Week 5 Start ’Em, Sit ’Em Team Defenses & Kickers

Week 5 Start ’Em, Sit ’Em: QB| RB| WR| TE| Team D/K

Start ’Em, Sit ’Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups in fantasy football leagues based on a full-point PPR scoring system. This column will not cover elite NFL players like Josh Allen, Bijan Robinson, Ja’Marr Chase or Trey McBride. Instead, it will focus on players who could exceed or fall short of their statistical expectations at each position. For all your final lineup decisions, check out my weekly player rankings, which are updated daily.

Note: Streamers listed are players started in fewer than 50% of Sleeper fantasy leagues.

Byes: Chiefs, Panthers

Fabs’s Top 10 Fantasy Defense Rankings For Week 5

1. Texans defense at Titans
2. Bengals defense at Dolphins
3. Steelers defense vs. Colts
4. Jaguars defense vs. Eagles (London)
5. Vikings defense at Saints
6. Broncos defense at Chargers
7. Patriots defense vs. Raiders
8. Cowboys defense vs. Buccaneers (Thurs.)
9. Browns defense at Jets
10. Bears defense at Packers

Complete Week 5 defense rankings

Week 5 Start ’Em Defenses

Start of the Week

Texans defense at Titans (1 p.m. ET, CBS): The Texans defense has not been good in real football, but this unit is still worth starting in fantasy when the matchup is right. That’s the case this week, as Houston goes against Cam Ward and a Titans offense that has scored the second-fewest points and has the highest percentage of drives that have resulted in a punt.

Start ’Em

Steelers defense vs. Colts (1 p.m. ET, CBS): The Steelers defense looked bad in last week’s loss to the Browns, but I’m sticking with it against the Colts. Indy’s offensive line is fourth in sacks allowed, and QB Daniel Jones and company have the fifth-highest percentage of drives that result in a turnover. Indianapolis is also dealing with injuries in the passing game, so start the Steelers with confidence.

Bengals defense at Dolphins (1 p.m. ET, Fox): The Bengals are a solid streaming option this week in a plus matchup against quarterback Malik Willis and the Dolphins. Miami has scored the fewest points in the league and has allowed 11 sacks after four games. Miami is also third-worst in time of possession, and 40.5% of their offensive drives have ended in a punt.

More Starts

• Patriots defense vs. Raiders (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Vikings defense at Saints (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Broncos defense at Chargers (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS)

Team Defense Streamers

• Jaguars defense vs. Eagles (33%): The Eagles offense is dealing with injuries to Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert, so the Jags are a nice streamer.
• Browns defense at Jets (17%): The Jets have allowed 12 sacks in their first four games, and their offense has the sixth-highest percentage of drives that end in a punt.
• Cowboys defense vs. Buccaneers (7%): The Cowboys defense stinks in real football, but the Bucs have allowed 16 sacks and have the third-most giveaways.

Week 5 Sit ’Em Defenses

Sit of the Week

Rams defense vs. Bills (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN): The Rams were the first defense picked in most fantasy drafts, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a sit ’em. Case in point: Josh Allen and the Bills have scored the most points on offense in the league, and just 20.9% of their drives have resulted in a punt. In what should be a shootout, I’d be wary of the Rams defense.

Sit ’Em

Eagles defense at Jaguars (London, 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network): The Eagles defense has not been fantasy-friendly this season, and a matchup against the Jaguars makes it a must-sit. Jacksonville’s offense has turned the ball over just twice this season and is averaging a solid 26 points per game. The Eagles defense also could be on the field a lot due to injuries on offense.

Seahawks defense vs. 49ers (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox): The Seahawks have a high-end defense in real and fantasy football, but here again, that doesn’t mean it can’t be benched. This week brings a tough matchup against Brock Purdy and the 49ers, who have scored the second-most points and have just two giveaways. The Niners haven’t given up a single sack, either.

More Sits

• Bills defense at Rams (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• 49ers defense at Seahawks (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Chargers defense vs. Broncos (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS)

Fabs’s Top 10 Fantasy Kicker Rankings For Week 5

1. Brandon Aubrey vs. Buccaneers (Thurs.)
2. Evan McPherson at Dolphins
3. Will Reichard at Saints
4. Spencer Shrader at Steelers
5. Ka’imi Fairbairn at Titans
6. Tyler Loop at Falcons
7. Jake Bates at Cardinals
8. Cam Little vs. Eagles (London)
9. Jason Myers vs. 49ers
10. Chris Boswell vs. Colts

Complete Week 5 kicker rankings

Week 5 Start ’Em Kickers

Start of the Week

Evan McPherson at Dolphins (1 p.m. ET, Fox): McPherson has emerged as one of the top kickers in fantasy football, nailing all nine of his field-goal attempts and averaging 11.8 fantasy points per game. That’s due in part to the Bengals being third in the percentage of drives that have resulted in a field goal. Meanwhile, the Dolphins have also allowed nearly 10 points per game to kickers.

Start ’Em

Spencer Shrader at Steelers (1 p.m. ET, CBS): You might not realize it, but Shrader is the best kicker in fantasy football after four weeks. Yet he’s started in barely half of Sleeper leagues. His Colts are second in the league in the percentage of offensive drives that result in a field goal, and the Steelers have allowed nearly 10 fantasy points per game to enemy booters.

Ka’imi Fairbairn at Titans (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Listed as last week’s top start, the Texans’ Fairbairn scored 16 fantasy points in a loss to the Cowboys. I’d keep him in the starting lineup against the Titans, who have allowed two kickers to score 12 or more points this season. What’s more, no enemy booter has scored fewer than eight fantasy points against Tennessee so far this season.

More Starts

• Will Reichard at Saints (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Tyler Loop at Falcons (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)
• Jake Bates at Cardinals (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)

Kicker Streamers

• Chris Boswell vs. Colts (44%): The Steelers’ kicker has struggled to be consistent this season, but he does face a Colts defense that has allowed 10.5 fantasy points per game to kickers.
• Dominic Zvada at Commanders (2%): The Giants’ kicker has scored 28.9 combined points in the last two games, and the Commanders have allowed the fourth-most points to kickers.
• Nick Folk vs. Ravens (2%): The Falcons’ kicker has scored at least nine fantasy points in three of his first four games, and the Ravens have allowed 11 fantasy points per game to kickers.

Week 5 Sit ’Em Kickers

Sit of the Week

Matt Gay at Patriots (1 p.m. ET, CBS): The Raiders’ kicker is the fourth-best kicker in fantasy football after four weeks, but that doesn’t make him a must-start. In fact, I’d be wary of him in a tough matchup against the Patriots. Their defense hasn’t allowed a kicker to score more than eight fantasy points, and only the Raiders and Giants have allowed fewer points to kickers.

Sit ’Em

Chase McLaughlin at Cowboys (Thurs. 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video): The Bucs’ kicker was on fire to start the season, scoring a combined 42.3 fantasy points in his first three games. In his first game without Baker Mayfield, however, he was held to just two points. So while the matchup against the Cowboys is favorable, questions about the Bucs offense make McLaughlin a risk.

Trey Smack vs. Bears (1 p.m. ET, Fox): The Packers’ kicker has scored just eight combined fantasy points in the last two games, and this week’s matchup against the Bears makes him a sit. After the first four weeks, only one kicker (Will Reichard) has scored more than seven fantasy points against their defense. I’d keep the rookie on the sidelines in this NFC North battle.

More Sits

• Jake Elliott at Jaguars (London, 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network)
• Andy Borregales vs. Raiders (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Eddy Pineiro at Seahawks (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)

Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollowPublished 10 minutes ago | Modified 10 minutes agoMICHAEL FABIANO

Michael Fabiano is a fantasy football analyst for Sports Illustrated. His weekly rankings and Start 'Em, Sit 'Em articles are must-reads for fantasy players. Before joining SI in August 2020, he worked for CBS Sports, NFL Network and SiriusXM. He also contributes to Westwood One Radio and the Locked on Dynasty Podcast. Fabiano was the first fantasy analyst to appear on one of the four major TV networks and is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame.

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