Fantasy Football Start/Sit: Week 5

The start of bye weeks has traditionally wreaked some havoc on fantasy football lineups. But 2024 didn’t need the extra help with the flood of September injuries. The Lions, Eagles, Titans and Chargers byes will take a slew of fantasy stars in Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jalen Hurts, Tony Pollard and J.K. Dobbins And if you don’t know how to handle those absences, read on. My Week 5 start and sit column uses my comprehensive weekly fantasy projections to rank players and provide discrete values that you can use to set your lineups no matter your format or depth of fantasy league.

The positional rankings and projected fantasy point totals rely on half-PPR scoring. The listed start/sit calls assume a 12-team league with 2 running back, 3 wide receiver, 1 tight end, and 1 flex starting lineup spots. If your league is different, I recommend you start my higher ranked players over my lower ranked players.

You can find my weekly rankings and those of other FTN writers here.

Fantasy Football Start/Sit: Week 5

Quarterbacks

6. Justin Fields, PIT vs. DAL: 28.9-210-1.19-0.58 and 8.4-32-0.43 = 17.7
7. Sam Darnold, MIN vs. NYJ: 30.3-250-1.85-0.79 and 3.7-11-0.07 = 17.4
8. Dak Prescott, DAL at PIT: 36.0-264-1.64-0.68 and 2.3-10-0.11 = 17.4

9. Patrick Mahomes, KC vs. NO

35.3-258-1.66-0.88 and 3.8-16-0.08 = 17.2

Without Rashee Rice, the Chiefs skill player depth chart looks eerily similar to the way it looked in early 2023. And last year, Mahomes averaged a modest-for-him 18.4 fantasy points per game, just the 11th-highest rate among regular quarterbacks. Continue to start the best actual quarterback in football. But don’t expect vintage top three Mahomes fantasy performances with the lack of talent around him.

10. Brock Purdy, SF vs. ARZ

29.5-264-1.48-0.59 and 3.3-14-0.08 = 17.1

He may have suffered a slow fantasy start with just five touchdowns in four starts this season. But Purdy has averaged more red zone pass attempts and more end zone targets this September than he did in Weeks 5-18 in 2023 when he threw for more than 2.0 touchdowns per game. He’s nearly been as unlucky with his expected touchdown shortfall this year as he was lucky with his surplus last year. Continue to trust Purdy as a QB1.

11. Jordan Love, GB at LA

34.3-250-1.92-0.89 and 1.6-7-0.08 = 17.1

Love returned from his knee injury in Week 4 and answered any concerns of a limitation with a career-high 54 pass attempts and 389 yards in a comeback bid against the world-beating Vikings. I’m projecting Love for a normal-for-him 34.3 pass attempts in Week 5. And while that is nearly 20 attempts fewer than he had last week, it is still seventh most at his position this week and enough to support his fantasy QB1 case.

12. Baker Mayfield, TB at ATL

32.7-241-1.64-0.62 and 2.8-12-0.17 = 17.1

Mayfield followed up his 289-yard, four-touchdown outburst against last year’s 32nd-ranked Commanders pass defense in Week 1 with modest totals of 185 and 163 yards and 2 and 1 touchdowns in less favorable matchups in Weeks 2 and 3. But the journeyman No. 1 pick responded to that slump with another 357 yards and three touchdowns in Week 4. And as everything has evened out over the first full month, Mayfield has found himself even more efficient this year than he was in 2023. Feel free to start him in Week 5 with four teams on bye.

13. Anthony Richardson, IND at JAX

28.8-222-1.07-1.15 and 5.7-38-0.38 = 16.9

Richardson may make this decision easier by skipping Week 5 with the oblique and hip injuries he suffered last Sunday. But if the talented sophomore does play, he will become the toughest start/sit call of the week. On one hand, Richardson has held onto a top five average of 0.60 fantasy points per play this season. But on the other, he has exited three of his eight professional starts early with an injury. And that latter fact is bleeding into my modest 28.8 projected pass attempts for him in Week 5. I lean sit. But consider the choice with your own appetite for risk.

14. C.J. Stroud, HST vs. BUF

33.8-264-1.42-0.58 and 2.1-8-0.13 = 16.6

Stroud summoned the sort of passing performance that made him a star rookie with 345 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday. But his fantasy predicament remains unchanged. Stroud has just 41 rushing yards this season. Lamar Jackson, Jayden Daniels, Jalen Hurts, Malik Willis, Kyler Murray, Justin Fields, Anthony Richardson and Bo Nix have all matched or beaten that total in individual games this season.

15. Andy Dalton, CAR at CHI

36.6-257-1.72-0.66 and 2.0-4-0.04 = 16.4

Countless quarterbacks have overachieved their true talent levels with inflated passing attempt or touchdown totals over small samples of games over the years. But I don’t believe Dalton is one of them. The veteran passer is tied for 11th in EPA per play the last three seasons. He is a starter-worthy quarterback whose age rendered him a backup to teams that wanted to find their future franchise players. He’s a high-end QB2 in Week 5 and may be the best bye-week replacement at his position.

16. Geno Smith, SEA vs. NYG

36.8-271-1.33-0.81 and 2.6-12-0.06 = 16.1

Smith and his Seahawks receivers’ preseason fantasy hope was better pace in 2024. But the team’s jump to No. 1 with 159 pass attempts this season likely captures passing scripts more than new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb’s philosophy. Smith attempted 44 passes in an overtime win in Boston in Week 2. And he threw 56 times with a consistent multi-score deficit to the Lions Monday. I’m projecting the veteran quarterback for a position-best 36.8 pass attempts in Week 5. But that isn’t an outlier total, and his proximity to the rest of the position renders him a high-end QB2 for fantasy.

17. Aaron Rodgers, NYJ at MIN: 34.6-232-1.42-0.52 and 2.2-8-0.05 = 15.1
18. Trevor Lawrence, JAX vs. IND: 33.6-223-1.31-0.64 and 2.2-12-0.12 = 14.9
19. Derek Carr, NO at KC: 32.0-238-1.47-0.70 and 1.2-3-0.09 = 14.8
20. Kirk Cousins, ATL vs. TB: 33.2-241-1.46-0.80 and 1.0-1-0.05 = 14.3
21. Daniel Jones, NYG at SEA: 33.9-212-1.09-0.75 and 4.6-14-0.21 = 14.0
22. Matthew Stafford, LA vs. GB: 31.3-236-1.33-0.60 and 0.8-2-0.02 = 13.9
23. Deshaun Watson, CLV at WAS: 34.2-185-1.16-0.75 and 4.3-23-0.13 = 13.7

Running Backs

9. Chuba Hubbard, CAR at CHI: 16.1-73-0.50 and 3.7-3.2-22-0.09 = 14.6
10. James Conner, ARZ at SF: 15.8-74-0.52 and 2.7-2.2-15-0.07 = 13.6
11. De’Von Achane, MIA at NE: 11.5-53-0.41 and 4.1-3.4-29-0.16 = 13.3
12. Brian Robinson Jr., WAS vs. CLV: 15.1-66-0.53 and 2.6-2.0-18-0.08 = 13.0
13. James Cook, BUF at HST: 13.4-62-0.35 and 3.4-2.8-25-0.13 = 12.9
14. Joe Mixon, HST vs. BUF: 13.9-58-0.56 and 3.1-2.5-18-0.10 = 12.8
15. Kenneth Walker III, SEA vs. NYG: 14.2-65-0.57 and 2.6-2.0-15-0.06 = 12.8
16. Travis Etienne Jr., JAX vs. IND: 13.1-56-0.45 and 4.0-3.0-22-0.09 = 12.5
17. Zack Moss, CIN vs. BLT: 12.1-51-0.46 and 4.0-3.1-23-0.12 = 12.4
18. D’Andre Swift, CHI vs. CAR: 13.3-54-0.35 and 4.4-3.4-25-0.10 = 12.2
19. Josh Jacobs, GB at LA: 13.7-62-0.38 and 3.2-2.3-18-0.07 = 11.9
20. Najee Harris, PIT vs. DAL: 14.7-55-0.37 and 3.6-2.6-18-0.07 = 11.3
21. Devin Singletary, NYG at SEA: 13.7-57-0.40 and 2.7-2.2-15-0.05 = 11.0
22. Jerome Ford, CLV at WAS: 11.6-50-0.26 and 4.1-3.2-20-0.10 = 10.8

23. Rhamondre Stevenson, NE vs. MIA

11.9-50-0.35 and 3.6-2.7-16-0.08 = 10.5

Jerod Mayo told reporters than he was considering starting Antonio Gibson over Rhamondre Stevenson in Week 5 since Stevenson had fumbled in each of the first four games this season. The problem? Gibson is the only running back with fewer attempts per fumble than Stevenson since the latter player entered the league in 2021. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Gibson start to send a message but Stevenson to see a healthy workload anyway. Especially since the Patriots play Tyler Huntley’s Dolphins this week.

24. Antonio Gibson, NE vs. MIA

9.7-43-0.22 and 3.5-2.8-24-0.09 = 10.0

That said about Stevenson, Gibson is a worthy fantasy start in Week 5, as well. The former Commanders back had already trended up from a 23% snap share in Weeks 1 and 2 to a 36% share in Weeks 3 and 4. His chance to start in Week 5 is plenty of fantasy carrot in a week with four teams on bye.

25. Rico Dowdle, DAL at PIT

12.0-49-0.29 and 3.0-2.3-17-0.08 = 9.9

Dowdle has played a consistent 43-46% snap share all four weeks this season. But his elder counterpart Ezekiel Elliott has trended down from 51% and 40% snap shares the first two weeks to 19% and 18% shares the last two weeks. Dowdle is the definitive Cowboys RB1 at this point.

26. Kareem Hunt, KC vs. NO

11.6-43-0.44 and 2.9-2.2-14-0.07 = 9.8

Hunt may owe his quick ramp up to a 44% snap share and 16 touches in his Chiefs re-debut to Carson Steele’s fumble. But Steele had hardly asserted his No. 1 role with a 14.3% avoided tackle rate that is bottom 10 at his position this season. Expect the veteran to start and play the most snaps in the Chiefs backfield in Week 5. But keep an eye out for updates on Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who returned from the NFI list Wednesday.

27. Javonte Williams, DEN vs. LV

11.0-40-0.29 and 3.9-3.2-19-0.10 = 9.8

Williams reasserted his No. 1 running back role with a 57% snap share, 18 touches and 80 total yards in Week 4. But the hope that the North Carolina alum could return to his pre-injury efficiency has taken a hit over the first month. Williams ranks 33rd among regular backs with a 17.5% avoided tackle rate, much closer to his 16.1% rate from 2023 than his tremendous 25.6% rate from 2021. Unless that changes, he will plateau as a volume flex play.

28. Rachaad White, TB at ATL

9.6-34-0.23 and 3.0-2.6-21-0.09 = 8.7

The Bucs’ potential pivot from White to Bucky Irving feels more permanent than the Patriots’ one from Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson The former rookie has lapped his sophomore teammate with a 25.7% versus a 19.5% avoided tackle rate, 3.1 versus 2.3 yards after contact per attempt, and a 36.4% versus a -39.5% rushing DVOA this season. But even as he’s trended down, White has still played more than 50% of snaps all four weeks. I wouldn’t be surprised to see White cling to flex value for at least another few weeks, thanks largely to his outsized role as a receiver.

29. Bucky Irving, TB at ATL

8.6-43-0.27 and 2.4-1.9-14-0.06 = 8.6

Don’t let White’s potential hanging-on discourage you from an Irving play. The rookie set season highs with a 42% snap share and 10 carries in Week 4. He doesn’t need much more to clear the flex starter benchmark in a bye week.

30. Alexander Mattison, LV at DEN

7.5-31-0.25 and 3.2-2.3-18-0.11 = 8.2

Mattison may already have crossed the flex starter threshold with his typical receiving contributions in the season’s first bye week. But Raiders coach Antonio Pierce’s declaration that Mattison deserves more reps makes the fantasy choice easier. Zamir White has a -57.0% rushing DVOA this year that is the worst among backs with 25 or more carries. Mattison deserves the workload bump.

31. Raheem Mostert, MIA at NE

8.5-39-0.33 and 1.7-1.3-9-0.05 = 7.7

I’m not sure where Mostert will stand with De’Von Achane when he returns from his chest injury. His undersized sophomore teammate has survived a jump to 62%, 74% and 73% snap shares the last three weeks. But he’s also seen his efficiency crater from his ridiculous 7.8 rookie yards per attempt to a meager 3.1 yards per attempt this season. But even if Mostert reclaims his RB1A and preferred red zone role, he may not be a fantasy starter until Tua Tagovailoa returns. Achane has seen his yards before contact per attempt decrease from 3.7 to 1.9 yards and his stuffed rate increase from 19.7% to 23.5% without Tagovailoa on the field since the start of last season. Mostert will likely suffer similarly.

32. Justice Hill, BLT at CIN

3.3-15-0.09 and 4.4-3.6-30-0.12 = 7.6

Hill wasn’t my first guess to emerge as the Ravens’ No. 2 receiver. But the veteran backup already has 16 catches this season, which is second most on his team and tied for fifth most among all running backs. You can start him in a bye-week pinch in any sort of PPR format.

33. Cordarrelle Patterson, PIT vs. DAL: 8.1-37-0.22 and 2.2-1.6-11-0.05 = 7.2
34. Miles Sanders, CAR at CHI: 7.9-31-0.22 and 3.0-2.2-12-0.05 = 7.1
35. Chase Brown, CIN vs. BLT: 6.6-33-0.20 and 2.2-1.8-13-0.06 = 7.0
36. Zamir White, LV at DEN: 11.5-43-0.24 and 1.3-1.0-6-0.02 = 6.9
37. Zach Charbonnet, SEA vs. NYG: 5.5-22-0.18 and 3.2-2.7-18-0.08 = 6.9
38. Austin Ekeler, WAS vs. CLV: 4.9-22-0.15 and 3.1-2.4-21-0.08 = 6.9
39. Braelon Allen, NYJ at MIN: 7.4-33-0.21 and 1.8-1.4-10-0.05 = 6.6
40. Samaje Perine, KC vs. NO: 4.4-19-0.14 and 3.1-2.5-20-0.07 = 6.3
41. Jaleel McLaughlin, DEN vs. LV: 6.6-28-0.19 and 2.1-1.8-9-0.05 = 6.0
42. Roschon Johnson, CHI vs. CAR: 6.3-26-0.21 and 1.9-1.5-11-0.04 = 6.0
43. Tyler Allgeier, ATL vs. TB: 7.7-34-0.19 and 1.1-0.9-7-0.03 = 5.9
44. D’Onta Foreman, CLV at WAS: 7.4-29-0.26 and 0.8-0.6-4-0.02 = 5.2
45. Ezekiel Elliott, DAL at PIT: 6.9-25-0.19 and 1.4-1.1-7-0.03 = 5.1
46. Emanuel Wilson, GB at LA: 6.7-29-0.15 and 1.2-0.9-6-0.03 = 5.0
47. Ty Chandler, MIN vs. NYJ: 6.0-26-0.14 and 1.0-0.8-6-0.02 = 4.6
48. Tank Bigsby, JAX vs. IND: 6.0-30-0.18 and 0.4-0.3-2-0.01 = 4.5
49. Jamaal Williams, NO at KC: 5.0-18-0.17 and 1.5-1.2-7-0.03 = 4.3
50. Cam Akers, HST vs. BUF: 6.2-23-0.17 and 0.5-0.4-3-0.01 = 3.8
51. Ray Davis, BUF at HST: 4.3-16-0.12 and 0.6-0.5-3-0.02 = 3.0
52. Tyrone Tracy Jr., NYG at SEA: 2.8-11-0.07 and 1.3-1.0-8-0.03 = 3.0
53. Carson Steele, KC vs. NO: 3.3-13-0.11 and 0.9-0.6-4-0.02 = 2.7

Wide Receivers

14. Jakobi Meyers, LV at DEN: 8.5-5.8-66-0.43 = 12.1
15. Mike Evans, TB at ATL: 7.5-4.5-64-0.49 = 11.6
16. Drake London, ATL vs. TB: 8.6-5.5-65-0.38 = 11.5
17. George Pickens, PIT vs. DAL: 7.4-4.7-71-0.30 = 11.4
18. Deebo Samuel Sr., SF vs. ARZ: 6.1-4.0-53-0.26 = 10.6
19. Rashid Shaheed, NO at KC: 6.4-4.0-61-0.32 = 10.5
20. Courtland Sutton, DEN vs. LV: 8.7-4.6-59-0.38 = 10.4
21. Garrett Wilson, NYJ at MIN: 8.5-5.2-58-0.33 = 10.4
22. Terry McLaurin, WAS vs. CLV: 7.6-4.8-59-0.33 = 10.3
23. Stefon Diggs, HST vs. BUF: 7.3-5.1-55-0.34 = 10.3
24. Khalil Shakir, BUF at HST: 5.6-4.6-61-0.28 = 10.2
25. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, SEA vs. NYG: 7.6-5.4-56-0.29 = 10.1
26. Brandon Aiyuk, SF vs. ARZ: 6.6-4.1-62-0.30 = 10.0
27. Zay Flowers, BLT at CIN: 7.2-4.8-54-0.32 = 9.9
28. Tee Higgins, CIN vs. BLT: 7.1-4.2-57-0.35 = 9.9
29. Wan’Dale Robinson, NYG at SEA: 8.1-5.7-50-0.30 = 9.8
30. Michael Pittman Jr., IND at JAX: 7.8-5.1-56-0.26 = 9.8
31. Brian Thomas Jr., JAX vs. IND: 6.2-4.0-57-0.31 = 9.7
32. Amari Cooper, CLV at WAS: 7.8-4.0-56-0.33 = 9.6
33. Tre Tucker, LV at DEN: 6.0-4.1-51-0.26 = 9.0
34. Jordan Whittington, LA vs. GB: 6.4-4.5-52-0.25 = 9.0
35. Romeo Doubs, GB at LA: 6.1-3.8-49-0.33 = 8.8
36. Tank Dell, HST vs. BUF: 5.7-3.4-45-0.27 = 8.8
37. Jerry Jeudy, CLV at WAS: 6.5-4.0-51-0.25 = 8.7

38. Josh Downs, IND at JAX

6.2-4.4-49-0.25 = 8.6

Downs is easy to overlook with his muted season totals after missing the first two weeks with an ankle injury. But since returning in Week 3, the second-year slot receiver has seen a 26.4% target share that is tied with his more heralded teammate Michael Pittman Jr. for 12th at his position. Downs is a solid flex option with Anthony Richardson. And he would be a no-brainer fantasy play if the pass-happier Joe Flacco started instead.

39. Christian Kirk, JAX vs. IND

6.6-4.1-49-0.27 = 8.6

Trevor Lawrence is still looking for his breakout passing game in 2024. But despite his quarterback’s consistently meager passing performances, Kirk has ramped up to 10 and 12 targets and 79 and 61 yards the last two weeks. He may not be the touchdown threat that his rookie teammate Brian Thomas Jr. is, but Kirk makes a fantasy case with a top 40 projected target share.

40. Darnell Mooney, ATL vs. TB

6.2-3.7-50-0.24 = 8.4

There’s a Twitter meme that Mooney is the real Kyle Pitts, and so it’s probably appropriate that I’ve projected him less than half a fantasy point above the flex starter baseline. But Mooney’s 1.9 yards per route run leads all Falcons receivers. Even excluding Pitts from consideration, the team is more than a one-man band.

41. Xavier Worthy, KC vs. NO

4.9-3.0-42-0.26 = 8.3

Worthy has seen a paltry 11.7% target share this season that is tied for 66th highest among wide receivers, and he’s only enjoyed fantasy success thanks to his 2.11 expected touchdown surplus that is third highest at his position. That surplus will likely regress. But Worthy still clears the Week 5 flex benchmark thanks to a presumed target share increase with Rashee Rice out for the season. I’m projecting the speedy rookie for an inflated 18.5% target share this week that ties him for 47th among wide receivers.

42. Jauan Jennings, SF vs. ARZ

4.8-3.4-50-0.26 = 8.3

Jennings took the best possible advantage of the absence of teammate Deebo Samuel Sr. with 11 catches, 175 yards and three touchdowns in Week 3 and then reverted to his more typical 57% snap share with Samuel back in Week 4. But Brock Purdy has thrown less to his running backs with an injured Christian McCaffrey this season, and Jennings has been a beneficiary even as a third receiver. The long-time backup’s 14.7% target share in Weeks 1, 2 and 4 is tied for 50th at his position and makes him a bye-week flex option.

43. Tyler Lockett, SEA vs. NYG

6.0-4.0-46-0.25 = 8.1

Lockett has seen a healthy total of 26 targets this season. But that total is inflated by an extreme Seahawks passing script in a loss to the Lions in Week 4. And the veteran has foreshadowed a likely statistical decline over the rest of the season with his 66% snap share, down from his 79% or better shares each of the last six seasons. You can start him in a bye-week pinch, but Lockett may finally have reached the end of his every-week starter era.

44. Xavier Legette, CAR at CHI

5.8-3.6-43-0.25 = 7.8

Legette enjoyed a modest breakout performance with six catches, 66 yards, and a touchdown in Week 4, the first one he’s played entirely without his veteran teammate Adam Thielen on the field. But Legette could have left a bigger fantasy mark. The talented rookie saw multiple passes hit his hands that he did not catch — he was just credited with one drop, but there were other balls he could, and arguably should, have come down with — and those incompletions totaled 43 unrealized air yards. Legette is likely closer to flex starter status than you realize.

45. Jaylen Waddle, MIA at NE: 4.8-3.4-47-0.19 = 7.7
46. Tutu Atwell, LA vs. GB: 5.0-3.2-47-0.20 = 7.7
47. Keenan Allen, CHI vs. CAR: 5.6-3.8-43-0.25 = 7.6
48. Ray-Ray McCloud, ATL vs. TB: 5.4-3.6-42-0.18 = 7.4
49. Jordan Addison, MIN vs. NYJ: 4.6-3.0-41-0.25 = 7.3
50. Allen Lazard, NYJ at MIN: 5.3-3.2-41-0.26 = 7.3
51. Michael Wilson, ARZ at SF: 4.9-3.3-40-0.22 = 7.0
52. Dontayvion Wicks, GB at LA: 5.6-3.0-39-0.27 = 7.0
53. Gabe Davis, JAX vs. IND: 5.3-2.8-42-0.21 = 6.9
54. Mike Williams, NYJ at MIN: 4.2-3.0-40-0.22 = 6.8
55. Greg Dortch, ARZ at SF: 5.1-3.5-37-0.19 = 6.7
56. Demarcus Robinson, LA vs. GB: 4.8-2.8-39-0.23 = 6.7
57. Jalen Tolbert, DAL at PIT: 4.8-3.0-36-0.20 = 6.3
58. Rome Odunze, CHI vs. CAR: 4.7-2.5-33-0.20 = 5.8
59. DeMario Douglas, NE vs. MIA: 4.3-2.9-32-0.13 = 5.6
60. Josh Reynolds, DEN vs. LV: 3.7-2.3-34-0.15 = 5.5
61. Andrei Iosivas, CIN vs. BLT: 4.1-2.5-26-0.24 = 5.3
62. Noah Brown, WAS vs. CLV: 3.4-2.3-31-0.14 = 5.1
63. Jonathan Mingo, CAR at CHI: 4.8-2.6-28-0.13 = 5.1
64. JuJu Smith-Schuster, KC vs. NO: 3.8-2.5-28-0.17 = 5.0
65. Darius Slayton, NYG at SEA: 3.5-2.2-31-0.12 = 5.0
66. Rashod Bateman, BLT at CIN: 3.7-2.3-29-0.15 = 4.9
67. Keon Coleman, BUF at HST: 3.3-2.2-28-0.17 = 4.9
68. Elijah Moore, CLV at WAS: 4.2-2.6-26-0.14 = 4.9
69. Alec Pierce, IND at JAX: 3.2-1.9-31-0.14 = 4.9
70. Curtis Samuel, BUF at HST: 3.0-2.1-21-0.14 = 4.7
71. K.J. Osborn, NE vs. MIA: 3.9-2.3-25-0.16 = 4.7
72. Ja’Lynn Polk, NE vs. MIA: 3.7-2.3-25-0.16 = 4.7

Tight Ends

2. Jake Ferguson, DAL at PIT: 7.2-5.1-53-0.36 = 10.0
3. David Njoku, CLV at WAS: 6.8-4.6-50-0.32 = 9.3
4. George Kittle, SF vs. ARZ: 5.3-4.0-52-0.33 = 9.1
5. Trey McBride, ARZ at SF: 7.1-5.1-50-0.25 = 9.1
6. Dalton Kincaid, BUF at HST: 6.3-4.8-47-0.29 = 8.8
7. Evan Engram, JAX vs. IND: 6.6-4.9-45-0.28 = 8.7

8. Brock Bowers, LV at DEN

5.6-4.4-47-0.26 = 8.5

There is little doubt that Bowers has the talent. He is one of just three tight ends with 2.0 yards per route run or better with 50 or more routes run this season. He just needs more opportunities. And he may start to see them now that his teammate Davante Adams has requested a trade.

9. Taysom Hill, NO at KC

2.0-1.5-14-0.10 = 7.6

Hill may not score another two touchdowns in a week this season. But the Saints’ Swiss Army knife is tied for 32nd among all players with 10 carries inside the 5-yard line since the start of last season. That’s more than De’Von Achane (9), James Cook (7) and Rhamondre Stevenson (6) have had, and that makes Hill a decent touchdown bet and fantasy starter at a decimated tight end position every week.

10. Tucker Kraft, GB at LA

5.4-3.9-41-0.26 = 7.5

Kraft fell a round later than his teammate Luke Musgrave in the 2023 draft. But the former sophomore has cemented his TE1 status with more snaps than Musgrave all four weeks this season and with a tremendous 80%-plus snap share in three of four weeks. He’s already a top-10 tight end scorer this year. But Kraft could continue to rise with Jordan Love back and healthy.

11. Pat Freiermuth, PIT vs. DAL

5.1-3.8-38-0.22 = 7.0

Freiermuth entered Week 4 with a volume problem, but it wasn’t because of his 70.9% snap or 16.0% target shares that both ranked top 15 at his position. The Steelers simply preferred to run and lean on their defense, and Justin Fields had attempted just 75 passes in three games. Well, Week 4 demonstrated what the Steelers could look like with a more favorable passing script, and Freiermuth benefited with a season high seven targets, 57 yards, and a touchdown. Who knows if the Cowboys can build a lead like the Colts did last week. But the Steelers clearly can’t play their preferred offense every week, and that reality boosts Freiermuth to a TE1 in fantasy.

12. Cole Kmet, CHI vs. CAR

4.1-3.3-32-0.23 = 6.3

Kmet rebounded from his surprising 44% versus 61% snap share disadvantage to his new teammate Gerald Everett with dominant 77% and 90% shares in Weeks 2 and 3. Week 4 was another test with Keenan Allen returning from his heel injury. And Kmet passed it with flying colors with a season high 90% snap shares. He’s back to his back-end TE1 standard from 2023.

13. Colby Parkinson, LA vs. GB

4.8-3.3-33-0.22 = 6.2

Sixth-round rookie Jordan Whittington is trending as the biggest beneficiary of Cooper Kupp’s and Puka Nacua’s absences. But the tight end Parkinson has enjoyed some under-the-radar volume, as well. His 92.4% route participation rate is third highest at the position, just ahead of Travis Kelce’s 92.2% rate. He isn’t far from TE1 value.

14. Isaiah Likely, BLT at CIN

4.0-2.8-34-0.22 = 6.2

Likely exploded onto the scene in 2024 with 9 catches, 111 yards and a touchdown in Week 1. But he has taken a back seat to the Ravens’ running game the last three weeks and slipped to an 8.5% target share in that time that is 28th among tight ends. Perhaps some matchup lever will reveal itself. But until that happens or he bounces back more broadly, Likely is difficult to start in traditional fantasy formats.

15. Cade Otton, TB at ATL

4.9-3.3-31-0.22 = 6.1

Otton has leapt from four combined targets in his first two weeks this season to 17 combined targets the last two weeks. But that jump likely owes a lot to his schedule. The Bucs faced a pair of last year’s bottom five DVOA defenses versus tight ends in the Broncos and Eagles the last two weeks. Otton likely won’t be as featured against a neutral Falcons defense in Week 5. I have him projected for a 15.5% target share that is 14th at his position this week, and I would leave him on your benches.

16. Kyle Pitts, ATL vs. TB

4.8-2.8-34-0.20 = 6.0

Pitts falls below my TE1 benchmark in Week 5, but I wouldn’t advocate that you drop him. The narrative that the former No. 4 pick lacks a featured role misses the fact that few tight ends see consistent first-read targets. Pitts’ 46.7% first-read target rate is ahead of Trey McBride’s 33.3% and Brock Bowers’ 41.7% rates, for example. Dallas Goedert leads the position in fantasy scoring this season, and he has barely bested Pitts with a 53.6% first-read rate. Pitts may not be prime Travis Kelce, but no one is. And that doesn’t preclude his chance to return to the tight end top 10.

17. Tyler Conklin, NYJ at MIN: 4.8-3.2-33-0.18 = 6.0
18. Mike Gesicki, CIN vs. BLT: 4.4-3.1-31-0.20 = 5.8
19. Hunter Henry, NE vs. MIA: 4.1-2.8-29-0.19 = 5.5
20. Zach Ertz, WAS vs. CLV: 3.7-2.8-26-0.15 = 4.9
21. Noah Fant, SEA vs. NYG: 3.5-2.6-28-0.13 = 4.9
22. Dalton Schultz, HST vs. BUF: 3.7-2.4-25-0.18 = 4.8
23. Erick All Jr., CIN vs. BLT: 3.2-2.5-23-0.16 = 4.5
24. Mark Andrews, BLT at CIN: 3.0-2.1-24-0.16 = 4.4
25. Tommy Tremble, CAR at CHI: 3.0-2.2-20-0.15 = 4.0
26. Jonnu Smith, MIA at NE: 2.5-1.8-19-0.10 = 3.3
27. Johnny Mundt, MIN vs. NYJ: 2.5-1.8-16-0.12 = 3.2
28. Noah Gray, KC vs. NO: 2.2-1.7-17-0.10 = 3.1
29. Juwan Johnson, NO at KC: 2.3-1.5-16-0.13 = 3.1
30. Austin Hooper, NE vs. MIA: 2.1-1.4-15-0.09 = 2.7
31. Dawson Knox, BUF at HST: 1.9-1.3-13-0.10 = 2.5
32. Josh Oliver, MIN vs. NYJ: 1.7-1.3-12-0.10 = 2.5
33. Luke Musgrave, GB at LA: 1.8-1.3-13-0.08 = 2.4
34. Greg Dulcich, DEN vs. LV: 2.3-1.3-13-0.08 = 2.4
35. Kylen Granson, IND at JAX: 1.6-1.0-12-0.06 = 2.1
36. Foster Moreau, NO at KC: 1.4-1.0-11-0.07 = 2.0
37. Theo Johnson, NYG at SEA: 1.6-1.0-11-0.08 = 2.0
38. Ja’Tavion Sanders, CAR at CHI: 1.4-1.0-10-0.07 = 1.9