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Week 5 Fantasy Football Quarterback Preview

Here's a rundown of the top fantasy quarterbacks for Week 5.

Cleveland Browns at Washington Commanders

Deshaun Watson, Browns

Watson? Up at QB14? It might seem uncomfortable at first, but remember we’re working with four teams on bye. Watson should also get top TE David Njoku back for this one.

Plus, the Washington matchup looks extremely favorable. Though one month, the Commanders have allowed a 72% completion rate and a league-high 10 passing scores.

Jayden Daniels, Commanders

Daniels ranks second in QB fantasy points. He’s already hit 26 FPs three times. A relatively weak opening schedule has surely helped, but the rookie is clearly ahead of the curve. Washington has scored on 68% of its drives so far – the highest rate through the first month of any season since at least 2000, per TruMedia.

Next up is a Browns pass D that’s only allowed 3 total passing scores. Just note their favorable schedule (DAL, JAC, NYG, LV). They’re also dealing with a banged up Myles Garrett (Achilles).

New York Jets vs. Minnesota Vikings

Aaron Rodgers, Jets

Rodgers came back down to earth last week, but he faced a tough match-up in the Broncos. The Vikings may not be much easier, though they won’t shut down Garrett Wilson as easily. We did just see Jordan Love be a QB1 last week against the Vikings.

Rodgers comes in as a mid-QB2 for us with upside.

Sam Darnold, Vikings

Darnold has had three straight QB1 games and has showed no signs of slowing down. The Jets are a top-five defense against opposing fantasy QBs, so this will be an actual test for Darnold.

This puts him more as a high-end QB2 this week, but he still has smash potential.

Carolina Panthers vs. Chicago Bears

Andy Dalton, Panthers

Dalton followed up his great Week 3 with a solid Week 4 throwing for 220 yards and two TDs. The Bears are a top fantasy defense against opposing QBs, so this will be a harder draw than the Bengals or Raiders so Dalton is a low end QB2 this week.

Caleb Williams, Bears

Williams only had 157 yards passing and one TD last week with the Bears running game dominating. He hasn’t had a QB1 week yet this season, but the Panthers are an ideal match-up to challenge that this week.

Until he shows it, Williams isn’t a QB1, but he is a solid high end QB2 this week.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Lamar Jackson, Ravens

Jackson has been a QB1 in every game this season. The Ravens have shown pass heavy gameplans (first two weeks) and run heavy gameplans in the last two weeks. Lamar still performs either way. The Bengals defense has been a paper bag for opposing offenses, so Lamar is a high end QB1 with QB1 overall potential.

Joe Burrow, Bengals

Burrow has had three straight QB1 games and is getting into his groove. He has Tee Higgins back, but going up against a stout Ravens secondary could be problematic this week. The good news is the Ravens should score, forcing Burrow to throw a ton. He’s a low end QB1 with upside.

Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans

Josh Allen, Bills

Allen's fantasy finishes by week: QB1, QB28, QB1, and QB26. The first dud was the result of a blowout win over the Dolphins with the TDs going to James Cook. The second was due to a tough Ravens defense. The matchup isn't as difficult this weekend against the Texans, who rank 11th in pass defense DVOA and 28th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs.

Bet on a bounce-back game from Allen.

C.J. Stroud, Texans

Stroud is coming off a QB5 finish in Week 4 and will likely get WR Tank Dell back for Sunday's home game vs. the Bills. Buffalo ranks sixth in pass defense DVOA and 12th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs -- but this will be the best passing game they've faced so far this season.

Houston's 23.25-point implied total is tied for ninth-highest on the week.

Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars

Anthony Richardson, Colts

Richardson started Week 4 well, completing three of four passes for 71 yards and rushing for 24 more against the Steelers before leaving early with his oblique injury. But that doesn’t erase a pair of single-digit fantasy outings the previous two weeks. And even his good Week 1 fantasy line included just 9-of-19 passing.

Jacksonville presents the second-best scoring matchup for QBs so far, according to our adjusted fantasy points allowed. So there’s plenty of upside. But there’s also re-injury risk. That all lands Richardson in QB2 territory for Week 5.

Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars

It’s been such a rough start to the season for Lawrence that his QB15 fantasy line in a narrow loss at Houston felt like a rebound game. It did deliver his highest fantasy score of the first four weeks. But it also included Lawrence competing just 54.5% of his passes for 169 yards.

There’s upside to this week’s matchup with the Colts, who arrive as the fourth-friendliest QB matchup by our adjusted fantasy points allowed. But Lawrence has yet to show us he can take advantage this season. He remains just a QB2 option.

Green Bay Packers at Los Angeles Rams

Jordan Love, Packers

Love was rusty early in last week's game coming off the knee injury. But he caught fire in the second half, passing for 273 yards and three TDs in comeback mode.

Now comes a Rams defense that's been pathetic through four weeks, ranking 31st in pass defense DVOA and 30th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs. Green Bay's 26-point implied total is second highest of the week.

Matt Stafford, Rams

Stafford has finished QB23 and QB29 the past two weeks without both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. He gets a Packers pass defense this weekend that hasn't been great so far, ranking 20th in DVOA. But Stafford is only in play in 2-QB and superflex leagues without his top two targets.

Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers

Brock Purdy, 49ers

Purdy has delivered the seventh-most fantasy points among QBs over the past three weeks, despite ranking just 16th in pass attempts over that span. This week presents a Cardinals defense that has allowed the fifth-most QB fantasy points. Three rushing scores have boosted that, but Arizona also sits just 29th in both pass-defense DVOA and total-defense DVOA.

Expect the 49ers to score points however they want to this week.

Kyler Murray, Cardinals

Murray gets a top-12 spot this week in part because we have four teams on bye. His rushing – third-most yards among QBs, despite tying for just 13th in attempts – has also boosted a rocky passing start. Murray ranks just 14th among QBs in fantasy points, with about 40% of that scoring coming against a bad Rams defense in Week 2.

Even a tough matchup with the 49ers this week doesn’t mean you need to go hunting for a replacement. But don’t hesitate to sit him for options just as Geno Smith, Brock Purdy, or Jordan Love.

New Orleans Saints vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Derek Carr, Saints

Carr turned back into his usual self last week, not able to even muster a QB2 week. With more of the Saints offense leaning on Alvin Kamara, it is doubtful Carr returns to being a top five fantasy QB, especially against a Chiefs team that can bring pressure.

He is a low end QB2 who should only be used if needed.

Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

It has been beyond disappointing for Mahomes this year. Over the past 13 games, he only has one QB1 game, so this is becoming a trend. Now, losing Rashee Rice won’t help. The Saints have allowed only one TD pass this season, so the match-up is pretty awful as well.

Mahomes is a low-end QB1 at best.

New York Giants at Seattle Seahawks

Geno Smith, Seahawks

Smith currently leads the league in pass attempts, completions, and passing yards. He has delivered the seventh most fantasy points at the position despite throwing only four TD passes. Expect positive regression in that category.

There’s big-game potential at home against a weak Giants defense.

Dallas Cowboys at Pittsburgh Steelers

Dak Prescott, Cowboys

Prescott will be without WR Brandin Cooks against the Steelers. That limits the weapons against a defense ranking seventh in sack and pressure rate.

The Cowboys are implied for a fairly low 20.75 points.

Justin Fields, Steelers

The Steelers are dealing with multiple injuries along the O-line. Just this week, they lost starting RG James Daniels to an Achilles tear – not ideal with EDGE Micah Parsons coming to town. Still, Fields’ rushing upside and rapport with George Pickens are enough to land him in QB1 range.

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Kevin English, Senior Analyst

Kevin brings 15 years of experience as a fantasy analyst and mid-stakes competitor across various formats (redraft, best ball, dynasty, DFS). His work has been featured on The Mercury News, Rotoworld, and FantasyPros.