Fantasy winners and losers from week 5; Broncos and the rest

And just like that, week five has come and gone.

Let’s take a look at winners and losers that carried, or sunk, your fantasy team this week.

Broncos Winners

QB Russell Wilson

It wasn’t his greatest fantasy performance, and his lack of awareness arguably cost his team the game on a fourth-quarter strip-sack touchdown, but he still accounted for two passing touchdowns and 49 rushing yards.

On a day when most Broncos contributed less than nothing on offense, Wilson was at least reliable enough to probably help out fantasy owners. He remains a top fantasy starter, even with the Chiefs coming up on Thursday night.

RB Jaleel McLaughlin

Jaleel is the real deal, and it’s time to start considering him as a full-time fantasy starter. He carried seven times for 72 yards and 32 yards plus a touchdown in the air on three receptions. He showed that breakout game was no fluke, as he carried nine times for 68 yards and once again caught three passes for 21 yards and a touchdown.

In yet another season where there are very few bright spots, McLaughlin is becoming a brighter one each week. The vertically challenged speedster is breaking out in a similar, albeit not quite as productive yet, manner as fellow undrafted rookie running back Philip Lindsay in 2018. Lindsay earned more and more touches each game, and it’s about time McLaughlin starts getting rewarded similarly.

Broncos Losers

WR Courtland Sutton

Sutton received a four-year extension this past offseason worth just shy of $61 million, and thus far he hasn’t exactly shown to be worth it. His performance against the Jets was his worst of the season, as he pulled in just one catch for 13 yards on three targets. The Jets’ secondary is better than most that he’s seen this season, and Wilson certainly struggled seeing the field, but for a guy that generated Michael Thomas comparisons in the offseason, far more was expected. He and fellow wide out Jerry Jeudy, who was better but not great,

WR Marvin Mims, Jr.

For whatever reason, Sean Payton and the offense can’t figure out how to get more looks and touches to Mims, who has been arguably the most dangerous receiver for the team this season. It’s hard to fault the young rookie for only getting one target, which he caught for four yards, but for fantasy owners hope for another boom-type performance were let down. It’s too early to give up on Mims as a fantasy option just yet, but Payton is going to have to figure out a way to get both him and fellow rookie McLaughlin more touches.

Best of the Rest - Week One Winners from Around the League

CIN WR Ja’Marr Chase

It’s safe to say anyone worried about Chase’s production following the first two weeks were biting their nails for nothing. Chase exploded against an overmatched Arizona Cardinals defense, pulling in 15 catches for 192 yards and three touchdown receptions. In PPR leagues, he exceeded 50 points, and even in non-PPR leagues, it’s tough to nitpick over 190 yards and a touchdown hat trick.

CHI WR DJ Moore

The Bears might be terrible, but to say they are without talent is just false. Exhibit A: DJ Moore. It would be easy to write off his eight-catch, 131-yard performance against the Broncos because the Broncos are just that bad, but he followed that up this past weekend with a gargantuan eight-catch 230-yard game to go along with three touchdowns. He and Justin Fields are getting a nice chemistry going, and if this persists, the team probably looks away from drafting a QB in the upcoming draft.

IND RB Zack Moss

So...you saw the news of Jonathan Taylor returning and decided to drop Moss...bad move. Moss completely outshined his returning teammate, rushing 23 times for 165 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 30 yards. Taylor will undoubtedly start seeing an increase in touches sooner than later, but it would seem clear the Colts will have space for Moss in the backfield. And given the injury to Anthony Richardson that will keep the rookie QB out for the foreseeable future, the Colts will have to utilize the run game every way they can. That means Moss will continue to get opportunities moving forward.

Week One Losers from Around the League

MIN WR Justin Jefferson

Ouch. After bringing in three catches for 28 yards, the star WR went down with a hamstring injury that landed him on injured reserve which will have him miss the next four games (at least). That’s a bummer for both the Minnesota Vikings as well as Jefferson fantasy owners, who surely were going to need the receiver over the next four weeks.

BAL QB Lamar Jackson

When the game is on the line, some QBs are just automatic. Others will either win in dramatic fashion or lose in embarrassing fashion. Jackson is the latter. The risk-taking QB threw an end zone interception to seal the game for the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, what stung fantasy owners worst than the pick, or his 236-yard passing performance with no touchdowns, were all the drops by his wide receivers. There were at least five crucial drops, including a deep ball over the middle to Zay Flowers, who tripped over his own feet, breaking up what would have been a long touchdown. Unfortunately for Lamar owners, he just isn’t the same dynamic fantasy superstar from 2019.