Week 5 delivered chaos and late drama that reshaped fantasy lines: Drake May fueled New England's road upset of Buffalo; Jonathan Taylor ran wild as Indianapolis crushed the Raiders; Baker Mayfield capped a game-winning drive for Tampa Bay; the Titans staged a dramatic comeback to beat Arizona.

Denver shocked Philadelphia in London; Dallas kept rolling; Ravens were blown out by Houston, underscoring how quickly fortunes swing. The takeaway: ride hot offenses, monitor backfields for momentum, and be ready to pivot as October tightens the schedule.

Baker Mayfield’s late-burst heroics carried Tampa Bay past Seattle in a high-scoring affair, while Rashad White’s patient running and a stingy late drive from Levante David highlighted the win. Denver’s defense clamped Philadelphia, with Vance Joseph’s scheming and Courtland Sutton’s crisp hands lighting the way on key downs. The show threads together blitz handling, zone vs man, and the value of explosive plays for fantasy lineups.

Cam Ward’s dramatic late surge for the Titans-Cardinals clash underscored rookie upside, Ridley’s breakout day for Jacksonville, and Darnold’s blitz-reads before a late miscue capped a wild weekend. The dialogue ties together route design, optimal RPO reads, and how coaches balance aggression with ball control to juice fantasy upside and rotate players into lineups.

James Cook led Buffalo’s ground game with 15 carries for 49 yards but failed to reach the end zone, capping a week where volume outweighed scoring for fantasy points (4.9). Kamara and Miller split Saints backfield duties, Kamara mixed in the receiving game but still TD-dependent, while Miller showed passing-game promise. Woody Marks and Jacoby Meyers provided flashes but underwhelmed in volume; Gino Smith’s output remained tepid in another tough day for Seattle. The Saints look playoff-bound, Raiders spiraled, and Chubb kept the Browns’ ground game relevant while Kamara and Miller battle for touches.

Overall, the backfields remained fluid—Coordinators leaned on passing options and red-zone attempts muddied the value. With Bills facing Falcons, Saints flirting with a run-heavy yet inefficient approach, and Browns still feeding Chubb, fantasy managers must weigh volume against touchdown upside and game-script in the coming weeks. Gino’s volatility persists, while Meyers’ role with Las Vegas continues to be a roller coaster.