The NFL heads into Week 4 and that means this is the start of bye weeks for the NFL. I always thought Week 5 was a little early to get a bye in an 18 week schedule, but some of the teams are thrilled to get some time off to get the season back on track or to get players healthy. It is also another week with an international game. It is not quite a full slate, but it should be another wild week in the NFL.
I always try to be honest to give you the best chance to win some cash. The truth is that my Showdown picks have not been able to hit like they have in the past. I am still going to work hard to get them back on track, but your best chance to win money is with my Cash Contest lineups. They have always been my best picks and the trend is continuing in 2025.
Here are my picks for the NFL Week 5….
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QUARTERBACK: JUSTIN FIELDS will be my QB in Cash Contests. I like to play running QBs in my Cash Contest because the points they receive from running the ball raises their floor. Fields has averaged 28.5 DK Points in the games in which he started and finished the game. The Cowboys have allowed an average of 29.75 DK Points to the QB Position. That includes 34.3 DK Points to Russell Wilson in Week 2. Fields has a great chance to score over 25 DK Points Sunday.
RUNNINGBACKS: JAHMYR GIBBBS will be my top RB in my Cash Contest this week. Gibbs has been one of the most consistent RBs in DFS this year and that is what we are looking for in our Cash Contests. Gibbs is averaging 19.8 DK Points per game and the Bengals have given up the second-most DK Points to the RB position. Gibbs should have another big game Sunday…. I will pair DE’VON ACHANE with Gibbs. I like having RBs who catch a lot of passes in my DFS lineups, because their receptions raise their floor. Achane is third in the NFL in receptions by a RB, behind Christian McCaffrey and Gibbs. Achane should catch even more passes with Tyreek Hill out of the lineup. The match-up vs. Carolina is too good to pass up this week.
WIDE RECEIVERS: I have used JAXSON SMITH-NJIGBA every week this year in my Cash Contest and so far he has not let me down. JSN is averaging 19.6 DK Points per game. That is the third-most on this slate. The best way to beat the Buccaneers is threw the air, so JSN should be busy again Sunday… CHRIS OLAVE is second in the NFL in targets behind Puka Nacua and he is third in the NFL in receptions. Olave is getting the volume that the top WRs are getting, but he is still cheap in DFS. I will take a discount for a WR who averages 11 passes thrown his way per game… I hated to see Tyreek Hill get injured on Monday Night Football, but that means it is now JAYLEN WADDLE time in Miami. Waddle has averaged six catches per game this year. That should go up to 8-10 with Hill out of the lineup.
TIGHT END: I will spend some money at the TE Position in Week 5 and use the JAKE FERGUSON. He is the highest scoring TE in Fantasy Football this year. Ferguson has 10 more receptions than any other TE in the NFL and he has scored 10 more points than any other TE in the NFL. Ferguson should score well again in a possible shoot-out between the Cowboys and Jets Sunday.
FLEX POSITION: RACHAAD WHITE is the “free square” in DFS this week. Bucky Irving injured his ankle so now White will take over most of the snaps in the Buccaneers backfield. The game vs. the Seahawks is no cupcake, but that is a good thing. White specializes in catching the ball out of the backfield. He should see a lot of targets in a game where the Bucs will have to throw it a lot.
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS: I punted the DEFENSE/ST Position last week so I could pay up for some good positional players and it worked out well. I will do it again this week and play the SAINTS DEFENSE/ST. I am not expecting the Saints Defense to score 10+ DK Points, but I do not need them to do that in order for this lineup to cash. I used the Titans Defense/ST last week and they only scored me 2 DK Points. The lineup still easily hit the pay-line. I expect the same this week by using the Saints.
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TOURNAMENT STACK: The Cowboys vs. Jets has the second-highest total on the slate. I would be shocked if this was a low scoring game, so I will use the DAK PRESCOTT + GEORGE PICKENS + JAKE FERGUSON stack and run it back with GARRETT WILSON. Prescott had two games in which he was one of the highest scoring QBs in DFS. I expect he posts one of the highest scores again this week. Most of those points should go to Pickens. He has taken over the No. 1 WR Position for the Cowboys. Pickens has averaged 24 DK Points per game over the last three weeks. I already wrote above about has good Ferguson has been this year… GARRETT WILSON is third in the NFL in targets and second in receptions. Now he gets to face the worst pass defense in the NFL. This should be a huge game for Wilson.
RUNNINGBACKS: CAM SKATTEBO is fun to watch. The little bulldozer has also scored well since he took over the backfield for the Giants. Skattebo has averaged 16.7 DK Points over his last three games. He should score well again this week vs. New Orleans… I just cannot fade RACHAAD WHITE at $4,700. I know he is going to be highly owned, but he is almost a lock to return 3X’s value on his cheap price Sunday.
WIDE RECEIVERS: I already have GEORGE PICKENS and GARRETT WILSON in the lineup. I will use AMON-RA ST. BROWN. He has been the second-best WR in the NFL, behind Puka Nacua. St. Brown has averaged 29. 6 DK Points in his last three games. He should have no problem scoring 25+ DK Points vs. the Bengals Defense Sunday.
RB + DEFENSE ST STACK: The Baltimore Ravens are a mess right now, so I will stack WOODY MARKS + TEXANS DEFENSE/ST vs. the Ravens Sunday. Marks was finally given the keys to the Texans backfield last week. He scored 27.9 DK Points vs. the Titans. Marks could do the same vs. the worst defense in the NFL this week. No Lamar, no problem for the Texans Defense. They should get a few sacks vs. Cooper Rush and probably an INT too. I never thought I would be stacking vs. the Ravens, but welcome to the crazy NFL.
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Good luck this week!
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