It’s Week 5, folks! Time to set those fantasy lineups! Start ‘Em, Sit 'Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups in a given week for fantasy football leagues. Each week, I'll examine the quarterbacks who could exceed or fail to meet expectations based on their weekly opponent … like Baker Mayfield and Jared Goff in Week 4!
For your final lineup decisions, check out my fantasy player rankings. I update them daily! Also, make sure you subscribe to the Fantasy Dirt Podcast with Lindsay Rhodes and I, as we break down all things fantasy football five days a week!
All Positions: QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | K & DSTs
Fabs’ Top 10 Quarterbacks
1. Josh Allen at Texans
2. Lamar Jackson at Bengals
3. Jayden Daniels vs. Browns
4. Kyler Murray at 49ers
5. C.J. Stroud vs. Bills
6. Jordan Love at Rams
7. Brock Purdy vs. Cardinals
8. Justin Fields vs. Cowboys
9. Geno Smith vs. Giants
10. Baker Mayfield at Falcons (Thurs.)
Complete Week 5 quarterback rankings
Bye Weeks: Chargers, Eagles, Lions, Titans
Week 5 Start ‘Em: Quarterbacks
Start of the Week
Brock Purdy vs. Cardinals (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox): Purdy has had just one good game this season, at least from a fantasy perspective, but he should rebound against Arizona. Their defense has been bad against quarterbacks, allowing 19.1 fantasy points per game to the position. Purdy, who now ranks first in Completion Percentage Over Expected and third in Expected Points Added, should be considered a viable top 10 option this week.
Start ‘Em
Kyler Murray at 49ers (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox): Murray has been a disappointment the last two weeks, scoring a combined 25.8 points despite great matchups against the Lions and Commanders. Well, I’m going to stick with the mobile quarterback against the 49ers. In six career games against them, he’s averaged a solid 19.7 points. The Niners also gave up 19.9 points to Sam Darnold this season, so I’m keeping Murray in my lineups.
Jordan Love at Rams (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Love returned to action last week and put up four touchdowns and 28.2 fantasy points in a loss to the Vikings. I’d keep him active this week too, as he faces a plus matchup against the Rams. Their defense has already given up 25-plus fantasy points to two quarterbacks in their first four games, and Vegas has the total at 46.5. That should make fantasy managers “love” Jordan this weekend.
Justin Fields vs. Cowboys (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): Fields is coming off his best game of the season, scoring 32 fantasy points in a loss to the Colts. I’d keep him active this week too, as he faces a beaten-up Cowboys defense that will be without superstar Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence this week. Even with that duo on the field, Dallas had allowed two quarterbacks to score 21-plus points against them in the first four weeks.
Joe Flacco at Jaguars (1 p.m. ET, CBS): With four teams on a bye, a lot of fantasy fans will be looking for quarterback help. That help could come in the form of Flacco this week. If the Colts are without Anthony Richardson (hip), the veteran would get the call against a Jaguars defense that’s allowed three quarterbacks to beat them for 18-plus points with two scoring over 23 points. So, if Flacco is the starter, he’ll be a nice streamer.
QBs With Good Matchups
• Kirk Cousins vs. Buccaneers (Thurs. 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video)
• Trevor Lawrence vs. Colts (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Deshaun Watson at Commanders (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
Week 5 Sit ‘Em: Quarterbacks
Sit of the Week
Patrick Mahomes vs. Saints (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN): Mahomes isn’t a reliable fantasy starter anymore, as he’s averaging just 14.4 points in his first four games. He was mediocre in the second half of last season too, so this isn’t a small sample size. And with Rashee Rice out, Mahomes is even less attractive in a bad matchup against the Saints. Their defense has allowed the fourth-fewest points to quarterbacks this season.
Sit ‘Em
Dak Prescott at Steelers (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): Prescott has not been all that great in the stat sheets, scoring fewer than 17 points in three of his first four games. That trend could continue against the Steelers, who haven’t allowed a quarterback to beat them for more than 15 fantasy points in a game this season. Pittsburgh has also allowed an average of fewer than 14 points per game to signal-callers at home dating back to last year.
Joe Burrow vs. Ravens (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Burrow will be tough to sit this week, but I would temper expectations against the Ravens. Their defense has been tough on quarterbacks, holding Mahomes and Josh Allen to a combined 22.4 points this season. Burrow has also been held to fewer than 17.5 fantasy points in all but two of his seven career games vs. Baltimore, including three games where he’s been held under 12 fantasy points.
Matthew Stafford vs. Packers (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Stafford’s value has taken a nosedive since the Rams lost both Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, as he’s failed to score more than 12.8 points in his last three games. What’s more, he’s been held to fewer than 6.8 points in each of his last two games. So, while the Packers gave up a massive stat line to Sam Darnold last week, Stafford simply doesn’t have the talent around him to produce.
Derek Carr at Chiefs (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN): Carr has come crashing back down to earth, as he’s scored a combined 16.1 points in his last two games after scoring over 20 in each of his first two games. Next up is a tough road matchup against the Chiefs, who have allowed an average of fewer than 15 fantasy points a game to visiting quarterbacks since the start of last season. Unless you’re desperate, I’d put this Carr in park this week.
QBs With Bad Matchups
• Sam Darnold vs. Jets (London, 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network)
• Andy Dalton at Bears (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Daniel Jones at Seahawks (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS)
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Quarterback Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks For Fantasy Football Week 5.
