Power Plays - week 5

Welcome back to Power Plays — this week’s express edition coming to you from sunny Portugal, where football analysis sits somewhere between beach bars and looking for shade at every opportunity. Let’s break down each build I’m looking at and why each one lines up for explosive fantasy potential.

Cowboys @ Jets

Preferred Build: Fields – Wilson with Pickens bring-back

This game shapes up as one of the slate’s hidden shootouts. The Cowboys are leaking over 420 yards per game, and now travel thin on both the offensive line and skill depth. Dak Prescott has been outstanding, but with CeeDee Lamb sidelined, George Pickens projects as the natural target hog for Dallas. He’s seen a monstrous Air Yards share since Lamb went down, and the Jets’ secondary — even with Sauce Gardner — hasn’t been able to close coverage on high-volume receivers.

On the Jets’ side, Justin Fields is operating at full throttle with his legs, facing a Dallas defense that ranks bottom six against QB rushing. This could be another ceiling week for him. Garrett Wilson continues to command elite market share (36% of Fields’ targets) and draws an ideal setup against a depth-depleted Cowboy defense. Breece Hall’s ownership may spike, but stacking Fields with Wilson offers explosive leverage and correlation without overcommitting salary. If you want a contrarian angle, loop Pickens back into the lineup as the Dallas leverage play for added ceiling exposure.

Raiders @ Colts

Preferred Build: Daniel Jones + Jonathan Taylor (no bring-back)

This is one of those simple, upside-loaded builds — all the touchdown equity rides through the Colts’ stars. Daniel Jones has been quietly effective, posting strong yardage and would-be blowup numbers if not for dropped long plays. With Michael Pittman and Tyler Warren holding steady target shares, the trust stays with Jones’ core. But the biggest hammer here is Jonathan Taylor, who’s averaged over 22 touches on elite snap share across four weeks. Facing a Raiders team without their best lineman and traveling east for an early kickoff, Taylor is lined up for a home-field eruption.

The logic behind skipping a bring-back is pure efficiency: the Raiders’ offensive context is dreadful. Geno Smith is struggling behind a collapsing line, and though Ashton Jeanty flashed talent last week, the Colts’ defensive front is one of the worst matchups a rookie could draw. Maybe Jakobi Meyers picks up a few garbage-time grabs, but nothing worth forcing. Focus on Jones and Taylor for red-zone dominance — and let everyone else chase unproductive Las Vegas options.

Lions @ Bengals

Preferred Build: Goff – Gibbs or Goff – St. Brown (no bring-back)

Detroit has Week 5’s highest implied total for good reason — this looks like a Lions avalanche. The Bengals are coming off a demoralizing Monday loss and face a nightmare defensive mismatch versus the league’s cleanest pocket protector. Jared Goff hasn’t taken a sack since Week 1, and Cincinnati’s pressure rate ranks bottom five. That stability funnels confidence straight into both Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown stacks.

Gibbs is live to lead all RBs in PPR output this week with the Bengals’ defense ranking among the worst against running backs. Meanwhile, St. Brown remains a volume and efficiency monster — second only to Puka Nacua in total fantasy output through four games. Goff to Gibbs offers more touchdown variety and lower ownership, while Goff to St. Brown is the sharper ceiling pair in game stacks. Either way, consider this a Lions onslaught spot where you don’t need a single Bengal coming back. Cincinnati’s offense, led by the struggling Jake Browning, simply isn’t built to punch back hard enough.