Tell your friends (just not your leaguemates until next week)

by Carly Manger

Published On: October 6th, 2025

I am back for another week of Unpacking the NFL. If you are new here, I will be posting a stat/takeaway dump every Monday, unpacking different players and situations around the league.

Week 5 did not disappoint. We had upsets, blowouts, breakouts, and a few “what just happened?” moments (I am looking at you, Arizona) that fantasy managers are still trying to process. I am here to help!

This article was inspired by JJ Zachariason‘s Monday Dumps, so shout out to him and make sure to check him out!

Stats provided by Fantasy Points. All scoring is half point per reception (Half-PPR) format with four-point passing TD.

Let’s dive in.

Unpacking the NFL Week 5: The Stats You Need Now

Check out our Premium Tools – Use Code “OptimusFall” for 25% OFF 4 Months!

Mac Daddy

Mac Jones has shown out in Brock Purdy‘s absence. So much so that NFL fans are questioning if he is better than Purdy. I do not think this is the case, but Jones should be a starter somewhere in the NFL. He took an injury-depleted 49ers team to L.A., threw for 342 yards and two passing TDs, and beat a tough Rams team in overtime. Any and all 49ers options can continue to be confidently started while Purdy is sidelined.

The Bourne Supremacy

With Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings, and George Kittle sidelined, Thursday night was the Kendrick Bourne Show. He caught 10 of his 11 targets for 142 yards!! He saw a team (tied with the guy we will discuss next) and a season-high target share of 22.4%.

Jake From State Farm

Jake Tonges has been in the NFL since 2022, but you probably didn’t know that (it’s ok, neither did I). He exploded this week, catching seven of his 11 targets for 41 yards and a TD. He tied Kendrick Bourne with a team-high target share of 22.4%. As long as Kittle remains sidelined, Tonges is worthy of consideration.

Running Back or Wide Receiver?

Christian McCaffrey has a higher average target share this season (25.2%) than Davante Adams, Nico Collins, and Emeka Egbuka, to name a few. While he continues to siphon the health of his teammates (kidding), CMC will be everything fantasy managers hoped. He is sitting in 3rd in total fantasy points this season (non-QB), behind only Jonathan Taylor and Puka Nacua.

History In The Making

Puka Nacua’s 52 catches are the most by a player in his team’s first five games of a season, breaking the mark of 49 set by his former teammate Cooper Kupp in 2022.

Workload Returns

In Week 5, Kyren Williams saw his bell cow workload return. He played 62 snaps to Blake Corum‘s six snaps. He also saw a season-high 21.3% target share. This target share was likely game script-dependent, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see him used more in the passing game moving forward.

Hey Rookie, Welcome to the NFL

In his first game as a starter, Dillon Gabriel was good, not great. He completed 19 of his 33 pass attempts for 190 yards and two TDs. The rookie also threw a TD pass in the Browns’ game against the Ravens in Week 2. He now has more TD passes (three) than Joe Flacco (two) in 2025.

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— CJ Fogler (@cjzero.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 9:25 AM

Two Tight Ends

Dillon Gabriel, like many other rookie QBs, targeted his tight end(s) often. The biggest beneficiary of this was David Njoku, who saw nine targets (24.2% of the team’s target share). However, rookie TE Harold Fannin was also involved. He caught all four of his targets for 13 yards and a TD. Not the best receiving line, but Gabriel seems to trust them both. If you are starting a Browns’ pass-catcher, it shouldn’t be a WR.

Quinshon Impossible

Quinshon Judkins continues to show up and show out every single week. In Week 5, he had 23 carries for 110 yards and caught one of his two targets for 18 yards. He also had a 56-yard TD called back due to a penalty.

Disciplinary Issues

Everyone was surprised Sunday morning when Jordan Addison was sidelined for the entire first quarter. It has been reported that he was held out due to a “coach’s decision” for missing the walkthrough. Jalen Nailor benefited from his absence, playing 15 snaps in the first two drives. Once Addison saw the field, he didn’t have a great showing, but the game-winning TD saved it. He is averaging a 17.3% team-target share in his two games this season.

Theo-nly One Who Scored

With Malik Nabers out for the season, fantasy managers were curious as to how this passing offense would shake out. Enter Theo Johnson. The second-year TE showed up in a big way on Sunday, scoring both of the Giants’ TDs (both came in the first half). He saw a team-high (tied with Wan’Dale Robinson) target share of 17.5%.

Wrecking Ball

Cam Skattebo is a human wrecking ball. He has averaged a 75% running back rush share and a 12.3% target share in Tyrone Tracy‘s absence. The Giants’ offense is a mess; they turned the ball over five times on Sunday. If this offense can improve (even a little bit), Skattebo could explode.

Also, here is an example of why I refer to him as a wrecking ball (he is number 44 if you didn’t know):

Shaheed For Speed

Rashid Shaheed had a monster game in Week 5. He broke 100 receiving yards for the first time this season. He is known as a deep threat, and he showed everyone why this week, taking a pass 87 yards for a TD. His success seems to have come at Juwan Johnson‘s expense (who also entered the week with an ankle injury). Johnson saw his lowest team target share of the season (9.4%) while Shaheed saw a 15.6% team target share.

We Want More

Chris Olave (and the entire Saints’ offense) has been disappointing this season. Despite seeing an average 28.7% team target share, Olave has only surpassed 10 fantasy points one time so far this season.

Changing Of The Guard?

For the first time this season, Kendre Miller out-carried Alvin Kamara. Miller had 10 carries for 41 yards, while Kamara had eight for 27 yards. Kamara is still the receiving back in this offense, catching four of his six targets for 28 yards, but it appears the Saints are giving Miller more run. They could be evaluating his talent for the future; there could be an Alvin Kamara trade down the stretch. Either way, Miller should be rostered in every league.

Waiver Wire Woes

Coming into Week 5, everyone who was able to snag Woody Marks was excited. Texans’ HC DeMeco Ryans said he wanted to see Marks handle more work. Well, that didn’t happen. His snap share was down from Week 4 (37.9% from 58.5%), and he saw 10 fewer carries (seven down from 17).

Doctor Schultz And The Joker

For the second straight week, Dalton Schultz has had the highest target share on the Texans (21.4% and 19.4%, respectively). Schultz has 10 receptions for 90 yards in that time. Meanwhile, Xavier Hutchinson attempts his best Nick Westbrook-Ikhine impression, catching all three of his targets for 18 yards and two TDs.

King Without His Crown

The King Has Fallen (for now). Derrick Henry has had the worst four-game stretch since his rookie year. He hasn’t rushed for over 50 yards in a game since Week 1. My hopes from our Friday Vibes article were shattered. If anyone can turn it around, it’s him. However, this seems unlikely to happen until Lamar Jackson returns from injury.

SaQUADS

Despite only seeing six carries in Week 5, Saquon Barkley showed up for fantasy managers. His 47-yard reception and TD likely had something to do with it. However, his numbers do not look great on paper. He had six (yes, six) carries in Week 5, and saw his lowest team target share of the season at 7.9%.

Pass Happy

DeVonta Smith managers rejoice. In Week 5, he saw double-digit targets (10) and broke 100 receiving yards for the first time this season. Unfortunately, A.J. Brown didn’t have the same success. Pat Surtain is a bad man.

Zig Zag

Since Week 1, Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin have switched off weeks as the Broncos’ top receiving option. Who knows if this pattern will continue, but it has definitely left the managers of both players frustrated.

He Isn’t Just Kidding

J.K. Dobbins isn’t joking around. RJ Harvey truthers look away. In Week 5, Dobbins handled 20 of the 24 RB rushes, taking them for 79 yards and a TD.

J.K. Dobbins has scored a rushing touchdown in 4 of 5 games this season

The only game he did not was Week 4 when he rushed for 101 yards

14.5 PPR points per game through 5 weeks

— Colin McTamany (@colinmctamany.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 4:06 PM

Late Round TE For The Win

Former Badger Jake Ferguson is currently the TE1 in both fantasy points/game (FP/G) and total fantasy points. In Week 5, he tied his season high team target share at 31%, catching seven of his nine targets for 49 yards and two TDs.

You may be thinking that this will only last as long as CeeDee Lamb is sidelined, and honestly, I don’t believe that. When they were both on the field in Week 2, Ferguson had a higher team target share than Lamb (23.1% and 21.2%, respectively). I think Ferguson is here to stay and may have been the steal of the draft.

Winnin’ Williams

Javonte Williams finally broke 100 rushing yards for the first time this season in Week 5. 108 of Williams’ 135 yards came before halftime (insane). Williams now has five TDs through five weeks. It appears he is fully healed from his massive knee injury in 2022.

This Week’s New Hotness

Second-year WR Ryan Flournoy made a name for himself in Week 5. He caught six of his nine passes for 114 yards and handled two rushing attempts for 10 yards. Before this week, Flournoy had not surpassed a 7% team-target share. This week, he saw 27.6% of the team’s targets.

Deck The Hall

With Braelon Allen sidelined for the next 8-12 weeks, Breece Hall had his best game of the season. He carried the ball 14 times for 113 yards. Hall saw all but one of the RB rushes. However, he saw his lowest team target share of the season this week at 8.7%. Interestingly, he has yet to score a TD this season. Regression is likely coming soon.

Taylor Made

While Tyler Warren is the big name as far as rookie TEs go, Mason Taylor is worth keeping your eye on. Over the past two weeks, he’s caught 14 targets for 132 yards. In that time, he is averaging a 26% team target share.

No Worries, Just Warren

Tyler Warren is currently the TE3. He is the first TE in NFL history with 300+ receiving yards and two TDs in his first five career games. He currently leads all TEs in receiving yards (307).

Tyler Warren so far:

3 receptions
35 receiving yards
1 TD

First career receiving TD.

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— NFL Daily News (@fantasynflnews.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 12:36 PM

An Octopus Walks Into A Bar

In Week 5, Jonathan Taylor had a hat trick that included an octopus. For those of you who don’t know, an “octopus” refers to a player scoring a TD and then also the subsequent two-point conversion. This is the second time this season Taylor has scored three rushing TDs in a game. He is currently the RB1 and the highest scoring non-QB in fantasy.

Ge-NO

Geno Smith is struggling to say the least. Through five weeks, he has thrown six TDs and nine INTs. These are Jameis Winston-type numbers (sorry, Jameis). If Geno can’t figure it out soon, we may see the likes of Kenny Pickett or Aidan O’Connell starting for the Raiders.

The New Jonnu Smith

Darren Waller went from retirement to the endzone. In his Week 4 debut, he saw 26.8% of snaps and ran a route on 37% of dropbacks. In Week 5, those numbers shot up to 60.4% of snaps and 65% of routes. He is officially this year’s Jonnu Smith in Miami.

The Darren Waller resurgence continues.

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— Ian Rapoport (@rapsheet.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 12:56 PM

Not What You Wanted

Despite being one of the top waiver wire pickups of the week, Malik Washington did not deliver. He caught four passes for zero yards. Yes, zero yards. Despite having one catch for eight yards, the rest were negative. He belongs on your bench until further notice.

Rico Suave

Rico Dowdle WOW. With Chuba Hubbard (calf) sidelined, Dowdle showed up. He had 23 carries for 206 yards (!!!) and a TD and caught three passes for 28 yards. He averaged nine yards per carry (YPC). While other waiver wire adds may have let you down, Rico did not.

Game Of The Week

This is not a player-specific section, but I wanted to take a moment to highlight just how insane the Buccaneers-Seahawks game was. From midway through the second quarter until the Bucs punted in the fourth, these teams traded seven straight TDs. Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield combined for 720 yards passing and six TDs. If you like fantasy points, then this game was for you.

White Hot

With Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) sidelined, Rachaad White crushed it. He played 81% of snaps, had 74% of the RB rush attempts, played 100% of the snaps inside the five-yard line, ran 63% of routes, and had a 12.1% team target share. All of that culminated in 14 carries for 41 yards and two TDs on the ground and four catches for 30 yards through the air. As long as Irving remains out, White is a must-start.

Rookie WR1

Emeka Egbuka continues to prove that he is HIM. He is the fourth WR with 400 yards and four TDs in his first five games in the last 40 years. His team-target share hasn’t been below 21.2% since Week 2. Usually, we have to wait for the second half of the season for rookies to break out. Egbuka, surrounded by top WRs in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, had no intention of making us wait.

Emeka Egbuka is the fourth WR with 400 yards and 4 touchdowns in his first 5 games. The other 3:
– Randy Moss
– Ja’Marr Chase
– Terry McLaurin

— Jeff “Mac’n Steeze” Cryptsko (@jeffkrisko.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 7:04 PM

Another Week For The Duo

Zach Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker seem to be intent on frustrating fantasy managers. I think it is time to accept that this will be a split backfield and that Charbonnet has the TD upside. In Week 4, Charbonnet played 45.3% of snaps while Walker played 51.6% of snaps. This week, the script flipped, with Charbonnet playing 57.4% of snaps and Walker playing 42.6% of snaps.

Barn Burner

In Week 5, AJ Barner saw his highest team target share of the season with 20.6% of targets. He caught all seven of his passes for 53 yards and two TDs. Fun fact: since they were both drafted in 2024, AJ Barner has more TDs than Brock Bowers (eight and five, respectively).

The Carter IV

In Week 5, everyone wanted to see how the backfield in Arizona would shake out with both James Conner and Trey Benson sidelined. The answer is Michael Carter. Carter saw 18 of the 25 RB rushes and carried them for 51 yards and a TD. He also caught two of his four targets for 16 yards.

Emari Demercado ALMOST had a day. NFL players need to stop doing this…

He’s Back

Calvin Ridley woke up in Week 5. He caught five of his 10 targets for 131 yards. He saw a 23.1% team target share. No other Titan achieved a target share above 12.8%.

Charging…

For the first time this season, Quentin Johnston saw below a 19% team target share (12.1% in Week 5). Meanwhile, Ladd McConkey saw his second-highest target share of the season with 21.2% of targets. That being said, Keenan Allen seems to be the most consistent Chargers WR, as he has yet to see below a 17.1% target share and has been above 23.4% four out of five weeks.

Two Dollar Bill

BILL! BILL! BILL! It finally happened. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, aka Bill, has taken over the Commanders’ backfield. In Week 5, he played a season-high 50.9% of snaps and handled 14 of the 20 RB rushes for Washington. He went for 111 yards and two TDs and also caught both of his targets for 39 yards.

He-Bo Samuel

With Terry McLaurin sidelined, Deebo Samuel continues his WR1 run. In Week 5, he had an INSANE 42.3% (!!) team target share, catching eight of his 11 targets for 96 yards and a TD.

Flipping Back

In Week 5, Sam LaPorta reminded everyone why he was drafted at his average draft position (ADP). He scored double-digit fantasy points for the second time this season. It may not feel this way as a fantasy manager, but he currently ranks in the top five among all tight ends this season in receptions (21), receiving yards (269) and yards after catch (151).

Sam Laporta goes airborne as he scores a touchdown.

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— JM =^) (@jm539581.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 3:37 PM

Knuckles Returns Home

Yesterday was an emotional day for David Montgomery. He returned home to Cincinnati, and his family, including his sister, were able to watch him play live for the first time since her accident. Not only did Monty rush for a TD, but he threw one! For those who don’t know, Montgomery was a QB in high school.

On top of all of that, Jahmyr Gibbs and Montgomery have now scored a TD in the same game 14 separate times, tying Dallas’ Daryl Johnston and Emmitt Smith for the most games among RB teammates each scoring a TD.

Bengals Back?

Three-quarters of the way through the Bengals’ game, I was ready to keep this section very short. Likely limited to this photo:

And this post:

The Bengals have scored 16 points in their last 11 quarters.

— James Rapien (@jamesrapien.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 5:37 PM

Then the fourth quarter happened. Ja’Marr Chase scored twice and Tee Higgins scored once. Jake Browning somehow found his talent.

One more serious takeaway from this Bengals’ offense in Week 5 is that Chase Brown might be in a timeshare. Brown played a season low 53.4% of snaps, while Samaje Perine played a season-high 46.6% of snaps. Chase Brown had eight carries for 27 yards, while Perine had 27 yards on only four carries.

The one bright spot for Brown is that he saw a season-high 20% team target share.

From “Oh No” To Redemption

Find someone who loves you the way Mike Vrabel loves Rhamondre Stevenson. Despite his fumbling issues, Vrabel keeps going back to his guy. In all seriousness, Stevenson actually only had one more carry than TreVeyon Henderson (seven to six), but he did see three more targets (seven to four).

With Antonio Gibson officially out for the season with a torn ACL, Henderson truthers may finally get their wish of increased volume for the rookie.

Revenge Game

Stefon Diggs‘ return to Buffalo was something else. In Week 5, he saw double-digit targets for the first time this season and had a massive 40% team target share. In fact, over the past two weeks, he has averaged a 39.5% team target share.

Kin-Crushed

In Week 5, Dalton Kincaid had his first 100-yard receiving game in his career. He also had a season-high six receptions. Kincaid is second in total receiving yards among TEs this season (287).

Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid has reached 108 receiving yards, a career high. He’s so (so far) on six catches. His previous high was 87 yards, also against the Patriots

— katherine fitzgerald (@kfitz134.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 9:48 PM

Cooked

The Bills had a rough go of it last night, and James Cook was not an exception. Before Week 5, he was averaging 21.25 FP/G. Last night, he scored only 4.9 points. I think Cook bounces back next week against the Falcons.

 

Well, that’s all I’ve got for this week. Tune in next week for another Unpacking the NFL!

Carly Manger isn’t just an analyst with Optimus Fantasy; she’s THE reason we’re able to bring you all of our great content, thanks to her role as Senior Editor. For breaking news and injury updates, follow Optimus Fantasy News on Bluesky!

I am back for another week of Unpacking the NFL. If you are new here, I will be posting a stat/takeaway dump every Monday, unpacking different players and situations around the league.

Week 5 did not disappoint. We had upsets, blowouts, breakouts, and a few “what just happened?” moments (I am looking at you, Arizona) that fantasy managers are still trying to process. I am here to help!

This article was inspired by JJ Zachariason‘s Monday Dumps, so shout out to him and make sure to check him out!

Stats provided by Fantasy Points. All scoring is half point per reception (Half-PPR) format with four-point passing TD.

Let’s dive in.

Unpacking the NFL Week 5: The Stats You Need Now

Check out our Premium Tools – Use Code “OptimusFall” for 25% OFF 4 Months!

Mac Daddy

Mac Jones has shown out in Brock Purdy‘s absence. So much so that NFL fans are questioning if he is better than Purdy. I do not think this is the case, but Jones should be a starter somewhere in the NFL. He took an injury-depleted 49ers team to L.A., threw for 342 yards and two passing TDs, and beat a tough Rams team in overtime. Any and all 49ers options can continue to be confidently started while Purdy is sidelined.

The Bourne Supremacy

With Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings, and George Kittle sidelined, Thursday night was the Kendrick Bourne Show. He caught 10 of his 11 targets for 142 yards!! He saw a team (tied with the guy we will discuss next) and a season-high target share of 22.4%.

Jake From State Farm

Jake Tonges has been in the NFL since 2022, but you probably didn’t know that (it’s ok, neither did I). He exploded this week, catching seven of his 11 targets for 41 yards and a TD. He tied Kendrick Bourne with a team-high target share of 22.4%. As long as Kittle remains sidelined, Tonges is worthy of consideration.

Running Back or Wide Receiver?

Christian McCaffrey has a higher average target share this season (25.2%) than Davante Adams, Nico Collins, and Emeka Egbuka, to name a few. While he continues to siphon the health of his teammates (kidding), CMC will be everything fantasy managers hoped. He is sitting in 3rd in total fantasy points this season (non-QB), behind only Jonathan Taylor and Puka Nacua.

History In The Making

Puka Nacua’s 52 catches are the most by a player in his team’s first five games of a season, breaking the mark of 49 set by his former teammate Cooper Kupp in 2022.

Workload Returns

In Week 5, Kyren Williams saw his bell cow workload return. He played 62 snaps to Blake Corum‘s six snaps. He also saw a season-high 21.3% target share. This target share was likely game script-dependent, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see him used more in the passing game moving forward.

Hey Rookie, Welcome to the NFL

In his first game as a starter, Dillon Gabriel was good, not great. He completed 19 of his 33 pass attempts for 190 yards and two TDs. The rookie also threw a TD pass in the Browns’ game against the Ravens in Week 2. He now has more TD passes (three) than Joe Flacco (two) in 2025.

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— CJ Fogler (@cjzero.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 9:25 AM

Two Tight Ends

Dillon Gabriel, like many other rookie QBs, targeted his tight end(s) often. The biggest beneficiary of this was David Njoku, who saw nine targets (24.2% of the team’s target share). However, rookie TE Harold Fannin was also involved. He caught all four of his targets for 13 yards and a TD. Not the best receiving line, but Gabriel seems to trust them both. If you are starting a Browns’ pass-catcher, it shouldn’t be a WR.

Quinshon Impossible

Quinshon Judkins continues to show up and show out every single week. In Week 5, he had 23 carries for 110 yards and caught one of his two targets for 18 yards. He also had a 56-yard TD called back due to a penalty.

Disciplinary Issues

Everyone was surprised Sunday morning when Jordan Addison was sidelined for the entire first quarter. It has been reported that he was held out due to a “coach’s decision” for missing the walkthrough. Jalen Nailor benefited from his absence, playing 15 snaps in the first two drives. Once Addison saw the field, he didn’t have a great showing, but the game-winning TD saved it. He is averaging a 17.3% team-target share in his two games this season.

Theo-nly One Who Scored

With Malik Nabers out for the season, fantasy managers were curious as to how this passing offense would shake out. Enter Theo Johnson. The second-year TE showed up in a big way on Sunday, scoring both of the Giants’ TDs (both came in the first half). He saw a team-high (tied with Wan’Dale Robinson) target share of 17.5%.

Wrecking Ball

Cam Skattebo is a human wrecking ball. He has averaged a 75% running back rush share and a 12.3% target share in Tyrone Tracy‘s absence. The Giants’ offense is a mess; they turned the ball over five times on Sunday. If this offense can improve (even a little bit), Skattebo could explode.

Also, here is an example of why I refer to him as a wrecking ball (he is number 44 if you didn’t know):

Shaheed For Speed

Rashid Shaheed had a monster game in Week 5. He broke 100 receiving yards for the first time this season. He is known as a deep threat, and he showed everyone why this week, taking a pass 87 yards for a TD. His success seems to have come at Juwan Johnson‘s expense (who also entered the week with an ankle injury). Johnson saw his lowest team target share of the season (9.4%) while Shaheed saw a 15.6% team target share.

We Want More

Chris Olave (and the entire Saints’ offense) has been disappointing this season. Despite seeing an average 28.7% team target share, Olave has only surpassed 10 fantasy points one time so far this season.

Changing Of The Guard?

For the first time this season, Kendre Miller out-carried Alvin Kamara. Miller had 10 carries for 41 yards, while Kamara had eight for 27 yards. Kamara is still the receiving back in this offense, catching four of his six targets for 28 yards, but it appears the Saints are giving Miller more run. They could be evaluating his talent for the future; there could be an Alvin Kamara trade down the stretch. Either way, Miller should be rostered in every league.

Waiver Wire Woes

Coming into Week 5, everyone who was able to snag Woody Marks was excited. Texans’ HC DeMeco Ryans said he wanted to see Marks handle more work. Well, that didn’t happen. His snap share was down from Week 4 (37.9% from 58.5%), and he saw 10 fewer carries (seven down from 17).

Doctor Schultz And The Joker

For the second straight week, Dalton Schultz has had the highest target share on the Texans (21.4% and 19.4%, respectively). Schultz has 10 receptions for 90 yards in that time. Meanwhile, Xavier Hutchinson attempts his best Nick Westbrook-Ikhine impression, catching all three of his targets for 18 yards and two TDs.

King Without His Crown

The King Has Fallen (for now). Derrick Henry has had the worst four-game stretch since his rookie year. He hasn’t rushed for over 50 yards in a game since Week 1. My hopes from our Friday Vibes article were shattered. If anyone can turn it around, it’s him. However, this seems unlikely to happen until Lamar Jackson returns from injury.

SaQUADS

Despite only seeing six carries in Week 5, Saquon Barkley showed up for fantasy managers. His 47-yard reception and TD likely had something to do with it. However, his numbers do not look great on paper. He had six (yes, six) carries in Week 5, and saw his lowest team target share of the season at 7.9%.

Pass Happy

DeVonta Smith managers rejoice. In Week 5, he saw double-digit targets (10) and broke 100 receiving yards for the first time this season. Unfortunately, A.J. Brown didn’t have the same success. Pat Surtain is a bad man.

Zig Zag

Since Week 1, Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin have switched off weeks as the Broncos’ top receiving option. Who knows if this pattern will continue, but it has definitely left the managers of both players frustrated.

He Isn’t Just Kidding

J.K. Dobbins isn’t joking around. RJ Harvey truthers look away. In Week 5, Dobbins handled 20 of the 24 RB rushes, taking them for 79 yards and a TD.

J.K. Dobbins has scored a rushing touchdown in 4 of 5 games this season

The only game he did not was Week 4 when he rushed for 101 yards

14.5 PPR points per game through 5 weeks

— Colin McTamany (@colinmctamany.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 4:06 PM

Late Round TE For The Win

Former Badger Jake Ferguson is currently the TE1 in both fantasy points/game (FP/G) and total fantasy points. In Week 5, he tied his season high team target share at 31%, catching seven of his nine targets for 49 yards and two TDs.

You may be thinking that this will only last as long as CeeDee Lamb is sidelined, and honestly, I don’t believe that. When they were both on the field in Week 2, Ferguson had a higher team target share than Lamb (23.1% and 21.2%, respectively). I think Ferguson is here to stay and may have been the steal of the draft.

Winnin’ Williams

Javonte Williams finally broke 100 rushing yards for the first time this season in Week 5. 108 of Williams’ 135 yards came before halftime (insane). Williams now has five TDs through five weeks. It appears he is fully healed from his massive knee injury in 2022.

This Week’s New Hotness

Second-year WR Ryan Flournoy made a name for himself in Week 5. He caught six of his nine passes for 114 yards and handled two rushing attempts for 10 yards. Before this week, Flournoy had not surpassed a 7% team-target share. This week, he saw 27.6% of the team’s targets.

Deck The Hall

With Braelon Allen sidelined for the next 8-12 weeks, Breece Hall had his best game of the season. He carried the ball 14 times for 113 yards. Hall saw all but one of the RB rushes. However, he saw his lowest team target share of the season this week at 8.7%. Interestingly, he has yet to score a TD this season. Regression is likely coming soon.

Taylor Made

While Tyler Warren is the big name as far as rookie TEs go, Mason Taylor is worth keeping your eye on. Over the past two weeks, he’s caught 14 targets for 132 yards. In that time, he is averaging a 26% team target share.

No Worries, Just Warren

Tyler Warren is currently the TE3. He is the first TE in NFL history with 300+ receiving yards and two TDs in his first five career games. He currently leads all TEs in receiving yards (307).

Tyler Warren so far:

3 receptions
35 receiving yards
1 TD

First career receiving TD.

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— NFL Daily News (@fantasynflnews.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 12:36 PM

An Octopus Walks Into A Bar

In Week 5, Jonathan Taylor had a hat trick that included an octopus. For those of you who don’t know, an “octopus” refers to a player scoring a TD and then also the subsequent two-point conversion. This is the second time this season Taylor has scored three rushing TDs in a game. He is currently the RB1 and the highest scoring non-QB in fantasy.

Ge-NO

Geno Smith is struggling to say the least. Through five weeks, he has thrown six TDs and nine INTs. These are Jameis Winston-type numbers (sorry, Jameis). If Geno can’t figure it out soon, we may see the likes of Kenny Pickett or Aidan O’Connell starting for the Raiders.

The New Jonnu Smith

Darren Waller went from retirement to the endzone. In his Week 4 debut, he saw 26.8% of snaps and ran a route on 37% of dropbacks. In Week 5, those numbers shot up to 60.4% of snaps and 65% of routes. He is officially this year’s Jonnu Smith in Miami.

The Darren Waller resurgence continues.

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— Ian Rapoport (@rapsheet.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 12:56 PM

Not What You Wanted

Despite being one of the top waiver wire pickups of the week, Malik Washington did not deliver. He caught four passes for zero yards. Yes, zero yards. Despite having one catch for eight yards, the rest were negative. He belongs on your bench until further notice.

Rico Suave

Rico Dowdle WOW. With Chuba Hubbard (calf) sidelined, Dowdle showed up. He had 23 carries for 206 yards (!!!) and a TD and caught three passes for 28 yards. He averaged nine yards per carry (YPC). While other waiver wire adds may have let you down, Rico did not.

Game Of The Week

This is not a player-specific section, but I wanted to take a moment to highlight just how insane the Buccaneers-Seahawks game was. From midway through the second quarter until the Bucs punted in the fourth, these teams traded seven straight TDs. Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield combined for 720 yards passing and six TDs. If you like fantasy points, then this game was for you.

White Hot

With Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) sidelined, Rachaad White crushed it. He played 81% of snaps, had 74% of the RB rush attempts, played 100% of the snaps inside the five-yard line, ran 63% of routes, and had a 12.1% team target share. All of that culminated in 14 carries for 41 yards and two TDs on the ground and four catches for 30 yards through the air. As long as Irving remains out, White is a must-start.

Rookie WR1

Emeka Egbuka continues to prove that he is HIM. He is the fourth WR with 400 yards and four TDs in his first five games in the last 40 years. His team-target share hasn’t been below 21.2% since Week 2. Usually, we have to wait for the second half of the season for rookies to break out. Egbuka, surrounded by top WRs in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, had no intention of making us wait.

Emeka Egbuka is the fourth WR with 400 yards and 4 touchdowns in his first 5 games. The other 3:
– Randy Moss
– Ja’Marr Chase
– Terry McLaurin

— Jeff “Mac’n Steeze” Cryptsko (@jeffkrisko.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 7:04 PM

Another Week For The Duo

Zach Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker seem to be intent on frustrating fantasy managers. I think it is time to accept that this will be a split backfield and that Charbonnet has the TD upside. In Week 4, Charbonnet played 45.3% of snaps while Walker played 51.6% of snaps. This week, the script flipped, with Charbonnet playing 57.4% of snaps and Walker playing 42.6% of snaps.

Barn Burner

In Week 5, AJ Barner saw his highest team target share of the season with 20.6% of targets. He caught all seven of his passes for 53 yards and two TDs. Fun fact: since they were both drafted in 2024, AJ Barner has more TDs than Brock Bowers (eight and five, respectively).

The Carter IV

In Week 5, everyone wanted to see how the backfield in Arizona would shake out with both James Conner and Trey Benson sidelined. The answer is Michael Carter. Carter saw 18 of the 25 RB rushes and carried them for 51 yards and a TD. He also caught two of his four targets for 16 yards.

Emari Demercado ALMOST had a day. NFL players need to stop doing this…

He’s Back

Calvin Ridley woke up in Week 5. He caught five of his 10 targets for 131 yards. He saw a 23.1% team target share. No other Titan achieved a target share above 12.8%.

Charging…

For the first time this season, Quentin Johnston saw below a 19% team target share (12.1% in Week 5). Meanwhile, Ladd McConkey saw his second-highest target share of the season with 21.2% of targets. That being said, Keenan Allen seems to be the most consistent Chargers WR, as he has yet to see below a 17.1% target share and has been above 23.4% four out of five weeks.

Two Dollar Bill

BILL! BILL! BILL! It finally happened. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, aka Bill, has taken over the Commanders’ backfield. In Week 5, he played a season-high 50.9% of snaps and handled 14 of the 20 RB rushes for Washington. He went for 111 yards and two TDs and also caught both of his targets for 39 yards.

He-Bo Samuel

With Terry McLaurin sidelined, Deebo Samuel continues his WR1 run. In Week 5, he had an INSANE 42.3% (!!) team target share, catching eight of his 11 targets for 96 yards and a TD.

Flipping Back

In Week 5, Sam LaPorta reminded everyone why he was drafted at his average draft position (ADP). He scored double-digit fantasy points for the second time this season. It may not feel this way as a fantasy manager, but he currently ranks in the top five among all tight ends this season in receptions (21), receiving yards (269) and yards after catch (151).

Sam Laporta goes airborne as he scores a touchdown.

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— JM =^) (@jm539581.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 3:37 PM

Knuckles Returns Home

Yesterday was an emotional day for David Montgomery. He returned home to Cincinnati, and his family, including his sister, were able to watch him play live for the first time since her accident. Not only did Monty rush for a TD, but he threw one! For those who don’t know, Montgomery was a QB in high school.

On top of all of that, Jahmyr Gibbs and Montgomery have now scored a TD in the same game 14 separate times, tying Dallas’ Daryl Johnston and Emmitt Smith for the most games among RB teammates each scoring a TD.

Bengals Back?

Three-quarters of the way through the Bengals’ game, I was ready to keep this section very short. Likely limited to this photo:

And this post:

The Bengals have scored 16 points in their last 11 quarters.

— James Rapien (@jamesrapien.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 5:37 PM

Then the fourth quarter happened. Ja’Marr Chase scored twice and Tee Higgins scored once. Jake Browning somehow found his talent.

One more serious takeaway from this Bengals’ offense in Week 5 is that Chase Brown might be in a timeshare. Brown played a season low 53.4% of snaps, while Samaje Perine played a season-high 46.6% of snaps. Chase Brown had eight carries for 27 yards, while Perine had 27 yards on only four carries.

The one bright spot for Brown is that he saw a season-high 20% team target share.

From “Oh No” To Redemption

Find someone who loves you the way Mike Vrabel loves Rhamondre Stevenson. Despite his fumbling issues, Vrabel keeps going back to his guy. In all seriousness, Stevenson actually only had one more carry than TreVeyon Henderson (seven to six), but he did see three more targets (seven to four).

With Antonio Gibson officially out for the season with a torn ACL, Henderson truthers may finally get their wish of increased volume for the rookie.

Revenge Game

Stefon Diggs‘ return to Buffalo was something else. In Week 5, he saw double-digit targets for the first time this season and had a massive 40% team target share. In fact, over the past two weeks, he has averaged a 39.5% team target share.

Kin-Crushed

In Week 5, Dalton Kincaid had his first 100-yard receiving game in his career. He also had a season-high six receptions. Kincaid is second in total receiving yards among TEs this season (287).

Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid has reached 108 receiving yards, a career high. He’s so (so far) on six catches. His previous high was 87 yards, also against the Patriots

— katherine fitzgerald (@kfitz134.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 9:48 PM

Cooked

The Bills had a rough go of it last night, and James Cook was not an exception. Before Week 5, he was averaging 21.25 FP/G. Last night, he scored only 4.9 points. I think Cook bounces back next week against the Falcons.

 

Well, that’s all I’ve got for this week. Tune in next week for another Unpacking the NFL!

Carly Manger isn’t just an analyst with Optimus Fantasy; she’s THE reason we’re able to bring you all of our great content, thanks to her role as Senior Editor. For breaking news and injury updates, follow Optimus Fantasy News on Bluesky!

I am back for another week of Unpacking the NFL. If you are new here, I will be posting a stat/takeaway dump every Monday, unpacking different players and situations around the league.

Week 5 did not disappoint. We had upsets, blowouts, breakouts, and a few “what just happened?” moments (I am looking at you, Arizona) that fantasy managers are still trying to process. I am here to help!

This article was inspired by JJ Zachariason‘s Monday Dumps, so shout out to him and make sure to check him out!

Stats provided by Fantasy Points. All scoring is half point per reception (Half-PPR) format with four-point passing TD.

Let’s dive in.

Unpacking the NFL Week 5: The Stats You Need Now

Check out our Premium Tools – Use Code “OptimusFall” for 25% OFF 4 Months!

Mac Daddy

Mac Jones has shown out in Brock Purdy‘s absence. So much so that NFL fans are questioning if he is better than Purdy. I do not think this is the case, but Jones should be a starter somewhere in the NFL. He took an injury-depleted 49ers team to L.A., threw for 342 yards and two passing TDs, and beat a tough Rams team in overtime. Any and all 49ers options can continue to be confidently started while Purdy is sidelined.

The Bourne Supremacy

With Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings, and George Kittle sidelined, Thursday night was the Kendrick Bourne Show. He caught 10 of his 11 targets for 142 yards!! He saw a team (tied with the guy we will discuss next) and a season-high target share of 22.4%.

Jake From State Farm

Jake Tonges has been in the NFL since 2022, but you probably didn’t know that (it’s ok, neither did I). He exploded this week, catching seven of his 11 targets for 41 yards and a TD. He tied Kendrick Bourne with a team-high target share of 22.4%. As long as Kittle remains sidelined, Tonges is worthy of consideration.

Running Back or Wide Receiver?

Christian McCaffrey has a higher average target share this season (25.2%) than Davante Adams, Nico Collins, and Emeka Egbuka, to name a few. While he continues to siphon the health of his teammates (kidding), CMC will be everything fantasy managers hoped. He is sitting in 3rd in total fantasy points this season (non-QB), behind only Jonathan Taylor and Puka Nacua.

History In The Making

Puka Nacua’s 52 catches are the most by a player in his team’s first five games of a season, breaking the mark of 49 set by his former teammate Cooper Kupp in 2022.

Workload Returns

In Week 5, Kyren Williams saw his bell cow workload return. He played 62 snaps to Blake Corum‘s six snaps. He also saw a season-high 21.3% target share. This target share was likely game script-dependent, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see him used more in the passing game moving forward.

Hey Rookie, Welcome to the NFL

In his first game as a starter, Dillon Gabriel was good, not great. He completed 19 of his 33 pass attempts for 190 yards and two TDs. The rookie also threw a TD pass in the Browns’ game against the Ravens in Week 2. He now has more TD passes (three) than Joe Flacco (two) in 2025.

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— CJ Fogler (@cjzero.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 9:25 AM

Two Tight Ends

Dillon Gabriel, like many other rookie QBs, targeted his tight end(s) often. The biggest beneficiary of this was David Njoku, who saw nine targets (24.2% of the team’s target share). However, rookie TE Harold Fannin was also involved. He caught all four of his targets for 13 yards and a TD. Not the best receiving line, but Gabriel seems to trust them both. If you are starting a Browns’ pass-catcher, it shouldn’t be a WR.

Quinshon Impossible

Quinshon Judkins continues to show up and show out every single week. In Week 5, he had 23 carries for 110 yards and caught one of his two targets for 18 yards. He also had a 56-yard TD called back due to a penalty.

Disciplinary Issues

Everyone was surprised Sunday morning when Jordan Addison was sidelined for the entire first quarter. It has been reported that he was held out due to a “coach’s decision” for missing the walkthrough. Jalen Nailor benefited from his absence, playing 15 snaps in the first two drives. Once Addison saw the field, he didn’t have a great showing, but the game-winning TD saved it. He is averaging a 17.3% team-target share in his two games this season.

Theo-nly One Who Scored

With Malik Nabers out for the season, fantasy managers were curious as to how this passing offense would shake out. Enter Theo Johnson. The second-year TE showed up in a big way on Sunday, scoring both of the Giants’ TDs (both came in the first half). He saw a team-high (tied with Wan’Dale Robinson) target share of 17.5%.

Wrecking Ball

Cam Skattebo is a human wrecking ball. He has averaged a 75% running back rush share and a 12.3% target share in Tyrone Tracy‘s absence. The Giants’ offense is a mess; they turned the ball over five times on Sunday. If this offense can improve (even a little bit), Skattebo could explode.

Also, here is an example of why I refer to him as a wrecking ball (he is number 44 if you didn’t know):

Shaheed For Speed

Rashid Shaheed had a monster game in Week 5. He broke 100 receiving yards for the first time this season. He is known as a deep threat, and he showed everyone why this week, taking a pass 87 yards for a TD. His success seems to have come at Juwan Johnson‘s expense (who also entered the week with an ankle injury). Johnson saw his lowest team target share of the season (9.4%) while Shaheed saw a 15.6% team target share.

We Want More

Chris Olave (and the entire Saints’ offense) has been disappointing this season. Despite seeing an average 28.7% team target share, Olave has only surpassed 10 fantasy points one time so far this season.

Changing Of The Guard?

For the first time this season, Kendre Miller out-carried Alvin Kamara. Miller had 10 carries for 41 yards, while Kamara had eight for 27 yards. Kamara is still the receiving back in this offense, catching four of his six targets for 28 yards, but it appears the Saints are giving Miller more run. They could be evaluating his talent for the future; there could be an Alvin Kamara trade down the stretch. Either way, Miller should be rostered in every league.

Waiver Wire Woes

Coming into Week 5, everyone who was able to snag Woody Marks was excited. Texans’ HC DeMeco Ryans said he wanted to see Marks handle more work. Well, that didn’t happen. His snap share was down from Week 4 (37.9% from 58.5%), and he saw 10 fewer carries (seven down from 17).

Doctor Schultz And The Joker

For the second straight week, Dalton Schultz has had the highest target share on the Texans (21.4% and 19.4%, respectively). Schultz has 10 receptions for 90 yards in that time. Meanwhile, Xavier Hutchinson attempts his best Nick Westbrook-Ikhine impression, catching all three of his targets for 18 yards and two TDs.

King Without His Crown

The King Has Fallen (for now). Derrick Henry has had the worst four-game stretch since his rookie year. He hasn’t rushed for over 50 yards in a game since Week 1. My hopes from our Friday Vibes article were shattered. If anyone can turn it around, it’s him. However, this seems unlikely to happen until Lamar Jackson returns from injury.

SaQUADS

Despite only seeing six carries in Week 5, Saquon Barkley showed up for fantasy managers. His 47-yard reception and TD likely had something to do with it. However, his numbers do not look great on paper. He had six (yes, six) carries in Week 5, and saw his lowest team target share of the season at 7.9%.

Pass Happy

DeVonta Smith managers rejoice. In Week 5, he saw double-digit targets (10) and broke 100 receiving yards for the first time this season. Unfortunately, A.J. Brown didn’t have the same success. Pat Surtain is a bad man.

Zig Zag

Since Week 1, Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin have switched off weeks as the Broncos’ top receiving option. Who knows if this pattern will continue, but it has definitely left the managers of both players frustrated.

He Isn’t Just Kidding

J.K. Dobbins isn’t joking around. RJ Harvey truthers look away. In Week 5, Dobbins handled 20 of the 24 RB rushes, taking them for 79 yards and a TD.

J.K. Dobbins has scored a rushing touchdown in 4 of 5 games this season

The only game he did not was Week 4 when he rushed for 101 yards

14.5 PPR points per game through 5 weeks

— Colin McTamany (@colinmctamany.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 4:06 PM

Late Round TE For The Win

Former Badger Jake Ferguson is currently the TE1 in both fantasy points/game (FP/G) and total fantasy points. In Week 5, he tied his season high team target share at 31%, catching seven of his nine targets for 49 yards and two TDs.

You may be thinking that this will only last as long as CeeDee Lamb is sidelined, and honestly, I don’t believe that. When they were both on the field in Week 2, Ferguson had a higher team target share than Lamb (23.1% and 21.2%, respectively). I think Ferguson is here to stay and may have been the steal of the draft.

Winnin’ Williams

Javonte Williams finally broke 100 rushing yards for the first time this season in Week 5. 108 of Williams’ 135 yards came before halftime (insane). Williams now has five TDs through five weeks. It appears he is fully healed from his massive knee injury in 2022.

This Week’s New Hotness

Second-year WR Ryan Flournoy made a name for himself in Week 5. He caught six of his nine passes for 114 yards and handled two rushing attempts for 10 yards. Before this week, Flournoy had not surpassed a 7% team-target share. This week, he saw 27.6% of the team’s targets.

Deck The Hall

With Braelon Allen sidelined for the next 8-12 weeks, Breece Hall had his best game of the season. He carried the ball 14 times for 113 yards. Hall saw all but one of the RB rushes. However, he saw his lowest team target share of the season this week at 8.7%. Interestingly, he has yet to score a TD this season. Regression is likely coming soon.

Taylor Made

While Tyler Warren is the big name as far as rookie TEs go, Mason Taylor is worth keeping your eye on. Over the past two weeks, he’s caught 14 targets for 132 yards. In that time, he is averaging a 26% team target share.

No Worries, Just Warren

Tyler Warren is currently the TE3. He is the first TE in NFL history with 300+ receiving yards and two TDs in his first five career games. He currently leads all TEs in receiving yards (307).

Tyler Warren so far:

3 receptions
35 receiving yards
1 TD

First career receiving TD.

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— NFL Daily News (@fantasynflnews.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 12:36 PM

An Octopus Walks Into A Bar

In Week 5, Jonathan Taylor had a hat trick that included an octopus. For those of you who don’t know, an “octopus” refers to a player scoring a TD and then also the subsequent two-point conversion. This is the second time this season Taylor has scored three rushing TDs in a game. He is currently the RB1 and the highest scoring non-QB in fantasy.

Ge-NO

Geno Smith is struggling to say the least. Through five weeks, he has thrown six TDs and nine INTs. These are Jameis Winston-type numbers (sorry, Jameis). If Geno can’t figure it out soon, we may see the likes of Kenny Pickett or Aidan O’Connell starting for the Raiders.

The New Jonnu Smith

Darren Waller went from retirement to the endzone. In his Week 4 debut, he saw 26.8% of snaps and ran a route on 37% of dropbacks. In Week 5, those numbers shot up to 60.4% of snaps and 65% of routes. He is officially this year’s Jonnu Smith in Miami.

The Darren Waller resurgence continues.

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— Ian Rapoport (@rapsheet.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 12:56 PM

Not What You Wanted

Despite being one of the top waiver wire pickups of the week, Malik Washington did not deliver. He caught four passes for zero yards. Yes, zero yards. Despite having one catch for eight yards, the rest were negative. He belongs on your bench until further notice.

Rico Suave

Rico Dowdle WOW. With Chuba Hubbard (calf) sidelined, Dowdle showed up. He had 23 carries for 206 yards (!!!) and a TD and caught three passes for 28 yards. He averaged nine yards per carry (YPC). While other waiver wire adds may have let you down, Rico did not.

Game Of The Week

This is not a player-specific section, but I wanted to take a moment to highlight just how insane the Buccaneers-Seahawks game was. From midway through the second quarter until the Bucs punted in the fourth, these teams traded seven straight TDs. Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield combined for 720 yards passing and six TDs. If you like fantasy points, then this game was for you.

White Hot

With Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) sidelined, Rachaad White crushed it. He played 81% of snaps, had 74% of the RB rush attempts, played 100% of the snaps inside the five-yard line, ran 63% of routes, and had a 12.1% team target share. All of that culminated in 14 carries for 41 yards and two TDs on the ground and four catches for 30 yards through the air. As long as Irving remains out, White is a must-start.

Rookie WR1

Emeka Egbuka continues to prove that he is HIM. He is the fourth WR with 400 yards and four TDs in his first five games in the last 40 years. His team-target share hasn’t been below 21.2% since Week 2. Usually, we have to wait for the second half of the season for rookies to break out. Egbuka, surrounded by top WRs in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, had no intention of making us wait.

Emeka Egbuka is the fourth WR with 400 yards and 4 touchdowns in his first 5 games. The other 3:
– Randy Moss
– Ja’Marr Chase
– Terry McLaurin

— Jeff “Mac’n Steeze” Cryptsko (@jeffkrisko.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 7:04 PM

Another Week For The Duo

Zach Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker seem to be intent on frustrating fantasy managers. I think it is time to accept that this will be a split backfield and that Charbonnet has the TD upside. In Week 4, Charbonnet played 45.3% of snaps while Walker played 51.6% of snaps. This week, the script flipped, with Charbonnet playing 57.4% of snaps and Walker playing 42.6% of snaps.

Barn Burner

In Week 5, AJ Barner saw his highest team target share of the season with 20.6% of targets. He caught all seven of his passes for 53 yards and two TDs. Fun fact: since they were both drafted in 2024, AJ Barner has more TDs than Brock Bowers (eight and five, respectively).

The Carter IV

In Week 5, everyone wanted to see how the backfield in Arizona would shake out with both James Conner and Trey Benson sidelined. The answer is Michael Carter. Carter saw 18 of the 25 RB rushes and carried them for 51 yards and a TD. He also caught two of his four targets for 16 yards.

Emari Demercado ALMOST had a day. NFL players need to stop doing this…

He’s Back

Calvin Ridley woke up in Week 5. He caught five of his 10 targets for 131 yards. He saw a 23.1% team target share. No other Titan achieved a target share above 12.8%.

Charging…

For the first time this season, Quentin Johnston saw below a 19% team target share (12.1% in Week 5). Meanwhile, Ladd McConkey saw his second-highest target share of the season with 21.2% of targets. That being said, Keenan Allen seems to be the most consistent Chargers WR, as he has yet to see below a 17.1% target share and has been above 23.4% four out of five weeks.

Two Dollar Bill

BILL! BILL! BILL! It finally happened. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, aka Bill, has taken over the Commanders’ backfield. In Week 5, he played a season-high 50.9% of snaps and handled 14 of the 20 RB rushes for Washington. He went for 111 yards and two TDs and also caught both of his targets for 39 yards.

He-Bo Samuel

With Terry McLaurin sidelined, Deebo Samuel continues his WR1 run. In Week 5, he had an INSANE 42.3% (!!) team target share, catching eight of his 11 targets for 96 yards and a TD.

Flipping Back

In Week 5, Sam LaPorta reminded everyone why he was drafted at his average draft position (ADP). He scored double-digit fantasy points for the second time this season. It may not feel this way as a fantasy manager, but he currently ranks in the top five among all tight ends this season in receptions (21), receiving yards (269) and yards after catch (151).

Sam Laporta goes airborne as he scores a touchdown.

[image or embed]

— JM =^) (@jm539581.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 3:37 PM

Knuckles Returns Home

Yesterday was an emotional day for David Montgomery. He returned home to Cincinnati, and his family, including his sister, were able to watch him play live for the first time since her accident. Not only did Monty rush for a TD, but he threw one! For those who don’t know, Montgomery was a QB in high school.

On top of all of that, Jahmyr Gibbs and Montgomery have now scored a TD in the same game 14 separate times, tying Dallas’ Daryl Johnston and Emmitt Smith for the most games among RB teammates each scoring a TD.

Bengals Back?

Three-quarters of the way through the Bengals’ game, I was ready to keep this section very short. Likely limited to this photo:

And this post:

The Bengals have scored 16 points in their last 11 quarters.

— James Rapien (@jamesrapien.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 5:37 PM

Then the fourth quarter happened. Ja’Marr Chase scored twice and Tee Higgins scored once. Jake Browning somehow found his talent.

One more serious takeaway from this Bengals’ offense in Week 5 is that Chase Brown might be in a timeshare. Brown played a season low 53.4% of snaps, while Samaje Perine played a season-high 46.6% of snaps. Chase Brown had eight carries for 27 yards, while Perine had 27 yards on only four carries.

The one bright spot for Brown is that he saw a season-high 20% team target share.

From “Oh No” To Redemption

Find someone who loves you the way Mike Vrabel loves Rhamondre Stevenson. Despite his fumbling issues, Vrabel keeps going back to his guy. In all seriousness, Stevenson actually only had one more carry than TreVeyon Henderson (seven to six), but he did see three more targets (seven to four).

With Antonio Gibson officially out for the season with a torn ACL, Henderson truthers may finally get their wish of increased volume for the rookie.

Revenge Game

Stefon Diggs‘ return to Buffalo was something else. In Week 5, he saw double-digit targets for the first time this season and had a massive 40% team target share. In fact, over the past two weeks, he has averaged a 39.5% team target share.

Kin-Crushed

In Week 5, Dalton Kincaid had his first 100-yard receiving game in his career. He also had a season-high six receptions. Kincaid is second in total receiving yards among TEs this season (287).

Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid has reached 108 receiving yards, a career high. He’s so (so far) on six catches. His previous high was 87 yards, also against the Patriots

— katherine fitzgerald (@kfitz134.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 9:48 PM

Cooked

The Bills had a rough go of it last night, and James Cook was not an exception. Before Week 5, he was averaging 21.25 FP/G. Last night, he scored only 4.9 points. I think Cook bounces back next week against the Falcons.

 

Well, that’s all I’ve got for this week. Tune in next week for another Unpacking the NFL!

Carly Manger isn’t just an analyst with Optimus Fantasy; she’s THE reason we’re able to bring you all of our great content, thanks to her role as Senior Editor. For breaking news and injury updates, follow Optimus Fantasy News on Bluesky!

By Published On: October 6th, 2025

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