Fantasy Football Week 5 Wide Receiver Rankings

The 2024-25 NFL season has begun which means fantasy football is back! The fantasy landscape has already changed since the preseason due to breakout players and major injuries across the league.Bye weeks are starting to take place. This means that quarterbacks like Jalen Hurts and Jared Goff will be out this week. On top of that injuries have started to mount up at this point of the season. It is always a great idea to evaluate backup options so that way fantasy managers are prepared if star players miss time. Here are the fantasy football week 5 wide receiver rankings.

[Ratings are subject to change due to injury reports or possible move to Injured Reserve List]

[Check out the section below for details on players already rumored to possibly miss this week and how their replacement options rank for the week]

Key:

Must Start- a player who is in your lineup regardless of the matchup or most circumstances. They will likely finish near the top of the league in points that week and in most weeks.

Starting WR1- a player who makes fantasy owners comfortable starting week after week. Regardless of the matchup, this player has a high floor.

High WR2- a player who may not be likely to carry a lineup that week, but has the ability to have a breakout game and is teetering between WR1 and WR2 territory.

Starting WR2- a player who should be started in most lineups and should reach their point projection. This player is started because of their consistency and moderately high floor

Low WR2- a player who may not be a lock to start for a team every week, but will start more times than not. Their production may not be pretty or win a person their lineup but the production is consistent enough to make a fantasy owner comfortable starting them.

Flex- a player who could float around the territory of being benched, but is started due to the potential to play better than their point projection. However, this player has the potential to flop and cause a fantasy team to lose if he has a bad game.

Deeper League Flex- a player who has starting value in deeper leagues. There are enough reasons to leave this player on the bench, but their upside makes them an attractive option. Desperate times may call for a player like this to be inserted into starting lineups.

Upside Player- a player who is boom or bust. This player can exceed expectations in a given week or could flop and be the reason why someone lost their fantasy matchup.

Leave on the Bench- a player who should be avoided in all lineups that week. Many times this player could even be left on waivers.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Wide Receiver Rankings

Players that could miss this week’s game

WR6 Malik Nabers, New York Giants

Malik Nabers suffered a concussion during last week’s game against the Dallas Cowboys. There is a chance that Nabers can play this upcoming week. If Nabers misses Week 5 against the Seattle Seahawks Wan’Dale Robinson remains WR20 between George Pickens and Brandon Aiyuk.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Wide Receivers: WR11 Mike Evans & WR73 Jalen McMillan

Mike Evans was limited in practice on Wednesday with a knee and a calf injury. Jalen McMillan missed practice on Tuesday with a hamstring injury. If both Evans and McMillan miss Week 5 against the Atlanta Falcons Sterling Shepard would elevate to a potential starting role in Tampa Bay offense.

If Evans plays in Week 5 against the Atlanta Falcons and McMillan is inactive, Sterling Shepard becomes the WR71 between Elijah Moore and Rashid Bateman.

If McMillan plays in Week 5 against the Atlanta Falcons and Evans is inactive, Jalen McMillan moves up to WR56 between Mike Williams and Michael Wilson.

WR15 Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders

Davante Adams missed last week’s game against the Cleveland Browns with a hamstring injury. It has also been reported by Ian Rapoport that Adams has requested a trade from the Las Vegas Raiders. The combination of his trade request and the hamstring injury could hold Adams out for more than this week. If Adams misses Week 5 against the Denver Broncos Jakobi Meyers moves up to WR34 between Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Romeo Doubs. Tre Tucker moves up to WR58 between Ray-Ray McCloud and Demario “Pop” Douglas.

WR28 Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills

Khalil Shakir is dealing with ankle soreness after last week’s game against the Baltimore Ravens. It is unclear if this will cause Shakir to miss time. If Shakir misses Week 5 against the Houston Texans Keon Coleman moves up to WR41 between Keenan Allen and Jaylen Waddle.

WR48 Tank Dell, Houston Texans

Tank Dell last week’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a chest injury. There is a chance he returns this week. If Dell misses Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills Xavier Hutchinson, John Metchie III, and Robert Woods should rotate in as the third receiver for three receiver set for the Texans.

WR51 Demarcus Robinson, Los Angeles Rams

Demarcus Robinson was limited in practice on Monday with a groin injury. It is unclear if this could affect his status for next week’s game. If Robinson misses Week 5 against the Green Bay Packers Tyler Johnson becomes WR64 between JuJu Smith-Schuster and Ja’Lynn Polk.

WR58 Ray-Ray McCloud, Atlanta Falcons 

Ray-Ray McCloud was limited in practice Tuesday with an ankle injury. This will be something that should be monitored to see if McCloud will play this upcoming week or not. If McCloud misses Week 5 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers KhaDarel Hodge will step up as the team’s third wide receiver.

Players that are currently not expected to play 

Rashee Rice,Kansas City Chiefs

Rashee Rice suffered a major knee injury last week against the Los Angeles Chargers. It is feared that he tore his ACL. However after two days the injury has not been confirmed. At this point Rice is expected to miss extended time if not the rest of the regular season. Travis Kelce and Xavier Worthy are expected to be the team’s primary pass catchers for the reminders of the regular season. Now that Rice and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown will likely miss the remainder of the regular season Kansas City is a likely landing spot for a wide receiver at the trade deadline.

Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers

Christian Watson suffered a high-ankle sprain last week against the Minnesota Vikings. This will hold him out of the line up for some time. As a result Dontayvion Wicks and Romeo Doubs are expected to see increased snap share and targets while Watson is out.

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