Fantasy football projections, Week 5: Patriots-Browns featuring Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Terrelle Pryor, more

The Week 5 matchup between the New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns features the long-awaited return of a future Hall of Fame quarterback. We’ve got the fantasy projections courtesy of numberFire.

Guess who’s back? That’s right! Quarterback Tom Brady will be under center in Week 5 now that he has served his four-game suspension. Despite the fact he is now in his late 30s, Brady is still an elite fantasy option. He’ll do more than just give his fantasy owners a boost. He’ll boost the fantasy value of everyone around him, especially the likes of Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski, along with the team’s other pass catchers. Cleveland’s defense isn’t as good as it used to be. Brady will have a chip on his shoulder the rest of the season. The NFL and opposing fantasy owners better watch out.

Besides Brady, Gronkowski has to be the happiest player on the team to see his quarterback return. Gronk confirmed that his hamstring injury is still bothering him. The might explain why he’s only managed to catch one pass in two games this season. He’s arguably the most valuable tight end in fantasy football. Gronkowski’s numbers will undoubtedly go up now that Brady is back, but it may take a few more weeks until his health is where it needs to be. Fantasy owners have been itching to put Gronkowski in the lineup with Brady calling the shots. He should surpass his projections even at less than 100 percent against Cleveland.

Two years after making the switch from quarterback to wide receiver, Terrelle Pryor looks like the real deal. He’s got the size, speed, and hands necessary to succeed at the position long-term. He’s also more familiar with how a passer goes through his progressions than most other receivers. That’s why he’s now getting weekly consideration as a starter in fantasy leagues of all formats. Pryor has 13 catches for 190 yards and a touchdown over the last two weeks. He’s also averaging 10 targets per game on the season. Given that third-string quarterback Cody Kessler is doing a good job holding down the fort, Pryor is a good bet to put up points against New England. That’s particularly true if the Browns find themselves down by a lot early. Given that Mr. Brady is back and looking to put the NFL on notice, that’s a likely scenario. Pryor will blow his projections out of the water in Week 5.

Isaiah Crowell might not be a bad play against the Patriots, as well. Through the first month of the season, he’s averaging 98.5 yards and 15 carries a game. Those are pretty good numbers for a running back nobody considers elite. The Patriots give up lots of points to fantasy running backs. The big question mark with Crowell in Week 5 will be game flow. If Cleveland can keep the game close, it will run the ball. If they’re forced to throw the ball early and often, Crowell might be the odd man out. Either way, he’s been a consistent contributor, which makes him a solid play in most formats right now.