Week 5 Sunday FF Weather Report
It’s Week 5, and we’ve got another early international game, this time in London, so make sure your lineups are locked in ahead of time. Here’s a look at this week’s weather forecasts and some key players to keep an eye on as we hit the first round of team bye weeks.
Let’s dive in…
As mentioned, we have our first bye weeks of the season starting this week. These are the teams on their byes for Week 5:
ATL
CHI
GB
PIT
These are the games that will be played in a dome (or with a retractable roof) this week & will therefore have little to no issues:
LV @ IND
NYG @ NO
TEN @ ARI
WAS @ LAC
Remaining outdoor games:
MIN @ CLE (London Game)
Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, England 🇬🇧
Time: 9.30am EST / 2.30pm BST
Weather Impact: 2/10
Wind: 15 mph (gusts up to 35 mph)
Rain: No rain expected
Temperature: 61°F / 16°C
The UK has been dealing with “Storm Amy” this weekend, with wind gusts hitting up to 100 mph in some areas. Thankfully, the worst has now passed, but there are still some lingering winds to keep an eye on. Thanks to the design of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the field should be fairly well protected from the stronger gusts, though we could see the occasional deep pass or long kick get affected. Overall, conditions look manageable, and I’m not expecting any major fantasy impact in this one.
Player Highlight: Quinshon Judkins, RB CLE
Since taking over as the starter, Quinshon Judkins has looked every bit the part of a true workhorse back. His role continues to grow, and he’s coming off his best game yet where he had his first 100-total yard outing against Detroit. With Dillon Gabriel now stepping in as the Browns’ starting QB, I’d expect Cleveland to lean even more on the run game this week, especially against a Vikings defense that’s been most vulnerable on the ground. Judkins has now entered weekly must-start territory, and given the matchup, this could easily be the week he posts his best fantasy finish yet (his current season high is RB11).
HOU @ BAL
Weather Impact: 0/10
Wind: 5 mph (gusts up to 10 mph)
Rain: No rain expected
Temperature: 77°F / 25°C
Bright and sunny conditions are expected throughout this one, with barely any wind to speak of, which is about as good as it gets for football. There’ll be zero weather impact here, so you can set your lineups with full confidence.
Player Highlight: Woody Marks, RB HOU
Woody Marks finally had his breakout performance last week, racking up 119 total yards and 2 touchdowns against the Titans, and now the hype is building. He draws a dream matchup this week against the Ravens, who currently rank dead last in the league against the run. With Lamar Jackson sidelined, there’s a good chance Houston keeps this one competitive, which should mean plenty of opportunities for Marks once again. He’s a must-start in all formats this week, and if you’re not completely sold on his long-term value, this could be the perfect sell-high window if he delivers another big game as expected.
MIA @ CAR
Weather Impact: 0/10
Wind: 10 mph (gusts up to 10-15 mph)
Rain: No rain expected
Temperature: 79°F / 26°C
A mostly cloudy afternoon with some sunny spells is expected, but with only light winds in the forecast, there shouldn’t be any real impact on play. Overall, it’s shaping up to be great football weather with no fantasy implications.
Player Highlight: Malik Washington, WR MIA
With Tyreek Hill now out for the season after last week’s injury, there’s suddenly a big opportunity for others in this Miami receiving corps to step up. Jaylen Waddle will naturally become the clear WR1, but Malik Washington is an intriguing name to watch. He’s been used primarily as a “gadget” player so far, thriving on short-area work and yards after the catch, but Hill’s absence could open the door for a more expanded role, and potentially unlock a ceiling we haven’t seen from him yet. The matchup this week isn’t the easiest, but with defenses likely keying in on Waddle, Washington could quietly carve out a meaningful fantasy performance.
DAL @ NYJ
Weather Impact: 0/10
Wind: 5 mph (gusts up to 10 mph)
Rain: No rain expected
Temperature: 86°F / 30°C
A warm and sunny afternoon is expected at this game at the MetLife Stadium, so again, no weather impact in this one.
Player Highlight: Justin Fields, QB NYJ
Justin Fields was highlighted last week and he delivered after returning from his concussion with a QB4 finish, and he looks poised for another big outing this week against a Dallas defense that’s giving up the most fantasy points to opposing QBs. Both Fields and Garrett Wilson are top plays this week, especially with this game projected to be one of the highest-scoring matchups on the slate according to betting odds. The combination of matchup and scoring potential makes them key pieces for fantasy lineups.
DEN @ PHI
Weather Impact: 0/10
Wind: 5 mph (gusts up to 10 mph)
Rain: No rain expected
Temperature: 81°F / 27°C
A warm and sunny afternoon is on tap in Philadelphia, making for perfect football weather. With clear skies and no wind concerns, conditions should be ideal and have zero impact on fantasy production.
Player Highlight: RJ Harvey, RB DEN
RJ Harvey showed flashes of his ability last week with just under 100 total yards and a touchdown, but it’s worth noting most of that production came in garbage time during a blowout. This week’s matchup against the Eagles is much tougher, and with JK Dobbins still firmly the starter, Harvey remains a risky play. He’s inching closer to fantasy relevance, but opportunity concerns mean there’s still plenty of reason for caution before inserting him into lineups.
TB @ SEA
Weather Impact: 1/10
Wind: 5-10 mph (gusts up to 15 mph)
Rain: No rain expected
Temperature: 63°F / 17°C
It’s expected to be a slightly cooler game in Seattle, but the good news is that wind projections have eased since Thursday’s outlook. That means we shouldn’t see much, if any, weather-related impact in this one.
Player Highlight: Rachaad White, RB TB
With Bucky Irving out this week, the backfield dynamics have shifted this week. The question has been who to start, and for me Rachaad White looks like the primary beneficiary. He’s proven himself as a reliable pass-catcher and has shown he can handle a larger workload, even before Irving arrived. Sean Tucker remains intriguing, but with just one career game of double-digit touches, he’s more of a risky bet. So if you have White on your roster, and you’re in a pinch with bye weeks, he’s worth considering as a starter this week.
DET @ CIN
Weather Impact: 0/10
Wind: 5 mph (gusts up to 10 mph)
Rain: No rain expected
Temperature: 81°F / 27°C
Yet again, warm and sunny conditions with low winds means ideal football conditions in this one.
Player Highlight: David Montgomery, RB DET
Outside of the Ravens, the Bengals have one of the league’s weakest run defenses. With their offense struggling after Joe Burrow’s injury, the Lions should be able to control and dominate this matchup by leaning on their ground game. Jahmyr Gibbs is obviously the top RB to target, but David Montgomery should also be in a good spot for a bounce-back performance after last week’s down game.
NE @ BUF (SNF)
Weather Impact: 0/10
Wind: 5 mph (gusts up to 10 mph)
Rain: No rain expected
Temperature: 68°F / 20°C
A warm and pleasant evening is expected in Buffalo for Sunday Night Football, with mostly clear skies and little to no wind forecast. In other words, near-perfect conditions for football.
Player Highlight: Stefon Diggs, NE WR
Stefon Diggs appears to be getting back to full health, and his production is trending upward, highlighted by his best performance since Week 1 last week vs. CAR. This week, he gets a revenge game against the Bills, and I expect him to be motivated to prove a point. In what could be a high-scoring matchup, Diggs has a strong chance to deliver a breakout performance.
KC @ JAX (MNF)
Weather Impact: 3/10
Wind: 5 mph (gusts up to 15 mph)
Rain: Potential showers and thunderstorms
Temperature: 74°F / 23°C
A warm evening is expected in Jacksonville for Monday Night Football, but as is often the case with Florida this time of year, thunderstorms are once again in play. While exact timing is still uncertain, there’s currently a greater chance we see storms and rainfall during the game than not. If lightning does strike nearby, play would be suspended until it’s safe to resume, meaning the biggest potential impacts would come from any lingering rain, slick field conditions, and disruption to game flow. I’ll post more detailed updates closer to kickoff on Monday evening once the forecast becomes clearer and storms can be more easily pinpointed.
Player Highlight: Travis Etienne, RB JAX
We may not know exactly how the weather will shake out, but one thing is clear: Travis Etienne has been on fire to start the season, and there’s no reason to think that slows this week. If rain does hit, the Jags could lean even more heavily on him, but even without it, their struggling passing game makes the run a natural focal point. The Chiefs have been much stronger defending the pass than the run also, which only boosts Etienne’s upside. With the opportunity likely to be there again, he’s a confident start this week.
Thanks for reading! I hope you found this report useful and can see the edge it provides, especially once we hit the winter months, when the weather has an even greater impact and every fantasy matchup becomes even more critical.
Be sure to also follow me over on X/Twitter at @MattFFDynasty for any updates and fantasy relevant posts.