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 trying to catch a team’s WR3 on a random boom week.

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

It’s not just about plugging in the obvious choices anymore; it’s about making the calculated risks that will either win your matchup or leave you wondering why you ever drafted that guy in the first place. We’ve got a mix of emerging stars, injured players on the mend 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 just tank your lineup.

Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens

Flowers got off to a great start this season as the target leader in the receiving corps in Weeks 1 and 2 with 21 total looks. Not so coincidentally, those were games where Derrick Henry had fewer than 20 carries and Lamar Jackson had more than 30 attempts. Run and pass volume were fairly equal, and as the clear WR1 for the Ravens, Flowers benefited.

However, over the past two weeks, the Ravens saw a massive dip in pass volume and an increase in usage for Henry. The result was a total of six fantasy points in half-PPR with four receptions on six targets for 30 yards. Flowers quickly went from reliable to offering the lowest baseline floor.

This week, the Ravens face a Cincinnati defense that allows strong performances to 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.

Will Flowers make or break your lineup in Week 5?

Do we get a boom game 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 flex 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 doesn’t seem to be an in-between. Flowers will either put up top-20 numbers or be lucky to get a single reception. I lean toward the former and am willing to risk it all with Flowers in Week 5.

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Javonte Williams, RB, Denver Broncos

I’ll be 100% honest with you. I wrote off Williams before the season even started. You might find a lot of things if you go back and look through my draft-season content, but I guarantee you won’t find a single instance of optimism regarding Williams. My negativity was warranted because four weeks into the season, Williams has just 19 more rushing yards than Bo Nix. The Broncos have just three rushing touchdowns on the year — two of which belong to Nix and one to Jaleel McLaughlin.

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

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

Will Williams make or break your lineup in Week 5?

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

David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns

There’s not much to talk about with David Njoku because he played just 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, those 6.4 fantasy points he scored in Week 1 are enough to make him TE10 on the season in average points per game (half-PPR).

That’s more than Kyle Pitts, Travis Kelce and Sam LaPorta, and ties 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 know yet if Njoku will return to action this week, but he’s practicing on a limited basis, which is a positive sign.

Will Njoku make or break your lineup in Week 5?

Under normal circumstances, we wouldn’t immediately start a player coming off a multi-week absence due to the risk of limited snap counts. However, even 50% of Njoku in an excellent matchup against Washington could provide TE1 volume. If active, he could break your lineup, but quite frankly, any tight end can do that this year. If Njoku plays, he’s a top-12 tight end and could give you the edge you’re desperately seeking at the position.

Tre Tucker, WR, Las Vegas Raiders

Second-year wideout Tre Tucker has arrived, putting up 32 fantasy points in 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 in the rankings as a strong flex play.

Based on his recent numbers, starting Tucker would seem like a no-brainer. However, he’s facing the most difficult matchup for opposing receivers in the Denver Broncos. We also don’t have any clear indication of who Patrick Surtain II will be covering, making Tucker a volatile play in Week 5.

Will Tucker make or break your lineup in Week 5?

Denver hasn’t completely shut down all receivers. Players not covered by Surtain have had decent games, including Tyler Lockett (six receptions for 77 yards in Week 1), Chris Godwin (a solid performance with Mike Evans shut down in Week 3), and both Mike Williams and Allen Lazard outperforming Garrett Wilson in Week 4.

If Surtain covers Jakobi Meyers, Tucker is still a flex-worthy option. However, given the uncertainty, he’s an incredibly risky play this week. Tucker is the definition of a boom-or-bust option. With bye weeks here and injuries piling up, you may need to take the 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 on against a staunch Minnesota defense, but as the game progressed, Jordan Love got comfortable and started putting up 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 fantastic, but that was more on Love. Wicks finished as the WR3 in half-PPR leagues despite the difficult matchup, showing the ceiling he offers.

Will Wicks make or break your lineup in Week 5?

Wicks is a big-play receiver, volatile by nature, but history shows that when Watson is out, Wicks steps up and produces. But again, being a big-play receiver tends to lead to volatility. It’s entirely possible Wicks could go out and deliver a goose egg despite increased snaps. That said, the matchup is ideal.

While Chicago wasn’t able to take advantage of the Rams’ secondary last week, big-play receivers have thrived 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 to dine.

Jalen Tolbert, WR, Dallas Cowboys

With Brandin Cooks out for Week 5, Tolbert is likely to see an increased role. After a slow start in Week 1, the third-year receiver saw a promising uptick 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 many pegged as a potential riser within the Cowboys this season, given their lack of investment at receiver, so his overall performance isn’t surprising. While Cooks’ absence might not make a significant impact given his underwhelming production thus far, the minor uptick for Tolbert puts him in the potential flex range.

Will Tolbert make or break your lineup in Week 5?

The Cowboys face Pittsburgh, and despite some mixed results last week against the Colts, the Steelers have typically been stout against the pass. Tolbert feels like a boom-or-bust play 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.