Oct. 3 (UPI) — D.J. Moore and Zay Flowers are among my four must-start wide receivers for Week 5 of the fantasy football season.
If you need more options for your roster, check out my top add/drops before your waiver wire opens. My Week 5 rankings for quarterbacks, running backs and tight ends will also be available and updated for Sunday’s games.
Tyreek Hill, Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, A.J Brown and Stefon Diggs lead my Top 50 Week 5 wide receiver rankings, which are listed below. Puka Nacua, CeeDee Lamb, Chris Olave, Davante Adams and Amon-Ra St. Brown round out my Top 10.
All of my must-start options rank inside the Top 24 in my rankings, meaning they should all be started in leagues that include at least 12 teams.
Wide receivers from the Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers should be benched or dropped as those teams serve Week 5 byes.
Those who roster Tee Higgins, Cooper Kupp and other injured wide receivers should monitor their statuses before plugging them into starting lineups.
Puka Nacua
Through four weeks, NFL teams threw to wide receivers against the Philadelphia Eagles more than any other defense, targeting the position 108 times.
Nacua, who leads the NFL with 52 targets, should see a ton of looks in Week 5 when his Los Angeles Rams face that Eagles secondary.
The Eagles allowed the fourth-most fantasy points and tied for allowing the most touchdown catches (6) to wide receivers through four weeks.
The Rams rookie, who received at least 10 targets in three of four games, erupted for 163 yards and a score on nine catches in Week 4. He is a near-lock for at least 15 targets, 10 catches and 100 yards in Week 5.
Nacua, who is the No. 5 wide receiver in fantasy football so far this season, is my No. 6 option this week.Chicago Bears wide receiver D.J. Moore (R) runs against the Denver Broncos on Sunday at Soldier Field in Chicago. Photo by Mark Black/UPI
D.J. Moore
Moore is my No. 15 wide receiver and can be plugged in as a WR2. The Chicago Bears playmaker got off to a slow start, with just 25 yards on two catches in Week 1.
He picked up momentum with two performances with at least 100 yards over his last three games. He also scored in each of his last two appearances.
Last week, Moore went off for 131 yards and a score on eight catches. Moore and the Bears will face the Washington Commanders on Thursday in Landover, Md.
The Commanders allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to wide receivers through four games. They also tied for allowing the most receiving scores (6) and surrendered 175 yards and two scores in Week 4 to Eagles star wide receiver A.J. Brown.
Look for Moore to approach 100 receiving yards in this matchup. He could finish the week as a Top 10 play if he reaches the end zone.Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (L) is a WR2 in Week 5. File Photo by David Tulis/UPI
Zay Flowers
Flowers has yet to reach the end zone, but logged 10 targets in two of his first four career appearances for the Baltimore Ravens.
Flowers totaled 244 yards in those games. I expect the Ravens pass catcher to secure at least 10 catches for 80 yards on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers allowed the second-most fantasy points, tied for allowing the most touchdowns and surrendered the fourth-most receiving yards to wide receivers so far this season.
Flowers, my No. 20 play, can be plugged in as a low-end WR2.Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (R) can be plugged in as a WR3 in Week 5. File Photo by Jon Robichaud/UPI
Rashee Rice
Rice is a bit more of a boom-or-bust play, but I think his Week 5 matchup warrants a streaming start as a WR3.
The Kansas City Chiefs rookie was targeted at least five times in three of four games. He received 12 looks and made eight catches for 91 yards in his last two appearances.
This week, the Chiefs will face the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings tied for allowing the most catches and surrendered the third-most fantasy points and receiving yards through four games. I expect this matchup to be very high scoring, with Rice earning a season-high in targets. He should turn those opportunities into at least eight catches.
Rice is a long-shot play, who could work into WR2 territory if he catches one of the multiple touchdown passes I expect Patrick Mahomes to throw against the Vikings.Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown remains an every-week WR1 in fantasy football. File Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI
Week 5 fantasy football wide receiver rankings
1. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins vs. NYG
2. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals at ARI
3. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings vs. KC
4. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles at LAR
5. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills vs. JAX
6. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams vs. PHI
7. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys at SF
8. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints at NE
9. Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders vs. GB
10. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions vs. CAR
11. Calvin Ridley, Jacksonville Jaguars at BUF
12. Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers vs. DAL
13. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles at LAR
14. Garrett Wilson, New York Jets at DEN
15. D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears at WAS
16. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins vs. NYG
17. Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts vs. TEN
18. Nico Collins, Houston Texans at ATL
19. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders vs. CHI
20. Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens at PIT
21. George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. BAL
22. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers vs. DAL
23. Adam Thielen, Carolina Panthers at DET
24. Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs at MIN
25. Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals at ARI
26. DeAndre Hopkins, Tennessee Titans at IND
27. Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders vs. GB
28. Marquise Brown, Arizona Cardinals vs. CIN
29. Jerry Jeudy, Denver Broncos vs. NYJ
30. Jahan Dotson, Washington Commanders vs. CHI
31. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons vs. HOU
32. Gabe Davis, Buffalo Bills vs. JAX
33. Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers at LV
34. Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers at LV
35. Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings vs. KC
36. Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints at NE
37. D.J. Chark Jr., Carolina Panthers at DET
38. Brandin Cooks, Dallas Cowboys at SF
39. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos vs. NYJ
40. Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans Saints at NE
41. Tutu Atwell, Los Angeles Rams vs. PHI
42. Tank Dell, Houston Texans at ATL
43. Darnell Mooney, Chicago Bears at WAS
44. Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals vs. CIN
45. Darius Slayton, New York Giants at MIA — LIKE
46. Josh Reynolds, Detroit Lions vs. CAR
47. Allen Lazard, New York Jets at DEN
48. Curtis Samuel, Washington Commanders vs. CHI
49. Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans at IND
50. Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers at LV
