The Week 5 matchup between the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Ravens features two teams fighting just to give themselves a glimmer of hope before it’s too late. We’ve got the fantasy projections courtesy of numberFire.
Fantasy football projections, Week 5: Browns-Ravens featuring Duke Johnson Jr., Kamar Aiken and Justin Forsett
We break down the Week 5 matchup between the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Ravens.
Cleveland Browns
Coming into the 2015 fantasy football season there were a handful of rookie running backs available for the taking that were dubbed to have the speed, size, skill and athletic talent to surprise people and emerge as future stars. Cleveland’s Duke Johnson Jr. was one of those running backs and last week he did emerge. Although he plays the running back position, it was thanks to the passing game that Johnson was able to rack up the points. He caught nine passes for 85 yards and his first-career NFL touchdown. His usage was mostly a product of the team having to come from behind so it remains to be seen whether or not he can keep this up. That said, for fantasy owners who pick him up or drafted him recently, it’s good that he’s starting to show signs of life.
While most players with superstar potential still yet to be realized tend to be new to the NFL, tight end Gary Barnidge is not. He’s already in his 30s and his NFL resume isn’t exactly full of accomplishments. And yet, Barnidge has found himself racking up 12 catches for 190 yards and two touchdowns in the last two weeks combined, making him one of the hottest waiver wire additions to this point in the season. He’s got to be in starting lineups right now even though Barnidge is not exactly a household name.
Baltimore Ravens
With the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting Michael Vick at quarterback, the Ravens were lucky to walk out of Heinz Field with a victory. With Steve Smith Sr. sidelined with an ailing back, wide receiver Kamar Aiken was the one leading the charge in the passing game. He got five passes for 77 yards and a touchdown against the black and gold. He’ll likely be a key focus for the Ravens against the Browns. Especially since it looks like Smith tight end Crockett Gilmore may both have to sit out another week.
The good news for Aiken and the Ravens’ offense is that running back Justin Forsett has finally had his breakout game this year. He was one of the hottest waiver wire additions to lineups last season, but hadn’t notched more than 68 yards rushing in the game this year until last week. Forsett exploited the Steelers’ shorthanded defense for 150 yards on the ground. He hasn’t scored a touchdown yet this year but maybe that will change against Cleveland and at least she’s giving fantasy owners some hope.
