Week 5 knocked several fantasy managers off balance as a slate of players underperformed across QB, RB, WR, and TE. Cooper Rush and Geno Smith delivered subpar showings, while rookies and veterans at RB and WR struggled to produce consistent fantasy value. The piece flags which names are still trustable moving forward and which quantities might rebound against softer matchups in Week 6.

Targets for bounce-back potential span multiple positions, with explanations on how volume, opponent, and in-game role could shift expectations. The analysis also surfaces late-stage obvious fades and identifies sleepers who flashed upside despite disappointing Week 5 totals.

Seattle hosts Tampa Bay in Week 5 with the Seahawks rested after a short-week edge and the Buccaneers dealing with Evans and Irving being out, plus a thinning secondary. Seattle’s defense has begun to round into form after the 10-day break, while Tampa Bay’s offense faces a tougher test against a capable unit in a hostile environment at Lumen Field. The absence of Evans coupled with the TB secondary injuries heightens Seattle’s pass-game upside and pressures Mayfield to choreograph a shorter, more efficient rhythm.

Week 5 fantasy outlooks hinge on matchup-based starts for a core group of wideouts: Keenan Allen, Stefon Diggs, Chris Godwin, Wan'Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton, Jordan Addison, Marvin Harrison Jr., Rashid Shaheed, and Michael Pittman Jr. The landscape tilts as Nabers’ injury workload grows for the Giants, while Diggs looks to sustain momentum after a season-best target share. The Who Should I Start tool weighs snap rates, targets, and schedule strength to guide confident Week 5 lineups.

Keenan Allen and Chris Godwin offer high-floor targets in flexible offenses, with Diggs showing weekly upside as he clears back from injury. Addison returns with big-play potential for Minnesota, and Shaheed Dynasty-adjacent value could rise in a pass-happy setup. Pittman Jr. remains a steady volume option, while Slayton and Robinson benefit from Giants' target shifts as Nabers misses time. Harrison Jr. enters with high rookie ceiling as the slate’s centerpiece.

The tool’s new interface adds scouting tiles, improved news filters, and scoring-format options to refine four-player comparisons. Week 5 searches reflect managers chasing reliable floor-ceiling mixes across PPR, Half-PPR, and Standard leagues as bye weeks tighten the gate.

Regression Files spotlight where usage diverges from outcomes in Week 4, framing teams by pass-rate over expected (PROE) and highlighting hot and cold fantasy options. Chargers and Cardinals tilt pass-heavy, Broncos lean into the air, Ravens could swing pass-heavy if Lamar misses time. Run-heavy squads (Atlanta, New Orleans, Seattle, Philadelphia, Jets) push volume away from some pass-catchers. Tyreek Hill’s injury reshapes Dolphins’ targets; a slate of regression candidates boosts rostering pivots and streaming plays.

Core takeaways center on high-air-yard players likely to regress (or rebound) with changes in QB accuracy, red-zone touches, and target depth. Positive regression candidates (Thomas, Godwin, Worthy, McCaffrey, Jones) offer upside as efficiency stabilizes, while negative candidates (Waller, Doubs, Addison, Mayfield, Rodgers) warrant caution in lineup decisions as TD luck and volume normalize.