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 Rookies to Watch in Week 5

Each week in this column, we'll highlight a few first-year players who are worth keeping your eye on. Not all of the players listed below are must-starts, but all of them are in a position to be viable fantasy options. If any of these names are sitting out on your waiver wire, you should keep a close watch on them.

Ideally, some of these names will help fantasy players get some roster depth which can minimize the negative impact of injuries and bye weeks.

Initially, some of these names will seem fairly obvious. As the season progresses, expect this column to pay more attention to under-the-radar options.

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!

 

The Underrated Matchup

Noah Fant (TE, DEN)

It hasn't exactly been rose petals and air kisses from fantasy owners to Noah Fant these first few weeks. Granted, the "other" rookie tight end from Iowa found paydirt last week against Jacksonville, but his production has been otherwise lackluster. Fant has hovered around the four target mark in each game so far but has seen the field an average of 70.5% of offensive snaps. He just needs an advantageous matchup.

Aaaaaand bingo! Week 5's game against the Chargers is the best matchup Fant's had to this point, at least on paper. Los Angeles got gashed by a pair of unassuming Houston tight ends in Week 3 to the tune of eight receptions for 122 yards and three touchdowns. Of course, T.J. Hockenson was basically a ghost when he played this defense in Week 2, but that was when the Chargers still had Adrian Phillips helping run the show. Expect a nice spike in fantasy output from Fant this week.

 

The Closer

Tony Pollard (RB, DAL)

Similar to their Week 3 matchup with Miami, this week's game against Green Bay offers a virtual cornucopia of rushing opportunities for the Cowboys backfield. And just like Week 3, there should be plenty of leftovers for Pollard to feast on. As we learned in Week 4 with Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders, it doesn't really matter who's toting the ball against the Packers cream cheese run defense. They're going to rack up some nice stats.

With Davante Adams unlikely to suit up on Sunday, Dallas may find themselves playing with a lead for a majority of the game. If that's the case, we could see a healthy dose of Pollard as the Cowboys try to avoid wearing their star running back out.

 

The Pre-Draft Star

Andy Isabella (WR, ARI)

I've been hyping up Keesean Johnson in this space lately, but it could also be teammate Andy Isabella's time to shine. Both Christian Kirk and Damiere Byrd are likely to miss this Sunday's game against Cincinnati, which leaves a nice hole for the pre-draft hype machine to tantalize fantasy owners. Curiously, Isabella won't be working out of the slot. That will be up to Larry Fitzgerald and recent pickup Pharoah Cooper for some reason.

Despite his 97th percentile College Dominator score and 88th percentile SPARQ score, the (admittedly uneducated) knock on Isabella coming out of the draft was that he was really just a glorified slot receiver. So this is Isabella's opportunity to prove his versatility and flash his outrageous speed on the outside. Against the Bengals, he should have plenty of chances at a big play or two.

 

The Prove-It Game

Kyler Murray (QB, ARI)

We've witnessed some pretty drastic fluctuation in the stat line from the No 1 overall pick thus far, which is to be expected from a rookie. In his first game against Detroit, Murray threw 54 times for 308 yards and two touchdowns thanks in part to some overtime action. In his last matchup with Seattle, however, Murray threw 32 times for 241 yards and his only touchdown went to the wrong team. He's an even 4:4 in the TD to INT ratio but has averaged a 69.3% completion rate over his last two games. Essentially, he's turning into more of a game manager than the fantasy battle axe he was advertised to be in Kliff Kingsbury's fast-paced offense.

If the young guy can't put up above-average fantasy production against a Cincinnati defense that just gave up two touchdowns and an absurd 85.7% completion rate to Mason Rudolph, we may not feel confident starting Murray the rest of the year.

 

The High Upside Fill-In

Dexter Williams (RB, GB)

There were folks out there who fully expected Dexter Williams to eventually win the 1B running back job from Jamaal Williams. The former Notre Dame rusher was a sixth-round pick who fell to the Packers due to some minor off-field issues. With Jamaal unlikely to play against Dallas due to the concussion he received on a nasty hit last Thursday, Dexter will get a miniature showcase for his believers.

Head coach Matt LaFleur has thus far made good on his desire to use a committee backfield, which means Dexter and fullback Danny Vitale should each get a good chunk of snaps to work with behind Aaron Jones. The Packers desperately need a spark at the position, so if Dexter balls out with his limited opportunities, don't be surprised to see him in action more often moving forward.

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

Duncan Robinson1 hour ago

Heat Rule Out Duncan Robinson Friday
Bryan Reynolds1 hour ago

In Opening Day Lineup
Jimmy Butler1 hour ago

Probable Against Portland
Onyeka Okongwu2 hours ago

Remains Out Thursday
Dejounte Murray2 hours ago

Questionable With Back Soreness
Jordan Romano3 hours ago

Not Expected To Be Out Long
Gerrit Cole3 hours ago

Yankees Put Gerrit Cole On 60-Day Injured List
Elly De La Cruz3 hours ago

Batting In Six-Hole On Opening Day
Anthony Rendon3 hours ago

Hitting Leadoff On Opening Day
Wander Franco4 hours ago

Placed On Administrative Leave
Aaron Ekblad4 hours ago

Returning To Panthers Lineup Thursday
Nikita Kucherov4 hours ago

Establishes New Career High With 42nd Goal
Shane Pinto4 hours ago

Collects Career-High Four Points
Valeri Nichushkin4 hours ago

Nursing A Lower-Body Injury
Samuel Girard4 hours ago

Battling An Illness
J.K. Dobbins4 hours ago

Visiting With Chargers On Thursday
Oskar Sundqvist5 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season With Torn ACL
Ethan Bear5 hours ago

Enters Player Assistance Program
Keita Bates-Diop5 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season
Dyson Daniels5 hours ago

Remains Out On Thursday But Nearing Return
LaMelo Ball5 hours ago

Ruled Out For Rest Of 2023-24
Jose Alvarado5 hours ago

Questionable To Face Milwaukee
Jaden Springer5 hours ago

Considered Questionable
Xavier Tillman5 hours ago

Sr. Questionable Thursday
Gabe Vincent5 hours ago

Expected To Return To Action On Sunday
Al Horford17 hours ago

Back On The Injury Report
Derrick White17 hours ago

Off The Injury Report
TJ Friedl18 hours ago

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Aaron Gordon18 hours ago

Cleared To Face Phoenix
Michael Porter18 hours ago

Jr. Good To Go Wednesday
Nikola Jokic18 hours ago

Playing Against Phoenix
Jackson Chourio18 hours ago

Will Start In Right Field Friday
Jrue Holiday18 hours ago

Might Return On Thursday
Khris Middleton18 hours ago

Expected To Play On Thursday Night
Joel Embiid19 hours ago

To Return Soon?
Jamal Murray19 hours ago

Out Again On Wednesday
Rudy Gobert19 hours ago

Ready To Rock Against Pistons
Eduardo Rodriguez20 hours ago

Starts Throwing Program
Garrett Mitchell20 hours ago

Will Miss 6-8 Weeks
Chad Green20 hours ago

To Lead Closer Committee In Toronto?
Erik Swanson20 hours ago

Jordan Romano, Erik Swanson Officially Heading To Injured List
Kevin Gausman20 hours ago

To Make Season Debut Sunday Or Monday
Gleyber Torres22 hours ago

Will Bat Leadoff On Opening Day
Mark Hubbard22 hours ago

Coming Off A Career Performance
Davis Thompson22 hours ago

Looking To Pay Off A Stellar Run Of Ball-Striking
Max Scherzer22 hours ago

Making Solid Progress
Akshay Bhatia22 hours ago

Coming Into Houston With Confidence
Thorbjorn Olesen22 hours ago

Still Trying To Find Footing On U.S. Soil
Patrick Rodgers22 hours ago

Fighting Inconsistencies Heading Into Houston
Malik Nabers23 hours ago

Shines At Pro Day
Carolina Panthers23 hours ago

Jadeveon Clowney Signing Two-Year Deal With Panthers
Jordan Lawlar23 hours ago

To Have Thumb Surgery, Out A Couple Months
Wyndham Clark24 hours ago

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

Talanoa Hufanga Expected To Return At Training Camp
MLB1 day ago

Braves And Phillies Rained Out On Thursday
Jayden Daniels1 day ago

Raiders To Meet With Jayden Daniels
MLB1 day ago

Mets And Brewers To Be Postponed Thursday
Tank Bigsby1 day ago

Jaguars Want Tank Bigsby More Involved
Will Smith1 day ago

Inks 10-Year Extension With Dodgers
Josh Reynolds1 day ago

Signs Two-Year Deal With Broncos
Jon Berti1 day ago

Yankees Acquire Jon Berti From Marlins
Kodai Senga1 day ago

Throws Wednesday
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