Our NFL Week 5 crystal ball: Five analysts make predictions, from upsets to TD scorers — SkimNews
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- Pamela Maldonado flagged two upset picks: Raiders +3.5 at New England, citing the Patriots' fifth-highest QBR allowed on play-action (a Kirk Cousins strength), and Giants +3.5 at Washington, noting the Giants' six interceptions tied for most in the NFL and Jameis Winston's connection with Malik Nabers.
- Seth Walder projected Steelers RB Jaylen Warren for 104 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Colts (30th in run stop win rate), Jaguars edge Travon Walker for 1.5 sacks exploiting Eagles rookie OT Markel Bell (19th-percentile pass blocking), and Dolphins TE Greg Dulcich for 5 catches, 64 yards, and a score against the Bengals.
- Eric Moody identified three fantasy sleepers: Eagles RB Will Shipley (32.3% rostered) set to lead the backfield with Saquon Barkley hurt and Tank Bigsby on IR; Dolphins WR Malik Washington (32.0%) averaging rising receiving yards; Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett (31.5%) facing a Lions defense allowing a league-high 32.7 fantasy PPG to QBs.
- Matt Bowen picked Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown to score against an Arizona secondary tied for the league's most touchdown passes allowed (11), Browns RB Quinshon Judkins to find the end zone against a Jets run defense that yielded three rushing scores to Chicago, and Bears WR Luther Burden III to score via a screen or jet sweep.
- Ben Solak predicted the Broncos' offense scores just nine points in a worst game of the season against a surging Chargers defense, Raiders TE Brock Bowers launches his Offensive Player of the Year campaign with 100 yards and two TDs against a depleted Patriots secondary, three unsportsmanlike conduct flags fly in Bears-Packers, and a league record is set for mimed-drinking celebrations since the NFL stopped penalizing them.
Why it matters: With the Buccaneers already up in the standings via Thursday, fantasy and betting decisions for the 14 remaining games hinge on matchup-specific splits the analysts cited — including Indianapolis's 30th-ranked run stop win rate driving Warren's projection, Detroit's 32.7 fantasy points allowed per game to QBs boosting Brissett's case, and the Patriots potentially missing both starting corners against Bowers. The drinking-celebration note is a rule-change signal worth tracking: players wasted no time testing the new tolerance.
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