Fantasy Football NFL Week 5 Target Report: Davante Adams Trade Coming?

Fantasy football is such a wild game - especially when it comes to the waiver wire. One spike week in passing can have us scrambling to add Cole Kmet or Tucker Kraft. Then the next week it’s on to whatever team throws 45+ passes. The cycle of chasing last week can be exhausting for the uninformed fantasy gamer.

That’s why, in this article, we focus on what is actually sustainable. We focus on the real target pecking order for these teams, regardless of spike weeks vs. down weeks. That helps us not only identify the real must-start studs but also spot the potential buy low players due for positive regression. And we do it all with a pretty color-coded chart and write-ups for each of the 32 teams!

We’ve included the Target Totem Pole in our Draft Guide for the last couple of years but, this year, we decided to bring it to life and update it throughout the season. So that’s what our Fantasy Football Week 5 Target Report will focus on - who we expect to actually lead these teams in targets as the season progresses. 

And, if you pay attention to the names down the pecking order, you can stash away some of these handcuffs and sleepers BEFORE they break out!

2024 Fantasy Football NFL Week 5 Target Report Preview

Why do we do this? Well, historically incredibly rare for a team to have three players all get 100+ targets. It’s happened only once over the last three years and less than 3% of the time over the last five years. 

More teams will have ZERO players get 100+ targets than have three. And, last year, every top 24 WR except one got 100+ targets (and that was Deebo Samuel who scored 5 rushing touchdowns. That’s why the NFL fantasy football Week 5 target report is so important.

In the chart below you will see our PROJECTION for what we believe will happen. That projection is a mix of what we are seeing on the field, who is actually healthy, and what we predict for the rest of the season. 

Naturally, that is going to change from week to week and it’s important to check the notes section at the bottom as to why. Our 2024 NFL fantasy football Week 5 target report has a note for every single team. So, let’s take a look!

Fantasy Football Target Chart 2024 NFL Week 5

Fantasy Football Week 5 Target Report Advice & Takeaways

NOTE: If a team moved from where they were in the Week 4 NFL target report, they will be denoted with ***

Clear Top Two

Arizona Cardinals

• Trey McBride
• Marvin Harrison Jr
  • Trey McBride missed this week with a concussion but, assuming he only misses a game or two, there shouldn’t be much change here. Despite a juicy matchup with the Commanders this week, no one really stepped up in his absence. 

Cincinnati Bengals

• Ja'Marr Chase
• Tee Higgins
  • Tee Higgins is back, and he has 15 targets in two games. Ja'Marr Chase obviously remains a star. That pushes Andrei Iosivas and Mike Gesicki down in the pecking order as they now both have a decreased snap share and inconsistent targets at best from week to week.  

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Chris Godwin
• Mike Evans
  • With so many teams falling out of the coveted “clear top two” category so far, it’s nice to see this one going according to plan. Godwin is on pace for 125+ targets and Mike Evans is one of the few players that can do “less with more” even if he does land in the 100 to 125 target range. Folks will be tempted by the spike weeks of Cade Otton, but the Buccaneers are not going to throw 47 times every week. 

High Consolidation

Houston Texans

• Nico Collins
• Stefon Diggs
• Tank Dell
  • Tank Dell has been out which has led to even higher consolidation among Nico and Diggs. Nico, with 42 targets so far, is a clear top dog but Diggs is also currently on a 125+ target pace. We need to see more games with the three healthy, but Dell has been feeling like the odd man out. 

Miami Dolphins

• Tyreek Hill
• Jaylen Waddle
• De’Vone Achane
  • Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are the top targets and, with his slot usage, De’Vone Achane is right there. Without a competent quarterback to deliver quality targets, however, it doesn’t seem like it matters much. The fate of these players really falls on the ability and willingness of Tua Tagovailoa to return to football. 

New Orlean Saints

• Chris Olave
• Rashid Shaheed
• Alvin Kamara
  • This team so far is by far one of the most highly consolidated. Shaheed has 25 targets, Olave has 24, Kamara has 20, and no one else has more than 5. They haven’t had to throw much but we saw what that looked like this past weekend. Now we just need Taysom Hill to stop stealing all the touchdowns. 

New York Giants***

• Malik Nabers
• Wan”Dale Robinson
  • At this particular point, we have to put Wan’Dale Robinson up there with Malik Nabers, right? I mean, Nabers is on pace for an insane 216 targets. But Wan’Dale Robinson is also on pace for 157. Those numbers to me are not likely sustainable but it is clear that those two are far and away the two preferred targets on this team. And that’s the measure we are going by. 

Philadelphia Eagles

• AJ Brown
• DeVonta Smith
• Dallas Goedert
• Saquon Barkley
  • The bye week could not have come at a better time for the Philadelphia Eagles. When everyone is back and healthy, we know who the stars are. Hopefully these two weeks are a big help before they play again on October 12th. 

San Francisco 49ers

• Brandon Aiyuk
• Deebo Samuel
• George Kittle
  • Deebo Samuel returned, and, with that, Jauan Jennings went back to his part time snap share, rotating with fullback Kyle Jusczcyk. If you can still package Jennings up and sell him for something, I would do so ASAP. He’s the odd man out once again. 

One Stud, Then Uncertainty

Atlanta Falcons***

• This was listed under “wide open”, but Drake London has really separated himself over the last two weeks with 21 targets in two games. We are holding out hope that Kyle Pitts can get it together but last week he just has his first career zero reception game. If he doesn’t show signs of life this week, he becomes droppable. In the meantime, Darnell Mooney has been the second target for Kirk Cousins. 

Baltimore Ravens***

• Zay Flowers
  • NFL teams would love nothing more than to just run the ball all game and win. And, over the last two weeks, that’s what the Ravens have done. WIth only 12 and 13 completions over the last two games, it doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for these pass-catchers to put up numbers. Even Zay Flowers, who has been fairly consistent, has been affected. Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely are bench stashes only for now.

Carolina Panthers***

• Diontae Johnson
  • As crazy as it may seem, Andy Dalton has breathed life into this offense. Diontae Johnson now has 38 targets through four games and is flirting with “fantasy WR1” status. And the injury to Adam Theilen has thrust Xavier Legette into the spotlight where he’s picked up a bigger role. The practice window for Jonathan Brooks was not activated today so we’ll have to wait longer on that.

Chicago Bears***

• DJ Moore
  • Keenan Allen has been nicked up which has allowed Rome Odunze and Cole Kmet to pick up some extra targets along the way. But we don’t really know for sure how that pecking order shakes out when everyone is a full go. We can be confident that DJ Moore is at the top of it though. Our bet would still be that Keenan Allen is the #2 here but he’s not up to a full snap share yet. Odunze has more targets but he’s not even catching half of them.

Cleveland Browns

• Amari Cooper
  • As of now, Jerry Jeudy is technically on pace for 100+ targets. But he’s been doing it without David Njoku on the field. Once Njoku returns, the battle begins between Jerry Jeudy and David Njoku to get a fantasy-relevant target share behind Amari Cooper. The practice window for Nick Chubb has been opened as well so the clock is ticking on Jerome Ford. 

Dallas Cowboys

• CeeDee Lamb
  • In this tight end landscape, you have to be happy with what you are getting from Jake Ferguson. Despite missing a game, he’s looking like the second target behind CeeDee Lamb and he could get himself back on a 100+ target pace. We don’t really care as much as him hitting 100 targets for the season considering he did miss a game - we just want him in that 6 target per game range. Brandin Cooks remains slightly ahead of Jalen Tolbert for third in the target count. 

Denver Broncos

• Courtland Sutton
  • Courtland Sutton has 34 targets through four game - anything over 29 puts you on a pace for those 125+ target we so desperately need. After him, Josh Reynolds leads with 19 so things are a little too spread out. Our hopes for Greg Dulcich dwindle each week as his snap share and target share fall. 

Detroit Lions***

• Amon Ra St. Brown
  • This team has become difficult to characterize. We initially had them listed as “highly consolidated”. But Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs, with only 13 targets a piece, have not been holding up their end of the bargain. Since he’s only caught three passes over the last two games, we’re still not ready to dub this team a “clear top two” either with Jameson Williams but it’s honestly closer to than right now than we would have imagined coming out. WIth ARSB having 38 targets, he’s the true sure thing.

Indianapolis Colts

• Michael Pittman
  • We like Josh Downs a lot. And it’s clear the Colts do as well. The problem? He’s currently not a full-time player. He’s running 95% of his snaps from the slot but he comes out for two WR sets. Until that changes, his upside is capped to some degree. If it does change, it’s wheels up. Downs is still on the menu though, especially in full PPR.

Kansas City Chiefs

• Travis Kelce
  • Oh dear. The news on Rashee Rice has been cryptic so far but the initial leaning is that he will miss significant time. In his absence, we HOPE that Xavier Worthy can step up. Or that maybe JuJu Smith-Schuster will see some sort of resurgence. But the use of guys like Justin Watson and Noah Gray could spread the targets around in this offense which is not what we want for fantasy football. As of now, we can start Kelce and Worthy and hope for the best. 

Minnesota Vikings

• Justin Jefferson
  • Justin Jefferson is the clear top dog. And Jordan Addison looked pretty darn good in his game back. The 21-day window has been activated for T.J. Hockenson so now the waiting game is on. That battle will determine whether this team falls under “clear top two” or “highly consolidated”. 

New York Jets

• Garrett Wilson
  • This is where the rumors get scary. Garrett Wilson is on a 125+ target pace but hasn’t lit the world on fire. Now we have rumors that Davante Adams is on the trade block and might want to meet back up with his buddy Aaron Rodgers. With all the Allen Lazard randomness and the weirdness with Breece Hall, that would confuse things even further in New York. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

• George Pickens
  • George Pickens is the only one on pace for 100 targets, but Pat Freiermuth has at least been consistent in the looks he is getting. There are Davante Adams rumors with this team too and that would not be ideal for anyone - except Justin Fields. 

Tennessee Titans

• Calvin Ridley
  • With no one even close to on pace for 100 targets right now, we might just have to move this team down to one of the uncertain sections. We still believe Calvin Ridley is the top dog though. The question is whether DeAndre Hopkins can get fully healthy and make it two at the top. And if the QB can deliver the football.

Washington Commanders

• Terry McLaurin
  • McLaurin is the clear top target here. Zach Ertz has been solid in a tough tight end landscape but he’s not one to really light the world on fire. As of late, Noah Brown has been carving out more of a role so perhaps he can become the WR2. There are some rumors floating around about a Davante Adams trade that would certainly shake things up in a big way. 

Too Many Mouths To Feed?

Green Bay Packers

• Romeo Doubs
• Jayden Reed
• Christian Watson
• Dontayvion Wicks
• Josh Jacobs
• Tucker Kraft
• Luke Musgrave
• Emmanuel Wilson
  • With Christian Watson set to miss some time with injury, maybe this team will go from the “two many mouths to feed” group over to the “highly consolidated” group. But, as of now, they still don’t have any player who is on pace for 100+ targets. Jayden Reed is the best bet because he also gets carries. 

Seattle Seahawks

• DK Metcalf
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba
• Tyler Lockett
• Noah Fant
• Kenneth Walker
  • As it stands today, technically, all three of DK, JSN, and Lockett are on pace for 100+ targets. And maybe they can sustain that. But we know that that is a pretty rare feat. Right now DK and JSN are ahead of Lockett but everyone has been involved. Hopefully they can keep getting in shootouts so they can all be viable, but Lockett has been the least trustworthy week to week of the three. 

Wide Open

Buffalo Bills

• No one on this team is on pace for 100 targets. In fact, the top pass catcher is just barely on pace for 80. The Bills have actually thrown more in recent weeks which has seen Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid start to separate themselves a little bit. But it’s nothing to go crazy over. For now, guys like Keon Coleman and Curtis Samuel are unstartable as they average three targets or less a game.

Jacksonville Jaguars

• We still expect Evan Engram to be a focal point of this offense when he returns. For the time being, Christian Kirk and Brian Thomas have been the clear top two guys. They are generating a lot of separation but Trevor Lawrence has not been incredible at delivering the football thus far. We think Lawrence can bounce back. And we’ll need to see more games with everyone healthy before we sort this out. For now, you can start both Christian Kirk and Brian Thomas 

Las Vegas Raiders

• This just got interesting. Davante Adams has requested a trade, and many are saying that he has played his last game as a Las Vegas Raider. Obviously the details of the trade and any pass-catcher coming back are going to be super important here. But we might be moving forward with a group of Jakobi Meyers, Brock Bowers, Tre Tucker, Michael Mayer etc. Obviously, the TE eligibility gives Bowers the huge edge in fantasy football. 

Los Angeles Chargers

• Technically, at 24 targets so far, Ladd McConkey would just barely be on a 100+ target pace. But he certainly doesn’t feel like a reliable fantasy option - none of these guys do so far. And that fact that Joshua Palmer missed a stint there makes it hard to crown anyone at the top here. There is a very real possibility that this team is so run heavy that we have difficulty trusting them all season. It’s McConkey and Quentin Johnston, for now.

Los Angeles Rams

• Believe it or not, Cooper Kupp still leads this team with 27 targets. That’s what happens when you have a 20+ target game. The next highest pass-catcher on the team is Colby Parkinson with 18 targets. We’ll put our money on Tutu Atwell ahead of Jordan Whittington and Demarcus Robinson if you have to put but we’re really just hoping Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua get back soon.  

New England Patriots

• Hunter Henry still leads this team in targets. But that was mostly due to one 12 target game. Ja’Lynn Polk recently led the team in snaps, routes, and targets this past week with Henry behind him in snaps and routes. It’s those two as the best options if someone is going to be fantasy-relevant here with Demario Douglas close behind. But this team is also very bad.