FanDuel NFL 2018: Week 5 lineup
The first quarter of the NFL season is over, but daily fantasy football is still just beginning. Here is my Week 5 FanDuel lineup.
Last week’s lineup exceed 100 total points, but there were some distinct strengths and weaknesses. Ezekiel Elliot was one of the top fantasy performers in Week 4. Elliot compiled 240 yards and one score in the team’s victory over the Detroit Lions. He has eclipsed 100+ rushing yards in consecutive games. Dallas will continue to lean on Elliot as their offensive engine, so get used to a ton of touches and yards.
On the contrary, Seahawks running back Chris Carson didn’t get an opportunity to showcase his abilities after a career-high 34 touchdowns the week before. He was inactive versus the Cardinals with a hip injury.
Another running back that performed well was Giovanni Bernard. Bernard scored 23.6 fantasy points, eighth most at the position. He carried the ball 15 times for 69 yards and two scores. Bernard also caught four passes for 27 yards. His production may take a dip with the return of Joe Mixon, but for the time being Bernard was a great daily fantasy play.
Eli Manning’s matchup against the New Orleans Saints screamed points, but Manning and company only scored 18 against points against a struggling secondary. The veteran quarterback completed 31-of-41 for 255 yards and one score. Odell Beckham Jr., was targeted 11 times but only caught seven passes for 60 yards and remains scoreless in 2018.
Despite scoring 42 points in a loss to the Oakland Raiders, Jarvis Landry was held to four catches for 34 yards and one score. He finally got in the end zone, but posted season lows in catches and yards. Kenny Stills and the Miami Dolphins were annihilated by the New England Patriots, 38-7. Stills caught three passes for 40 yards.
In Atalanta, one of their tight ends scored and it wasn’t Austin Hooper. Logan Paulsen caught a 17-yard pass in the second quarter, his only target in the game. Hooper caught a season low one pass for 19 yards.
Defensively, the Los Angeles Chargers should have had a better game against a San Francisco 49ers team, led by C.J. Beathard. The Chargers forced two interceptions, but gave up 27 points.
My Week 5 lineup will only include players that are playing Sunday, minus the Sunday Night football matchup. Also, the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on their bye week.
Here were Week 4’s top performers at each position:
QB: Mitch Trubisky, Chicago Bears — 43.46
RB: Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints — 38.6 & Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys — 32
WR: Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams — 32.7 (Thursday Night); Golden Tate, Detroit Lions — 29.2 & DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans — 27.9
TE: Jared Cook, Oakland Raiders — 27
FLEX: Melvin Gordon, Los Angeles Chargers — 27.4 & James White, New England Patriots — 27.2
DEF: Green Bay Packers — 23
Quarterback; Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons- $ 8,300
The Atlanta Falcons dropped to 1-3 on the season, but the offense is clicking. Atlanta is averaging 32 points per game in their last three contests. In their last game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Ryan threw for over 419 yards and three touchdowns. This was the first time he eclipsed the 400 yard mark this season and the fifth time in his career.
Ryan scored 29.3 fantasy points against the Bengals, 8th best at the position for Week 4. After Ryan’s weak performance against the Philadelphia Eagles in the season opener, he has scored at least 29 fantasy points in each week.
This week, Ryan and Co. will travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers. Pittsburgh has given up 1,297 yards (30th in the NFL) and 12 touchdowns (31st in the NFL) to opposing quarterbacks. Ryan should have a field day against the Steelers.