Running Back Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 5 (2026)

October 10, 2026

Bruno's Week 5 fantasy football RB start/sit picks for 2026. Get lineup advice for Emanuel Wilson, Ollie Gordon II, Will Shipley, and more.

Saquon Barkley is out, Miami has lost De'Von Achane for the season, and Seattle remains without Jadarian Price. Those absences have pushed backup running backs into Week 5 lineups, but some have shown considerably more than others.

Emanuel Wilson has already handled at least 21 carries twice this season. Ollie Gordon II just delivered his first 100-yard game, while Will Shipley has only 19 touches all year. I see a starting case for each, though Shipley requires the biggest leap of faith.

The harder bench decision is David Montgomery. His touchdown potential still puts him in the RB2 discussion, even after three disappointing games. Tyler Allgeier and MarShawn Lloyd are further down the board, but their recent usage also deserves a closer look before trusting either in the flex.

Week 5 Starts - Potential Fantasy Football Booms

Emanuel Wilson - Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers

Emanuel Wilson made the most of another big opportunity last week. With Jadarian Price out, he handled 21 carries for 81 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers.

He also caught three of four targets for 39 yards and another score.

Make that 2️⃣ TDs for Emanuel Wilson!

@LACvsSEA on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/aZFgT0Olj9

— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2026

The 24 touches were encouraging, but this was not Wilson's first game with a significant workload. He also had 21 carries for 92 yards against Arizona in Week 2.

Seattle has now given him at least 21 rushing attempts in two of its last three games.

There is little reason to expect his opportunities to disappear this week. Price remains on injured reserve with a chest injury, and Zach Charbonnet is unavailable.

George Holani is also questionable with rib and knee injuries.

Seattle added rookie Robert Henry Jr. to the active roster, but Wilson remains its most established healthy rushing option. He has already shown he can handle a substantial workload when called upon.

San Francisco presents a tougher challenge than the winless Chargers. The 49ers enter Week 5 undefeated, and another 27-point fantasy performance would be asking a lot.

Wilson does not need that kind of production to justify starting him, though.

Seattle has been willing to give him a substantial number of carries, and there is nothing about the current backfield situation that suggests a major reduction is coming.

RotoBaller has Wilson at RB17 for Week 5. I am comfortable following the volume here, even if the matchup makes another big rushing performance less likely.

If Seattle gives him something close to 18 to 20 opportunities, Wilson should have enough chances to deliver useful RB2 production.

Ollie Gordon II - Miami Dolphins vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Ollie Gordon II had the best game of his young NFL career last week, rushing for 100 yards and a touchdown on just nine carries against Minnesota.

Those numbers need some context. Gordon averaged 11.1 yards per carry, but 53 of his 100 yards came on one run. That kind of efficiency is not something fantasy managers should expect every week.

53 yards for Ollie Gordon II

MIAvsMIN on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/AC6Jer243h

— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2026

It was still an impressive performance from a second-year running back playing in an offense that managed only 198 total yards.

Gordon gave Miami something it had been missing, and the coaching staff has good reason to continue giving him opportunities.

De'Von Achane is out for the season, leaving Gordon and Jaylen Wright as the primary options in the backfield.

Miami has already indicated it wants to get Wright more involved, although his availability remains uncertain.

Wright is questionable after being limited in practice Thursday and Friday. His status could affect how Miami divides the workload against Cincinnati.

The Dolphins also claimed Kaytron Allen off waivers Friday, adding another back to the roster. It remains to be seen how quickly Allen gets involved.

Gordon is not a workhorse yet, but his recent production gives fantasy managers something to work with.

He handled 17 carries in Week 3 before breaking out against Minnesota and has now scored touchdowns in consecutive games.

RotoBaller ranks Gordon RB23 this week, putting him in the range where managers are deciding between a lower-end RB2 and a flex option.

I like his chances of getting another meaningful workload against the Bengals.

Miami needs to find some consistency offensively, and Gordon has been its most productive running back over the last two weeks.

Will Shipley - Philadelphia Eagles at Jacksonville Jaguars

Will Shipley has touched the ball just 19 times this season, yet he has become a legitimate flex consideration heading into Week 5.

Philadelphia's injury situation has changed his outlook considerably.

Saquon Barkley is officially out with a hamstring injury, while Tank Bigsby underwent core-muscle surgery and landed on injured reserve.

Shipley was third on the depth chart not long ago. Now the Eagles could need him to handle a much larger portion of the backfield work.

There will still be competition for touches. Dameon Pierce has been added to the active roster, and Carson Steele was promoted from the practice squad.

Philadelphia has options if it wants to divide the early-down carries.

Shipley could find opportunities in the passing game, though. He ran 24 routes in Week 2, and the Eagles are also dealing with the absences of DeVonta Smith and Hollywood Brown.

He carried six times for 23 yards after the injuries hit last week. That is not much production to evaluate, but the circumstances are considerably different now.

Jacksonville is not an ideal matchup. The Jaguars have been one of the league's better defenses against the run, and Philadelphia's offensive line has struggled with injuries and personnel changes.

The Eagles could have difficulty establishing their ground game, which makes Shipley's receiving potential particularly important in PPR formats.

RotoBaller currently has Shipley at RB33, and there is certainly risk at that ranking. We have not seen him handle anything close to a featured workload at the NFL level.

I would not start him over an established RB2, but fantasy managers dealing with injuries and byes may not have that luxury.

In a 12-team league where the alternatives are equally uncertain, I am willing to take a chance on Shipley's expanded role.

Week 5 Concerns - Potential Fantasy Football Busts

David Montgomery - Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans

David Montgomery opened the season with three touchdowns against Buffalo. Since then, he has been one of the more frustrating running backs to have in a fantasy lineup.

Montgomery has just 27 carries for 67 yards over his last three games, averaging 2.5 yards per attempt.

He has not scored during that stretch and managed only 24 rushing yards on 10 carries against Dallas last week.

Houston has struggled to get much going on the ground, and Montgomery has been feeling the effects.

The offensive line has given him little room to work, while the Texans have continued dividing their backfield touches between him and Woody Marks.

Marks has outscored Montgomery in PPR formats in each of the last three games.

Neither back has been particularly effective as a runner, but Marks has found the end zone in consecutive weeks and has been more involved in the passing game.

Montgomery remains part of Houston's offensive plans. He handled 10 carries against Dallas and 11 the week before, so the Texans have not abandoned him in favor of Marks.

The problem is what those opportunities have produced.

Montgomery is not seeing enough targets to make up for the lack of rushing production, leaving him heavily dependent on finding the end zone.

Tennessee looks like a favorable matchup on paper, especially with the Titans still looking for their first win.

Houston's offensive struggles and the continued involvement of Marks make it difficult to assume Montgomery will suddenly return to his Week 1 production.

RotoBaller has Montgomery at RB20 this week, making him one of the more difficult sit decisions.

His touchdown potential keeps him in the RB2 conversation, particularly for managers dealing with injuries and byes.

He has averaged just 5.2 PPR fantasy points over his last three games.

I would look for another option if my roster allows it, especially in a league where I can afford to prioritize a more reliable workload.

Montgomery could certainly get back into the end zone against Tennessee, but his recent rushing production and limited receiving involvement make him a risky RB2.

Tyler Allgeier - Arizona Cardinals vs. Detroit Lions

Tyler Allgeier scored a touchdown last week against the Giants, finishing with eight carries for 42 yards and two receptions for seven yards. It was easily his best rushing performance since Week 1.

The touchdown helped his fantasy total considerably, but there has not been much evidence that his rushing workload is about to increase.

Arizona continues to split its backfield between Allgeier and Jeremiyah Love, with Love taking on more of the rushing opportunities recently.

Love had 14 carries against the Giants and has 35 over the last two games after seeing just 20 across the first two weeks.

Love's ankle injury had been something to monitor, but he returned to full practice Friday and carries no injury designation for Sunday's game against Detroit.

Allgeier still has an important role in the offense. He actually outsnapped Love 36 to 30 against New York and was on the field for Arizona's final drive.

His ability in pass protection gives the Cardinals a reason to keep him involved.

The problem for fantasy managers is that those snaps have not consistently produced enough touches.

Allgeier can play a significant portion of the game without getting the rushing volume needed to support a reliable fantasy performance.

He could certainly find the end zone again, and Detroit is not an opponent that makes him completely unusable.

I just do not see enough in his recent workload to feel comfortable counting on another touchdown.

RotoBaller ranks Allgeier RB32 for Week 5. That is around where I would have him, with considerably more appeal if Love were unavailable.

With Love cleared to play and receiving more of the rushing work, Allgeier is better left on the bench in standard 12-team formats.

His role still has value for Arizona, but the limited rushing attempts make it difficult to count on him for consistent fantasy production.

MarShawn Lloyd - Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears

MarShawn Lloyd saw his workload increase last week against Tampa Bay, although the results were mixed. He carried seven times for just 13 yards but caught all five of his targets for another 36.

The receiving production helped salvage his fantasy performance. It was also his largest passing-game workload of the season, which gives him at least one avenue toward becoming useful in PPR leagues.

His rushing numbers remain difficult to overlook. Lloyd has 30 carries this season and is averaging only 2.7 yards per attempt. He has also fumbled twice, losing one.

Green Bay has been searching for answers in the backfield while Josh Jacobs remains unavailable on the commissioner's exempt list.

Lloyd has been given opportunities, but he has not been productive enough as a runner to establish himself as the clear replacement.

Chris Brooks has been ruled out against Chicago with an ankle injury, potentially leaving more work available for Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson.

The Packers also added Pierre Strong Jr. to the active roster, so another committee approach remains possible.

Lloyd played 55% of Green Bay's offensive snaps last week, his largest share of the season.

Brooks' injury contributed to that increase, and the Packers could continue giving Lloyd more opportunities while evaluating their options.

The rushing production has not justified much confidence yet. Even with his expanded role against Tampa Bay, Lloyd managed only 13 yards on seven attempts.

Chicago's defense has also been more competitive recently, so this is not a matchup where I would overlook the uncertainty surrounding Green Bay's backfield.

RotoBaller has Lloyd ranked RB39 this week. His five catches against Tampa Bay provide some encouragement for deeper PPR leagues, especially with Brooks unavailable.

For a normal 12-team league, I would keep Lloyd on the bench.

There may be more touches available this week, but I want to see him do more with them before trusting him in a starting lineup.

You can also see the Who Should I Start tool here.

Week 5 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players: Emanuel Wilson, Ollie Gordon II, Will Shipley, David Montgomery.

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 name. In the second box, search for the second player 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 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, stats, projections, strength of schedule, player news, and enhanced search results with data to compare, with 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 select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons, 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 (2026)?

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 searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Week 5 for Emanuel Wilson, Ollie Gordon II, Will Shipley, David Montgomery: