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Fantasy football start em, sit em lineups advice for Vikings vs. Browns London game on Sunday morning Week 5 (2025). NFL matchups analysis and starts/sits.
With the NFL season moving into Week 5, the league's International Series continues from London with the Vikings meeting the Browns on Sunday morning.
Both of these squads enter in desperate need of a win. Carson Wentz will remain under center for Minnesota, while Cleveland will turn to rookie QB Dillon Gabriel in an effort to spark an offense that's been one of the worst in the NFL through the first month of the season.
We will bring you International Series analysis all season, focusing on who to start, who is on the fence, and who should find the bench. Let's dive into this matchup in London for Week 5 of the season. Good luck in 2025 fantasy football, RotoBallers!
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Minnesota Vikings vs. Cleveland Browns
Sunday October 5, 9:30 AM ET - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England
Notable Fantasy Injuries:
- J.J. McCarthy - Out (Ankle)
- Aaron Jones - Out (Hamstring)
- Cedric Tillman - Out (Hamstring)
Minnesota Vikings Start/Sit Matchups
See the full stats in our Fantasy Football Matchup Ratings Projections
| Player | Start/Sit | Matchup Rating |
Opp. |
| Minnesota Vikings | Start | 120 | @ CLE |
| Carson Wentz | Start | 113.5 | @ CLE |
| Justin Jefferson, WR | Start | 110.7 | @ CLE |
| Jordan Mason, RB | Risky Start | 106.1 | @ CLE |
| Will Reichard | Risky Start | 106 | @ CLE |
| Jordan Addison, WR | Risky Start | 104 | @ CLE |
| Jalen Nailor, WR | Risky Start | 101.7 | @ CLE |
| T.J. Hockenson, TE | Risky Start | 101.6 | @ CLE |
| Zavier Scott, RB | Sit | 98.3 | @ CLE |
| Adam Thielen, WR | Sit | 95.6 | @ CLE |
| Cam Akers, RB | Sit | 93.4 | @ CLE |
| Josh Oliver, TE | Sit | 92.4 | @ CLE |
| Tai Felton, WR | Sit | 91.2 | @ CLE |
Cleveland Browns Start/Sit Matchups
See the full stats in our Fantasy Football Matchup Ratings Projections
| Player | Start/Sit | Matchup Rating |
Opp. |
| Quinshon Judkins, RB | Start | 112.4 | vs. MIN |
| Cleveland Browns | Start | 112 | vs. MIN |
| Jerry Jeudy, WR | Start | 111 | vs. MIN |
| Harold Fannin Jr., TE | Risky Start | 106.5 | vs. MIN |
| David Njoku, TE | Risky Start | 104.6 | vs. MIN |
| Isaiah Bond, WR | Risky Start | 100.9 | vs. MIN |
| Dylan Sampson, RB | Risky Start | 100.7 | vs. MIN |
| Jerome Ford, RB | Risky Start | 100.6 | vs. MIN |
| Andre Szmyt | Sit | 95.1 | vs. MIN |
| Jamari Thrash, WR | Sit | 93.9 | vs. MIN |
| Dillon Gabriel | Sit | 93.3 | vs. MIN |
| Shedeur Sanders | Sit | 89.8 | vs. MIN |
Matchups We Love
Since making his season debut in Week 2, Quinshon Judkins has been a workhorse. He is averaging 22 touches and 19 PPR fantasy points per game over the past two weeks. Now, he gets a great matchup against the Vikings in Week 5. Minnesota has allowed three different RBs to total over 75 rush yards this season, including 99 yards to Kenneth Gainwell last week. That makes Judkins a low-end RB1 this week.
25 touches for Quinshon Judkins in a negative gamescript is what fantasy football dreams are made of
Matchup-proof top-10 RB rest-of-season
— Adam Koffler (@AdamKoffler) September 28, 2025
Matchups We Hate
Dillon Gabriel will make his first career start against the Vikings in Week 5. However, fantasy managers should not start Gabriel in any Superflex formats this week. The Vikings have allowed the third-fewest pass yards and fantasy points to the QB position this year, and the rookie will be under pressure all game against a defense that loves to blitz. So, Gabriel is a risky QB2 play.
Can Dillon Gabriel become the first Browns QB since 1999 to win his first career start? pic.twitter.com/cSk4sFcPeN
— The Dawgs - A Cleveland Browns Podcast (@thedawgspodcast) October 3, 2025
QB Carson Wentz
If J.J. McCarthy (ankle) can't go again this week, Carson Wentz will draw his third straight start. Even though Wentz has finished as a top-14 fantasy QB in both of his starts this season, it's best to look elsewhere at the position in Week 5. The Browns have given up under 14 fantasy points to QBs in three of four games while allowing the fourth-fewest pass yards. So, he'll come in as a low-end QB2.
RB Jordan Mason
It's not a great idea to start any RBs against this Browns front seven. This defense is allowing just 70.3 rush yards per game and 2.9 yards per carry to opposing backs to begin the season. While the workload will be there for Mason, he will be an extremely risky RB2 this weekend. Only one RB (Jahmyr Gibbs) has totaled over 45 rush yards against Cleveland this year.
Browns WRs
Jerry Jeudy will enter the week as a low-end flex play in 12-plus team leagues. The Vikings have allowed the fewest fantasy points to opposing WRs this year, and the only WR to have a big fantasy day against them through four weeks was DK Metcalf -- thanks to an 80-yard touchdown. With Jeudy averaging just 7.8 PPR fantasy points per game, it's hard to trust him in a tough matchup.
As for Isaiah Bond, you are likely only starting him in dire situations. Although Cedric Tillman (hamstring) is out for this game, his matchup in the slot isn't the most favorable. Minnesota has given up the seventh-fewest fantasy points to slot WRs this year, where Bond has played 47% of his snaps this year.
Things are not looking great for T.J. Hockenson to begin the year. He has been held to under 10 PPR fantasy points in three of four games, and his 16.8% target share ranks outside the top-12 at the TE position. With a matchup against the Browns on the horizon, Hockenson will be more of a TE2 this week. Cleveland has allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to the position so far.
Other Notable Matchups
Justin Jefferson finally had a big fantasy game last week, catching 10 passes for 126 yards. He'll look to carry that into this Week 5 matchup against the Browns. Jefferson will likely be matched up against Denzel Ward for parts of this game. The good news, though, is that Ward only plays on the left side, meaning he won't shadow the superstar WR in this contest. That makes him a strong WR1 play this weekend.
In his first game off the suspended list, Jordan Addison caught four passes for 114 yards. Most of his damage in that game last week came on an 81-yard catch and run. However, Addison is more of a WR3 this week against an excellent Browns defense. Cleveland has yet to allow an outside WR to total over 65 receiving yards against them this year.
#Vikings WR Jordan Addison in his first game back:
• 4 Receptions
• 8 Targets
• 114 Yards pic.twitter.com/7R3NrZXRxD— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) September 28, 2025
Browns TEs
Both David Njoku and Harold Fannin Jr. have been a bit disappointing over the past few weeks. Njoku has yet to top 10 PPR fantasy points in a game this season, and Fannin has been held to under 30 receiving yards in back-to-back games. For that reason, both Browns TEs will be outside the top-16 at the TE position this week.
The Vikings have yet to allow a TE to score above 10 PPR fantasy points this year, and only one TE (Drew Sample) has scored a touchdown. Therefore, Njoku and Fannin will be harder to trust in all formats in Week 5.
Injuries:
- Aaron Jones Sr. (hamstring) - Out
- J.J. McCarthy (ankle) - Out
- Cedric Tillman (hamstring) - Out
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