This article is part of our Depth Chart Watch series.
Cardinals QB - Things have gone from ugly to hideous here. The nerve issue Carson Palmer's got in his shoulder held him out again Sunday, giving another start to Drew Stanton, but Stanton struggled to the tune of an 11-for-26 day before suffering a possible concussion in the third quarter. Then the Cardinals went to Logan Thomas, who had the good fortune to have Andre Ellington turn his only completion into an 81-yard touchdown. We should start thinking of this situation as though Palmer won't return this year, and that means that Thomas could very well be starting next week if Stanton is indeed concussed. This isn't a good situation for the Arizona receivers' fantasy owners, nor is it a big win for QB prospectors.
Falcons RB - Did Antone Smith break another big play? You bet your butt he did. Smith scampered for a 74-yard touchdown on one of his three receptions Sunday, which more than makes up for rushing one time for two yards. And yet Steven Jackson - who was a little useful in the pass game, at least - continues to dominate the carries. He rushed 13 times for 37 yards (2.8 YPC!). Devonta Freeman had the second-most carries (four), which he turned into 38 yards. You do the math, because apparently the Falcons aren't willing to.
Falcons WR - Unsurprisingly, Julio Jones was the apple of Matt Ryan's eye again in Week 5, but it was surprising just how little work Roddy White saw - just four targets, two catches and 26 yards. He got as many targets as Devin Hester, who contributed a similarly useless line. Three Atlanta running backs outgained both White and Hester through the air Sunday.
Ravens RB - As expected, Justin Forsett saw the majority of the work Sunday, and though he only carried six times (still good for the team high), he ran for 42 yards and a score, and caught seven balls for another 55. Neither Bernard Pierce nor Lorenzo Taliaferro was used in the pass game, though Pierce was the more effective rusher, gaining 30 yards on four carries.
Ravens WR - I hope you weren't surprised to see Steve Smith come down to earth. The Ravens' receivers were kind of a disaster in Week 5, with both Smith and Jacoby Jones losing fumbles, while Torrey Smith caught only three of his eight targets for 38 yards. Marlon Brown didn't catch a pass on two targets, which won't help his case any.
Ravens TE - With Dennis Pitta done, Owen Daniels has been gaining traction in the Baltimore passing game - his 70 yards and seven targets in Week 5 represent season highs, and he led the team in receiving yards Sunday.
Bills RB - With C.J. Spiller near-totally useless in Week 5 (how's 0.8 yards per carry strike you?), Fred Jackson ended up seeing heavier use, which he at least turned into 107 total yards on a day when the Bills didn't do much on offense. Spiller's presumably going to keep getting a split of the carries, since Jackson isn't capable of handling a full workload, but it wouldn't be surprising to see the Bills give more of a shot to Anthony Dixon or Bryce Brown.
Bills WR - Sammy Watkins has unsurprisingly been targeted aplenty, with another 12 in Week 5, but his production has been pretty moderate. Robert Woods saw just four targets, and he was the second-most-used Bills wideout.
Panthers QB - After a tough start, Cam Newton ended up helping himself in Week 5, overcoming an interception and a fumble to lead Carolina to come back and win from a 21-7 deficit. That'll help the ol' job security.
Panthers RB - With basically everyone you've heard of hurt, the Carolina rushing attack was powered by Darrin Reaves and Chris Ogbonnaya in Week 5. Well, "powered" is a strong term. Reaves gained just 35 yards on 11 carries, while Ogbonnaya ran eight times for 24 yards and scored a touchdown. DeAngelo Williams' high-ankle sprain should keep him out for a few weeks and Jonathan Stewart (knee) doesn't seem to be making much progress, but Fozzy Whittaker (quad) could carve out a role in Week 6; he was active last week, but didn't play.
Bears WR - Alshon Jeffery has clearly taken the No. 1 role here with Brandon Marshall still limited by his ankle woes. Santonio Holmes appears to be in the process of playing himself off the team, which would be slightly beneficial to the oft-invisible Josh Morgan.
Bengals WR - With Marvin Jones (ankle/foot) still unable to go - perhaps Week 5 was a bit optimistic - Mohamed Sanu again handled No. 2 duties, delivering a fantasy-friendly line of five catches for 70 yards and a score. Dane Sanzenbacher was the only other wideout to catch a pass, and it was a five-yarder, after which he fumbled the ball away. After hurting his ankle in practice on top of the foot injury that's already kept him out for the first five weeks, it's questionable what Jones' timeline is at this point, so Sanu should remain a solid play for the time being.
Browns RB - Ben Tate (knee) came back for his job with a bang Sunday, dominating the touches to the tune of 22 carries, which he turned into 123 yards. Terrance West carried seven times, turning in a reasonable 31 yards, while Isaiah Crowell didn't do much with his six carries. Looks like Tate, as long as he's healthy, will be a workhorse in this offense. But it's worth noting that Crowell was the first man in to spell the injury-prone Tate on Sunday.
Browns WR - While he remained the most-targeted receiver on the team Sunday, Andrew Hawkins had a tough day, catching only three of nine balls thrown his way. That - plus the fact that the Browns ran so many plays on offense - left the door open for Taylor Gabriel (four catches, 95 yards) and Travis Benjamin (four catches on four targets, 48 yards and two touchdowns). Miles Austin even chipped in a couple nice catches. But the most intriguing takeaway is that Gabriel is becoming a big part of this offense; it'll be interesting to see if that continues.
Browns TE - While Jordan Cameron had another quiet day Sunday (three catches, 33 yards), Jim Dray had just as many catches for 25 yards and a touchdown. That's to be expected, though, with Cameron just working his way back after a shoulder injury.
Cowboys RB - The Cowboys give lip service to giving Joseph Randle more touches, and then he rushes two times to DeMarco Murray's 31. Expect nothing from him unless Murray gets hurt.
Broncos RB - Chaos! Montee Ball rushed six times for seven yards Sunday before leaving with a groin strain, which left Ronnie Hillman as the main ballcarrier. That likely won't be the case going forward if Ball remains out, though, as the 5-foot-10, 195-pound Hillman isn't built for a full load. Juwan Thompson (who had a late touchdown run Sunday) and C.J. Anderson (a healthy scratch) should see additional work accordingly, assuming Ball misses time - and it sounds like he will. Even if he doesn't, though, a 3.1 YPC has not likely endeared Ball to his coaches or his illustrious quarterback.
Broncos WR - Remember how I said Demaryius Thomas would comes out of the bye week with a vengeance? I love being right. Meanwhile, with Wes Welker back in for the last two games, Andre Caldwell has been completely relegated to the fringe.
Lions RB - With Joique Bell (concussion) sitting out Sunday, Reggie Bush should have been set up for a huge game, but instead he delivered a quiet 43 total yards before succumbing to an ankle injury. That left practice-squadder George Winn to carry 11 times for 48 yards - hey, not bad. With Theo Riddick (hamstring) also hurt, Winn is suddenly the only man standing in this backfield. He could well be in line to start in Minnesota in Week 6, but if the other backs don't convalesce by then, expect the Lions to sign another body. Fortunately, Bush did say he was feeling better already after the game.
Lions WR - Calvin Johnson's been nursing an ankle injury, but he aggravated it on his only catch of the day Sunday, leaving a lot of work for Golden Tate. Tate delivered a huge day, but is no man's No. 1 receiver - though he'll have to play that role if Johnson remains out. No one out of the group of Corey Fuller, Jeremy Ross or Ryan Broyles did much to talk about Sunday, but one of those guys is going to have to step up if Megatron can't go. I'd initially bet on Ross, but Broyles is my dark horse if he's healthy enough.
Packers RB - Eddie Lacy finally woke up Thursday as the Packers routed the Vikings, putting together a 105-yard, two-TD day, but his fantasy owners had to be a little nervous seeing James Starks carry 12 times to Lacy's 13. Never fear, though - Lacy was likely just being preserved, as Starks saw about half his action in the fourth quarter with the game well in hand.
Texans RB - Arian Foster (hamstring) was in there Sunday and delivered a huge game, with 172 total yards and two scores, while Alfred Blue got five carries for 16 yards. Looks like Foster's good to go now, but with his injury potential, it's definitely a good idea to hold onto Blue.
Colts RB - Ahmad Bradshaw out-touched Trent Richardson significantly on Sunday, carrying 15 times to T-Rich's nine, though Bradshaw lost a fumble and neither back made it to the end zone. While nothing's set in stone here, it's looking like Bradshaw is the better back of the two to own.
Colts TE - Week 5 offered some degree of clarification here, as Coby Fleener was targeted only two times (though he did reel in a 30-yarder for his lone catch), while Dwayne Allen caught four balls for 59 yards and a score. Allen has now scored a touchdown in four of five games this year (and was shut out in the other one). He's clearly become Andrew Luck's favorite red-zone target.
Jaguars RB - On another awful day for the Jags' offense, Toby Gerhart turned in the kind of uninspired performance we've come to expect from him - 29 total yards. Rookie Storm Johnson, making his debut, at least did more with the four carries he got, picking up 27 rushing yards to Gerhart's nine. Denard Robinson didn't make any headway this week either, touching the ball five times (three rushes, two catches) for a combined four yards. Things are clearly trending away from Gerhart, but with Jordan Todman also in this mix, it's hard to say who's going to be the beneficiary. I'd pick up Johnson in deeper leagues, though.
Jaguars WR - Cecil Shorts is week-to-week with a hamstring issue, and Marquise Lee has a hamstring injury of his own, which means Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns should continue seeing plenty of work. Unfortunately, that didn't do them much good Sunday, as that duo was targeted a combined 22 times (!), but combined to record nine catches for 77 yards. That's not bringin' home the bacon.
Chiefs RB - As it turned out, no, Knile Davis didn't carve himself out much more of a role. Jamaal Charles out-carried him 15 to 2 in Sunday's game. There was also a De'Anthony Thomas sighting for the first time this year - and he caught a 17-yard touchdown pass on his only touch of the game.
Chiefs WR - With Donnie Avery in need of sports hernia surgery, Junior Hemingway was the second-most-targeted receiver behind Dwayne Bowe on Sunday, reeling in four of four for a team-high 50 yards. Hemingway should continue to see a hearty amount of work with Avery out, although A.J. Jenkins should see a bigger role as well.
Chiefs TE - Travis Kelce caught a touchdown pass Sunday, but was otherwise inexplicably marginalized (three targets), while Anthony Fasano was targeted seven times. Fasano didn't do much with all those looks, though - four catches for 32 yards - which can only help Kelce's case.
Dolphins RB - Knowshon Moreno is currently looking at an approximate target return of Week 9 against San Diego. In the interim, Lamar Miller will continue to handle primary duties, with some combination of Damien Williams and Daniel Thomas backing him up.
Vikings QB - Christian Ponder was expectably awful in the Thursday night game against Green Bay, going 22-of-44 for 222 yards and two interceptions… and then to put a cap on totally ruining everyone's day, he scored a late rushing touchdown. Teddy Bridgewater (ankle) is generally expected to be back for Week 6, and at this point, I'm pretty sure a one-legged Bridgewater is better than a fully healthy Ponder.
Vikings RB - With Ponder under center, the Vikes predictably didn't get too much done on offense Thursday. Matt Asiata ran surprisingly well, averaging 4.8 yards per carry, but also fumbled and didn't reel in any of his three pass targets. Jerick McKinnon got 10 touches to Asiata's 15, which is promising, though McKinnon had a slower game as well, totaling 46 yards (22 through the air on his three catches). Look for McKinnon to keep making headway, especially in passing situations.
Vikings WR - Undrafted-guy-you've-never-heard-of Adam Thielen led the Vikings in receiving Thursday, catching a team-high four passes (yikes) for 57 yards. Ah, good times with Christian Ponder. Cordarrelle Patterson owners got screwed again - he caught two balls for eight yards and again didn't see a carry - and it'd be really nice if the Vikings had a coach who knew how to use him. He's also got a hip issue, but should be fine. Jarius Wright was again heavily used, leading the team with eight targets, though he caught only three for 31 yards. Bridgewater's return will do a lot to energize this crew, which certainly isn't without talent.
Vikings TE - With Kyle Rudolph set to miss an extended period with a groin injury, Chase Ford is the top pass-catching tight end left on this team, for what that's worth. He caught three balls for 31 yards Thursday.
Patriots RB - The Pats leaned heavily on Stevan Ridley with a big lead Sunday night, giving him the ball 27 times, but Shane Vereen got some good action too, ripping off a sparkling 90 yards on nine carries and catching three balls for another 18 yards. Vereen hasn't been the PPR monster we thought he'd be, but things are trending up a little there.
Patriots TE - It's never unexpected for Rob Gronkowski to lead the Pats in receiving. But it is unexpected to see another tight end right behind him. Tim Wright caught all five of his targets Sunday night for 85 yards and a score - a stunning turnaround in usage for a guy who'd been targeted just five times all year coming in. With the Pats light at receiver, it's worth watching Wright going forward. He's not Aaron Hernandez, but he's a competent pass-catcher.
Saints RB - Khiry Robinson was a horse for the Saints on Sunday, toting 21 times for 89 yards and a score, but the most pleasant surprise was Pierre Thomas, who busted out with an eight-catch, 112-total-yard, two-touchdown explosion. Thomas scored one on the ground and one through the air, which one his owners can hope increased Sean Payton's confidence in him. Travaris Cadet made an appearance though, too, stealing a touchdown from Thomas in the pass game.
Saints TE - Jimmy Graham sustained a minor shoulder sprain Sunday, but with the bye coming up, he has a nice little chunk of time to recover. Josh Hill would be the beneficiary if Graham is limited or out for any period of time.
Giants RB - It's that expected time of year again - the time when Rashad Jennings goes down with an injury. He sprained his knee Sunday, leading to plenty of extra work for Andre Williams, who delivered a fantasy-friendly line (65 rushing yards, 18 receiving yards and a touchdown) and should be in line to deliver even more if Jennings misses action. A punishing runner, Williams should be a must-add this week in those leagues where he's still available.
Giants WR - Odell Beckham's NFL debut went terrifically well, as he caught four of the five balls thrown his way for 44 yards and a touchdown. That'll do. Rueben Randle caught a TD too, though he reeled in just four of 10 targets, while Victor Cruz was essentially invisible. Preston Parker actually led the Giants in receiving, but with just 61 yards and a lost fumble, he didn't exactly play his way into a huge role.
Giants TE - Larry Donnell inexplicably laid an egg Sunday, as he was targeted just once and didn't catch the ball. And that's how you get outproduced by Adrien Robinson's one catch for five yards. It looks like the return of Beckham may be damaging to Donnell's fantasy prospects; the situation bears close monitoring for those who own the surprisingly productive tight end.
Jets QB - Geno Smith ended up getting the yank for Michael Vick in the second half against the Chargers, but neither QB was very productive, and Rex Ryan's already said Geno will start in the Jets' upcoming Week 6 nightmare (aren't I the most optimistic fan?) against the Broncos. For the record, Smith and Vick combined to go 12-for-31 for 74 yards, two sacks and an interception on Sunday, and Vick didn't create much electricity with his legs.
Jets RB - Things are only getting worse for Chris Johnson, who managed all of 22 total yards and a lost fumble Sunday afternoon. At this point, Chris Ivory shouldn't be alternating with Johnson - he should just be getting all the carries. I own Johnson in two leagues and have no idea what I can do with him now. With how injury-prone Ivory is, it's hard to cut Johnson loose even though he doesn't look like the same guy at all anymore.
Jets WR - Part of the Jets' quarterbacks' issue is the fact that this team has probably the worst receiving corps in the league, particularly when Eric Decker isn't on the field. Decker (hamstring) couldn't go in Week 5, leaving Jeremy Kerley as the No. 1 receiver. The combination of Kerley, David Nelson and Greg Salas isn't going to take New York's passing game very far.
Jets TE - While Jeff Cumberland saw six targets to Jace Amaro's three, you'll be unsurprised to hear that neither produced anything much in Week 5. Both of these tight ends are going to have to continue to be a part of the Jets' pass game, as they're better receivers than most of the team's receivers.
Raiders QB - Derek Carr (ankle/knee) sounds optimistic about playing in Week 6, but Matt Schaub is waiting in the wings just in case.
Raiders RB - Maurice Jones-Drew should be back to handling the majority of the duty in Week 6, pushing Darren McFadden back to a backup role, but this is a situation worth watching in practice this week.
Raiders WR - James Jones and Andre Holmes will continue to lead the Raiders' receiving corps with Rod Streater (foot) out until late November.
Eagles TE - Zach Ertz continues to see more touches than Brent Celek, but he hasn't produced much from them for the last three weeks. They're splitting the snaps about 50-50.
Steelers WR - Markus Wheaton (groin) was limited to one 17-yard reception on two targets in Week 5, but no one really stepped up to take his looks. Wheaton can still be considered the Steelers' No. 2 and should be poised to bounce back in Week 6 against a Browns team that allowed him to gain 97 yards in Week 1.
Chargers RB - Donald Brown went down with a concussion Sunday, and Brandon Oliver finally gave San Diego a much-needed spark in the running game, delivering the day's most stunning fantasy line - 19 carries for 114 yards and a touchdown, plus four catches on four targets for 68 yards and another touchdown. He probably did that on your bench or waiver wire; either way, he won't be there long, I suspect. Even if Brown turns out to be healthy, he's averaged 2.1 yards per carry for the Chargers.
Chargers WR - Malcom Floyd led the Chargers in receiving Sunday, but ended up leaving with a calf injury. If Floyd misses time, it'd be a boost for Eddie Royal; I don't know what it's going to take to boost Keenan Allen, who had another disappointing game and has struggled constantly outside of a Week 4 annihilation of Jacksonville.
Chargers TE - Ladarius Green had a touchdown called back Sunday, which left him with an eight-yard day - and helped Antonio Gates to his second multi-touchdown game of the year. Gates has been a boom-or-bust option, but when he's boomed, it's been a huge, um, boon to his fantasy owners. And he's clearly going to largely push Green to the margins as long as he can stay healthy (always a question).
49ers WR - Brandon Lloyd ended up leading the Niners in receiving Sunday, and he was targeted more than the very ineffective Michael Crabtree (foot), who caught just one pass. Anquan Boldin wasn't very efficient either, catching four of eight targets. And the little-used Stevie Johnson made his lone reception a touchdown for the second straight week. This is really more like a huge committee (mostly led by Boldin and Crabtree) than anything else.
49ers TE - With Vernon Davis (back) unable to go Sunday, Vance McDonald and Derek Carrier handled tight end duties. McDonald was likely limited by the knee issue that'd kept him off the field for two weeks, as he failed to corral either of his two targets, while Carrier caught both of his for just 16 yards. It's looking largely like Davis or bust here. No word on whether he'll be back in the fold in Week 6.
Rams RB - Zac Stacy is really doing his best to lose this job. He lost a fumble for the second time this year Sunday, and he averaged only 3.8 YPC, getting outgained by Benny Cunningham, who only carried seven times. Stacy also suffered a calf injury, which could open the door for the Rams to give Cunningham an audition as the starting back. That could mean Tre Mason sees the field, too.
Rams WR - Brian Quick has established himself as the top option here, with a two-touchdown game against the Eagles serving as an exclamation mark, but it's nice to see Kenny Britt actually wake up and do something (68 yards and a touchdown). Tavon Austin (knee) was quiet in his return, catching both his targets for 33 yards. On a day when Austin Davis really had to air it out, it's worth noting in passing that Austin Pettis saw six targets and Stedman Bailey just three.
Buccaneers RB - The Bucs' running game is still struggling, with neither Doug Martin nor Bobby Rainey able to gain much against the Saints in Week 5 - both averaged under 4.0 YPC, though Rainey at least had a nine-yard TD run. Nonetheless, Martin appears set to continue heading this backfield as long as he's healthy, and with the Tampa pass game trending up some, this could be a good buy-low time on Martin.
Buccaneers WR - With Mike Evans missing the first of an expected two or three weeks, Louis Murphy stepped up to the No. 2 role, though he wasn't very useful outside of a 20-yard touchdown catch. But Vincent Jackson took advantage of Evans' absence and Mike Glennon's presence to turn in a huge game (eight catches, 144 yards) that should have his fantasy owners feeling better about things.
Buccaneers TE - Brandon Myers was totally invisible Sunday, but Austin Seferian-Jenkins didn't do much, catching an 11-yard pass on three targets.
Titans QB - Another day, another Jake Locker injury. He hurt his thumb Sunday, leading to extended action for Charlie Whitehurst, who actually delivered a quite competent passing line (13-for-21, 194 yards, two touchdowns). Locker's thumb isn't broken, but he might still not be well enough to start in Week 6, meaning Whitehurst has good odds of getting the call.
Titans RB - Week 5 didn't offer a lot of clarity on this situation, with Shonn Greene delivering a truly Shonn Greene-esque 11 rushes for 36 yards, while Bishop Sankey was just as unproductive with his own eight runs. For the second straight week, both backs were outgained on the ground by a non-running back - this time, it was Kendall Wright.
Titans WR - Justin Hunter finally busted out on Sunday, with a 75-yard touchdown highlighting his day. The aforementioned Wright, who'd been in the midst of a quiet campaign, also blew up with a pair of touchdowns. And yeah, Nate Washington's still kicking around, stealing targets from both of them.
Redskins QB - There was a report Sunday that said Robert Griffin could return in Week 8, but that seems incredibly optimistic. Kirk Cousins is still the man until further notice.
Redskins TE -Jordan Reed (hamstring) is questionable for Monday night's game, but it doesn't sound like he has a great chance to play. Niles Paul (concussion) is also questionable, but sounds more likely to see the field against the Seahawks.
