Week Five Scoring Leaders

406 yards and 3 tds can go a long way

After a day that saw so much parody within a season that has been nothing but strange we bring you week five scoring leaders by position...

QB, Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys: despite throwing 3 interceptions Romo had a stellar day throwing for 406 yards on 31/46 and three touchdowns.

RB, Matt Forte, Carolina Panthers: after running for 55 yards in the last two week Forte showed yet again why you were afraid to spend a 1/2 pick on him. On 22 carries Forte ran for 166 yards and two touchdowns. With Todd Collins playing QB this week Forte became the only real offensive threat for this team, and showed once again why, under Martz, he is a worthy start.

WR, Malcolm Floyd, WR: when your special teams lets you down, and your QB has to throw the ball to get your team back in the game someone has to catch those passes. Floyd became the major recipient of those throws amassing 213 yards on 8 catches with one score.

TE, Mercedes Lewis, Jacksonville Jaguars: he played the Bills, check. The Bills give up uber points to tight ends, check. David Garrard looks for Lewis in the red zone, check. Yeah, it made for a great day and it was with 4 receptions for 54 yards and two touchdowns.

Other guys showing up big fantasy wise Sunday:

• Ray Rice; nice to see you still play. 27 carries for 133 yards and 2 scores
• The Lions and Raiders defenses; the unpredictability of special teams play
• Chris Johnson, only because of a late interception and kick off return that both should have been taken to the house. Instead Johnson got two goal line carries and cashed in on them both. 
• Hakeem Nicks; you read it here Saturday to play him. 12 receptions for 130 yards and 2 scores. 

How about some guys who underperformed Sunday...

QB, Matt Schaub, Houston Texans: How does 3 sacks, 3 turnovers, no touchdowns, and only 196 yards sound? By the way if you were counting on Peyton Manning to show up big vs. the KC Chiefs appears you had another thing coming. 

RB, Ryan Matthews, San Diego Chargers: it seemed risky to tell people to sit Ryan Matthews, but after a 9 carries for 59 yards day you understand why. Also, seems funny how once again his running mate Tolbert ended up more points them him for 4th straight week. 

WR, Chad Ochocinco, Cincanatti Bengals: I would call out Dwayne Bowe who has 1 touchdown through 4 games and is averaging just a touch under 40 ypg, but calling out Ochocinco is much funner. Since garbage time against the Pats in week one Chad has no touchdowns and is averaging just about 40 ypg himself. Yesterday he was under average catching 2 balls for 23 yards. 

TE, Dallas Clark, Indianapolis Colts: in only his second game this season without a touchdown Clark was held to 20 yards on 3 receptions. Call it the Chiefs D, a bad day for Manning, or too many receiving options for the Colts this unlikely performance should not be repeated in week six against the Redskins who gave up their only touchdown to a Packers TE. 

Week Five Start 'em/ Sit 'em

Averages, averages, averages

Week five brings us to week two of bye weeks with such notable fantasy studs sitting this weekend (Tom Brady,  Brandon Marshall, Rashard Mendenhall); possibly leaving you with an empty roster spot previously filled by a for sure starter. Based on bye week implications here are your week five starters.

QB, Sam Bradford, Detroit Lions: who cares that you don't have Tom Brady available to play this week? You picked up Bradford after his week one play when he showed he wasn't the second coming of Ryan Leaf. Always a good decision. After four games he ranks 12th among QB's with 6 touchdowns and 236 yards per game. This week he plays the 26th ranked passing defense in Detroit giving up 241 ypg and 13 touchdowns over all. Detroit's Shaun Hill has shown his ability to throw and should light up St. Louis 22nd ranked passing defense, thus providing Bradford with ample opportunity to light up the board for more yards and scores.

RB, Ryan Torain, Washington Redskins: of course you could be recommended to start Arian Foster or Frank Gore, but where is the risk in that? Torain looks to get most if not all of the carries this weekend against the Packers, thank you Clinton Portis, and their 25th ranked rushing defense giving up 118 yards per game. In one week Torain moves from pickup of the week to fantasy stud.

WR, Hakeem Nicks, NY Giants: can you be 3-1 and have the worst defense against the pass? If you are Houston yes you can. If Eli Manning didn't have such a tendency to turn the ball over he would be a great play at QB this week, however, his main squeeze Nicks definitely is. Facing a defense that averages on giving 2 touchdowns and 338 ypg means Nicks will get his targets, and you uber points.

However, you may want to bench these guys unless you have no other options...

QB, Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals: despite a bad game against a fiery Charlie Batch the TB defense is limiting QBs to 194 ypg with 6 interceptions. Palmer has given up more turnovers then touchdowns in four games, and has shown against good defenses his inability to rack up yardage or touchdowns. In fact, discounting garbage time against NE or a trashy Cleveland defense Palmer has thrown only two meaningful touchdowns.

RB, Ryan Matthews, San Diego Chargers: even though he was healthy last week for his return against Arizona he still split plenty of carries with Ryan Tolbert to the point that Tolbert rushed for more yardage and more fantasy points. Perhaps this is SD still being cautions with Matthews and his concussion, or Norv Turner trying to figure out if he has a usable two RB system, but without Matthews being a foreseeable #1 in this offense he is bench worthy.

WR, Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals: Greg Williams crazy blitzes + rookie QB Max Hall + healthy Beanie Wells = bad fantasy points. Over the past two weeks, with Max Hall throwing his way, Fitzgerald is average 41 yards and .5 touchdowns. In fact, it hasn't mattered who has thrown the ball to Larry because his production has been horrible all year long.

• 2 touchdowns through four games
• Averaging 4.5 receptions per game
• Averaging 52 yards per game

Need any other reason not to start him?