It’s time for weekly bold predictions. The point here is that if you follow the consensus, you’re probably going to have a good team. But in order to go from good to great, you have to take some chances. You have to do your homework and figure out where you can zig when the rest of your league (or at least your opponent this week) zags. In short, you need to know how and when to be bold.

We asked our analysts to provide a bold prediction for Week 5. Their answers and justifications are below.

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NFL Week 5 Fantasy Football Bold Predictions

Q: What is one bold fantasy prediction (player-related) for the upcoming week, and why could it happen?

Robert Woods (WR – HOU)

“Robert Woods has a vintage game with 120 receiving yards and multiple scores in Week 5. Over the last three games, Woods has led the team with a 19.4% target share (25% air yard share) while churning out 1.52 YPRR. Woods is tied for the team lead in red zone targets. He draws the best corner matchup on the board this week against Atlanta. He will run about 54% of his routes against Dee Alford (77.3% catch rate and 125.8 passer rating, per PFF). Bobby Trees Week is here.”
– Derek Brown (FantasyPros)

Isiah Pacheco (RB – KC)

“Isiah Pacheco scores 20 fantasy points for a second consecutive week. Pacheco had 20-115-1 rushing and 3-43-0 receiving last week against the Jets. He gets an appealing matchup this week against the Vikings, and the Chiefs continue to beef up Pacheco’s workload. He had a season-high 60% snap share last week, his rushing attempts have increased every week, and he’s been surprisingly active and effective as a pass catcher.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)

Dallas Goedert (TE – PHI)

“Dallas Goedert is going to finish as a Top 3 TE this week. Through four games, he only has 13 receptions (19 targets) for 88 yards and has yet to find the end zone despite being the clear third option in the Philadelphia passing attack behind WRs A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. But that changes this week. The Rams’ outside corners have been playing well, which is funneling targets to the middle of the field. I don’t expect them to shut down Brown and Smith, but the Eagles know they won’t be able to expose the Rams the way they did the Commanders. Nick Sirianni also has a habit of force-feeding his playmakers who are off to slow starts or who have hit a lull. We saw him do it last year with DeVonta Smith, and we already saw him do it this season with A.J. Brown. This matchup is the perfect opportunity for Sirianni and OC Brian Johnson to get Goedert into space in the middle of the field, and the Eagles may have to pass often in this one if their defense struggles against the Rams, who are expected to have Cooper Kupp back in the lineup.”
– Mike Maher (FantasyPros)

Breece Hall (RB – NYJ)

“Breece Hall goes for 150 rushing yards and two TDs versus one of the worst defenses in the NFL in recent memory. Hall has been getting healthier and has displayed the explosive skill set that made us all fall in love with him as a rookie this year. He returns to Denver, where he tore his ACL last season but finishes the job this time. Before that ACL tear, he was on pace for 144 yards and two TDs against a better Denver defense last season.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)

“Breece Hall is a top-three running back in Week 5 against the Denver Broncos. The star running back has averaged only eight rushing attempts per game, as he is part of a three-headed backfield. However, he leads the team in yards per rushing attempt (6.5) and snaps played (90) at the running back position. Furthermore, Hall has led the backfield in rushing attempts and snaps over the past two weeks, a sign he is getting healthier, and the team realizes they need to give him more touches. Meanwhile, the Broncos have surrendered the most rushing yards (233.5) and half-point PPR fantasy points (59.9) per game to running backs over the past two weeks. The buy low window on Hall is closed come Sunday.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)

“Breece Hall will be the RB1 this week! It is reported that the New York Jets have taken him off a snap count. The Denver Broncos are giving up 176 rushing yards per game. The New York Jets don’t have much to offer in the passing game with Zach Wilson at the helm. All those facts will lead to the logical conclusion: the Jets will give the ball to their best running back, and Breece Hall will torch the Broncos’ defense!”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)

“Breece Hall will announce that he is back as the Jets starting running back in a big way versus the Denver Broncos. Hall was just taken off of his snap count restriction this week by the Jets. Amen to that. Now, it is all systems go for the man who looked so good last year before he went down with his season-ending ACL and meniscus injury against these same Denver Broncos. The Broncos were just gashed on the ground by the Bears last week, and I think it is fair to say that Breece Hall is better than Khalil Herbert. Hall will go for over 100 and score versus the Broncos on Sunday, turning him into a must-start fantasy option moving forward. ”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)

Zach Wilson (QB – NYJ)

“Zach Wilson is a top 10 Fantasy Football Quarterback this week. He gets the 32nd-ranked defense in the league, and Wilson showed some improvements against the Chiefs last week. The Broncos made Justin Fields look like Patrick Mahomes. Zach Wilson might look like Aaron Rodgers this week and is a startable Superflex option. Between the injuries, bye weeks, and bad matchups, you could consider Zach Wilson as a streaming option in Week 5.”
– David Heilman (Sports Gambling Podcast Network)

“Zach Wilson may finish as a Top 10 fantasy QB this week. Firstly, he’s playing the Broncos. Justin Fields looked to be by far the worst passer in the league, completing 7 of 22 passes over 10 yards with three interceptions heading into Week 4. He then went 16 of 17 for 231 and three TDs in the first half against the Broncos, who allowed 70 points to the Dolphins the week prior. Secondly, I might be jumping the gun, but Zach Wilson looked quite good against the Chiefs. He was completing tough throws into tight windows with velocity the entire second half. The Jets’ playmakers, Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall, could help Wilson take advantage of this outstanding matchup and come through for fantasy.”
– Ellis Johnson (RotoBaller)

Garrett Wilson (WR – NYJ)

“Garrett Wilson will finish as a top-five receiver in Week 5. It’s been a rocky road for Wilson since Aaron Rodgers was lost to injury. Despite the dysfunctional quarterback play, Garrett Wilson has managed to produce at a moderate level. In Week 5, he gets a matchup with a Broncos defence that could make him look like Randy Moss for a week. Fire up Wilson is an easy matchup, and watch him dismantle the Broncos.”
– Aaron St Denis (The League Winners)

Jerick McKinnon (RB – KC)

“Jerick McKinnon has a great fantasy week- 70 total yards and 2 TDs in his triumphant return to Minnesota. The Chiefs figure to score a bunch against the struggling Vikings’ defense. McKinnon is sure to have an extra spring in his step, much like fellow RB Isiah Pacheco did last week when Pacheco returned to his hometown. Don’t be surprised if Chiefs’ head coach, Andy Reid, draws up a few plays for his veteran RB to exact some revenge. And in the rare chance that this bold prediction doesn’t hit, at least my readers can always count on Ringo’s funny jokes to fall back on!”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)

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