Sun Oct 6 6:48pm ET
Field Level Media
The Cleveland Browns endured another dreadful offensive performance on Sunday in losing their third straight game, a 34-13 bludgeoning at the hands of the Washington Commanders.
But head coach Kevin Stefanski isn't yet entertaining the notion of a quarterback switch.
"We're not changing quarterbacks," Stefanski said following the loss. "We need to play better. I need to coach better."
The Browns (1-4) gained just 212 yards in failing to break 20 points for the fifth time in as many games.
Starting quarterback Deshaun Watson was sacked seven times, lost a fumble and managed just 125 yards through the air, throwing one garbage-time touchdown with his team trailing 34-6. Backup Jameis Winston came in briefly and completed his only pass for 16 yards.
Watson's 74.8 passer rating this season is among the worst marks in the league, while the Browns as a team have failed to reach 300 total yards in any game this season.
"The offense is going to go as far as I go," Watson said. "So, at the end of the day, we're not doing enough offensively."
During Watson's time with the Houston Texas, he faced 24 claims of sexual misconduct from women, stemming from massage sessions. All but one of the cases were settled out of court, with the last one still pending. The NFL suspended him for the first 11 games of the 2022 season and fined him $5 million.
Watson was the recipient of new allegations last month, but hasn't faced any disciplinary action as a result.
In 2022, he signed an NFL-record $230 million fully guaranteed deal with the Browns after the franchise traded for the troubled quarterback, with Cleveland restructuring that deal this offseason. Watson, 29, now has cap hits of $72.9 million in the 2025 and 2026 seasons, with $172 million and $99 million in dead cap hits in those years.
Next week, the Browns have a road trip to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles.
Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 5
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks didn't dominate the stat sheet like he did in last week's game, posting just two receptions in the Packers' 24-19 victory against the Los Angeles Rams. Wicks' two receptions went for just 20 yards, but he did lead the team in targets with seven and was tied with fellow wide receivers Jayden Reed and Malik Heath in total snaps. With Wicks and the Packers heading home to host the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6, Wicks' fantasy value will be tied to the availability of Romeo Doubs, who was suspended for Week 5 due to conduct detrimental to the team. Also affecting Wicks' value is Christian Watson (ankle), whose injury caused him to miss Week 5. Wicks would be a low-end WR3 if Doubs returns but Watson misses another week. If both return, Wicks would be a boom-or-bust flex option.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton completed 18-of-28 passes, tossing for 136 yards and one interception in the team's 36-10 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday. He added three yards on his sole carry. It was an outing to forget for the Red Rifle as he struggled to move the ball against the Bears defense. Dalton completed 65% of his passes in Week 5, but it was his first outing this season without a touchdown. Late in the fourth quarter, with the game out of reach, the 36-year-old was benched for second-year quarterback Bryce Young, who responded with 58 yards on a crisp 4-of-7 passing to close out the game. While Joe Person of The Athletic reports that head coach Dave Canales has already committed to the veteran signal-caller for Week 6, it wouldn't be one bit surprising to see the former second-round pick have a shorter leash than usual after two straight losses. Carolina will host their division rivals the Atlanta Falcons next Sunday, and if Dalton plays a full compliment of snaps, he'll be a QB2 for that contest.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Miami Dolphins. He also caught all four of his targets for a total of three yards through the air. Stevenson was demoted from his starting role in favor of Antonio Gibson amidst major fumbling concerns this week, but the coaching staff couldn't keep him off the field very long as he averaged 7.4 yards per carry and found the end zone. The 26-year-old has now eclipsed 17 fantasy points (PPR) in three of his five games this season, and his impressive performance this Sunday was likely enough for him to win back his starting job heading into Week 6 against the Houston Texans. Stevenson returns to the low-end RB2 tier for fantasy football going forward.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy caught one of his three targets for 16 yards in a 34-13 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 5. Jeudy was held to his worst output of the season despite a plus matchup against a leaky Washington secondary in the loss. The veteran wideout has been quite boom/bust this season as he's gotten to at least 72 yards in two games while being held to 27 yards or fewer in his other three contests. Jeudy will look to bounce back in Week 6's road matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby was great on the ground in a 37-34 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Bigsby finished with 103 yards on 13 carries and two rushing touchdowns. He also added a 28 yard catch. The backup running back to Travis Etienne Jr. was fantastic, with the highlight of his outing being a 65 yard touchdown run. Even excluding that long run, Bigsby outperformed his starting counterpart in the running game, who had just 17 yards on six carries. Etienne Jr. did have six receptions to lead the team, so it will be hard for Bigsby to fully take over as starter, but he continues to make a case for at least a 50-50 split. The Jaguars offense had struggled leading up to this game, but having Bigsby's power running style against the Colts seemed to help unlock the offense and provide great balance. Bigsby will look to perform at a high level once again in Week 6 against the Chicago Bears.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson rushed for 52 yards on six carries during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Miami Dolphins. He also caught his lone target for a gain of four yards through the air. It was a peculiar showing from the versatile running back, who was promoted to the starting lineup over Rhamondre Stevenson this week but still had less than half the touches that Stevenson registered. Even though Gibson averaged 8.7 yards per carry, Stevenson played well enough (89 rushing yards and one touchdown) to win back the starting role heading into Week 6 against the Houston Texans. Assuming Gibson is indeed relegated to the No. 2 role, he'll drop to the low-end RB3/FLEX tier in fantasy football. Gibson is still averaging 8.9 fantasy points per game (PPR) over the last four weeks, so he remains a relevant name in deeper fantasy leagues.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson played a crucial role in the passing game, recording five catches for 78 yards in Sunday's 24-23 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Wilson has shown flashes of fantasy relevance this season, but he needed to demonstrate consistency before managers could fully trust him. This week, he did just that, ranking among the top three on the team with six targets. Quarterback Kyler Murray did overthrow Wilson on what could have been a go-ahead 60-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter. It's clear that Wilson has earned Murray's trust, and while he may not yet be a reliable starter, he's a name to watch on the waiver wire ahead of the Cardinals' Week 6 matchup against the Green Bay Packers.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed was a major factor in the Packers' victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 5. Reed was second on the Packers in targets (6) while catching four balls for 78 yards, including a 53-yard deep catch in the first quarter through multiple Rams defenders that helped to set up a Josh Jacobs rushing score to cap off the drive. In addition to his receiving, Reed also added two rushing attempts for 19 yards. Despite a solid game without a score, Reed is still the top receiving target for the Green Bay offense and should have some better days ahead. Week 6 brings the Arizona Cardinals to Lambeau Field, where Reed should be considered a high-end WR2 in fantasy.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase had ten catches for 193 yards and two touchdowns in a loss against the Ravens. Dynasty Analysis: If you can't understand why the Bengals haven't just made him one of the league's highest paid wide receivers, you're not alone. Chase was as dominant as ever in this one as Baltimore just couldn't cover him. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough as the Bengals fell 41-38 in an overtime classic, falling to 1-4 in the process. Chase remains an elite weekly play and quite possibly the top player in dynasty leagues. However, dynasty managers sure would feel better if an when Chase gets his money.
Dynasty | Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson completed 26-of-42 passes for 348 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions, adding 55 rushing yards in an overtime win against Cincinnati. Dynasty Analysis: Jackson has picked up where he left off last season and this was just the latest epic fantasy performance from last year's MVP. Jackson made some truly dynamic plays and while the Ravens were lucky to win the game, it certainly wasn't because of anything he didn't do. Jackson remains an elite-level QB1 in dynasty leagues and clear trade target for any team in contention.
Dynasty | Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow completed 30-of-39 passes for 392 yards with five touchdowns and one interception in a loss against Baltimore. Dynasty Analysis: Burrow won't care about the stat line as the Bengals lost the game but dynasty managers won't complain. Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase threw everything they could at the Ravens but just couldn't pull off a win as they fell in overtime. This was a solid step forward for this offense as they seem to be hitting their stride now that Tee Higgins (9/83/2) is back in the fold. Burrow remains an easy "set it and forget it" QB1 moving forward.
Dynasty | Bengals receiver Tee Higgins caught nine passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns in a loss against the Ravens. Dynasty Analysis: Higgins has now increased his yardage, targets, and touchdown totals in each of the three weeks since coming back from injury. The Bengals are in real trouble at 1-4 but it's hard to blame the offense. Higgins will look to build on his recent performances and looks like a WR1/2 moving forward this season. He's a solid buy in dynasty leagues.
Dynasty | Panthers receiver Diontae Johnson had three catches for 23 yards, adding six rushing yards in a loss against Chicago. Dynasty Analysis: This was a major buzzkill after Johnson had posted two monster games with Andy Dalton at the helm. Chicago took control of the game rather early and made life miserable for Dalton and the offense most of the day. Johnson should be much better moving forward, but this could open up a quick window to buy in dynasty leagues if you believe he's truly turning the corner.
Dynasty | Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams completed 20-of-29 passes for 304 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, adding 34 rushing yards in a win against Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: Here we go. After Jayden Daniels had really outshined Williams over the first month of the season, we finally saw what the Bears could have in Williams today. Sure, it was against Carolina. However, Williams was poised, controlled and accurate all day today. While we need to see him string together a few solid performances before anointing him as the next big thing, this was a huge step in the right direction today. Williams remains a solid hold in dynasty leagues.
Dynasty | Bears running back D'Andre Swift had 73 rushing yards, one touchdown, two catches, and 47 receiving yards in a win against Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: After an absolutely dreadful start to the year, Swift now has two decent back-to-back games to his name. While this is hardly enough to start anointing him as the next big thing, it's also hard to ignore. If Swift continues his solid play, there's some RB2 appeal moving forward. Regardless, his plunge down the dynasty rankings should stop for good after this week.
Dynasty | 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk had eight catches for 147 yards in a loss against the Cardinals. Dynasty Analysis: The 49ers were stunned at home against Arizona, but it's hard to blame Aiyuk, who had his best game of the year. After only posting 167 receiving yards the first four weeks, this was a huge bounce-back performance for the now very highly paid Aiyuk. He'll remain on the WR2 bubble moving forward but this was a huge step in the right direction for Aiyuk, whose dynasty "buy low" window may have closed.
Dynasty | Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew completed 12-of-17 passes with one touchdown and two interceptions before being benched in the Raiders loss to the Broncos. Dynasty Analysis: The Raiders are 2-3 and really haven't looked good on offense all season. Aidan O'Connell (10-of-20 with an interception) certainly didn't look much better, so we'll have to see what Las Vegas does moving forward. Regardless, Minshew has proven yet again he's more than capable of being a spot starter but hardly someone to rely on for an entire season. He's a weak hold in dynasty leagues and a drop candidate should this benching be permanent.
Dynasty | Broncos quarterback Bo Nix completed 19-of-27 passes for 206 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in a win against Las Vegas. Dynasty Analysis: This was a much needed solid game for Nix, who has had his fair share of ups and downs so far this season. Nix played mistake-free football and while he didn't have a huge number of big plays, he looked much more poised in the pocket and very much in control all day. We'll need to see more from Nix before recommending him in lineups but you could do worse for a backup or QB2 on your dynasty league team at the moment.
Dynasty | Raiders tight end Brock Bowers had eight catches for 97 yards and a touchdown in a loss against Denver. Dynasty Analysis: The rookie is quickly emerging not only as a TE1, but perhaps THE TE1 as we move forward this season. Bowers has yet to post a 100-yard performance but today was the latest in a string of very consistent performances and his first touchdown clearly shouldn't be his last. With 36 targets in five games, it's hard to currently find a tight end with higher upside at the moment. Oh yeah. he's a rookie.
Dynasty | Giants running back Tyrone Tracy had 129 rushing yards, one catch and one receiving yard in a win against Seattle. Dynasty Analysis: With Devin Singletary inactive, Tracy stepped up in a huge way. After posting just 29 rushing yards over the first month, Tracy finally showed what dynasty managers hoped to see after a solid off-season - a player who simply looks like a possible starter in fantasy and reality. While Singletary's job isn't in jeopardy, this performance is likely going to create a bit of a timeshare in New York moving forward. The chance to acquire Tracy on the cheap in dynasty leagues is now long gone.