October 26, 2023
NBA

Weekly NBA Injury Report: How to React

We look at who's injured and recommend possible replacements
Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Injuries are a never-ending problem with NBA basketball and taking advantage of their fill-ins can be one of the keys to winning in any fantasy situation, whether it be DFS, season-long or any other format you can think of. Each week we’ll take a look at the injury report on Wednesdays and recommend replacement players and other impacts of what the report looks like.

Since we’re just a couple of days into the season, the report is a bit light this week, but as we saw on Tuesday night, the absence of Draymond Green (ankle) and Bradley Beal (back) prompted guys like Jonathan Kuminga and Josh Okogie to get the attention of fantasy managers. Here’s a look at what injuries might create opportunities for players who may not have even been drafted in your league. And we’ll take a look at every team’s starting lineup that is in action tonight, since the injury season isn’t quite upon us.

Atlanta Hawks - No significant injuries outside of Wesley Matthews (calf). This shouldn’t have an impact on Wednesday’s game but Jalen Johnson is a guy fantasy managers will want to keep an eye on everywhere. If he goes off early, think about scooping him up in your league.

Boston Celtics - The Celtics’ injury report is clean heading into Wednesday’s opener and Derrick White is a favorite sleeper in Boston. Additionally, Peyton Pritchard had a fun preseason and will be worth keeping an eye on tonight.

Brooklyn Nets - Dariq Whitehead is the only Net showing up on the report and I can’t wait to see what Mikal Bridges, Nic Claxton and Ben Simmons do on Wednesday night.

Charlotte Hornets - The Hornets’ injury report is loaded with names, but the key is that the starters are intact here, meaning LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward, P.J. Washington and Mark Williams should all have a fun night against the Hawks. If Washington went undrafted in your league, think about picking him up. Miles Bridges may not play at all this season, which would be big for PJW.

Chicago Bulls - The Bulls’ injury report is clean and we won’t see Lonzo Ball this season. Coby White looks like the starting point guard for the Bulls and he appeared to turn a corner late last season and looked very good in the preseason. If he was undrafted in your league, he’s going to be worth a look. If he goes to work early in this one be ready to pull the trigger on him. Patrick Williams is another player to keep a close eye on early on Wednesday.

Cleveland Cavaliers - Darius Garland (hamstring) is iffy for tonight and if he can’t go Ty Jerome and Caris LeVert are going to be interesting streaming options. Donovan Mitchell is the star of this team and my guess is that Garland will power through his injury on Cleveland’s opening night.

Dallas Mavericks - Kyrie Irving (groin) should be good to go while Luka Doncic (calf) is no longer feeling pain, meaning both players should be ready for Wednesday night. Just make sure that Luka is good to go before locking him into lineups. Josh Green, Grant Williams, Dereck Lively and Jaden Hardy are the other Mavericks who might make some noise against the Spurs tonight, but I don’t really trust any of them.

Denver Nuggets - Nikola Jokic triple-doubled on Tuesday with 29 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists and all five starters scored in double figures (Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr., Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope). Gordon scored 15 with a full stat line, MPJ had a 12 & 12 double-double, Murray racked up 21 points and six dimes, and KCP came through with 20 points, three steals and a couple of 3-pointers.

Detroit Pistons - Bojan Bogdanovic (calf), Isaiah Livers (ankle) and Monte Morris (quad) are all out for the Pistons, but their starting lineup of Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren should all be good to go against the Heat on Wednesday. If Thompson or Ivey weren’t drafted in your league, think about pouncing on them if they get off to a good start tonight.

Golden State Warriors - The Warriors got 27 points from Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson had 15 and Chris Paul got some revenge against his former team with 14 points, six rebounds and nine assists, despite hitting just 4-of-15 shots. He only started because Draymond Green was out with an ankle injury and I don’t trust CP3 this year. Jonathan Kuminga came off the bench for 12 points, six rebounds, two steals and a block, but it still feels like Steve Kerr is never actually going to turn him loose.

Houston Rockets - The Rockets are at Orlando on Wednesday and Tari Eason and Victor Oladipo are out. Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Jabari Smith and Alperen Sengun should all be good to go and I’m excited to see if Smith can build on last year’s success. Sengun is also a popular fantasy play this season and should have a field day against Wendell Carter Jr.

Indiana Pacers - The Pacers host the Wizards tonight and have a clean injury report. Starters Tyrese Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin, Bruce Brown, Obi Toppin and Myles Turner look like the starters. Mathurin, Brown and Toppin are all worth keeping a close eye on if they went undrafted in your league while Buddy Hield should make some nice noise off the Pacer bench as a 3-point specialist.

Los Angeles Clippers - The Clippers host Portland and Bones Hyland, Terance Mann and Josh Primo are all on the injury report, not that it matters. The good news is that Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Robert Covington and Ivica Zubac are all playing. If Covington gets off to a hot start he’ll be worth a look, but should be a hit-or-miss player on most nights, depending on what his teammates are doing.

L.A. Lakers - The Lakers fell to the Nuggets on Tuesday night and Anthony Davis threw away a solid first half by failing to score a single point in the second half of the game, ruining fantasy managers’ nights along the way. Jarred Vanderbilt sat out for the Lakers and Taurean Prince came through for fantasy managers with 18 points and four 3-pointers on 6-of-8 shooting. Keep a close eye on him in case he does it again on Thursday against the Suns. LeBron James led the way in Tuesday’s loss with a 21-8-5 line and all five starters (Davis, Prince, James, D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves) scored in double figures.

Memphis Grizzlies - Santi Aldama is out tonight due to an ankle injury along with Brandon Clarke (Achilles) and Ja Morant (suspension), so Xavier Tillman should get all the work he can handle against the Kings. Tillman is a nice streamer/DFS option and was also a popular late pick in fantasy drafts when it was announced that Steven Adams would miss the entire season (knee). Aldama will return to eat into Tillman’s minutes, but  as long as Aldama is out, Tillman’s the play here. Marcus Smart, Desmond Bane, Ziaire Williams and Jaren Jackson Jr. should round out the starting lineup for Memphis and Williams is another guy to keep a close eye on tonight. I’m fully expecting for Bane and JJJ to go off tonight.

Miami Heat - The Heat host the Pistons and are fairly healthy, sans Haywood Highsmith and Josh Richardson, who are both out tonight. The Heat should start Tyler Herro, Caleb Martin, Jimmy Butler, Kevin Love and Bam Adebayo and it’s a little surprising how much Martin is being forgotten about in fantasyland. Especially once Butler starts missing games for Miami. This could be the last hurrah for Love and I’m not expecting much.

Milwaukee Bucks - Cameron Payne is iffy with a thigh injury while the rest of the team should be healthy when they host the Sixers on Thursday. Everyone is anxious to see Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo play together in Game 1 and they’ll likely be joined by Malik Beasley, Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez in the starting lineup. No one is talking about Beasley, so I’m interested to see what he does in the opener.

Minnesota Timberwolves - Jaylen Clark and Jaden McDaniels are both out for the Wolves tonight, which shouldn’t make an impact on what they do. Minnesota will start Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert. I think Ant is about ready to take over the NBA universe with a huge season, Conley has become a forgotten man in fantasy at age 36 and we’re still waiting for NAW to have a breakout season. If Towns can stay healthy he’s going to be a fantasy steal this season. Kyle Anderson should be the best bench player here and could make some noise for Sixth Man of the Year if he gets off to a good start.

New Orleans Pelicans - The Pelicans are at Memphis and get this - they’re kind of healthy. Jose Alvarado, Naji Marshall and Trey Murphy are all out but both Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram should be healthy and ready to go. The health of those two is one of the biggest questions in fantasy this season and if they can both stay on the court, the sky’s the limit for the Pelicans. Herbert Jones is too much of an offensive liability for most fantasy managers, while C.J. McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas are simply vanilla flavors without much upside at this point in their careers. A lot of folks think Zion is going to have a big year but I’d like to see him make it through Week 1 in one piece before getting too excited.

New York Knicks - The Knicks have a clean injury slate and Jalen Brunson, Quentin Grimes, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson are expected to start against the Celtics tonight. Brunson is a fantasy monster, Grimes is a fantasy sleeper, Barrett is a volume scorer and a fantasy liability, and we’ll all be waiting to see if Robinson can finally put it all together in year six.

Oklahoma City Thunder - The Thunder visit the Bulls and are at the top of my list for teams to watch on NBA League Pass this season. Kenrich Williams and Jalin Williams are both out for OKC but starters Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Luguentz Dort, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are good to go and we’re all dying to see how Holmgren and the Thunder will play this season. No one is talking about Dort and I didn’t draft him anywhere, as the Thunder just have too many other weapons to be excited about. Look for the Thunder to try to make a statement on opening night.

Orlando Magic - The Magic will host Houston and will be without Kevon Harris, while Gary Harris will be a game-time call due to a groin injury. Those injuries shouldn’t have an impact and the Magic should start Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. in Game 1. It will be interesting to see if Fultz and Banchero can take a step forward this season, Wagner looks like a star in the making, and WCJ and Suggs should be serviceable fantasy players, especially in deeper leagues.

Philadelphia 76ers - We won’t see the Sixers until Thursday night when they visit the Bucks and will come into that one mostly whole. The key missing piece will be James Harden, who isn’t likely to play a game for the Sixers this season while feuding with Daryl Morey. It’s anyone’s guess as to when and where Harden will land somewhere else, and I’ve grown a bit tired of waiting. Harden has become an afterthought to anyone who didn’t draft him in fantasy. Tyrese Maxey and De’Anthony Melton should both be fun in fantasy without Harden in the fold, Joel Embiid will try to win the MVP Award, and starters Tobias Harris and P.J. Tucker remain two of the most boring fantasy players in the NBA.

Phoenix Suns - The new-look Suns got a tough road win at Golden State on Tuesday as Devin Booker scored 32 points. Bradley Beal was out with a back injury and Josh Okogie stepped up with 17 points and five rebounds. I’m not messing with him yet, but it was an interesting debut. On the flip side, Grayson Allen missed all six of his shots and was a total dud as an injury replacement for Beal. Kevin Durant and Jusuf Nurkic both played well and Nurkic was particularly exciting with 14 points, 14 boards and a block in 28 minutes. If he can stay healthy he should be a very serviceable center this season. Devin Booker and Bradley Beal are both doubtful for play on Thursday.

Portland Trail Blazers - Ish Wainwright is out for the Blazers and they’ll likely start Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, Matisse Thybulle, Jerami Grant and Deandre Ayton. Ayton should be playing with a chip on his shoulder, big things are expected from Simons with Damian Lillard now in Milwaukee and Shaedon Sharpe is expected to make plenty of noise this season whether he’s starting or coming off the bench.

Sacramento Kings - The Kings are at Utah and will be without Trey Lyles (calf), while Chris Duarte is questionable with a knee injury. Starters De’Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis will look to pick up where they left off in last year’s dream season and I’m expecting Murray to take a big leap forward this season. Sasha Vezenkov is a deep fantasy sleeper and will be worth keeping an eye on and Malik Monk could be sneaky in deep leagues.

San Antonio Spurs - Center Zach Collins is on the injury report with an illness but our guess is it will take more than a head cold to keep him from playing on opening night. The Spurs should be starting a lineup of Jeremy Sochan, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Victor Wembanyama and Collins, with Tre Jones contributing solidly off the bench. I think the Spurs are going to be better than advertised and Wednesday’s matchup against Dallas should be one of the most watched games on League Pass tonight. Wemby is going to EAT as there is no one in Dallas who can stop him.

Toronto Raptors - The Raptors will host the Timberwolves and are healthy except for Christian Koloko (illness), which will have no fantasy impact. Dennis Schroder looks like the new starting point guard in Toronto with Fred VanVleet in Houston and he’ll be joined by O.G. Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam and Jakob Poeltl in the starting unit. Barnes has serious breakout potential this season and it should be fun to see what he can do tonight against the Wolves.

Utah Jazz - The Jazz have a clean health report and should start Jordan Clarkson, Talen Horton-Tucker, Lauri Markkanen, John Collins and Walker Kessler. Clarkson is under the fantasy radar, THT had a nice preseason and has a lot of fantasy managers excited to see what he can do, Markkanen will look to build on last season’s success, Collins is looking for new life with a new team and Kessler will try to lead the league in blocked shots, as well as take a big step forward after an impressive rookie season. This team should be deceptively good and THT may end up being one of the hotter pickups off the waiver wire in Week 1 if things go well tonight.

Washington Wizards - The Wizards visit the Pacers and will be without Johnny Davis, Anthony Gill and Landry Shamet. While they’ll be one of the worst teams in the league in reality, there are a lot of fantasy positives here. Can Jordan Poole lead the league in scoring? Yes. Will Kyle Kuzma have a career year playing in his shadow? Yes. Can Daniel Gafford flirt with leading the league in blocks and become a dominant fantasy center? Possibly. Additionally, Bilal Coulibaly could start over Deni Avdija and be a steals monster if it happens. He’ll be a hot waiver-wire pickup if things go well on opening night. Tyus Jones should also be a solid starting fantasy point guard running the offense in Washington. If you somehow drafted Deni Avdija, I’d recommend being ready to pull the trigger if Coulibaly gets hot early on Wednesday.

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Schedule

Philles at Braves, Game 2, 6:07 p.m. ET

Diamondbacks at Dodgers, Game 2, 9:07 p.m. ET

Weather Report

There doesn’t appear to be anything that should prevent either of Monday’s games from being played.

Injury Report

Kyle Wright, Braves RHP, shoulder: Wright’s season was already over after being placed on the 60-day injured list, but multiple outlets have reported that he’s likely to undergo surgery that will cause him to miss the 2024 season. It’s a disappointing development for a pitcher that was so good in 2022 -- 3.19 ERA, 21-5 record -- but now will have essentially two missed seasons.

Top Priced Starting Pitchers (DraftKings)
  • Zack Wheeler @ ATL: $8,800
  • Zac Gallen @ LAD: $8,500
  • Max Fried vs. PHI: $8,000
  • Bobby Miller vs. ARI: $6,900

If Wheeler and Gallen pitch up to their potential, there’s a very good chance they’ll lead their respective teams to 2-0 leads despite playing the first two contests on the road.

Both hurlers have faced their respective opponents multiple times in 2023, with Wheeler posting a 3.32 ERA with a 21/6 K/BB in three starts against Atlanta, while Gallen struggled against the Dodgers with a 9.90 ERA and four homers in two outings and 10 innings. The sample is relatively small, but it’s a easier to have confidence in Wheeler.

Fried was a very effective option when healthy (2.55 ERA, 1.13 WHIP), but he was limited to 14 starts and 77 2/3 innings because of injuries and hasn’t started a game since Sept. 21 because of a blister on his left index finger.

That adds more risk on top of the Phillies having plenty of quality right-handed hitters -- and good lefties, too -- but Fried is worth roster consideration based on his track record. That and the limited options, of course.

Miller is making his first postseason start, which is a little scary, but his success in the second half of the season makes him arguably the most intriguing arm going. Over his last 10 starts, the rookie right-hander has a 3.25 ERA over 61 innings, held hitters to an OPS of .575 and registered a 57/15 K/BB ratio.

There’s no denying the Diamondbacks have looked fantastic so far in the postseason -- a bit weird considering how poor they looked at the end of the regular season -- but Miller makes an awful lot of sense to pair with a pitcher like Wheeler or Fried; whomever you like to win that game.

Stack Attack

Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks (Gallen)

  • C Will Smith: $4,500
  • 2B Mookie Betts: $6,200
  • 3B Max Muncy: $4,200
  • OF J.D. Martinez $4,300

So far, I’ve been about as wrong as it gets when picking against the Diamondbacks, but I’ll try one more time. The Dodgers have done a very nice job of bouncing back from losses over the past few postseasons, and they appear to pick the baseball up well against Gallen based on their numbers.

This is a borderline must-win game for LA. It’s not impossible to come back from an 0-2 hole in a five-game series, but it’s awfully hard -- and I’ll (literally) bet on them coming out hot after their absolute disaster of a Game 1 on Saturday.

Veterans aren't the most exciting players to draft in fantasy basketball, but sometimes the boring and safe picks hit more often than chasing upside too early. And some veterans are aging like fine wine and often find themselves cheaply priced in drafts, making them solid values overall.

Here are several NBA senior citizens who are still getting the job done at a high level.

DeMar DeRozan

Chicago’s roster looks almost identical to last season, making DeRozan a very easy player to project for fantasy. He's still very much in his prime at age 34, with his last two seasons being the most impressive stretch of his career. Chicago’s point guard rotation is a mess, so that means we can expect to see plenty of DeRozan with the ball in his hands.

Chicago is in good hands, however. DeRozan ranked in the 89th percentile in pick-and-rolls last season. And unlike other players at his age, DeRozan doesn’t take many nights off and averaged 75 games over the past couple seasons. That’s unlikely to change with the Bulls looking to get back into the playoffs in 2023-24. You cannot go wrong with taking DeRozan in the fifth round, and if you’re already punting 3s, he’ll be even more valuable.

LeBron James

You’d think LeBron would be declining rapidly after 20 seasons, but he operates under a different set of rules when it comes to Father Time. LeBron has been held back by a very serious foot injury for the past couple years, but now he claims to be fully healthy again and he looked very spry to open training camp, moving around like someone a decade younger.

He has publicly said he’s ready to turn the spotlight over to Anthony Davis, but at the end of the day, he’s still LeBron James and he’s still going to eat. Despite playing on one leg last year, he managed a second-round finish in 9-cat. His 3-point shot is trending down as he settles for more bad looks and his defensive output isn’t what it used to be, but LeBron can still go out there and get 25 points, eight assists and eight rebounds in his sleep.

Chris Paul

Chris Paul has lost a step, and then another. He'll be 39 years old when the playoffs roll around. But it sounds like the Warriors are going to start him next to Steph Curry, and if that happens it means his minutes should stay north of 28.

Paul’s ADP of 72 in Yahoo is actually a couple spots cheaper than it was a few weeks ago, so he’s relatively affordable in fantasy drafts.

Assists are one of the most valuable categories in fantasy basketball because it’s not a category you can make up ground in during the middle and late rounds, so that really helps Paul’s case.

Curry said the addition of Paul has been a “seamless” fit so far, and those two were getting in a ton of reps together well before training camp started. Plus, the Warriors will have a focused Andrew Wiggins back in the mix this season, and hopefully a motivated Jonathan Kuminga to give Paul two really nice cutters and lob threats.

Klay Thompson

After a few years of horrendous injury luck, Klay surprised a ton of people when he played 69 games in 2022-23. He averaged 21.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and a career-high 4.4 triples on a 41% clip.

The addition of Chris Paul can only help Klay, as he now has another elite playmaker creating easy looks for him on the perimeter. It’s no secret the Warriors don’t have as much frontcourt depth, so there’s been a lot of talk of Klay possibly playing the 4 for stretches. A bump in rebounding and defensive stats is suddenly on the table with this news, making him a reasonable selection with an ADP of 78.

Brook Lopez

Let’s not kid ourselves. Brook Lopez probably isn’t going to have another second-round campaign in 9-cat like he did in 2022-23, as that was pretty much the perfect storm with so many injuries in Milwaukee.

The Bucks enter the season at full strength, with the exception of Khris Middleton, who is still on the mend. Giannis Antetokounmpo will likely find more minutes at center after playing a career-high 41% of his minutes there last season. Lopez is also going to see his block rate come back to earth after registering a 6.7% compared to his career average of 4.9%. His ADP of 65 on Yahoo is not cheap, but often times you will see him fall to the end of the middle round with so many managers chasing youth and upside over safe and “boring” veterans.

Draymond Green

Dray is coming off his worst fantasy season since 2013-14, and although the Warriors paid him the big bucks, he’s clearly at the tail end of his career. The addition of Chris Paul also complicates things, as Paul taking the ball out of Green’s hands even more neutralizes one of his last few remaining strengths.

There’s another way to look at this though. With less offensive responsibility, maybe we can see Green put together one or two more elite defensive seasons in which we see his steal/block rates climb to the levels we were once spoiled with.

The Warriors have very little frontcourt depth and won’t be able to load manage Green as much as Steve Kerr was probably hoping to, so that should help keep Green’s games played up. With an ADP just shy of 100, Green is very cheap and can still be useful in the right punt builds.

Mike Conley

After looking “washed” with the Jazz early on in 2022-23, a trade to Minnesota rejuvenated the veteran in a big way. He averaged14.0 points, 5.0 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 2.4 triples on a 46/42/86 shooting line while playing 31 minutes per night.

Conley ranked in the 98th percentile on pick-and-rolls, making him a tremendous fit alongside Minnesota’s two stud centers in Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns. He was also the second-best corner 3-point shooter, and that will be something that Anthony Edwards will be constantly looking for on his frequent drives. With a dirt-cheap ADP on most sites, Conley is a no-brainer pick and clearly has a lot left in the tank.

Al Horford

I wasn’t initially on board with Horford in what will be his age-37 season, but the Celtics are extremely thin up front and had to trade away Robert Williams in order to acquire Jrue Holiday. Sure, the Celtics have Kristaps Porzingis, but he’s not exactly Mr. Durable.

After that, we’re look at a group that consists of Luke Kornet and Wenyen Gabriel. Not ideal.

Horford will almost certainly have some maintenance days this season, but how many of those can the Celtics afford with this shallow of a roster? Horford was a 6th-round fantasy value in 9-cat last season and finds himself in an ideal situation to repeat his success.

Gordon Hayward

This might be a reach, but hey, Hayward has to have some good injury luck at least one time in five years, right? Charlotte’s roster is underwhelming yet again, and Hayward is an odd fit on a roster that’s destined to find themselves at the front of the tank race of 2024.

There’s been some talk of Hayward possibly coming off the bench in a sixth man role which honestly might suit him the best, and the Hornets have every incentive to play him in order to get his market value back up for the trade deadline. Hayward is still a very good player on the few occasions he’s healthy enough to play, most recently averaging 14.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.0 triples.

This is one of the most exciting rookie classes in recent memory, but not all of them are going to make a splash right away. With preseason ramping up, there will be a handful of additions to this list. But for now, there are eight rookies from the 2023 draft class that could make serious noise this season.

Victor Wembanyama

I don’t normally draft rookies aggressively, but Wembanyama is the exception. Wemby already has pro experience coming from a highly respected league in France, averaging 20.9 points on 47/27/82 shooting with 10.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 3.0 blocks. The last rookie to produce a first-round fantasy campaign was Karl-Anthony Towns in 2015-16, but Wemby has an even better stat profile and will be San Antonio’s top offensive option the second he takes the floor.

I’m going to have a ridiculous amount of Wemby shares if his ADP remains in the third round.

Scoot Henderson

Unlike Charlotte, I think it’s painfully obvious that Scoot Henderson should’ve come off the board at No. 2. We haven’t seen a point guard with this frame and athletic build since Russell Westbrook or prime Derrick Rose. Scoot has a lightning-quick first step and can get to the rim at will, but he can also stop on a dime and showcase his outstanding mid-range game. He also has a 6-9 wingspan and monstrous hands, something that will allow him to generate heaps of steals and blocks.

The Blazers did Scoot a solid and got rid of the distractions caused by the Damian Lillard saga, and Malcolm Brogdon is expected to be flipped. That leaves Scoot and Anfernee Simons with the keys to the offense. I would target Scoot aggressively in points leagues, but in 9-cat I think it would be better to acquire him later on in his rookie season when he has a chance to learn the ropes.

Rookie PGs are notorious for struggling with efficiency and turnovers, and it doesn’t help Scoot’s case that he doesn’t have a 3-point shot to fall back on when teams start crowding the paint.

Amen Thompson

Amen was in the top three of my rookie board and will be a 99th percentile athlete in the NBA right out of the gate. And with Kevin Porter Jr. out of the equation in Houston, Amen suddenly has an even better path to playing time. He’ll likely be ready as a floor general and primary playmaker someday, but Fred VanVleet will handle that role in the meantime while the rookie learns the ropes.

Amen has the size and strength to be used all over the floor, and the Rockets will be relying heavily on his defense early. He averaged 2.3 steals and 0.9 blocks for Overtime Elite, and while he doesn’t have a reliable jumper yet, his FG% could be very appealing because of his ability to generate points in the paint.

But just like Scoot, I like the idea of trading for him before the second half of the season as opposed to spending a draft pick on him since he’ll have some early bumps in the road as he figures out his role.

Ausar Thompson

You can argue that Amen may have the higher ceiling, but Ausar may have a better shot at extended minutes right away in Detroit. In fact, he’s already drawing rave reviews from head coach Monty Williams and may even win a starting job. “We think he’s gonna be phenomenal and we think he’s going to be an integral part of our team. There’s a chance that can happen right away, based on what we’ve seen this summer and in camp.”

Just like his brother, Ausar has steal/block rates that are through the roof with 2.4 steals and 1.1 blocks per game with Overtime Elite. He’s also a very capable playmaker, so it will be interesting to see how much freedom he’ll have to create while playing next to a ball-dominant Cade Cunningham.

Brandon Miller

It’s no secret that I’m not a big Miller fan, and being from Charlotte, I can promise you I’m not in the minority here. However, in fantasy basketball, opportunity is sometimes more important than talent and that’s exactly the case here.

Miller will likely step into a sizable role right away, helped by the fact that Miles Bridges is suspended for the first 10 games. On paper, Miller is supposed to be a good fit next to LaMelo Ball for his floor spacing ability, but the issue here is that Miller has been ice cold since the end of his college career.

During the Summer League alone, Miller shot a mediocre 38%.

Miller does have decent steal/block rates to fall back on, and he’s a solid rebounder and secondary playmaker. I’m not writing him off by any means just because the Hornets drafted him too high, but if he finds his footing he’ll have all the opportunities in the world on a really underwhelming Charlotte roster.

Jarace Walker

Jarace Walker is a defensive-minded forward who projects to be a utility player right away for the Pacers. Obi Toppin is standing in his way as the Pacers open camp in what should be an exciting battle for the starting power forward role, so it will be interesting to see which direction Rick Carlisle goes.

Walker struggled with his shot during the Summer League and hit 34% from the field and 44% from the field, but his counting stats of 14.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 blocks, 1.3 steals and 1.3 triples were certainly intriguing. I won’t be drafting Walker in standard 9-cat leagues, but I do see him becoming a quality waiver-wire pickup at some point during his rookie season.

Dereck Lively

Jason Kidd starting a rookie? Can it be? It certainly seems headed that way, as Kidd has been talking up Lively quite a bit. Kidd gave Lively the starting nod in the preseason opener, although he didn’t do so hot with two points, five rebounds, one block and four fouls in 15 minutes.

But still, the Mavericks are desperate for a ceiling raiser, and they might as well see if they can Lively up to speed quickly since their alternatives consists of Dwight Powell, Richaun Holmes and Maxi Kleber.

Lively is going to have a steep learning curve and I don’t see myself drafting him just yet, but his shot-blocking ability gives him a great shot of being relevant in category leagues this season – he averaged 4.7 blocks per 40 minutes at Duke.

Taylor Hendricks

One of my favorite rookies, Hendricks reminds me of Jaden McDaniels in so many ways. He’s already an elite shot-blocking forward with 1.7 per game in college, but his 3-point shot is much further along than Jaden’s was during his rookie season.

The issue here is that Utah’s front court is very crowded, as they have Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler, John Collins and Kelly Olynyk. Hendricks’ long-term potential is through the roof, and I will be drafting him aggressively in dynasty formats, but a potential lack of playing time at the beginning of his rookie season gives me pause in redraft leagues.

My brother turned 40 this weekend, and I’m not too far off myself. Young people, take a moment. 40 is a big number. It was when my brother and I were kids. It is now. Every time I hear an announcer talk about how old a player is when they might have just turned 30, I cringe a little bit.

But I’ve been thinking about the good times that have filled those years. My brother and I weren’t the best of friends when we were little kids. We grew extremely close when I got to college, however, and our bond has only gotten stronger since.

One of the main reasons is fantasy football. We joined our first league together after I graduated, and we share four different ones now. I root for him, I try to beat him, and I even sometimes give him some waiver advice.

It sounds silly, but this is a silly game we play, and I love every second of it. I love that I’m able to text him at any time about a player going off for three touchdowns or putting up a goose egg. I can always count on him to shoot back with a meme telling me I’m an idiot.

He beat me in a league championship last year and even our parents were super invested in the outcome. It’s the little things that make this game so great. It’s brought so many people together and hopefully you have a similar experience of joy and togetherness.

But sorry for the sappy intro, ya jabronis, on to the week 5 recap!

10 Studs
  1. DJ Moore, Bears WR – 8 rec. 230 yds. 3 TDs
  2. Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals WR – 15 rec. 192 yds. 3 TDs
  3. George Kittle, 49ers TE – 3 TDs
  4. Travis Etienne Jr., Jaguars RB – 184 total yds. 2 TDs
  5. De’Von Achane, Dolphins RB – 165 total yds. 1 TD
  6. Zack Moss, Colts RB – 195 total yds. 2 TDs
  7. Breece Hall, Jets RB – 194 total yds. 1 TD
  8. Dallas Goedert, Eagles TE – 8 rec. 117 yds. 1 TD
  9. Cooper Kupp, Rams WR – 8 rec. 112 yds.
  10. George Pickens, Steelers WR – 6 rec. 130 yds. 1 TD

*Honorable Mention* Sam LaPorta, Lions TE – 3 rec. 47 yds. 2 TDs

We don’t usually do the Thursday guys because some time has passed, but DJ Moore’s day was too good to ignore -- 230 yards and three touchdowns, and it probably should have haven four. Where did he step out of bounds? He paced the league through Sunday. He’s gone over 100 yards three out of five weeks and he’ll have plenty more opportunities to keep that going with a Bears defense that has given up the most passing yards through five weeks.

Is Ja’Marr Chase always freaking open? He sure seemed like it Sunday, with 192 yards and three touchdowns. This was either a “launchpad game” for the Cincinnati Bengals OR they lit up an Arizona Cardinals team that also got lit up by the lousy New York Giants. Cincy will get Seattle before a bye and might really be able to get the offense turned around. Stay tuned!

Three catches. Three scores. That’s how George Kittle’s night went. The connection he had with Brock Purdy at the end of last season made him a top-five tight end. It hasn’t been the norm this season, but it’s clear the chemistry is still very much there. Kittle’s first career three-touchdown game put him right back near the top of fantasy tight end point scorers.

Travis Etienne, Jr. tweeted that he played himself in fantasy this week. I’m glad he didn’t go easy. His first game going over 100 yards on the ground carried the Jaguars to a win. His 35-yard touchdown at the end of the game sealed the deal. He’s a top-five runner and the Jags would be smart to keep that train rolling.

What more can we say about De’Von Achane? He’s leading the NFL in rushing in basically three games on about half as many attempts as the guys behind him. To say he makes the most of his touches is an understatement. And even when the game might be in hand, the Dolphins are more than happy to keep running their offense.

Zack Moss doesn’t care that you have Jonathan Taylor on your fantasy team. He was the feature back in the Colts’ offense as they work Taylor back in. Listen, Taylor got paid and we know what he’s capable of. But if you believe in preseason games being needed to get up to game speed, then Taylor will need about a month to figure it out. Moss will continue to have value and at worst will be the best handcuff in fantasy leagues if Taylor goes down.

They said, there are no limitations on Breece Hall. Yes, the Broncos’ run defense is basically Swiss cheese, but that doesn’t matter. Hall will likely be the focal point of the Jets’ offense going forward because of Zach Wilson’s limitations at quarterback.

Dallas Goedert put his slow start all the way behind him against the Rams. He powered the Eagles’ offense on the first drive and didn’t look back. He runs routes on 80 percent of Eagles pass plays and hopefully Sunday was a sign that Jalen Hurts is noticing.

The kids say it’s cuffing season. I say it’s Kupping season. I’m so hip. Welcome back to the man, the myth, the weapon Cooper Kupp after a stint on the IR. He didn’t miss a beat while leading the Rams in targets, catches and yards. The big question: can the Rams support both Kupp and Puka Nacua? Puka had 71 yards and a touchdown, a BIG BOY touchdown at that, so I think Los Angeles (and fantasy owners) are happy to have them both running routes.

Raise your hand if you benched George Pickens this week. My hand is up, I hate that it’s up, and I wish I could put it down. The Ravens hadn’t allowed a 100-yard receiver all season. I was playing the odds, but it will be the last time I bench Pickens, who is clearly in synch with Kenny Pickett.

Lions rookie tight end Sam LaPorta, our Honorable Mention, has three touchdowns this season. The Lions offense is a monster and I want every part of it. I’ll be bold: LaPorta will finish as a top-3 player at the position this season. Trade for him if you can!

The Duds

Texans WR Nico Collins continued his good game-bad game trend for the Texans by posting only 38 yards. Rams RB Kyren Williams barely did anything against a tough Philly front. Basically every Giants player continued to play like they were on the Giants. And Derrick Henry looked like anything but a King against Indy.

But even though this is a duds section, I do want to talk injuries. Anthony Richardson plays in a way that is seemingly conducive to injuries. His throwing shoulder injury forced him out of the game and could force him to miss time. Cardinals RB James Conner looked good before going down with a knee injury. And the first overall pick in many a fantasy draft, WR Justin Jefferson, couldn’t finish the Vikings game because of a hammy issue. See if Jordan Addison is still somehow on your waiver wire or even consider K.J. Osborn if you’re in a bind.

A brutal day for some stars, yeesh.

In perhaps the best matchup thus far this season, Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys take on Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara for Sunday Night Football. Let’s look at the game:

San Francisco 49ers vs. Dallas Cowboys, 8:20 pm ET
Betting Odds (DraftKings)
  • Line: 49ers -3.5, Cowboys +3.5
  • Moneyline: 49ers (-184), Cowboys (+154)
  • Over/Under: 45
Team Ranks (2023)

49ers

  • Points for: 31.3 (3rd)
  • Points Allowed: 14.5 (T3rd)

Cowboys

  • Points For: 31 (4th)
  • Points Allowed: 10.3 (1st)
Key Injuries to Watch

49ers

RB Elijah Mitchell (Knee) – Out

Cowboys

TE Peyton Hendershot (Ankle) – Out

These injuries aren't game altering. Deebo Samuel has been nursing knee and rib injuries for a couple of weeks now, and it's being reported he won't be 100 percent. He played 87 percent of the snaps last week but failed to receive a single target. He’s not listed on the injury report. Mitchell will miss his second consecutive game which led to a few extra snaps for Jordan Mason.

Captain Prices (DraftKings)
  • Christian McCaffrey, RB $17,700
  • Tony Pollard, RB, $15,300
  • CeeDee Lamb, WR, $15,000
  • Dak Prescott QB, $14,400
  • Brock Purdy, QB, $14,100
  • Brandon Aiyuk, WR, $12,600
  • Deebo Samuel, WR, $11,400
Flex Prices (DraftKings)
  • Christian McCaffrey, RB $11,800
  • Tony Pollard, RB, $10,200
  • CeeDee Lamb, WR, $10,000
  • Dak Prescott QB, $9,600
  • Brock Purdy, QB, $9,400
  • Brandon Aiyuk, WR, $8,400
  • Deebo Samuel, WR, $7,600

According to the Contrarian Edge Optimizer, McCaffrey is projected to be the most-owned Captain (43%) on the slate at DraftKings. The next closest projected in ownership is Brock Purdy at 9.5%. Regarding flex positions, it's projected to be much more balanced. In Showdown, 9 players are projected to be owned in over 30% of lineups. This includes both team defenses.

McCaffrey has scored a touchdown in 13 straight games as a 49er, surpassing the legendary Jerry Rice. CMC found paydirt a career-high four times in San Francisco's 35-16 win over the Arizona Cardinals last week.

Entering Week 5, McCaffrey is the highest non-QB in NFL MVP future odds at +1800. Before Week 4, he was +4800 to win MVP. He is the No. 1 scoring running back in fantasy this season, and the Cowboys have allowed the sixth-most explosive runs this season.

The current Vegas total is 45 points, which might be tough to reach as the Cowboys are the fourth slowest, and the 49ers are the slowest in neutral pace. This will be a physical game from start to finish. Last season, the 49ers defeated the Cowboys 19-12 in the divisional round of the playoffs. Both teams have top-five offenses and defenses so far in 2023.

Captain Option

George Kittle, $9,600

The 49ers tight end projected ownership in the captain slot is just 0.6%! He would be a solid contrarian play on Sunday night and a less expensive option you can deploy. On paper, the matchup with the Cowboys offense doesn't look great, but Kittle is set up to produce on primetime after a deeper dive.

The Cowboys play man-to-man most of any NFL team. Brandon Aiyuk leads the 49ers in target share when facing man at 28.6%, and Kittle is second on the team at 20.5%. Aiyuk will have tough matchups against Daron Bland and Stephon Gilmore on the outside.

The Cowboys’ linebackers are aware of McCaffrey and the SF run game. They will likely stack the box to try to slow down CMC, which will let Kittle get open over the middle on play action, leading to big chunk plays and possibly a touchdown.

Fade

Dak Prescott, Cowboys

The Cowboys QB has been a glorified game manager through the first four weeks. His average depth of target is the second lowest of any quarterback so far this season at 5.9 yards, and the 49ers’ defense has held opposing quarterbacks to the second-lowest yards per attempt. Opposing quarterbacks are averaging a measly 12.8 fantasy points per game against the Niners’ defense.

Cheaper Option

49ers Defense/Special Teams $4,000

San Francisco's defense has dominated this season. They have more interceptions than touchdown passes thrown against them through the season's first month. Their run defense should slow down Tony Pollard and the Dallas running game. They have allowed the second-least explosive runs so far.

Prescott threw for just 206 yards and had 2 interceptions in the playoff loss last year in Santa Clara. Most importantly, for the 49ers defense to pay off, they need to get out to an early lead. Prescott has the best quarterback rating playing with a lead, but he drops to 26th when he's playing from behind.

Prediction

There's no doubt this is the most intriguing matchup so far in 2023. Both sides have Super Bowl aspirations and belong in the conversation. Prescott and the Cowboys’ offense is healthy, so I expect them to perform much better in this game than in the playoff loss last year.

The Cowboys lead the NFL in pressure rate, but Purdy has yet to fold when he's under pressure in the pocket. Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan know each other's tendencies well. I expect the 49ers to win, but the Cowboys will keep it close and gain plenty of respect around the NFL.

Final Score: 49ers 23, Cowboys 20

We have been very successful with our ‘Value Finder’ series this season. The Fantasy Sports Optimizer has helped me compile a list of players that should exceed expectations at cost. Here are my top values in Week 5:

QB: Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (DK: $5,600, FD: $6,800)

The way to win a DFS contest is to be contrarian. The Philadelphia Eagles’ defense is one of the top units in the NFL, but Fantasy Sports Contrarian Optimizer and I believe they have an area that can be exploited — the secondary.

Through four weeks, the Eagles’ secondary has given up the seventh-most passing yards in the league. They have also given out two separate QB2 finishes for the week (Mac Jones and Kirk Cousins) and a QB12 to Sam Howell last week.

Stafford has had a rough start to the season and has not topped QB15 yet. But he’s a gunslinger and gets his top weapon back in wide receiver Cooper Kupp. That will open things up for Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell. This is a great week to get a contrarian, value option at quarterback.

RB: Breece Hall, New York Jets (DK: $5,400, FD: $6,500)

I love a great narrative story that is supported by facts. It feels like telling the future. Here is the narrative here:

Almost a year ago to the day, Hall tore his ACL in the first half of their game at Denver. He was potentially on his way to an Offensive Rookie of the Year award, and it was all over just like that. Now, here we are back at Denver, and the Broncos have given up the most rushing yards to running backs so far this season.

To top it off, the Broncos head coach last season was Nathaniel Hackett, who is now the offensive coordinator for the New York Jets. And did you catch what Sean Payton said about Hackett in the off-season?

This is a great matchup for Hall in a game that will have a roller coaster of emotions. The Jets have come out and said Hall is no longer being managed and will receive a full workload. The Fantasy Sports Contrarian Optimizer and I have Breece Hall as a great, sneaky play this week that could find himself as one of the top RBs of the week.

WR: DeAndre Hopkins, Tennessee Titans (DK: $5,700, FD: $6,100)

I know. I know. I know. DeAndre Hopkins has not looked as advertised for this offense. It’s been very tough sledding for the former All-Pro wideout. His best weekly finish this season is WR36. But this matchup versus the Indianapolis Colts is interesting.

The Colts are giving up the eighth most fantasy points to wide receivers. This is a game that is going to start in the trenches with Derrick Henry and he is going to take the pressure off Hopkins. If there is ever a boom week for Hopkins, it’s this one. He’s scored in five straight games versus the Colts.

TE: Hayden Hurst, Carolina Panthers (DK: $3,300, FD $5,000)

We have repeat customer to the article! We hit big with Hurst in Week 1 and I love him again in this spot. This Detroit Lions defense’ has been really solid in defending wide receivers while giving up the most receiving yards to tight ends.

This should be a dominant game for the Lions and I’m expecting any work Bryce Young supplies to be in garbage time. This Lions defensive line should pressure Young into making quick throws and I believe Hurst can benefit. Hurst could have a nice PPR day and cap it off with a garbage time touchdown. Very cheap option with high upside for Week 5.

Quarterback:
RankChangeNameTeamWeek 5
1 Patrick MahomesKC@MIN
2 Jalen HurtsPHI@LAR
3 Josh AllenBUFJAX
4 Anthony RichardsonINDTEN
5 Tua TagovailoaMIANYG
6 Kirk CousinsMINKC
7 Lamar JacksonBAL@PIT
8 Justin FieldsCHI@WSH
9 Jared GoffDETCAR
10 C.J. StroudHOU@ATL
11 Jordan LoveGB@LV
12 Russell WilsonDENNYJ
13 Daniel JonesNYG@MIA
14 Joe BurrowCIN@ARI
154Matthew StaffordLARPHI
16 Brock PurdySFDAL
17 Sam HowellWSHCHI
18 Jimmy GaroppoloLVGB
19 Dak PrescottDAL@SF
20 Zach WilsonNYJ@DEN
21 Joshua DobbsARICIN
22 Trevor LawrenceJAX@BUF
23 Derek CarrNO@NE
24 Bryce YoungCAR@DET
25 Desmond RidderATLHOU
26 Ryan TannehillTEN@IND
27NEWKenny PickettPITBAL
28 Mac JonesNENO
29 Aidan O'ConnellLVGB
30 Jameis WinstonNO@NE
31 Tyler HuntleyBAL@PIT
32-5Mitchell TrubiskyPITBAL
33 Kyle AllenBUFJAX
34 Gardner MinshewINDTEN
35 Tyrod TaylorNYG@MIA
36 Andy DaltonCAR@DET
Running back:
RankCHANGENameTeamWeek 5
1 Christian McCaffreySFDAL
2 Bijan RobinsonATLHOU
3 Tony PollardDAL@SF
4 Josh JacobsLVGB
5 Travis EtienneJAX@BUF
6 Devon AchaneMIANYG
71Breece HallNYJ@DEN
8-1Kyren WilliamsLARPHI
93David MontgomeryDETCAR
10 Alvin KamaraNO@NE
11 Isiah PachecoKC@MIN
125Jonathan TaylorHOU@ATL
13 D'Andre SwiftPHI@LAR
14-4Saquon BarkleyNYG@MIA
15 Derrick HenryTEN@IND
16 James CookBUFJAX
17 James ConnerARICIN
18 Brian RobinsonWSHCHI
19 Joe MixonCIN@ARI
20-2Aaron JonesGB@LV
21 Jaleel McLaughlinDENNYJ
22 Alexander MattisonMINKC
23 Raheem MostertMIANYG
24 Miles SandersCAR@DET
25 Rhamondre StevensonNENO
26 Jaylen WarrenPITBAL
27 Dameon PierceHOU@ATL
28 Tyjae SpearsTEN@IND
29 Khalil HerbertCHI@WSH
30 Cam AkersMINKC
31 Najee HarrisPITBAL
32 Latavius MurrayBUFJAX
33 Kenneth GainwellPHI@LAR
34 Zack MossINDTEN
35 Roschon JohnsonCHI@WSH
36 Chuba HubbardCAR@DET
37 Samaje PerineDENNYJ
38 Melvin GordonBAL@PIT
39 Gus EdwardsBAL@PIT
408Emari DemercadoARICIN
41 Tyler AllgeierATLHOU
42 Ezekiel ElliottNENO
43 Rico DowdleDAL@SF
44 Justice HillBAL@PIT
45 Clyde Edwards-HelaireKC@MIN
46 Devin SingletaryHOU@ATL
47 Jerick McKinnonKC@MIN
48 Damien HarrisBUFJAX
49 Tank BigsbyJAX@BUF
50 A.J. DillonGB@LV
51 Gary BrightwellNYG@MIA
52 Dalvin CookNYJ@DEN
53 Antonio GibsonWSHCHI
54 Ty ChandlerMINKC
55 Michael CarterNYJ@DEN
56 Kendre MillerNO@NE
57 Ronnie RiversLARPHI
58 Deuce VaughnDAL@SF
59 Mike BooneHOU@ATL
60 Matt BreidaNYG@MIA
61 Ameer AbdullahLVGB
62 Zamir WhiteLVGB
63 Trayveon WilliamsCIN@ARI
64 Chase BrownCIN@ARI
65 Jordan MasonSFDAL
66 Chris BrooksMIANYG
67 Trey SermonINDTEN
Wide Receiver:
RankCHANGENameTeamWeek 5
1 Tyreek HillMIANYG
2 Justin JeffersonMINKC
3 Davante AdamsLVGB
4 Ja'Marr ChaseCIN@ARI
5 CeeDee LambDAL@SF
61Stefon DiggsBUFJAX
7-2Puka NacuaLARPHI
8-1Devonta SmithPHI@LAR
9 D.J. MooreCHI@WSH
10 A.J. BrownPHI@LAR
11 Tank DellHOU@ATL
12-5Chris OlaveNO@NE
13 Marquise BrownARICIN
14 Adam ThielenCAR@DET
15 Jerry JeudyDENNYJ
16 Christian WatsonGB@LV
17 Nico CollinsHOU@ATL
18 Calvin RidleyJAX@BUF
19NEWCooper KuppLARPHI
20 Deebo SamuelSFDAL
21 Garrett WilsonNYJ@DEN
22 Jaylen WaddleMIANYG
23 George PickensPITBAL
24 Zay FlowersBAL@PIT
25 Christian KirkJAX@BUF
26 Michael PittmanINDTEN
27 DeAndre HopkinsTEN@IND
28 Romeo DoubsGB@LV
29 Tutu AtwellLARPHI
30 Brandon AiyukSFDAL
31 Terry McLaurinWSHCHI
32 Gabriel DavisBUFJAX
33 Drake LondonATLHOU
34 Tyler BoydCIN@ARI
35 Alec PierceINDTEN
36 Wan'Dale RobinsonNYG@MIA
37 Terrace MarshallCAR@DET
38 Josh ReynoldsDETCAR
39 Courtland SuttonDENNYJ
40 Rondale MooreARICIN
41 Jakobi MeyersLVGB
42 Brandin CooksDAL@SF
43 Marvin MimsDENNYJ
44 Curtis SamuelWSHCHI
45 Jayden ReedGB@LV
46 Rashee RiceKC@MIN
47 Michael ThomasNO@NE
48 Robert WoodsHOU@ATL
49 Michael WilsonARICIN
50 DeMario DouglasNENO
51 Jordan AddisonMINKC
52 Allen LazardNYJ@DEN
53 Calvin AustinPITBAL
54 Nelson AgholorBAL@PIT
55 DeVante ParkerNENO
56 Marquez Valdes-ScantlingKC@MIN
57 Nick Westbrook-IkhineTEN@IND
58 Braxton BerriosMIANYG
59 Skyy MooreKC@MIN
60 Andrei IosivasCIN@ARI
61 John MetchieHOU@ATL
62 Darnell MooneyCHI@WSH
63 Josh DownsINDTEN
64 D.J. CharkCAR@DET
65 Jahan DotsonWSHCHI
66 Michael GallupDAL@SF
67 K.J. OsbornMINKC
68 Justin WatsonKC@MIN
69 Brandon JohnsonDENNYJ
70 Samori ToureGB@LV
71 Rashid ShaheedNO@NE
729Jameson WilliamsDETCAR
73 Equanimeous St. BrownCHI@WSH
74 Darius SlaytonNYG@MIA
75 Kalif RaymondDETCAR
76 Kendrick BourneNENO
77 Jalen TolbertDAL@SF
78 Chris MooreTEN@IND
79 Kadarius ToneyKC@MIN
80 Jalin HyattNYG@MIA
81 Dyami BrownWSHCHI
82 Van JeffersonLARPHI
83 Allen RobinsonPITBAL
84 Mack HollinsATLHOU
85 KaVontae TurpinDAL@SF
86 Hunter RenfrowLVGB
87 Olamide ZaccheausPHI@LAR
88 Khadarel HodgeATLHOU
89 Laviska ShenaultCAR@DET
90 Trent SherfieldBUFJAX
91 Ray-Ray McCloudSFDAL
92 Randall CobbNYJ@DEN
93 Trenton IrwinCIN@ARI
94 Zach PascalARICIN
95 Deonte HartyBUFJAX
96 Devin DuvernayBAL@PIT
97 Tyler ScottCHI@WSH
98 Cedrick WilsonMIANYG
99 Juju Smith-SchusterNENO
100 Ronnie BellSFDAL
Tight End:
RankChangeNameTeamWeek 5
1 Mark AndrewsBAL@PIT
2 Travis KelceKC@MIN
32Sam LaPortaDETCAR
4 T.J. HockensonMINKC
5 Evan EngramJAX@BUF
6 George KittleSFDAL
7 Darren WallerNYG@MIA
8 Tyler HigbeeLARPHI
9 Hunter HenryNENO
10 Hayden HurstCAR@DET
11 Zach ErtzARICIN
12 Luke MusgraveGB@LV
13-2Drew OgletreeINDTEN
14 Darnell WashingtonPITBAL
15 Jake FergusonDAL@SF
16-2Kyle PittsATLHOU
17 Dalton SchultzHOU@ATL
18 Dallas GoedertPHI@LAR
19 Jonnu SmithATLHOU
20 Dalton KincaidBUFJAX
21 Durham SmytheMIANYG
22 Chig OkonkwoTEN@IND
23 Logan ThomasWSHCHI
249Jimmy GrahamNO@NE
25 Noah GrayKC@MIN
26 Irv SmithCIN@ARI
27 Cole KmetCHI@WSH
28 Tyler ConklinNYJ@DEN
29 Kylen GransonINDTEN
30 Mo Alie-CoxINDTEN
31 Dawson KnoxBUFJAX
32 Brevin JordanHOU@ATL
33 Luke FarrellJAX@BUF
34 C.J. UzomahNYJ@DEN
35 Nate AdkinsDENNYJ
36 Drew HudsonCIN@ARI
37 Chris ManhertzDENNYJ
38 Robert TonyanCHI@WSH
39 Josiah DeguaraGB@LV
40 Josh OliverMINKC
41 Josh WhyleTEN@IND
42 Jeremy RuckertNYJ@DEN
43 Tucker KraftGB@LV
44 Mitchell WilcoxCIN@ARI
45 Trey McBrideARICIN
46 Mike GesickiNENO
47 Taysom HillNO@NE
48 Austin HooperLVGB
49 John BatesWSHCHI
50 Tommy TrembleCAR@DET
Schedule
  • Rangers at Orioles, ALDS Game 1, 1:03 p.m. ET
  • Twins at Astros, ALDS, Game 1, 4:45 p.m. ET
  • Phillies at Braves, NLDS Game 1, 6:07 p.m. ET
  • Diamondbacks at Dodgers, NLDS Game 1, 9:20 p.m. ET
Weather Report

Rangers at Orioles is delayed, but weather shouldn’t be an issue for any of the other three Game 1 options in the LDS Saturday.

Injury Report

Max Scherzer – The Rangers LHP was left off the roster as he hasn’t made enough progress from the shoulder issue that has sidelined the future Hall-of-Famer since the middle of September. The Rangers hope he could be back as an option if the team advances to the ALCS.

John Means – The Orioles LHP was left off the roster as he recovers from soreness in his left elbow. The southpaw pitched well in his four starts after returning from injury this summer, and there’s a very good chance he’ll return if the O’s reach the ALCS.

Gabriel Moreno – The Diamondbacks catcher was hit in the head in the Game 2 win over the Brewers when Brice Turang’s bat swing hit his helmet. The backstop passed concussion protocol, however, and appears to be ready to roll for Game 1. Keep in mind is the late game, so there’s a smidgen of risk keeping Moreno in the lineup.

Top Priced Starting Pitchers (DraftKings)
  • Spencer Strider vs. PHI: $11,200
  • Clayton Kershaw vs. ARI: $9,100
  • Justin Verlander vs. MIN: $8,400
  • Bailey Ober @ HOU: $8,000
  • Merrill Kelly @ LAD: $7,800
  • Kyle Bradish vs. TEX: $7,500
  • Ranger Suarez @ PHI: $6,100
  • Dane Dunning @ BAL: $5,800

Strider struck out 281 batters and won 20 games for the best team in baseball but had a 5.60 ERA in five September starts. He did win all four decisions, however, and had 11 strikeouts and gave up three runs in seven innings in his last outing against the Phillies. Long story short, it’s easy to justify Strider in the lineup if you’re feeling it, but there’s more risk than reward.

Stack Attack

Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks (Kelly)

  • C Will Smith: $4,400
  • 2B Mookie Betts: $6,200
  • SS Miguel Rojas: $2,600
  • OF Jason Heyward: $3,100

Kelly has enjoyed a strong 2023 season, so this is more about belief in the Los Angeles lineup. He did struggle in his last outing against LA, giving up 12 hits and seven runs over five innings. This stack gives fantasy players a mix of big names like Betts and Smith with cheaper options like Rojas and Heyward. It’s easy to imagine the Dodgers getting off to a strong offensive start Saturday, with all due respect to Kelly and the D-Backs staff.

After a successful week of longshots, check out my favorite touchdown picks of the week!

Jalen Hurts (PHI QB)/Cooper Kupp (LAR WR) +364 TD (FanDuel)

Going with a same game parlay in the Eagles-Rams game (4:05 p.m. ET Sunday). There is already nice value here, with this being priced at +238 on DraftKings. Hurts and Kupp are their team’s best redzone weapons, and the total of this game is currently set at 50.5.

Hurts, the king of the tush push, has all the goal line carries on lockdown and should have plenty of chances with an implied team total higher than four touchdowns.

This is also a good price for Kupp in his return. When healthy, he has been a redzone demon. The Rams are expected to be trailing, and QB Matthew Stafford will throw a lot against the Eagles’ strong run defense. They are especially weak against the slot, and that’s where Kupp will do a lot of his work.

Reports out of LA are that Kupp won’t be limited. I like his chances in a high-octane game.

De'Von Achane (MIA RB) 2+ TD’s +700 DK
Achane 2+ TD’s/David Montgomery (DET RB) 2+ TD’s +3420

Rookie Achane has six touchdowns over his last two games, showing next-level efficiency. He’s also out-snapped fellow Dolphin RB Raheem Mostert in back-to-back weeks, posting a 60-percentr snap rate to Mostert’s 44 percent last week.

The Dolphins are 12-point favorites against a miserable Giants defense, and we’ve really seen Achane blossom in the redzone. Miami had plenty of creative uses for him, and we’ve seen this Dolphins offense run up the score before (ask the Broncos about that).

Additionally, DraftKings has Achane priced much differently than the rest of the market, with his 1+ touchdown currently at +105 vs -125 to -175 everywhere else. For 2+ touchdowns, the next best price is +450, showing inherent value on these numbers.

Alec Pierce (IND WR) +430 & Kylen Granson (IND TE) +430 FanDuel

I like targeting longshot touchdown scorers in a game where Colts QB Anthony Richardson will be tasked with beating the Titans through the air. Tennessee’s excellent rush defense will focus on limiting RB Jonathan Taylor and thereby testing Richardson’s passing.

AR-15 has been inconsistent, but he’s also made very nice downfield throws. Pierce will get an opportunity or two downfield, and I like taking that chance against a defense struggling with explosive plays.

Granson really popped last game. He led the Colts TE group in snaps and was consistently involved on third downs. Richardson likes keying in on his tight ends, and Indy will be forced into more of a pass heavy game script.

Richardson will have a boom or bust game; I want some exposure if he can take advantage of this bad pass defense.

'Monotone' gives his top four picks for PrizePicks and Underdog for Week 5 of the NFL season on Sunday.

Wan’Dale Robinson (NYG WR) Over 5.0 Targets

Game: Giants at Dolphins, 1 p.m. ET Sunday

Robinson is over in both of his games, going from only 11 snaps in his return to finishing second in WR routes for the Giants last week. He’s clearly going to be a focal point in this mediocre offense, and last week’s healthy usage proved it.

Miami is very susceptible over the middle, in part due to their deep safety looks, and that’s where Robinson operates. The Dolphins have allowed the seventh-most slot targets this season.

Wan’Dale’s gadget/slot usage is perfect with a weak offensive line. His low ADOT means we don’t need to depend on them, He should rack up plenty of manufactured touches.

I expect the Giants to be trailing, given the 12-point spread. When forced into a passing game script, I like targeting receivers that are running these shallow routes to capitalize against the deep-safety coverages they should be facing. 

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (TEN WR) Over 3.0 receptions

Game: Titans at Colts, 1 p.m. ET Sunday

I expect Westbrook-Ikhine to keep stepping up with the Treylon Burks injured. That leaves DeAndre Hopkins as the only legit target, with NWI being the WR2 again.

Titans coach Mike Vrabel and quarterback Ryan Tannehill have both shown to trust NWI over the past couple seasons, and the Titans will need to pass against a strong Colts defensive line that will gear up to stop Derrick Henry.

NWI posted a 5-54-1 line in this same situation last game, and I’m expecting another 6-plus target game. This unit is not strong, and we love targeting guys without much target competition. Finally, it’s a homecoming game as he played his college ball in Indiana.

David Montgomery (DET) Rush +Rec TD

Game: Panthers at Lions, 1 p.m. ET Sunday

Based on price alone, Underdog is offering very good value here. This is priced between -160 and -205 on most sportsbooks, making this play stick out.

We saw the Lions dominate the redzone on the ground with Jamaal Williams scoring 17 touchdowns last season, and Montgomery is already recreating that magic in the same role.

Promising Detroit rookie Jahmyr Gibbs has been a no-show in the red zone, and I expect Monty to continue to coast in a good matchup. He’s scored a touchdown in every game this season, and I loved how much volume he had last week despite immediately coming back from injury and not practicing all week.

TJ Hockenson (MIN TE) 7+ targets

Game: Chiefs at Vikings, 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday

Finally, we go to the highest total game of the week. These teams are top-5 in pass rate over expectation, and that should generate a fast-paced game with plenty of action.

The Chiefs’ secondary has been better than expected, and Vikings WR Justin Jefferson should see plenty of safety help over the top. I think Hockenson will continue to stack up those dependable targets as the safety blanket, especially in the 2-minute drill.

Minnesota will likely be playing from behind in this one, and Hockenson is the most consistent target in this offense. He cleared this target number in three of four games, with his one miss coming in a slow-paced game against Carolina with very minimal offense.