2022 NFL season: Week 5 fantasy football matchups

Burrow has yet to have a massive fantasy day this season, but it could be coming this weekend. Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins get to face the Ravens' secondary, which has allowed the most passing yards to opposing QBs and the second-most receiving touchdowns to wide receivers in 2022. If Zac Taylor allows Burrow to "cook", he could score 30+ fantasy points in this matchup.

Brady had three straight disappointing fantasy weeks to start the season but came alive in Week 4. He is a bit banged up, but Brady has his premier pass-catching weapons back healthy, and the Falcons are allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. Brady put up nine passing touchdowns and averaged 29.1 fantasy points per game in his two matchups against the Falcons last season. He should be ranked as a top-10 fantasy QB this week.

The Dolphins are allowing the second-most passing yards and fantasy points in the NFL to quarterbacks in 2022. Wilson scored 18.8 fantasy points against the Steelers in his first game of the season. With a much-improved group of skill players around him, Wilson looked like a better QB entering his sophomore season. He still made some mistakes and held onto the ball too long, but he has big-play ability with his strong arm, and the Dolphins have been beat deep often this year.

Stafford is the fantasy QB33 in fantasy points per game this season -- Davis Mills, Cooper Rush, Baker Mayfield and Jacoby Brissett are all averaging more fantasy points per game than Stafford. On the other hand, the Cowboys are allowing just 12.0 fantasy points per game to opposing QBs in 2022 (sixth-fewest in NFL). The Cowboys defense have allowed just three passing touchdowns and 194.3 passing yards per game this season. Stafford is a very risky play in Week 5.

Goff is the fantasy QB5 through the first four weeks of the season. Yes, you read that right. The Lions offense has been on fire, scoring a league-high 35 points per game. Goff has had two monster fantasy weeks this season, but he has also had two poor fantasy performance as well. This week he plays the Patriots, who allowed Lamar Jackson to do whatever he wanted against them, but besides that, they have been very good against fantasy QBs. Aaron Rodgers, Tua Tagovailoa and Mitch Trubisky were all held to under 17 fantasy points against the Patriots this season.

Rodgers is averaging a measly 13.1 fantasy points per game so far in 2022. The Giants secondary has been surprisingly good this season, allowing just 200.0 passing yards per game and four total passing TDs. Rodgers will be by far the best QB that the Giants have faced this season, but the Packers should be able to win this game easily by running the ball early and often. Rodgers is still start-able, as he can put up four touchdowns in any given game, but I do not have high expectations in this matchup in London.

• Damien Harris
• Rhamondre Stevenson

The Lions are allowing the second-most fantasy points in the NFL to the running back position in 2022. They have allowed eight rushing touchdowns to RBs this season, no other team has allowed more than five. There have been five RBs who had 10+ scrimmage touches vs. the Lions this season, and each of the five scored 12+ fantasy points in that game. Both Harris and Stevenson should be fed in this matchup, and both should put up a good fantasy performance.

• James Robinson
• Travis Etienne

The Texans have allowed 141.0 rushing yards per game and 32.8 fantasy points per game to RBs in 2022 (both the most in the NFL). Through four games, the Texans have allowed Jonathan Taylor, Khalil Herbert and Austin Ekeler to each score 27+ fantasy points against them. Robinson is the RB12 in fantasy points this season and is a must-start in this matchup. Etienne's workload has crept up closer and closer to Robinson's over the last two weeks, making him a sneaky good play in Week 5.

Chubb is a beast on the ground and a very consistent fantasy scorer, we all know this ... but this should be a monster week for him in fantasy. The Chargers are allowing the fourth-most fantasy points and a league-high 6.1 yards per carry to running backs this season. Over the last two weeks, both Dameon Pierce and James Robinson scored over 20 fantasy points against them. Last year in his matchup against the Chargers, Chubb had 170 scrimmage yards and one rushing TD. If you roster Chubb in fantasy, enjoy your win this week.

McCaffrey isn't dominating like he has in the past, but he is still the RB5 in fantasy so far this season and had his best performance in Week 4 (largely due to nine receptions for 81 yards). The 49ers defense is suffocating this season, allowing a league-low 3.8 yards per play. They are allowing the fewest yards per carry and third-fewest yards per reception to RBs in 2022 -- McCaffrey will need a huge workload to have a decent fantasy day this Sunday.

Harris is just the RB27 in fantasy so far this season and has yet to score 14+ fantasy points in a game. This week the Steelers must go to Buffalo and face one of the toughest defenses in the league ... with a rookie QB making his first start in Kenny Pickett. This matchup will likely get ugly fast with Josh Allen piling up points against a very injured secondary. My guess is that the Steelers will want to feed Harris early and often to try to keep Allen off the field. It just probably won't turn into many fantasy points against the Bills' front seven. 

Penny went off last week against the Lions soft run defense, but he gets a much harder matchup in Week 5. The Saints are allowing the fewest fantasy points to RBs in 2022 -- they have allowed just one RB to score more than 10 fantasy points in a game (Christian McCaffrey -- 13.5 fantasy points in Week 3). Penny should still see plenty of carries in this game, so he is not a must-sit, just temper expectations.

Lamb has 8+ targets and 75+ receiving yards in each game that Cooper Rush started this season and has scored 20+ fantasy points in each of the last two weeks. The Rams have allowed the most receptions and second-most fantasy points in the NFL to the wide receiver position in 2022. The WR1 for a team has scored 23+ fantasy points in each game against the Rams this season --- Marquise Brown (28.0), Stefon Diggs (26.2), Drake London (24.6) and Deebo Samuel (23.7).

Higgins has averaged 19.6 fantasy points per game over the last three weeks. He has more targets, receptions, and more than 100 more receiving yards than his teammate Ja'Marr Chase during that span. This week he gets to face the Ravens, who have allowed the most fantasy points to the wide receiver position in 2022. Higgins should be ranked as a top-10 fantasy WR, with potential to end as the top WR scorer in Week 5.

Davis has had back-to-back very poor fantasy performances since returning from an ankle injury he sustained in practice prior to Week 2. The good news is that he was a full participant in practice this week, which is an upgrade to the limited sessions he was getting prior to Week 3 and 4. His matchup this Sunday is a juicy one ... the Steelers are allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season and each of their five starters in the secondary are dealing with an injury entering this game. Davis feels like a must-start in Week 5.

Moore is currently the WR58 in fantasy points per game and has yet to have more than 50 receiving yards in a game this season. The Panthers offense is atrocious this year, and things are likely to get worse against the 49ers defense. They are allowing the fewest points per game and the second-fewest passing yards per game in the NFL this year. Fading all Panthers offensive players in fantasy is probably the way to go in Week 5. 

Brown has been one of the most reliable scorers in fantasy this season -- he has 12+ points in each game and 20+ points in each of the last two weeks. Brown's target share is too safe to sit him in Week 5, but Brown might have a tough day putting up big yardage against the Eagles' secondary. The Eagles have allowed the lowest catch percentage (50.6) and the sixth-fewest fantasy points in the NFL to WRs this season.

Pickens looks like he is going to have a bright future in this league, especially with Kenny Pickett starting over Mitch Trubisky, but this matchup makes it very risky to start him in fantasy in Week 5. The Bills have allowed a league-low 150.8 passing yards per game this season and only two WRs have scored 10+ fantasy points against them -- Cooper Kupp (31.8) and Jaylen Waddle (15.1). Stash Pickens on your bench for now and wait to play him in a more favorable matchup.

Goedert is the TE9 in fantasy in 2022 and has scored 11+ fantasy points in each of the last three weeks. On the other hand, the Cardinals are allowing a league-high 20.0 fantasy points per game to the tight end position this season. Goedert could finish as the TE1 in Week 5, he is a must-start.

Johnson isn't doing a whole lot for fantasy, but he is running the most routes among Saints tight ends (by a ton) and is one of 17 TEs in the NFL to run 100+ routes this season. The matchup is favorable as the Seahawks have allowed the third-most fantasy points to the tight end position in 2022. Over the last two weeks, Kyle Pitts had his best game of the year with 87 receiving yards against the Seahawks in Week 3, and T.J. Hockenson had the best game of his career with 179 receiving yards and two TDs against Seattle in Week 4.

The Bills have allowed a league-low 7.4 fantasy points per game to the tight end position since the start of the 2021 season. They have not allowed a TE to score more than 11 fantasy points in a game since Week 5, 2021 when they faced Travis Kelce. Last week, the Bills held the sizzling hot Mark Andrews to just two receptions for 15 yards. Fade Freiermuth where you can this week.

Dissly has been a solid fantasy tight end this season, scoring 12+ points in three out of four games ... but unfortunately, he should be on your bench this week. The Saints have allowed a league-low 5.1 fantasy points per game to the tight end position in 2022. Irv Smith's 5.3 fantasy points in Week 4 were the most that the Saints have given up to any TE this year.  

Schultz goose-egged in your lineup last week in his first game back from injury, and he has had fewer than 20 receiving yards in each game that Cooper Rush has started this year. The Rams have been getting scorched by WRs, but they have been the second-best defense against TEs this season -- allowing just 5.5 fantasy points per game to the position. Schultz will be OK for fantasy once he is fully healthy and Dak Prescott is back as the starting QB, but for now, it might be best to keep him on the bench.