Week 5 Shore Thing Sleepers (2023)

“Shore Thing Sleepers” isn’t your ordinary fantasy football Week 5 start/sit article. Instead, our analyst duo of Seth Woolcock and Eric Romoff highlight lower-valued players that can provide starting-caliber production for a specific week. These are usually players near the end of your bench or even on the waiver wire/free agency. You can catch an additional sleeper pick live at the end of our weekly in-season Friday podcast episode.

Rostership percentages are based on ESPN Points Per Reception (PPR) redraft fantasy football leagues.

Week 5 Start/Sit Consideration: Shore Thing Sleepers

Matthew Stafford (QB, Los Angeles Rams) | 33.2% Rostered

Matthew Stafford has been putting up impressive yardage numbers, ranking third in the league with an average of 307.3 passing yards per game. However, he’s only thrown three touchdowns so far this season. The return of Cooper Kupp to the Rams’ offense could change that dynamic.

The Rams will be playing at home, but they should still rely on Stafford’s arm to keep up with the Philadelphia Eagles. Philadelphia’s defense has been generous to opposing quarterbacks, allowing the fifth-most points to them and surrendering the third-most touchdowns (2.3 per game). With a favorable matchup and Kupp’s presence, Stafford could have a breakout game in Week 5, resulting in a low-end QB1 or high-end QB2 finish. If you’re rostering an underperformer like Joe Burrow, it might not be a bad idea to consider Stafford in your Week 5 start/sit decisions. – Woolcock

Tank Dell (WR, Houston Texans) | 72.1% Rostered

Tank Dell, the hometown hero for Houston Texans, is set to face the Atlanta Falcons in Week 5. This matchup is particularly intriguing due to Atlanta’s outside cornerbacks, with AJ Terrell mainly driving volume over the middle of the field. This shift in coverage could mean more opportunities for Dell, especially with Nico Collins and Robert Woods experiencing downgrades via matchups.

Texans’ quarterback C.J. Stroud has been airing it out, ranking fourth in passing attempts (151) and fifth in passing yards (1,212). Dell has been efficient with an impressive. 2.33 fantasy points per target, ranking 16th among WRs. Stroud is having success targeting him, too, evident in Dell’s QB rating per target of 131.8, the 14th-best mark for wide receivers. With Houston’s aggressive passing and Dell’s more favorable matchups, the rookie is positioned as a strong sleeper option in Week 5. – Romoff

Thanks for reading our “Shore Thing Sleepers” to consider in your Week 5 start/sit decisions. Check out more of our fantasy football and other written content here at In-Between Media, or head over to our YouTube channel to get your fix via video.

*Photo Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski – USA TODAY Sports*