The best fantasy QB options to stream for Week 5

Deshaun Watson was a recommended streaming option two weeks ago when he was started in only two percent of ESPN lineups and priced lower than 25 other quarterbacks on FanDuel. That I did not go back to the well with the rookie in Week 4 turned out to be a major whiff, considering Watson became the first rookie of the Super Bowl era with four passing touchdowns and one rushing TD in a game.

But alas, it’s a new week, and a new opportunity. Owners of Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Kirk Cousins, and Trevor Siemian will all have to make other arrangements due to bye weeks. Elsewhere, Derek Carr will miss 2-6 weeks with a fracture in his back, while Marcus Mariota is day-to-day with a hamstring injury. Rookie Mitch Trubisky takes over the starting reins in Chicago, and Sam Bradford could be his counterpart in that Monday night matchup. In other words, it’s the heaviest QB streaming week so far in the 2017 season.

As always, before we get into Week 5 let’s look at how things played out for last week’s recommended QB streaming options.

Notes: Andy Dalton and Eli Manning were mentioned as two-QB and deep-league options, but they proved worthy endorsements in any format. Dalton’s 30 fantasy points were the third-most by a quarterback on Sunday, while Manning ranked fourth with 28 points… The Sean McVay effect is real. Jared Goff is averaging nearly 10 fantasy points per game more under the Rams’ new coach than he did under Jeff Fisher, and the offense as a whole is scoring three touchdowns more per game. But whereas Goff had a 128.6 passer rating on throws from a clean pocket against Dallas on Sunday, that rating dipped to 39.6 when pressured… The Cardinals’ offensive line has struggled to keep Carson Palmer upright. He was pressured on 44 percent of his dropbacks on Sunday and took six sacks… Trevor Siemian’s performance was one where the final stat line didn’t reflect the type of game he had, as his 81.8 adjusted completion percentage was fourth-best on Sunday despite facing pressure on a league-high 54.8 percent of his dropbacks. Siemian was 7-of-8 for 128 yards and a TD at the intermediate level (10-19 yards).

Below are the most attractive options for QB streaming for Week 5 who are either widely available, on your bench, or priced cheap in daily formats. Each player is listed along with current ownership and start percentages from ESPN leagues as well as FanDuel salary rank.

Week 5

Deshaun Watson (HOU vs. KC) – 26.9% owned/9.6% started/No. 13 QB salary on FanDuel

OK, I’ve learned my lesson and won’t be fading again Watson this week. Currently the No. 4 QB in fantasy, it won’t be long until Watson no longer qualifies as a streaming option for this piece. He’s already a bit “chalky” in DFS, but for the record he’ll be in the weekly QB1 mix moving forward thanks to his high floor. Watson leads all QBs with 148 yards and two scores on the ground to go with a league-best 0.61 fantasy points per dropback.

Dick LeBeau’s defense was no match for the rookie this past week, as Watson posted an 87.0 overall grade and threw only one pass that should have resulted in a turnover. This week’s opponent, the Chiefs, finished Week 4 as PFF’s No. 29-graded pass rushing team. Kansas City will also be hitting the road on a short week, and Las Vegas opened this one with a healthy implied total of 23 points for Houston. Opposing QBs have a 119.6 passer rating when targeting Phillip Gaines so far this season, so expect Watson to look his way often whether lined up on DeAndre Hopkins or Will Fuller.

Jacoby Brissett (IND vs. SF) – 1.2%/0.4%/No. 22 QB salary on FanDuel

The 49ers boast a potent pass rush, but they are PFF’s worst-graded team in pass coverage. That’s notable for a quarterback like Brissett, who has shown the mobility to make defenses pay when given a running lane. Brissett sported an 87.5 adjusted completion percentage when kept clean this past Sunday, and that included his awful pick-six that happened on a play with no pressure. However, he was also pressured on 52.4 percent of his dropbacks.

If the Colts’ O-line can buy him a little more time, Brissett can do some damage downfield. He’s been accurate on 50 percent of his deep throws (tied for fifth-best) to go with a 120.4 QB rating on those attempts 20-plus yards downfield. 49ers’ cornerbacks Rashard Robinson (No. 109 PFF coverage grade) and K’Waun Williams (No. 100 coverage grade) have combined to allow 38 catches (on 55 targets) for 421 yards through four games. This one shapes up as a nice bounceback spot for T.Y. Hilton in a game the Colts are favored by less than two points at home.

Carson Palmer (ARI @ PHI) – 17.9%/7.1%/No. 18 QB salary on FanDuel

As mentioned in the intro, the gamble here is that Palmer has been pressured at the fourth-most frequent rate in the league. Not unlike the 49ers, the Eagles have a strong front-seven that can get after the passer. However, the back end is exploitable. In fact, only New England has allowed more yards through the air than the Eagles, who own PFF’s sixth-worst pass coverage grade at the quarter point of the regular season.

Cornerback Jalen Mills has allowed a reception every 5.4 coverage snaps – the fifth-most frequent rate in the league – as opposing passers have picked on PFF’s No. 96-graded cover corner (and last year’s worst-graded CB). On the opposite side, rookie Rasul Douglas just had his lunch handed to him by Philip Rivers, with four catches for 141 yards and a touchdown allowed on six targets. Douglas’ biggest knock is his speed, and the Cardinals have some burners on the perimeter plus a quarterback that can sling it downfield (Palmer leads all QBs with four TDs on passes that traveled 20-plus yards in the air). Even Malcolm Jenkins has had his struggles at safety, with opposing QBs sporting a 117.4 passer rating on 15 balls thrown his way.

Two-QB and deep leagues

Philip Rivers (LAC @ NYG) — Rivers gets a slight knock only because the Chargers are on the east coast for a 1 p.m. kickoff, but there’s plenty to like about this matchup. Rivers averaged only 2.6 yards per attempt when under pressure against the Eagles on Sunday, but he was 17-of-25 for 313 yards when kept clean. Last season, Rivers’ 104.7 passer rating when kept clean ranked ninth-best, and the Giants enter Week 5’s tilt owners of PFF’s second-worst pass rush grade. At cornerback, Eli Apple has given up a touchdown in seven straight games, yet for some reason was tasked with covering Mike Evans for most of their Week 4 matchup.

All told, the Giants have yielded the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing QBs and have yet to intercept a pass this season.

Josh McCown (NYJ @ CLE) — The fantasy production hasn’t been there, but Josh trails only Alex Smith with an 82.1 adjusted completion percentage, and his 7.1 yards-per-attempt average is his best since 2015 when he enjoyed a somewhat resurgent season with this week’s opponent, the Browns. Vengeance narratives aside, the Browns have PFF’s worst pass-rush grade, and they are down to No. 22 in pass coverage grade after getting carved up for four touchdowns through the air by Andy Dalton. Jamar Taylor has been targeted 22 times and given up 18 catches for 268 yards and a score, good for a 132.6 passer rating. But with Dalton exposing the rest of the Browns’ secondary, Taylor had only one ball thrown his way in Week 4.