St. Louis at Philadelphia – Zach Ertz
The fumble last week was nobody’s fault but Ertz's. He practically gift wrapped it as he coughed it up right into the hands of the defender on the sideline. Shame on Ertz, his fault entirely. What isn’t Ertz’s fault is how he is being used since his big game in Week 1. Ertz isn't touching the ball enough to get going. It’s very hard to live up to TE1 potential when you’re on the sideline half the snaps. Then when Ertz is on the field, Nick Foles finds himself forcing balls to Brent Celek when he should be targeting Ertz. Celek used to be one the best pass catching tight ends in the league, but he simply doesn’t have the speed anymore. Celek should be relegated to blocking duty while Ertz should be catching at least six balls a game when healthy. If mastermind-coach Chip Kelly can’t figure out that his most physically talented mismatch on offense needs to be more involved here in Week 5, we’ll have to face the realization that we can only expect half of what was projected for Ertz this year.
Arizona at Denver – Michael Floyd
This is going to be tough sledding here in Week 5. The Denver Broncos can put up points against anyone and figure to do so here coming off the bye week. That means that the Arizona offense will be very active. As Floyd has been almost the only active player to this point, that means he should be even busier here. With Aqib Talib most likely shadowing Larry Fitzgerald , Floyd should be able to put in a lot of work on the opposite side of the field. As long as Drew Stanton can avoid the rush of Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware, Floyd should be in for all that he can handle. If Floyd can’t perform with elite numbers given everything that was just covered, we’ll have to wonder if he’s ready to take on the No. 1 receiver spot next season. The Cardinals’ front office may be forced to ask themselves the same question.
New York Jets at San Diego – Michael Vick
How much longer are the Jets going to sit back and watch Geno Smith put them in losing situations each week? How much longer will they allow him to express a loss of composure both on and off the field? There is no time better than the present to see what Vick can do with this offense. He may not be the fantasy stud he was for a half season with Philadelphia a few years back, but you have to assume that he’s an upgrade over Smith at this point. The offense does have effective weapons like Eric Decker and Chris Johnson who can do a lot with the ball in their hands. Jeremy Kerley is one of the most underrated slot receivers in the league and Jace Amaro is a walking mismatch that could be used in the same way that the New York Giants are using Larry Donnell . If the Chargers get up big and Smith has turned the ball over three-plus times, look for coach Rex Ryan to finally pull the trigger near the end of the third quarter, as he kicks the tires on Vick. Vick makes for a very sneaky pick-up this week if you have the luxury of an open roster spot.
Kansas City at San Francisco – Knile Davis
The funny thing about history is how often it finds a way to repeat itself. First there was Priest Holmes. He was probably the most well-rounded back in the league in his prime as he could go for more than 200 total yards from scrimmage with three touchdowns in the blink of an eye. Then, his style of play and all of his touches began to take their toll on him as the injuries began to mount up. Enter Larry Johnson . Johnson took this opportunity to showcase himself as an elite runner. In the absence of Holmes, Johnson proved to be a beast and then split work with Holmes until Holmes was ultimately let go. For a few seasons in Kansas City, Johnson was one the best fantasy backs in the league until injuries and suspensions caught up to him. At that time, Charles was the understudy that finally got to play center stage. Now we have Knile Davis creeping into the mix in an eerily similar fashion. With all the hits that Charles has taken over the last couple of seasons and let’s not forget the past ACL injury, is Davis a hit away from being the next stud in Kansas City? Davis needs to continue to show his explosiveness and do a lot with a little in the meantime, including Week 5 against San Francisco. He’s not a fantasy option yet, but keep a close eye on what he does against one of the better defensive units in the league as it can be used as a measuring stick further on down the line.
Cincinnati at New England – Tom Brady – Week 5 Short and Sweet
Is Brady still a viable fantasy option at quarterback? The Kansas City Chiefs aren’t the easiest opponent but you’d expect 169 yards and three turnovers from someone like Kyle Orton not Tom Brady . The game against Oakland was even worse where he finished with 234 yards and a touchdown. It’s Oakland! He should have had 300 yards and three touchdowns! Three underwhelming games in a row will move Brady outside the top-10 fantasy quarterbacks for the first time since 2002. Nonetheless, he is still a definite fantasy football start.
