Matchup rankings: Upgrade Trey Benson, downgrade Jordan Mason in Week 5

Making pugnacious lineup decisions each week tin beryllium the astir challenging portion of the fantasy football process. When you're torn betwixt 2 akin players and simply don't cognize who to start, commencement the subordinate with the superior matchup.

Ah, but precisely how does 1 find the champion (and worst) play matchups?

The matchup rankings supply a docket autarkic method to measure positional matchups each week, ranking each 32 opposing defenses successful bid of astir to slightest favorable for opposing players astatine each 4 accomplishment positions (quarterback, moving back, wide receiver and choky end). Instead of relying upon seasonal totals, we calibrate points allowed information to amusement however each defence fared comparative to the trouble of the docket it has faced. This provides a fairer attack to judging the prime of idiosyncratic matchups.

As we participate Week 5, lone information from the 2025 play is used, but erstwhile six weeks are successful the books, lone the astir caller 5 weeks' worthy of numbers volition beryllium used.

Adjusted phantasy points allowed (Adj. FPA) reflects however acold supra oregon beneath players' play PPR phantasy constituent averages that defenses held opponents astatine that position. A affirmative fig means that the matchup is favorable. A antagonistic fig means it is unfavorable. Additionally, retrieve that teams often usage aggregate moving backs and wide receivers successful a game, and these plus/minus averages screen all of a team's unit astatine that position.

Finally, a caveat: Matchups are lone one constituent successful my rankings formula. Not each favorable matchup should beryllium exploited, nor each unfavorable matchup avoided. If you privation my -- and ESPN phantasy staff's -- astir implicit root for whom to commencement and beryllium each week, consult our play rankings.

Quarterbacks

Matchups highlight: Justin Fields, New York Jets (vs. Dallas Cowboys). Overshadowed successful the Jets' 27-21 Week 4 nonaccomplishment to the Miami Dolphins were his rushing contributions, which kept his squad successful the crippled and represented the 16th clip successful his 47 NFL starts that helium scored astatine slightest 10 phantasy points with his legs. Fields present brings that mobility into a matchup with the Cowboys, by acold the league's worst defense, and 1 that has surrendered the astir phantasy points passing (85.5) and 4th astir rushing (24.2) to opposing quarterbacks. With respective avenues to success, Fields elevates to a top-5 positional ranking this week.

Others to like: Jared Goff, Detroit Lions (at Cincinnati Bengals); Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. Washington Commanders).

Matchup to avoid: Bo Nix, Denver Broncos (at Philadelphia Eagles). While the Eagles person had their stock of antiaircraft lapses -- they've allowed 4 passing touchdowns of 40-plus yards, doubly arsenic galore arsenic the next-closest squad -- connected the full they've held quarterbacks remarkably quiescent for a squad that has played 64% of its antiaircraft snaps with a lead. All 4 ...