This article is part of our NFL Barometer series.
The NFL season is picking up steam, and it's hard to believe five weeks are already in the books. We now have some decent sample sizes to work with, which allows both fantasy surprises and pretenders to start coming to the forefront. With that in mind, let's take a closer look at what an eventful Week 5 helped clarify for us in the fantasy realm.
Trending Up
Quarterback
Carson Wentz, Eagles: There was at least some question of how quickly Wentz would look like himself after a late start to the season due to last December's ACL tear. The 2016 first-round pick seems to be easing any concerns after a so-so Week 3 debut, as he's completed 57 of 85 attempts for 659 yards with a 4:0 TD:INT over the last pair of contests, eclipsing the 300-yard mark in each. He also corroborated the fitness of his knee by taking off on five occasions for 26 yards in Week 5 against the Vikings, and with Jay Ajayi now out for the season with his own ACL injury, Wentz may have even more offensive responsibility moving forward.
Deshaun Watson, Texans: Speaking of players rebounding from serious knee injuries, Watson has definitively eased fantasy owners' minds with his early-season performance. The former Clemson Tiger has thrown for over 300 yards in four of five games, including at least 375 in each of the last three. Coupled with a solid 65.1 completion percentage, eight touchdown passes, and another 201
The NFL season is picking up steam, and it's hard to believe five weeks are already in the books. We now have some decent sample sizes to work with, which allows both fantasy surprises and pretenders to start coming to the forefront. With that in mind, let's take a closer look at what an eventful Week 5 helped clarify for us in the fantasy realm.
Trending Up
Quarterback
Carson Wentz, Eagles: There was at least some question of how quickly Wentz would look like himself after a late start to the season due to last December's ACL tear. The 2016 first-round pick seems to be easing any concerns after a so-so Week 3 debut, as he's completed 57 of 85 attempts for 659 yards with a 4:0 TD:INT over the last pair of contests, eclipsing the 300-yard mark in each. He also corroborated the fitness of his knee by taking off on five occasions for 26 yards in Week 5 against the Vikings, and with Jay Ajayi now out for the season with his own ACL injury, Wentz may have even more offensive responsibility moving forward.
Deshaun Watson, Texans: Speaking of players rebounding from serious knee injuries, Watson has definitively eased fantasy owners' minds with his early-season performance. The former Clemson Tiger has thrown for over 300 yards in four of five games, including at least 375 in each of the last three. Coupled with a solid 65.1 completion percentage, eight touchdown passes, and another 201 yards on the ground, Watson is meeting those sky-high preseason fantasy expectations as one of the NFL's most prolific passers.
Running Back
Wendell Smallwood / Corey Clement, Eagles: Monday brought confirmation that Ajayi is finished for the season with an ACL tear, vaulting both Smallwood and Clement into the spotlight. Veteran Darren Sproles continues to struggle with a hamstring injury that's already cost him four games, and at 35 years old, he won't be more than a situational piece when he returns. Meanwhile, Smallwood and Clement are likely to be in something resembling a 60/40 timeshare, with their similar skill sets shifting their respective workloads from week to week. It seems highly unlikely either will take on a true workhorse role, so both players should see increased volume in their immediate future.
Joe Mixon, Bengals: Mixon was talked up as being set for more of a pass-catching role in his second season during training camp, but there were naturally doubts as to how true that might be once the regular season kicked off, considering the presence of Giovani Bernard. However, Mixon promptly saw seven targets against the Colts in the opener and then went down with a knee injury following Week 2. He was back in action last Sunday against the Dolphins and logged another four looks with Bernard out of action due to a knee injury, and he was impressive on the ground for the third time in as many contests. Mixon has rushed for between 84 and 95 yards in each game thus far, and with Bernard set for a multi-week absence, the former should continue seeing almost every backfield touch.
Chris Carson / Mike Davis, Seahawks: Somewhat against logic, the Seahawks have suddenly developed a running game, with both of these players filling a prominent role in Week 5 versus the Rams. Carson ripped off a season-best 116 yards on 19 carries in his return from a one-game absence due to a hip injury, and he also posted a season-high 32 carries for 102 yards and a touchdown in Week 3 against the Cowboys. Meanwhile, Davis filled in admirably for Carson in Week 4 against the Cardinals to the tune of 21 totes for 101 yards and a pair of scores, and he was an ideal Week 5 complement with a 12-carry, 68-yard, one-touchdown tally against Los Angeles. While the division of labor between both players may fluctuate week to week, it would seem a certainty that coach Pete Carroll won't deviate from this 1-2 punch any time soon after operating without a viable ground attack for much of the last two seasons.
T.J. Yeldon, Jaguars: Yeldon isn't seeing a ton of opportunity on the ground in the way Leonard Fournette (hamstring) would if he was healthy, but he's providing solid all-around production when factoring in his pass-catching contributions. Yeldon logged a season-high eight receptions in Sunday's loss to the Chiefs, with that tally influenced both by game script and the in-game, season-ending foot injury to Corey Grant. While veteran Jamaal Charles has now been brought into the fold, Yeldon's familiarity with the offense and the uncertainty surrounding a potential return date for Fournette has Yeldon trending in the right direction.
Wide Receiver
Adam Thielen, Vikings: Thielen was already considered a top WR option coming into the season, but his stellar, next-level production over the first five games nevertheless warrants him a mention. The fifth-year pro already has 47 receptions on the campaign, more than half of the career-high 91 he amassed over 16 games in 2017. He's been the recipient of a whopping 66 targets, and he's now the first player in NFL history to exceed 100 yards receiving in the first five games of a campaign. There's seemingly no end in sight for Thielen, either, as he's in an even better situation catching passes from Kirk Cousins, a clear upgrade over 2017 starter Case Keenum.
Christian Kirk, Cardinals: There will undoubtedly still be some fluctuations in Kirk's production given both his and quarterback Josh Rosen's rookie status, but he's trending in the right direction after a tepid start to his career over the first two weeks. Kirk's improvement began with a seven-catch, 90-yard effort against the Bears in Week 3, and although he posted a modest four grabs in Week 4, he bounced back with a three-reception, 85-yard tally in Week 5 that also included his first career touchdown. With Rosen now firmly entrenched as the starter, Kirk should have plenty of opportunity to develop a rapport with the strong-armed quarterback over the balance of the season.
Chester Rogers, Colts: T.Y. Hilton's absence in Week 5 certainly played a part in Rogers' 11-target game against the Patriots, just as Hilton's early exit in a Week 4 overtime thriller versus the Texans helped lead to the same number of looks for Rogers in that contest. However, the overriding point is what Rogers has done with those opportunities, parlaying those 22 targets into 16 receptions for 151 yards. The overwhelming majority of his catches have come within close proximity of the line of scrimmage, but given his production, Rogers could continue enjoying a solid role on a pass-happy offense, especially while Hilton and Jack Doyle (hip) remain sidelined.
Keke Coutee, Texans: Coutee missed the first three games of the season with a hamstring injury, but he made a major splash in Week 4 against the Colts with an 11-109 line after Will Fuller exited the game early with a hamstring issue of his own. Both players were back in the lineup Week 5 versus the Cowboys, so there was some question as to how much Coutee's opportunities would suffer. It turned out that it was Fuller who saw a reduced role, as Coutee still provided a solid six-catch, 51-yard effort that also included his first career touchdown. Considering the Texans' pass-happy offense and Watson's prolific yardage totals thus far, there should be plenty to go around for Coutee moving forward even when the receiving corps is at full health.
Tight End
Eric Ebron, Colts: Doyle's ongoing absence due to a hip injury undeniably has a lot to do with it, but Ebron has been highly productive nonetheless in what has been a down fantasy season for tight ends overall thus far. The 2014 first-round pick has five touchdowns in five games and has notched double-digit targets in the last three. While Doyle's eventual return will naturally put a dent in that workload, Ebron has proven a solid red-zone target this season, a role that should keep him productive in Indy's pass-first offense.
David Njoku, Browns: Njoku and rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield definitely seem to have a good thing going, as the second-year tight end has flashed appreciably better chemistry with the first-round pick than he had with former starter Tyrod Taylor. Njoku has been the recipient of 18 looks over Mayfield's first two full games helming the offense, leading to 11 receptions for 121 yards. Njoku is still yet to find the end zone, but given his downfield speed and Mayfield's gunslinging style, a few TDs are likely coming in short order.
Trending Down
Quarterback
Russell Wilson, Seahawks: As the Seahawks running game is taking off, Wilson is seeing a corresponding drop in production. The veteran quarterback has failed to clear the 200-yard mark through the air over the last three games, an improbable feat in a league-wide environment that heavily favors the passing game. Moreover, with Seattle able to garner yardage on the ground in a traditional sense for a change, even Wilson's typically impressive rushing production has seen a serious downturn. He hasn't topped 21 rushing yards in any of his first five contests, and he had a combined three carries for minus-1 yard in Weeks 3 and 5. While the Seahawks requiring less of Wilson due to the surprising success of their running backs is good news in a team sense, it's an unwelcome development for Wilson's fantasy owners.
Running Back
Rashaad Penny, Seahawks: Given the success of Carson and Davis discussed earlier, it's no surprise that Penny has become the odd man out. The 2018 first-round pick certainly carries plenty of upside, but he was held to single-digit rushing yardage totals in two of his first four games, and then failed to log a single snap in Week 5 versus the Rams. The latter development especially speaks to the current pecking order in the Seattle backfield, one that surprisingly sees journeyman Davis with a clear advantage over Penny at the moment.
Dalvin Cook, Vikings: Cook is one of several big names in the Trending Down category this week, but a combination of poor production and a lingering injury leaves me no choice but to classify him as such. The second-year back has been battling a pesky hamstring issue for multiple games, missing Weeks 3 and 5 altogether while exiting a Week 4 tilt against the Rams early due to the injury. Given the nature of soft-tissue injuries and the fact it's already acted up on him on multiple occasions, there's no telling when Cook returns to the field and to full health. Additionally, it isn't as if he was offering frustrated fantasy owners anything in the way of a return on investment when he was on the field, as Cook is averaging just 2.7 yards per tote on 36 carries thus far this season.
Wide Receiver
Torrey Smith, Panthers: Smith has been a hit-and-miss, big-play dependent fantasy option for the majority of his career, so expectations should have been tempered heading into his first season with the inconsistent Cam Newton throwing him the ball. Unsurprisingly, Smith has been a lot more miss than hit thus far, bringing in only seven of 16 targets for 67 yards and a touchdown. In a passing game that isn't really geared toward the deep ball that's traditionally been Smith's forte, and talented youngsters in D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel behind him, Smith's outlook isn't very bright.
Kelvin Benjamin, Bills: Speaking of players hampered by inconsistent air attacks, Benjamin certainly qualifies as well. The former Panther has corralled an unsightly eight of 26 targets for 103 yards and a touchdown, as the accuracy limitations of both Nathan Peterman and rookie Josh Allen have led to a pedestrian season thus far for Benjamin. Considering Allen's talent and the fact he should continue improving as the season unfolds, Benjamin's prospects should eventually improve. However, there's not much light at the end of the tunnel for the time being.
DeVante Parker, Dolphins: Parker's continued injury struggles earn him this designation, as the Dolphins' No. 1 receiver simply can't get on the field. A finger injury that wiped out his first two games has given way to a quadriceps issue that's claimed Weeks 4 and 5. With all of 33 snaps to his name in 2018 and no reports of an imminent return to action, Parker is a fantasy non-factor at present.
Tight End
Jesse James, Steelers: James started the season like a house afire, averaging 24.8 yards on eight receptions against the Browns and Chiefs. That production is getting increasingly distant in the rear-view mirror, as he's logged just four targets over the last three games. Vance McDonald's emergence in Weeks 3 and 4 seemed partly responsible, but neither tight end was able to do anything of note in Week 5 against the Falcons. Given that the overwhelming amount of targets in the Steelers' offense run through Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster and the team's lead running back (which is still James Conner, for now) – and the fact McDonald is a better downfield option than James anyway – James appears set for just a modest role in the absence of injuries to key pass catchers ahead of him.
