EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — I finished by MetLife Stadium on Sunday to cowl Cowboys-Jets and I’ve to say, I don’t suppose it’s an overreaction to say the 2025 Jets most likely aren’t going to contend for a playoff spot. “Work in progress” might be essentially the most charitable strategy to describe Aaron Glenn’s bunch. However the Cowboys will take it, and it’s not an overreaction to say that Dallas’ protection performed its greatest recreation of the season to date. Or that quarterback Dak Prescott is taking part in at an especially excessive degree.
However that’s sufficient from that recreation. That is Week 5, and the outlines of the overreactions are beginning to get a bit of bit clearer. By now it’s secure to consider the Colts are good, the Lions are nonetheless a high contender, and the Ravens are in a heap of bother. Now we have sufficient proof now that we are able to speak with some confidence about who these groups are and who they aren’t.
With that in thoughts, let’s begin the Week 5 Overreactions column — the place we type by the weekly overreactions to try to work out which of them would possibly maintain up and which of them are mirages — with the primary recreation of the week, an exhilarating extra time NFC West matchup from Thursday night time.
Soar to:
Are 49ers true NFC contenders?
Is Nik Bonitto the DPOY favourite?
A.J. Brown will pressure a midseason commerce?
Fantasy overreactions!
When you spent Thursday afternoon and early night questioning if the 49ers would be capable to provide you with 11 gamers to go well with up and play the Rams that night time, you most likely weren’t alone. San Francisco rolled into Week 5 as overwhelmed up as any crew within the league, lacking its beginning quarterback, high three receivers, Professional Bowl tight finish and star edge rusher, to call a couple of.
Backup quarterback Mac Jones was beginning to appear to be the Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail as the sport went alongside, however he stored placing himself again collectively and going again into the sport. The Niners received in extra time to enhance to 4-1, dropping the Rams to 3-2 and located themselves in first place of their division with victories over every of the opposite three division contenders.
Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION
Nick Bosa being out for the season is likely to be what retains the Niners from being the kind of elite Tremendous Bowl contender they had been a few years in the past, after they held a lead in extra time of Tremendous Bowl LVIII earlier than dropping to Kansas Metropolis. However aside from that, they’re just about assured to get more healthy, and their schedule doesn’t seem to get tougher. They’ve a troublesome street recreation at Tampa Bay subsequent weekend, however after that they play solely two extra video games in opposition to groups that made final yr’s playoffs, and the final of these video games is Nov. 9.
San Francisco’s street to the playoffs appears to be like as easy as anybody’s, and in the event that they get a few of these key gamers again, they’ve an actual likelihood to contend for the NFC’s high seed. Once more, they’re in first place in what is likely to be the league’s hardest division, they usually’ve already gotten wins over the Seahawks and Rams on the street. The 49ers have had a brutally tough begin to the season when it comes to what’s occurred to them. However to date they’ve been in a position to overcome it, which units them up effectively the remainder of the best way.
The most important win of Sunday’s early window was the Broncos’ comeback from 14 down within the fourth quarter handy the defending Tremendous Bowl champion Eagles their first lack of the season. The protection was an enormous a part of it, and Bonitto led the best way with 2.5 sacks. He now has six sacks in his final three video games and 7 for the season because the Denver protection is rounding into the shape that was anticipated of it earlier than the marketing campaign began.
Bonitto completed ninth within the Defensive Participant of the Yr voting final season, when his teammate, cornerback Pat Surtain II, received the award. And proper now Bonitto is on tempo to simply surpass his 2024 complete of 13.5 sacks — to not point out the single-season NFL file of twenty-two.5 sacks.
Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION
Denver’s protection appears to be like like an elite unit, and the subsequent couple of weeks current it with potential stat-padding video games in opposition to the Jets and the Giants. The Broncos have stumbled a bit of bit within the early going and are simply 3-2. However they had been a playoff crew final season and have causes to consider they will get on a roll and contend once more this yr, even within the robust AFC West.
In the event that they push the Chiefs for the division title and even go forward and win it, voters shall be in search of awards candidates from the Broncos’ roster. Bonitto is off to the kind of begin that award-candidate frontrunners have.
The flip aspect of the Broncos’ massive win was a bitter loss for the Eagles, who carried a 17-3 lead into the fourth quarter at residence and couldn’t add to it or maintain on. Philly’s offense has been inconsistent at greatest this season, and Brown has let his frustrations be identified — professionally and respectfully, in fact, however all the identical.
Sunday noticed teammate DeVonta Smith catch eight passes for 114 yards, however Brown solely had 5 catches for 43 yards on eight targets. Brown is being paid like one of many high receivers within the league however isn’t getting used like one, and he’s made it clear he’d prefer to be extra concerned — to not pad his stats, however as a result of he thinks he will help make the offense higher and extra constant. He’s not unsuitable, however proper now Philly nonetheless isn’t on observe on that aspect of the ball.
Verdict: OVERREACTION
The Eagles aren’t buying and selling Brown, and from what I perceive he doesn’t need them to commerce him. This can be a crew that received the Tremendous Bowl eight months in the past and is aware of how you can climate early-season points and are available out on high. It would really feel a bit of tough proper now, however any time there’s been a flicker of discontent round Brown, he’s seized the chance to take possession of his frustrations and make it clear, internally and externally, that he’s all about no matter it takes to assist the crew win.
The Eagles didn’t win Sunday, and final yr’s celebrity, operating again Saquon Barkley, had solely 30 dashing yards on six carries. So clearly issues must be tweaked if this Eagles offense goes to do what it must do. Perhaps not being undefeated anymore will assist persuade Eagles coaches that one thing wants to alter earlier than this season begins trying extra like their 2023 collapse than their 2024 triumph.
You could decide up Rico Dowdle: NOT AN OVERREACTION. With Carolina beginning operating again Chuba Hubbard lacking the sport on account of harm, Dowdle rushed for 206 yards and a landing on 23 carries within the Panthers’ victory over Miami. Hubbard shall be again, and the crew gave him a giant contract extension final yr, however it additionally signed Dowdle in free company this yr, and Hubbard’s contract has no assured cash previous 2025. If in case you have Hubbard in your roster, Dowdle is a must-stash even when Hubbard returns. When you don’t, decide up Dowdle anyway since you by no means know. Perhaps the Hubbard supervisor in your league will overpay for Dowdle in a commerce.
You could decide up Ryan Flournoy: OVERREACTION. Yeah, Flournoy had a giant recreation for the Cowboys with CeeDee Lamb and KaVontae Turpin out with accidents, racking up 114 yards on six catches in Dallas’ victory over the Jets. That’s superior for his confidence and the Cowboys’ depth. However that position isn’t going to carry up as soon as these guys get again. And even when they aren’t again subsequent week, Flournoy remains to be third in line behind George Pickens and Jalen Tolbert, to not point out tight finish Jake Ferguson. You’ll be able to go away Flournoy on waivers in standard-size leagues.
Derrick Henry isn’t an RB1 if Lamar Jackson is out: NOT AN OVERREACTION. If in case you have Henry, you’re nonetheless taking part in him, and you may’t commerce him at his present worth. However clearly the specter of Jackson as a runner makes issues simpler on Henry, and never having Jackson means groups can key on the veteran operating again. However aside from Week 1, Henry hasn’t been an RB1 this season even with Jackson within the lineup. Modify expectations. This season is slipping away from the Ravens in a rush.
Quinshon Judkins shall be a first-round fantasy decide in 2026: NOT AN OVERREACTION. Judkins is a severely robust runner, which he confirmed Sunday in London in opposition to a troublesome Vikings protection. This can be a man who didn’t signal his rookie contract till the beginning of the season due to off-field authorized points. And whereas these may nonetheless end in him being suspended in some unspecified time in the future this season or subsequent, Judkins is a man you’re going to need in your lineup when he’s in Cleveland’s. He’ll solely get higher.
Fantasy managers ought to money in on Emeka Egbuka’s max commerce worth: OVERREACTION. When you’re promoting, I need in. This child isn’t a flash within the pan, and I don’t suppose his position goes to shrink very a lot as soon as Mike Evans is again from harm. Egbuka is a first-round decide who scores a landing each week. The crew loves him. The quarterback loves him. He can play any of the WR positions in Tampa Bay’s offense, and he’s a constructing block for his or her future. Maintain or attempt to acquire.