Fantasy Football Today – LAST-MINUTE Week 5 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em, Advice, Actives/Inactives & Q/A! (10/05/2025)

Episode Overview

In this rapid-fire Fantasy Football Today Express episode, hosts Adam Aizer and analyst Heath Cummings deliver crucial last-minute analysis and advice ahead of Week 5 kickoff. With a special focus on injury news, tough lineup decisions, and the tight end dilemma, they help listeners navigate the trickiest start/sit calls amid volatile NFL situations. The hosts also field live Q&A, covering a breadth of running back and flex options, giving practical and actionable recommendations for managers in crunch time.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Tight End Turmoil and Adjustments (01:56–04:21)

• Key Injuries:

  • Michael Mayer is out; Brock Bowers is questionable and not expected to play.
  • Juwan Johnson (NO) is questionable, with both Taysom Hill and Foster Moreau activated, creating further uncertainty.

• Streaming Solutions & Rankings:

  • Heath: “Make another plan if you have Brock Bowers and maybe make another plan if you have Juwan Johnson.” (02:42)
  • Downgrades Johnson outside the top 10 TEs (now TE12); doesn’t rank Bowers.
  • Heath recommends streaming Tommy Tremble (“ahead of both of those guys”), or Brenton Strange as better widely-available pivots.
  • Dalton Schultz is a “safe floor” option but would still stick with Johnson over him (Adam, 03:55).

• Other Tight End Takes:

  • Hunter Henry is a preferable start over Juwan Johnson given Johnson’s situation (Heath, 04:10).
  • Zach Ertz, with Jaden Daniels back at QB, is upgraded.

2. Running Back Updates and Downgrades (04:21–07:28)

• Alvin Kamara:

  • Slightly downgraded due to Taysom Hill’s activation (Heath: “I did not download him. I downgraded him just a little bit.” 04:51).
  • Remains a low-end starter (“not quite into that RB21 through 29 range”).

• Tony Pollard & Cowboys RBs:

  • Significant downgrade, now behind Ramondre Stevenson and Michael Carter in Heath’s rankings; Heath says, “Pollard behind Ramondre Stevenson, behind Michael Carter. For me, Kamara still had those guys.” (05:02)
  • Adam: “I’m gonna sit him for [Rico] Dowdle. Easy call.” (06:03)
  • Pollard sits at RB28 for Heath.

• Tennessee Titans Backfield:

  • Activation of Tajie Spears (Adam: “That’s probably the other big headline today. Taj Spears is being activated.” 05:36) impacts the rankings, pushing Pollard further down.

3. Arizona Cardinals Running Back Mess (06:31–08:30)

• Coach “Hot Hand” Approach:

  • Adam mentions Jonathan Gannon’s “hot hand” directive and Jeremy Fowler highlighting Zonovan “Bam” Knight as a potentially overlooked RB option.

• Heath’s Rankings and Outlook:

  • Cautiously optimistic about Michael Carter but warns: “I’m concerned that if Carter averages 2.7 yards per carry like he did…we will see some Bam Knight and some Amari DiMercado and it’s going to be a complete disaster.” (07:28)
  • Mentions Woody Marks and RJ Harvey have similar boom/bust profiles as Carter (RB24-26 range).
  • David Montgomery, JK Dobbins, Jordan Mason, Chase Brown, Ken Walker all safely ahead of the Arizona RB rotation.

4. Offensive Line Injuries — Fantasy Impact (08:30–09:25)

• Colts & Cowboys Key Absences:
  • Alec Pierce (Colts) is out; Adonai Mitchell expected to play but in a limited role.
  • Two teams missing three starting offensive linemen: Minnesota and Dallas (including OT Tyler Guyton).
  • Adam: “Any downgrade of Cowboys players against the Jets?”
    • Heath: Only a “small downgrade.” Still starting Jake Ferguson, Javonte Williams, George Pickens as “must starts.” Dak Prescott moves to “borderline #1 QB”—startable but streamable (Bryce Young, Chua suggested as alternatives).

5. Rapid-Fire Listener Q&A — Start/Sit Decisions (10:02–12:56)

• Quarterbacks:

  • Dak Prescott or Dart? – Heath: “Dak for me.” (10:11)
  • Justin Herbert or Justin Fields?
    • Heath: “I am going Herbert, but they’re both top four quarterbacks for me.” (12:51)
    • Adam disagrees: “Yeah, I’d go Fields. Tough call.”

• Running Backs & Flex:

  • Genti or Rashad White?
    • Heath: “I do have Rashad White ahead of Genti.” (10:27)
    • Adam notes Jordan Genti could benefit from Bowers’ absence.
  • Warren or Ferguson (at TE)?
    • Heath: “Go make a trade.” (10:37)
    • Adam: “I would start Jake Ferguson.”
  • RJ Harvey or Michael Carter? – Heath: “I would start Harvey, but it’s very close.” (10:45)
  • Start one, drop one: Chubb, DiMercado
    • Heath: “I would start Chubb over DiMercado.” (11:02)
  • ETN or Dowdle? – Heath: “That’s gonna be ETN for me.” (11:32)
  • Javonte Williams or Deebo Samuel?
    • Heath: “I would start Javonte…” (11:37)
  • Michael Carter, Travion Henderson, or Darius Slayton?
    • Heath: “That’ll be Carter for me.” (11:57)
    • Adam raises concern: “Do you feel like with Carter, you have a chance of getting, like, two fantasy points?”
    • Heath: “I feel like that with Darius Slayton…” (12:13)

• Wide Receivers:

  • Jameson Williams: Heath would start Debo over Jameson Williams (11:46).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Saints TEs Carousel
  Heath (02:42):
  “If Juwan Johnson was 100% healthy, I would still have some concern about starting him with Taysom Hill…we are not ranking Brock Bowers right now.”

• On Downgrading Tony Pollard:
  Heath (05:02):
  “Pollard, Pollard behind Ramondre Stevenson, behind Michael Carter. For me, Kamara still had those guys.”

• Adam on Streaming Risks:
  Adam (04:21):
  “I know that you could just turn to someone that’s going to score something. I’d probably stick with Juwan Johnson over [Dalton Schultz].”

• On Arizona RB Uncertainty:
  Heath (07:28):
  “I’m concerned that if Carter averages 2.7 yards per carry like he did in week 18 last year, that we will see some Bam Knight and some Amari DiMercado and it’s going to be a complete disaster.”

• On Q&A Fatigue:
  Heath (10:45):
  “Everybody’s just going through my rankings now and giving two names that are back to back in the rankings. That’s lots of fun, guys.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamps | |--------------------------|--------------| | Tight End Dilemmas | 01:56–04:21 | | RB Downgrades (Kamara, Pollard) | 04:21–07:28 | | Arizona RB Situation | 06:31–08:30 | | Offensive Line Injuries | 08:30–09:25 | | Start/Sit Q&A | 10:02–12:56 | | Notable Set Piece Quotes | Various |

Takeaways for Fantasy Managers

• Tight End Turmoil: If you have Bowers or Juwan Johnson, pivot to streamers like Tommy Tremble or Brenton Strange.
• RB Shakeup: Tony Pollard is a fringe RB2/Flex after Spears' activation; Michael Carter is risky but has upside in Arizona’s mystery backfield.
• Monitor Offensive Line Injuries: Don’t panic on Cowboys playmakers but have backup plans if streaming at QB or RB/TE.
• Start/Sit Nuances: Trust RBs with secure roles over committee mayhem, and don’t overvalue “name” players when injury situations disrupt their outlook.
• Community Q&A: The hosts’ rankings are tightly clustered among borderline flexes, reinforcing the importance of matchup and game context.

This episode serves as an indispensable guide to late lineup decisions, ensuring managers have the latest, most actionable advice to navigate a hectic Week 5 slate.