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
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Fantasy Football Q&A Mailbag - Week 5

Your weekly fantasy football Q&A mailbag. Mike Dente answers your lineup and start/sit questions from Twitter to help you put together winning rosters for Week 5.

Week 4 of the 2018 NFL Season is in the books, and here is a quick fantasy recap to keep you up to date. Mitchell Trubisky! Six touchdown passes, 43.5 fantasy points, who saw that coming? Meanwhile, Drew Brees, Matthew Stafford, Philip Rivers, Tom Brady, Carson Wentz, Aaron Rodgers, and Ben Roethlisberger all finished outside the top 12. Things remained a little more consistent at running back, with Alvin Kamara leading the way and Ezekiel Elliott coming in at number two with 41.1 and 34 points, respectively.

Cooper Kupp's incredible Thursday night performance held up to make him the top receiver of Week 4, while Corey Davis and Taylor Gabriel had breakout games, scoring over 30 fantasy points each. Lastly, Jared Cook continued his dominance, as he compiled over 100 yards receiving and two touchdowns to put him at the top of the Week 4 and year-to-date tight end scoring leaders.

With Week 5 quickly approaching, it's time to dig into the RotoBaller Mailbag. I will be answering several of the best questions from Twitter each and every week. Thanks to everyone who sent theirs in for this edition! Before we get to the questions, here is a quick look at all of the upcoming games, as well as the current Vegas spreads and point totals:

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

  • Indianapolis at New England (-10.0) - Total 51.0
  • Tennessee (-3.5) at Buffalo - Total: 39.0
  • NY Giants at Carolina (-7.0) - Total: 44.5
  • Miami at Cincinnati (-6.5) - Total: 49.5
  • Baltimore (-3.0) at Cleveland - Total: 47.0
  • Green Bay (-1.0) at Detroit(-1.5) - Total: 51.0
  • Jacksonville at Kansas City (-3.0) - Total: 49.0
  • Denver at NY Jets (-1.0) - Total: 42.5
  • Atlanta at Pittsburgh (-3.0) - Total: 57.5
  • Oakland at LA Chargers (-5.0) - Total: 53.5
  • Minnesota at Philadelphia (-3.0) - Total: 45.0
  • LA Rams (-7.0) at Seattle - Total: 50.0
  • Arizona at San Francisco (-4.5) - Total 41.0
  • Dallas at Houston (-3.0) - Total: 45.5
  • Washington at New Orleans (-6.5) - Total: 52.5

 

Week 5 Reader Q&A

Mike's Take:

Kenyan Drake: Drake is averaging 8.1 FPPG (fantasy points per game), which is 43rd among all running backs. Perhaps more concerning is the fact that he had just four touches this past weekend. I remain hopeful that he can get back to the level that he played at last year, but Adam Gase is holding him back more than anything. A 35-year-old Frank Gore has taken 46 percent of Miami's backfield touches, and there are no signs of that changing any time soon. If I'm a Drake owner, I would hold him for now since his value is extremely low. However, with Drake clearly in the doghouse and Gore holding limited upside, one player who I would keep an eye on in deeper leagues is Kalen Ballage

Dalvin Cook: Out of the three backs you mentioned, Cook is the one I trust the most for the rest of the season. Even though Cook said his hamstring "isn't there yet" as of yesterday, he is the clear-cut starter for the Vikings when healthy and he can do it all, including catching passes out of the backfield. It's important to remain patient with Cook by keeping him on your bench until he's fully recovered and ready to resume a full workload. He's got RB1 potential for the second half of the season.

Leonard Fournette: Fournette has to be one of the most frustrating players to own in fantasy this year. He's got the ability and situation to be a top-five fantasy back, but he could be out several weeks after aggravating his hamstring injury on Sunday. T.J. Yeldon has proven to be more than capable when filling in as the starter, as he currently ranks 14th in FPPG despite not being a full-time starter this year. Even when and if Fournette is fully healthy this year, it appears likely Yeldon will still see about 30-35 percent of the team's backfield touches, including most of the receptions. If you can trade Fournette to a top team that can afford to wait out his injury, I would definitely entertain that idea for the right price.

 

Mike's Take:

It depends on a few factors. In typical 12-person leagues, I think you could consider adding Foreman as a bench stash, providing you have a deep enough bench and aren't dropping a fantasy-relevant player for him. Foreman is eligible to return to the lineup in Week 7 and he's someone who could fall into a starting role for the second half of the 2018 season.

Lamar Miller is yet to rush for a touchdown or manage 100 yards on the ground in a single game. He's averaging a mediocre 3.9 YPC, and just 0.60 fantasy points per touch. Sitting at 1-3, the Texans need a spark somewhere and the 22-year-old running back could be it. Will he be the savior to fantasy teams? I doubt it, but he could produce flex-worthy numbers down the stretch.

 

Mike's Take:

For those wondering, he is referring to Chris Conley here. Don't forget that Sammy Watkins got injured early and did not return to the game on Monday night, which could explain the inflated snap count.

Conley is tied for 85th in FPPG, and has just a nine percent target share for the Kansas City offense this year. He's also averaging just over two receptions per game. With Tyreek Hill, Watkins, and Travis Kelce all ahead of him in targets, I don't see a reason to add Conley in many formats, especially with Watkins practicing this week.

 

Mike's Take:

In terms of pure value, I prefer Landry over Michel in PPR formats. Michel should see a lot of touches moving forward, but his upside could be capped with a minimal role in the passing game. Michel has just two receptions in the three games he's played this season, while James White is averaging nearly six per game.

I would like to see more production from Landry, but the one thing that really stands out is his 32 percent target share, which is tied with Julio Jones for the league-lead. He could produce top 10 numbers the rest of the way, but even so, his worst case scenario is WR2 territory. Not too shabby.

 

That's all I have for this week, ladies and gents! To have your questions featured next week on our mailbag, please send them to @1ststopfantasy and/or @RotoBallerNFL with #RotoBallerMailbag. Good luck in your Week 5 matchups!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Max Homa

A Good Week at a Favored Silverado Resort is Desperately Needed for Max Homa
Tyreek Hill

Accused of Domestic Violence
Davis Riley

Has a Ton of Question Marks Ahead of Procore Championship
Emiliano Grillo

Returns to a Familiar Silverado Resort for Procore Championship
Brian Campbell

Strange Season Continues At Procore Championship
Jauan Jennings

Avoids Serious Shoulder Injury
Garrett Crochet

Shuts Out the Athletics
Royce Lewis

Launches Two Homers Monday Night
NBA

Mason Jones Takes His Talents to Australia
NBA

Talen Horton-Tucker Joins Reigning EuroLeague Champions
New York Knicks

Malcolm Brogdon on Knicks' Radar
Andrew Wiggins

Attracting Interest From Lakers
Miami Heat

Heat Interested in Reunion With Precious Achiuwa
Tyler Glasnow

Fans 11 in Seven No-Hit Innings Monday
Slade Cecconi

Takes No-Hitter Into Eighth Inning Monday
Max Muncy

Batting Cleanup in Return to Dodgers
New York Knicks

Ben Simmons Reportedly Declined Knicks' Contract Offer
Younghoe Koo

Falcons Auditioning Kickers, Could Replace Younghoe Koo
Denver Broncos

Sean Payton Says Broncos Need to be Better With Run-Pass Balance
Tank Bigsby

Eagles Acquiring Tank Bigsby From Jaguars on Monday
George Kittle

Likely Out 3-5 Weeks, Could Land on Injured Reserve
Chase Burns

to be Activated on Friday
Brock Purdy

Dealing With Multiple Injuries, Could Miss Week 2
Tyler Glasnow

Cleared to Start on Monday
Logan O'Hoppe

Placed on Concussion Injured List
Christian Yelich

Returning on Monday
Elias Pettersson

Feeling "Good" Ahead of Season
NHL

Alex Formenton Rejoins Swiss Team
NHL

Grigori Denisenko Heads Back Home
CAR

Kevin Labanc Joins Hurricanes for Tryout
Ross Colton

Healthy for Start of Season
Daniel Palencia

Cubs Place Daniel Palencia on Injured List With Shoulder Strain
Pete Crow-Armstrong

Returning on Monday
Sean Murphy

Done for the Year With Hip Labral Tear
Alec Bohm

Lands on Injured List With Cyst in his Shoulder
Trea Turner

Going on Injured List, Phillies Hope to Have him Back for Playoffs
Brock Bowers

Considered Day-to-Day With Knee Injury
Jonathan Taylor

is "Good" After Taking a Hit to his Neck in Week 1
Caio Borralho

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Kyle Stowers

Suffers Setback on Rehab Assignment?
Nassourdine Imavov

Extends Win Streak
Mauricio Ruffy

Gets Submitted
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Taps Out Mauricio Ruffy
Michael King

Expected to Return on Tuesday
Russell Wilson

Remains the Giants Starter
Trea Turner

Undergoing MRI Exam on Monday
Paul Craig

Retires After UFC Paris Loss
Denny Hamlin

Earns his First Cup Victory at Gateway
Kyle Larson

Damage Ruins Kyle Larson's Chance At a Top Finish at Gateway
Christopher Bell

Scores his Third Top-10 Finish at Gateway
Joey Logano

Maintains his Perfect Top-Five Streak at Gateway
Ryan Blaney

Struggles and Recovers for a Top-Five Finish at Gateway
Modestas Bukauskas

Scores First-Round Knockout
Bolaji Oki

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
Xavier Worthy

Week-to-Week with Dislocated Shoulder
Mason Jones

Scores Comeback Win
Rhys McKee

Suffers Third-Round TKO Loss
Axel Sola

Successful In His UFC Debut
Robert Ruchała

Robert Ruchala Unsuccessful In His UFC Debut
William Gomis

Bounces Back In The Win Column
Derrick Henry

Scores Twice but has Costly Fumble on Sunday
Lamar Jackson

Shines With Three Total Touchdowns in Loss to Bills
Keon Coleman

Leads the Team With 11 Targets on Sunday
Josh Allen

Totals Four Touchdowns in Win Over Ravens
Chase Elliott

Gets Lucky but Still Has Best Run at Gateway
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Wins Stage 2, but Was Let Down by Strategy
Tyler Reddick

Despite Bad Luck, Tyler Reddick Does What he Needed to Do
Chase Briscoe

Recovers from Incident with Daniel Suarez to Finish Second
William Byron

Late Caution Foils William Byron's Shot at Gateway Victory
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Dominates Targets in Seattle, Records 124 Receiving Yards in Week 1
Puka Nacua

Leads Rams in Targets, Catches, and Receiving Yards in Week 1
Logan O'Hoppe

Exits After Concussion Scare, Status Remains Unclear
Christian McCaffrey

Logs 31 Touches in Season Opener
Travis Etienne Jr.

Dominates Backfield Touches in Jacksonville, Posts Monster Day
Jayson Tatum

"Moving Around Way Better"
Russell Wilson

Giants Won't Commit to Russell Wilson as Week 2 Starter
Drake London

Day-to-Day with Shoulder Sprain
Daniel Palencia

to Miss Time With Shoulder Injury
Byron Buxton

Exits Early With Knee Contusion
Trea Turner

Suffers Hamstring Strain
Ryan Blaney

Should Contend at Gateway
Denny Hamlin

Fastest in Qualifying, the Favorite to Win at Gateway
Christopher Bell

Looking for Redemption at Gateway
Joey Logano

Has Been Elite at Gateway
Austin Cindric

Should Be On Your Radar at Gateway
AJ Allmendinger

Could Be a Sleeper Again at Gateway
Tyler Reddick

Southern 500 Near-Miss Makes Tyler Reddick a Stronger Option for Gateway
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace a Likely Gateway Contender
Alex Bowman

a Long Shot to Advance in Playoffs
Austin Dillon

Richard Childress Racing Looks Slower at Gateway, Which Will Hurt Austin Dillon
Shane Van Gisbergen

Starts 18th in Gateway Debut
Jeremy Swayman

Ready to Get Back on Track
Connor McDavid

Aiming for More Goals
NJ

Luke Glendening Signs Tryout Deal With Devils
Dylan Harper

Hoping to be Ready for the Opener Versus Dallas
EDM

Derek Ryan Retires From Hockey
Connor Zary

Agrees to Three-Year Deal With Flames
Carey Price

Canadiens Trade Carey Price to Sharks
Rasmus Hojgaard

Finishes Tied For Second at Omega European Masters
Tyrrell Hatton

Finishes Tied for 32nd at LIV Indianapolis
Matt Fitzpatrick

Finishes Fifth at Omega European Masters
Patrick Cantlay

Finishes Tied For Second in 2025 FedEx Cup Standings
Xander Schauffele

Finishes 42nd in 2025 FedEx Cup Standings
Caio Borralho

Set For A Title Eliminator Bout
Nassourdine Imavov

Looks To Earn A Title Shot
Mauricio Ruffy

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Set For UFC Paris Co-Main Event
Modestas Bukauskas

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Paul Craig

In Dire Need Of Victory
Mason Jones

Set for Main-Card Bout
Bolaji Oki

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Rhys McKee

Set To Open Up UFC Paris Main Card
Jon Rahm

Looks to Prove His Importance on European Ryder Cup Team
Tommy Fleetwood

Among Leaders of European Ryder Cup Team
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Close to Triple-Double Versus Serbia
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Fills Box Score Against Turkey
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Shakes Off Minor Injury
E.J. Liddell

Inks Two-Way Deal With Nets
NBA

Ben Simmons Reportedly Considering Retirement
P.J. Washington

Agrees to Four-Year, $90 Million Extension
Sepp Straka

Gets Captain's Pick to Join Team Europe
PGA

Victor Hovland to Make Third Ryder Cup Appearance for Team Europe
J.J. Spaun

Set to Represent Team USA for First Time at Bethpage
Russell Henley

Makes First Ryder Cup Appearance at Bethpage
Harris English

Named to Ryder Cup Team for Second Time
Justin Thomas

Making Fourth Ryder Cup Team Appearance at Bethpage
Ben Griffin

Making First Career Ryder Cup Appearance at Bethpage

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP