Fantasy Focus – Week 5 Matchups
Fantasy Focus – Week 5 Matchups
Week 4’s Fantasy Focus had some key tips and tricks for navigating the game week. And a good thing too – the trend of upsets continued. So who can we focus our fantasy eyes on this week? Let’s have a look at Week 5.
Lions @ Patriots
A real battle for both of these teams to turn their seasons around. After both starting this season 1-3, these teams will be desperate to steady the sinking ship. The Lions offence has been a highlight for them whilst the patriots have relied desperately on their defence to keep them in games. This game could easily go either way.
Fantasy Factors
Goff’s elite fantasy production
If anyone had suggested that Jared Goff and the Lions offence would be the highest league point scorers after the first four games, they surely wouldn’t have been taken seriously. Fast forward up to today and Goff is making this offence worth having in fantasy! Amon-Ra has been incredible up until his injury as well as Swift. In week 4 Hockenson went to the moon! Belicheck won’t easily allow this to happen tho. And this week could be the week the Lions offence stutters with a tough week for Goff and the Lions offence.
Patriots will lean on their run game
Rhamondre Stevenson looked good in the Patriots week 4 matchup. And, as long as Mac Jones is sidelined, Hoyer and the Pats offence is going to have to rely heavily on him and Damien Harris to help move the chains. Hoyer will too have to use all of his experience to navigate a difficult period in Pats’ more recent history. If Jakobi Meyers is back fit this could add another fantasy relevant weapon to the Pats offence.
My Predictions:
- A Belichick masterclass in defending as the Pats hold the Lions and get the win at home
- Low scoring, ball control game. Goff kept quiet with little optimism for fantasy fans from the Lions offence
- Stevenson and Harris with a big workload as possession and game script determines
Eagles @ Cardinals
The Cardinals did just enough in week 4 to get a win over a weak Panthers side. But now they go up against the league’s best team (at the moment). Fortunately, it’s at home in Arizona and with Philly going from one climate extreme to another the conditions could possibly be the factor that trips them up. Murray has been largely underwhelming but okay so far this season. And this game has every opportunity to remind the league just why he earned such a big contract from the Cardinals in the off-season.
Fantasy Factors
Battle of the rushing QB’s
Kyler and Jalen are two of the younger more explosive quarterbacks in the league. Hurts is having his breakout season whilst Kyler has established himself now over the last few years in the league. Both quarterbacks are known for their speed and agility and with both teams defences needing to produce big turnover plays, both quarterbacks are going to be kept very busy scrambling. Both quarter backs will end with at least 1 rushing touchdown each.
AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith
The Eagles offence has been firing on all cylinders this season. Smith and Brown have both had big games so far but are yet to have high fantasy production together in the same week. Both sides have explosive playmakers on either side of the ball and it should result in a high scoring game with both Brown and Smith being safe fantasy plays.
Kyler will unleash Ertz
Ertz is primed for a big game this coming weekend. As mentioned it should be a high scoring affair and with that dangerous Eagles secondary possibly nullifying some of the Cardinals weapons, Ertz should be the reliable safety valve both blocking for Murray’s scrambles and running open inbetween the lines.
My Predictions:
- Cardinals to edge it in an absolute thriller of a shoot out
- AJ Brown and Smith 100+ yards
- Ertz and Murray to lead the Cardinals
Bengals @ Ravens
AFC North battle! The Ravens are nursing some wounds after losing two huge AFC matchups to the Dolphins and the Bills. And after footage of Marlon Humphrey and Harbaugh exchanging words. There seems to be a little unrest in Baltimore. The Bengals are just beginning to find their stride and this game is perfectly set up to be an absolutely spectacle. Ravens will get the crucial win a very close and high scoring game.
Fantasy Factors
Raven defense’s time decline
The Baltimore defense has suffered a crisis of two halves in recent weeks. A solid first half, followed by the oppositions inevitable comeback in the second. The Ravens have only been behind for SECONDS in their two losses this season. And the injury situation they find themselves in will not make this any easier. An improved O-line performance from the Bengals against the Dolphins signals trouble. With Burrow allowed time, we could see the Cincinatti pass offense to run riot over the depleted secondary.
Dobbins to hit ’em again
After a serious injury ruled him out for a long time, Dobbins has been chomping at the bit to come back. And here lies the potential answer to the Ravens’ worries. Without any significant running threat in the Baltimore backfield (seriously, Davis and Drake?), it’s been down to Lamar to do the heavy lifting. But Dobbins’ return lit up the Bills rush defense, who had been holding reasonably strong. So this divisional match could feel the fire that blazed from lighting last week’s touchpaper.
My Predictions:
- Another high scoring game from strong offenses
- Burrow puts it to the air for a high passing volume
- The Ravens push with the run, led by Dobbins and Jackson.
Nathan @mountaindrew92
