If Week 4 wasn't enough of a bloodbath, with seemingly every fantasy-relevant player going down with an injury, we now have to add bye weeks to the mix. Week 5 takes several players who have been keeping fantasy teams afloat out of our lineups, including Kenneth Walker III, Chuba Hubbard, Patrick Mahomes, Bryce Young and Travis Kelce, just to name a few.
That means we have some new names and faces entering the chat this week. Whether you're navigating injuries, bye weeks or both, here are a few of my favorite streamers with favorable opportunities to help ensure your team walks away with a W in Week 5.
Bye Weeks: Kansas City and Carolina
QB: Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas vs. New England
Why I like him: Who would have thought the Raiders would be 3-1 after the first month of the season? Their offense
is humming with Brock Bowers healthy and Cousins has quietly been putting together a productive start. He's tied with Brock Purdy for the league lead with 11 passing touchdowns and ranks ninth in completions through four weeks.
New England isn't necessarily the matchup we usually target when looking for a streaming quarterback. The Patriots have been among the better defenses at limiting fantasy production at the position, but they've also allowed about 20 fantasy points to both Josh Allen and Trevor Lawrence over the last two weeks. A tougher matchup doesn't automatically make Cousins someone we need to avoid, especially given how well this Raiders offense has been playing.
The play: With two weekly starters at quarterback on bye and a few others underwhelming, to say the least, Cousins is a solid fill-in for fantasy managers who need a Week 5 starter.
RB: Aaron Jones, Minnesota vs. New Orleans
Why I like him: Even before Bijan Robinson went nuclear against the Saints in Week 4, New Orleans was already allowing the third-most fantasy points to opposing running backs through the first three weeks. So, lest you think last week was an aberration, this has been a favorable matchup for running backs all season.
Minnesota also has plenty of reason to lean on the ground game. Kyler Murray currently ranks 30th among 33 qualified quarterbacks in EPA per dropback and Jordan Mason remains on IR. The Vikings' other backs haven't done much to challenge Jones for snaps or eat into his workload, leaving him with a clear path to touches in one of Week 5's best running back matchups.
Everything lines up nicely for Jones this week: opportunity, workload and an opponent that has consistently struggled to slow down opposing backfields.
The play: Jones fits comfortably into lineups as an RB2 or Flex in Week 5.
WR: Carnell Tate, Tennessee vs. Houston
Why I like him: Tate may not have found the end zone yet, but you can't argue with his recent metrics and production. His target share has risen each week, culminating in his first 100-yard game as a pro in Week 4. Over the past two weeks, Tate has scored the ninth-most fantasy points among wide receivers and his production continues to trend in the right direction.
Tennessee isn't exactly a high-volume offense, but Tate and Cam Ward finally appear to be getting on the same page as they adjust to Brian Daboll's offense. The growing target share is especially encouraging because Tate isn't relying on touchdowns to deliver usable fantasy performances. If those targets continue and touchdowns eventually follow, his fantasy value could climb even higher.
The play: Tate's steady rise in both usage and production makes him a solid WR3/Flex option in Week 5.
TE: Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati vs. Miami
Why I like him: Keep an eye on the Bengals' injury report this week because if Ja'Marr Chase or Tee Higgins misses time, Gesicki immediately becomes a favorite streaming option at tight end. According to StatMuse, Gesicki has 29 catches for 342 yards and two touchdowns in seven career games with Cincinnati without Higgins on the field.
Gesicki has already reached the end zone in three of four games this season and Week 5 brings a favorable matchup against his former team. The Bengals head to South Beach to face a Dolphins defense that has allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends this season.
The biggest question is whether Chase and Higgins are both active. If so, Gesicki's fantasy value remains heavily dependent on finding the end zone. If either receiver sits, the additional targets available in the Bengals' passing game give him a much more appealing path to production.
The play: If either Chase or Higgins sits, Gesicki is an easy streaming start in Week 5. If both receivers play, he's a little too touchdown-dependent for me to trust completely.
FLEX: Deebo Samuel, San Francisco vs. Seattle
Why I like him: Samuel has quietly put together a strong start to the season, scoring double-digit fantasy points in three of four games. While San Francisco's skill-position players continue to drop like flies, Samuel has managed to stay healthy and is starting to look a lot more like the Deebo fantasy managers remember. (Hopefully, I didn't just jinx him by saying that.)
Seattle presents a tougher matchup, but Samuel's usage is difficult to ignore. He has the highest catch rate among qualified 49ers receivers and with Mike Evans limited by a rib injury, Samuel enters Week 5 as one of Brock Purdy's best passing-game options. Even against a stout Seattle defense, that mix of volume and efficiency gives Samuel a strong chance to keep up his productive start.
The play: Slide Deebo into your WR3 or Flex spot this week with confidence. The matchup isn't ideal, but his role in this offense makes him difficult to leave on the bench.
One Last Thing
Bye weeks are here, injuries are piling up and your lineup might not look the way you planned. Find a way to get the W anyway. Keep grinding.
This article originally appeared on The Huddle: Stacy’s Streamers: Five Players to Start in Week 5
