The season is ticking by quicker and quicker, with over 25% of the fantasy season in the rearview and now is not the time to make bad decisions. My weekly article will try and guide you away from the riskiest starts towards the safest ones. Here are all my fantasy football start/sit takes, and below we dive into a few notable Week 5 players.

• Pat Fitzmaurice’s Weekly Rankings
• Andrew Erickson’s Weekly Rankings
• Derek Brown’s Weekly Rankings

Fantasy Football Start/Sit Advice (Week 5)

David Montgomery (RB – DET) vs Panthers

The Jahmyr Gibbs hype train might have been a fun one to jump aboard, but from the moment the Lions decided to move on from Jamaal Williams and bring in David Montgomery, it was clear that they felt they needed to upgrade on the tough-yardage runner Williams and they did so in the form of Montgomery, a player who has never been overly efficient but has taken what was there. In this Lions offense, Montgomery had a chance to not only replace Williams’ goalline role but to also bring more bursts than Williams ever did. Montgomery has been excellent so far for the Lions, averaging 24 touches per game for 96 scrimmage yards and 1.6 touchdowns. In Week 5 Montgomery faces a Panthers team who have allowed 4.9 yards per carry (third-highest), six running back rushing touchdowns (second-most) as well as struggling on offense. The game script will favor Montgomery and he’s an automatic start until we see otherwise.

The #Lions are massively Establishing It in the red zone.

A big part of how we get 17 Jamaal Williams rushing TDs last year. And 5 David Montgomery rush TDs in 3 games this year. pic.twitter.com/LGllsDeLFs

— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) October 3, 2023

Zay Flowers (WR – BAL) vs Steelers

The Ravens are in late-season injury form a matter of weeks into the season with severe injuries on the offensive line, running back, safety, cornerback and edge rusher, not to mention wide receiver. Both Odell Beckham and Rashod Bateman missed Week 4 after Beckham missed Week 3. Fortunately for the Ravens, Zay Flowers is healthy and continuing to thrive in this scheme during his rookie season.

The Steelers defense has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing receivers so far, as well as the most fantasy points to receivers playing out of the slot, a position that the Ravens have moved Flowers to at times in order to find him positive matchups. Sooner or later, the Zay Flowers breakout game is going to happen, and against a Kenny Pickett-less Steelers, it could be sooner rather than later.

Zay Flowers is so unfair?️ pic.twitter.com/RjKtjSKugu

— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) October 3, 2023

Brian Robinson (RB – WAS) vs Bears

Against the Eagles, Brian Robinson fumbled the fall into the end zone, on what could have been a costly play, but fellow Commander, Terry McLaurin, pounced onto the ball and secured the touchdown. If things had broken differently perhaps Robinson wouldn’t have made it into this column, but while Robinson retains the faith of his coaching staff, he retains the faith of fantasy football managers.

Robinson’s 16.5 touches per game rank 23rd among running backs, but his weighted opportunity share of 70.1% ranks 10th among all backs. Simply put, the Commanders’ backfield belongs to Robinson and while he’s not the most electric back, he does own volume ahead of a Week 5 matchup with the Chicago Bears, who have allowed the second most fantasy points to opposing running backs.

-Tom Strachan