Fantasy Football Week 5 Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em QB rankings: CJ Stroud is surging, as Joe Burrow continues to struggle

Modified Oct 05, 2023 15:58 GMT

Quarterbacks have always been among the most important fantasy football players, but with the developing modern passing game, they are even more so today. Their massive fantasy scores can often be the difference between winning and losing a matchup. This makes it more important than ever to make sure the right quarterbacks are utilized in fantasy lineups each week.

One of the most popular strategies for addressing the position in fantasy football is streaming the best available options, rather than using a high draft pick on a quarterback. This strategy allows managers to target different quarterbacks each week, based on their recent performances and individual weekly matchups, among many other factors.

Sportskeeda's Start/Sit Optimizer is one of the best tools to navigate this process each week. It analyzes all of the various factors and gives useful suggestions to managers about which players they should be plugging into their lineups and who should be left on the bench.

The tool helped generate the following list of quarterbacks in each of these situations for Week 5 of the 2023 fantasy football season.

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Fantasy Football Week 5 Start 'Em: Quarterbacks

Daniel Jones

The New York Giants have struggled massively this season, and some of that has to do with Daniel Jones. This is also true for his fantasy football output this year, after an excellent finish last year among the top 10 quarterbacks in total fantasy points.

With the exception of his incredible QB1 finish in Week 2, he has finished outside the top 20 quarterbacks in his other three games this year. New York didn't score a touchdown in any of those games.

If Jones is ever going to get back on track this season, Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins is the ideal time to do so. They are allowing the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, and their high-powered offense suggests a game script that will require Jones to throw the ball often. He makes for a high-upside streamer this week.

C.J. Stroud

If the 2023 season ended today, C.J. Stroud would likely be the frontrunner to win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He's averaging 303.0 yards per game passing and has yet to throw an interception across his first four games. He has also emerged as a legitimate fantasy football quarterback, finishing among the top 13 three times, making him a borderline QB1.

In Week 5, when four teams are on byes and other quarterbacks are dealing with injuries, Stroud makes for an excellent streamer. He has a decent matchup when the Houston Texans face the Atlanta Falcons and he is on a hot streak. He has recorded three consecutive games with at least 280 yards and multiple touchdowns.

Kirk Cousins

After three consecutive finishes among the top 10 fantasy football quarterbacks to open the season, Kirk Cousins came crashing down last week. He finished outside the top 20 quarterbacks after throwing for just 139 yards against a relatively weak Carolina Panthers defense. This ended a streak of three consecutive games with at least 340 passing yards and multiple touchdowns.

Despite his disappointing Week 4 performance, managers shouldn't be discouraged to start Cousins in their fantasy lineups in Week 5 again. He's facing off against the Kansas City Chiefs' elite offense, so he will likely need to pass the ball often to keep up on the scoreboard. This is an example of how game script can sometimes dictate favorable fantasy situations.

For managers looking to acquire any of these Week 4 targets, make sure to consult the fantasy football trade analyzer first.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Sit 'Em: Quarterbacks

Brock Purdy

The San Francisco 49ers are undefeated in all of the games that Brock Purdy has completed. This spans the entirety of his NFL career so far. He has also emerged as a solid fantasy football quarterback this year after failing to post consistent enough statistics to be a legitimate weekly option last year. He seems to have taken a step forward in 2023, adding fantasy numbers to his already winning ways.

Purdy has finished among the top 13 fantasy quarterbacks in three of his four games this year, making him a fringe QB1 on most rosters. Despite all of this, he's probably better off left on the bench for a brutal Week 5 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. They rank at the top of the NFL in pressuring quarterbacks, while also allowing the third-fewest fantasy points per game to the position.

Joe Burrow

While Joe Burrow has easily been one of the best quarterbacks in the entire NFL across the past two years, he has proven this season that he can't perform at a high level on just one leg. His calf injury has clearly been affecting him in a negative way, and his poor performances are a big reason why the Cincinnati Bengals have a 1-3 record.

Burrow has failed to finish inside the top 20 quarterbacks in fantasy football in any of his four games this season. He has also totaled just two touchdowns and has struggled to overcome his injury. Until he proves he's healthy again, he is extremely difficult to trust in any fantasy lineups. Managers should be making other plans for the position.

Dak Prescott

The Dallas Cowboys have impressed this year with a 3-1 record, including three dominant victories. While Dak Prescott has played solidly along the way, it hasn't resulted in big numbers for fantasy football. He has failed to finish inside the top 15 quarterbacks in any week, recording just one multi-touchdown game and failing to reach 300 yards in any game.

Things won't get any easier for Prescott in Week 5 against the San Francisco 49ers' elite defensive unit. They rank towards the top of the NFL in most defensive categories, especially when playing at home, as they will this week. This includes ranking inside the top eight in limiting fantasy football points to opposing quarterbacks.