Fantasy Football: Week 5 Wide Receiver Rankings

Oct. 4 (UPI) -- New England Patriots speedster Brandin Cooks tops our Week 5 fantasy football wide receiver rankings.

Michael Thomas, Julio Jones, Demaryius Thomas and Terrelle Pryor are a few of the big name wide receivers unavailable this week because their teams are on a bye. If you have one of those studs, you need to make sure you have a replacement with a good matchup heading into the weekend slate of games. If you haven't made those plans prior to this weekend, take a look at your waiver wire.

Feel free to take a look at my top pickups and drops article for Week 5.

Here are my Top 50 options at the position this week.

TOP 50 WEEK 5 RANKINGS BELOW

TOP SHELF

New England Patriots wide receiver Brandin Cooks is my No. 1 wide receiver for Week 5. Cooks and Tom Brady take their talents to Raymond James Stadium to face off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If you watched the Patriots play last week, you noticed that Brady was trying to find Cooks for a touchdown but the duo miscommunicated several times. I'm going to assume the Patriots worked on that this week in practice and that Cooks and Brady might breakout in this one. The Buccaneers are ultra-generous against opposing wide receivers, allowing the most fantasy points per game to the position. Tampa Bay has also allowed the fifth-most yards to the position. If you make solid selections at others spots in your lineup, Cooks has that win-you-your-week feel heading into this tasty matchup.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide out Mike Evans is a top 3 option this week with his matchup against the New England Patriots. The Patriots are 2-2 heading into Week 5 and that has a lot to do with their generous secondary. New England has allowed the third-most fantasy points per game and second-most receiving yards to opposing wide receivers. Evans has scored in two of his last three games this year and scored in four of his last five games dating back to last season. He has at least five receptions in every contest this season. He is a no-doubter WR1 for the rest of the year, but especially this week.

SNEAKY PLAYS

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is a low-end WR1 for me this week against the Philadelphia Eagles. Fitzgerald has scored in two straight games and gets a defense giving up the most receptions and receiving yards to wide receivers in Week 5.

Indianapolis Colts burner T.Y. Hilton might not have Andrew Luck back yet but he is facing the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5. He is my No. 19 option this week, making him a WR2. The 49ers are tied for allowing the third-most touchdowns (5) and have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers.

LONGSHOTS

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry, and the entire Dolphins offense, are due for more scores. I think Landry gets in the mix during a Week 5 bout against the Tennessee Titans. Landry is my No. 15 option for Week 5. The Titans are allowing the second-most fantasy points per game this season to opposing wide receivers. They have also allowed a league-high eight scores to the position. The Dolphins need points in a big way after being shutout in Week 4. I expect Dolphins coach Adam Gase to focus on getting his most trusted weapon the ball as much as possible. Landry is a WR2 in standard leagues and a WR1 in PPR this week.

Detroit Lions pass catcher Marvin Jones began the season with a touchdown in each of his first two games. He has since gone scoreless, but is a WR3 this week with a matchup against the Carolina Panthers. Jones is ranked No. 29 for me in this matchup. The Panthers are tied for allowing the third-most touchdown passes to the position (5) and Jones is due to find himself on the other end of a Matt Stafford touchdown pass in this one.