NFL Predictions Week 5: Fantasy Guide, Odds Projections and Expert Tips

The Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs appear to have separated from the pack, but in every one of their divisions, a team is waiting to pounce, ready for those surprise teams to stumble even the slightest.

The uncertainty of the league has also affected fantasy leagues all over, as the previously maligned Rams quarterback Jared Goff has been an above-average start and Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen has been a pleasant surprise.

Ahead of this week's slate of games, find out which team is favored in each game, courtesy of OddsShark.com, and which fantasy star you should be on the lookout for in every matchup with this look at Week 5 in the NFL.

Arizona at Philadelphia (-6), Sunday, 1 p.m.

According to NFL.com, Carson Palmer has passed for the second-most yards in the league, with 1,282. The site also reports the Eagles have allowed 285 yards per game through the air. That is a favorable matchup for the Cardinals, who need to keep pace with the Rams and Seahawks in the NFC West if they want any shot of making the postseason.

The Eagles have looked like a playoff contender so far this year, with Carson Wentz playing well and LeGarrette Blount starting to roll. In amassing their 3-1 record, though, they have beaten a so-so Washington Redskins team and two 0-4 teams in the New York Giants and San Diego Chargers.

And those victories were not convincing.

Sunday, they play a team capable of matching them point-for-point, if Palmer can stay upright. That is a big "if" given the Cardinals have given up 17 sacks through four games. Still, expect big offensive numbers from the red birds, including John Brown, who should have a breakthrough game with teammate Larry Fitzgerald heavily covered Sunday afternoon.

Fantasy Star: John Brown (Projection: 5 rec, 89 yds, 2 TDs)

Buffalo at Cincinnati (-2.5), Sunday, 1 p.m.

The Buffalo Bills are one of the biggest surprises in this young NFL season, thanks to strong defensive play and a five-to-one touchdown-to-interception ratio by quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Their opponents Sunday, the Cincinnati Bengals, are coming off their first win of the season against Cleveland and have a quarterback in Andy Dalton, who has thrown for six touchdowns to zero interceptions over the last two games.

It will be much more difficult to replicate that against a Bills defense that has generated seven turnovers thus far.

Expect Dalton to try, but even in front of his hometown crowd, find it difficult to knock off a Bills team firing on all cylinders at this point.

Fantasy Star: Buffalo Bills Defense (Projection: 289 yds allowed, 3 INTs, FF)

Tennessee (-3) at Miami, Sunday, 1 p.m.

The Tennessee Titans may be the biggest disappointment of this early NFL season given the fact they ended last with such promise. There was a youthful energy around that team and though he was injured, Marcus Mariota had put up impressive numbers. This year, the team has been beaten up and outscored by a total of 26 points, per NFL.com.

Their week 4 loss to Houston 57-14 was one of the more shocking defeats of the year given how badly beaten up and outclassed they were from the opening whistle.

They will have the opportunity to make up for their lackluster start to the season against a team that was shut out by the putrid New Orleans Saints defense in London.

The Miami Dolphins offense, once so promising, has sputtered and stopped. No wonder head coach Adam Gase referred to it as "just garbage," per the Miami Herald, two weeks ago.

After running backs Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara had moderate success running the ball on the Dolphins defense, look for DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry to provide the Titans offense with a one-two punch that allows them to score the win and protect Mariota, who is a game-time decision with a hamstring injury, as reported by ESPN.com. 

Fantasy Star: DeMarco Murray (Projection: 88 yds rushing, 2 TDs, 30 yds receiving)

Carolina at Detroit (-2.5), Sunday, 1 p.m.

The marquee game of this week's early slate sees the 3-1 Panthers head into Detroit to face the 3-1 Lions in what should be a hard-hitting smashmouth matchup.

The Lions have been phenomenal on defense this year, notching 11 turnovers and limiting their own. Quarterback Matthew Stafford is playing smarter, and though his stats are not earth-shattering to this point, he has been the leader of a team exceeding expectations.

Playing a team in the Panthers coming off a big win in New England, though with a quarterback caught up in controversy earlier this week, the Lions are poised to stake their claim to the best team in the NFC North.

The Panthers are allowing just 194.8 passing yards per game, meaning Stafford will have to take advantage of the few openings available to him if his team is to emerge victoriously in what should be a defensive-minded game.

Fantasy Star: Ameer Abdullah (Projection: 91 yds rushing, 53 yds receiving, TD)

Jacksonville at Pittsburgh (-9), Sunday, 1 p.m.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are allowing the fewest passing yards per game in the league. They are, though, allowing the most rushing yards per game.

Those of you who drafted Le'Veon Bell early in your fantasy leagues will finally see the results you have been waiting for Sunday as he fuels the Steelers to their fourth win of the season.

Expect rushing, receiving and touchdowns out of No. 26, who will once again have fans discussing him as the most complete back in the game.

That may not make Antonio Brown happy, and there may be a water cooler or two in real danger come game time, but at 4-1, the Steelers will have a dominant grip on the AFC North early in the season.

Fantasy Star: Le'Veon Bell (Projection: 120 yds rushing, 2 TDs, 48 yds receiving, TD)

New York Jets at Cleveland (-1.5), Sunday, 1 p.m.

The battle of two teams expected to be among the worst in the league before the season will see the New York Jets attempting to continue their winning ways and improve to 3-2 against the 0-4 Cleveland Browns.

The Browns rank seventh against the run, according to NFL.com, giving up just 87.2 yards a game. Against the pass, though, they are averaging 240.8 yards a game, enough for No. 23 in the league. 

Sunday, the home team will essentially dare Josh McCown to beat them through the air with a passing attack that is anything but explosive. The Jets may not win in Cleveland, but look for wideout Robby Anderson to improve on 204 yards with a solid game against a soft Browns secondary.

He is a worthy WR3 option in fantasy, if only because the defense figures to key in on Jermaine Kearse.

Fantasy Star: Robby Anderson (Projection: 68 yds, TD)

Los Angeles Chargers at New York Giants (-3.5), Sunday, 1 p.m.

The Chargers looked like a bad football team at home, against a Philadelphia Eagles team that beat them up and had more fans in the stands. Quarterback Philip Rivers is a consummate gunslinger, a fighter who will always have his team in games late.

His fellow 2004 draftee, Eli Manning, has steadily found his groove with an uptempo offense that gave that same Eagles team fits in the second half of their game two weeks ago.

At 0-4, both teams desperately need a win to keep their seasons respectable, if nothing else.

The Chargers are tied with the Jaguars for the most rushing yards allowed per game. Look for the Giants to exploit that weakness and sprint their way to victory on the legs of Paul Perkins, who finally makes early fantasy drafters excited.

If they have not already dropped him.

Fantasy Star: Paul Perkins (Projection: 110 yds, 2 TDs)

San Francisco at Indianapolis (EVEN), Sunday, 1 p.m.

Whatever offensive spark the 49ers discovered in the week two matchup with the Rams has disintegrated. The team is averaging less than 300 yards a game, and quarterback Brian Hoyer is hardly the explosive quarterback the team needs at this point.

Indianapolis played Seattle tough through three quarters Sunday night, but the wheels fell off following a fumble by quarterback Jacoby Brissett that was picked up and returned for a touchdown.

In a game of teams not necessarily lighting it up on the offensive side of the ball, look for the reliable Carlos Hyde to score you points in your fantasy leagues.

Fantasy Star: Carlos Hyde (Projection: 131 yds, TD)

Baltimore at Oakland (-4), Sunday, 4:05 p.m.

Derek Carr is out for Oakland after suffering a fracture in his back, meaning EJ Manuel will get the start at quarterback. Manuel brings with him an ability to run if the play breaks down, but he also brings an unimpressive body of work dating back to his days in Buffalo. 

Marshawn Lynch, Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree are a better supporting cast than he has ever had to work with, but the idea that you can plug a quarterback into Carr's place and win is ridiculous

Especially against a Baltimore Ravens defense that leads the league with nine interceptions of opposing quarterbacks.

Luckily for Manuel, the Ravens are giving up 127.2 yards a game on the ground, which means the home team should be able to lean on Lynch and ride Beast Mode to a hard-fought victory Sunday afternoon.

Even if Lynch has underperformed to this point.

Fantasy Star: Marshawn Lynch (Projection: 100 yds, 2 TD)

Seattle (-2.5) at Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, 4:05 p.m.

It appears as though oddsmakers are leaning heavily on Seahawks teams of the past, especially when one looks at the team's struggles through the early part of 2017. Yes, they picked up a decisive win against the Colts last Sunday night in Seattle but the team is still struggling against a Rams team led by the pressure-loving Wade Phillips.

The Rams are third in the league with 12 sacks while Seattle has given up 10.

A quick, fast pass rush like that of the Rams puts them in a position to corral Seahawks quarterback Russel Wilson, who is at his best when he scrambles out of the pocket and finds receivers down the field.

Opposing running backs are averaging five yards against the Seahawks, which means you should expect another strong effort from Todd Gurley Sunday afternoon.

Fantasy Star: Todd Gurley (Projection: 107 yds rushing, 2 TDs, 56 yds receiving, TD)

Green Bay at Dallas (-2), Sunday, 4:25 p.m.

The Packers may be 3-1, but it is far from an impressive, confident 3-1.

Aaron Rodgers has been sacked 15 times thus far in 2017, including six against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3. The Cowboys defense is tied for third in the NFL with 12 sacks, a matchup that does not favor the Packers' offensive line at all. Especially with pass-rusher DeMarcus Lawrence playing as well as he has been to this point.

Luckily for the Packers, though, Rodgers has the ability to evade the pass rush and create plays with his feet, allowing him to open receivers Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams up down the field.

It will be up to Dallas' defense to try to contain Rodgers, something few teams ever accomplish.

Fantasy Star: Aaron Rodgers (Projection: 301 yds passing, 3 TDs, 20 yds rushing)

Kansas City (-3.5) at Houston, Sunday, 8:30 p.m.

Kansas City is the sole undefeated team in the NFL, and Sunday night, the 1972 Dolphins will be able to pop the cork on their champagne and celebrate another season without an unbeaten team.

On paper, the Chiefs are the better team. Alex Smith is playing the best football of his career, Kareem Hunt is not only the most obvious Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate but also has a legitimate case for Most Valuable Player.

There is something to be said for momentum, though, and Houston is riding a wave of it following a phenomenal performance by rookie quarterback DeShaun Watson. After a five-touchdown performance against the Titans in Week 4, in which the Texas put up 57 points, it is unlikely the team takes the Sunday night stage at home and lays an egg.

Their win will not be by much, nor will it be as pretty as last week's, but the young and explosive Texans become the first to knock off the Chiefs.

Even if Hunt is still the biggest fantasy star in the game.

Fantasy Star: Kareem Hunt (Projection: 106 yds rushing, TD; 63 yds receiving)

Minnesota (-3.5) at Chicago, Monday, 8:30 p.m.

The Vikings may be without Sam Bradford Monday night, but that will not matter as they ride their defense, the explosive playmaking abilities of wide receiver Stefon Diggs to a much-needed victory.

The key will be quarterback Case Keenum's play.

Against Tampa Bay in week three, he was outstanding, tossing the rock for 369 yards and three touchdowns. A week later, though, he managed only 219 yards, a 7.3 yards-per-pass average and no touchdowns. He cannot replicate that latter performance against a Bears team who plays teams tough, even when outmatched.

Rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky gets the start Monday night, but he has the unenviable task of facing a Vikings defense that is among the best in the game. 

The away team picks up a win Monday night and has Diggs, one of the best big-play receivers in the league, to thank for it.

Fantasy Star: Stefon Diggs (Projection: 113 yards receiving, 2 TDs)