm highlighting running backs and wide receivers for the 2 and 3 slot, and a tight end slightly outside of the normal top-eight. You won't see anyone named Gurley or Beckham Jr. here, but more of guys who are likely on your bench or in some cases on waivers, and why they might be a good fit this week specifically.

 

Running Back Questions

Against all odds, should you take a look at ___________ as an RB2 now?

A: Austin Ekeler
B: Matt Breida
C: T.J. Yeldon
D:Carlos Hyde

My dad called me this week to complain about not having enough RB's, and since he's gloated so much about beating me when we face off in three weeks, I didn't want to tell him that Austin Ekeler is just sitting on his bench and he doesn't even realize it. Ekeler is only boasting a 20% start percentage, which is understandable if you're nervous about Melvin Gordon's full workload, but Ekeler looks more like a Kamara-esque pass catching backup option than he does a traditional touches-the-ball-if-the-other-guy-falls backup. He's seeing more work running the ball than catching, but he's likely to ramp up his through the air targets, and certainly continuing his trend of catching touchdowns. With two so far through the season (and none on the ground), Ekeler is still likely to average just shy of a hundred total yards a game.

And what of the Raiders? Though it's easy to remember their performance against Cleveland only for a sort of inaccurate QB shootout between Carr and Mayfield, they also allowed three touchdowns on the ground. Given that the Chargers get up early and likely keep their foot on the gas, they'll likely exploit the porous redzone defense through both Melvin Gordon and Ekeler, making them both top-10 guys by Tuesday morning.

CAUTION: Bad ___________ performance ahead.

A: Isaiah Crowell
B: Tevin Coleman
C: Giovani Bernard
D: Philip Lindsay

Well, we gave him lead-back status, but I'm quite done with the Tevin Coleman as the number one guy experiment. Despite the Steelers defense (correctly) getting a bad rap, they haven't allowed more than a single touchdown on the ground, and it's not like Tevin Coleman has seen a touchdown in that regard either since Week One. You still have reason to suspect that Coleman will eat into Devonta Freeman's workload a little bit when he returns, long gone are the days of the two-headed monster in the Falcons backfield.

 

Wide Receiver Questions

Yes, despite a bad performance you're starting _______ this week

A: Marvin Jones Jr.
B: Mike Williams
C: Chris Godwin
D: Kenny Stills

I was too optimistic in the Tampa Bay offense last week, but if you had asked me about the Dolphins vs the Patriots I would have Thanos'd out that entire fantasy offense. But Kenny Stills is going to get past those five receptions this week finally, right? Right? If you're starting Stills it's likely in a FLEX or second FLEX position, but he's a decent pick to finally break right against a Bengals secondary that's just bleeding fantasy points. The guys on this list are pretty firmly in that FLEX position, but Stills is worth the roll of the dice more than the others outside of the top-30.

The fire is out and for _______, it's all smoke in Week 5

A: Corey Davis
B: Jordy Nelson
C: Tyler Boyd
D: Keenan Allen

I will bring up at least every other article that I missed getting Tyler Boyd for a buck in a dynasty league because I didn't trust my own fantasy advice (he went for $23 weeks later), but in Week 5 I actually really hate this play. Don't get me wrong, he's been money so far, 2018's Robby Anderson Award for biggest out-of-nowhere performance and a genius looking pick for the boldest. But the Dolphins defense is actually pretty legitimate, and though Bill Belichick did Bill Belichick things to them (as noted above), I think that the Dolphins could stymie Tyler Boyd's performance in Week 5. It'll be almost impossible to bench him, but if you have a wealth of riches, it may be time to be cautious.

 

Tight End Question

Look, I don't think I've ever declined to pick a player at a position before, but there's no position more ugly than the combo blockers and pass catchers this week. If you've got anyone inside the top-10 who is healthy, consider yourself lucky. If you don't, players like Austin Hooper and CJ Uzomah represent little more than just a dart throw in a bad week. Pick your favorite, roll a 20-sided die, convince yourself CJ has the coolest name and that's good enough for you, it's up to you. But ultimately, a lot of guys will give you a lot of names in hopes of helping you out, but there's as much analysis in this position this week as playing a real game of darts with the tight end waiver wire.

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Max Scherzer1 hour ago

Throws Bullpen Session
Clayton Kershaw2 hours ago

"Ahead Of Things" Timetable-Wise
Walker Buehler2 hours ago

Ahead Of Schedule
Corey Seager2 hours ago

Active On Opening Day
Oneil Cruz2 hours ago

Batting Sixth On Opening Day
Alex Caruso2 hours ago

Ayo Dosunmu Probable Friday
Darius Garland2 hours ago

Probable Against 76ers
Donovan Mitchell2 hours ago

Upgraded To Questionable
Duncan Robinson4 hours ago

Heat Rule Out Duncan Robinson Friday
Bryan Reynolds4 hours ago

In Opening Day Lineup
Jimmy Butler4 hours ago

Probable Against Portland
Onyeka Okongwu4 hours ago

Remains Out Thursday
Dejounte Murray5 hours ago

Questionable With Back Soreness
Jordan Romano5 hours ago

Not Expected To Be Out Long
Gerrit Cole5 hours ago

Yankees Put Gerrit Cole On 60-Day Injured List
Elly De La Cruz6 hours ago

Batting In Six-Hole On Opening Day
Anthony Rendon6 hours ago

Hitting Leadoff On Opening Day
Wander Franco6 hours ago

Placed On Administrative Leave
Aaron Ekblad6 hours ago

Returning To Panthers Lineup Thursday
Nikita Kucherov7 hours ago

Establishes New Career High With 42nd Goal
Shane Pinto7 hours ago

Collects Career-High Four Points
Valeri Nichushkin7 hours ago

Nursing A Lower-Body Injury
Samuel Girard7 hours ago

Battling An Illness
J.K. Dobbins7 hours ago

Visiting With Chargers On Thursday
Oskar Sundqvist7 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season With Torn ACL
Ethan Bear7 hours ago

Enters Player Assistance Program
Keita Bates-Diop7 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season
Dyson Daniels8 hours ago

Remains Out On Thursday But Nearing Return
LaMelo Ball8 hours ago

Ruled Out For Rest Of 2023-24
Jose Alvarado8 hours ago

Questionable To Face Milwaukee
Jaden Springer8 hours ago

Considered Questionable
Xavier Tillman8 hours ago

Sr. Questionable Thursday
Gabe Vincent8 hours ago

Expected To Return To Action On Sunday
Al Horford19 hours ago

Back On The Injury Report
Derrick White19 hours ago

Off The Injury Report
TJ Friedl20 hours ago

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Aaron Gordon21 hours ago

Cleared To Face Phoenix
Michael Porter21 hours ago

Jr. Good To Go Wednesday
Nikola Jokic21 hours ago

Playing Against Phoenix
Jackson Chourio21 hours ago

Will Start In Right Field Friday
Jrue Holiday21 hours ago

Might Return On Thursday
Khris Middleton21 hours ago

Expected To Play On Thursday Night
Eduardo Rodriguez22 hours ago

Starts Throwing Program
Garrett Mitchell22 hours ago

Will Miss 6-8 Weeks
Chad Green22 hours ago

To Lead Closer Committee In Toronto?
Erik Swanson22 hours ago

Jordan Romano, Erik Swanson Officially Heading To Injured List
Kevin Gausman23 hours ago

To Make Season Debut Sunday Or Monday
Gleyber Torres1 day ago

Will Bat Leadoff On Opening Day
Mark Hubbard1 day ago

Coming Off A Career Performance
Davis Thompson1 day ago

Looking To Pay Off A Stellar Run Of Ball-Striking
Max Scherzer1 day ago

Making Solid Progress
Akshay Bhatia1 day ago

Coming Into Houston With Confidence
Thorbjorn Olesen1 day ago

Still Trying To Find Footing On U.S. Soil
Patrick Rodgers1 day ago

Fighting Inconsistencies Heading Into Houston
Malik Nabers1 day ago

Shines At Pro Day
Carolina Panthers1 day ago

Jadeveon Clowney Signing Two-Year Deal With Panthers
Jordan Lawlar1 day ago

To Have Thumb Surgery, Out A Couple Months
Wyndham Clark1 day ago

Battling Back Injury Ahead of Houston Open
San Francisco 49ers1 day ago

Talanoa Hufanga Expected To Return At Training Camp
Jayden Daniels1 day ago

Raiders To Meet With Jayden Daniels
Tank Bigsby1 day ago

Jaguars Want Tank Bigsby More Involved
Josh Reynolds1 day ago

Signs Two-Year Deal With Broncos
Doug Ghim1 day ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Houston Open
PGA1 day ago

Cameron Davis Seeking Consistency Ahead Of Houston Open
Thomas Detry1 day ago

A Gamble At Houston Open
Ryan Fox1 day ago

Lacks Upside Heading Into Houston Open
Andrew Novak1 day ago

Will Be Chalk At Houston Open
Josh Doan1 day ago

Scores Twice In His NHL Debut
Filip Forsberg1 day ago

Makes History In Big Comeback Win
Jamie Benn1 day ago

Scores In Fifth Consecutive Game
Sidney Crosby1 day ago

Collects Three Points Versus Carolina
Artemi Panarin1 day ago

Continues Scoring Tear With Three Assists
Joey Daccord1 day ago

Shuts Out Ducks
Sahith Theegala1 day ago

Showing Consistency This Season
Wyndham Clark1 day ago

Working Toward Star Status
Scottie Scheffler1 day ago

Heads To Houston At His Best
Sam Ryder1 day ago

Putting The Lights Out Of Late
Joel Dahmen1 day ago

All Systems Go For Joel Dahmen In Houston
Kurt Kitayama1 day ago

Ready For Houston Debut
Ben Griffin1 day ago

Finding Form Heading To Houston
Taylor Moore2 days ago

Continues Made-Cut Streak Heading To Houston
Adam Svensson2 days ago

Hoping For Consistency In Houston
Taylor Montgomery2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back In Houston
Amon-Ra St. Brown2 days ago

Discussing Extension With Lions
Jared Goff2 days ago

Lions Discussing New Deal
J.K. Dobbins2 days ago

Cleared For Football Activities
Los Angeles Rams2 days ago

Tre'Davious White To Join Rams
PIT2 days ago

Sam Poulin Recalled From AHL
Jack Quinn2 days ago

Could Return Wednesday
Scott Mayfield2 days ago

Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
TOR2 days ago

Mitch Marner Skates On His Own Tuesday
Trevor Zegras2 days ago

To Return Tuesday
Justus Annunen2 days ago

Inks Two-Year Extension
Nick Chubb2 days ago

Expected To Start Load Running Next Month
D'Andre Swift2 days ago

Bears View D'Andre Swift As Receiving Weapon
Cordarrelle Patterson2 days ago

Signing With Steelers
Sam Howell2 days ago

Seahawks Believe Sam Howell Can Be A Full-Time Starter
Tennessee Titans2 days ago

L'Jarius Sneed Agrees On Four-Year Contract With Titans
Dak Prescott2 days ago

No Indication A Deal Is Coming For Dak Prescott
Calvin Ridley2 days ago

To Have Big Role In Tennessee
Josh Jacobs2 days ago

To Be Used More In Passing Game
Brandon Saad2 days ago

Gets Another Goal In Monday's Loss
Logan Thompson2 days ago

Stretches Winning Streak To Three Games
Pittsburgh Steelers3 days ago

Cameron Heyward Expected To Be Healthy For Training Camp
Zach Wilson3 days ago

Jets Could End Up Keeping Zach Wilson
Amanda Ribas3 days ago

Takes Decision Loss
Rose Namajunas3 days ago

Snaps Losing Streak
Edmen Shahbazyan3 days ago

Scores Vicious Comeback Knockout
AJ Dobson3 days ago

Knocked Out In The First Round At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla3 days ago

Gets Back On Track With Submission Win
Luis Pajuelo3 days ago

Submitted In UFC Debut
William Byron3 days ago

Dominates For Victory At COTA
Ty Gibbs3 days ago

Grabs Another Solid Finish At COTA
Chris Buescher3 days ago

Texas Native Chris Buescher Finishes Eighth At COTA
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Kyle Busch Confronts Christopher Bell Following A Top-10 Finish At COTA
Justin Haley3 days ago

Disqualified After Strong COTA Run
Martin Truex Jr4 days ago

. Rounds Out Top Ten At COTA
NASCAR4 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Worms Way Up To Sixth At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Comes Down to Earth After Mediocre COTA Run
Ross Chastain4 days ago

Ran Well at COTA as Usual Despite Late-Race Fade
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Furious Charge Falls Just Short at COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Scores Strong Finish of Fifth at COTA
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Finishes 16th at COTA After Lackluster Performance
Billy Quarantillo4 days ago

Suffers Submission Loss At UFC Vegas 89
Youssef Zalal4 days ago

Gets Submission Win In Return To The UFC
Cameron Saaiman4 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 89
Payton Talbott4 days ago

Scores KO Win At UFC Vegas 89
Justin Tafa4 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Karl Williams4 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Kyle Larson4 days ago

Is One Of The Optimal DFS Options For COTA
Denny Hamlin4 days ago

Should Denny Hamlin Be Rostered For DFS Lineups At COTA?
Kaz Grala4 days ago

Is A Serviceable DFS Play For COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Will Start 12th In First COTA Cup Start
Todd Gilliland4 days ago

Is A Sneaky DFS Play With Upside For COTA
William Byron4 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Is A Comfortable DFS Play For COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

the Favorite to Win at COTA
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Looking for First Career Win at COTA
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 

2024 NFL Draft: Bold Predictions and Potential Surprises for Round 1

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! With the 2024 NFL Draft fast approaching, we're digging into what might transpire on draft night. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones previews the 2024 NFL Draft and makes some BOLD Predictions about possible surprises and potential landing spots for the first round of the draft. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller!... Read More


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Early Look At Wide Receivers In 2024 Fantasy Football Drafts

The upcoming NFL Draft is less than a month away. While everyone is excited for the NFL Draft, fantasy players are looking forward to the regular season. While we won’t have meaningful NFL football for months, it’s never too early to prepare for your fantasy football drafts. Last year, the fantasy football world saw multiple... Read More


Spencer Rattler, College Football Transfers

Underrated Rookie Draft Targets - Early 2024 Sleepers for Dynasty Fantasy Football

We are a month out from the NFL Draft, meaning if you are here, you are probably looking for draft content and reading up on prospects. You probably have all of the information you need on stud prospects like Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. That’s not what you’re here for.  Rookie draft season for... Read More


Breece Hall - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part II

The NFL's offseason, including trades and free agency, can strongly impact a player's fantasy football value. This effect can be positive or negative. For this series, we're focusing on fantasy football players who have seen their fantasy value increase. This can occur via a player's direct movement, such as a trade or signing with a... Read More


UFL RANKINGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL,

UFL Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 1: QB, RB, WR, TE Rankings and Analysis (2024)

It's finally here: the UFL season is set to kick off with two games on Saturday, March 30 and two games on Sunday, March 31. Saturday's games will be broadcast on Fox Sports while Sunday's matchups will be on ESPN. The most anticipated Week 1 matchup pits the 2023 USFL champion Birmingham Stallions against the... Read More


Jared Goff - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Will the Lions Extend Jared Goff's Contract This Offseason? 2024 NFL Outlook

Jared Goff's career in Los Angeles didn't take off like many expected after his appearance in Super Bowl LIII, and he was traded to the Lions for Matthew Stafford. Goff's first season in the Motor City was terrible, but he has completely turned things around over the last two seasons. In 2022, he almost led... Read More


Kyle Pitts - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part I

Free agency symbolizes the start of a new NFL season. It's the first opportunity for NFL clubs to start addressing their weaknesses and considerably impacts how the upcoming season plays out. Just as free agency can improve or worsen a team's outlook, a player's fantasy football value is also impacted. Free agency marks the real... Read More


Malik Nabers - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

Coach Knows Ball: Malik Nabers 2024 NFL Draft Film Breakdown of LSU WR

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2024 class. I'm a college football coach with nine years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players... Read More


Avoid These Running Backs in 2024: Fantasy Football Outlook

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! The staff is already looking ahead to the 2024 season to help our readers get the jump on their competition. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones discusses five Running Backs that you should AVOID in 2024 fantasy football drafts. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller! Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio... Read More


Brock Bowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers, NCAA College Football, Prospects

Brock Bowers 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Georgia TE Be Selected?

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers was arguably the top tight end in college football over the past few years. Bowers was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 56 receptions for 882 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slightly slipped in 2022 as defenses started to game plan for the star tight end. Bowers had... Read More


Xavier Worthy 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Texas WR Be Selected?

Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy has been one of the top pass-catchers in college football over the past few years. The explosive receiver was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 62 receptions for 981 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slipped in 2022. Worthy had 60 receptions for 760 receiving yards and nine touchdowns... Read More


Blake Corum - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, RB, NFL Draft Sleepers

Blake Corum 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update - When Will the Michigan RB Be Selected?

Former Michigan running back Blake Corum is one of the most popular prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft class. The 23-year-old is fresh off a College Football National Championship victory and a 2023 campaign consisting of over 1,300 yards from scrimmage. However, given the devaluation of the running back position and Corum not being an... Read More


Brandon Aiyuk - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News

Will The 49ers Trade Brandon Aiyuk?

Brandon Aiyuk had a career year last season, finishing seventh in the league in receiving yards (1342), second in yards per catch (17.9), and catching seven touchdowns. For his efforts, he was named to the Second-team All-Pro. However, despite many expecting them to do so, the 49ers failed to win Super Bowl LVIII and now... Read More