The Week 5 matchup between the Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans features two teams making changes to their running games. We've got the fantasy projections for you courtesy of numberFire.
Week 5 fantasy football projections: Browns-Titans featuring Ben Tate, Jake Locker, Delanie Walker
We break down the Week 5 matchup between the Cleveland Browns and the Tennessee Titans.
Jason Miller
Cleveland Browns
The Browns have had to fill gaps at running back to start the season, using Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell because Ben Tate (knee) injured himself in the team's opening game and hasn't played since. The good news for fantasy owners is that Tate is expected to start this Sunday against the Titans. While his Week 1 action was limited to just six carries, Tate did manage 41 yards on those rushes and should prove much more effective this week compared to his inexperienced teammates, particularly against a weaker Titans defense.
When the Browns do decide to throw the ball down the field, the bulk of the targets should go to wide receiver Andrew Hawkins. Hawkins has been targeted at least 10 times in every game the team has played this season and while he has yet to find the end zone to this point, the Titans have been getting smoked defending the pass to this point in the season. Hawkins’ high volume of targets this week makes him quite an intriguing play in PPR leagues this week.
Tennessee Titans
Quarterback Jake Locker is averaging under 230 yards passing and just a single touchdown per game so far this season. While his early-season struggles may have something to do with a hand injury he suffered that kept him out in Week 4, Locker says he’s been throwing without any issues going into this week’s game against the Browns. The Titans will no doubt need him to be in top form if they are to turn their season around, especially against a team that’s pretty good at limiting fantasy points conceded to quarterbacks.
If Locker is on his game, it likely means another solid effort from tight end Delanie Walker. The veteran tight end has three touchdowns through four games this season and his production looks to be pretty steady moving forward, especially considering he's been targeted a whopping 28 times in the last three contests. Although he admits his shoulder is still bothering him and the game against the Browns should be closer than the blowouts the team has been through the last couple of weeks, Walker should still see plenty of action, even if rookie running back Bishop Sankey breathes new life into the team's previously non-existent running game.
