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.

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

Start

Jordan Love, Packers

at Raiders

Love had a strong opening month, turning in weekly fantasy finishes as the QB5, QB16, QB6, and QB14.

Even in what appeared to be his worst outing of the season - the loss to the Lions - Love salvaged his stat line en route to his fourth straight multi-touchdown game.

A lot of credit should go to Matt LaFleur's system and the young skill-position talent in Green Bay, but Love is holding up his end of the bargain.

Next up is a Raiders defense that's allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks, including a QB13 or better result in each outing.

Boone's projection: 267 passing yards, 2 passing TDs, 25 rushing yards

Other QBs to start

• Kirk Cousins vs. Chiefs
• C.J. Stroud at Falcons

Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs

at Vikings

After undergoing two offseason surgeries, the Chiefs took their time easing Pacheco back into the mix over the summer.

His production has risen over the first four weeks, culminating in a 23-touch, 158-yard, one-score performance last week - on a season-high 60% of the team's offensive snaps.

His usage in the passing game has been even more exciting: Pacheco has 10 catches through four games. By comparison, he had just 13 receptions all of last year.

With the Chiefs favored by 3.5 points on the road against the Vikings, we should get another heavy dose of Pacheco.

Boone's projection: 94 rushing yards, 23 receiving yards, 2 receptions, TD

Other RBs to start

• Joe Mixon at Cardinals
• Aaron Jones at Raiders
• Breece Hall at Broncos

Michael Pittman, Colts

vs. Titans

Pittman is coming off a down game, but he has the eighth-most targets in the league through four weeks and had eight catches or more in each of the first three outings.

The Titans' pass-funnel defense should offer the perfect bounce-back spot. Tennessee is one of the 10 best matchups for fantasy receivers and has already given up at least 70 yards to six different wideouts in the opening month.

With Anthony Richardson looking like the real deal at quarterback, Pittman is poised for a top-20 performance this week.

Boone's projection: 96 receiving yards, 8 receptions, TD

Other WRs to start

• Zay Flowers at Steelers
• Jakobi Meyers vs. Packers
• Tank Dell at Falcons

Zach Ertz, Cardinals

vs. Bengals

The Cardinals' offense has been more frisky than expected, and their 32-year-old tight end has been a big part of the action.

While Ertz doesn't offer much after the catch at this stage of his career, he's averaging the third-most targets (7.5) per game among tight ends, behind only Travis Kelce and T.J. Hockenson. If it weren't for an extremely difficult matchup with the Cowboys in Week 3, Ertz might be leading that category.

With at least six catches in three of his four games and over 50 yards in two of the last three, Ertz deserves more attention from fantasy managers. He'd likely be getting it, too, if he hadn't dropped a potential touchdown last week.

Ertz is also about to play his easiest opponent of the season; the Bengals are giving up the fifth-most fantasy points to his position.

Boone's projection: 68 receiving yards, 7 receptions, TD

Other TEs to start

• Dallas Goedert at Rams
• Dalton Kincaid vs. Jaguars

Sit

Joe Burrow, Bengals

at Cardinals

Burrow's struggles while playing through a calf injury have been well-documented, and it's become tough to use him in fantasy.

Cincy's star passer is clearly not himself and has only thrown a touchdown in one game this season. Now, Tee Higgins is dealing with a fractured rib that could limit him or force him to sit out Week 5.

Until we see Burrow closer to 100%, I'm sending him to the bench in single-quarterback leagues. That includes this week where he has a positive matchup on paper versus the Cardinals.

Boone's projection: 241 passing yards, TD, INT

Other QBs to sit

• Brock Purdy vs. Cowboys
• Dak Prescott at 49ers

Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots

vs. Saints

It's hard to trust Stevenson in your lineup this week as his playing time and production have both declined since the first two games.

He propped up his fantasy points with six receptions in Week 1 and a touchdown in Week 2. However, his last two appearances have resulted in a pair of scoreless days and yards from scrimmage totals of 62 and 40.

The Saints present another challenging matchup, permitting the eighth-fewest fantasy points to running backs. New Orleans hasn't allowed a ball carrier to reach double-digit fantasy points since Week 1.

Boone's projection: 45 rushing yards, 21 receiving yards, 2 receptions

Other RBs to sit

• Miles Sanders at Lions
• Dameon Pierce at Falcons
• Najee Harris vs. Ravens

George Pickens, Steelers

vs. Ravens

Pickens hasn't gotten the massive target totals you would've hoped for in the absence of Diontae Johnson, and now Pat Freiermuth.

Defenses have been able to focus their attention on him, and quarterback Kenny Pickett isn't elevating this passing attack in his second season.

Pickens will always have the potential for a big play, as we saw on his 71-yard touchdown in Week 2. But the degree of difficulty will be turned up in Week 5 with either Pickett playing at less than 100% or Mitch Trubisky getting the start.

Boone's projection: 51 receiving yards, 4 receptions

Other WRs to sit

• DeAndre Hopkins at Colts
• Jerry Jeudy vs. Jets
• Drake London vs. Texans

Kyle Pitts, Falcons

vs. Texans

Pitts doesn't appear to be fully healed from the knee injury he sustained last year. That may be contributing to his bizarre usage - he's playing less than 70% of the Falcons' snaps.

The 23-year-old has been held to five targets or less in three of his four outings and has yet to top 45 yards in a game this season.

Like Pickens above, the possibility of a big play always exists for Pitts, but there's no indication he's on the verge of a breakout.

Boone's projection: 39 receiving yards, 3 receptions

Other TEs to sit

• Dalton Schultz at Falcons
• Hayden Hurst at Lions

Stash

Ronnie Rivers, Rams

Kyren Williams is an undersized starter, which makes you wonder if he'll be able to hold up if the Rams continue to give him massive workloads. Let the fact that Williams is limited in practice with a hip injury this week be a warning sign to add Rivers (5% rostered).

The Rams' No. 2 back got his first touches of the season in Week 4 and came away with 57 yards from scrimmage.

As we've mentioned before, there aren't many immediate backups who are available in most leagues, so grab Rivers while you still can.

Wan'Dale Robinson/Jalin Hyatt, Giants

In a surprising but completely understandable move, the Giants tried to kickstart their offense by giving Robinson (17% rostered) and Hyatt (7% rostered) more work in Week 4.

The duo played ahead of veteran Parris Campbell and Isaiah Hodgins, who had been starting alongside Darius Slayton.

While the results were underwhelming and the rotation could change again at any moment, it's worth stashing Robinson and Hyatt for their upside. If the Giants can solve their issues on the offensive line, Robinson and Hyatt could emerge as fantasy options as the season progresses.

Quit

Quarterback (1QB): Daniel Jones, Derek Carr

Running back: Dalvin Cook, Josh Kelley

Wide receiver: Skyy Moore, JuJu Smith-Schuster

Tight end: Pat Freiermuth, Chigoziem Okonkwo