On the surface, Week 5 of the fantasy football season might have seen normal. Quarterback Peyton Manning was putting up video-game like numbers again, and all seemed right with the world.
Unfortunately, this season still lacks the consistency that most seasons possess. That’s why being able to determine the stocks of top players and make moves accordingly is so important. You have to know who to keep and who to get rid of if you want any chance in your league, especially this year.
So, let’s take a look at which top-tier players should be sold and which ones should be bought as we head into Week 6.
SELL
Doug Martin, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
There’s nothing that can ruin a promising fantasy season like an early injury. That’s what happened with Martin, and it doesn’t look like he’ll be back to being a top running back anytime soon. Of course, it doesn’t help when your offense has the fifth-worst overall grade in the league through five weeks.
Here’s the worst thing about Martin: he’s actually coming off his best statistical week in Week 5. Unfortunately, that means 45 rushing yards on 14 carries for a pedestrian 3.2 yards per carry average.
With the Buccaneers looking like one of the worst teams in the league, there’s just no point in keeping Martin. Get rid of him heading into Week 6, if you still can.
Toby Gerhart, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
If you haven’t already gotten rid of Gerhart, it’s time to wake up. He simply isn’t going to be a quality fantasy player this year.
No player was as touted as a sleeper in the offseason like Gerhart, but he hasn’t even come close to living up to expectations. What’s been so frustrating about Gerhart is the amount of holes he misses on a gamely basis. And we’re not talking about little tiny holes; we’re talking about gaping holes that his offensive line has opened up.
It’s going to be pretty tough to sell Gerhart, but nearly any other player would be better at this point in the season.
Vernon Davis, TE, San Francisco 49ers
Has there ever been a player so frustratingly inconsistent like Davis is? And I’m not just talking about this year; I’m talking about over the course of his whole career.
Through three games, Davis only has nine catches for 91 yards. While he does have two touchdown receptions, they both came in Week 1. The worst part about Davis is that he’s not even seeing many targets come his way. In his past two games, Davis has only had three targets in each game.
Davis has been struggling with injuries, and it actually forced him to miss Week 5’s game, but he’s struggled so bad this year that it’s worth selling him before it gets any worse.
BUY
Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Carolina Panthers
After struggling in Week 5, it’d be easy to sell Benjamin in fear of him hitting the rookie wall early. However, that’d be a major mistake for a couple of reasons.
For starters, outside of Benjamin and tight end Greg Olsen, the Panthers simply don’t have any receivers to throw to. Benjamin has been averaging nine targets per game, and his 45 overall targets puts him at No. 9 in the league at that category.
The second reason you should buy Benjamin is due to the fact that he’s still a top red-zone threat. His height and leaping ability will make him a favorite target for quarterback Cam Newton near the end zone.
Throw in the fact that Carolina has struggled to get a consistent ground game, and buying Benjamin now after his worst game of the year is a fantastic idea.
Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions
It’d be easy to look at Stafford’s Week 5 performance and be legitimately concerned. This is especially true with wide receiver Calvin Johnson failing to make an impact at all.
However, Stafford is still a top-tier fantasy quarterback and his upcoming schedule is very friendly. With games against the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons in Weeks 6-8, there’s no reason why Stafford shouldn’t have big games, with or without Megatron.
If there is any time to buy Stafford to ride him for a short and productive wave, it’d be before Week 6.
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