Welcome to Fantasy Life's Week 5 Expert Roundtable! We're using data and eye tests to make best guesses and reconstruct rosters a month into the season.

The Fantasy Life staff explores which rookies have made their claim as franchise-changers, transforming both the league and fantasy lineups. We're also giving props to WR2 weekly locks, keying in on fantasy-relevant matchups, and fine-tuning our squads on the field and off (see Week 5's pop culture question).

Join me and some of your Fantasy Life favorites—John Laghezza, Jake Trowbridge, and Rob Waziak—as we give you our best Week 5 advice.

QUESTION #1: Who is Your Offensive Rookie of the Year?

  • Who else is currently in the running, and how have these players impacted fantasy football lineups so far?

John Laghezza: The NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year can be whittled down to a three-man race between Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabers, and Marvin Harrison. Washington's first-year QB currently tops my board as the clear favorite, not only based on positional bias—Daniels' current +80% completion rate is historic by any account.

Jake Trowbridge: Jayden Daniels is out here casually setting NFL records while Caleb Williams fights for his life and Drake Maye twiddles his thumbs on the sideline. Even the most fervent Daniels supporters probably didn't expect him to be the fantasy QB1 at this point in the season, but it doesn't seem like a fluke. And although John was nice enough to play down the positional bias, I'm not sure OROY voters will do the same.

Rob Waziak: Betting odds have indicated that Jayden Daniels will most likely walk out of his inaugural season with Rookie of the Year honors, and I agree. He's efficiently elevating a Commanders' offense that finished 4th in the NFC East in 2023 to that of a legitimate playoff contender. Malik Nabers absolutely deserves the honors, but with inconsistent play at QB and a concussion likely sidelining him in Week 5, the odds will only strengthen the hotter Daniels runs.

Jess Bryant: Jayden Daniels is the obvious winner of OROY, barring unforeseen circumstances. Otherwise, Nabers and Harrison Jr. are next in line and in that order. Bucky Irving (203 rushing yards, 5.8 yards per carry) and Brock Bowers (ranked No. 4 in TE fantasy points) are playing well but far from the group above. I want to see what Xavier Worthy does with Rashee Rice out, but he can't elevate to that level either. Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze, and Drake Maye, the Top 10 picks not yet mentioned, are out—very much out.

QUESTION #2: A Must-Start WR2?

  • Which wide receivers listed as WR2 on their team's depth chart have become reliable every-week starters in fantasy leagues?

John Laghezza: Tee Higgins, Jameson Williams, Xavier Legette, Rashid Shaheed, Stefon Diggs, Jordan Addison, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Dontayvion Wicks, and Darnell Mooney.

Jake Trowbridge: Can we get a round of applause for Wan'Dale Robinson? In a season mired by inconsistency and injuries at the position, slotting a nearly guaranteed 10+ PPR points into your lineup feels awfully nice. Robinson is also one of a select few receivers notching at least 30% targets per route run. It may also be time to start thinking of Chris Godwin as the true No. 1 receiver in Tampa Bay, even if the NFL depth charts say otherwise.

Jess Bryant: I drafted Legette in the late rounds in deep leagues and thanked every god when Bryce Young—who I hope finds success elsewhere—was benched for Andy Dalton. Tyler Lockett, a longtime reliable WR2, is replaced by Smith-Njigba on this list. I grabbed Wicks in multiple leagues after his Week 4 and his 2-TD, 78-receiving yard performance, and with Watson (likely) out this week. While Brandon Aiyuk has had a very down season so far, I still have faith that he will bounce back soon, and he is an excellent buy-low candidate. 

QUESTION #3: Buy, Hold, or Trade?

  • Now that we're four weeks into the season, which players are you holding onto, dropping, or trying to trade?

John Laghezza: I'm holding onto anyone I believed in this summer whose draft cost came at a premium, namely Anthony Richardson and Drake London. Regarding trades, I become more likely to move on from top-50 players if I whiffed on the offensive environments. My Jets and first-rounder Garrett Wilson come to mind—I worry the combination of an elite defense and molasses-paced offense will stunt the high-scoring types of games we need to profit.

Jake Trowbridge: We don't like to overreact to small sample sizes around here but for some players … it's time. It's time to offload some big names that have produced exactly squat. I'm talking to the Mark Andrews managers, the Kyle Pitts believers, and the Patrick Mahomes enthusiasts. I give you all permission to cut bait! (As long as you try to trade them first.) I'm also trying to trade away Jerome Ford before Nick Chubb makes an improbably triumphant return and makes me look like an idiot for ever doubting him.

Jess Bryant: I struggle with the wait-and-see approach yearly, but I'm focused this season. Still, I'm in a shallow league where I have Kyle Pitts and Brock Bowers, and this is the week I drop Pitts. I'm holding Rome Odunze with little faith and Chase Brown with more faith, dropping Keon Coleman and even Christian Watson in shallow leagues, and hoping for a Davante Adams trade.

I dropped Caleb Williams for Justin Fields (editor's note: oh, the irony …) in one place where I have C.J. Stroud as my QB1. Time will tell if that's a good choice, but I like it for now. I'm holding Bucky Irving, Tank Bigsby, and Ladd McConkey in deep leagues and hoping for late-season surges. As for what others are doing, I'm in one league where Jaylen Waddle, Terry McLaurin, Javonte Williams, Michael Pittman, and Bucky Irving were all dropped. I may end up with all of them …

QUESTION #4: (Fantasy) Matchup of the Week

  • When setting your fantasy lineup this week, which team matchups are you analyzing most closely?

John: I start with any games with 50-point totals or higher, hoping teams will push each other throughout. For Week 5, that means Baltimore vs. Cincinnati and Arizona vs. San Francisco. After that, I look for any elevated individual team totals like Buffalo, Houston, Washington, or Jacksonville.

Jake Trowbridge: As Fantasy Life's own Ian Hartitz pointed out in his Week 5 manifesto, you can safely fire up any Colts, Browns, and Packers players on your roster. Those teams are facing bottom-barrel defenses and should be altogether safe plays. You should also put some faith in Kenneth Walker and Travis Etienne, as both face defenses susceptible to explosive plays.

Jess Bryant: The Colts-Jaguars matchup is prime for offensive numbers, as these are two of the worst defenses in the league. Jonathan Taylor (if active), Travis Etienne, and even Tank Bigsby could all have nice fantasy games. In daily fantasy, I have some shares in Josh Downs. If Flacco starts, Michael Pittman may be viable as well. The Packers are going against the Rams, who have the worst defense in the league, so look to grab Wicks off waivers if he's still there and start Jayden Reed and Josh Jacobs, knowing they could have massive games. The Cowboys' run defense has been abysmal this year, so look for Justin Fields and Najee Harris to produce in Week 5.

Rob Waziak: This week, we should see a healthy amount of fantasy points scored in the Ravens-Bengals, Bills-Texans, and Packers-Rams games. All three games offer at least a 47.5-point over/under, with each team within 5 or fewer implied point totals of their opponent. One name to monitor leading up to the Bills-Texans game is Joe Mixon, who could see a favorable opportunity against a Bills defense that has allowed a league-leading 34 fantasy points per game to opposing RBs this season. He just needs to start practicing first.

QUESTION #5: FanDuel Weekly Specials, Anyone?!

John Laghezza: I love the Pickens + Lamb combo platter! It's hard to find two WRs who are more integral to their respective offenses.

Jake Trowbridge: Will those infamous MetLife ghosts chase Sam Darnold all the way to Londo? And if they do, can Darnold light Casper's ass up in a revenge game? Considering the Jets have allowed 2 total passing touchdowns through 4 games … I'm staying away from that one, even at such spectacular odds. But I expect Derrick Henry to give the Bengals run defense a scare this Sunday on his way to another 80+ yard rushing game. I like those odds.

Jess Bryant: I am going with Pickens and Lamb, too. The Cowboys' defense has yet to live up to expectations, and CeeDee Lamb can perform against any team. Pickens is averaging 32.25 receiving yards in the first half and 38.75 in the second, while Lamb is averaging 75 yards in the first half and only 4 in the second half. But I expect Pittsburgh to give Dallas a good game, so Lamb should still see usage late into the game.

QUESTION #6: Pop-Culture Time

  • You've been invited to sit with Taylor Swift in her suite at the next Chiefs' home game. If you could request that she invite two celebrities to meet you, who would they be and why?

John Laghezza: Easy answer—I want to party with the Kelce Bros.

Jake Trowbridge: I know Paul Rudd is also a Chiefs fan, and since my lifelong mission is to steal some of that Rudd charm and bottle it, he's a no-brainer. I also think watching a football game with Christopher Walken would be hilarious. Go ahead, imagine it right now. You're welcome for that.

Jess Bryant: Meryl Streep and Diane Keaton are iconic women I would never meet without Taylor's help. These powerhouses have intriguing and somewhat eccentric personalities, and I live for eccentricism. I want hefty conversations about life, love, fashion, and interior design with spirited cheering and laugh-at-yourself moments. The camera pans to these absolute legends, letting loose and enjoying this new space they inhabit next to maybe Jason Kelce and his mom while I gaze longingly into the distance, deep in thought about our flowering friendship. (John, I'm sorry to tell you that one of the Kelce bros is playing, but I'm sure you'll see him after the game. You're welcome to join my group until then!)

Rob Waziak: I think asking Taylor Swift to invite Chappell Roan would be fun.