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
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

NFL Pick'em Pool Picks (Week 5) - Targets, Avoids, Predictions for Pick'em Contests

Geno Smith - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

The top NFL Pick'em pool picks for Week 5 of the 2024 NFL season. Mike's weekly NFL Pick'em pool targets, avoids, and predictions to help win pick'em contests.

There will be four teams on a bye for Week 5, leaving us with our first limited schedule of the season. Still, there are plenty of marquee matchups to be excited about.

Each week of the NFL season, I’ll share my picks for each game and rank their selections for those who play in a format that requires it. The games will be grouped into locks, semi-confident picks, and toss-ups. The number listed next to the game shows my confidence level, counting down to my least confident pick. The winner picks are italicized.

Some weeks, you may see a subcategory of “Wait and See” because some platforms require all games to be selected before the kickoff of Thursday Night Football. There may still be some injury questions for Sunday and Monday games. If that’s the case, I’ll leave those games off to the side and suggest where they should be placed if a player is in or out. Let’s get to our Week 5 picks.

Featured Promo: Get any Props Premium Pass for 50% off using code SUMMER. Win more with our two new Props Optimizer tools -- one for PrizePicks Props, and one for Sportsbook Betting Props. Find optimal prop bets and get our recommended picks daily! Go Premium, Win More!

 

Week 5 NFL Pick'em Pool Locks

The number listed next to the game shows my confidence level, counting down to my least-confident pick. The higher the number, the better. The winner picks are italicized.

  • 14 – Seattle New York Giants
  • 13 – Minnesota New York Jets

This is a tough week for matchups to feel overly confident about. One that stands out is taking the Seahawks to defeat the Giants in Seattle. The Giants have had added time to rest, but their offense is averaging just 15.0 points per game. Malik Nabers will have to clear the concussion protocol to be able to play, causing more concern.

The Seahawks are averaging 25.5 points per game, so look for them to take care of business at home.

The Vikings and Jets will face off in London, so the neutral field and added travel do shake things up a bit. However, the Vikings have allowed a total of just 59 points during their 4-0 start. The Jets have averaged a modest 19.0 points per game and scoring could be more difficult with Aaron Rodgers battling a knee injury. His lack of mobility could be a problem since the Vikings have the most sacks (17) in the league.

 

Semi-Confident Picks For Week 5 Pick'em Pools

12 – Green Bay at Los Angeles Rams

After an upset victory over the 49ers two weeks ago, the Rams fell flat in a loss to the Bears in Week 4. They are still limited on offense with Cooper Kupp (ankle) and Puka Nacua (knee) out, which contributed to them only scoring 18 points against the Bears. Even with Christian Watson (ankle) likely out, the Packers have a more dangerous offense with Jordan Love back in the fold.

11 – Washington vs. Cleveland

The Commanders sit alone atop the NFC East, which is one of the bigger surprises of the season. They have played three games on the road, too. The big difference in this game is that the Commanders have scored nearly double as many points (121) as the Browns (66) have this season. The Browns are also a combined 4-6 on the road since the start of last season.

10 – Kansas City vs. New Orleans

After their hot start, the Saints have lost two straight. After scoring 91 total points in their first two games, they have combined for just 36 points over their last two games. While the Chiefs will be missing key players in Isiah Pacheco (lower leg) and Rashee Rice (knee), their defense is allowing just 18.0 points per game on their way to a 4-0 start. Expect the Chiefs to come out on top at home.

9 – Chicago vs. Carolina

The Panthers have been more productive on offense with Andy Dalton under center, but their defense is a big problem. They have allowed a staggering 32.3 points per game. Things won’t get any better for them with Derrick Brown (knee) and Shaq Thompson (Achilles) out. Expect their defense to let them down when they face the Bears in Chicago.

 

NFL Pick'em Toss-Ups Of Week 5

8 – Baltimore at Cincinnati

This game is probably more important for the 1-3 Bengals. They finally put one in the win column in Week 4, but beating the Panthers isn’t exactly impressive. Meanwhile, the Ravens have knocked off the Cowboys and Bills in consecutive weeks. This game being in Cincinnati is a reason to pause, but the Bengals have allowed the eighth-most rushing yards per game in the league. That’s a recipe for disaster against Derrick Henry.

7 – Denver vs. Las Vegas

The Broncos rode their defense to victory last week and have allowed a total of just 16 points during their two-game winning streak. Davante Adams could be out again for the Raiders, either because of his hamstring injury or his desire to be traded. I don’t think he plays, which will make scoring very difficult for the Raiders.

6 – Pittsburgh vs. Dallas

The Cowboys beat the Giants last week, but it came at a price. Dexter Lawrence II suffered a foot injury that has landed him on injured reserve. Brandin Cooks (knee) has already been ruled out and Micah Parsons (ankle) is expected to join him on the sidelines. It’s difficult to have a ton of faith in any Justin Fields-led team, but injuries might be too much for the Cowboys to overcome.

5 – San Francisco vs. Arizona

The Cardinals are tough to predict. Despite losing to the Bills in Week 1, they put up a good fight. They trounced the Rams in Week 2, then battled again in a close loss to the Lions in Week 3. However, the Commanders crushed them in Arizona last week. The 49ers are probably the play here, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if Kyler Murray works his magic and possibly pulls off the upset.

4 – Atlanta vs. Tampa Bay

This is the Thursday Night Football game. There was some concern that Bijan Robinson (hamstring) might not be ready in time, but he said Wednesday that he’ll play. Anything can happen in a division matchup that takes place on short rest. When in doubt, lean toward the home team.

3 – Jacksonville vs. Indianapolis

At 0-4, the Jaguars are one of the biggest disappointments of the season. Still, the Colts are in a tough spot here on the road. Jonathan Taylor (ankle) might be out and Anthony Richardson is battling an oblique injury. Richardson did practice Wednesday, which is a positive sign that he could take the field. However, if Taylor is indeed out, their offense could struggle. He has 349 rushing yards and four touchdowns this season.

2 – Houston vs. Buffalo

This game should be fun, but I want one part in picking it for any pool that matters. These are two of the best teams in the league and their quarterbacks alone can carry them to victory. The lean here is toward the Texans because they are at home and the Bills are missing some key players on defense. Von Miller (suspension) will miss the next four games, further depleting their defense.

1 – New England vs. Miami

This is going to be tough to watch. The Patriots have scored 16 or fewer points in three of their four games. The Dolphins have combined for 15 points over the last two games with Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) out. Stay away from this if you can, but if forced to choose, I’d lean toward the home team. At least Jacoby Brissett does a good job of limiting turnovers. He has thrown one interception and lost one fumble this season.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Kerry Carpenter

Leaves Game with Apparent Hamstring Injury
Day'Ron Sharpe

Heads to Free Agency
Santi Aldama

Receives Qualifying Offer
Moritz Wagner

has Team Option Declined
Jabari Smith Jr.

Signs Massive Extension
Jusuf Nurkić

Hornets Trading Jusuf Nurkic to Utah
Collin Sexton

Heading to Charlotte
Cam Thomas

Set for Restricted Free Agency
Bobby Portis

Staying in Milwaukee
Jonas Brodin

Expected to Miss Start of Next Season
TB

Conor Sheary Placed on Waivers for Contract Termination
James Harden

Clippers Agree on a New Contract
Dante Fabbro

Stays with Blue Jackets on Four-Year Deal
Joel Hofer

Commits to Blues for Two More Years
Kevin Bahl

Signs Long-Term Extension with Flames
Oneil Cruz

Smacks Two Homers
Jordan Spence

Traded to Ottawa
Petr Mrazek

Heads to Anaheim
John Gibson

Red Wings Acquire John Gibson
Matthew Knies

Inks Six-Year Extension with Maple Leafs
Aaron Judge

Blasts Two Homers, Dealing With Back Issue
Claude Giroux

Signs One-Year Deal with Senators
Yordan Alvarez

has Chance to Return Next Weekend
Julius Randle

Signs Three-Year Extension
Kelly Oubre Jr.

Opts into Player Option
Luis Robert Jr.

Heads to Injured List
Gabriel Arias

Carted Off on Sunday
Bryce Harper

Faces Live Pitching
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Remains Out on Sunday
Utah Jazz

Bojan Bogdanovic Retiring From Basketball
Dorian Finney-Smith

Declines Player Option
Jaylin Williams

Signing Three-Year Extension
LeBron James

Accepts Player Option
Anfernee Simons

"a Possible Re-Trade Candidate"
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
NFL

NFL Won't Hold Supplemental Draft This Year
Damon Arnette

Getting Second Chance With Texans
Deommodore Lenoir

Arrested for Obstruction of Justice
Yordan Alvarez

Eyeing Return Before All-Star Break
Kevin Porter Jr.

Declining Player Option
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Quinn Priester

Fans 11 in One-Hit Gem
Garrett Temple

Returning to Toronto
Nicolas Batum

Declines Player Option
Spencer Schwellenbach

Dominant in Victory
Keon Johnson

Gets Team Option Picked Up
Rayan Rupert

Staying in Portland
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Expected to Make Second-Year Jump
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Out of Lineup Saturday
Jalin Hyatt

Looking to Flip the Script in 2025
Garrett Mitchell

to Undergo Shoulder Surgery
José Ramírez

Jose Ramirez in Guardians Lineup on Saturday
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
Ty Dillon

Could Benefit from Kaulig Speed
Cody Ware

Rarely Enough Attrition at Atlanta for Cody Ware to Seriously Contend
Ryan Blaney

Is Always Strong at Atlanta
Joey Logano

Wins Pole, Looking for Third Atlanta Win
Chase Burns

Slated to Make Next Start on Monday
Dylan Sampson

Being Used as a Receiver
Carson Schwesinger

Figures to be in Full-Time Role in 2025
Cedric Tillman

Should Have Full-Time Role
Bryce Young

Looking More Comfortable, Showing More Intensity
Charlie Coyle

Blue Jackets Acquire Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood From Colorado
Jack Quinn

Signs Up for Two More Years with Sabres
Brandon Saad

Stays in Vegas on One-Year Deal
Trent Frederic

Inks Eight-Year Extension
Josh Naylor

Exits Friday's Contest Early with Neck Stiffness
Emil Heineman

Shipped to the Islanders
Noah Dobson

Traded to Montreal
John Tavares

Agrees to Four-Year Extension with Maple Leafs
Sam Bennett

Signs Eight-Year Extension with Panthers
NYI

Islanders Select Matthew Schaefer With No. 1 Pick in NHL Draft
José Berríos

Jose Berrios Tosses Seven Scoreless Innings in Fourth Win
Nick Martinez

Flirts With No-Hitter, Settles for Win
Gary Sánchez

Gary Sanchez Homers, Reaches Five Times in Onslaught
Trea Turner

Blasts Two Homers, Steals Base
Los Angeles Angels

Ron Washington to Remain on Medical Leave for Rest of the Season
Aaron Rodgers

Roman Wilson Could Fit Nicely With Aaron Rodgers
Josh Simmons

on Schedule to Open the Year as a Starter
Micah Parsons

Contract Length an Issue for Cowboys, Micah Parsons
Denver Broncos

Broncos Unsure How Their Running Back Room Will Look
Russell Wilson

Not the Only Leader in Giants Clubhouse
Jihaad Campbell

to Begin at Inside Linebacker
Josh Conerly Jr.

to Play Right Tackle for Now
Tyleik Williams

Expected to Fill Big Role Right Away
Malaki Starks

Should Make an Immediate Impact
James Pearce Jr.

Impressing the Falcons
Jaxson Dart

has "Excellent" Spring
Donovan Jackson

has Inside Track on Starting Job
Charles Oliveira

Can Become A Two-Time Lightweight Champion
Ilia Topuria

A Favorite At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Can Become The New Flyweight Champion
Alexandre Pantoja

Set For Fourth Title Defense At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Renato Moicano

Returns At UFC 317
Beneil Dariush

An Underdog At UFC 317
Payton Talbott

Looks To Bounce Back
Felipe Lima

Set To Open Up UFC 317 Main Card
Daniil Tarasov

Panthers Bring in Daniil Tarasov
Frederick Gaudreau

Kraken Pick Up Frederick Gaudreau From Wild
Michael Thorbjornsen

Returns in Detroit at Rocket Classic
Adam Hadwin

Could Struggle Over the Weekend in Detroit
Cam Davis

Hopes Detroit Magic Can Spark Turnaround
Matt Wallace

a Boom-or-Bust Option at Rocket Classic
Joel Dahmen

Not Cutting it Lately
Michael Kim

Searching for Spark at Rocket Classic
Rasmus Hojgaard

a High-Ceiling Play in Rocket Classic
Matt McCarty

a Wild Card Heading into Detroit
Emiliano Grillo

Rolling into the Summer Season
Rickie Fowler

Looking for More Magic at Rocket Classic
Wyndham Clark

Brings High Upside to Detroit Golf Club
Max Greyserman

Could Make Noise at Rocket Classic
Akshay Bhatia

a Strong Value Play at Rocket Classic
Eric Cole

Hoping for Better Times at Rocket Classic
Beau Hossler

Searching for Form at Rocket Classic
PGA

Byeong Hun An in Good Form Heading into Rocket Classic
Cameron Young

Looking For Redemption and Possible First Career Victory in Detroit
Collin Morikawa

is The Headliner This Week in Detroit For Good Reason
Si Woo Kim

Back in Competition After Last Week's Withdrawal
PGA

Alex Noren Finishes Tied For 30th at Travelers Championship
Kurt Kitayama

Misses The Cut at RBC Canadian Open