Week 5 is here, and it’s officially survival mode. Injuries keep piling up, leaving fantasy rosters looking thinner by the day. To make matters worse, the first bye weeks of the season have finally arrived, forcing managers to dig even deeper for lineup help. Every decision matters that much more now, which makes finding the right starts critical. But have no fear — the Ballers are here! Andy, Mike, and Jason have their Week 5 Starts of the Week:
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Andy’s Starts of the Week
QB – Justin Fields vs. Cowboys
Justin Fields is as volatile as they come, but this is not the week to get scared off. The Cowboys’ pass defense has been atrocious through the first month of the season. They are DEAD LAST in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs, EPA per pass attempt, and completion percentage over expectation. When a defense is giving it up this badly, you lean into the upside. Fields’ rushing keeps his floor alive, and the matchup against a reeling Dallas secondary gives him a ceiling worth chasing. Fire up Fields with confidence.
RB – Woody Marks vs. Ravens
The waiver wire add of the week, Woody Marks, has officially taken over the Texans’ backfield. Last week, he finished as the RB8, piling up 22 opportunities and flashing his versatility with a 4-for-50 line as a receiver. He also made a little history: becoming one of just five Day 3 RBs in the last decade to log a game with 20+ touches and 100+ scrimmage yards in his first month. This week is a dream matchup for the rookie. The Ravens have been shockingly bad against the run. They’re DEAD LAST in fantasy points allowed to RBs (over 30 per game), 31st in runs stuffed at the line, and 28th in yards after contact allowed. Woody Marks is rolling into a perfect storm of volume and matchup. Don’t overthink it, if you grabbed him off the wire, you can plug him straight into your lineups.
WR – Xavier Worthy vs Jaguars
Well, the Kansas City Chiefs sure were happy to get Xavier Worthy back, that’s for sure. He wasted no time reclaiming his spot as Mahome’s clear WR1. Earning targets on 32% of his routes, Worthy produced 83 receiving yards and 38 rushing yards. Yep, he’s even involved on the ground. Although he didn’t come down with a TD, he was targeted twice in the endzone. The TDs will come. This week, the Chiefs get a Monday Night Football matchup as 3.5-point road favorites against Jacksonville. With that kind of usage and Mahomes’ trust, The Ballers got Worthy ranked as a near top-12 WR for Week 5.
TE – Dalton Kincaid vs Patriots
Did you know Dalton Kincaid is sitting at TE4 on the season? Totally what we all predicted, right? The TDs have been the big difference-maker, with three scores through four weeks, he’s already topped his previous career-high of two. Sure, TD regression is always lurking, but this isn’t the week to worry. Josh Allen in primetime is the kind of fantasy exposure you want, and the Bills carry the second-highest implied total of the week (29). The matchup only sweetens it: New England ranks 29th in completion percentage allowed (71%), 29th in yards per pass attempt allowed, and 30th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs. Kincaid is a locked-in start.
Jason’s Starts of the Week
Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
QB – Daniel Jones vs Raiders
Daniel Jones enters Week 5 as the QB7 on the season. Last week wasn’t his best outing, but Danny Dimes has quietly been slaying in the areas that matter most. He owns the 3rd-highest passer rating on intermediate throws (11–19 yards) and leads the league with 470 passing yards against the blitz. Maybe the “Giants curse” is real, but there’s no denying Jones has been producing as a Colt. This week’s matchup sets up beautifully. The Raiders run zone at the 2nd-highest rate in the NFL (89%) and lean on Cover-3 more than anyone (54%). That’s exactly what you don’t want against Jones, who’s been lethal versus Cover-3: 77.4% completion rate (3rd-best), 11.97 YPA (1st), and the best passer rating in the league. The matchup is perfect for Dimes to bounce back this week.
RB – David Montgomery @ Bengals
Week 3 Montgomery smashed, dropping 151 yards and two TDs on just 12 carries and single-handedly winning you your matchup. Week 4? Pure diaper gravy: nine carries for 12 yards and nothing else. But Jason warns you shouldn’t tilt. This is a prime rebound spot for the Lions’ run game. Detroit carries the highest implied team total of the week (30), and Cincinnati’s defense has been a turnstile. They are 6th-highest in yards before contact per attempt allowed, 2nd-most missed tackles forced, and tied for the most yards gained after missed tackles. Absolute music to Montgomery’s ears.
WR – Ladd McConkey vs Commanders
If you drafted Ladd McConkey, you’ve been feeling the pain through the first month. But Jason doesn’t think this is the week to bench him. The production from McConkey hasn’t been there, but the usage tells a different story. McConkey is seeing nearly 25% of the team’s first-read targets. That’s ahead of Keenan Allen. That’s the same level of involvement we’ve seen from guys like George Pickens, Courtland Sutton, and Emeka Egbuka. The matchup is perfect for Ladd. Last week, Drake London broke out against the Commanders’ secondary. Washington, through the first four weeks, is ranked 28th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs.
TE – Darren Waller @ Panthers
Goo Goo Gachu! Darren Waller made his first start of the season last week and came down with not one, but TWO TDs. Luck? Not quite. Miami actually schemed red-zone plays for him — and at 6’6”, he’s exactly the big-bodied target Tua has been missing. With Tyreek out for the season, Waller’s opportunity just exploded. This week, the matchup is just as tasty. The Panthers are a bottom-tier defense vs. TEs, ranking 26th in fantasy points allowed and giving up the 2nd-most yards to the position (70+ per game). The Walrus is back. Fire him up.
Mike’s Starts of the Week
Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
QB – C.J. Stroud vs. Ravens
If you lost Lamar or Purdy and need a streamer, Stroud is your guy. Baltimore has been shredded through the air, ranking 30th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs and 31st in passing yards allowed per game. Stroud’s also running more than ever behind a shaky offensive line — his 12 scrambles are tied with Caleb Williams and Baker Mayfield for 6th among QBs. That pace puts him on track for 72 rush attempts and nearly 400 rushing yards. Stream away.
RB – Alvin Kamara vs. Giants
It’s been a quiet start for Kamara — just 15 targets through four games and the Saints sitting at 0–4. But don’t get fooled: he’s still averaging 20 opportunities per game. This matchup is too good to pass up. The Giants rank 31st in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs and 30th in yards before contact allowed. Volume + matchup keeps Kamara locked in as a start.
WR – Quentin Johnston vs. Commanders
Mike’s been hyping Quge on the Dynasty pod, and the breakout signs are flashing. He’s on pace for a 157-target, 94/1432/17 season line and is tied with JSN for 5th in first-read targets among WRs. This week’s opponent, Washington, has been a gift to wideouts, ranking 28th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs through the first month. Wheels up for Quge this week.
TE – Jake Ferguson vs. Jets
Fergalicious has been unstoppable with CeeDee out of the lineup. His 34 receptions are the most by a TE through four games since 2000. The usage is absurd: 28 first-read targets (two more than Amon-Ra St. Brown) and a 30% targets-per-route rate, which is the same level as Drake London. This Jets-Cowboys matchup has a 47-point over/under, and Ferg is too integral to the Dallas offense to sit.
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October 02, 2025
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