Fantasy Football Predictions and Tips: Week Five

The disappointments after Week Four and what to look forward to in Week FiveAlex StewartThe Santa ClaraOctober 5, 2017Buy/Sell for Week 4 Sell High Sammy Watkins (LAR, WR): His best game as a Ram was against the 49ers during which he caught two touchdowns and had 106 receiving yards. The hype train is on him, as well as on Jared Goff. Watkins will always have injury questions and when you have an unproven QB in Goff throwing you the ball, that’s never a recipe for success. Also, the Rams have yet to have their games with Seattle or Arizona, meaning Watkins has four rough matchups in his future. He also has future trips to the Janoris Jenkins and Xavier Rhodes islands, where WR’s go missing. Buy Low Amari Cooper (OAK, WR): Owners are most likely in panic mode over Cooper’s slide. After putting up 17.2 PPR points the first week of the season, he was outshined by Michael Crabtree in Week Two and suffered along with the rest of the Raiders anemic offense in the Week Three loss to the Redskins. Cooper’s talent is undoubtable and even though he has left the fantasy community wanting more, he’s a good bet to rebound. Cooper could suffer a bit if Carr doesn’t play in Week Five, which should only cheapen the price to get him. Nine times out of 10, you want to bet on talent rising, not falling. Key Waiver Pickups Deshaun Watson (HOU, QB) and Will Fuller (HOU, WR): Deshaun Watson just set a rookie record with five passing touchdowns in a game against the Titans last Sunday. Two of them were to Will Fuller, who made his season debut after rehabbing a broken collarbone for the first four weeks of the season. Watson is currently owned in 24.8 percent of ESPN leagues and that number is sure to skyrocket for Week Five. Watson exhibits an elite football IQ, with incredible athleticism. He makes throws like Tom Brady and runs like a smaller Cam Newton. Getting into more of the fantasy side of things, Watson has the starting job all locked up and is sure to provide solid floor, high ceiling production value going forward. He has a slew of weapons to work with, including Lamar Miller, DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller. The Texans defense is also one of the best, so Watson will see the field for the majority of the game. If you’re looking for a low dropoff backup QB, or if you’re like me and need a new starting QB because Cam Newton has been under performing, Watson will fill that role very nicely. When looking at Will Fuller, who had a very nice game last Sunday, there’s a lot to like. He has 4.24 speed for the 40-yard dash and his hands get better with every snap. Fuller is a risky play, because he could put up 20 yards in a game or 100 yards and two touchdowns. He is currently owned in 7.6 percent of ESPN leagues. His role in a typical 10-team league is a low floor, high ceiling WR. If you need a dynamic playmaker who you’re willing to take a risk on, he could pay off with big dividends. Key Fantasy Matchups for Week Five 49ers @ Colts: T.Y. Hilton and Carlos Hyde owners could be in for a treat with this one. Despite Hyde’s injury, the Colts have one of the most porous defenses in the NFL. The same goes for the other side of the ball. Hilton could put up big time numbers if Brissett could only get him the ball. This is a game that doesn’t offer much in the playoff aspect of the NFL, but it’s a key matchup for fantasy owners. Seahawks @ Rams: This is make or break for Todd Gurley. For years, the Seahawks have had one of the best defenses in the NFL, against the rush and the pass. The Rams have been on a roll, but like I said in last week’s article, they have largely gone up against subpar defenses. For the Seahawks, their offense could see continuation of their great production in Week Four as they go up against a very run-of-the-mill Rams defense. Chiefs @ Texans: Kareem Hunt owners beware, JJ Watt and Jadeveon Clowney await. Hunt has been a very pleasant surprise for fantasy owners, who largely saw him as a RB2 with decent upside. Here’s to hoping this upside continues as the unstoppable force in Hunt meets the immovable object in the Texan’s defense. Another potential wrinkle in this game is seeing how Deshaun Watson does against an above average Chiefs defense. Contact Alex Stewart at astewart@scu.edu or call (408) 554- 4852.