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Should I start Jordan Mason, Tony Pollard, Javonte Williams for Week 5? Fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks and recommendations for the 2025 NFL season.
We have officially entered Week 5 of the NFL season, and bye weeks are beginning to take shape. Four teams, Atlanta, Chicago, Green Bay, and Pittsburgh, enter their bye weeks and are leaving holes in everyone's fantasy lineups.
Three running backs: Javonte Williams, Tony Pollard, and Jordan Mason all enter this week as their team's workhorse running back, but tough matchups or struggling offenses leave these players as potential start/sit candidates.
Here are the weekly outlooks for Williams, Pollard, and Mason for Week 5:
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings
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- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Kicker (K) fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Should I Start Javonte Williams in Week 5?
Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams has been one of the most pleasant surprises of the 2025 fantasy season. Through four weeks, Williams has logged 63 carries for 312 yards and four touchdowns, while also adding 74 receiving yards on 16 catches. The former Broncos back looks fully healthy for the first time since his 2022 knee injury and is on pace towards having the best season of his career.
#Cowboys RB Javonte Williams is No. 2 in success rate among all qualifying running backs this season. pic.twitter.com/A7pgc4Vev2
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) September 29, 2025
Williams has established himself as the Cowboys' workhorse, handling over 70% of the offensive snaps compared to Miles Sanders’ 22%. However, Sanders missed Wednesday’s and Thursday’s practice with an ankle injury that he picked up early in Week 4’s tie to the Green Bay Packers.
The Cowboys face the New York Jets, who rank middle of the pack in fantasy points allowed to running backs (15th). Dallas enters the matchup as three-point favorites, potentially setting up a run-heavy game script, which would be a first for the Cowboys in 2025. If Dallas can control the tempo early, Williams is in line for heavy volume and strong fantasy production.
Currently ranked RB9 in RotoBaller’s Week 5 rankings, Williams should be locked into fantasy lineups as a low-end RB1 with upside if the Cowboys can control the game.
Should I Start Tony Pollard in Week 5?
Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard has relied heavily on volume early in the 2025 season. Pollard has 68 carries for just 261 yards and one touchdown, while being limited in the passing game as well.
Pollard currently leads the NFL in snap percentage from the running back position (88%), but with Tyjae Spears trending towards a return, Pollard could return to more of a committee role. Spears has been limited in practice, but if he returns and produces, Pollard could be in trouble.
Tony Pollard has a Titans TD
INDvsTEN on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/uz69X9lIKY
— NFL (@NFL) September 21, 2025
Pollard faces the Arizona Cardinals in Week 5, who have allowed the 11th most fantasy points to running backs so far in 2025. They especially struggled in Week 4 against the Seattle Seahawks, where they gave up 155 yards rushing.
The Titans' offense has been bad, especially their offensive line, but Pollard’s volume gives him a level of consistency. While Spears’ return could cut into his workload, Pollard remains a high-end RB3, with upside if he can score a touchdown.
Should I Start Jordan Mason in Week 5?
Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason has stepped into a workhorse role with Aaron Jones Sr. (hamstring) on injured reserve. Since Week 3, Mason has logged 32 carries for 173 yards and two touchdowns, ranking as the RB13 in half-PPR scoring.
Jordan Mason is in to extend the Vikings lead
CINvsMIN on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/rCMAfsVWPo
— NFL (@NFL) September 21, 2025
Mason has played 60% and 63% of the snaps in the past two games, while backup Zavien Scott has been involved on 33%. The concern for Mason is his lack of receiving production, as he has just 20 career receptions across 49 games. Without a consistent receiving floor, Mason will solely rely on touchdowns to save his fantasy day.
Week 5 brings a brutal matchup against the Cleveland Browns, who boast the league’s best run defense. Through four weeks, Cleveland has held Chase Brown, Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, and David Montgomery all under 2.0 yards per carry. With the Vikings still starting backup QB Carson Wentz and a 36-point over/under (lowest in Week 5), touchdown opportunities could be scarce.
Mason’s workhorse role keeps him fantasy relevant, but in Week 5, he profiles as a risky RB3 who is heavily touchdown dependent.
Who Should I Start Tool
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Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 5 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like Jordan Mason, Tony Pollard, Javonte Williams. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 5. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 5 of the 2025 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
Week 5 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Jordan Mason, Tony Pollard, Javonte Williams. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 5.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed, our Who Should I Start? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 5 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 5 (2025)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 5 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 5 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for Jordan Mason, Tony Pollard, Javonte Williams compared to others:
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