NFL Fantasy Football Reactions: Week 5

Week 5 was a big week for rookies. Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker, Khalil Shakir and Cade Otton each made their first major Impact in the NFL. Aside from Hall, each of these players who performed well were taking advantage of an opportunity due to a teammate being injured. Now that each has shown his potential, it'll be interesting to see if their respective coaches give them increased workloads.

I'll always try to give actionable advice at the end of each reaction. In addition to the fantasy takes, hopefully, some of these observations can also give you some ideas if you're thinking about placing some Week 6 NFL bets. Let's take a look at the Sunday afternoon action. 

Sunday Takeaways

• Reports of Derrick Henry's demise were probably a bit premature after Week 2. He's posted at least 132 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in each of his last three games. He's also provided fantasy managers an added bonus with his usage in the passing game. Over the last three weeks, he has 11 catches for 121 yards. If there was ever any doubt, he's back to being an elite weekly fantasy option.
• Aaron Rodgers seemed intent on throwing the ball to his buddies in the London game. When Randall Cobb has more targets and the next two receivers combined, things usually won't end up well. Despite a good first half, the Packers failed to score an offensive point after halftime. Overall, Rodgers  has become a very consistent fantasy option. Although he had a disappointing performance against an injury-ravaged Giants defense, he had  his fourth-straight game with two TD passes and between 222 and 255 passing yards. Although he's fully capable of having the occasional big game, he's shaping up to be a solid floor option each week.
• Dalvin Cook may not be the fantasy juggernaut that he was in 2019 and 2020. But he's  established a high floor. Aside from the game in which they were blindsided by the Eagles, Cook has posted at least 86 scrimmage yards in each game. Also, he has found the end zone three times over his last three games. Aside from being a locked in RB1, he has the look of a potential cash game staple in daily fantasy. 
• So maybe it was Gabe Davis's ankle injury that limited him after all. After two disappointing weeks, he only needed three catches to explode on the stat sheet. He caught TD passes of 65 and 98 yards as the Bills blew out the Steelers. Fantasy managers who invested in Davis during the preseason should reasonably expect to get the level of play based on his ADP. As the second option in a Josh Allen offense, production should not be an issue. His weekly ceiling is immense based on big-play ability. Unless fantasy managers have a loaded roster, Davis should be started each week when he's healthy.
• Last week, everyone was given confirmation that it would be a smart thing to start your fantasy players against the Seahawks. But I don't know that anyone was considering Taysom Hill as a strong option in this situation. Hill rushed for an incredible 3 touchdowns and threw for another. He also ran for over 100 yards. But despite his performance, it was great to see Alvin Kamara produce 103 rushing yards and 91 receiving yards. Unfortunately, there won't be many easy matchups like this in the future. And it's fair to question whether Jameis Winston will have nearly the level of success throwing to Kamara than Andy Dalton did in this contest. In two games with Winston, the RB caught just five of 11 targets for 19 yards. That said, Kamara  remains a must-start fantasy option in most leagues.
• Breece Hall just missed a 200-yard performance. He also lost out on a pair of potential TD opportunities when Michael Carter subbed into the game. Hall was drafted to be a superstar. This stat line is exactly what fantasy gamers were hoping for when selecting him on draft day. And not to take anything away from this remarkable performance, but on his 79-yard reception, the defense forgot to cover him. His usage over the last few weeks has shown that he's the lead back in New York and his usage will ensure that he's a top-15 RB, and that may actually be his floor.
• Over the course of the last four weeks, Raheem Mostert went from being a committee back, to a lead back to now being a three-down workhorse. Despite Miami getting blown out, he handled 18 carries and saw three targets. On one play, his foot barely stepped out of bounds, keeping him from a second TD. He also went over 100 yards on the ground. During his career, he's never handled more than 137 carries in a season. The 30-year-old runner has now handled 52 carries along with work as a kick returner over the last four weeks. History suggests that there's little chance he'll hold up to this type of volume. In the meantime, he must be used as a high-end fantasy option, but he's a player that could be offered as a sell-high candidate. Of course, the fantasy manager who believes that he'll beat all odds by maintaining his workload and staying healthy, may have a goldmine on their hands. 
• I can't think of any reason for concern after Amon-Ra St. Brown  posted 18 yards against the Patriots. Coming off a missed game due to an ankle injury, he's yet to put in a full practice. The Lions have their bye next week.  Just the fact that he played in this game, lets us know that he's close to full health. Pencil him right back in as an elite option in Week 7.
• For the second week in a row, Travis Etienne  has split touches equally with James Robinson.  In his matchup against the Texans, he looked closer to the explosive player we were expecting when the season began. He had both a run and a catch of at least 20 yards. And he showed excellent speed getting into space and to the second level on numerous occasions. It's unlikely that Robinson is going away. But if Etienne  continues to show consistent explosiveness, he definitely could force the coaching staff's hand. I'd still trust him as a flex with upside. But don't be surprised if he's squarely on the RB2 radar before we know it..
• It's been exciting to see Dameon Pierce take advantage of his great opportunity as the Texans' lead back. He's now scored in three straight games. He's also posted at least 100 scrimmage yards in each of those contests. Between volume and production, it would be difficult to consider benching him in any format. And aside from a pair of matchups against the Titans, his schedule does not appear to be overly difficult. 
• Mike Williams has shown the ability to perform at a high level. On three occasions this year, he's posted at least seven catches and 113 yards. However, he also has a pair of games with 15 yards or fewer. And that's the problem. Fantasy players who bench him risk a blow-up game. But they also have a potential landmine in their lineup. And even though Keenan Allen has missed nearly a month of football, it wouldn't seem that his presence in the lineup would have much impact as to how Williams is used. it may just be a matter starting him each week and riding out the highs and lows while hoping that his performances stabilize over time. 
• Jeff Wilson did not look very good last year. Based on comments from coach Kyle Shanahan, Wilson was not yet fully recovered from his 2020 knee injury. He looks just fine right now. He scored in two straight games. He's also gone over 100 scrimmage yards in three of his last four contests. The only question becomes what to do when Elijah Mitchell returns to the lineup, possibly within the next month. Right now would be a time to sell for those are concerned about Mitchell pushing Wilson into a small reserve role. But for those who believe that Wilson can retain close to double-digit touches each week, he would have a minimum of flex value. 
• Kenneth Walker ended up getting eight carries in a game that Rashaad Penny broke his leg. Hopefully Penny can recover quickly and get back to playing the game he loves. In the meantime, Walker should immediately move into a role with solid volume. Although he wasn't used much in the passing game, he looked explosive on a 69-yard TD run that reminded fantasy managers why so many people were excited about him after being  selected in the second round of the NFL draft. It's very fair to expect that he'll be a top-18 option at RB going forward.
• David Njoku started out the season slowly with 39 yards over his first two games. However, he's been on fire in the 3 game since. He's posted at least 73 yards and seven targets in each of those contests. He appears to be the second option in the passing game. With the Browns not having a strong defense this year, don't be surprised if they have to throw the ball frequently each week. Most TEs have quite a bit of volatility. The same goes for Njoku. But he does appear to be a top-10 TE option going forward.
• It makes no difference who his QB is. Jakobi Meyers will remain one of the best floor options at WR. In three games, he's failed to fall below 62 yards. And in his last two games, he's averaging over 100 yards and eight receptions. Based on where he was selected in drafts, he's likely being counted on as a depth option. But it'll be very difficult to view him as anything less than a top-36 receiver going forward. He's another player who is the perfect cash game option in daily fantasy. 
• Fantasy managers may not have much reason to complain after Kenny Pickett threw for 327 yards against the Bills. In reality, very little can be taken from his performance. He threw the ball 52 times in a game in which the Steelers were getting blown out. The good news was that he didn't have a horrible performance against a defense with a very disciplined secondary and an excellent pass rush. For now, he's probably best viewed as a fantasy option in leagues that start two QBs.
• It was great to see Brian Robinson take the field after suffering an injury due to a senseless shooting incident in August. He handled nine of 12 running back touches for the Commanders. However, he rushed for slightly more than two yards per carry. That said, with Antonio Gibson barely used in the rushing attack, it seems that Robinson has a great chance to see enough volume to be a top-30 RB going forward.
• For those who are holding out hope that Allen Robinson and the Rams will eventually figure something out to make him fantasy viable, it's beyond time to abandon the dream. One third of the fantasy regular season is over. If there's any player with value on the waiver wire, that would be a better use of the roster spot over Robinson. 
• There may not be big upside, but Ezekiel Elliott has yet to post fewer than 52 yards in a game this season. And in the last three games, he's posted at least 75 scrimmage yards. Of course, he'll continue sharing work with Tony Pollard, so there won't be many ceiling games. He's probably best used as a flex option. But he's certainly doing enough to be considered a reasonable RB2. Trading him to another team that's desperate for RB help could bring back a favorable return. 

Injuries

• Rashaad Penny fractured his tibia (leg). Ken Walker closed out the game while playing extremely well. Walker should now be a solid fantasy option and an auto start in most leagues. DeeJay Dallas will likely mix in while Travis Homer is on IR, so for the short term, Dallas should be rostered in leagues that require RB depth.
• Tyreek Hill injured his foot and was unable to return to action against the Jets. If he's unable to get back on the field soon, his absence would negatively impact the Dolphins' entire offense.
• Chris Olave sustained a concussion, and he'll hope to be ready for the Saints' next game. 
• James Conner was removed from the game after taking a hit to the ribs. He was done for the day. Darrel Williams also injured his knee. In their absence, Eno Benjamin took on the lead role and scored a TD. Should Conner and Williams be forced to miss time, Benjamin would be a priority waiver add in leagues he's not yet rostered. 
• Damien Harris injured his hamstring after four rushing attempts. Rhamondre Stevenson had a massive performance while finishing as the lead back against the Lions. If Harris misses time, Stevenson would see a massive jump in fantasy value.
• Pat Freiermuth was concussed against the Bills.  Should he miss time, Zach Gentry could see added targets.
• Teddy Bridgewater suffered a concussion early in the first quarter. Third-string rookie Skylar Thompson finished the game.  Unfortunately, both of Miami's top QBs are trying to recover from head injuries. If both of Miami's top QBs are unable to play next week, the ceiling on their offense could be limited.
• Although he never went to the injury tent, Drake London had an ankle issue in the fourth quarter against the Buccaneers.  Due to the timing of the injury, no update was available. 
• Nelson Agholor was forced from the matchup against the Lions with a hamstring injury. It happened during the same week that rookie Tyquan Thornton was added to the active roster. Even though both receivers were active, if Agholor misses action, Thornton would be a logical replacement.