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Under-the-Radar Booms/Busts - Week 5

Craig Rondinone looks at some fantasy football lineup sleepers and busts for Week 5 of the NFL season. Under-the-radar booms and busts for fantasy football.

Let the booming and busting begin!

Thursday night’s New England-Tampa Bay contest already had a couple under-the-radar booms (Doug Martin, Cameron Brate) and an under-the-radar bust (Dwayne Allen couldn’t catch a pass with Rob Gronkowski sidelined?). This trend will continue into Sunday, guaranteed.

Here are some under-the-radar booms and busts for the fifth week of NFL action to help you set a winning lineup!

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Week 5 Under-the-Radar Booms

LeGarrette Blount (RB, PHI) vs. ARI

Blount is running with more conviction and purpose in recent weeks than he did at the start of the season. Now that Philly’s backfield is thinning out with the season-ending injury to Darren Sproles and scatback Wendell Smallwood suffering from his own knee problem, Blount should see 15-20 carries this weekend. Arizona has a top-10 run defense, but the Eagles should be able to move the ball downfield via Carson Wentz passes, and when they get inside the five-yard-line Blount will be the one finishing off the scoring drives. Start with confidence in standard leagues.

 Jarvis Landry (WR, MIA) vs. TEN

The Tennessee Titans secondary has shown it can make any receiver look like Jerry Rice this season. They could not cover either DeAndre Hopkins (10 receptions, 107 yards, one TD) or Will Fuller (two TD) when division rival Houston pummeled them last weekend. Even though DeVante Parker has arguably become a better fantasy option, Landry leads the Dolphins in catches and targets and could rack up plenty of points in PPR leagues because of the shoddy secondary he is running slants and crosses against.

Duke Johnson (RB, CLE) vs. NYJ

Johnson has been the lone bright spot in Cleveland’s dismal offense. He leads the team with 20 receptions and 207 yards and is averaging twice the yards per carry when he is handed the ball than regular runner Isaiah Crowell is. While he is still has not been much of a help to fantasy owners, it will change this week as he faces a Jets defense that has allowed 66 points in two road games. Look for Johnson to be featured more often than the slumping Crowell and have seven receptions for 70 yards, add 40 yards on the ground and find the end zone for the first time this season.

 

Week 5 Under-the-Radar Busts

Latavius Murray (RB, MIN) at CHI

Murray may have rushed for a dozen touchdowns last year and over 1,000 yards the year before, but he is far from an impressive running back. The man is averaging 2.7 yards per carry this season behind the same line that rookie Dalvin Cook was sprinting for 4.8 yards per pop before he tore his ACL. Chicago’s underrated run defense is sixth in the NFL and should be jacked up at home on a Monday night and with No. 1 overall pick Mitchell Trubisky juicing up things on the other side of the ball. I can see a scenario where Murray is stuffed for 25 yards on nine early carries and gives way to Jerick McKinnon later in the contest.

Eddie Lacy (RB, SEA) vs. LAR

Just when you thought rookie Chris Carson was going to sprint away as Seattle’s starting tailback and become a fantasy force, the speedster fractured his leg and essentially through the Seahawks backfield into a frenzy. Lacy was the one who carried the ball the most last week once Carson went down, so fantasy owners will install him as the favorite to be the top tailback this week against the L.A. Rams’ 30th-ranked run defense, but former starter Thomas Rawls and emerging threat J.D. McKissic will likely not allow Lacy the opportunity to touch the ball more than 12-15 times, especially if one of them becomes the “hot hand” early in the game before Lacy does.

Charles Clay (TE, BUF) at CIN

Clay has been Tyrod Taylor’s most effective pass catcher during the first month of the season, catching 18 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns. While Clay is no Kellen Winslow in his prime or a healthy Rob Gronkowski, he has always been serviceable as a fantasy tight end. This is the week to bench him, though, since he will be covered by a Cincinnati defense that is ranked third against the pass and is probably brimming with confidence after shutting down and shellacking the Cleveland Browns offense this past weekend.

 

More Week 5 Lineup Prep




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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Devon Toews

to Miss at Least Two Weeks
Gabriel Landeskog

Out for Several Weeks
Jamie Drysdale

Makes Early Exit Tuesday
Bobby Brink

Injured in Tuesday's Win
Adam Henrique

Expected to Miss Time
Brad Marchand

Dealing With Lingering Health Issue
Haydn Fleury

Hospitalized Tuesday
Moussa Diabaté

Ryan Kalkbrenner Out, Moussa Diabate Probable Wednesday
Brandon Miller

Listed as Probable Wednesday
Alex Caruso

Absent for Second Consecutive Game
Nicolas Claxton

Available Wednesday
Moritz Wagner

Still Out Wednesday
Franz Wagner

Not Ready to Return Wednesday
Jalen Suggs

Remains Out Wednesday
Draymond Green

Questionable to Suit Up Wednesday
Jalen Smith

Ruled Out for Second Straight Game
Matas Buzelis

Could Miss First Game of the Season Wednesday
Coby White

May Skip Wednesday's Game
Cade Cunningham

Probable for Wednesday
Isaiah Hartenstein

to Remain Out Wednesday
Kelly Oubre Jr.

Could Return to Action Wednesday
Tim Hardaway Jr.

May Remain Out Wednesday
Christian Braun

Listed as Questionable for Wednesday
Aaron Gordon

Iffy for Wednesday
Jamal Murray

Considered Questionable for Wednesday Night
Max Strus

to Miss Another Month
Vince Williams Jr.

Making Return Tuesday Against Spurs
Trae Young

Listed as Questionable for Wednesday
New York Giants

John Harbaugh Expected to be Favorite to Become New Giants Head Coach
Mason Marchment

Out Tuesday
Sean Monahan

Available Tuesday
Jason Zucker

Set to Return From 11-Game Absence
Matvei Michkov

a Game-Time Call Tuesday
Matthew Schaefer

Cleared for Action Tuesday
Baltimore Ravens

John Harbaugh Won't Return as Ravens Head Coach
Adam Fox

Landing Back on Long-Term Injured Reserve
Seth Jarvis

Back for Hurricanes Tuesday
Bo Bichette

Unlikely to Return to Toronto?
Jordan Love

Ready to Start in Wild-Card Game Against Bears
CFB

Jadan Baugh Staying with Florida for Junior Season
Washington Commanders

Commanders "Mutually" Parting Ways With OC Kliff Kingsbury
CFB

Byrum Brown Officially Commits to Auburn
CFB

Austin Simmons Signing with Missouri
Jake McCabe

to Sit Out One Week
Hampus Lindholm

to Miss Time
Christian Dvorak

Flyers Sign Christian Dvorak to Five-Year Extension
Igor Shesterkin

Exits With Lower-Body Injury Monday
Joel Armia

Hurt in Monday's Win
Anze Kopitar

Sustains Lower-Body Injury Monday
Matthew Schaefer

a Game-Time Call Tuesday
CFB

Ty Simpson Undecided on 2026 Plans
CFB

Quarterback AJ Hill Following Ryan Silverfield to Arkansas
Atlanta Falcons

Falcons Have Requested an Interview With Klint Kubiak
Deshaun Watson

Browns Expect Deshaun Watson to be on the Team Next Year
Wan'Dale Robinson

Dealing With Fractured Ribs
Cam Skattebo

Hopes to be Back by Training Camp
Cameron Ward

Won't Need Surgery on his Shoulder
Davante Adams

Rams Expect Davante Adams to Return in Wild-Card Round
Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Fire Head Coach Jonathan Gannon
Las Vegas Raiders

Raiders Fire Head Coach Pete Carroll
Malik Nabers

Unsure if He Will Be Ready for Week 1 of 2026 Season
CFB

Trinidad Chambliss Will Return to Ole Miss If Granted Sixth Year of Eligibility
Cincinnati Bengals

Zac Taylor Will Return as Bengals Head Coach in 2026
New York Giants

Giants Expected to Show Interest in Former Browns Head Coach Kevin Stefanski
Daniel Jones

Colts, Daniel Jones Appear to Have "Mutual Interest" in a 2026 Reunion
Cleveland Browns

Browns Fire Kevin Stefanski After Another Losing Season
Zay Flowers

Goes Off for 138 Yards, Two Touchdowns in Loss
Bo Bichette

Phillies Have Interest in Bo Bichette
Amon-Ra St. Brown

Dominates in Week 18 Win
Cameron Ward

Believed to Have Grade 3 AC Joint Sprain in Right Shoulder
Colston Loveland

Leads Bears in Targets, Receptions, Receiving Yards in Week 18
Kansas City Royals

Matt Quatraro Signs Three-Year Extension With Royals
CFB

Transfer QB Billy Edwards Commits to North Carolina
CFB

Sam Leavitt Visiting Texas Tech on Saturday
CFB

DJ Lagway Expected To Visit Florida State
Kyle Tucker

Blue Jays "Remain the Favorite" to Sign Kyle Tucker
CFB

Joey Aguilar Undergoes Surgery to Remove Tumor on Friday
CFB

Texas the "Team to Beat" for Transfer Running Back Isaac Brown
CFB

Rocco Becht to Follow Matt Campbell to Penn State?
CFB

Texas Targeting Cam Coleman in Transfer Portal
CFB

Former Texas Running Back CJ Baxter Visiting Kentucky
CFB

Beau Pribula Visiting Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech
Bo Bichette

Yankees Showing Interest in Bo Bichette
Houston Astros

Astros Sign Tatsuya Imai to Three-Year Deal

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