Week 5 of the NFL season was a massive headache for fantasy managers.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire is set to miss time with a knee injury, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Maxx Williams are done for the year, Daniel Jones is in the concussion protocol, Russell Wilson's finger needs to be put back together and Saquon Barkley's ankle is the size of a grapefruit.
The Cardinals still remain perfect through five games and both New York teams' one-game win streaks were broken. The Lions lost a heartbreaking game against the Vikings and are still looking for their first win (as are the Jaguars).
Whether you're 5-0 or 0-5, now is an excellent time to throw out some trade offers to level up your teams. As we approach Week 6 and our first round of byes, here are the trade targets who saw their value shift after the last five weeks of games.
Buy-Low Week 6 Trade Targets
Below are 11 Week 5 underperformers, or players whose value may increase over the next few weeks whom you should target via trades.
Trey Lance, QB, 49ers
Lance got his first start in Week 5 and completed 15 of 29 attempts for 192 yards, zero touchdowns, one interception and rushed 16 times for 89 yards. It certainly wasn't the debut the 49ers would liked to have seen from this year's No. 3 overall pick, but a QB20 finish for the week likely didn't sink your fantasy team. He was QB14 in the week prior through just one half. He is banged up with a knee injury and has a bye in Week 6, but I believe he'll bounce back once he's healthy again and will be a viable streamer in one-quarterback leagues and a strong asset in superflex/two-quarterback formats.
Joe Mixon, RB, Bengals
Mixon was on the injury report all week with an ankle issue and did start the team's Week 5 matchup against the Packers. He posted 10 carries for 33 yards and a touchdown and caught a pass for two yards, but clearly wasn't 100%. He was out-touched by backup Samaje Perine, who saw 11 carries for 59 yards and caught four of five passes for 24 yards and a touchdown. I do think he'll retake his position as the bell-cow running back as he progresses health-wise and may be without any real competition in this game since Perine is on the COVID-19/reserve list. Mixon is a nice buy-low opportunity on the upswing.
Melvin Gordon, RB, Broncos
Gordon and Javonte Williams each saw exactly 11 touches in last week's game, though it was the rookie who was able to do a bit more with the workload. He finished as RB32 in half PPR while Gordon finished as RB43. That said, Gordon has seen more snaps than Williams in all but one game where the split was 49%/51%. He saw a season-high 60% of the snaps to Williams' 42% in Week 5. I do believe both running backs are buy-low candidates, though you might be able to get better value for Gordon coming off of a down week.
Stefon Diggs, WR, Bills
Diggs caught just two passes on five targets for 69 yards in a soft Week 5 matchup in Kansas City. Worth noting that the weather was absolutely miserable and he tied Emmanuel Sanders for the most targets in that game. Diggs is currently WR27 in half PPR through five weeks, which is certainly disappointing given he was drafted as a top-three receiver. He still leads the Bills — who have scored the most points this season — in targets, yards and receptions. With quarterback Josh Allen playing as well as he is, I absolutely still see a path for Diggs to finish as a mid-range WR1. The Bills face the Titans, then have a Week 7 bye, then face the Dolphins, Jaguars and Jets. Buy him now at his nadir.
DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Cardinals
Hopkins was WR6 in half PPR through the first two games of the year, but WR34 over the last three games. He bounced back last week and found the end zone — plus he still leads all the Cardinals' pass-catchers in every receiving category. There will also be more targets to go around now that tight end Maxx Williams is unfortunately done for the year. Hopkins remains an elite receiver and I would absolutely try to grab him from a manager who thinks otherwise.
Tee Higgins, WR, Bengals
It was the Ja'Marr Chase show on Sunday as the rookie popped off against the Jaire Alexander-less Packers. Chase led the team in targets and caught six of 10 for 159 yards and a touchdown. Higgins, who missed the past two games with a shoulder injury, was the team's second-most targeted receiver ahead of Tyler Boyd. While the production wasn't there (5-32-0), it's encouraging he remains at least the No. 2 option in this offense and the production should come as he gets healthier.
Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington
McLaurin was a dud in Week 5 against the Saints on the heels of a monster Week 4 performance. The targets were there, but he caught just four of 11 for 46 yards. I'm not particularly concerned about McLaurin, especially with Curtis Samuel's waning health and Logan Thomas on injured reserve. He should bounce back big time against the Chiefs' awful defense this week and benefit from his own team's defensive struggles.
A.J. Brown, WR, Titans
This was supposed to be Brown's big day returning from his hamstring injury against the Jaguars' JV defense and without competition for targets from Julio Jones. He caught three of six targets for 38 yards and finished as WR63 in half PPR. He's WR78 on the season (four of five games played), which is certainly a disappointment given he was drafted top 12 at the position, but he's been banged up. His role should increase as as a function of his health and I believe he'll be a very viable fantasy asset rest-of-season.
Jaylen Waddle, WR, Dolphins
Waddle was in a prime position to break out in last week's matchup against the Buccaneers' porous pass defense and without Will Fuller and DeVante Parker. Apparently it was the Myles Gaskin game, however, and Waddle reeled in just two of six targets for 31 yards, finishing as WR75 in half PPR. He didn't perform in the week prior, meaning his value should be fairly low. I love him long-term and even in the near term against the Jaguars and Falcons over the next two weeks.
Evan Engram, TE, Giants
Engram has done nothing of note since rejoining the team in Week 3. So far, he's caught 11 of 16 targets for 103 yards and zero touchdowns over three games. What he does have going for him is, of course, his athleticism and talent, as well as being one of the only healthy players in the Giants offense. Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton have each missed two games with matching hamstring injuries; Kenny Golladay has a new ailment every week and is currently dealing with a knee injury that is expected to keep him sidelined for Week 6; and Saquon Barkley and Kadarius Toney are both dealing with ankle injuries of varying severity. Engram should see a healthy target share while all or most of these guys are sidelined.
Darren Waller, TE, Raiders
Waller has finished as a TE1 in just three of five games thus far, but somehow finds himself at TE5 in half PPR on the season — a true testament to the hellscape that is tight end this year. Quarterback Derek Carr clearly struggled and posted his worst game all year in Week 5, which impacted Waller's performance. Denver may not be the bounce-back game, but better days are certainly ahead for both players. You also may be able to get a discount on Raiders players right now in light of the drama surrounding the team after Jon Gruden resigned after a series of racist, misogynistic and homophobic emails he sent sent while working at ESPN were surfaced by the Wall Street Journal and New York Times.
Week 6 Trade Targets To Sell High On
Below are nine Week 5 overperformers, or players whose values may decrease over the next few weeks whom you should try to offload via trades.
Myles Gaskin, RB, Dolphins
In a strange turn of events, Gaskin finally showed up with his best game of the year against the Buccaneers' stingy run defense. He only saw five rushes for 25 yards, but was essentially used as a slot receiver and caught all 10 targets for 74 yards and two touchdowns; he saw zero targets in the week prior. The Dolphins face the Jaguars and Falcons in the next two weeks, so I would understand if you want to hold onto him for those matchups, then sell him later, but it is still a gamble in light of Miami's offensive struggles.
Damien Williams, RB, Bears
Williams finished as RB20 stepping in for an injured David Montgomery, but the fantasy points don't tell the complete story. He saw fewer rushing attempts than Khalil Herbert and was less effective with his workload. It's unfortunate that the Montgomery role isn't going to transfer 1:1 to Williams, who you should try to sell high on before other managers realize this is going to be a committee until Montgomery returns.
Kareem Hunt, RB, Browns
Hunt has been one of the best mid-round picks this year. He was drafted as a high-end RB3 and is currently RB4 though five weeks in half PPR scoring. I think now is the time to cash in on him if you can get RB1 value: He is still sharing touches with Nick Chubb, who remains the alpha in this offense, and while the Browns are a run-heavy team, I seriously doubt they'll be in 89-point shootouts on a week-to-week basis.
James Conner, RB, Falcons
Conner has been on fire of late and has found the end zone five times in three weeks. He is RB19 through five weeks, though I still view him as touchdown-dependent. He has been out-touched by Chase Edmonds this year and has posted 3.2 yards per carry to Edmonds' 5.5. If Conner were on my roster, I would be happy to flip him as an RB2.
Cordarrelle Patterson, RB, Falcons
Patterson's Year 9 breakout has been one of the best storylines of the season. He is currently RB6 in half PPR and has 41 rushing attempts for 173 yards and a touchdown. He 's been most effective through the air, however, and has reeled in 25 of 31 targets for 295 yards and four touchdowns. That said, we finally saw the Kyle Pitts breakout game last week and with Calvin Ridley likely returning, I don't see Patterson being an RB1 rest-of-season. If you can flip him at that value, I'd suggest going for it.
Leonard Fournette, RB, Buccaneers
Fournette is RB17 in half PPR and had his best game of the year last week. He scored for the first time all season, and appears to be the Buccaneers' best option out of the backfield. However, I would be wary of placing trust in any Tampa Bay running back given head coach Bruce Arians' mercurial tendencies. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me 10 or more times … I would definitely try to move Fournette before he turns back into a pumpkin and gets benched for some nebulous reason.
Kadarius Toney, WR, Giants
Toney should be one of the top waiver wire pickups this week for good reason. We saw him begin to emerge in Week 4, finishing as WR29 in half PPR with both Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton out. He followed it up with a monster game in Week 5 and caught 10 of 13 targets for 189 yards and tacked on a rush for seven yards, finishing as WR7 for the week. However, all of this production has come with Shepard and Slayton out, and Kenny Golladay missed the better part of last week's game with an injury. I foresee this situation becoming much messier once one or all of them return, so this is likely the apex of Toney's value.
Marquez Callaway, WR, Saints
The preseason phenom disappointed in the first two weeks, scoring just two fantasy points in each game in half PPR. He has begun to come on strong since Week 3 and posted his best game of the season last week in which he reeled in four of eight targets for 85 yards and two touchdowns. I love the chemistry he has with quarterback Jameis Winston, but I view him as a touchdown-dependent, boom-or-bust play for now. Depending on what you can get for him, I would definitely consider moving Callaway.
Kyle Pitts, TE, Falcons
It hurts me to put Pitts here, but I have to do it. He entered the week as TE21 in half PPR and while his breakout game was impressive, tallying nine catches on 10 targets for 119 yards and a touchdown, that production only came without star wideout Calvin Ridley and against the lowly Jets. I like Pitts to finish top 12 rest-of-season, but given the way the Falcons offense has looked previously, it's hard to tell if this is a sign of things to come or a blip on the radar.
