1 of 5 | Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (C) celebrates during a win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday in Cleveland. Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo
Zay Flowers is among my 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 also are available and updated for Sunday’s games. Advertisement
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.
Players from Thursday’s Chicago Bears-Washington Commanders game were removed from my rankings.
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. Advertisement
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.
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (L) is a WR2 in Week 5. File Photo by David Tulis/UPI Advertisement
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. 18 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. Advertisement
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. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins vs. NYG
16. Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts vs. TEN
17. Nico Collins, Houston Texans at ATL
18. Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens at PIT Advertisement
19. George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. BAL
20. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers vs. DAL
21. Adam Thielen, Carolina Panthers at DET
22. Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs at MIN
23. Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals at ARI
24. DeAndre Hopkins, Tennessee Titans at IND
25. Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders vs. GB
26. Marquise Brown, Arizona Cardinals vs. CIN
27. Jerry Jeudy, Denver Broncos vs. NYJ
28. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons vs. HOU
29. Gabe Davis, Buffalo Bills vs. JAX
30. Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers at LV
31. Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers at LV
32. Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings vs. KC
33. Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints at NE
34. D.J. Chark Jr., Carolina Panthers at DET
35. Brandin Cooks, Dallas Cowboys at SF
36. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos vs. NYJ
37. Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans Saints at NE
38. Tutu Atwell, Los Angeles Rams vs. PHI
39. Tank Dell, Houston Texans at ATL
40. Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals vs. CIN
41. Darius Slayton, New York Giants at MIA — LIKE Advertisement
42. Josh Reynolds, Detroit Lions vs. CAR
43. Allen Lazard, New York Jets at DEN
44. Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans at IND
45. Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers at LV
46. Wan’Dale Robinson, New York Giants at MIA
47. Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions vs. CAR
48. Jonathan Mingo, Carolina Panthers at DET
49. K.J. Osborn, Minnesota Vikings vs. KC
50. Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys at SF
NFL: Los Angeles Chargers hang on to defeat Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (C) dives into the end zone in second quarter at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on October 1, 2023. The Chargers beat the Raiders 24-17. Photo by Jon SooHoo/UPI | License Photo
