Week 4 was good times for the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. With both teams needing a win to avoid falling to 1-3, the Chiefs rolled over the New England Patriots on Monday night, and the 49ers rallied from a shaky start to beat the Philadelphia Eagles. Now, both teams sit at 2-2, with eyes on improving Sunday.
Fantasy football advice, Week 5: Who to start/sit for Chiefs vs. 49ers
Two teams coming off of very relieving wins in Week 4 face off in Week 5.
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The 49ers have had two of their big offensive stars on the injury report this week. Tight end Vernon Davis has been limited after suffering back spasms in Week 4, and he's questionable for Sunday. Wide receiver Michael Crabtree, meanwhile, is probable to go after a foot injury. On the Chiefs' side, wide receiver Donnie Avery is out with a groin injury, while running backs Jamaal Charles and De'Anthony Thomas are probable.
The game will be held in San Francisco Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET, and there will be plenty of fantasy names to monitor:
CHIEFS
Start in every league: Jamaal Charles, Travis Kelce
Start if you're desperate: Alex Smith, Knile Davis, Cairo Santos
Bench: De'Anthony Thomas, Dwayne Bowe, Defense/special teams
Monday night’s huge performance (28 fantasy points) proved Charles is fine in his return from an ankle injury; he’s back to every-week must-start status. ... Kelce has gotten steadily better this season, and even with a 49ers defense that does well against the tight end, he’s at worst a low-end TE1.
Smith has put up more fantasy points every game this season, and with the struggles of guys like Tom Brady and Cam Newton, he's now firmly in mid-range QB2 territory. ... Even with Charles' health, it looks like Davis will continue to offer some value. He's a super-low-end flex, but it's at least worth consideration. ... As the Chiefs' offense has improved, so have the kicking opportunities for Santos.
Thomas looks like he might make his NFL debut Sunday. He’s not someone you’re using in fantasy yet, but the team is high on him, so pay attention. ... Bowe looked good Monday night, and if the offense can continue to fire on as many cylinders as it did in that game, he could become much more interesting, but he’s not there yet. ... The Chiefs’ defense had a great Week 4, but that comes on the heels of three rough weeks.
49ERS
Start in every league: Colin Kaepernick, Phil Dawson, Defense/special teams
Start if you're desperate: Frank Gore, Michael Crabtree
Bench: Carlos Hyde, Anquan Boldin, Stevie Johnson, Vernon Davis
We’re still waiting for Kaepernick’s first great game this season, but he’s been consistent enough that he’s a low-end QB1. ... Dawson is coming off of a 17-point Week 4, and he’s an easy every-week starting kicker. ... The 49ers’ defense has offered two great performances sandwiched around two middling ones, but it’s a good enough unit that you’ll be running them out there.
Gore put up 22 fantasy points in Week 4, but a huge chunk of that was on a broken play that won’t be repeated. He’s a high-end flex, but it’s easy to imagine a scenario in which he wouldn’t be started. ... If Crabtree can get and stay healthy, he’s got crazy upside, but every time you look he seems to have something bugging him. He’s a flex play.
Hyde just isn’t used enough right now to be used on a weekly basis. ... Neither Boldin nor Johnson are consistent enough right now for fantasy use, though it’s starting to look like Johnson is the team’s No. 2 over Boldin. ... If we knew Davis was healthy, he’d be an obvious must-start tight end, but with this game being a late-afternoon one and so many question marks, I’m looking elsewhere.
