October 7, 2025
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NFL DraftKings Picks: Week 5

Walt011 mins
Jahmyr Gibbs

I’ll be posting NFL DraftKings picks here. I cannot post lineups anymore, but I will list some players I like each week.


Week 5: Chiefs at Jaguars Showdown Slate


Top Captains: Xavier Worthy (13200). Xavier Worthy is way too cheap for his upside. He should not be the fifth-most-expensive player on this slate.

Top Spend-Up FLEX (in addition to Top Captains): Patrick Mahomes (10600). Patrick Mahomes is finally a great fantasy quarterback again with three fantasy performances with 23 or more points. He’s not outrageously priced, so he should be a flex on this slate.

Top Value: JuJu Smith-Schuster (4800), Kareem Hunt (4200). JuJu Smith-Schuster still saw six targets last week despite the return of Xavier Worthy last week. Kareem Hunt is somehow $2,000 cheaper than Isiah Pacheco despite getting more carries.

Top Punt Play: Dyami Brown (2000). Dyami Brown will play, so he’ll need to be considered. In his two full games this year, he’s averaging 5.5 targets per contest.

Player to Avoid: Travis Kelce (7600). Travis Kelce has barely done anything in three years.




Week 5: Main Slate


I can no longer post any lineups, per DraftKings rules. I will be trying something different this year, which is to rank my order of preferences by position taking price into account.


Top DFS Quarterbacks:

  1. Justin Fields, $5,600 (vs. Cowboys)
  2. Bryce Young, $4,700 (vs. Dolphins)
  3. Justin Herbert, $6,100 (vs. Redskins)
  4. Daniel Jones, $5,800 (vs. Raiders)
  5. Baker Mayfield, $6,300 (at Seahawks)
  6. Sam Darnold, $5,100 (vs. Buccaneers)
It’s weird to see Bryce Young as the No. 2 quarterback, but he has a dream matchup against the inept Dolphins. The only better value is Justin Fields, who will be the latest quarterback to have his way with the inept Cowboys.


Top DFS Running Backs:

  1. Jahmyr Gibbs, $7,700 (at Bengals)
  2. Breece Hall, $5,600 (vs. Cowboys)
  3. Woody Marks, $5,400 (at Ravens)
  4. De’Von Achane, $7,300 (at Panthers)
  5. Javonte Williams, $6,200 (at Jets)
  6. Alvin Kamara, $5,900 (vs. Giants)
  7. David Montgomery, $5,200 (at Bengals)
  8. Cam Skattebo, $6,000 (at Saints)
  9. Omarion Hampton, $6,500 (vs. Redskins)
  10. Michael Carter, $4,000 (vs. Titans)
  11. Tony Pollard, $5,400 (at Cardinals)
J.K. Dobbins just had 100 rushing yards against the Bengals, so imagine what Jahmyr Gibbs will do. Breece Hall also looks great against the dreadful Cowboys. He’s one of many great values in the $5K range this week. Michael Carter is almost a free square because of the Trey Benson injury.


Top DFS Wide Receivers:

  1. Amon-Ra St. Brown, $7,900 (at Bengals)
  2. Garrett Wilson, $6,100 (vs. Cowboys)
  3. Quentin Johnston, $5,700 (vs. Redskins)
  4. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, $7,100 (vs. Seahawks)
  5. Nico Collins, $6,800 (at Ravens)
  6. Michael Pittman, $5,100 (vs. Raiders)
  7. Jameson Williams, $4,900 (at Bengals)
  8. Keenan Allen, $5,600 (vs. Redskins)
  9. Tetairoa McMillan, $5,700 (vs. Dolphins)
  10. Darius Slayton, $4,300 (at Saints)
Given the value at running back, you can pay up for Amon-Ra St. Brown. Then again, you could go with some values here like Garrett Wilson and Quentin Johnston. Jameson Williams and Darius Slayton are both similar in their roles. Both are high-upside players because they’re downfield play-makers, but Williams is obviously the far better player.


Top DFS Tight Ends:

  1. Oronde Gadsen, $2,700 (vs. Redskins)
  2. Jake Ferguson, $4,800 (at Jets)
  3. Tyler Warren, $4,700 (vs. Raiders)
  4. Cade Otton, $3,300 (at Seahawks)
  5. Darren Waller, $3,500 (at Panthers)
  6. Brock Bowers, $5,500 (at Colts)
  7. Trey McBride, $5,800 (vs. Titans)
  8. Juwan Johnson, $3,900 (vs. Giants)
With tight ends, you either go cheap or pay up. The thinking here is that only a select few tight ends can hit 20 points. You should want one of them or a very cheap option to pay up elsewhere. Oronde Gadsen is the best cheap option, while Jake Ferguson seems to be the best spend-up because he will continue to post elite numbers while CeeDee Lamb is out. Darren Waller, by the way, will be the highest-owned tight end on the slate.


Top DFS Defenses:

  1. Colts, $3,300 (vs. Raiders)
  2. Lions, $3,400 (at Cardinals)
  3. Cardinals, $3,600 (vs. Titans)
  4. Chargers, $3,000 (vs. Redskins)
Everyone’s going to own the Texans, who are priced as if Lamar Jackson were going to play. There’s so much variance with defense, however, that it’s probably best to look elsewhere.




Players to Avoid: Dak Prescott (6000), Ashton Jeanty (6700), Seahawks Running Backs, A.J. Brown (6000). Dak Prescott will be a popular choice after what he did versus the Packers, but the Jets have a run-funnel defense. … Ashton Jeanty just had a great game, but we’ll go back to fading him against one of the top run defenses in the NFL. I’m also fading the two Seattle runners against Tampa’s elite ground defense. … Don’t expect A.J. Brown to rebound against Patrick Surtain II.


Week 5: Vikings vs. Browns Showdown Slate


Top Captains: Jordan Mason (15600). Jordan Mason has a poor matchup on paper, but he could score some touchdowns. Also remember that the Vikings will have a major body-clock edge, which could allow for unexpected running lanes for Mason.

Top Spend-Up FLEX (in addition to Top Captains): Justin Jefferson (11400). You can pay up for Justin Jefferson because there’s no one to pay up for with the Browns.

Top Value: Isaiah Bond (5200), Browns Tight Ends. Isaiah Bond has become a big part of Cleveland’s offense. He was a second-round talent who went undrafted because of domestic violence issues. The two Browns tight ends are also cheap.

Top Punt Play: Zavier Scott (3600). With the Vikings expected to hold a big lead, Minnesota’s backup running back looks appealing.

Player to Avoid: Quinshon Judkins (9800). If you think the Browns will get the upset, you should definitely play Quinshon Judkins. However, if you think the Vikings will greatly benefit from the body-clock advantage, then Judkins is the fade to go with because he won’t get too many touches in a deficit.




Week 5: Patriots at Bills Showdown Slate


Top Captains: Josh Allen (18000), James Cook (17100). Pick your champion. Both Josh Allen and James Cook have insane upside, so they have to be considered to be captain. I would try to roster the other one as a flex.

Top Spend-Up FLEX (in addition to Top Captains): Drake Maye (10000). Drake Maye also has great upside. Rostering Allen, Cook and Maye leaves anywhere between $3,500 and $3,900 per player. That’s doable if you can find the right punt piece.

Top Value: Kayshon Boutte (5400), Rhamondre Stevenson (4800). Kayshon Boutte is much cheaper than Stefon Diggs. Rhamondre Stevenson isn’t as good as TreVeyon Henderson, but he also shouldn’t be $2,000 cheaper, given the insane usage between the two. Buffalo has been weak to the run, albeit without Matt Milano.

Top Punt Play: Curtis Samuel (1200). Curtis Samuel saw two targets in his 2025 debut with the Bills last week. What if one of those targets is in the end zone this week?

Player to Avoid: Hunter Henry (7600). No team has been better against tight ends this year than the Bills.



 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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