Fantasy Football: 6 players who will make or break your Week 5 lineups

Navigating fantasy football lineups can feel like a rollercoaster; one minute you’re riding high with breakout stars, the next you’re chasing waiver wire adds and trying to catch a team’s WR3 during a random boom week.

Week 5 is no different, and the stakes only get higher as the injuries pile up and the weeks force your hand.

It’s no longer just about connecting the obvious choices; it’s about taking the calculated risks that will either win your matchup or leave you wondering why you ever drafted that guy in the first place. We have a mix of rising stars, injured players recovering and some seriously unpredictable situations heading into this week.

It’s time to dive deep to see who’s worth the risk – and who might undermine your setup.

Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens

Flowers is off to a great start this season as the receiving corps leader in Weeks 1 and 2 with 21 total looks. Not so coincidentally, those were games in which Derrick Henry had fewer than twenty carries and Lamar Jackson had more than thirty attempts. The run and pass volume were fairly even, and as the clear WR1 for the Ravens, Flowers took advantage.

However, over the past two weeks, the Ravens have seen a huge drop in pass volume and an increase in Henry usage. The result was a total of six fantasy points in half PPR with four receptions on six targets for 30 yards. Bloemen quickly went from reliable to offering the lowest basic floor.

This week the Ravens face a Cincinnati defense that allows strong performances for WR1s. At the same time, Cincinnati is ranked as the 12th worst team in fantasy points allowed to running backs, which could mean another strong day for Henry.

Want Flowers to make or break your line-up in week 5?

Will we get a great matchup in an excellent matchup for Flowers or is this another big week for Derrick Henry? Henry will continue to dominate on the ground, but this is also an excellent opportunity for the Ravens to soften up their passing game. Flowers could easily see double-digit targets again.

It’s hard to believe we’re already at a make-or-break point for Flowers, but within the context of this new Ravens offense, there appears to be no in between. Flowers get top 20 songs or are lucky enough to receive them once. I’m leaning towards the former and am willing to risk it all with Flowers in week 5.

Subscribe Yahoo Fantasy Prediction on Apple podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.

Javonte Williams, RB, Denver Broncos

I will be 100% honest with you. I wrote off Williams before the season even started. If you look back at my draft season content, you may find a lot of things, but I guarantee you won’t find a single example of optimism about Williams. My negativity was justified because Williams has just 19 more rushing yards than Bo Nix four weeks into the season. The Broncos have just three rushing touchdowns this year, with two from Nix and one from Jaleel McLaughlin.

But here’s the good news; in Week 1, it looked like Williams was at risk of being ousted by McLaughlin. However, Williams has weathered the storm and is now the clear lead. This week he faces a Raiders defense that is truly lost, giving up an average of over 100 rushing yards and allowing the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs.

If there was ever a time for the Broncos’ run game to bounce back, this is the week.

Will Williams to make or break your line-up in week 5?

The matchup is excellent and we are confident Williams will shoulder the bulk of the workload, but his floor is a major concern. While a running back like Jerome Ford can be low volume on a bad offense but still end up as a low-end RB3, Williams is a whole different story with a floor of just three fantasy points. With the bye weeks here and injuries looming, you may be forced to start Williams as a healthy lead in an excellent match. However, the potential for him to break your lineup every week is huge.

David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns

There isn’t much to talk about with David Njoku as he only played 28 snaps before getting injured in the first game of the season. However, in those 28 snaps, he caught five receptions on five targets for 44 yards. For reference, the 6.4 fantasy points he scored in Week 1 are enough to make him TE10 for the season in average points per game (half PPR).

That’s more than Kyle Pitts, Travis Kelce and Sam LaPorta, and Dalton Kincaid. Finding tight end production has been a complete nightmare this season, so we’ll take any player who can give us decent production. We don’t yet know if Njoku will return to action this week, but he is practicing on a limited basis, which is a positive sign.

Will Njoku to make or break your line-up in week 5?

Under normal circumstances we would not immediately start a player who has had an absence of several weeks due to the risk of a limited number of unexpected numbers. But even 50% from Njoku in an excellent game against Washington could yield TE1 volume. If he’s active, he could break your lineup, but honestly… each tight end can do that this year. If Njoku plays, he’ll be in the top-12 and could give you the edge you’re desperately looking for at this position.

Tre Tucker, WR, Las Vegas Raiders

Sophomore wideout Tre Tucker has arrived and has recorded 32 fantasy points in a half PPR over the past two weeks, compared to just 5 in Weeks 1 and 2. Tucker has seen an increase in snaps, targets, receptions, yardage and touchdowns. With Davante Adams likely out with a hamstring injury (and general disdain for the Raiders), Tucker is rising up the rankings as a strong flex player.

Based on his recent numbers, starting Tucker seems like a no-brainer. However, he faces the toughest matchup for opponents in the Denver Broncos. We also don’t have a clear indication of who Patrick Surtain II will cover, making Tucker a hit and miss play in Week 5.

Will Tukker to make or break your line-up in week 5?

Denver hasn’t completely shut down all of its receivers. Non-Surtain players have had decent games, including Tyler Lockett (six receptions for 77 yards in Week 1), Chris Godwin (a solid performance when Mike Evans was shut down in Week 3), and both Mike Williams and Allen Lazard performed better then Garrett Wilson in Week 4.

If Surtain covers Jakobi Meyers, Tucker is still a flex-worthy option. However, given the uncertainty, he is playing incredibly risky this week. Tucker is the definition of a boom-or-bust option. With the bye weeks here and injuries piling up, maybe you should take a chance and play him. However, if you can avoid the risk, keep Tucker on your bench.

Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Green Bay Packers

Week 4 was tough for Green Bay. They struggled to produce offense early against a staunch Minnesota defense, but as the game progressed, Jordan Love felt comfortable and began generating significant volume. Christian Watson was ruled out early with an ankle injury, and Wicks stepped up with five receptions on 13 targets for 78 yards and two touchdowns.

The efficiency wasn’t great, but that was more down to Love. Wicks finished as the WR3 in semi-PPR competitions despite the tough matchup, which shows the ceiling he offers.

Will Wicks to make or break your line-up in week 5?

Wicks is a wide receiver who is naturally volatile, but history shows that when Watson is out, Wicks steps up and produces. Then again, being a wide receiver often leads to volatility. It’s entirely possible that Wicks goes out and delivers a goose egg despite the increased snaps. That said, the matchup is ideal.

While Chicago couldn’t capitalize on the Rams’ secondary opportunities last week, big players performed well against the Rams: Jameson Williams in Week 1, Marvin Harrison Jr. in week 2 and Jauan Jennings in week 3. The table is set for a feast and Wicks is ready for dinner.

Jalen Tolbert, WR, Dallas Cowboys

With Brandin Cooks out for Week 5, Tolbert will likely see an expanded role. After a slow start in Week 1, the third-year receiver saw a promising increase in productivity, including six receptions on nine targets for 82 yards in Week 2 against New Orleans and a three-reception, one-touchdown game in Week 3 against Baltimore. .

Tolbert is a player who is seen as a potential mover for the Cowboys this season given their lack of investment at receiver, so his overall performance isn’t surprising. While Cooks’ absence may not have a significant impact given his underwhelming production thus far, the small uptick for Tolbert puts him in potential flex range.

Will Tolbert to make or break your line-up in week 5?

The Cowboys face Pittsburgh, and despite some mixed results against the Colts last week, the Steelers have generally been stout against the pass. Tolbert is looking for a boom-or-bust game this week in a game that could be dominated by CeeDee Lamb. He could go off for a 20-point fantasy performance, or he could leave your team in a hole with another three-reception game.