The Week 5 fantasy WR rankings are here -- and they're spectacular. That's not to say everything below is correct (Spoiler alert: It isn't), but the position looks as deep as ever with a bunch of top options and even more potential sleepers, several of which are available on the waiver wire. Start 'em, sit 'em decisions won't be easy at receiver this week, and that's with the bye weeks taking away Bucs and Bears.
Matchups are the main reason for the abundance of options. A couple teams with no true No. 1 (Redskins, Jaguars) have fantastic matchups (@ Saints, @ Chiefs, respectively), and several of the "matchup-proof" offenses (Chiefs, Vikings) have tough matchups (vs. Jaguars, @ Eagles). This means no big downgrades and several big upgrades. Even the Patriots, with all their "spreading the ball around" (worst four words to a fantasy owner?) get a decent Thursday matchup (vs. Colts) and could be without Rob Gronkowski (ankle), which means all of Julian Edelman, Josh Gordon, Chris Hogan, and Phillip Dorsett are at least in the start/sit conversation.
Week 5 Rankings:
Quarterback | Running Back | Tight End | D/ST | Kicker
There are a few potential busts, with the Seahawks receivers facing the Rams and the Eagles receivers facing the Vikings (not that that slowed down the Rams last week). Still, fantasy owners are going to have a tough time whittling their starters down to three, and we're here to help.
Reminder: Check back for updates and analysis during the week. For more Week 5 analysis, find out how you might lose and listen to our Week 5 preview podcast.
WEEK 5 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
Week 5 Fantasy Football Rankings: WRs
These rankings are for standard, non-PPR leagues
| 1 | Antonio Brown, Steelers vs. Falcons. You might be saying, "Is Brown even the No. 1 receiver on his own team?!" Yeah, he is, and he's going to show it this week. |
| 2 | Julio Jones, Falcons @ Steelers. You might be saying, "Is Jones even the No. 1 receiver on his own team?!" Yeah, he is, and -- you know the rest. |
| 3 | Odell Beckham Jr., Giants @ Panthers |
| 4 | Michael Thomas, Saints vs. Redskins |
| 5 | Keenan Allen, Chargers vs. Raiders |
| 6 | JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers vs. Falcons |
| 7 | A.J. Green, Bengals vs. Dolphins |
| 8 | Davante Adams, Packers @ Lions |
| 9 | DeAndre Hopkins, Texans vs. Cowboys |
| 10 | Adam Thielen, Vikings @ Eagles |
| 11 | Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos @ Jets |
| 12 | Golden Tate, Lions vs. Packers |
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| 13 | Brandin Cooks, Rams @ Seahawks. With at least 87 yards in every game this year, Cooks is a steady producer despite touchdowns frequently going to Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods. The truth is, all three can have a good game every week (as we saw last week), and against a depleted Seahawks defense without Earl Thomas, we think Cooks will have some big plays. |
| 14 | Stefon Diggs, Vikings @ Eagles |
| 15 | Tyreek Hill, Chiefs vs. Jaguars. Hill's speed is the great neutralizer against a shutdown corner like Jalen Ramsey. The Chiefs could have enough other options that Hill could be used primarily as a decoy, but he's still a must-start given his talent and big-play ability. |
| 16 | Cooper Kupp, Rams @ Seahawks |
| 17 | Amari Cooper, Raiders @ Chargers |
| 18 | Calvin Ridley, Falcons @ Steelers |
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| 19 | Jarvis Landry, Browns vs. Ravens |
| 20 | John Brown, Ravens @ Browns |
| 21 | Robert Woods, Rams @ Seahawks |
| 22 | Devin Funchess, Panthers vs. Giants. Funchess is coming off his best game of the season (67 yards, TD), and he's seen 16 targets in his past two contests. He remains the Panthers No. 1 threat with Greg Olsen out, so even though the Giants have been better than advertised against receivers, Funchess is still a safe WR2. |
| 23 | Demaryius Thomas, Broncos @ Jets. The Jets have allowed a 100-yard receiver in three of four games (including two last week) in addition to three WR touchdowns. Even though Thomas hasn't produced a ton, he's getting a bunch of targets, making him a solid play this week. |
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| 24 | Kenny Golladay, Lions vs. Packers. Golladay has produced at least 7.4 fantasy points in every game this season, making him more consistent than teammate Marvin Jones Jr. While both can easily produce in a given week, Golladay is more a red-zone threat. That plays well against the Packers, who have allowed the eighth-most FPPG to WRs (with the bonus of playing Buffalo last week). |
| 25 | Julian Edelman, Patriots vs. Colts. Edelman's last "real" game was Super Bowl LI, as he missed all of last year because of a torn ACL and the first four games of this year for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. Now 32, it's fair to wonder if Edelman will have his old quickness. He seemed fine in the preseason, catching seven passes for 49 yards, so we're not particularly worried about his health. The real worry is how much the Pats spread the ball around. Even if Rob Gronkowski (ankle) is out, Edelman will have to compete Josh Gordon, Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett, Cordarelle Patterson, and James White for targets. We still see him as Tom Brady's "go-to guy", but he no more than a WR3 this week. |
| 26 | Marvin Jones Jr., Lions vs. Packers. |
| 27 | Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals @ 49ers. A major disappointment so far this year, some might scoff at seeing Fitzgerald this high. But the Niners are allowing the sixth most fantasy points per game (FPPG) to WRs, and Fitzgerald is still getting a decent amount of targets. This feels like a breakout spot. |
| 28 | Corey Davis, Titans @ Bills. Davis's big Week 4 breakout was aided by an overtime session, but he's clearly Tennessee's No.1 receiver. As Marcus Mariota (elbow) gets healthier, Davis becomes more of a threat. We'd still like to see more consistency, but Davis is a solid option this week. |
| 29 | Alshon Jeffery, Eagles vs. Vikings. Jeffery's season debut went better than expected, as he caught eight of nine targets for 105 yards and a TD. The Vikings are fresh off getting roasted by each and every Rams WR last week, so there's no real reason to be nervous about Jeffery -- other than his general inconsistency. |
| 30 | Mike Williams, Chargers vs. Raiders. The production party slowed down for Williams in Week 4, as he posted only 15 yards on three targets. He's still a major threat to score every week, and with the Raiders allowing the third-most FPPG to WRs, Williams has major upside. |
| 31 | Josh Gordon, Patriots vs. Colts. Gordon caught both of his targets for 32 yards in his Patriots debut, but obviously that's not what his fantasy owners were expecting. Now with Edelman back, there are even more mouths to feed in the Patriots offense. We're still going to bet on talent and upside and rank Gordon in the WR3 range, but he's far from a sure thing. |
| 32 | Jamison Crowder, Redskins @ Saints. The Saints allow the most FPPG to WRs despite holding Odell Beckham Jr. in check last week. It's unclear who Marshon Lattimore will be covering, but with Crowder mostly manning the slot, it seems unlikely he'll see much of him. That's why he's the highest ranked Redskins WR even though none have really stood out yet this year. |
| 33 | Keelan Cole, Jaguars @ Chiefs. Prior to last week, Cole was considered the de facto No. 1 receiver on the Jags, but after Dede Westbrook and Donte Moncrief both went for over 100 yards (and Cole had only three targets), public perception has shifted. We still like Cole the most (though all three are in play) given his big-play ability. The Chiefs entered Week 3 allowing the 10th-most FPPG to WRs, so there will be ample opportunities for all of Jacksonville's receivers. |
| 34 | Dede Westbrook, Jaguars @ Chiefs |
| 35 | Paul Richardson, Redskins @ Saints |
| 36 | Tyler Boyd, Bengals vs. Dolphins. Boyd continues producing, racking up his third-straight game with at least 91 yards last week. The Dolphins have been solid against WRs this year outside of a Jordy Nelson explosion, but Boyd and the Bengals offense has done enough for him to warrant a start. |
| 37 | Nelson Agholor, Eagles vs. Vikings. Despite a boatload of targets (at least 10 in three of four games), Agholor has produced fewer than 33 receiving yards three times this year. We'll give him the benefit of the doubt because of the opportunities, but Agholor has to start producing. He's definitely not a "must start". |
| 38 | Will Fuller, Texans vs. Cowboys |
| 39 | Sammy Watkins, Chiefs vs. Jaguars. Watkins would benefit if Jalen Ramsey exclusively covers Tyreek Hill. He posted at least 11.5 fantasy points in Weeks 2 and 3, and he always has that kind of upside. |
| 40 | Michael Crabtree, Ravens @ Browns |
| 41 | Sterling Shepard, Giants @ Panthers. Shepard will continue to be a WR3 option as long as Evan Engram is out, and it's worth noting that Carolina has struggled against No. 2 receivers the past two games, giving up 64 yards and a TD to Calvin Ridley and 132 yards and a score to Tyler Boyd. |
| 42 | Quincy Enunwa, Jets vs. Broncos |
| 43 | Kenny Stills, Dolphins @ Bengals |
| 44 | Doug Baldwin, Seahawks vs. Rams. Baldwin clearly isn't 100 percent as he comes back from injuries in both knees, but he received a healthy seven targets last week against Arizona. The Rams shut down Raiders and Cardinals receivers in Weeks 1 and 2, but with Aqib Talib out and Marcus Peters ailing, Mike Williams got them for a pair of scores in Week 3 and both Vikings wideouts went for over 100 yards in Week 4. As Russell Wilson's No. 1 option, Baldwin still has value. |
| 45 | Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Packers @ Lions |
| 46 | Antonio Callaway, Browns vs. Ravens. For the second-straight game, Callaway should have had a long touchdown, but Cleveland's QB couldn't get it to him in the end zone. He also came up just one yard short of another long touchdown later in the game. The rookie is a classic boom-or-bust play, but the upside is undeniable. |
| 47 | Pierre Garcon, 49ers vs. Cardinals |
| 48 | Mohamed Sanu, Falcons @ Steelers |
| 49 | Chester Rogers, Colts @ Patriots. With T.Y. Hilton (hamstring) unlikely to play, Rogers could function as Indianapolis's No. 1 receiver. He's coming off an eight-catch, 85-yard performance, but given the uncertainty of the situation, we only see him as a borderline flex. |
| 50 | Tyler Lockett, Seahawks vs. Rams |
| 51 | Jordy Nelson, Raiders @ Chargers |
| 52 | Donte Moncrief, Jaguars @ Chiefs |
| 53 | Chris Hogan, Patriots vs. Colts |
| 54 | Willie Snead, Ravens @ Browns |
| 55 | Ryan Grant, Colts @ Patriots |
| 56 | Marquise Goodwin, 49ers vs. Cardinals |
| 57 | D.J. Moore, Panthers vs. Giants |
| 58 | Robby Anderson, Jets vs. Broncos |
| 59 | Kelvin Benjamin, Bills vs. Titans |
| 60 | Cameron Meredith, Saints vs. Redskins |
| 61 | Michael Gallup, Cowboys @ Texans |
| 62 | Cole Beasley, Cowboys @ Texans |
| 63 | Danny Amendola, Dolphins @ Bengals |
| 64 | Christian Kirk, Cardinals @ 49ers |
| 65 | Allen Hurns, Cowboys @ Texans |
| 66 | Phillip Dorsett, Patriots vs. Colts |
| 67 | Keke Coutee, Texans vs. Cowboys |
| 68 | Aldrick Robinson, Vikings @ Eagles |
| 69 | Jakeem Grant, Dolphins @ Bengals |
| 70 | Terrelle Pryor, Jets vs. Broncos |
| 71 | Tyrell Williams, Chargers vs. Raiders |
| 72 | John Ross, Bengals vs. Dolphins |
| 73 | Albert Wilson, Dolphins @ Bengals |
| 74 | Brandon Marshall, Seahawks vs. Rams |