Bye weeks have officially entered the chat.
The NFL vacation calendar is open for business, with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs becoming the first teams to punch out for Week 5. Both will enjoy a week away from the action before returning in Week 6.
While players recharge, fantasy football managers are left picking up the pieces. Bye weeks can create chaos across lineups, but they can be especially troublesome when it comes to defense and special teams. There are only 32 D/ST options to choose from, after all, and losing two of them can make the streaming waters considerably murkier with few tasty matchups to target.
That means Week 5 could be the time to get creative. Maybe there's a favorable matchup hiding on the waiver wire, or perhaps
a defense you've been hesitant to trust is finally worth a shot. Either way, the margin for error is getting thinner.
Here are the fantasy football D/ST rankings and start/sit recommendations for Week 5.
WEEK 5 RANKINGS: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DST
Fantasy football D/STs rankings Week 5
- Houston Texans (at Tennessee Titans)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. Philadelphia Eagles in London)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. Indianapolis Colts)
- Dallas Cowboys (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, "Thursday Night Football"))
- New York Jets (vs. Cleveland Browns)
- New England Patriots (vs. Las Vegas Raiders)
- Cincinnati Bengals (at Miami Dolphins)
- Washington Commanders (vs. New York Giants)
- Denver Broncos (at Los Angeles Chargers)
- Minnesota Vikings (at New Orleans Saints)
- Chicago Bears (vs. Green Bay Packers)
- Cleveland Browns (at New York Jets)
- New Orleans Saints (vs. Minnesota Vikings)
- Los Angeles Chargers (vs. Denver Broncos)
- Atlanta Falcons (vs. Baltimore Ravens)
- Seattle Seahawks (vs. San Francisco 49ers)
Fantasy football start 'em, sit 'ems, Week 5
Looking for more fantasy football advice? USA TODAY Sports has you covered:
→ Need an edge under center? Here are the best quarterback options to start and to sit in Week 5.
→ A good running back makes all the difference. A bad running back can cost you. Here's who to start and who to sit in Week 5.
→ The wide receiver position is one of the deepest each season. Set yourself up for success in Week 5 with start 'em, sit 'em advice for wideouts.
→ Tight ends can be the perfect X-factor for any fantasy team. Here's who you should start and sit in Week 5.
More fantasy football content
For more fantasy football analysis, check out the Sports Seriously NFL vodcast.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Start 'Em, Sit 'Em D/STs rankings for Week 5 fantasy football
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