Start Michael Wilson vs. Tutu Atwell vs. Jahan Dotson vs. George Pickens vs. Marvin Mims vs. Tank Dell vs. Tyler Boyd | Fantasy Football Week 5 WR Start Decision
FantasySP’s “Who Should I Start? tool is loaded with a bunch of intriguing trending decisions at the wide receiver position as week 5 is about to kick off. The most difficult decisions come on guys that aren’t bonafide No. 1 wideouts, so it makes the decision that much harder.
We’ll discuss Arizona Cardinals’ Michael Wilson, Los Angeles Rams’ Tutu Atwell, Washington Commanders’ Jahan Dotson, Pittsburgh Steelers’ George Pickens, Denver Broncos’ Marvin Mims, Houston Texans’ Tank Dell and Cincinnati Bengals’ Tyler Boyd.
It’s a lot of names, so let’s not waste any more time and get right into things.
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Why You Should Start Michael Wilson
Wilson received his most targets of the season so far during Arizona’s week 4 game. Wilson caught seven passes on as many targets for 76 yards and two touchdowns. The performance made Wilson one of the week’s hottest commodities on the waiver wire.
For the season, Wilson is up to 14 catches on 16 targets. The 88% catch rate leads Arizona. He’s racked up 237 receiving yards.
Wilson has played the third-most snaps of the team’s pass catchers so far, and currently sits third in the pecking order for targets behind Marquise Brown and Zach Ertz.
Wilson and the Cardinals will face the Bengals in week 5. Despite their slow start as a team, the Bengals’ defense has defended opposing receivers pretty well, allowing an average of just 32 fantasy points a contest.
Wilson is our 46th-ranked receiver in the week 5 projections.
Why You Should Start Tutu Atwell
Atwell has been strong for the Rams in the early going, but things could change in a big way with the return of Cooper Kupp. The star wideout has been practicing and could potentially play against the Philadelphia Eagles this weekend.
Without Kupp around so far, Atwell has caught 22 passes and been targeted 35 times. He’s racked up 270 receiving yards and a touchdown. Atwell has had eight or nine targets in every game, which is what you love to see out of a receiver.
Puka Nacua has led the Rams in the passing game so far, and Atwell has also played less snaps than Tyler Higbee and Van Jefferson. You have to like what Atwell has done so far, but if Kupp comes back, will he get as many targets?
The Rams’ wideouts will be facing one of their easier matchups to date. The Eagles’ defense has allowed the third-most fantasy points (47) a game so far. While wideouts are averaging 1.5 touchdowns a game, they are at just 186.8 yards. Even if you split that three ways for Kupp, Nacua and Atwell, that’s not a ton of points.
Why You Should Start Jahan Dotson
Dotson and the Commanders take on the winless Chicago Bears to open week 5 on Thursday. Dotson has the second-most targets (25) of Washington’s pass catchers so far. He’s third in receptions (14), and also third in yards (110), behind Terry McLaurin (212) and Curtis Samuel (178) and nearly tight end Logan Thomas (106), who already missed a game.
A promising thing for Dotson is that he’s been targeted four times in the red zone, making two grabs. He’s also played the most snaps of anybody.
The Bears’ defense has been poor defending several positions, but are actually average against wide receivers, allowing 36 fantasy points a game. Chicago will be missing at least two defensive backs for the game, which opens the possibility for a monster game for the wideouts. The only problem is that Chicago is the second-worst team in the league in stopping the run, so Washington might simply run the ball all night and roll to a win anyway.
Why You Should Start George Pickens
Pickens has served as the Steelers’ top option in the passing game with Diontae Johnson out with an injury. Pickens has a team-leading 30 targets, 16 receptions and 263 receiving yards.
Pickens has scored once and also is first on the team in snaps played. He’s been targeted three times in the red zone, which only trails tight end Pat Freiermuth.
Freiermuth is currently banged up, as is quarterback Kenny Pickett, so the team’s long injury report will be one to monitor as the week progresses. If Freiermuth is out, Pickens could play an even larger role in the passing game. Mitch Tribuisky would start if Pickett is out, so it wouldn’t be that big of a dropoff.
Pickens and the Steelers will be taking on the Baltimore Ravens in week 5. Baltimore has been average against opposing wide receivers, allowing an average of 34 fantasy points a game. Wideouts are averaging 150 yards and 0.5 touchdowns.
Pickens is ranked 18th in our week 5 projections.
Why You Should Start Marvin Mims
Mims has simply made the most of his opportunities this season. He’s played only 65 snaps and been targeted just 11 times, with nine catches, but has 242 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Mims also returns kickoffs and punts, so there’s some potential hidden fantasy points there if your league rewards returners.
It’s hard to play a boom-or-bust guy like Mims, but he has produced three straight games with over 45 receiving yards. His offensive snaps have been between 15-17, so I wouldn’t expect him to all of a sudden jump to 30+ unless a couple wideouts are injured, and that won’t happen unless it’s in game.
Mims and the Broncos will look for a second straight win when taking on the New York Jets in week 5. New York has been elite against opposing wideouts, with an average of just 26 fantasy points allowed.
Mims is the third-ranked Denver wideout in our rankings and slots in 62nd overall.
Why You Should Start Tank Dell
Dell looked poised to rise into the upper echelon of the wide receiver charts, but was slowed in week 4. He was targeted just three times, his fewest through the first month.
Overall, Dell has been targeted 24 times, which is the third most on the roster. He’s caught 16 passes for 267 yards and two touchdowns. Dell currently ranks fourth in offensive snaps played.
Dell and the Texans are up against a strong Atlanta Falcons’ defense in week 5. Atlanta is allowing just 114.8 yards and a touchdown a game for an average of 28 fantasy points.
Dell is the second-ranked Houston wideout, coming in 34th in our weekly projections.
Why You Should Start Tyler Boyd
I just got done writing about the Bengals’ offense (you’ll see that story later in the week). Boyd has been part of the unit’s struggles, with just 127 yards on 17 catches and 27 targets.
He’s played the second-most snaps and now might be an even bigger part of the gameplan as Tee Higgins recovers from a fractured rib.
Boyd and the Bengals will be facing the Cardinals this week. Arizona has been pretty solid against opposing wideouts, allowing an average of 31 fantasy points. The points have mostly come on yards, with just one receiving touchdown against them.
Boyd jumped over Higgins in our weekly rankings and is ranked 38th overall.
The Recommended Start
Instead of breaking down a bunch of numbers like we typically do in these kinds of stories, I’ll let you play around with the start/sit tool and for the latest up-to-date data on what most fantasy owners are doing.
I’ll stick with the rankings for my top choice in Pickens. He’s got an average matchup awaiting, but figures to be a bigger part of the plan without Freiermuth there. Pittsburgh’s offense hasn’t looked good, but I still like Pickens to put up solid numbers this weekend.
I’d roll with Boyd as my next choice. Like Pickens, he figures to be a bigger part of the offense this week. The team’s offense has also looked poor, but this matchup and situation is too good to pass up.
I’d take Dotson next of the guys remaining. He could lead the team in receiving or be fourth, but his matchup is simply too appealing to pass on any further.
I’ll go with Wilson next. He’s in an average matchup but has been pretty consistent so far. He won’t top his numbers from last week, but I like him to top his projections this week.
Give me Atwell next. He drops this low simply because I don’t know how much Kupp will factor into things. I think there’s room for Kupp, Nacua and Atwell to all be successful, but I want to see it once before feeling confident starting Atwell.
I’d take Dell over Mims for my last choice. Dell drops this low because of his down showing a week ago and the tough matchup that awaits. I don’t like starting boom-or-bust guys if I don’t have to, and with Mims facing a top-end defense, that makes the decision to avoid him that much easier.
