Week 5 Quarterback Streamer Pickups: Bryce Young, Jaxson Dart and More

In case you blinked, a quarter of the NFL season’s already in the rearview mirror, leaving many of us wondering where the heck the time went—and if we have time to turn things around to make the fantasy playoffs.

Well, hopefully I can help you answer the latter at least with our weekly...

Quarterback Streaming Piece

...my first look ahead at the upcoming free agent QB matchups on the docket. Things have unsurprisingly been a bit touch-and-go, but so is the life of the streamer.

Week 4’s Top-Performing Free Agent Fantasy QBs

(All players were rostered in fewer than 50% of leagues)

• Matthew Stafford, LAR — 375 PaYd, 3 PaTD, 0 Int; 4 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 27.4 PPR
• Jaxson Dart, NYG — 111 PaYd, 1 PaTD, 0 Int; 51 RuYd, 1 RuTD: 19.8 PPR
• Carson Wentz, MIN — 350 PaYd, 2 PaTD, 2 Int; 12 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 19.2 PPR
• Michael Penix Jr., ATL — 313 PaYd, 2 PaTD, 1 Int; 2 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 18.7 PPR
• Sam Darnold, SEA — 242 PaYd, 1 PaTD, 0 Int; 24 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 16.1 PPR
• Spencer Rattler, NO — 126 PaYd, 1 PaTD, 0 Int; 39 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 13.9 PPR
• Aaron Rodgers, PIT — 200 PaYd, 1 PaTD, 0 Int; 8 RuYd 0 RuTD: 12.8 PPR
• Trevor Lawrence, JAX — 174 PaYd, 1 PaTD, 0 Int; 7 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 11.7 PPR
• Bryce Young, CAR — 150 PaYd, 1 PaTD, 0 Int; 3 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 10.3 PPR
• Cam Ward, TEN — 108 PaYd, 0 PaTD, 1 Int; 22 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 4.5 PPR
• Joe Flacco, CLE — 184 PaYd, 0 PaTD, 2 Int; 1 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 1.3 PPR

QB pickings are slim, almost regardless of format, so this year’s stream theme’s simple as pie - close our eyes, attack the worst defenses we can find, then hope for the best.

Also remember, it’s bye-week season…

Week 5 Quarterback Byes: Caleb Williams, Michael Penix Jr., Jordan Love, and Aaron Rodgers

QB STREAM OF THE WEEK – Dart Throw

🥇 Jaxson Dart, NYG at NO in Week 5

Why juggle flaming swords blindfolded on a spinning helicopter when you can soak up just as much excitement backing the new-look, Jaxson Dart-led Giants? Find me a more entertaining duo in the game than Dart and Cam Skattebo, you can’t.

Sadly, an unforeseen part of Big Blue’s wholesale renovation involved knocking down a critical load-bearing wall, as they lost all-world alpha WR Malik Nabers for the season. Sigh. Why can’t we have nice things?

With that, the show must go on. No matter how impactful the injury, nothing can change the disproportionate scoring attached to running quarterbacks—which makes them so appealing in fantasy. If anything, Jaxson Dart’s current QB7 rank on Sunday, despite just 111 passing yards, sums that up better than I could rambling on.

Did some digging through the bowels of our Trumedia database for clues on how New York’s offense might project, operating without their big dog…it’s a mixed bag.

New York Giants Offense w/o Malik Nabers.. The Bad

• -0.20 EPA/Play: Would Rank 30th
• 2.9 Yards/Play: Would Rank Last
• 44.4% Success Rate: Would Rank 21st
• 16.3 Average Drive Distance: Would Rank Last
• 1.8 Air Yards Per Target: Would Rank Last By Order Of Magnitude

Jaxson Dart w/o Malik Nabers.. The Good

• 66.7% Completion
• 106.3 Passer Rating
• 2.6 Seconds Average Throw Time
• +0.92 Blitz EPA
• 15.0% Designed Rush
• 11.8% Scramble Rate

Can you sense the rather compelling and obvious case for either argument? Take the red pill, and the Giants faceplant without a truly versatile WR threat. Unable to strike through the air, NYG adopts a military college-type ground game spearheaded by a two-headed rookie battering ram. Bet the under on everything except for time spent napping.

The blue pill, however, holds the key to an entirely different fate. Sadly, even wearing my rosiest glasses, there’s no chance NYG doesn’t take a sizable step back without Malik Nabers. That said, not all hope is lost. Losing a guy like Nabers aside, knowing that fact ahead of time with the ability to plan for it should slightly boost the Giants’ offense out of the basement. Brian Daboll’s going to be ready.

Considering the formidable nature of Los Angeles’ top-3 scoring defense Sunday, the context-neutral setup going forward excites me. Per my buddy Michael Florio at NFL.com, Jaxson Dart is the first QB since Tim Tebow to have +50 rush yards, +1 pass TD and +1 rush TD in his first start! Encouraging stuff.

Speaking of matchup, it’s going to get juicy this weekend versus the lowly Saints, ranking 30th or worse in pressure rate (25.4%), defensive EPA/dropback (-0.31), and opposing passer rating (117.7). Brandon Staley also runs 4-DB, cover-3 zones almost exclusively, which could help New York’s smaller, twitchy receivers find space near the line and/or over the middle. Time for Dart to operate and a failure to tackle could actually make this Giant offense fantasy-viable, for a week at least.

BONUS BACKUP STREAM OF THE WEEK – Forever Young

🥇 Bryce Young, CAR vs MIA in Week 5

Interest in Dart’s going to shoot through the roof after that rushing TD, and spending up for a one-week rental’s never recommended. So, for anyone in need of a true streaming stop-gap, save your FAAB cash. Hold your nose and roll with Bryce Young. 

Whatever it is you’re thinking… I know, I know.

Carolina’s managed to disappoint thoroughly once again, leaving those of us hoping for continuation from last year’s strong finish out in the cold. With that, streamers need a short memory—just two weeks ago, Young finished as the QB5 after a lovely (328-3-1; 2-2-0) outburst in the Arizona desert. It can happen, people.

Miami hasn’t played its Week 4 game yet as of writing, so like many desperation streaming plays, we’re attacking a leaky, poor-tackling secondary. The Fins’ defensive stats coming into Monday night’s tilt remain firmly stuck to the bottom of the barrel.

MIAMI DOLPHINS DEFENSE, 2025

• 32.3 Points Allowed Per Game: Last
• 6.1 Yards Allowed Per Play: 31st
• 43.4% Defensive Success Rate: Last
• 41.9 Average Drive Distance: Last
• -0.40 EPA/Dropback: 31st
• 128.9 Opposing Passer Rating: Last
• 78.8% Completion Rate: Last
• 13 Deep Shots Allowed: T-31st
• 45.7% Tackle Success: 31st
• 25.3% Pressure Rate: 31st

How have fantasy QBs fared in three matchups versus MIA in 2025? QB2, QB3, and QB5. Good a spot as any to take a shot on a bye-week fill-in.

QB Streaming Survey Says…

Deeper or SuperFlex leagues call for more diligent dives, I get it. Since there’s no time to get thoughts in on every fantasy-viable QB, check this out. Some pictures are worth more than a thousand words.

Time for our weekly check-in on the free agent QB pool, and how their passer rating measures up to point production—which usually correlates positively to fantasy success. Keeping your focus on the top-right of this chart below will steer you on the correct path more often than not.

Ranking The Best Of The Rest Streams:

1. C.J. Stroud, HOU at BAL
2. Sam Darnold, SEA vs TB
3. Spencer Rattler, NO vs NYG
4. Geno Smith, LV at IND