jason mezrahi 
It’s Week 5 DFS for the NFL, and there are plenty of viable TE and DST plays to get us in the money for cash games and GPPs. Let’s fire up the DFS engines and get you the picks you need to take down the tourneys and better your opponents.
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Week 5 DFS Tight End NFL — Cash Game Plays
Zach Ertz, PHI vs. NYJ
FD ($6,600) DK ($6,000)
While the Eagles receiving corps is getting healthier, Ertz remains a much-utilized target within Philly’s offense. Through four games, he’s seen the most targets among TEs (38) and racked up 24-255-0, the glaring lack of a TD the only thing that ‘s keeping him from fantasy glory. Against the Jets in Week 5, he stands a good chance to remedy that. Zach Ertz is reasonably priced, the number one cash game play of the main slate and makes for a fine lock-and-load in all formats.
Evan Engram, NYG vs. MIN
FD ($6,300) DK ($5,800)
If Wertz is first, who do you think is second? Engram has only one fewer target (37) than Ertz and is averaging 6.75 receptions, 82.75 yards and a 0.5 TDs per game. If we round those numbers up to 7-83-1, we’re looking at a solid cash game play in a game that should feature a lot of the Giants TE. He comes at a small discount from Ertz, and even with WR Golden Tate back and slot man Sterling Shepard clicking with Rookie QB Daniel Jones, Engram projects to see around 8-10 targets on a weekly basis.
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Week 5 DFS Tight End NFL — GPP Plays
Austin Hooper, ATL at HOU
FD ($6,700) DK ($4,500)
We’ve got some huge disparity with the pricing on Hoper, who’s themost expensive TE on FD at $6,700, and only the fifth priciest on DK. That’s somethingwe can take advantage of in GPPs on FD, where his ownership should be slightlylower. Hooper saw 11 targets in Week 4, the most among NFL tight ends, and bustedout for 9-130-0. The Texans have been stingy vs. TEs, but with this game projectedto be a boon for all the skill position players, I’ll be utilizing Hooper in game/teamstacks with Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, and running back some of the Texans (DeAndreHopkins, Will Fuller).
Darren Waller, OAK vs. CHI
FD ($6,400) DK ($5,000)
At this point, it’s safeto call Waller matchup-proof, and while his upside is somewhat limited againstthe Bears, I can’t keep him completely off my builds for Week 5 NFL DFS. He’stied with Engram for second most targets among TEs (37) and he’ll be utilizedoften as a check down with the Raiders likely struggling to move the ball verticallyup the field. Ownership on both sites will be low and there’s no reason we shouldn’tlook to Derek Carr’s most reliable pass catcher as a contrarian GPP option here.
Greg Olsen, CAR vs. JAC
FD ($5,700) DK ($4,000)
In Week 3, Kyle Allen looked absolutely smitten with hisveteran TE, but Olsen had a quiet week last Sunday when he hauled in just twoof his four targets for 5 yards. That performance was against the aforementionedTexans, and game log followers with recency bias may steer clear of Olsen thisweek. That’s fine – because when healthy, we need reliable red zone targets withupside like Olsen in our GPPs. The Jaguars aren’t the big bad scary predatorycats they were in 2018, so plug in the Panthers TE with confidence.
Ben Watson, NE at WAS
FD ($5,200) DK ($3,700)
Doyou like risk? How about when it comes with oodles of upside in a matchup thatportends many scoring opportunities for a potent offense? Tom Brady has been desperatelylooking for a TE to lock onto since Rob Gronkowski retired, and Watson – in his15th NFL season and his second turn with the Patriots – is comingoff a four-game suspension that’s kept him off the field thus far. In his triumphantreturn to New England, we could see a few extra targets go his way. I won’t havetons of exposure to Watson, who’s probably going to be limited to red zonechances and about half of the Pats’ total offensive snaps, but he’s anoff-the-wall play for GPPs.
Week 5 DFS Tight End NFL — Value and Punt Plays
Tyler Eifert, CIN vs. ARI
FD (4,600) DK ($3,300)
Eifertis crazy cheap on both sites and gets a gigantic boost against the Cardinals,who yield 163.7% of the average fantasy points to TEs. He’s been quiet thisseason and he might get chalky, but the Bengals offense is missing some oftheir WRs and Eifert is an attractive value play in Week 5.
Jared Cook, NO vs. TB
FD($4,500) DK ($3,400)
Game manager Teddy Bridgewater doesn’t necessarily get the bloodpumping and inspire confidence in the New Orleans offense, but the QB should belooking more to Jared Cook in Week 5 against the Bucs, who provide a favorablematchup for the athletic Cook. His 18 targets through four games is arelatively low number, but this is a good game for him to spike a Top 10 TEfinish and find some good, old-fashioned NFL paydirt.
Additional GPP options:
O.J. Howard, TB at NO (FD $5,800, DK $3,900)
Jimmy Graham, GB at DAL (FD $5,700, DK $4,300)
Dawson Knox, BUF at TEN (FD$4,800, DK $3,100)
Trey Burton, CHI at OAK (FD $4,800, DK $3,300)
Week 5 DFS DST NFL — Cash Game Plays
Chicago Bears (CHI at OAK)
FD ($5,000) DK ($3,800)
The Bears are slightly cheaper than the Pats on both sites and rank as my top cash game DST for Week 5. They’re just as likely as New England to notch multiple sacks and grab a few turnovers, and they probably have a little more upside based on some of their standouts defensive talents like sack specialist Khalil Mack, DB Kyle Fuller (23 solos, two INTs) and linebacker Roquan Smith, who’s back with the team after missing Week 4 for personal reasons. I’m buying in both cash and GPP contests.
New England Patriots (NE at WAS)
FD ($5,500) DK ($4,300)
The Redskins are having some difficulty settling on a QB for Week5, and the Pats defensive players must be licking their collective chops at theprospect of haranguing either journeyman Case Keenum, Colty McCoy (who’s yet tosee the field for Washington this season), or rookie Dwayne Haskins, who was9-for-17 in Week 4 with three INTs. New England comes in as my second-best cashgame play, but they’re usable in all formats.
Week 5 DFS DST NFL — GPP Plays
Minnesota Vikings (MIN at NYG)
FD ($4,500) DK ($3,200)
The Giants aren’t quite as terrible as they were during the firstcouple of weeks, but they’re prone to turnovers and providing scoring opportunitiesfor opposing defenses with a substandard offensive line and a rookie QB. TheVikings are affordable on both sites and could get lost in the shuffle ofviable DST options.
Philadelphia Eagles (PHI vs. NYJ)
FD ($4,900) DK ($3,700)
We’ll be seeing a lot of green-on-green violence in this Sunday tilt, and there’s as much upside to this Philly unit (which has yet to break out with a double-digit performance) as any other DST on the slate.
Tennessee Titans (TEN vs. BUF)
FD ($4,800) DK ($3,000)
I’m not trying to pick on the New York teams this week, even if it feels like it, but the Bills could be the third squad form the Empire State who’s not entering Week 5 with the same starting QB they rolled out in Week 1. The Bills are not a bad team, but the Titans have been watching the tape on Matt Barkley and planning accordingly.
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Week 5 DFS DST NFL — Punt Plays
Green Bay Packers (GB at DAL)
FD ($3,700) DK ($2,400)
The Packers are another team that’s super risky heading into Week5 but make sense an off-the-board GPP play in Dallas. I’m a Cowboys fan and I knowthat the offensive lien issues they’re having are much more of a problem than anyonewants to let on. Pairing them with Aaron Jones and fading Ezekiel Elliott on afew lineups could allow you to find some leverage and load up withTexans-Falcons, my favorite game stack on the slate.
Cincinnati Bengals (CIN vs. ARI)
FD($3,400) DK ($2,500)
The Bengals are once again viable in GPPs (they’re at home and facing a rookie QB) but they’re not going to make any of my cash game builds. Use them as a contrarian GPP defense with plenty of upside and just as much risk.
Photo of Zach Ertz by Keith Allison
