Week 5 of the 2023 fantasy football season featured some big surprises. Who were the big winners and losers? Which players received "A" and "F" grades?
Matt Bowen and Tristan H. Cockcroft offer their analysis, and Seth Walder provides his grades. We also asked NFL Nation reporters to answer questions about what happened in the Thursday and Sunday games.
Jump to a topic:
Ranking winners | Ranking losers
Who got an A | Who got an F
Biggest injuries and what's next
Top questions from Week 5
Ranking fantasy winners of Week 5
1. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
That was a ridiculous day for Chase. Breakout numbers here. Vertical opportunities. And red zone targets. Chase finished with 52.2 PPR points, catching 15 of 19 targets for 192 yards, including three touchdown grabs. And with quarterback Joe Burrow looking healthy in this one, showing the ability to move inside and outside the pocket while pushing the ball to the second and third levels, Chase took over the football game. He'll be a top-three WR for me next week versus the Seattle defense. -- Bowen
2. DJ Moore, WR, Chicago Bears
Moore dropped a career-high 49 PPR points on the Washington defense Thursday night, the highest total for a wide receiver since Ja'Marr Chase's 55.6 PPR points in Week 17 of 2021 -- until Chase turned in his own amazing performance Sunday. Moore caught 8 of 10 targets in this one, finishing with 230 yards and three touchdowns. Catch-and-run targets. Double moves. Cover 2 beaters. It was an explosive-play clinic for Moore, who has now caught a touchdown in each of his past three games. He'll be a high-end WR2 for the Week 6 matchup versus Minnesota. -- Bowen
3. Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Etienne's career-high 36.4 PPR points were backed by 30 offensive touches in the win over the Bills. He finished with 184 total yards and two scores here, finding the end zone for the first time since Week 1. Etienne has now seen at least 20 touches in each of his past three games. You can win with that in Doug Pederson's heavily schemed offense. Etienne will stay in the RB1 mix for the Week 6 matchup versus the Colts' defense. -- Bowen
4. Justin Fields, QB, Chicago Bears
With his 32.98-fantasy point performance on Thursday, Fields delivered 60.88 points over a five-day span, dramatically swinging his season back into the proper direction. Weren't we in this exact position with him at this time in 2022? Fields' 10 designed runs were his season high, giving him 19 the past three weeks, to go along with a most encouraging four passing scores in back-to-back games. To the 2022 parallel, he faces an extremely soft schedule the next three weeks (MIN, LV, @LAC), which could position him for a hot spell comparative to Weeks 7-11 last year, when he scored 22-plus in all five games. -- Cockcroft
5. Zack Moss, RB, Indianapolis Colts
Jonathan Taylor's return from injured reserve and subsequent signing to a multiyear extension will prove to be a problem, workload-wise, for Moss, but that won't happen until some future week. Instead, Moss played 80% of the offensive snaps, had 23 of the 29 carries and 25 of the 32 touches that went to the running backs, and turned them into a career-best 33.5 PPR fantasy points. Note that this came against a Tennessee Titans defense that was eighth best against the position (schedule-adjusted) entering the week. -- Cockcroft
6. Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions
He's off to a heck of a start, with usage numbers that are out of character for a rookie tight end. LaPorta scored 19.7 PPR fantasy points in Week 5 behind a pair of receiving touchdowns, giving him 71.9 for the season, the second most by any tight end in history through his first five career games (Keith Jackson, 72.8). LaPorta played a personal-best 87% of the offensive snaps, the fourth time in five weeks he has exceeded 80%, and he has averaged 6.2 targets. He has established himself as a weekly back-end TE1. -- Cockcroft
7. Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets
Now that is the kind of usage we need to see from Hall, not only for fantasy success but also the Jets' on-field prospects. Hall played 52% of the offensive snaps, handled 22 of the team's 32 total carries and scored a career-high 28.4 PPR fantasy points. He had the game's fastest clocked run, per Next Gen Stats: his 72-yard touchdown run to begin the third quarter, which underscored his home run ability. Hall's Week 6 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles is considerably tougher, but here's hoping the Jets lean on him similarly going forward. -- Cockcroft
8. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Tennessee Titans
Hopkins played his best game of the year in Tennessee, posting 22.0 PPR points in the loss to the Colts. He caught a season-high eight passes (on 10 targets), finishing with 140 yards. We saw the coverage awareness from Hopkins to find open turf, plus the ability to win one-on-one. And when he gets the volume, Hopkins can produce consistent WR2 numbers. Hopkins and the Titans host the Ravens in Week 6. -- Bowen
9. Dallas Goedert, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
After being held beneath double-digit PPR fantasy points in his first four games, Goedert stepped up with a 25.7-point performance against the mediocre Arizona Cardinals defense. This came days after coach Nick Sirianni indicated he'd get the tight end more involved in the passing game, so it's a promising sign that Goedert's TE1 fantasy stock might be restored. He's certainly worth starting as one in Week 6 against the Jets. -- Cockcroft
Ranking fantasy losers of Week 5
1. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
Two late-game turnovers in the loss to the Steelers pushed Jackson's final totals down 9.9 fantasy points, but how many opportunities did the Ravens simply miss in the pass game? Even with Pittsburgh applying pressure on Jackson, recording four sacks and forcing him to move in the pocket, the Ravens dropped more than a handful of targets. That included an end zone drop from Rashod Bateman on a slant route, and Zay Flowers fell down on a deep ball throw that should've gone for six. A lot of missed opportunities here. Jackson gets the Titans in Week 6. -- Bowen
2. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
If Moss was a winner, it stands to reason that Taylor, in his 2023 debut, lands on this side, as practice-week chatter that he would be eased back in came to fruition. Taylor played only 10 offensive snaps, six of them rushing attempts and four receiving routes, turning them into only 4.4 PPR fantasy points. With Moss performing so well in his absence -- he has three 20-point performances in the past four weeks -- Taylor isn't needed for a hefty workload, and that might repeat with the team facing a similarly tough Cleveland Browns defense in Week 6. Taylor is a midrange flex at best for that matchup. -- Cockcroft
3. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans
With just 9.2 PPR points in the loss to the Titans, Henry has failed to top 10 PPR points in two of his past three games. And rookie running back Tyjae Spears is starting to get more run here. Spears posted season highs with 16.9 PPR points, 11 offensive touches and 69 total yards, which included a rushing score on a reverse. With Henry's play speed starting to decline, we need to monitor the usage of Spears moving forward in the Titans' game plan. He can bring some juice to this offense, and he has the receiving traits to log numbers on backfield releases. -- Bowen
4. James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills
His production has stalled the past two weeks, his yards-per-carry average just 1.5 in that time, capped by a 5.1 PPR fantasy point Week 5 in which he managed minus-4 yards on four carries. Cook's rushing struggles have forced the Bills to lean heavily upon Josh Allen, as the team has a 58%/42% pass/run split through five weeks, which is helping elevate the fantasy production of receivers Stefon Diggs (24.1 points on Sunday) and Gabe Davis (22.0 points, four straight games with a touchdown). Expect more of the same in Week 6 against the reeling New York Giants. -- Cockcroft
5. Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots
In a second straight blowout loss for the Patriots, Stevenson posted a season-low 2.4 PPR points. He failed to record a reception for the first time this year, and his lack of running efficiency (eight carries, 24 yards) is still a major concern. I drafted Stevenson in multiple leagues this summer due to his dual-threat ability in Bill O'Brien's system, but this Patriots offense lacks rhythm right now, and Mac Jones continues to make poor decisions with the ball. Stevenson will look to get back on track in the Week 6 matchup versus the Raiders. -- Bowen
6. Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets
In a very positive matchup, versus a subpar Broncos defense, Wilson logged just 8.4 PPR points, catching 3 of 7 targets here for 54 yards receiving. While Wilson has seen at least seven targets in each of his past four games, he will remain a low-floor WR2/Flex given the lack of pass game rhythm in New York, with the Eagles on deck in Week 6. -- Bowen
Injury impact
Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
What we know: Jefferson didn't finish the Week 5 game versus Kansas City, as he left at the start of the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury. Before that? The Chiefs had a plan to limit Jefferson: rerouting him at the line of scrimmage and playing safeties over the top. Jefferson posted a season-low 5.8 PPR points, catching 3 of 6 targets for 28 yards, after logging four straight games of 24 PPR points to start the season.
What's next: We'll have to monitor the injury reports of Jefferson during the week, with a matchup versus the Bears' zone-heavy defense next Sunday. Jordan Addison and K.J. Osborn will elevate in the ranks if he's out, with Brandon Powell as a potential streamer. -- Bowen
Anthony Richardson, QB, Indianapolis Colts
What we know: Richardson left the game versus the Titans with a right shoulder injury in the second quarter and did not return.
What's next: If Richardson is out next week, Gardner Minshew would get the start at quarterback versus the Jaguars. It would be Minshew's second start of the season. -- Bowen
James Conner, RB, Arizona Cardinals
What we know: Conner left Sunday's game in the second quarter with a knee injury and was unable to return.
What's next: Expect Conner to get an MRI to determine the extent of the injury, but it's notable that Emari Demercado absorbed all of the offensive snaps at running back after Conner's departure. Demercado, who probably earned the chance to play ahead of Keaontay Ingram if Conner misses Week 6, should be a higher-priority pickup for fantasy managers. -- Cockcroft
Daniel Jones, QB, New York Giants
What we know: Jones suffered a neck injury while being sacked for the sixth time in the game during the fourth quarter. He was quickly ruled out for the day.
What's next: Tyrod Taylor, who came on in relief, would step in as the Giants' starting quarterback should Jones be unable to play against the Buffalo Bills in Week 6. -- Cockcroft
Zay Jones, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
What we know: Jones left the Week 5 game in London during the third quarter with a knee injury and did not return.
What's next: Jones' injury is significant mostly because knee issues cost him both Weeks 3 and 4. If he is forced to miss additional time, Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk and Evan Engram will each see a slight uptick in targets against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 6. -- Cockcroft
Who earned an A from the weekend?
Mike McDaniel and De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
The Achane part is obvious: 151 rushing yards and a score on 11 carries, including 82 rush yards over expectation, per NFL Next Gen Stats. But you know what also was impressive? The team's rushing expectation in the first place. The Dolphins averaged 5.1 expected yards per carry Sunday based on the positioning and movement of all players at the time of handoff. No other Week 5 team through the early window was over 4.7 in the same metric. It's a credit to McDaniel's scheme (and a bit to the offensive line, too). -- Walder
Who earned an F from the weekend?
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Jackson was costly in the Ravens' 17-10 upset loss to the Steelers, accounting for minus-23.9 (!) expected points added, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Jackson had a minus-5% completion percentage over expectation, threw a pick, was sacked four times and lost a fumble. With even mediocre QB play, the Ravens should have come away with a pretty easy victory. Instead, they fell to their rivals. -- Walder
Joshua Ezeudu, LT, New York Giants
Ezeudu, filling in for the injured Andrew Thomas, let up the sack that resulted in Jones' injury that knocked him out of the Giants' loss to the Dolphins. I don't want to be results-oriented -- anyone can let up a pressure, and it's largely up to luck if that results in an injury -- but Ezeudu had a rough 72% pass block win rate in the game. That's one of the worst PBWRs in Week 5 through the early afternoon window and is well below the 87% average for tackles. Ezeudu ranked 54th out of 65 tackles in pass block win rate entering Week 5. -- Walder
Lingering questions from Sunday's games
What do you anticipate being the target share in the passing game going forward with Odell Beckham Jr. back in the fold?
The return of Beckham doesn't really change where Lamar Jackson is throwing the ball. Jackson's favorite targets will remain rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers and Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews. They have accounted for 48.5% of Jackson's targets through the first five games of the season. The rest -- Beckham, Nelson Agholor and Rashod Bateman -- will get less than a handful of opportunities each game. It's understandable why Jackson wants the ball in the hands of Flowers and Andrews. They have totaled 73 of the 199 yards after first contact on the team (73%). -- Jamison Hensley
In Jonathan Taylor's first game of the season, and first game since his lucrative new deal, it was Zack Moss - not Taylor -- who dominated on the ground. How do you anticipate this shaping out in the weeks ahead and for the rest of the season? And do you think Moss will continue to be a factor?
The plan entering Sunday was always to use Taylor in limited doses after just two practices. Moss finished with 25 touches while Taylor was limited to just seven. Look for Taylor's role to expand in the coming weeks -- so long as his performance justifies it -- seeing how Colts coach Shane Steichen has said he is open to using a running-back-by-committee approach. Steichen has also clearly stated that he'll stick with the hot hand when a particular back is performing at a high level, so the opportunity exists for Moss to continue to enjoy a heavy workload if he earns it. -- Stephen Holder