With the fantasy regular season over a third of the way through, we have a much better sense of how wide receivers could perform against certain defenses. Our Week 5 fantasy WR PPR rankings are once again here to help you navigate through all the injuries, breakouts, sleepers, and busts ahead of your important start 'em, sit 'em decisions.
While we hate to start here, we saw a fair amount of pass-catchers go down with injuries ahead of Week 4, forcing fantasy owners to stay in the loop regarding their statuses for Week 5. Keenan Allen (hamstring), Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle), Michael Thomas (toe), Zay Jones (ankle), and Jakobi Meyers (knee) were unable to go in Week 4, and Treylon Burks (leg) went down mid-game. This opens the door for guys like Josh Palmer (@ Browns in Week 5), Josh Reynolds (@ Patriots), Jamal Agnew (vs. Texans), Nick Webster-Ikhine (@ Commanders) and DeVante Parker (vs. Lions), among others, to have success in Week 5, but none are sure things.
In terms of defenses to avoid, the Broncos, Giants, 49ers, Patriots, and Colts had allowed the fewest fantasy points to WRs entering Week 4, but the Seahawks, Bills, Saints, and Texans aren't far behind. We're not necessarily scared of all those pass defenses at this point (especially the Seahawks and Texans), but these are trends that bear watching.
WEEK 5 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Michael Pittman Jr. (@ Broncos), Courtland Sutton (vs. Colts), St. Brown if active (@ Patriots), Diontae Johnson (@ Bills), Christian Kirk (vs. Texans), DK Metcalf (@ Saints), and Chris Olave (vs. Seahawks) will remain "must-starts," but you guys like Tyler Lockett (@ Saints), D.J. Moore (vs. 49ers), Michael Thomas (vs. Seahawks), and Jerry Jeudy (vs. Colts) are on the bubble in shallow leagues. In deeper leagues, Romeo Doubs and Allen Lazard (vs. Giants), DJ Chark and Josh Reynolds (@ Patriots), George Pickens (@ Bills), and Zay Jones (vs. Texans) are fairly risky. It's tough to put some of these WRs on your bench, but considering none are constant target hogs outside of maybe Jones, it might be the wise thing to do in PPR leagues.
WEEK 5 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Fortunately, there are plenty of bubble WRs with favorable matchups, led by Garrett Wilson, Elijah Moore, and Corey Davis (vs. Dolphins), Robert Woods (@ Commanders), and Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel (@ Titans), all of whom have the potential to rack up a good amount of catches (especially Samuel and Woods). Guys like Tyler Boyd (@ Ravens), Isaiah McKenzie (vs. Steelers), Michael Gallup and Noah Brown (@ Rams), Jakobi Meyers and DeVante Parker (vs. Lions), and Julio Jones and Russell Gage (vs. Falcons) aren't quite as reliable for catches and targets, but all have the potential for either five-plus grabs or a big play. McKenzie (head), Meyers (knee), and Brown (neck) are dealing with injuries, while the Patriots are likely going to have rookie Bailey Zappe throwing to them, but we still think they can pay off as flexes in that matchup.
WEEK 5 DFS: Best stacks | Best values
Unfortunately, early-season PPR surprises Greg Dortch (vs. Eagles) and Mack Hollins (@ Chiefs) might be getting edged out because of returning players (Rondale Moore, Hunter Renfrow, respectively), while other "name" receivers (Chase Claypool, Robbie Anderson, Jarvis Landry) have become virtually unplayable.
WEEK 5 DFS LINEUPS: FanDuel | DraftKings
Note: We'll be updating these WR PPR rankings as needed throughout the week, so check back for the latest changes.
WEEK 5 FANTASY PICKS: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
Week 5 fantasy WR PPR rankings
Rankings based on full-point PPR scoring
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Cooper Kupp, Rams vs. Cowboys |
| 2 | Ja'Marr Chase, Bengals @ Ravens |
| 3 | Stefon Diggs, Bills vs. Steelers |
| 4 | Tyreek Hill, Dolphins @ Jets |
| 5 | Davante Adams, Raiders @ Chiefs |
| 6 | Mike Evans, Buccaneers vs. Falcons |
| 7 | Justin Jefferson, Vikings vs. Bears |
| 8 | Tee Higgins, Bengals @ Ravens |
| 9 | A.J. Brown, Eagles @ Cardinals |
| 10 | CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys @ Rams |
| 11 | Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions @ Patriots |
| 12 | Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins @ Jets |
| 13 | Chris Godwin, Buccaneers vs. Falcons |
| 14 | Chris Olave, Saints vs. Seahawks |
| 15 | Mike Williams, Chargers @ Browns |
| 16 | Courtland Sutton, Broncos vs. Colts |
| 17 | Amari Cooper, Browns vs. Chargers |
| 18 | DeVonta Smith, Eagles @ Cardinals |
| 19 | Christian Kirk, Jaguars vs. Texans |
| 20 | Deebo Samuel, 49ers @ Panthers |
| 21 | Michael Pittman Jr., Colts @ Broncos |
| 22 | Gabriel Davis, Bills vs. Steelers |
| 23 | Drake London, Falcons vs. Browns |
| 24 | Brandin Cooks, Texans @ Jaguars |
| 25 | Marquise Brown, Cardinals vs. Eagles |
| 26 | Curtis Samuel, Commanders vs. Titans |
| 27 | Diontae Johnson, Steelers @ Bills |
| 28 | DK Metcalf, Seahawks @ Saints |
| 29 | JuJu Smith-Schuster, Chiefs vs. Raiders |
| 30 | Garrett Wilson, Jets vs. Dolphins |
| 31 | Terry McLaurin, Commanders vs. Titans |
| 32 | Jerry Jeudy, Broncos vs. Colts |
| 33 | Robert Woods, Titans @ Commanders |
| 34 | Tyler Lockett, Seahawks @ Saints |
| 35 | D.J. Moore, Panthers vs. 49ers |
| 36 | Elijah Moore, Jets vs. Dolphins |
| 37 | Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers @ Panthers |
| 38 | Allen Lazard, Packers vs. Giants |
| 39 | Zay Jones, Jaguars vs. Texans |
| 40 | Adam Thielen, Vikings vs. Bears |
| 41 | Jakobi Meyers, Patriots vs. Lions |
| 42 | Tyler Boyd, Bengals @ Ravens |
| 43 | Darnell Mooney, Bears @ Vikings |
| 44 | Joshua Palmer, Chargers @ Browns |
| 45 | Devin Duvernay, Ravens vs. Bengals |
| 46 | Isaiah McKenzie, Bills vs. Steelers |
| 47 | Julio Jones, Buccaneers vs. Falcons |
| 48 | Corey Davis, Jets vs. Dolphins |
| 49 | Allen Robinson II, Rams vs. Cowboys |
| 50 | DeVante Parker, Patriots vs. Lions |
| 51 | Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Titans @ Commanders |
| 52 | Noah Brown, Cowboys @ Rams |
| 53 | Michael Gallup, Cowboys @ Rams |
| 54 | Mack Hollins, Raiders @ Chiefs |
| 55 | Hunter Renfrow, Raiders @ Chiefs |
| 56 | Josh Reynolds, Lions @ Patriots |
| 57 | Greg Dortch, Cardinals vs. Eagles |
| 58 | Romeo Doubs, Packers vs. Giants |
| 59 | Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Chiefs vs. Raiders |
| 60 | Russell Gage, Buccaneers vs. Falcons |
| 61 | Jarvis Landry, Saints vs. Seahawks |
| 62 | Nelson Agholor, Patriots vs. Lions |
| 63 | Nico Collins, Texans vs. Jaguars |
| 64 | Rondale Moore, Cardinals vs. Eagles |
| 65 | Donovan Peoples-Jones, Browns vs. Chargers |
| 66 | Mecole Hardman, Chiefs vs. Raiders |
| 67 | George Pickens, Steelers @ Bills |
| 68 | Richie James Jr., Giants vs. Packers |
| 69 | Demarcus Robinson, Ravens vs. Bengals |
| 70 | Jamal Agnew, Jaguars vs. Texans |
| 71 | Marvin Jones Jr., Jaguars vs. Texans |
| 72 | Robbie Anderson, Panthers @ 49ers |
| 73 | Christian Watson, Packers vs. Giants |
| 74 | Kyle Philips, Titans @ Commanders |
| 75 | Alec Pierce, Colts @ Broncos |
| 76 | K.J. Osborn, Vikings vs. Bears |
| 77 | Chase Claypool, Steelers @ Bills |
| 78 | Olamide Zaccheaus, Falcons vs. Buccaneers |
| 79 | Darius Slayton, Giants vs. Packers |
| 80 | K.J. Hamler, Broncos vs. Colts |
| 81 | Skyy Moore, Chiefs vs. Raiders |
| 82 | Jauan Jennings, 49ers @ Panthers |
| 83 | DeAndre Carter, Chargers @ Browns |
| 84 | Quez Watkins, Eagles @ Cardinals |
| 85 | Ashton Dulin, Colts @ Broncos |
Week 5 WR PPR fantasy projections, rankings from Draft Sharks
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