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Dynasty $125 - FFL: Week 5 | NFL: Week 5

Vikings to re-sign RB Cam Akers, if he's healthy

Tue Jul 2 12:56pm ET
Field Level Media

The Minnesota Vikings plan to re-sign running back Cam Akers if he passes a physical, the Pioneer Press reported Tuesday.

Akers, 25, sustained a season-ending Achilles injury last November. He also missed most of the 2021 season with a torn Achilles.

He rushed 38 times for 138 yards and a touchdown in six games after joining the Vikings in a September 2023 trade with the Los Angeles Rams.

Akers has rushed for 1,581 yards and 11 scores and caught 38 passes for 320 yards and one TD in 36 games (15 starts) with the Rams (2020-23) and Vikings. Los Angeles drafted him in the second round in 2020 and he helped them win Super Bowl LVI.

The Vikings' current running backs roster includes Aaron Jones, Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu, DeWayne McBride and Myles Gaskin.

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Hot Plays, Fades and Sleepers: Week 5

Player Notes
Jacoby Brissett Oct 5 12:50am CT
Jacoby Brissett

New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett remains off the fantasy radar as he heads into a Week 5 clash with the Miami Dolphins. Brissett has been uninspiring through the first four weeks of the NFL season, tallying just 536 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two turnovers. The veteran remains off the fantasy radar heading into a difficult matchup against the Dolphins, who have allowed the fourth-fewest passing touchdowns, fourth-fewest interceptions, and second-fewest completions to opposing quarterbacks this season. It's impressive that Miami's defense has fared this well despite being blown out the last three weeks, but that's likely a result of opponents gashing the Dolphins on the ground. Accordingly, we can expect a solid showing from Antonio Gibson and perhaps Rhamondre Stevenson, but Brissett remains a fantasy non-factor.

From RotoBaller

Christian Kirk Oct 5 12:50am CT
Christian Kirk

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk will look to continue his upward fantasy trajectory in Week 5 against the Indianapolis Colts. After a rough first two weeks, Kirk has turned things around, and now serves as a reliable starting fantasy receiver, especially in PPR leagues. The former Arizona Cardinal isn't much of a threat in the red-zone or on deep bombs, but he is good at getting open quickly and serves as a great security blanket for Trevor Lawrence. It makes a lot of sense that the offense has looked better since Kirk started producing again. The Colts serve as a great matchup for the Jaguars passing offense, boosting Kirk's value this week. Evan Engram potentially is returning from injury which should cut into the receiver's target share, but not enough to take him out of fantasy starting lineups anytime soon. Kirk serves as a great WR2/flex play with an extra boost in PPR leagues in Week 5.

From RotoBaller

Antonio Gibson Oct 5 12:50am CT
Antonio Gibson

New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson is expected to start at running back in Week 5 after head coach Jerod Mayo announced that Rhamondre Stevenson had lost the starting job. Stevenson has fumbled four times through four games this season while Gibson has demonstrated impressive burst and productivity with 219 scrimmage yards over his last three contests. The increased role comes at an opportune time for Gibson; this weekend, the Patriots face the Miami Dolphins, who have allowed the most fantasy points and the most touchdowns to opposing running backs this year. While we can still expect some growing pains from Gibson as he adjusts to an increased role within a poor offense, he has a real chance to rank as a low-end fantasy RB2 this week. He's particularly appealing as someone who can leave an impact on the ground and through the air.

From RotoBaller

Brian Thomas Jr. Oct 5 12:40am CT
Brian Thomas Jr.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. has a great opportunity to reach even greater heights in Week 5 against the Indianapolis Colts. BTJ had six catches for 86 yards and a touchdown last week against the Houston Texans, and the Colts should be an easier matchup for the rookie. The Jaguars offense looked horrible to start the year but has slowly looked better as the year has progressed. Trevor Lawrence looked better last week, and was able to get both Christian Kirk and BTJ involved a lot in the passing game. Despite the team's early struggles, the first-round pick has exceeded expectations of fantasy managers so far and has not started slowly like many rookie receivers do. Evan Engram may return from injury this week providing more competition for targets, but that should more affect BTJ's red-zone usage, which hasn't been much as is. BTJ should continue to show off his speed and route-running against the Colts, making him a great flex play with WR2 upside.

From RotoBaller

Jordan Mason Oct 5 12:20am CT
Jordan Mason

San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason will look to keep it rolling when the team hosts the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. The former undrafted Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket was fantastic last week, taking 24 carries for 123 yards rushing and a touchdown. He also caught two of three targets for 37 yards receiving. Mason's production this year has been a godsend for fantasy managers who scooped him up early. Through four weeks, Mason is the overall RB5 in half-PPR points per game. His matchup in Week 5 is favorable. Arizona has allowed the fifth-most points to opposing running backs this year at 17.9 points per game. Perhaps Mason cedes some action to rookie Isaac Guerendo in this one with near 100-degree temperatures predicted in Santa Clara, which would easily be a Levi's Stadium record. Nevertheless, Mason is as good a play at RB as there is this week. He's a top-shelf RB1 against a porous Arizona run defense.

From RotoBaller

Joe Burrow Oct 4 11:50pm CT
Joe Burrow

The Baltimore Ravens defense/special teams has produced quite the mixed bag of results through the first four games of the season. In Week 4, against the Buffalo Bills, they collected three sacks and a fumble while holding the Bills to 10 points and 236 total yards. They looked like the dominant Ravens defense again which was a night and day difference compared to the unit that showed up against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3. Now, they take on Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals who have historically given them some fits. Burrow actually has 12 touchdowns, four interceptions, and 1,879 yards through the air against the Ravens in his career despite having a 3-4 record. With that being said, the Ravens would be a mid-level start in this contest.

From RotoBaller

Brock Purdy Oct 4 11:40pm CT
Brock Purdy

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy draws the Arizona Cardinals at home in Week 5. Last week, also at home, Purdy completed 15 of 27 passes for 288 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and 11 yards rushing versus New England. He's currently ranked as the season-long QB14 overall in Yahoo default scoring, slightly below consensus expectations coming into the season. The matchup this week against Arizona is a good one. The Cardinals represent the fifth-best opportunity for opposing fantasy quarterbacks, at 19.1 points against per game. The former Iowa State Cyclone will have all three of his relevant wideouts healthy and available, though tight end George Kittle (ribs) is questionable. The minor back issue that popped up last week appears to have cleared as Purdy didn't appear in this week's injury report. Usually, you can find Purdy surfing the line between QB1 and QB2 but in Week 5 with bye weeks starting and a good matchup, he's nested firmly in the QB1 conversation.

From RotoBaller

Justin Tucker Oct 4 11:10pm CT
Justin Tucker

Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker has taken quite the tumble down the fantasy ladder through the first four weeks. The historically accurate, Texas product has only posted one week in K1 territory so far and has finished K17 or worse in the other three weeks. It's not due to his offense being unable to move the ball as they've scored 20 or more points in each game. He's only making 62.5% of his field goal attempts and has missed both of his 50-yard attempts. The Cincinnati Bengals are only allowing nine fantasy points per game to opposing kickers while Tucker only averages seven. There are better options out there until Tucker gets back on track.

From RotoBaller

Justice Hill Oct 4 11:00pm CT
Justice Hill

Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill put together his best game of the season against the Buffalo Bills and finished as the RB10 in half-PPR leagues. He's currently the RB31 which puts him above the likes of Najee Harris, Chase Brown, Rico Dowdle, and Javonte Williams. The impressive part is Hill has only seen 14 carries compared to the aforementioned group getting no less than 29 so far. Hill has the eighth-most targets, seventh-most receptions, and third-most receiving yards out of all running backs right now. He'll remain in the pass-catching role out of the backfield, and he should still see a good bit of work in the team's first AFC North matchup of the season against the Bengals who are giving up the 12th-most fantasy points to opposing backfields.

From RotoBaller

Greg Joseph Oct 4 10:50pm CT
Greg Joseph

New York Giants kicker Greg Joseph will enter Week 5 against the Seattle Seahawks riding some momentum after making all five of his field goal attempts in last week's loss to the Dallas Cowboys, including a long of 52 yards. Through two games this season, Joseph is 2-for-2 on PATs and has yet to miss a field goal. However, he faces a tough Seattle defense that ranks eighth against kickers, allowing just six field goals through four games. With the Giants' offense struggling to convert drives into touchdowns, Joseph may be called upon for multiple field goal attempts again, making him a solid streaming option for fantasy managers.

From RotoBaller

Darius Slayton Oct 4 10:40pm CT
Darius Slayton

New York Giants receiver Darius Slayton could see an uptick in targets in Week 5 against the Seattle Seahawks with Malik Nabers sidelined due to a concussion. Slayton has recorded 10 receptions for 122 yards this season, averaging 12.2 yards per catch, but he's still seeking his first touchdown despite four red zone targets. Facing a tough Seahawks defense ranked 9th in the NFL against the pass, allowing only 772 passing yards and four passing touchdowns through four games, Slayton will need to make the most of any extra volume. Currently averaging 5.55 fantasy points per game, he could be a deeper flex option if the Giants lean on him in the passing attack.

From RotoBaller

Tyrone Tracy Jr. Oct 4 10:30pm CT
Tyrone Tracy Jr.

New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. could see a significant workload in Week 5 against the Seattle Seahawks if Devin Singletary is sidelined. Tracy has yet to score a touchdown this season and has been limited to 41 receiving yards on four catches and just 29 rushing yards on 12 carries (2.42 YPC). However, Seattle's defense ranks 19th in the NFL against running backs, allowing 420 rushing yards and four touchdowns in four games, which could open up opportunities for the rookie. While Tracy's 2.75 fantasy points per game leave much to be desired, the increased volume could lead to a breakout performance if he starts.

From RotoBaller

Daniel Jones Oct 4 10:20pm CT
Daniel Jones

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones will face a tough matchup in Week 5 against the Seattle Seahawks. Jones has thrown for 881 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions over the first four games, but he's yet to hit a 300-yard passing game and has struggled to make an impact on the ground with just 70 rushing yards and no rushing touchdowns. His adjusted completion percentage of 77.3% is solid, but Seattle's defense ranks 9th in the NFL, allowing only 772 passing yards and four passing touchdowns through four games. With just 15.26 fantasy points per game (19th among QBs), Jones will need to outperform against a defense with his top receiver, Malik Nabers.

From RotoBaller

Courtland Sutton Oct 4 9:50pm CT
Courtland Sutton

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton will be looking to score a touchdown for the second straight week in Week 5 against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday after finding paydirt for the first time in four weeks in the Week 4 win over the New York Jets. Sutton leads the team in catches (15), targets (36), receiving yards (192) and touchdowns (one) through four games. However, he's also sporting career-lows in catch rate (41.7%), yards per catch (12.8) and yards per target (5.4). Sutton had a career-high 10 scores in 2023 with Russell Wilson, but he hasn't found that same chemistry with rookie quarterback Bo Nix so far. The Raiders defense presents a pretty neutral matchup, as they've been around middle of the pack in passing yards allowed and fantasy points per game allowed to wideouts. Sutton has become a touchdown-dependent WR4/flex in fantasy but has upside for a little more in Week 5 at home against Vegas.

From RotoBaller

Tommy Tremble Oct 4 9:10pm CT
Tommy Tremble

Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble can be safely avoided by fantasy managers in Week 5 when he takes on the Chicago Bears in a road tilt. Tremble is off the injury report ahead of Carolina's away matchup this Sunday but will not be a recommended fantasy option. The 24-year-old played 61 snaps in last week's contest compared to just 20 for rookie Ja'Tavion Sanders. However, the 21-year-old racked up two receptions and 12 yards, while the veteran did not receive a single target. Additionally, wide receiver Diontae Johnson has been a target vacuum, and rookie wideout Xavier Legette may be emerging as a second option for quarterback Andy Dalton. This leaves Tremble vying for the remaining targets with Sanders, WR Jonathan Mingo, and running back Chuba Hubbard. It will be difficult to trust anyone outside of Johnson, Hubbard, and Legette -- particularly against a Chicago defense that's allowed just 698 yards and two scores through the air to opposing offenses thus far.

From RotoBaller

Xavier Legette Oct 4 8:50pm CT
Xavier Legette

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette will face off against a tough Chicago Bears defense in a road matchup this coming Sunday. The rookie wideout saw his usage tick up last week with the team down wide receiver Adam Thielen (hamstring) after he was placed on injured reserve. Legette responded with the best production of his young career, hauling in 6-of-10 targets for 66 yards and a touchdown en route to a WR13 finish in PPR leagues. Those totals were all good for second on the team. The first-round pick and the rest of Carolina's offense have benefitted from the switch to veteran quarterback Andy Dalton, and he should continue to return solid value while his role remains elevated in the offense. The Bears' defense presents as a more staunch challenge this week, but the South Carolina product projects as a sneaky low-end WR3/FLEX option for the matchup. Legette is RotoBaller's PPR WR36 in this week's rankings.

From RotoBaller

Jaleel McLaughlin Oct 4 8:40pm CT
Jaleel McLaughlin

Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin does have a plus matchup in Week 5 against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders, a defense that is allowing the eighth-most half-PPR fantasy points to RBs through four weeks in 2024. That's about where the positives end for McLaughlin, though, coming into this game. He's the No. 2 back behind Javonte Williams, is averaging a lackluster 3.2 yards per carry and is in an offense that has averaged just over 100 yards rushing per game. McLaughlin did have 5.1 yards per carry and 46 yards on nine carries in the Week 4 win over the Jets and found the end zone in Week 3 versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He checks in as the RB50 in half-PPR scoring and also ranks 45th in carries (27) and 47th in passing targets (seven). McLaughlin has a better matchup this week, but Denver's low-scoring offense hasn't been able to support one fantasy RB, let alone two.

From RotoBaller

Chuba Hubbard Oct 4 8:30pm CT
Chuba Hubbard

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard has a favorable matchup this Sunday when the team takes on the Chicago Bears in Week 5. Hubbard is coming off two stellar performances in which he recorded 100-yard games on the ground and caught at least four passes while scoring a touchdown. It's back-to-back superb efforts for the fourth-year RB, who has his arrow pointing up with quarterback Andy Dalton remaining under center. The former fourth-round pick will eventually see less work out of the backfield with the looming activation of rookie running back Jonathon Brooks (knee). However, he's a locked-in RB2 with upside while he has a stranglehold on the Panthers' lead-back duties. Chicago's defense hasn't allowed many points this season, but they're letting up 4.5 yards per carry, and opposing offenses have scored five times on the ground against them -- the sixth-most in the league. Hubbard is RotoBaller's PPR RB11 in this week's rankings.

From RotoBaller

Javonte Williams Oct 4 8:20pm CT
Javonte Williams

Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams has the opportunity to get his season kickstarted in a matchup this Sunday at home against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5. The Raiders defense is allowing the eighth-most half-PPR fantasy points to RBs through four weeks, also giving up 137.5 rushing yards per game (ninth-most). Now the question is whether the 24-year-old can exploit the matchup, but maybe more so, can the Broncos' offense be more consistent in sustaining drives? Williams hasn't been great -- he's the RB41 in half-PPR scoring -- and is averaging a career-low 3.2 yards per carry. He also has yet to find the end zone. But he did have his most efficient game last week (16 carries for 77 yards) against the Jets and could be facing a Raiders defense without Maxx Crosby (ankle). Although the upside remains on the low end in Denver's low-scoring offense, Williams has RB2 upside this week.

From RotoBaller

Andy Dalton Oct 4 8:20pm CT
Andy Dalton

Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton will have low-end streaming appeal in Week 5 when the team takes to the road to face the Chicago Bears. It's been two weeks since the 36-year-old took over for Bryce Young as the Panthers' signal-caller, and the transition has paid off thus far for the team's offensive outlook. Dalton has racked up 539 yards and five touchdowns over that time frame while completing 65.4% of his passes (51-of-78). He and Carolina's skill players will have a more challenging task Sunday against a Bears defense, allowing the eighth-fewest points per game in the league through the season's first month (18.8). Still, the former second-round pick is performing well and has the Panthers offense looking far better off than the first two weeks. This will be his most difficult matchup to date, but Dalton has earned weekly lineup consideration in multi-quarterback formats and a longer look than usual, considering the start of bye weeks. He's RotoBaller's QB19 this week.

From RotoBaller