Week 5 is in the books, showing the true colors of waiver-wire “boom or bust” players and reminding us that even big names sometimes fail to meet expectations. Here is a look at this week’s Studs and Duds.
Stud: Rico Dowdle
You want to talk about stepping up as a backup, then look no further than Rico Dowdle. Filling in for an injured Chubba Hubbard, who went down with a calf injury in Week 4, Dowdle erupted for 206 yards on 23 carries, added a touchdown, and caught three passes for 28 yards. That all added up to 32.4 fantasy points, making him the highest scoring player for the week.
His explosiveness was on display with runs of 43 and 53 yards in the second half, both setting up scoring drives in the Panthers’ comeback win against Miami. With Hubbard expected back against Dallas, the question is whether Dowdle will hold on to RB1 duties in his revenge game. Fantasy managers will want to track Hubbard’s status closely.
Dud: Emari Demercado
This was the flip side of the backup running back story. Emari Demercado had a golden opportunity with Trey Benson on injured reserve and James Conner out for the season. Instead, he managed only three carries for 15 yards (6.1 fantasy points) and committed a crushing mistake. On a pivotal 3rd-and-1 in the fourth quarter, Demercado broke free for what should have been a game-sealing 72-yard touchdown. But he dropped the ball just short of the goal line, resulting in a touchback.
Tennessee capitalized, scoring twice and kicking the game-winning field goal. Even before the fumble, the Cardinals leaned more on Michael Carter, who carried 18 times for 51 yards and a touchdown while adding five receptions. Demercado’s time as a waiver-wire savior was short-lived.
Stud: Emeka Egbuka
Emeka Egbuka continues to look like the frontrunner for Offensive Rookie of the Year. He caught all seven of his targets for 163 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown on third down that gave Tampa Bay the lead in the third quarter as he tallied 31.3 fantasy points.
With Mike Evans sidelined, Egbuka has become the focal point of the Buccaneers’ passing game, and that role will only grow with Bucky Irving also expected to miss time. Ranked as WR3 overall and averaging 20.5 fantasy points per game, it is no surprise he is sitting at +105 odds for ORTY. With consecutive 100-yard performances, any chance to buy low on Egbuka has long passed.
Dud: Derrick Henry
After this week, it is fair to wonder whether Week 1 gave a false sense of confidence in Derrick Henry, or if Baltimore’s injury woes are simply too much for him to overcome. Henry carried 15 times for just 33 yards and salvaged his fantasy line with a late touchdown (9.3 points) in a blowout loss to Houston.
The Ravens were without Lamar Jackson, Patrick Ricard, and Ronnie Staley, simplifying Houston’s defensive game plan. Henry has only one game over 50 rushing yards this season, raising questions about whether the problem lies with his supporting cast or his own decline. Baltimore has been a major disappointment, but Henry still has the grit to produce in a bad situation, making him a potential buy-low target.
Stud: Jake Ferguson
It is time to recognize Jake Ferguson as the top tight end in fantasy football. Ferguson caught seven of nine targets for 49 yards and two touchdowns (23.9 fantasy points) in Dallas’ blowout win over the Jets. Since CeeDee Lamb went down in Week 3, Ferguson has caught 27 of 30 targets for 171 yards and three scores.
To put that into context, Ferguson has outpaced Brock Bowers’ record-breaking rookie year through five weeks by 20 total fantasy points. While Ferguson is in his fourth year compared to Bowers’ first, the numbers highlight just how dominant Ferguson has become.
Dud: James Cook
James Cook has been outstanding this season, but even top players have off weeks. Against New England, Cook rushed for just 49 yards on 15 carries and saw only one target (4.9 fantasy points). Entering Week 5, Cook had logged three straight 100-yard games, but the Patriots defense held him in check. New England has yet to allow a running back to top 49 rushing yards this season.
While it was a frustrating day, there is little long-term concern as Buffalo’s other backs combined for only four carries.
The Emergency Room
Omarion Hampton
Chargers rookie running back Omarion Hampton was seen in a walking boot after an ankle injury and has since been placed on injured reserve. He is the second Chargers back to suffer a significant injury this season, leaving Hassan Haskins as the next man up. The Chargers face Miami in Week 6, and the Dolphins just gave up more than 200 yards to Rico Dowdle. Los Angeles may look to sign a free agent running back to fill the gap, but until then fantasy players should aggressively target Haskins on waivers.
Bucky Irving
Bucky Irving suffered both a sprained foot and a shoulder subluxation, extending his recovery timeline to multiple weeks. In his absence, Rachaad White continued to handle RB1 duties for Tampa Bay, rushing for 41 yards, scoring two touchdowns, and catching four passes for 30 yards. While Irving should return within the next couple weeks and resume his RB1 duties, White is a fantastic replacement in the meantime.
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