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Should I start R.J. Harvey, TreVeyon Henderson, Kenneth Walker III for Week 5? Fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks and recommendations for the 2025 NFL season.
Week 5 is officially here, and bye weeks and injuries are going to be a huge factor this week. Atlanta, Chicago, Green Bay, and Pittsburgh all head into their bye week this week, and with openings available in fantasy running back rooms, managers need to find reinforcements in Week 5.
In this article, we will see if running backs R.J. Harvey, TreVeyon Henderson, and Kenneth Walker III should be started in fantasy in Week 5. All three running backs were hyped up plenty during the offseason, but have struggled to surpass their teammates in their teams' RB rotation.
Should fantasy managers start Harvey, Henderson, or Walker in Week 5? Let's dive in and find out.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings
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- Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
- Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
- Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
- FLEX fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Kicker (K) fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Should I Start R.J. Harvey for Fantasy Football?
Denver Broncos rookie running back Harvey delivered the best performance of his young career in Week 4, logging 14 carries for 58 yards and adding four receptions for 40 yards and a touchdown. He also played a career-high 43% of the offensive snaps, while starter J.K. Dobbins saw his lowest workload of the season (45%).
The rook breaks free! 💨
📺: FOX | @rjharvey07 pic.twitter.com/FBJEim1x47
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) September 7, 2025
Despite Harvey’s strong showing, Dobbins stole the spotlight by becoming the first running back in the Sean Payton era to surpass 100 rushing yards in a game. Dobbins leads the NFL in explosive run rate and is averaging 5.7 yards per carry, so his starting role remains secure.
In Week 5, Denver faces the Philadelphia Eagles, who have allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to running backs this season. After ranking as the league’s top run defense in 2024, the Eagles have been vulnerable against backs like Javonte Williams, Bucky Irving, and Kyren Williams.
Dobbins will continue to handle the lead role, but Harvey’s passing-game involvement gives him sneaky value as a low-end FLEX option. This week will be critical in monitoring how the snaps are divided, as Harvey’s role could grow if Payton keeps him involved on third downs and in two-minute situations.
Should I Start TreVeyon Henderson for Fantasy Football?
New England Patriots rookie running back Henderson has been one of the bigger fantasy disappointments to start the 2025 season. Through four games, Henderson has just 26 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown, along with 13 receptions for 87 yards.
Touchdown TreVeyon!
CARvsNE on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/GhVN5CHTxq
— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025
Despite his preseason hype, Henderson has been stuck in a messy three-way committee with Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson. Stevenson has been the clear lead back, logging 58% of the snaps and leading the team in carries. Henderson has primarily been used in the passing game, but rookie quarterback Drake Maye has shown a preference for scrambling instead of checking down, limiting Henderson’s role.
The Patriots face the Buffalo Bills in Week 5, a defense that has allowed the 13th-most fantasy points to running backs. Buffalo’s struggles were evident in Week 4, when both Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller topped 70 scrimmage yards.
While the matchup is favorable, Henderson’s usage remains too limited to trust. At best, he’s a desperation FLEX option in deeper leagues, but until he overtakes Stevenson or claims a defined role, the rookie should remain a bench stash in fantasy football.
Should I Start Kenneth Walker III for Fantasy Football?
Seattle Seahawks running back Walker turned in an efficient performance in Week 4 but failed to find the end zone. Through the first four weeks, Walker has 58 carries for 244 yards and three touchdowns, along with six receptions for 58 yards.
The biggest issue for Walker’s fantasy value has been the timeshare with Zach Charbonnet. When both backs are healthy, Charbonnet has out-snapped Walker (53% to 45%) and continues to dominate goal-line opportunities, vulturing two touchdowns inside the five-yard line in Week 4.
The challenge only gets tougher in Week 5, as the Seahawks face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ elite run defense. Tampa Bay has allowed the fewest rushing yards in the NFL this season, holding Bijan Robinson, Breece Hall, and Saquon Barkley to a combined 85 yards on 40 carries.
Given the difficult matchup and the committee usage, Walker is best viewed as a low-end FLEX play in Week 5. While touchdown upside always exists, the risk of Charbonnet stealing goal-line work makes Walker a very risky start against one of the toughest run defenses in the league.
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 R.J. Harvey, TreVeyon Henderson, and Kenneth Walker III. 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 - R.J. Harvey, TreVeyon Henderson, and Kenneth Walker III. 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 that 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 R.J. Harvey, TreVeyon Henderson, and Kenneth Walker III compared to others:
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