Fantasy Football: One QB, RB, WR, and TE primed for huge Week 5 performances

The Week 5 NFL slate is filled with several matchups that could turn into potential shootouts, which bodes well for fantasy managers. The more points scored in a game, the more points it will bring to your fantasy rosters.

In Week 5, four matchups have an expected total of 47.5 points or higher, per Caesar’s Sportsbook. The Vikings/Chiefs, Dolphins/Giants, Rams/Eagles, and Jaguars/Bills matchups are all anticipated to be high-scoring affairs, so be sure to have players from those games in your lineup.

With that said, here is one QB, RB, WR, and TE who are primed for huge fantasy football performances in Week 5.

QB: Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings

Ironically, when Kirk Cousins had his worst statistical performance of the season, the Vikings picked up their first win of the season. In Week 4 against the Panthers, Cousins completed just 12 of his 19 pass attempts for 139 yards, adding two touchdowns and two interceptions (one of which was returned for a 99-yard touchdown by Panthers safety Sam Franklin Jr. on the game’s opening drive).

However, we can’t shy away from Cousins after one rough performance. Even after a down game, Cousins still ranks as the overall QB7 in terms of total fantasy points through the first month of the season (Bears quarterback Justin Fields and Commanders quarterback Sam Howell are currently ranked ahead of Cousins while having also played one more game than him).

In the first three weeks of the season, Cousins threw for at least 344 passing yards and multiple touchdown passes in each game. The Vikings are currently ranked third in the NFL in pass rate over expected and first in passing play percentage, illustrating their desire to throw the ball early and often. The Vikings face Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in Week 5 and that game has the highest expected point total of the week (52.5). Not to mention the Vikings are 3.5-point home underdogs, implying that they will be trailing in this game and Cousins will have to throw the ball the keep pace with the Chiefs' high-powered offense.

This game sets up perfectly to be the most fantasy-friendly environment of the week and Cousins should be one of the biggest beneficiaries. He has a good chance to finish this week as a top-five fantasy quarterback.