Joel Bartilotta | Thu, Oct 3rd 2024, 7:48am EDT

9 Fantasy Football Smash Starts: Week 5 (2024)

Last week was one of my best showings of the season. It’s been one of the most unpredictable seasons all year, and injuries certainly play a factor. It feels like half of the league isn’t even suiting up this week due to injuries and byes, but this is the first of nearly 10 bye weeks. That means the pickings will be slimmer for the next two months, but it’s a great time to zone in and fill those open lineup spots.

The premise behind this article is simple: Identify fantasy football smash plays on the fringe of your starting lineup. We rarely recommend a top-10 player at any position, but we want to help you fill those critical Flex spots when making fantasy start sit decisions.

With that in mind, let’s dive into this week’s fantasy football smash starts.

Fantasy Football Smash Starts for Week 5

Quarterback

Jordan Love (QB – GB) at LAR

This Packers offense is a blast to watch, and it’ll likely make Jordan Love a top-five quarterback for the remainder of the season. In his first two games, Love scored 21 and 36 fantasy points after scoring at least 18 fantasy points in 16 games last season. That’s one of the highest floors in the league, but it’s likely to continue in this high-powered offense. The only reason people are sleeping on him is that he’s missed two games, but this Los Angeles matchup should lead to another upside outing. The Rams have surrendered the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing signal-callers this season.

Running Back

Joe Mixon (RB – HOU) vs. BUF

Joe Mixon is still questionable, but he should be ready to suit up this week after getting close to playing in Week 4. People will be hesitant to use him because of that, but we won’t show any hesitation. Mixon had 30 carries for 159 yards in Week 1 and should maintain that workhorse role for the remainder of the season. He played in nearly every snap before his injury and should do everything here since this is a big game against the Bills. Facing Buffalo usually sounds challenging, but the Bills have allowed 5.7 yards per carry this season, the worst mark in the NFL. They’re also allowing the most fantasy points to opposing backs, with Mixon averaging 15 fantasy points per game in their last three matchups.

D’Andre Swift (RB – CHI) vs. CAR

Some fantasy managers considered dropping D’Andre Swift last week, but his Week 4 masterpiece has changed their minds. We always knew he had the talent to break out of his early-season slump, averaging 14 fantasy points per game last season. His role has always been there to be a successful back, too, playing 40 snaps a game while receiving at least 10 carries in every game. That led to Swift scoring 23 fantasy points last week, thanks to his 23 touches. If Swift gets 20+ touches against Carolina, he should go off once again. The Panthers have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing rushers since last season, which should put Swift in a favorable game script as the lead back for a home favorite.

Jerome Ford (RB – CLE) at WAS

Jerome Ford has been overlooked since Nick Chubb went down last season, averaging nearly 15 fantasy points per game as a starter in his absence. That’s all you can ask for from one of your Flex options, and we love that Ford had 10 carries and seven receptions last week. He’s been close to 20 touches per game whenever Chubb has been sidelined. Getting that many targets, along with goal-line work, makes him a must-start player. The matchup with Washington is wonderful, too, with the Commanders allowing the sixth-most yards and eighth-most points in the NFL.

Wide Receiver

Jayden Reed (WR – GB) at LAR

If we love Love, Jayden Reed has to be one of the best receiving options out there. While he’s not the No. 1 WR on the depth chart, Reed is the top target and best playmaker in this offense. In the two games Love has played, Reed scored 20 and 29 fantasy points. That’s mainly as a third receiver. Reed should get even more work since Christian Watson (ankle) is expected to miss this game. Getting Reed up to double-digit targets and a 90% snap share could make him one of the best wideouts in the NFL. He’ll showcase that here since the Rams have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing receivers.

Amari Cooper (WR – CLE) at WAS

Amari Cooper has developed a terrible trend of inconsistency, but he was one bad call away from going off last week. He had an 82-yard touchdown called back on a questionable call, which would’ve been quite the follow-up after recording seven catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns in Week 3. That shows the ability that’s made him a stud in the past. A matchup with Washington should get him back on track. The Commanders have allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing receivers this season, with Cooper collecting 23 fantasy points in their most recent meeting.

Diontae Johnson (WR – CAR) at CHI

We were worried about Diontae Johnson when Bryce Young was behind center, but Andy Dalton changed the trajectory of this team. The veteran has force-fed Johnson as the top target in this offense, compiling 15 receptions for 205 yards and two touchdowns over the last two weeks. That’s on par with what we saw in Pittsburgh, with Johnson averaging closer to 90 catches and 140 targets in his final four seasons with the Steelers. The matchup with Chicago is slightly concerning, but any guy who gets 13 and 14 targets with a new quarterback is a safe bet for double-digit targets once again.

Tight End

Travis Kelce (TE – KC) vs. NOS

We usually try to recommend a back-end tight end, but the options this week are pitiful. We pivot to Travis Kelce because all of his early-season concerns should be a thing of the past. The top-scoring tight end over the last decade has at least 862 receiving yards in 11 straight seasons and will inevitably creep closer to that since this team is missing Rashee Rice, Isiah Pacheco and Marquise Brown. The Rice absence led to Kelce catching seven passes for 89 yards on nine targets in Week 4. That’s the role we’ve been waiting for. This is a friendly reminder that Kelce should never be benched for the remainder of the season despite playing terribly for three weeks.

D/ST

Chicago Bears D/ST vs. CAR

We had the Bears here last week. We will keep them in our lineup when making fantasy start sit decisions this week. They held the Rams to just 18 points in that defensive battle, scoring nearly 10 fantasy points. That has them up to 43 fantasy points for the season, which is a top-three mark in the NFL. They’re also in the top 10 in points allowed and turnovers forced, which should bode well against one of the worst offenses in the NFL. Carolina has been much better since Andy Dalton took over as the quarterback, but this team is still last in points scored and total yardage since Week 1 of last season. That’s why Chicago is a 4.5-point home favorite in a game with a 42-point total.

Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.

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