Week 5 of the 2021 NFL season is in the books. For the majority of the league, Tuesday morning brings a whole new week of football and preparing for their next game. However, a handful of players might not want to leave Week 5 so soon. Here’s a look at who impressed and who underachieved this week.
All point totals are based on PPR scoring.
Quarterback
Winner: Lamar Jackson (49.88 FPTS)
Wow. Just wow. The former MVP went berserk in the second half, finishing the day with 37 completions, 442 yards, four passing touchdowns, and a pair of two-point conversions. That’s not all, though. He also rushed 14 times for 62 yards, fumbling once. His explosive effort represented the highest-scoring fantasy performance this season.
Loser: Sam Darnold (6.08 FPTS)
Darnold’s miraculous run came to a crashing halt on Sunday. The former Jets first-round pick ultimately went 21-for-37 with 177 passing yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. He had been picked off just once through the first three weeks of the season. He was also sacked three times in the effort, meaning opposing defenses have gotten to him 11 times over his last three games.
Running Back
Winner: Austin Ekeler (32.9 FPTS)
Much like how Herbert thrived, Austin Ekeler also had a huge showing against the Browns on Sunday. He totaled 119 yards and three touchdowns in the win while also converting a two-point attempt. While he did fumble the ball once, it wasn’t enough to deter him from an RB2 finish in PPR.
Loser: Chase Edmonds (4.4 FPTS)
The Cardinals struggled to get things going on the ground this week. Edmonds picked up just 15 rushing yards and 19 yards through the air. He also lost a fumble in the effort. Despite the sour outing, he remains in the RB2 category going forward.
Wide Receiver
Winner: Davante Adams (37.6 FPTS)
Adams had a big game on Sunday, hauling in 11 of 16 targets for 206 yards and one touchdown. The 28-year-old has now been targeted a whopping 45 times over the last three games, which all but ensures an incredible fantasy performance. Continue to fire him up as a high-end WR1, especially against the Colts next week.
Loser: Cole Beasley (1.5 FPTS)
Beasley hauled in just one of two targets for five yards against the Chiefs on Sunday night. In what was supposed to be a breakout performance in a pass-heavy attack, the veteran slot receiver instead turned in a dud of a showing. He has just three catches for 21 yards over the last two weeks. Fantasy managers can comfortably leave him on the bench until he proves otherwise.
Tight End
Winner: Mark Andrews (41.7 FPTS)
As tempting as it was to pick rookie Kyle Pitts here, Mark Andrews was otherworldly. The 26-year-old hauled in 11 passes for 147 yards. He also logged two touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions. His explosive showing on Monday Night Football reaffirmed the widely-known fact that Andrews should be started in every league regardless of matchup.
Loser: Robert Tonyan (1.8 FPTS)
Tonyan amassed just eight yards on Sunday, meaning he has totaled more than 2.8 fantasy points in just one game this season. As mentioned in our Week 6 waiver wire adds and drops explanation, fantasy managers can comfortably drop Tonyan in many formats. His poor start to the season has been a massive disappointment, to say the least.
Defense
Winner: Buffalo Bills (15.0 FPTS)
Nobody expected the Bills to finish as the top-scoring defense while playing against the Chiefs. Yet, here we are. Buffalo did give up 392 yards and 20 points, but they also accrued one fumble recovery, two interceptions, two sacks, and a touchdown.
Loser: Miami Dolphins (-8.0 FPTS)
The Buccaneers exposed the Dolphins on Sunday, attacking them for 45 points and 558 yards. They did sack Tom Brady twice, but the unit was unable to force a turnover in the effort.
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