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Welcome to this week's Need to Know feature, where we look at last week's action and tell you everything you need to know from each contest.
CHI @ WAS
- Justin Fields had another outstanding game. He's back in our lineups for good. Even if it is just a function of facing poor defenses, he'll get the Vikings this week. Washington will face Desmond Ridder and the Falcons offense.
- Khalil Herbert went down with a high ankle sprain that will sideline him for multiple weeks, if not land him on injured reserve. Roschon Johnson also left with a concussion. D'Onta Foreman should be a bigger part of the backfield until Herbert is back and could start against Minnesota if Johnson isn't cleared to play. Johnson does have three extra days to heal coming off of a Thursday game. Johnson was ahead of Foreman in the coaches' minds, so he's the better waiver pickup even if he is out this week.
- DJ Moore had a massive game and has a shot to finish as a first-round value if he can post a few more of these.
- Cole Kmet scored again and continues to rise and fall with Fields' level of play. He's a mid TE1 when Fields is on, and he should be against the Vikings this weekend.
- Sam Howell had a rough first half but kept chucking it through the whole second half in a futile comeback attempt, which created a fruitful fantasy stat line. He's looking like a low QB1 going forward, fueled by a bad defense and aggressive mentality as a passer.
- Brian Robinson was a disappointment. He's going to be game-script sensitive, but this offense is good enough to justify him as an every-week RB2 anyway. Antonio Gibson got an ideal game script and still didn't hit. He's not an essential hold.
- Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson got fewer looks than Logan Thomas and Curtis Samuel. Dotson is still too talented to drop since he's in a pass-happy offense, but he should be on your bench until he heats up. Samuel is a WR3/Flex against Atlanta. McLaurin is, too, but in Week 6, he could have a long day matched up with A.J. Terrell, who shut down Calvin Ridley and Nico Collins the last two weeks.
JAX Vs. BUF (London)
- Trevor Lawrence was solid against the tough Bills defense (which suffered another big injury when linebacker Matt Milano went down). Only two untimely fumbles kept this from being a blowout and a bigger day for Lawrence, whose value is headed up with the Colts on tap this week.
- Travis Etienne finished the game with a long score for the second time this year. Along with Lawrence, his value is going up.
- Calvin Ridley had a bounce-back week facing a Bills secondary that was missing its #1 corner. He should be big again this week like he was in Week 1 against the Colts.
- Zay Jones returned and caught a score but left with a knee injury again. He could be good to go for Week 6 but should be on benches until he can get through a game intact.
- Josh Allen had a good fantasy line only because he was facing a soft defense nursing a lead in the fourth quarter. The Bills didn't seem to be as sharp as the Jaguars, who also played in London last week. Allen should be huge against the woeful Giants defense in Week 6.
- James Cook was a dud, but he should be better this week, along with the rest of the team. He is looking more like a boom/bust RB2/Flex than a budding RB1.
- Gabe Davis scored in the fourth straight week. He's an every-week WR3/Flex and hit at a depressed ADP in drafts.
- Both Bills' tight ends got hurt in this one. Dalton Kincaid (concussion) could miss this week along with Dawson Knox (wrist), which could mean more targets for Cook or the team's slot receiver trio.
NO @ NE
- Derek Carr was more of a game manager in this one since the Saints defense dominated the Patriots offense. So we aren't sure if Chris Olave was affected by his ankle tweak in warmups, but Olave did score before the game got out of hand. Watch the practice reports if you have Olave. Carr should pass downfield more against the Texans this week.
- Kendre Miller was the clear #2 with Tony Jones released. He was effective as a pass-catcher and should be on a roster in leagues where most clear backup running backs are carried.
- Mac Jones was miserable and replaced by Bailey Zappe before the game was over. Jones will start Week 6, but Zappe could get a look sooner than later, not that it will change the fate of this offense.
- Rhamondre Stevenson, the one Patriots taken early in fantasy drafts, is now unreliable and only a hold-and-hope type of player on your bench.
- Hunter Henry has also fizzled out after a hot start and can be dropped.
TEN @ IND
- Ryan Tannehill was trusting a now healthy DeAndre Hopkins on contested catches downfield, and Hopkins was reliable. Consider Hopkins a solid WR2 who could be a fantasy WR1 if this continues.
- Derrick Henry just missed on a touchdown pass attempt to Hopkins and was stuffed on short yardage runs deep in Colts territory. He's fine, even though he had a floor game in the loss.
- Tyjae Spears finally had the solid fantasy output we've been waiting for. He's on the field enough to matter in fantasy, and this result will encourage the team to keep upping his usage.
- Anthony Richardson left with a shoulder injury that will probably sideline him for 4-6 weeks. Don't drop him, but do worry that unless he changes his running style, he is a wide range of outcomes boom/bust weekly play. Gardner Minshew will start in his place. The offense has been good with Minshew, and his presence should help the value of Josh Downs, who shouldn't be on any waiver wires.
- Zack Moss was outstanding and made it so Jonathan Taylor could be mired in a committee even though the team just signed him to a three-year, $42 million deal. Both are RB2/Flex plays against the Jaguars.
BAL @ PIT
- Lamar Jackson was victimized by a ton (well, seven) drops, many on downfield passes, and the Steelers had a timely knack for the big play on defense and special teams to eke out a win. Jackson will be fine. Buy low.
- Justice Hill got more snaps than Gus Edwards and looked like he had more juice, even though he did have a costly fumble. Hill is the better flex/emergency RB2 play against Tennessee, although speedy rookie UDFA Keaton Mitchell is getting close to healthy enough to complicate this backfield further.
- Zay Flowers left a much bigger game on the field as a culprit in the dropfest, but he's still the only wide receiver worth playing in this offense. Make sure he's in your lineup against the Titans.
- Kenny Pickett was ineffective except for throwing downfield to George Pickens, and that was good enough to win. Pickens demonstrated ceiling is good enough to keep in lineups every week as a WR2/WR3.
- Jaylen Warren once again outplayed Najee Harris, and he was in on the decisive drives. We'll see if the team installs Warren as the starter during the bye.
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