Evan’s guide to all things NFL: Week 5 NFL power rankings

Breaking down this week’s games, fantasy analysis

The+Tennessee+Titans+take+on+the+Jacksonville+Jaguars+at+Nissan+Stadium+in+Nashville+on+Oct.+27%2C+2016.

Photo: Evan Dorian

The Tennessee Titans take on the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium in Nashville on Oct. 27, 2016.

1. Chiefs (5-0)

The score of Sunday night’s bout with the Texans doesn’t tell the entire story of Kansas City’s dominance. Rookie standout Kareem Hunt continued to impress, despite being held out of the end zone for the second game in a row. Alex Smith is having what is perhaps the best season of his career, finding a way to score points despite having a limited number of receiving weapons besides Travis Kelce. At this point, the Chiefs are the clear favorite to win the division, but the team’s history of choking when playoff time comes is cause for concern.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Albert Wilson, WR. The loss of Chris Conley to a season-ending injury will open up more looks for a receiving option who hasn’t been used to his full potential thus far.

 

2. Packers (4-1)

It’s obvious that Green Bay should remain in second place given that they produced another solid show of force on Sunday afternoon against Dallas. The slow start wasn’t abnormal, as Rodgers sometimes takes his time finding his groove in any given game. Davante Adams’ rebound from being carted off and taken to the hospital to returning the following week and catching two touchdowns, including the game-winner, is nothing short of remarkable. The Pack has plenty of momentum going into next week’s matchup with the Vikings.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Aaron Jones, RB. The Packers would be remiss not to use Aaron Jones in a near-equal timeshare with Ty Montgomery even once he comes back. He has plenty of standalone fantasy value.

 

3. Panthers (4-1)

I’m willing to say that at this point, my bias in favor of my favorite team isn’t clouding my perception of how good this team actually is (he says as he writes this blurb while wearing a Panthers t-shirt). Is third place an accurate representation of the Panthers’ overall talent and ability? Probably not. But these are power rankings, after all, intended primarily to speak to a team’s week-to-week efficiency. And the win over the Lions further legitimizes this placement, as Carolina has proven that it can win big games. It’s worth noting, however, that the defense needs to remain as effective in quarter four as it was in quarter one, and not surrender a two-touchdown lead. Perhaps the most important takeaway is that QB Cam Newton looks like his vintage self.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Devin Funchess, WR. Especially with Olsen sidelined, Funchess has shown his ability to carry the offense when needed, and has posted excellent fantasy numbers in the past two weeks.

 

4. Eagles (4-1)

The Eagles have proven that none of their 4 wins have been flukes. Two of those, however, were close ones to subpar teams, but the blowout win over Arizona solidified this team’s place as a high-end, playoff-seeking powerhouse. Carson Wentz is playing about as well as he could be asked to, with committees of running backs and receivers rounding out the offense. Philly’s defense hasn’t totally shut opponents down, but if nothing else, it has put the team in a position to win weekly.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Corey Clement, RB. With Wendell Smallwood out for the week, Clement could serve as a reasonable bye week fill in if you need a flex player to rent for the week.

 

5. Patriots (3-2)

Thursday night’s face-off with Tampa Bay nearly dropped the Pats to a meager 2-3, and this would be the case if Jameis Winston had had an open receiver on the final hail mary. Tom Brady’s surprise injury may be minor, but it could spook Patriots fans moving forward. It’s likely he won’t have any problems shredding the Jets’ defense, but this season clearly isn’t total smooth sailing, so any setback could be major if the team doesn’t find a way around it. As I’ve said, there’s no cause for alarm as the division isn’t realistically up for grabs, but besides the Chiefs, there’s a handful of AFC teams that could vie for homefield advantage in the playoffs.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Dion Lewis, RB. Lewis is seeing enough touches to warrant a cautious add in deep PPR leagues, and much like Corey Clement, could serve as a filler if your RB or FLEX position is missing a player.

 

6. Falcons (3-1)

Ah, the dreaded time for aspiring sportswriters when teams start going on bye every week and force us to figure them out even when they haven’t just played a game. The Falcons’ rise despite the bye week is due in part to several teams from last week’s top 10 failing to earn similar ranking this week. The dirty birds could easily flop in Week 6, just as they did against Buffalo in Week 4, but this placement is predicated on the assumption that the team used the bye week as an opportunity to get its star players healthy, and tune up the areas that needed improvement. Atlanta has a favorable matchup with Miami this week, a team that won’t have a bye to improve the way that the Falcons theoretically have.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Taylor Gabriel, WR. If Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu don’t hit peak performance because of lingering injuries, Gabriel would see enough targets to be worth an add as an emergency WR3.

 

7. Broncos (3-1)

Not everyone wins when they go on bye. Honestly, I have more faith in the Falcons to improve on their off week than I have in the Broncos. To be fair, both of these teams have lost to their only common opponent, the Bills, so the frame of reference for comparing the two isn’t great. The Falcons take the higher spot because they’re the only team to defeat the second-ranked Green Bay Packers. But specific to the Broncos, the thing to know going into this week is that there’s lots of work to do to catch up to the Chiefs, and Denver has an easy matchup against the hapless Giants looming. A win in that one wouldn’t win them power points, while a loss would be devastating to their perceptible talent.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Trevor Siemian, QB. Siemian may have become available during the bye week, and although he performed less than admirably in Weeks 3 and 4, he’s worth an add for teams with QB1 on bye.

 

8. Lions (3-2)

Just as the Panthers were recognized for a win over a clearly good team, I acknowledge the Lions’ loss to a team that it doesn’t hurt to lose to. In other words, a win over Carolina would have been huge for Detroit, but the loss doesn’t hurt them, at least not much. It’s concerning that the Panthers jumped out to a 17-point lead early, and if not for Matt Stafford’s ability to resurrect his team from a late deficit, this loss could have been a lot worse. In the meantime, I’m willing to treat the Lions as an every-week top 10 team with a low floor.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Darren Fells, TE. Don’t mistake Fells as a permanent option, but if you’ve lost a TE such as Olsen or Clay to injury, Fells has the potential to be a weekly fill-in, as long as you have backup plans in place.

 

9. Seahawks (3-2)

The Seahawks look to have rebounded from an early-season scare after claiming two victories in a row, with the most recent one coming against a daunting divisional opponent. The defense is still obviously carrying the team, with the one new bright spot on the offense, Chris Carson, going down in Week 4. It looks like a semi-safe bet that the Seahawks and Rams will go down to the wire for who wins the NFC West. Russell Wilson simply needs to take advantage of the weapons he has on offense to keep his team something of a contender.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Paul Richardson, WR. Richardson has quietly posted 14 receptions for 208 yards and 2 touchdowns on the year, putting him in a position to be owned to a reasonable extent.

 

10. Rams (3-2)

I’ve already spoken to the Rams’ situation, so I’ll be brief. Goff had a comparatively bad game, relative to the way he’s performed thus far, in Week 5 versus Seattle, but it’s clear that he’s emerging as a nice asset for a Rams team that struggled to find its identity all of last year. While he doesn’t have a single elite target to throw to, Cooper Kupp, Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods collectively make up a force to be reckoned with. Let’s not forget that the Rams are second in overall scoring, behind only the undefeated Chiefs, so it’s safe to say things are looking up for the better Los Angeles football team.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Jared Goff, QB. If you participate in a more shallow league with fewer teams or only one starting QB, Goff is almost assuredly available, and he’s worth an add if you have a spot on the bench. Save for a rough day against the Seahawks, he’s looking like he has the potential to develop into a fringe QB1 as much as an every-week QB2, meaning his bye week filler ability is top-notch.

 

11. Jaguars (3-2)

As bad as the Jaguars have looked at certain times throughout the season, they keep reminding us that they have as good a shot as anyone in their division to snag a playoff berth. They utterly subjugated the Steelers on Sunday, with Leonard Fournette exploding as well as he could possibly be asked to. This defense isn’t one to be viewed as a future powerhouse – they’re a powerhouse almost every week as it is. Free agency and smart draft picks have helped elevate the Jags’ D to the point of competing with good offenses. For instance, this team held the “mighty” Steelers to just 3 field goals. In case you forgot, that’s a team with a running back and wide receiver who can be viewed as the best in their respective fields.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Jacksonville Defense/Special Teams. It’s uncommon for most fantasy owners to hold onto more than one defense at a time, especially when only 4 teams have had their bye weeks so far (except in the unique situation of Tampa Bay and Miami), so even in the deepest 16-team leagues, there’s a decent chance this defense is available, and they’re a top-tier play every week.

 

12. Redskins (2-2)

This is another instance of me expecting a team to have fixed its problem spots over the bye week, but it will remain up to them to prove that they deserve #12 in power rankings. There’s plenty to be excited about with this team. Don’t let the score of their game against the Chiefs fool you – before Justin Houston’s hail mary fumble recovery scoop-and-score, that was a three-point game, which was decided on the penultimate play by a rookie kicker. The Skins have been the only team thus far to truly challenge the Chiefs, so if they come out of the bye week strong, they’ll have earned this placement for sure.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Washington Defense/Special Teams. This defensive unit is available in 89% of Yahoo Sports leagues, and though it hasn’t been the most consistent, Washington has a favorable matchup with the 49ers on the horizon for Week 6. Better yet, if this defense proves to be a weekly starter, their bye week is out of the way and they can safely be started every week if the statistics support that move.

 

13. Steelers (3-2)

Falling to 13th would have had greater implications for the Steelers if they hadn’t been 12th last week. The reason for their fall in recent weeks is their lack of consistency and failure to execute. Let’s recap their season thus far: beating the lowly Browns by just 3, stomping the Bradford-less Vikings, choking against the hapless Bears and losing in overtime, handling the struggling Ravens, and being dominated by the inconsistent Jaguars. That adds up to one borderline quality win against Minnesota, with the ultimate challenge of facing the Chiefs in Kansas City on tap for Week 6. The Steelers appear to be the “least bad” in an extremely poor division.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Ryan Shazier, LB. Shazier would have sole possession of first place in scoring among defensive players in all leagues if not for Telvin Smith’s pick six against a struggling Ben Roethlisberger. For those of you who don’t consider defensive players difference makers, pick up Ryan Shazier and see if he changes your mind.

 

14. Vikings (3-2)

Monday night’s win in Chicago did not come as easily as it should have for the Vikings. Sam Bradford was obviously not prepared to return, Stefon Diggs didn’t perform well before exiting with an injury of his own and presumptive featured back Latavius Murray was ineffective. The defense should only be faulted for giving up 8 of the 17 points the Bears scored, as the other 9 came from a safety, an extra point and a bizarre fake punt that resulted in a touchdown. This season is quickly slipping away from Minnesota, but if Teddy Bridgewater eventually returns and plays with any shadow of his former self, next season might be a better bet for playoff aspirations.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Jerick McKinnon, RB. McKinnon got the nod fairly early on once it became evident that Latavius Murray was not performing up to par, and capitalized on his opportunity. He was a triple threat, catching 6 passes for 51 receiving yards, adding as many yards as a return man and rushing for 95 yards and a long touchdown.

 

15. Texans (2-3)

The Texans gave the Chiefs a challenge and fought to the bitter end. Deshaun Watson has emphatically established himself as the best rookie QB in the league, tossing 9 TD passes in his last two games. Though the Texans couldn’t pull out the win against the Chiefs, the offense looks to be getting in gear. That being said, the defense lost one star and one superstar on Sunday night, with Whitney Mercilus and JJ Watt exiting the game and being ruled out for the season. A once-mighty defense now looks to be on the decline, which isn’t good for a team that plays in an attackable division and has playoff hopes.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Deshaun Watson, QB. This is self-explanatory. If, by some miracle, Watson is still available in your league, go and get him now. He has the second-most points of any player in Yahoo leagues and is on a hot streak that’s very reminiscent of Dak Prescott’s breakout rookie season.

 

16. Saints (2-2)

The Saints have been slowly climbing these rankings as they’ve achieved quality wins in the past two weeks before heading for a bye. Defeating the Panthers didn’t look 100% impressive in Week 3, but now that Carolina has toppled the Patriots and Lions consecutively, that win is one to remember for the Saints. And while overcoming the Dolphins isn’t the team’s magnum opus, shutting them out is, at least for this season. For a team that almost never shuts another team out and is notorious for having a truly awful defense, their 20-0 win looks pretty nice.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Alvin Kamara, RB. I have to admit that it’s unlikely Kamara is available in most deeper PPR leagues, but if he is, he’s certainly worth having and can be started at RB every week. With Adrian Peterson out of the picture, the only threat to Kamara’s workload is Mark Ingram, who looks quantifiably worse than the rookie from Tennessee.

 

17. Cowboys (2-3)

This is the second straight week that America’s Team has fallen 6 spots, but that’s bound to happen when a team drops consecutive games. It’s worth noting that all 3 teams to have beaten Dallas this year currently reside in my top 10, but that wouldn’t have been a problem for last year’s Cowboys. I’d be overreacting if I said that Dak or Zeke is experiencing a sophomore slump, especially because the losses haven’t been Dak’s fault. But Ezekiel Elliott isn’t off to the most auspicious start, having only found the end zone twice as a rusher and once as a receiver. This team has a lot to prove and a lot of work to do if it wants to take the NFC East.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Jason Witten, TE. Jason Witten is probably already owned in most leagues for the simple reason that he’s a universally-recognized name with an elite QB leading his team, but some of his owners may have lost hope after he flopped in Weeks 3 and 4, only catching a combined two passes for 12 yards. If he’s available in your league, he’s worth stashing on the bench for when your TE1 has a bye or gets hurt.

 

18. Ravens (3-2)

The Ravens got what should be regarded as a mediocre win on Sunday, as the Raiders are too banged-up to be considered a quality win. Posting 30 points is encouraging for Baltimore, but the future looks awfully bleak. If you are considering the Ravens’ upcoming offseason and are trying to decide what position they should prioritize in the draft, you’ll probably get stuck trying to answer that question. Is it time to move on from Joe Flacco, or should the Ravens upgrade at the skill positions and use Flacco a little while longer? Should they tank and target elite college RB Saquon Barkley or continue using a committee until they hit rock bottom? This team has a lot to figure out before next offseason.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Javorius Allen, RB. With Terrance West battling an injury and looking completely unusable, Allen is emerging as the lead running back who can operate as a receiver as well.

 

19. Bengals (2-3)

The Bengals looked better against Buffalo, with Andy Dalton connecting well with AJ Green. It appears Andy Dalton is recovering from a shaky start, and with improvement, this team could contend for the division, as the Steelers and Ravens have been inconsistent thus far. That being said, there’s no way the Bengals can expect any remarkable long term success. Joe Mixon is shaping up to be a fine draft pick, but there’s just something missing from this team, and it could be intangible. I’ll be bold and predict that Marvin Lewis’ job is in jeopardy.

Fantasy pickup of the week: John Ross, WR. Ross would be a risky add, but if he returns in short order and you have a spot on your bench you aren’t using, it wouldn’t hurt to add him, as long as you tune your expectations to Ross being a dart-throw WR4/5.

 

20. Bills (3-2)

The Bills missed their opportunity to move to an improbable 4-1 record. Not only would that have been completely contrary to what most people expected, but it would have mandated that power rankings slot them closer to the top than the football world would be comfortable with. The Bills showed that they have a low floor, and are settling in as their normal, mediocre selves. The loss of Charles Clay is troubling, as it leaves Tyrod Taylor with a severe lack of receiving options, and the Bills should consider tanking despite the solid start.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Buffalo Defense/Special Teams. The defense has been the bright spot on this team and it’s producing as such in fantasy terms. The Bills have allowed the fewest points of any team that’s played a game every week this year.

 

21. Jets (3-2)

The Jets continued their unlikely crusade on Sunday, defeating an admittedly weak Browns team. Three wins in a row shouldn’t go unnoticed but the quality of wins the Jets have accumulated isn’t great. They’ll face an extremely tough test against the Patriots in Week 6 and that matchup will likely temper expectations if and when the Pats drop the hammer. The Jets might want to think twice about winning left and right, as their shot at Mason Rudolph (who, at the present moment, I’m treating as the best QB in the draft because of Sam Darnold’s regression) would be damaged if they don’t tank.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Jermaine Kearse, WR. This is specific to my league, but it’s worth sharing: Jermaine Kearse is the best available player in terms of total points scored on the year. He’s a reasonable flex option and a solid bye week substitute, so if the waiver wire allows it, pursue him.

 

22. Raiders (2-3)

Do I honestly think the New York Jets are better than the Oakland Raiders? Of course not. But power rankings demand that I shake things up when one team gets hot and another cools down. The Raiders looked completely dead in the water against the Ravens. Carr’s return should bolster the offense and better production from Marshawn Lynch would be preferred. The defense needs ironing out but there’s not much to be done mid-season in terms of upgrades unless the front office is willing to pursue a trade.

Fantasy pickup of the week: N/A. There’s just no one on this team worth targeting. The players you’d like off this team, which are pretty much limited to Carr, Lynch, Crabtree and maybe Cooper, are bound to be owned in most leagues and no one has emerged as a viable fantasy option.

 

23. Buccaneers (2-2)

The Bucs have not lived up to any expectations this season and their sloppy performance at home against New England didn’t help their case. This is a team that narrowly escaped the dreadful Giants and was thumped by a Case Keenum-led Vikings team. However, Jameis Winston is close to hitting his stride, Doug Martin looked strong in his season debut and the kicker change (assuming that does indeed happen) could be the difference in any number of games going forward. Look for the Bucs to rebound soon.

Fantasy pickup of the week: OJ Howard, TE. Very similar to the Raiders, there aren’t many, if any, players you should target in free agency, but OJ Howard makes for a reasonable exception. His role figures to expand in coming weeks, especially if he plays with the poise and raw talent he exhibited at Alabama, and he’d be a decent TE2 designated for bye week usage. Another positive about adding Buccaneers players and consequently Dolphins players to your roster is their lack of bye week – their Week 1 exception due to Hurricane Irma makes them safe adds if bye weeks threaten to doom your team.

 

24. Dolphins (2-2)

The Dolphins took advantage of a struggling Titans squad on Sunday but the lack of production from important players is concerning. Cutler isn’t filling the role left for him by Ryan Tannehill’s injury, Jay Ajayi isn’t playing well at all, Jarvis Landry continues to be relatively inconsistent and the defense just isn’t that good. With the Bills and Jets playing surprisingly well thus far, Miami has a decent shot of losing outright in the division, which wouldn’t be all that surprising, considering their struggles thus far.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Reshad Jones, S. Jones is one of the few defensive backs worth owning in fantasy and his fumble recovery for a touchdown should catch the eye of plenty of fantasy owners this week. Obviously, that’s not going to happen every week, but Jones has the potential to get enough tackles to start on defense.

 

25. Titans (2-3)

The Titans desperately need Marcus Mariota back and they need better production out of DeMarco Murray, and from the rest of the offense. This defense has given up 142 points on the year, which is tied for second worst in the league. If you think like I do, you may have expected big things from this team this season, and you may be horribly disappointed by their effectiveness on both sides of the football. Nothing looks good for Tennessee right now, but there’s always the chance they’ll rebound in a big way against their inconsistent division opponents.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Adoree’ Jackson, CB. This is yet another team with very few solid fantasy players to offer who would be available on waivers, but if you’re looking for an emergency bye week fill-in for a defensive player, Jackson is a nice option. His tackle count is a toss up as a cornerback, but he also returns kickoffs and punts for the Titans, giving him a chance at a good chunk of return yards and less likely, the ever-elusive return touchdown (he’s already had one, but it was called back for a penalty).

 

26. Cardinals (2-3)

The Cards got plastered by the Eagles on Sunday, which looks even worse when you consider that their only two wins this season have come in overtime and both were to teams who will find themselves below Arizona in these rankings. The big news out of Glendale today is the acquisition of Adrian Peterson from the Saints, who found almost no use for him on their mostly fledgling offense. If AP can get going in any way, he’ll be a big help to an offense that has struggled mightily thus far. He can take some pressure off of Carson Palmer, who has been consistently let down by his offensive line.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Adrian Peterson, RB. The former MVP will get a fresh start in Arizona and is worth a speculative add in most formats as a low-end RB3 with some upside, but a wait-and-see approach would be best for now.

 

27. Chargers (1-4)

The Bolts got a much-needed win and forced their fellow winless Giants to 0-5. It’s been a rough start for Los Angeles’ newest team but there’s a lot to take stock of here. Aside from one poor performance, Philip Rivers has looked solid as the veteran QB he is and Melvin Gordon is posting excellent numbers. The Chargers have a relatively difficult schedule in the coming weeks, and it’s hard to see them winning any spectacular amount of games this year. Perhaps the small things, such as giving their old kicker, Nick Novak, a second chance, will be the difference.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Hunter Henry, TE. If you’re like me and have lost two tight ends to injury this year, Henry figures to be a reasonable addition to your team at a position that’s lacking in fantasy talent. He’s been a dart-throw so far, with two of his five games not treating him to a single target, but he’s worth stashing.

 

28. Colts (2-3)

This has been a mostly disastrous season for Indy, and the return of Andrew Luck will likely be too little too late to contend for a playoff berth. There are too many spots to improve for this team to hope to make any kind of dent this season. As is the case with several other flailing teams, tanking might not be the worst option, especially with game-changer Saquon Barkley promising to lead the big board of draft prospects. The Colts are the only team in the AFC South with little to no chance to come out of the messiest division in football.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Marlon Mack, RB. Mack made his case for increased use on offense and would likely be a better option than fading veteran Frank Gore. He can be treated as an RB3/flex option in the coming weeks.

 

29. Bears (1-4)

Make no mistake, Mitch Trubisky did not play well at all in his first NFL start. He only posted 128 passing yards and one touchdown pass that should have been intercepted, while losing a fumble and throwing a pick that ultimately doomed the Bears. His performance in his debut looked promising, especially compared to Mike Glennon, but it simply baffles me why the Bears were so determined to draft Trubisky when they could have drafted Deshaun Watson third overall without surrendering future draft assets. It may be bold to say so, but Trubisky can be written off as a Ryan Leaf-level bust if he doesn’t improve immediately.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Chicago Defense/Special Teams. The Bears’ D came out of the gate strong with a safety and played well enough through the rest of the game to keep the team in the game until the very end. And if your league grants a defense points for a special teams touchdown such as the fake punt score that stumped the Vikings, the Bears D/ST posted a very good game and they carry their momentum to a weak Ravens offense in Week 6.

 

30. 49ers (0-5)

What else is there to say except that this team just isn’t good? The 49ers have been bottom-feeders for years now, and they’re showing no signs of changing that. Not that Solomon Thomas isn’t a good player, but one has to wonder if San Fran totally missed an opportunity by drafting Thomas, a defensive lineman, third overall in the 2017 draft. As I just pointed out in the Bears’ blurb, Deshaun Watson was sitting on the board and would have provided an extreme spark to this offense. The 49ers can’t make the same mistake next offseason and should find a QB to replace Brian Hoyer, who, along with Josh McCown, is the ultimate Rent-a-QB option.

Fantasy pickup of the week: N/A. It’s not that I don’t want to find you someone on this team to add this week, but you probably wouldn’t have trouble believing me if I told you there’s not a single 49er worth adding this week.

 

31. Giants (0-5)

If there’s any way for every single thing to go wrong for a football team, that’s what just happened to the New York Giants. They emerged from the loss to the Chargers with one, I repeat, one healthy wide receiver, which of course means that their superstar in Odell Beckham Jr. is injured and out for the season. Eli Manning is a fine QB, but his days are numbered. The G-Men have to look ahead to where they’ll turn after him, which leads me to point out that it’s time to tank. With OBJ out for the season, the Giants don’t have a good shot to win many games anyway, and with 5 losses already in the books, they only need 11 more to almost guarantee themselves the #1 overall pick, with which they should be bold enough to select Saquon Barkley.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Wayne Gallman, RB. This past Sunday was the second week in a row that Gallman handled heavy rushing duties for the Giants, who had been entirely ineffective in the run game before he got his shot at running back. Gallman is good enough to be started in most PPR leagues going forward and there’s a very good chance he’ll take over as the undisputed #1 back very soon.

 

32. Browns (0-5)

Well, we’re back to the Cleveland Browns consistently occupying the #32 spot in the power rankings, which should be comforting if you’re someone who doesn’t like change. DeShone Kizer played very poorly before being benched in favor of Kevin Hogan. This is shaping up to be yet another QB whirlwind for the Browns, who haven’t had a consistent starter in years. It’s looking more and more like they’ll need to turn to the draft board to find another man to vie for the job, especially since Kizer looks like a better backup than starter.

Fantasy pickup of the week: Kevin Hogan, QB. Hogan has been named the starter for Week 6, and he’d be an emergency fill-in if your QB1 is on bye, but could emerge as a player you’d be smart to keep if he can produce at a higher level than he has thus far in his career.