Fantasy Football Week 5 Starts, Sits: Advice For Toughest Lineup Decisions

Your tough lineup decisions won’t get any easier in Week 5.

For many obvious reasons, the 2020 fantasy football season has been a nightmare for owners. Deciding on which players to start, and which to sit, never has been more difficult than it currently is.

Lucky for you, we’re here to help.

Here are our Week 5 starts and sits:

STARTS:
Damien Harris, RB, New England Patriots
The second-year back racked up 100 yards Monday in his season debut and should be New England’s feature back moving forward. He was one of the stars of training camp, and has more explosive ability than anyone else in the backfield. The Patriots figure to be run-heavy against the Denver Broncos, making Harris a strong starting option.

Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons
Ryan was disappointing last week, but we expect him to rebound this weekend against an iffy Carolina Panthers defense. We can debate Ryan’s real-life abilities but, more often than not, he’s a really good fantasy quarterback.

D.J. Moore, WR, Carolina Panthers
Fantasy owners still are waiting for Moore deliver on his preseason promise, and this might be the week he breaks out. He still is the most talented wideout on Carolina’s roster, and the Falcons have a brutal passing defense. Start him with confidence.

Dalton Schultz, TE, Dallas Cowboys
There are better options for fantasy tight ends, but there also are far worse options. The New York Giants are not a good defensive team and, given their likely attention on Dallas’ receivers, Schultz should be open often.

SITS:
Rams running backs
Who’s the primary back? Is it Darrell Henderson? Is it Malcolm Brown? Is it Cam Akers? That this remains a valid question tells you all you need to know.

Tom Brady, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Brady seems to be finding his groove in Tampa Bay and should be a solid fantasy quarterback this season. But the Bucs receivers are banged up and we never like Thursday night games for fantasy purposes. Consider another option.

Patriots receivers
We’d advise against starting Patriots wideouts even if Cam Newton was at quarterback. But we’d be especially cautious if either Brian Hoyer or Jarrett Stidham are under center Sunday, if the game even happens.

Zach Ertz, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
Ertz just doesn’t look right. He’s getting his targets, but he’s having trouble getting open. Don’t be afraid to roll with your backup.