Just like that, we already have four weeks of NFL football in the books. One of my favorite parts is fantasy football. One of my favorite aspects of fantasy football has become playing on DraftKings. Every week is like a new puzzle to figure out. Whether you are more of a cash game player or a tournament player, each presents a unique challenge. Let’s take a look at my favorite Week 5 DraftKings plays.
READ MORE: Week 5 Stream Team
Week 5 DraftKings Plays
Week 4 Recap
It’s always good to be completely transparent and demonstrate accountability. That’s what I like to do with everything I do, and that also goes for fantasy football. Whether it’s bold takes or DraftKings recommendations, I always like to keep track of wins and losses. It’s not only good for the readers to know, but it also helps me learn from mistakes moving forward.
🚨RECAP THREAD🚨
For full transparency each week I'll recap my #DraftKings plays to see if they hit the 2.5x we generally shoot for each week in cash builds!#FantasyFootball#NFL#NFLTwitter #DFS@BlazedRTs@MyFantasyLeague@LastWordOnNFL
https://t.co/OUWUGJzRnp— ✴️Rob Norton✴️ (@norton0723) October 3, 2022
Looking back at Week 4, it was another below-average week. This week 44% of my recommendations hit the 2.5x value we look for in cash game lineups. This time the quarterback group led the way tied at a 100% success rate. Meanwhile, the tight-end group brought up the rear tied at a 20% success rate. Personally, it was a profitable week. We’ll look to get in going even better with the picks and get even more profits in the Week 5 DraftKings plays.
- Week 4 – $262 → $386 ($124 PROFIT)
- Year Total – $942 → $1,204 ($262 PROFIT)
Quarterbacks
Jalen Hurts (PHI) – $8,100 @ ARI
It was a rare down week for Jalen Hurts but the Hurts train continues to ride on! After averaging over 30 fantasy points per game this season, Hurts hung a 17-point stinker on us last week. He only had 204 passing yards and no touchdowns with one interception and was still able to put up 17 points thanks to a rushing touchdown. That’s the thing with Hurts, though, is that even in his bad games he still puts up a number of fantasy points that doesn’t hurt you too much. This week he should be able to bounce back in a big way as the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Arizona Cardinals. This game features two of the most exciting young quarterbacks in the league and has one of the highest combined team totals on the slate at 48.5 points. As long as Kyler Murray and the Cardinals can keep up a little bit, Hurts should be in line for another big game.
Jalen Hurts: 4 rushing touchdowns
Leads all QBs 🔥 pic.twitter.com/y02Oy4T2qJ
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) October 6, 2022
Tom Brady (TB) – $6,000 v ATL
Speaking of bounce-back games, Tom Brady had his last week. After starting the season with three straight tough matchups in which he was missing weapons and struggled, Brady got back on track last week against the Kansas City Chiefs. He had his first 300-yard game and his first multi-touchdown game as well on his way to 28.40 fantasy points. It’s no coincidence that this was the week that Mike Evans was back from suspension and Chris Godwin returned from injury. Both of those guys should be ready to go this week as well against the Atlanta Falcons. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the second-highest implied team total on the slate at 28.25 points right now. With Brady’s weapons getting healthier, the offense starting to gel again, and this matchup against a soft Falcons defense, Brady looks like one of the best Week 5 DraftKings plays especially from a point-per-dollar standpoint.
Others to Consider: Geno Smith (SEA) – $5,500 @ NO, Josh Allen (BUF) – $8,200 v PIT, Andy Dalton (NO) – $5,200 v SEA
Running Backs
Leonard Fournette (TB) – $6,900 v ATL
Sticking with this same matchup, Leonard Fournette should be another huge beneficiary of the offense coming around. Until last week he had seen one of the best workloads of any running back in the NFL. Last week that shifted a bit with Rachaad White getting more involved. It’s possible that was due to the game script and the fact that Fournette was a little banged up. Fournette still projects to see one of the best workloads of any running back this week. As previously mentioned, this matchup is a juicy one. With the Buccaneers having the second-highest implied team total, that gives Fournette more touchdown equity than almost any running back in the league this week. He also stays heavily involved in the passing game too. Ultimately Fournette’s workload is that of an $8,000+ running back that you can get at a discount this week.
Jeff Wilson Jr. (SF) – $5,500 @ CAR
Jeff Wilson Jr. keeps playing well and his price keeps staying cheap. He hasn’t had an amazing game or anything but has at least 15 touches and at least 74 total yards in three straight games now. Wilson Jr. has scored at least 11.60 fantasy points in all three games as well. He also has at least 100 total yards or a touchdown in all three. Wilson Jr. has done all this in spite of having two tough matchups the past two weeks. That’s great production for someone whose salary is so cheap. Wilson Jr. plays in one of the best run schemes in the entire NFL with the San Francisco 49ers. This week’s matchup against the Carolina Panthers is also very enticing. The Panthers are middle-of-the-road in terms of fantasy points allowed to running backs, but they are just not a good defense or team in general for that matter. The 49ers currently sit as 6.5-point favorites despite being on the road. The game script sets up perfectly for Wilson Jr. to see another 15+ touches while running the clock out. If he is able to get in the endzone he should smash at this price. This all makes Wilson Jr. one of the best Week 5 DraftKings plays.
Jeff Wilson Jr. has been so good to managers this season 🫶pic.twitter.com/ShqDcR57YH
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) October 4, 2022
Others to Consider: Alvin Kamara (NO) – $6,600 v SEA, Breece Hall (NYJ) – $5,400 v MIA, Dalvin Cook (MIN) – $7,300 v CHI, Derrick Henry (TEN) – $8,200 @ WAS, Dameon Pierce (HOU) – $6,200 @ JAX
Wide Receivers
Cooper Kupp (LAR) – $9,600 v DAL
In a season where there has been so much instability and unpredictability there has been one constant: Cooper Kupp. He put up one of the best seasons we’ve ever seen in 2021 and is somehow averaging even more points so far in 2022. He’s scored below 29.20 fantasy points only once so far and even that game was 16.40 fantasy points. Kupp has at least 14 targets, 11 receptions, and 108 yards in three of his four games so far. He’s the most consistent player in fantasy football at this point and rarely busts. Even at an elevated price tag, he should still be able to return good value this week against the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys are a decent defense on paper but Trevon Diggs takes plenty of chances, something you simply can’t do against Kupp. The Los Angeles Rams are 5.5-point favorites with a 24.25-point implied team total. Kupp should have no problem having a big day in this one. That makes him one of the best Week 5 DraftKings plays when spending up on a player in this slate.
Chris Olave (NO) – $5,700 v SEA
We’ve been spoiled year after year with incredible rookie wide receiver classes. This year seems to be no different and Chris Olave is a huge part of it. After a slow start in Week 1, Olave has been absolutely balling ever since. Over the past three games, he’s averaging 11 targets, six receptions, 98 yards, and 18.1 fantasy points per game. Olave also leads the NFL in air yards with 577. There’s no reason to expect him to slow down this week against the Seattle Seahawks. Michael Thomas has already been ruled out for the New Orleans Saints in this one so Olave should be the lead guy once again. This Seattle defense just got shredded by the Detroit Lions offense despite them missing D’Andre Swift, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and D.J. Chark. It wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see Olave put up a monster game this weekend which makes him one of the best point-per-dollar plays at wide receiver on the entire slate.
Saints rookie receiver Chris Olave has more receiving yards (335) this season than:
Tee Higgins
Ja'Marr Chase
Davante Adams
CeeDee Lamb
DK Metcalf
Terry McLaurin
Mike Evans pic.twitter.com/i6GHTIac2I— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) October 3, 2022
Others to Consider: Tyler Lockett (SEA) – $5,600 @ NO, Jarvis Landry (NO) – $4,300 v SEA, D.J. Moore (CAR) – $5,200 v SF, Chris Godwin (TB) – $5,900 v ATL, D.K. Metcalf (SEA) – $6,800 @ NO, Brandin Cooks (HOU) – $6,100 @ JAX
Tight Ends
Zach Ertz (ARI) – $4,800 v PHI
A Zach Ertz revenge game narrative? Sign me up, please! On a more serious note, Ertz has been very good every week this year, especially for the standards of a tight end. He has scored at least 10.5 fantasy points in all four games so far this year. Ertz is the TE4 in fantasy points on the season. He also has the fourth-most targets and receptions among all tight ends this year. He’s about as steady as it comes in terms of fantasy production from a tight end. It’s hard to find a tight end this consistently involved in the offense, especially under $5,000. As previously mentioned, this game environment is arguably the best on the slate. The Cardinals should be throwing early and often to keep up with the Eagles, much to the benefit of Ertz. Add everything up and Ertz looks like one of the best Week 5 DraftKings plays among all tight ends on the slate.
Players who have been top-12 FF scorers in all four games this season:
Josh Allen
Zach Ertz— Ryan McDowell (@RyanMc23) October 4, 2022
Cole Kmet (CHI) – $3,000 @ MIN
Cole Kmet was one of the most popular and buzzy preseason sleepers heading into this season. That hasn’t panned out so far as he’s been brutally bad to this point. Kmet only has five catches for 56 yards on the entire year combined through four games. That’s what a lot of people were hoping would be his per-game averages this year. Instead, he’s been torpedoed by this horrible Chicago Bears offense. They are playing extremely conservatively and aren’t opening up the playbook for Justin Fields at this point. This week, however, a matchup against the Minnesota Vikings is enticing. The Vikings defense has not been very strong and this game will be played in a dome which should help the passing offenses for both sides. Hopefully, it can help Kmet and the Bears passing attack get on track and it’s worth a shot to find out at such a cheap salary this week.
Others to Consider: Tyler Higbee (LAR) – $4,300 v DAL, Irv Smith Jr. (MIN) – $3,200 v CHI, Hunter Henry (NE) – $2,900 v DET
Defense/Special Teams
In terms of choosing a defense/special teams, it’s the last spot I fill in every week. It’s pretty random but there are a few areas to gain an advantage. I aim to target the heavily favored teams, who usually play with a lead. This forces their opponent to throw it more often which can help lead to extra sacks and turnovers and hopefully a touchdown. Another aspect to target is turnover and sack-prone quarterbacks. My advice is to fill out the rest of your lineup first and then pick your favorite D/ST out of the remaining money.
My Tentative Cash Game Lineup
- QB – Andy Dalton
- RB – Derrick Henry
- RB – Leonard Fournette
- WR – Chris Olave
- WR – Tyler Lockett
- WR – Brandin Cooks
- TE – Tyler Higbee
- Flex – Jeff Wilson Jr.
- DST – Dallas Cowboys
Make sure to tune in next week to see the results from my Week 5 DraftKings plays and to see the best picks for Week 6. Best of luck to everyone and let’s all enjoy some football and win some money!
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
