Week 5 brings the NFL's first bye weeks, with the Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, and Pittsburgh Steelers off.

For DFS, this eliminates key quarterback options: Jordan Love, Caleb Williams, Michael Penix, and Aaron Rodgers.

The smaller main slate requires adjustments. Below are the top QBs to target as lineup anchors, ranked by projected upside for GPPs and cash games.

NFL DFS Week 5 QB Coach for Fanduel & DraftKings Fantasy

 

 

 

NFL DFS QB Top Tier Picks for Week 5

Jared Goff, QB Detroit Lions - DraftKings: $6,500 | FanDuel:$7,800

It is not often you see Jared Goff as the first QB in the QB coach, but with primetime games and bye weeks, here we are. Goff has an elite matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, who just let Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos really do whatever they wanted last week. 

Sure, this could very easily be a game where Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have four total touchdowns, but it’s also just as likely that Goff comes out of this with three passing touchdowns as well. 

The spot is elite, even with some risk that the ground game takes over.

Justin Herbert, QB Los Angeles Chargers - DraftKings: $6,100 | FanDuel: $8,000

It was a tough Week 4 for the Chargers and Justin Herbert as they suffered a road loss to the New York Giants, and in that game, Herbert completed just 56% of his passes for 203 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

In Week 5, the Chargers are back home and taking on another NFC East opponent in the Washington Commanders. The Commanders are another team with a weak secondary and one that Herbert should be able to take advantage of, especially given the play of Quentin Johnston and Keenan Allen to begin the year.

Putting last week behind us, Herbert should be played with confidence this week.

 

 


 

NFL DFS QB Mid-Tier Picks for NFL Week 5

Kyler Murray, QB Arizona Cardinals - DraftKings: $5,900 | FanDuel:$7,500

The Cardinals' running game took yet another blow with Trey Benson landing on IR one week after James Conner suffered a season-ending injury.

The running back room now consists of Michael Carter Jr. and Emari Demercado, neither of whom are exactly considered bell-cow backs.

So, this week against the Tennessee Titans should be put on the shoulders and the legs of Kyler Murray, who nearly brought the Cardinals back last week against a good Seahawks defense.

He has Trey McBride, we saw a good connection with Marvin Harrison in the second half of last week, and Greg Dortch is still around, making plays.

Not a bad spot to play some Murray this week and hope he balls out.

Justin Fields, QB New York Jets - DraftKings: $5,600 | FanDuel: $7,500

Fields had his full talent on display last week against the Miami Dolphins as he threw for 226 yards and a touchdown while rushing seven times for 81 yards and a score, which was highlighted by his 43-yard touchdown run.

Yes, a lot of passing yards were in garbage time, as was the final touchdown to Garrett Wilson, but the upside is elite, and this week he faces a really bad Dallas Cowboys defense.

As long as the Jets can stop turning the football over, there are going to be opportunities for Fields to make plays with both his legs and his arm. 

He’s a much better value on DraftKings this week, where he is the 11th highest priced QB, while he is the 7th highest priced QB over on FanDuel.

 

 

 

NFL Week 5 DFS QB Value Picks

Sam Darnold, QB Seattle Seahawks - DraftKings: $5,100 | FanDuel: $7,200

Home matchup against a Buccaneers defense that is pretty stout against the run but has had struggles against the pass, going back to last season. Darnold saw his multi-passing touchdown streak end against the Cardinals last week, but he has continued to look good in his first year with the Seahawks. 

Baker Mayfield has a way of making any game into a shootout, and it wouldn’t shock me to see it happen here again, which would force Darnold into throwing the football often in this game, especially if Kenneth Walker can’t get anything going on the ground.

Good price for a home QB with two–plus touchdown potential.

Jaxson Dart, QB New York Giants - DraftKings: $5,300 | FanDuel: $6,700

Hey, we talk all the time about how in DFS the rushing potential of a QB raises the ceiling of the player, even if he may not be a good QB in real-life football. 

Now, I’m not saying that Jaxson Dart isn’t a good QB on the field, but when you have a QB who ran the ball 10 times for 54 yards and a touchdown, you are going to plug him into your DFS lineup and just take whatever you can get when it comes to throwing the football.

Last week, he threw for just 111 yards but did throw a touchdown pass. Not having Malik Nabers is a buzzkill, but Wan’Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton are still legit NFL receivers that can make plays.

I’m willing to run the rookie out there again this week against the Saints and see if his legs can get us some more fantasy goodness. 

 

 


 

NFL DFS QB Fades for Week 5

C.J. Stroud, QB Houston Texans

This could end up being a complete miss by me this week, but I’m not playing C.J. Stroud against the Baltimore Ravens.

Stroud just does not have good road numbers, and though the Ravens are giving up a ton of points to everyone, they are also giving up those points to the Bills, Lions, and Chiefs, who are all among the top teams in the NFL.

The Texans definitely are not in that conversation, and I have big questions about the Texans' offensive line in this matchup.