The bye weeks are here.
This is the time where your depth gets challenged and how well you can manage through the middle portion of the schedule. With Atlanta, Denver, New Orleans and Washington on byes this week, that creates a dilemma for many fantasy football owners.
Check out the matchups for the best options at quarterback. Here’s the week 5 start ’em, sit ’em quarterbacks guide in fantasy football.
Start
Carson Wentz vs. Arizona Cardinals
I know we’re supposed to be scared of Arizona’s pass defense. But I’m not feeling so uneasy anymore.
The Cardinals are decent enough in the secondary, but their pass rush isn’t good enough to force quarterbacks into quick decisions. The Cardinals have long been ball hawks, but that’s not happening this year with the lack of pressure.
Arizona only has three interceptions on the season and they’re allowing more than 210 yards of passing per game. We’re accustomed to seeing this defense be at the top of the league in defending the pass. This year, though, they’re more toward the middle, which should come as scary news to their fans.
Wentz continues to see plenty of volume and has looked good against above-average pass defenses. The most important part of Wentz’s game is the fact he’s taking care of the ball, so that works well once again in week 5 against Arizona.
You’ll get volume and you’ll likely get good results from Wentz at home.
Matthew Stafford vs. Carolina Panthers
I’ve been hot and cold with Stafford this season. And while he was not desirable in week 4 against Minnesota, he wasn’t completely awful.
Stafford has already seen Arizona, Minnesota and the New York Giants for defenses. All three are at least middle-of-the-road against the pass, so he shouldn’t be intimidated against Carolina’s defense.
And while Carolina ranks high in passing statistics, they’re still being propped up with early returns against Buffalo and San Francisco, who didn’t do much in the passing department. In the last two weeks, Carolina has allowed five touchdown passes, garnered zero interceptions and allowed more than 500 yards through the air.
This team is still susceptible to the pass, much like last year. Don’t be fooled by the early returns this season.
Jacoby Brissett vs. San Francisco 49ers
If you don’t have a good backup, then Brissett can offer a nice streaming option for week 5.
I’m not as down on the 49ers as some are, but the pass defense worries me. San Francisco can’t make stops when necessary and they’ve been carved up in recent weeks.
Even with solid efforts in weeks 1 and 2 against a rusty Cam Newton and a lost Seattle passing offense, this team still ranks 11th worst against the pass, allowing 240 yards per game.
They’re not creating turnovers and with the way Brissett has looked at times this season, I can feel confident in his ability to put up points against a porous San Francisco pass defense.
Sit
Andy Dalton vs. Buffalo Bills
I think the Bengals win this game, but it won’t come with much through the air. Buffalo has been dominant against the pass this year and that won’t stop in week 5, even with an improved Dalton at the helm.
Dalton has looked good in the last two weeks after such a bad start. He hasn’t thrown an interception since that disastrous week 1 and he’s progressively looked more comfortable.
Maybe it’s the change in the offensive coordinator. Or maybe it’s the opponents. The Bengals have faced Green Bay and Cleveland in the last two weeks, compared with Houston and Baltimore in the first two weeks.
The Bengals return to the gauntlet against a Buffalo team that is harassing opposing quarterbacks and turning them over. Buffalo has six interceptions against just one touchdown allowed through the air this year.
Blake Bortles vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
That resurrected Bortles from week 3 came crashing back to earth in week 4 when the Jaguars lost to the Jets.
Jacksonville had no business losing that game against a far less talented team. But Bortles couldn’t get anything in the end zone when it counted and couldn’t move the ball consistently.
The Jaguars don’t have reliable receivers and Bortles isn’t a quarterback they can count on to keep moving the chains. That’s a major issue, especially against a team like Pittsburgh.
The Steelers haven’t been great this season, but they’ve been dominant against the pass. Teams are averaging only 154 yards per game, so don’t expect much out of Bortles in week 5.
Carson Palmer vs. Philadelphia Eagles
I started Philip Rivers in week 4 against the Eagles because I liked the matchup for him. The Chargers can’t beat anybody in close games, but Rivers still has enough weapons to do some things.
Palmer, meanwhile, doesn’t.
I know Arizona won in week 4, but it should be noted that they needed a late score in overtime to do it. Palmer threw more than 300 yards, but still only found the end zone once — in overtime.
This team can’t protect Palmer well and that will be the main reason why Palmer will have a tough time finding much room to pass in week 5. The Eagles are pressuring opposing quarterbacks that even when they’re not achieving sacks, they’re putting them in bad positions.
The Cardinals have been atrocious in different time zones in the past two years. That won’t change in week 5.
