Who's Hot Who's Not 2016 Week 5

By Jen Ryan

My apologies for not providing you with a who’s hot, who’s not last week. I was stuck in the nightmare that is commuting into New York City after a train accident in New Jersey and simply ran out of time. I am back this week and, considering Week 3 is ancient history at this point, I am going to skip over the recap and get right into the plays I like this week. Here we go.

Who’s Hot

Fire Starter: Odell Beckham, Jr. – New York Giants @ Green Bay Packers
I will do my best not to go on a rant here, but I have been pounding the table for Beckham all week on Twitter and more than one podcast. The narrative around his attitude, behavior, or whatever other couch-commentating observations have been thrown around has been flat out stupid. I am so sick of hearing these lazy takes regarding Beckham. I should NEVER have to be in a position to start Beckham because he is an automatic start every single week. However, I have seen too many people ask about what to do with him this week and I am going to try to bring you back to Earth. When it is all said and done this guy will definitely be a top five receiver and probably a top three receiver. Quit the nonsense about his emotions affecting his play. Stop over-analyzing him claiming he “isn’t having fun anymore.” You know what’s fun? Targets, receptions, and scoring. You know who realizes that and will want to see his WR1 have fun again? Eli Manning. You know who is the second-worst defense against receivers? The Green Bay Packers. Not only should you not bench Beckham (ever) but you can go ahead and book him for his first TWO touchdowns of 2016 this weekend.

QB – Ryan Fitzpatrick – New York Jets @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Are the takes hot enough for you yet? I am telling you to roll with the Jets quarterback who is playing like Geno Smith with his nine interceptions in two weeks. We all know the Fitzpatrick regression is coming and why not have it come in a game against a team who gave up multiple touchdowns to Carson Wentz and Alex Smith in back to back weeks? Fitzpatrick is aware of the scrutiny and his Coach publically backed him up, which is more than we can say for our fire starter listed above. Vegas currently has this game at 48 points with 68% of the betting public putting their money on the over. I am looking for this game to be a shootout that smashes the line, is a multi-touchdown and turnover-free game for the Jets quarterback. Use Ryan Fitz-get back on track-rick in your season long and daily leagues this week.

RB – LeGarrette Blount – New England Patriots @ Cleveland Browns
With all the talk of Tom Brady coming back to enact his revenge on the entire NFL I think it is really easy to overlook the Patriots running game this week. Blount officially has the questionable tag but it is understood that he will be playing. The Patriots are going to come out firing and put an early beating on the Cleveland Browns. After Brady throws four touchdowns and the Patriots have a three score lead, the bruising back will be called upon to close out the game. The Browns allow running backs to rush for an average of 118 yards per game and Blount already has two 100-yard games under his belt. We can make that a third one this week.

TE – Zach Ertz – Philadelphia Eagles @ Detroit Lions
Zach Hertz (sorry, I couldn’t resist) spent the offseason being hyped up as a top tight end to target in fantasy football and has largely disappointed due to injury. He has six receptions for 58 yards this season and has not been on the field since Week 1. The bye week came at a time where Ertz really needed it for his rib displacement to heal. Rumor has it that he is indeed fully healed and will be a go against the Detroit Lions, who happen to be the 31-st ranked defense against tight ends and have given up six touchdowns. This may be a gutsy call but I have Ertz finishing as a top five tight end this week with the upside to finish as the top tight end.

Who’s Not

Ice Cold: DeAndre Hopkins – Houston Texans @ Minnesota Vikings
If you own Hopkins you are super frustrated with him. You also drafted him in the top half of the first round and you have almost certainly been playing him. This is the week you have to set him down. Xavier Rhodes is this year what Josh Norman was last year, and what Darrelle Revis and Richard Sherman were before him. Each year we get a new, true shutdown corner and Rhodes is it. Hopkins has already been struggling but he will be stifled to the point this week where he might even get blanked on the stat sheet.

QB – Matt Ryan – Atlanta Falcons @ Denver Broncos
Matt Ryan and Julio Jones lit the league on fire last week with lights out performances but I have a feeling we could see Ryan’s worst fantasy output of the season this weekend. The Denver Broncos are the most complete defensive unit in football. They will give him hell both behind the line of scrimmage and up the field. The Broncos have not allowed a touchdown in two weeks, have three games where they held quarter backs under 200 yards, and have allowed quarterbacks to throw two touchdowns all season. Do not get caught up chasing last week’s stat line. Keep Matty on ice this week.

RB – Dwayne Washington – Oakland Raiders vs. San Diego Chargers
Washington sent people crawling to their waiver wires this week ready to fight to the death to get their hands on him. He has a fantastic matchup against the porous Chargers run defense but while the masses are flocking to Washington I am going to be looking right past him and benching him in leagues where I own him. It would not surprise me at all if Jalen Richard out-scores him this week.

TE – Jordan Reed – Washington Redskins @ Baltimore Ravens
After a somewhat slow start Jordan Reed reminded everyone why they drafted him last week with two touchdowns. While I am glad to see him get his groove back I am going to relegate him to my bench against the Ravens, who are quietly stout against tight ends. This is a game where the Washington receivers will eat in the deep game. Reed is an athletic freak and can make me look silly here but I am expecting him to cool off from his Week 4 performance.

Playing the matchups are always important and I kindly remind you of that every week. On players you are having a hard time with , make sure to consult our Ease of Schedule tool https://www.footballdiehards.com/eosforecast.cfm. I am here to help if you need it but remember, always go with your gut. Good luck!