LAST-MINUTE Week 5 Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em, AdviceActives/Inactives & Q/A! (10/05 Fantasy Football Podcast)

Summary

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.

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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).

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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.”

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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 |

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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.

Transcript

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[Adam]

Rise and shine everybody. Let's get those lineup set for Fantasy Week five and welcome to the show. This is FFT Express. Adam and Heath here wishing you a good morning and reminding you to join us at 8:30am Eastern for the first of our two live streams and then again at noon [e-mail] fantasy football today. Okay, it is a tough day with tight ends. Michael Mayer is out so you can't even go that route. Brock Bowers is questionable but looks like he is not going to play. That's where that's what we're assuming right now. It's what everyone seems to be assuming. So they're at Indianapolis. Meanwhile, the Saints Juwan Johnson is questionable and both Taysom Hill and Foster Morrow are going to be activated today. So what do we do with tight end Heath?

[Heath]

Well, I make another plan if you have Brock Bowers and maybe make another plan if you have Juwan Johnson. If Juwan Johnson was 100% healthy, I would still have some concern about starting him with Taysom Hill, which the only report that I've seen is he is expected to have a role. I don't know how large the Taysum package is going to be, but it's back and Foster Morrow generally has a couple of targets when he's active. So we are not ranking Brock Bowers right now. And I have dropped Juwan Johnson outside of my top 10, still have him at 12. Couple of guys who are widely available. Tommy Trimble's still only rostered in 7% of leagues and he's ahead of both of those guys for me. So I'd like to go see if he's available. Brenton Strange, 61 rostered another guy that I would start over both of them. I think when you get to the group of and I have all these guys very, very close. Harold Fanon, Mark Andrews, TJ Hawkinson, Dallas Goddard who is also questionable. Like I wouldn't argue with starting any of those guys over Juwan Johnson but still have Johnson ahead of them right now.

[Adam]

I was even going to say a guy like Dalton Schultz who get has gotten 5.8 to 8 PPR fantasy points every week. I know that you could just turn to someone that's going to score something. I'd probably stick with Juwan Johnson over him.

[Heath]

I I've got concerns about Hunter Henry. He's been terrible against Buffalo, but I'd start Hunter Henry over all these guys and with Jaden Daniels back I would start Zach Hertz Ertz over all these guys.

[Adam]

Yeah, I think they're going to throw more with Jaden Daniels. He's they had didn't throw much with Mariota Daniels his two games he had more pass attempts than Mariota did. Obviously Debo Samuel was out so or no Diva Samuel's in. Debo Samuel's in. Terry McLaurin is out. Excuse me. Debo Samuel is playing today. Apologies for that. You're fine to start Debo Samuel. He should be very good but that's your tight end news. And the other thing is that when Taysom Hill plays, that could be bad for Alvin Kamara. Did you download Alvin Kamara?

[Heath]

I did not download him. I downgraded him just a little bit.

[Adam]

But I can't do these shows when the Hurricanes have a night game. It's just.

[Heath]

Yeah, I, I went to bed at halftime, but congratulations. It was pretty obvious how that one was going. I, I think Chimera and Tony Pollard were the two downgrades over the weekend. For me, Camara still stays kind of at the start of the cesspool. Not quite into that RB21 through 29 range. Pollard was right in the middle of it and has kind of sunk to the bottom. So Pollard, Pollard behind Ramondre Stevenson, behind Michael Carter. For me, Camara still had those guys.

[Adam]

Oh, wow. Yeah, that's the thing. I mean, I feel like Tajie Spears, that's probably the other big headline today. Taj Spears is being activated. So that's why we're, we're downgrading. I mean, I'm gonna look at my team that has both Joanne Johnson and Tony Pollard right now and try to get away from, from both of them. Juwan Johnson's a flex for me in that league. Pollard. Oh, I'm gonna sit him for sitting for Rico Dowdle. Easy call.

[Heath]

Yep.

[Adam]

And then Juwan Johnson, I'd probably have to sit for RJ Harvey, and I don't know if I'll do that. Well, that'll be a game time decision for me, but that's kind of where I'm at with those guys. Yeah. So. So Pollard, you said behind Michael, so obviously behind Rico Dowdle. You said behind Michael Carter, too.

[Heath]

Yes, he is my RB28 right now. So the, the five guys just ahead of him. David Montgomery, Woody Marks, Michael Carter, RJ Harvey, Ramondre Stevenson.

[Adam]

And what do you think about the Arizona running backs? Because we have Jonathan Gannon say they're all going to play and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN saying they're going to ride the hot hand and we shouldn't maybe overlook Zonovin Knight. So I want to find out your thoughts on the Cardinals running back situation after this quick break on FFT Express, and then we'll answer some questions. We'll be right back.

[Heath]

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[Adam]

Okay, back to your thoughts on Arizona's running backs.

[Heath]

I I don't think that probably Jonathan Gannon knows exactly how many touches each of these guys are going to get because it's going to depend on efficiency. I'm a concerned that if Carter averages 2.7 y per carry like he did in week 18 last year, that we will see some Bam Knight and some Amari Di Mercado and it's going to be a complete disaster. There's also the possibility though, that if Carter comes out and that is effective on that first drive, he might have 20 touches in this game. So I he's right at the borderline of an RB2 and a Flex for me, I think very similar profile to both Woody Marks and RJ Harvey, who you could see having enormous days and who you wouldn't really be that surprised if they had 10 carries for 35 yards and didn't score very many fantasy points. So there are B25, 26, 24, 25 and 26. For me, I would definitely start Montgomery Dobbins. I I'm still starting Jordan Mason over those guys. I'm still starting Chase Brown over those guys. I'm still starting Ken Walker over those guys.

[Adam]

Okay, so just a few other news items before we answer your question. Let's see. Alec Pierce is out for the Colts, but Adonai Mitchell may not play. Mitchell does, does well, gets a lot of work with the absence of Pierce, but he fumbled the ball going to the end zone. They haven't committed him playing.

[Heath]

What I saw this morning, I believe, was that he is going to play, but he's going to have a limited package.

[Adam]

Okay, so that's a shame. He's a talented player. There are two teams that are going to be without three offensive linemen. One is Minnesota. We've been operating the whole week, you know, knowing that. And the other one is Dallas. We pretty much knew that. Except their their offensive tackle, Tyler Guyton is not expected to play, I believe. So that would be three starters for them. They I think they played with they played without two starters and did just fine last week against the Packers. Any downgrade of Cowboys players against the Jets?

[Heath]

A small downgrade this morning because that line did move from Dallas being a 2 1/2 point favorite to a 1 1/2 point favorite and their team total came down a But it nothing really changes. Jake Ferguson's must Start. Javante Williams is must start, just like we all expected at the beginning of the year. George Pickens is must start. And I view Dak as kind of a borderline number one quarterback. I would start Bryce Young as a streamer and Chua as a streamer over deck. I think I'm a little bit lower on him than some, but he's right in that range.

[Adam]

Okay. And. And Tyler Guyn is officially out with a concussion. Okay, let's read some questions here. Dak or dart?

[Heath]

Dak for me.

[Adam]

Genti or Rashad White?

[Heath]

I would. What.

[Adam]

I was gonna say this. The absence of Bowers could definitely be a boost for Genti. I mean, they got to throw to someone, but go ahead.

[Heath]

I do have Rashad White ahead of Genti for the time. Yeah.

[Adam]

Okay. Warren or Ferguson at tight end?

[Heath]

Go make a trade.

[Adam]

I would start Jake Ferguson, RJ Harvey, or Michael Carter.

[Heath]

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. I would start Harvey, but it's very close.

[Adam]

Start one, drop, one Chub demarcado.

[Heath]

I would start Chubb.

[Adam]

I dropped Nick Chubb for. For Dowdle this week, and I'm not. I don't like. I'm not. No one's picked him up.

[Heath]

Right.

[Adam]

You know, at least. Yeah. You said you'd start Chubb.

[Heath]

I'd start Chubb over DeMarcado.

[Adam]

Yeah. So you'd have to drop D. Mercado. Okay. It just. You might be giving yourself a chance at a good running back with D. Mercado. I don't know that Chubb's ever gonna really do much for your team, but. All right. ETN Or Dowdle.

[Heath]

That's gonna be ETN for me.

[Adam]

Javante Williams or Debo Samuel. Tough one.

[Heath]

That's another good. You got a good roster there. It's a nice brag. And I would start Javante, Michael Carter.

[Adam]

Travion Henderson, or Darius Slayton.

[Heath]

That could have also been Jameson Williams. And if it was, I would start Debo over Jameson Williams.

[Adam]

Yeah. All right, so it. Devonte Debo, Jameson. Good call.

[Heath]

Yes.

[Adam]

Michael Carter, Trayvon Henderson, Darius Slayton.

[Heath]

That'll be Carter for me.

[Adam]

So that's when you. Okay. Carter versus, I think definitely over Travion. Carter versus Slayton. It's not that I love Slayton so much, but do you feel like with Carter, you have a chance of getting, like, two fantasy points, you know, something horrible?

[Heath]

I feel like that with Darius Slayton in a game where the if the Giants are competitive, they might throw 15 passes.

[Adam]

Competitive? The Saints have to be competitive here because we're winning.

[Heath]

Oh, the Saints are favored, so.

[Adam]

Well, that's wrong.

[Heath]

I, I another thing is that I, I tweeted this out earlier this week. Like, I've heard a lot of people talking about the fact that Darius Slayton, I think, averaged 79 yards per game in the two games that Malik Neighbors missed last year. But Darius Slayton also played like 75 football games without Malik Neighbors before last year.

[Adam]

This don't matter. All right? Justin Herbert or Justin Fields will finish with that man.

[Heath]

I, I have to make this decision, and I am going Herbert, but they're both top four quarterbacks for me.

[Adam]

All right. Yeah, I'd go Fields. Tough call. I'd go Fields. So let's, let's end it there. If you have more questions, join us at 8:30am [e-mail] fantasy football today and then again noon eastern. YouTube.com fantasy football today. Thanks for hanging out. We'll talk to you soon.

[Heath]

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