Quarterbacks

Jacoby Brissett - Colts (12% Owned)

• $2-4
• I would NOT use #1 claim.
• Brissett's only thrown for two passing TDs on the szn, but he's proven to be way better than the Colts could've asked for without Andrew Luck. 
• In Week 5, Brissett threw for a season-high 314 yards on just 22 completions. The QB and his #1 WR T.Y. Hilton (177 yards in WEek 5) are gellin' like Paul Mitchell right now and would've had an even bigger day had Hilton came down with an easy long gain and a short TD pass.
• He's averaging about 21 rushing yards per game in his 4 starts and is tied for the league-lead in QB rushing touchdowns with 3 (Mariota), despite playing in one less game. He's also averaging 0.47 FP per dropback, which is tied with Russell Wilson for 12th among all QBs.
• Most importantly, Brissett gets to take on a Tennessee Titans defense that's given up a league-lead 12 TD passes to opponents through the first 5 weeks. Prior to facing arguably the worst starting QB in the league on Sunday (Cutler), the Titans have allowed at least 24 rushing yards to each of their past 3 faces QBs and let up 9 total touchdowns over the previous 2 weeks to mobile QBs Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson.
• Brissett is one of the best streaming options likely to be available on your wire for Week 6. Don't break the bank though, he has an impossible matchup against Jacksonville in Week 7, then he's @ CIN in Week 8 and before we know it Luck will be trotting onto the field. 

Brian Hoyer - 49ers (9% Owned)

• $1-3
• I would NOT use #1 claim.
• Hoyer was my top QB streamer in Week 5, having my back by throwing for 353 yards and two scores against the Indianapolis Colts in a 26-23 OT loss.
• Over his last 3 games, Hoyer has thrown the ball 132 times and is averaging over 306 passing yards per. Not too shabby. He isn't scoring too many touchdowns, 4 over that 3-game span, but it looks like this offense is starting to get the hang of HC Kyle Shanahan's offense. 
• Hoyer gets a plus matchup @ Washington in Week 6 who will be without Josh Norman. Then he'll get a home game versus the Cowboys who may again be without stud LB Sean Lee, and have allowed an 11:2 TD-to-INT ratio on the szn to opposing passers. After Dallas, the Niners will travel to Philly to take on a passing defense that is 8th worst on a yards per attempt basis (7.6) and ranked 29th in passing yards allowed per game (283.2).
• It won't be pretty, but Hoyer is definitely streamable.

Running Backs

Marlon Mack - Colts (8% Owned)

• $15-20
• I WOULD use #1 claim.
• He was one of my favorite sleeper RBs all offseason, one of the very few rookie RBs I thought would make a big impact this season, and I said many times, it would take weeks, probably not until the second half of the szn to see this come to fruition, but it's happening.
• Mack only saw 17 snaps in their Week 5 win, trailing both Frank Gore (39) and Robert Turbin (21) but was easily the most effective making play after play, racking up 91 rushing yards and a touchdown on only 9 carries. Despite missing Weeks 3 and 4 with a shoulder injury, Mack has out-produced Turbin on the ground 112-50, is tied with Frank Gore for the lead in rushing touchdowns with 2 (should have 3 if Chuck Pagano wasn't mentally handicapped), leads the backfield in yards per carry (4.5), yards after contact (3.0), is tied with Gore in total tackles alluded (7) on 50 less carries and he displays 3-down ability, reeling in all 3 of his targets on the year for 34 yards. 
• Again, depsite missing 2 games, Mack has more goalline carries (4) then Gore (3). He still trails Turbin (7), but Turbin hasn't been good enough (1 TD on the year) to warrant a locked role by the endzone.
• Pagano decided to shed the handicap medallion hanging on his necklace by coming out yesterday and saying that Mack has earned more touches going forward... shocking. If the Colts want to make the playoffs, and they're shockingly in a good spot to, Mack should work his way into a full RBBC here over the next few weeks with Gore while Turbin falls to the wayside. And by the time Luck is back in 3-4 weeks, Mack should be seeing 12+ touches a game and has heavy upside.
• On a fantasy team of mine that's lost Odell Beckham, Allen Robinson, Chris Carson, Danny Woodhead and now Charles Clay, I'm in desperate need of league winning upside players so I'll be betting heavy on Mack. I suggested $15-20, but if you're in a spot like me, $20-40 gets the thumbs up as well. 

Jerick McKinnon (25% Owned) - Vikings

• $20-30 on McKinnon.
• I WOULD use #1 claim on McKinnon, before Mack.
• I went in on this last week in my WW sheet, which you can find here, but I said McKinnon was my preferred back in this backfield, and I didn't really think it was close. I don't think he's great, but Latavius Murray is actually the opposite of great, and playing at less than 100% on a bum ankle. Based on the split we saw last szn between McKinnon and Asiata, I thought it was easy to see this kind of thing coming.
• I'm, not going to sit here and say I predicted McKinnon's MNF performance whatsoever, just that McKinnon > Murray was preferred on the wire. McKinnon was used as the Vikings featured back in their gutsy win versus Chicago. The SPARQ freak went off for 146 total yards and a touchdown on 21 touches, compared to just 31 yards on 12 touches for Murray.
• I'd still temper expectations here before we label him the next Dalvin Cook, and would even suggest selling-high if you see the right opportunity, because it was very likely a hot-hand thing last night. It wouldn't surprise me whatsoever to see Cook and Murray split touches 12-14 or something like that in Week 6 versus Green Bay, Murray likely still the goal-line back. The Vikings just had no reason to take McKinnon out last night, he was in the zone chief and they let him steal the show. But we've seen this story with McKinnon before - lined up for a big workload only to disappoint.
• That being said, he should still see 90% of 3rd downs, out-catch Murray 4-1 and see at minimum 40% of the early down work, so he's a low-mid RB2 with upside in PPR leagues moving forward. It's not everyday you can grab a guy like this on the wire.

Matt Breida - 49ers (7% Owned)

• $5-8
• I would NOT use #1 claim.
• Breida's been a popular "handcuff" pick throughout the year but it's still tough for me to sell him as anything but that. Hyde has been great. And despite HC Kyle Shanahan coming out and saying Breida's workload on Sunday was due to the hot hand and not Hyde's hip injury, I'm not buying it for a second.
• The simple numbers are this: Breida out-snapped Hyde 35-33 (Juszczyk 35). Breida rushed 10 times for 49 yards and caught 3-of-5 targets for 22 yards. Hyde carried the ball 8 times for 11 yards and caught his only target for 7.
• Hyde has been fantastic this year when healthy. Why would Shanahan say this stuff then? Well Hyde was on the sideline without his helmet on. Clearly he wasn't ready to get back in, the hip was bothering him, otherwise he would have been right up on the sideline next to the coach looking to get back on the field. Of course you're going to say it's not the injury, you don't want opposing team's to target his ailing hip and you want other team's to have to prepare for the idea of both backs splitting reps evenly, or "riding the hot hand". 
• Not to write off Breida, because he's really high up in the measurable department, SPARQ score and that shit, and he's played very well, but I really don't see any situation where Breida is startable outside of a serious Hyde injury. The hip is concerning, but he hasn't missed any full games and will probably be fine to go in Week 6 against Washington. If that's not the case, sure, fire Breida up as a great RB2. In my opinion, he's not worth going after on the wire because you'll never feel comfortable starting him. He won't win the job outright and suddenly see 18+ touches a game. You're using a roster spot in hopes of a Hyde injury.

Charcandrick West - Chiefs (6% Owned)

• $2-4
• I would NOT use #1 claim.
• This is just for Kareem Hunt owners.
• I don't like handcuffs and usually don't recommend them but West is one of the few and proud.

• He caught two touchdowns in their Week 5 win over Houston. He's not heavily used in this offense and is dominated in snaps and touches of course by Kareem Hunt, but the team likes using him on 3rd downs, near the endzone and in 2-minute drills. He has no standalone value but he’ll be a monster pick up if Hunt were to go down and Hunt owners shouldn't take his elite first 5 games for granted. 

Wayne Gallman - Giants (39% Owned)

• $8-15
• I would NOT use #1 claim, but fine if you have a later claim.
• With so much uncertainty in the G-Men backfield, Gallman was able to clear a few things up. First, he's better than Paul Perkins by about 6 kilometers. Second, he has 3-down ability (5 receptions in Week 5). Third, the Giants need something in this offense after everyone on their team left with ankle injuries. 
• With Perkins sidelined, Orleans Darkwa got the start but rotated evenly with the Giants rookie runner until eventually succumbing to a calf injury and giving way to WG. Darkwa likely just day-to-day.
• Gallman ran well, gaining 57 yards on 11 carries and adding 
  25 yards through the air on 5 catches. The 57 ground yards were the most by any G-Men running back in a game this season, Gallman held that mark with 42 in Week 4, only Shane Vereen has come within 30 yards of it (28 in Week 2).  No other running back not named Wayne Gallman has surpassed 11 touches on the season. He's done it in back-to-back games now, tallying 29 over their last 2.
• It's hard to say with this offensive line that they'll have to lean on the ground game given the injuries to OBJ, Shepard and B-Marsh... but I mean....
• Darkwa's admittedly ran pretty well this year on limited carries (5.8 ypc, 3.6 yac), so it wouldn't surprise me to see this go right back to an ~ even split if he's healthy. But it would also make sense to give Gallman a heavy workload going forward to see what he's got for their future. They have no shot of making the playoffs and might as well get a read on their young talent at this point.
• The Giants get an awful Week 6 tilt with Denver, so I wouldn't recommend starting a single player with NY on their helmet. But they follow with the Seahawks and Rams, both giving up at least  4.5 yards per carry to opposing rushers on the szn.

Elijah McGuire - Jets (16% Owned)

• $5-7
• I would NOT use #1 claim.
• A week after I told everyone Powell is nothing more than an RB3 only to see him go off for about 6,000 yards and a touchdown, I told everyone to start Powell without hesitation, naturally leading to a calf strain and a gorgeous 33 total yards against the Browns defense in Week 5.
• Forte already sidelined with a toe injury, the 6th round rookie McGuire had to step up in Powell's absence. He became the featured back in a featureless offense, gaining 30 yards from scrimmage on 13 touches. I will say though, the Browns have been one of the top rush defenses this year, a major surprise a year after ranking 31st (4.6), allowing just 2.9 ypc to opposing rushers, 2nd best in the NFL behind only Denver (2.4).
• The New York Daily News' Manish Mehta, whoever that is, doesn't expect Powell to be ready for the Jets' Week 6 game at home against the Patriots. If that's the case (assuming Forte is out too), McGuire should see a ton of work against a Patriots team allowing 5.0 yards per carry, 124 rushing yards per game and the 2nd most fantasy points to the running back position in 2017. He'd be a sure-fire RB2 if both guys miss time. If you're in desperate need of an RB for Week 6, you can probably out-bid your league-mates if you raise the anti in hopes of buying a win with McGuire.

Wide Receivers

Cooper Kupp - Rams (47% Owned)

• $5-8
• I would NOT use #1 claim.
• Kupp's seen 15 targets over the Rams last two games. He went 5-60-1 in Week 4 only to disappoint on Sunday grabbing just 3-of-8 targets for 44 yards. He did, however, miss a big ~20-yard TD at the end of the game that should've lined him up for two good fantasy games in a row and we'd be looking at Kupp differently.
• Kupp is still my favorite fantasy WR on the much-improved Rams. You're not going to want to start anyone here against the Jaguars #1 ranked pass d in Week 6, but they get a home game against Arizona in Week 7 who we just saw get smacked by another sophomore QB in Carson Wentz to the tune of 4 passing touchdowns. While Patrick Peterson will likely drape on the disappointing Sammy Watkins, Kupp should be left to roam free in the slot where Nelson Agholor smacked a 4-93-1 line on the Cards.
• Kupp is a solid floor play in PPR with WR2 upside on any given week. He's someone I wouldn't let float around the wire, especially with bye weeks approaching.

JuJu Smith-Schuster - Steelers (5% Owned)

• $2-3
• I would NOT use #1 claim.
• For the third consecutive week, the Steelers 2nd-round WR has out-snapped Martavis Bryant. JJSS has just one less catch than Bryant over that span and has out-gained the alien 144-99 while scoring a touchdown against 0 for Bryant. The rook has now scored twice in the four games he's played.
• I'm in now way shape or form suggesting I'd rather own the rookie over Bryant, but it's notable in an offense that continues to shy away from feeding the ball to the best running back in the world. The Steelers are tied for the 4th most pass attempts in the league, averaging 39 chucks a game. 
• As the clear slot receiver, and a now integral part of this offense, JJSS is worth an add in deeper PPR leagues. 

John Brown - Cardinals (37% Owned)

• $6-10
• I would NOT use #1 claim.
• I've said this every week for the last few, but the Cardinals pass-catchers are the Patriots running backs of fantasy WRs. It's nearly impossible to guess who will produce on a week-to-week basis.
• What I like most about John Brown is of course that we've seen him do it over a full season, back in 2015 when he broke out for 65-1,003-7. As the story goes, he's been plagued with injuries ever since.
• I'm not even sure he's 100% healthy right now, but he's playing well enough to unconfidently say that he is. John Brown played on 76% of the Cardinals snaps in Week 5, 2nd most of any WR behind Fitz (Jaron - 53%, J.J. Nelson - 62%). But a reminder, this comes just a week after Jaron Brown played on 93% of their snaps and literally snapped for 8 catches and 105 yards.
• This was, however, the second consecutive week John Brown say 7 targets. He hasn't been efficient on the 14 targets, catching only five of them for 73 yards but he reeled in the Cardinals only touchdown in Week 5. 
• Brown's a guy I want to pickup, but not necessarily start right away if I don't have to. At least not until we know for certain his snaps are going to remain around 70-80%. If he can stay on the field, the targets should flow and the efficiency should increase. Brown's average depth of target has been an incredible 20.2 yards over the last two weeks. If he continues to get these types of targets in an offense where Palmer isn't afraid to chuck, also ranking 1st in the NFL in pass attempts (45/game), 7 of them per game being deep attempts (20+ yards downfield, ranked #1 in NFL), Brown has some serious weekly upside and breakout appeal if he can stay healthy... nothing you didn't know. 
• The Cardinals play the Bucs and then the Rams, both very beatable through the air.

Jermaine Kearse - Jets (31% Owned)

• $2-5
• I would NOT use #1 claim.
• Ehh, idk...
• Another usable line of 4-38-1 in Week 5. It's Kearse's 3rd touchdown on the year through 5 games.
• The Jets get a slate of NE, @MIA and ATL over the next 3 weeks.
• With lots of teams on byes, Kearse should give you a weekly floor of 4 catches, 40-50 yards and a coin flip to score.

Taylor Gabriel - Falcons (17% Owned)

• $3-6
• I would NOT use #1 claim.
• Julio Jones was banged up (hip) in the Falcons Week 4 game versus Buffalo, as was Mohamed Sanu (hamstring). While Julio should be ready to roll in their Week 6 game against, Sanu is expected to miss at least one week, possibly two. In his absence, Gabriel should play the WR2 role against the Dolphins and possibly the Patriots in Week 7. 
• Despite laying a dud against the Bills in Week 4 while Jones and Sanu were injured, Gabriel had a great 5-79-1 line in Week 3. What I like most, however, is that coming off the bye, Gabriel and the Falcons have had the necessary time to prepare for him as the WR2.
• When we look back to 2016, with Shanahan calling the shots, Gabriel broke out because they had a lot of designed plays manufactured for Gabriel. Coming off a bye week, knowing Gabriel is the WR2, I think they'll have at least a couple of plays that target Gabriel for big plays in this one. It's a bit of a dart throw, but he should see somewhere between 5-8 targets in this one, and I'd bet one or two of them are deep shots.

Tight Ends

Austin Hooper - Falcons (44% Owned)

• $5-8
• I would NOT use #1 claim.
• Much like Gabriel, Hooper should benefit from Sanu being sidelined. He hasn't done shit since that Week 1 explosion of 128 yards and a tuddy, but the Falcons will need a sure-handed target to step up outside of Julio Jones.
• With their WR1/2 sidelined in Week 4, Hooper caught a szn-high 5 passes on a szn-high 7 targets. I'd expect another 5-7 targets in Week 6 against a Dolphins team allowing the 6th most FP to TEs on the year. 
• The Falcons have a team projected total of 29 points in Week 6 so look for Matty Ice to light up the Dolphins defense.
• The Falcons will travel to Foxborough a Superbowl rematch with the Patricunts in Week 7, a team allowing the 4th most FPs to the TE position in what will almost definitely have an over/under of 52-56 points. Sanu may not be back in time for that game either.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins - Jets (28% Owned)

• $3-5
• I would NOT use #1 claim.
• ASJ finally found paydirt versus the Browns in Week 5, making it the first TD of the season.
• Since returning from suspension in Week 3, ASJ has commanded a 22.5% target market share of the Jets being leaned on by McCown heavily similar to yesteryears in Cleveland with McCown and Gary Barnidge.
• ASJ's 18 targets from WK3-5 rank 6th among all TEs in the NFL.
• He doesn't have much big-play ability, his receiving-high on the year is just 46 yards, but he has a great target floor and is likely going to be McCown's favorite RZ target for the remainder of the year as the two continue to get more comfortable together.
• Like Hooper above, this Austin will take on the Pats and the Dolphins but in reverse order, 4th and 6th most generous defenses against fantasy TEs.

Ed Dickson - Panthers (6% Owned)

• $3-5
• I would NOT use my #1 claim.
• 175 yards Edward???
• That's what Dickson totaled in Week 5 on just 5 targets. That makes consecutive solid weeks for the Panthers TE who caught 3 balls for 62 yards in Week 4.
• I guess it's safe to say Cam is byke. And we know how heavily Cam relied on G-Reg throughout his career. I expect similar usage with Dickson as the primary TE on a Panthers team who've thrown for 671 yards and 6 touchdowns over the last two weeks.
• They'll take on Philly at home before traveling to CHItown to wrestle with the Bears, neither matchup too scary. Dickson is a great streaming option going forward.

David Njoku - Browns (7% Owned)

• $1-2
• I would NOT use my #1 claim.
• This is fully reliant on Kevin Hogan getting the nod at QB for the Browns. Kizer has been and was terrible on Sunday, when he was benched for Hogan who came in and threw up a 194 spot with two touchdowns on 16-of-19 passing.
• One of those touchdowns went to Njoku, making it his 3rd on the year in just 5 games, on only 15 targets. The two have flashed great chemistry on just a handful of plays. The rookie freak of a TE has caught 2-of-3 touchdowns by way of Hogan's arm on the yung szn.
• This is more of a long-term play, pickup and stash kind of thing with Njoku because he's still in a near 50/50 snap split with sophomore TE Seth DeValve at the moment. But I'm interested to see how this plays out if Hogan is under center, I think it would give Njoku a boost near the top-15 TEs in fantasy.

Nick O'Leary - Bills (0% Owned)

• $1-2
• I would NOT use my #1 claim.
• With Charlles Clay sidelined indefinitely with a knee injuryt, O'Leary will be the next man up in this Bills offense. I feel like I've said that 41 times already this year.
• Per John Daigle (@notJDaigle on Twitter), "Tyrod Taylor had 25 attempt without Charles Clay on Sunday. Nick O'Leary led #Bills with 7-of-25 targets (28%)."
• That target market share was right around what Clay was seeing while healthy. Taylor will have to throw the ball somewhere, and it can't be Jordan Matthews or Charles Clay for the time being. It would probably be in Taylor's best interest for it not to be 2nd-round rookie Zay Jones either, who's been atrocious in 2017. We've already seen Taylor choose that guy to be O'Leary.
• He's a viable PPR streamer for the time being.. after their Week 6 bye that is when they'll take on TB, OAK, @NYJ, NO. Zamn do I wish Clay was healthy for this stretch.

Defenses

Atlanta Falcons vs. Miami Dolphins (24% Owned)

• $0-2
• I would NOT use #1 claim.
• Fresh off their bye week possibly at full health and strength, the Falcons get a beautiful matchup with possibly the NFL's worst offense at the moment led by a shell of Jay Cutler who I feel like has been spending too much time with their former offensive LINE coach, if you feel what I'm saying. 
• The Dolphins have scored 16 total points over their last 3 outings. 16. Cutler's thrown 4 pics during that span and could top 92 passing yards versus one of the worst pass D's in the NFL (Titans) in Week 5.
• The Falcons all-pro edge defender Vic Beasley practiced on Monday for the first time since slightly tearing his hamstring in Week 2. He's still very much questionable for the Week 6 tilt but if he can suit up it'd be a big boost to this defense who recorded 7 sacks with him in the lineups (wks 1-2). The Dolphins have allowed 8 sacks over the last 3 weeks and given the current circumstances surrounding their offensive line and it's former coach, it's safe to say it'll still be in shambles.
• The Falcons haven't been a great fantasy defense in 2017, but they've combined for 17 fantasy points in their two home games and the Dolphins have allowed a combined 39 fantasy points to opposing fantasy defenses over the L3 weeks. Yeah you get it they've been bad over the last 3 weeks.
• The Falcons are 11.5 point favorites in this one.

I also like the Redskins at home versus the 49ers this week even without Josh Norman, I'm too lazy to format the header and shit for this one. The Skins, coming off of a bye week as well, will be at home as 10 point favorites. Washington has 8 sacks over their last two games, and are averaging 13 fantasy points at home in 2017. The 49ers have allowed 15 sacks on the season. 

Additional Notes

• I shit you not, I would throw $7 of my FAAB budget at Terrelle Owens if the Giants signed him.

• Aaron Jones & Andre Ellington still available in 35% of leagues. Aaron Jones would be #1 priority, Ellington #4 behind McKinnon and Mack.

• Sterling Shepard is available in ~35% of leagues. With OBJ and Marshall lost for the szn, look for a huge bump in targets for the only proven and talented WR left on this decimated roster.

• Ricardo Louis in deeper leagues, with Britt out - has 17 targets over the L2 games and 135 yards.