NFL Fantasy 2023 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Wide receivers for Week 5
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You have lineup questions, we have lineup answers — at least we hope so. Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em is here to help fantasy managers make difficult roster decisions. And you know what is a good move? Starting Patrick Mahomes. But that’s too obvious, so you won’t see the reigning MVP here. Instead, we’re exploring more debatable situations. And if you can’t find a player you are looking for, please check out the latest NFL Fantasy lineup rankings.
Start ‘Em
Collins had a down game in Week 3 and many started to worry. He responded with his biggest effort to date, catching seven of nine targets for 168 yards, two touchdowns and 35.8 fantasy points. He has topped 27 fantasy points in two of his last three and been over 14 in three of four. Variance is high at the wide receiver position, so he’ll have a down game every so often, but the upside is clearly too high to avoid, even in a tough matchup on paper against the Falcons. Collins is a weekly starter. And given how much the Texans throw, his teammate Tank Dell also remains in play despite the down Week 4.
Aiyuk was back from injury last week and led the 49ers with 148 receiving yards. He had six targets, while no other non-Christian-McCaffrey player had more than two. In the games he has played this season, Aiyuk leads the team in targets (20), catches (17), receiving yards (320 — closest is Deebo Samuel at 118) and receiving touchdowns (two). He is the WR1 and top target for Brock Purdy in this loaded offense. He’s being targeted on 30 percent of his routes, is seeing 15.9 air yards per target and leads the team in end zone targets. Aiyuk is simply the best kind of fantasy receiver, as he’s getting not just consistent usage, but the type of usage that translates to fantasy points in chunks. He’s a must-start option moving forward, even against tough matchups like the Cowboys.
Watson made his season debut last week and played 45 percent of the snaps, saw four targets and caught two of them for 25 yards and a touchdown. He was on a snap count, but now — coming off the mini-bye — he should be in store for a larger workload. The Raiders are tied for the most touchdowns allowed to receivers. Watson is a dynamic field-stretcher when he’s healthy and is also a great weapon in the red zone, as we saw last week. Long catches and touchdowns are the quickest way for receivers to put up points in bunches, so Watson always brings a high ceiling. In this favorable matchup, get Watson back into your lineup.
Moore was a start last week and came through with his best game of the season: 131 yards, a touchdown and 27.1 fantasy points. He has now scored at least 13 fantasy points in three straight games and is averaging 18.9 fantasy PPG in that span. He’s on pace for a career high in yards (1,279). Last week will get chalked up to the Broncos’ shoddy defense, but Moore has been a reliable fantasy option. He also could have a big game this week against the Commanders, who’ve allowed the sixth-most yards to receivers (and the most on deep passes) and are tied for the most touchdowns allowed. Moore has the ability to torch this secondary at every level. Keep starting him.
IF YOU NEED DEEPER OPTIONS:
Adam Thielen has seen at least eight targets in three straight games. He has at least seven catches and has topped 15 fantasy points in all three of those games, averaging 22.3 fantasy PPG in that span. He’s not going to remain a deeper option for long, but I wanted to point out how well he’s been playing. He’s consistently in play moving forward. Kanas City rookie Rashee Rice ran the third-most routes among Chiefs receivers and had the second-most targets on the team behind only Travis Kelce in Week 4. He has been targeted on 37 percent of the routes he’s run this season and is now starting to see the field more. The floor isn’t very safe, but he brings upside this week against the Vikings, who’ve allowed the third-most yards to receivers. Arizona rookie Michael Wilson was a wide receiver I loved during NFL draft season. He saw his volume increase last week to a season-high seven targets. He scored two touchdowns and has now topped 75 yards in two straight games. He’s the clear second wide receiver for the Cardinals behind Marquise Brown. The floor isn’t all that high, but given the usage, he’s in play as a sleeper in Week 5.
Sit ‘Em
London caught a touchdown — in London! — but he also totaled just 28 yards. He has only notched double-digit fantasy points in games where he’s caught a touchdown and is averaging just 8.9 fantasy PPG on 5.5 targets per game overall. The Falcons’ passing attack is broken, and it’s dragging everyone down with it. Starting London right now is simply hoping for a touchdown, and I would not bank on that this week. The Texans have a very stingy secondary and have allowed just one touchdown to receivers this season. They’ve also allowed the sixth-fewest yards to the position. The floor is low, and the ceiling isn’t much higher. Get away from Drake this week.
Sutton has proven to be a safe-floor receiver so far this season. But he runs a significant portion his routes out wide on the left (45 percent), which is Sauce Gardner’s side of the field. He then runs 30 percent out wide on the right side, where he’ll face another quality corner in D.J. Reed. The Jets have been unsurprisingly stingy to receivers this season, allowing the fifth-fewest yards to the position and just one touchdown. It’s even more impressive when you consider that they’ve already faced the Bills, Cowboys and Chiefs. There will be weeks you can use Sutton, but this isn’t one of them.
Addison is coming off his worst game of the year, failing to score a single fantasy point and recording just one target against the Panthers. Addison was able to produce over the first two weeks due to touchdowns and seemed like he could offer a safe floor of around 10 fantasy points. But over the last two weeks, he is fourth in routes and third in targets (with just nine) on the Vikings. This week, he faces the Chiefs, who rank in the top 10 when it comes to fewest receiving yards allowed to wideouts. They’ve also been particularly stingy against the deep ball. Addison will be boom-or-bust until he can carve out more consistent usage in this passing game. Starting him this week is hoping for a long catch or a touchdown.
Tee Higgins exited Week 4 with a rib injury that could hold him out for a bit. That will lead people to believe that Boyd is in play as a streaming option, especially after seeing him get seven targets last week. But he turned those targets into four catches for just 26 yards. Joe Burrow is clearly not right and has had trouble keeping Ja’Marr Chase and Higgins afloat. That does not give me a ton of confidence in Boyd. Add in that the Cardinals have been very stingy to slot receivers, allowing the ninth-fewest yards and just one touchdown to the position, and Boyd is a low-floor, low-ceiling play.
