Fantasy: Start, Sit, Stash, Quit - Week 5

SSSQ is a weekly look at under-the-radar fantasy players to consider starting and potential busts you should leave on your bench. We also identify breakout candidates to stash on your roster and players you can safely cut.

For the rest of your lineup decisions, consult our Week 5 rankings. You can also listen to the Week 5 preview episode of theScore Fantasy Football Podcast.

Start

Kirk Cousins, Vikings

vs. Lions

Thanks to an easy early-season schedule, Cousins is the QB13 through four games while averaging 20.89 fantasy points per contest.

The good times should keep rolling against the Lions, who rank 30th in Football Outsiders' pass defense DVOA.

Cousins also has a solid history versus Detroit, with at least three touchdown passes in three of his last four meetings against the team, including a 405-yard, three-score game last time out.

He's a top-10 fantasy option this week.

Boone's projection: 306 passing yards, 3 passing TDs

Other QBs to start

• Trey Lance at Cardinals
• Sam Darnold vs. Eagles
• Joe Burrow vs. Packers

Damien Harris, Patriots

at Texans

Harris started the year hot with 117 yards from scrimmage in the opener, but he faded the last couple of weeks against the challenging run defenses of the Saints and Buccaneers.

Fortunately for him, the Texans offer a perfect get-right spot. In addition to the Patriots being 8.5-point favorites on the road, Houston is giving up the ninth-most fantasy points to running backs this year.

Harris should rack up carries to salt the game away and is a good bet to reach the end zone multiple times.

Boone's projection: 94 rushing yards, 11 receiving yards, 2 TDs

Other RBs to start

• James Robinson vs. Titans
• Damien Williams at Raiders
• Leonard Fournette vs. Dolphins

Marquise Brown, Ravens

vs. Colts

Brown has recorded 326 yards and three touchdowns so far, but he could have a lot more. Despite several costly drops, he still ranks as the WR10 on the season.

He's also been pretty consistent to start the campaign with stat lines of 6-69-1, 6-113-1, 3-53-0, and 4-91-1.

Expect another big day from him versus the Colts, who have been the eighth most generous defense to opposing receivers.

Though rookie Rashod Bateman could cut into his target share as the season progresses, Brown can be safely started as a top-24 wideout in Week 5.

Boone's projection: 87 receiving yards, TD

Other WRs to start

• Corey Davis at Falcons
• DeVante Parker at Buccaneers
• Laviska Shenault vs. Titans

Dawson Knox, Bills

at Chiefs

Knox has continued to build on a strong finish to the 2020 season and looks like a true breakout player at tight end.

Four touchdowns on 15 catches isn't sustainable, but he's become a full-time player in one of the league's best passing attacks - meaning he's here to stay as a low-end TE1 in fantasy.

You can deploy him with confidence in a likely shootout against a Chiefs squad that's allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to his position.

Boone's projection: 68 receiving yards, TD

Other TEs to start

• Dalton Schultz vs. Giants
• Noah Fant at Steelers
• Tyler Conklin vs. Lions

Sit

Matt Ryan, Falcons

vs. Jets

Ryan rebounded from an opening day clunker versus the Eagles by throwing for multiple scores in each of the last three weeks. The 36-year-old even turned in a QB3 overall finish with last week's four-touchdown performance against Washington.

That might entice you to go back to the well this Sunday when he battles the Jets in London ... But you shouldn't.

His top receiver Calvin Ridley didn't make the trip for personal reasons, and No. 2 wideout Russell Gage remains out with an ankle injury.

And for all the Jets' flaws, Gang Green has permitted the third-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks in 2021. There are simply better options than Ryan in Week 5.

Boone's projection: 235 passing yards, TD, INT, 6 rushing yards

Other QBs to sit

• Baker Mayfield at Chargers
• Taylor Heinicke vs. Saints
• Ben Roethlisberger vs. Broncos

Miles Sanders, Eagles

at Panthers

It's become almost impossible to trust Sanders in your lineup now that he's in a near-even split with rookie Kenneth Gainwell.

Though Sanders has a 60-40 advantage in terms of snaps, the Eagles have divided the touches down the middle, with Gainwell's role in the passing game growing by the week. Sanders has touch totals of five and 10 over the last two outings, respectively.

His matchups are about to get more difficult as well, with a pair of top-seven run defenses (Panthers and Bucs) on tap the next two weeks.

Hopefully, you grabbed one of the backups-turned-starters this week like Damien Williams or Samaje Perine - both of whom deserve to start over Sanders at this point.

Boone's projection: 32 rushing yards, 24 receiving yards

Other RBs to sit

• Josh Jacobs vs. Bears
• Melvin Gordon/Javonte Williams at Steelers
• Myles Gaskin at Buccaneers

Odell Beckham Jr., Browns

at Chargers

The good news is Beckham has seen No. 1 wideout volume with 16 targets over two games since returning to the lineup.

The bad news is he's clearly not on the same page with Baker Mayfield, leading to a career-low 43.8% catch rate.

Now Mayfield's dealing with a partially torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder, meaning he'll be less than 100% when he goes up against the league's second-best pass defense this week.

Beckham might need a touchdown to come through for fantasy managers in this one.

Boone's projection: 46 receiving yards

Other WRs to sit

• JuJu Smith-Schuster vs. Broncos
• Henry Ruggs vs. Bears
• Brandon Aiyuk at Cardinals

Robert Tonyan, Packers

at Bengals

We knew touchdown regression was coming for Tonyan this year, and he's currently the TE29 through four weeks with just one score.

His troubles will persist against the Bengals on Sunday, who've given up the sixth-fewest fantasy points to tight ends, including just one touchdown.

It also doesn't help that safety Jessie Bates will be returning after missing the first game of his NFL career.

Tonyan is a mid-range TE2 this week, so check my rankings and see if you can find a better starting option.

Boone's projection: 23 receiving yards

Other TEs to sit

• Evan Engram at Cowboys
• Cole Kmet at Raiders
• C.J. Uzomah vs. Packers

Stash

Jaret Patterson, Washington

Antonio Gibson's list of ailments grows every week, so stashing his backup Patterson (1% rostered) isn't a bad idea.

The undrafted rookie was a preseason star and would step into the early-down role if Gibson ever missed time, with veteran J.D. McKissic continuing to operate as the passing-down specialist.

Darrynton Evans, Titans

Evans (3% rostered) resumed practicing and should return to action soon after spending the first three weeks on injured reserve.

In his absence, Jeremy McNichols has kept Evans' seat warm as the change-of-pace back behind Derrick Henry.

It's also worth noting that Henry has followed up his 718 combined touches over the last two years with 127 touches through four games. That puts him on pace for 540 touches if he stays healthy for the entire 17-game season.

While we're hoping that's the case, we still need to plan for other outcomes, and Evans would be the next man up once he's activated.

Quit

Myles Gaskin, Dolphins

Advising fantasy managers to drop a starting running back seems awfully foolish given the lack of depth at the position. And depending on the size and competitiveness of your league, you might want to let him clog up a spot on your roster for another week or two just to be sure.

But Gaskin (79% rostered) has been a major disappointment, averaging just 65 yards from scrimmage through the first three games before posting a two-carry, three-yard, zero-reception Week 4 stat line. On top of that, he hasn't found the end zone this season and his targets have declined each game.

Things won't get much better when Miami's offensive line goes up against a tough Buccaneers run defense, especially with Malcolm Brown and Salvon Ahmed continuing to siphon touches.

Ideally, you should use Gaskin as part of a trade package. However, you can drop him outright for a quality option on the waiver wire if you can't swing a deal.