Fantasy football owners had to be overjoyed by the offensive explosion that was Week 5. It was a high-scoring week across the NFL, so that meant most fantasy managers enjoyed quality outings from a majority of their players.
Of course, there were still a handful of duds and disappointments during the week that may have decided fantasy matchups. Those will haunt certain fantasy football owners and may be the final straw for players that were on the roster fringes.
With five weeks of data now at their disposal, fantasy football aficionados will have some tough roster decisions to make. But at this point, it’s probably safe to cut these five players in favor of some of the top options available on the Week 6 waiver wire.
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Smith looked like one of the best streaming options available for Week 5. He entered his game against the New York Giants leading the league in passing attempts and fresh off an outing against the Detroit Lions that saw him throw for 395 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
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Smith delivered, racking up 284 yards through the air and 64 on the ground, but he had just one passing touchdown. It marked his fifth consecutive game with just one passing touchdown and with a matchup against the San Francisco 49ers looming on a short week, it’s hard to trust him to improve those numbers. Smith can still be a solid starter, but there are probably better quarterback options to trust for Week 6.
So, if you’re streaming quarterbacks, feel free to cut Smith for a different option.
Fantasy owners hoped Ford would thrive as Cleveland’s backfield leader with Nick Chubb starting the season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. Instead, Ford hasn’t taken advantage of his opportunity and has slowly ceded snaps to veteran D’Onta Foreman.
Ford and Foreman split carries evenly in Week 5 with Ford slightly edging Foreman 47-44 on the ground. That isn’t enough to create differentiation between the two, so expect a frustrating split between them moving forward. That will make both touchdown-dependent flex options, so they don’t necessarily need to be rostered, especially with Chubb nearing a return from injury.
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Dropping White is less about the Raiders having an established running back (they don’t) and more about what he has shown through five weeks.
White played the first four weeks of the season but struggled to generate much momentum. He averaged just 3.1 yards per carry and didn’t score, making him a disappointment for anyone who hoped he would become a volume-based RB2 this season.
White missed Week 5 with a groin injury, and while Alexander Mattison didn’t replace his production (15 carries, 38 yards), Antonio Pierce may still allow the veteran to eat into White’s workload. Either way, it seems like the Raiders’ backfield is destined to be a frustrating time share, so if you want to drop either to chase a more potential-packed runner like Tyrone Tracy Jr., it could be worthwhile.
Any hope that Legette’s big game against the Cincinnati Bengals (six catches, 66 yards, one TD) would lead to a larger breakout was quashed by his performance against the Chicago Bears. He was targeted just once in the contest and made one catch for eight yards.
Legette’s inconsistency is typical of a rookie, especially since he’s playing in an offense that is still coming together. It may take him more time to fully understand first-year head coach Dave Canales’ offense and develop chemistry with veteran starter Andy Dalton, who endured his toughest day as the Panthers starter against Chicago’s above-average defense. Thus, trusting him as a fantasy option doesn’t seem to be in the cards right now.
Jennings starred for the 49ers when both Deebo Samuel and George Kittle were out of action, posting a three-touchdown game against the Los Angeles Rams. It looked like he could become an important part of San Francisco’s offense even after the two stars returned to the lineup.
Jennings was one of just five 49ers players targeted against the Arizona Cardinals, but he had just one catch for 13 yards. Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk had 13 and 11 targets respectively, so it seems like Jennings is well behind them in Brock Purdy‘s pecking order.
For teams desperately needing receiver depth, keeping Jennings isn’t a bad move. But those needing bye-week fill-ins can certainly cut Jennings if needed. He’s more of a top receiver handcuff than a genuine flex play given his current position on San Francisco’s depth chart.
