Week 5 Thursday Night Football Fantasy Picks: Start 'Em, Sit 'Em for Colts vs Broncos

Week 5 Thursday Night Football Fantasy Picks: Start 'Em, Sit 'Em for Colts vs Broncos

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Week 5 of the NFL season kicks off with an exciting Thursday Night Football battle between the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos. FanDuel Sportsbook's NFL odds show the Broncos as 3.5-point home favorites in a battle that could be determined in the final few minutes.

If you need some help with your fantasy lineups, here's our start 'em, sit 'em advice for this Week 5 AFC showdown.

Michael Pittman Jr. Fantasy

Start Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts: It's difficult to feel optimistic about anyone on this Colts' offense right now. Running back Jonathan Taylor is nursing an ankle injury and quarterback Matt Ryan is committing one turnover after another. Wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is a fantasy manager's best bet here. The 25-year-old has seen a team-high 28 targets across three games this season and hauled in 20 of them for 224 yards to go along with 1 touchdown. Pittman's ceiling is capped here in a tough matchup against the Broncos, but his high floor makes him worth a start. He will be peppered with targets if the Colts find themselves playing from behind in this one.

Russell Wilson Fantasy

Start Russell Wilson, QB, Denver Broncos: Don't pay too much attention to quarterback Russell Wilson's shoulder injury. The Pro Bowler told reporters that he is "super confident" he will suit up on Thursday night and that makes him a must-start player in Week 5. Indianapolis' secondary has been a mess this season, posting the sixth-worst pass defense DVOA rating and allowing an opponent completion percentage of 68.6% (No. 27 in NFL). Meanwhile, Wilson is coming off his best effort of the year. He threw for 237 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4. Expect a similar outing for Wilson in front of the home crowd and under the bright lights.

Nyheim Hines Fantasy

Sit Nyheim Hines, RB, Indianapolis Colts: As mentioned above, Jonathan Taylor may not play this week due to an ankle injury. That has resulted in many fantasy managers adding Nyheim Hines to their roster. He is a perfectly fine handcuff to have stashed on your bench, but he should not be started this week. Denver has given up the seventh-fewest PPR fantasy points to opposing running backs as well as just 2 total touchdowns. Keep in mind Hines' pass-catching abilities is what provides his upside in fantasy football. However, the Broncos have allowed only 109 receiving yards on 15 receptions to the position. This is a defense that knows how to shut down players like Hines.

Melvin Gordon Fantasy

Sit Melvin Gordon, RB, Denver Broncos: The injury to starting running back Javonte Williams is a brutal blow for fantasy managers. While it's easy to pivot right to backup Melvin Gordon, his upside is limited this week. Gordon is dealing with a neck injury of his own and has been limited throughout practice. Not only that, but Gordon has looked unimpressive this year. The eighth-year pro is averaging only 3.8 yards per carry and a career-low 34.8 rushing yards per game. That does not bode well for his chances of running wild against a Colt's defense that has posted the second-best rush defense DVOA rating in the NFL. Gordon should stay on your bench until he proves he can be trusted.

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Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

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