Week 5 NFL DFS QB Breakdown: Top Cash Game and Tournament Picks

The quarterback position is one of the most flexible in NFL DFS. You can go in a variety of different ways. Do you pay up for one of the top studs or try to save some money with a value option? Do you eat the chalk or look for a low-owned option with upside? There’s no 100% one-size-fits-all answer, so each slate and contest type is going to require thought and consideration.

In this piece, I highlight quarterbacks who stand out in our large suite of analytical fantasy tools, most specifically, our FantasyLabs Player Models. While the models are built for DFS contests, this is an all-purpose fantasy article with actionable information for all formats.

As news breaks throughout the week and we adjust our projections (powered by Sean Koerner), player ratings in our Player Models will change as the projections change. For updates, visit the models directly.

And don’t forget about the tools that FantasyLabs has to offer, like our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.

Or you can just use our NFL DFS sims to effortlessly create advanced lineups.

Finally, make sure to check out all the projections available for purchase (Chris Raybon’s come included with a FantasyLabs subscription) within the FantasyLabs Models. Subscribers now have the option to purchase Derek Carty’s THE BLITZ from our Marketplace. Projections from One Week Season and Establish the Run are available if you’re a subscriber to those specific sites (our optimizer is a separate add-on feature).

You can also combine them to create your own aggregate projections:

Top NFL DFS Cash Game Options

Justin Fields ($5,600 DraftKings, $7,700 FanDuel)

Is Fields a good quarterback? That remains to be seen. Most of the evidence suggests that the answer is no. He’s on his third team in just his fifth professional season, and he’s still looking for his first win in 2025. He’s averaged just 155.7 passing yards per game for his career, and he has just 47 touchdown passes compared to 31 interceptions.

However, that doesn’t mean Fields isn’t a good fantasy quarterback. Rushing ability is key at the QB position, and Fields brings that to the table in spades. He’s averaged just under 60 rushing yards per game through three starts this season, and he’s added three rushing touchdowns. That gives him an average of nearly 12 fantasy points before factoring in anything that he does with his arm.

Fields has also shown some progress in that department. He’s averaging a career-best 8.52 adjusted yards per attempt, and he has three touchdown passes with zero picks. Overall, he’s averaged 20.2 fantasy points per game, good enough for the No. 7 mark at the QB position.

Fields gets one of the best possible matchups Sunday vs. the Cowboys. Their offense has been great this season, but their defense has given back everything and then some. They’re dead last in EPA per play defensively, and they’ve allowed the most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. This game currently has a 47.5-point total, which is tied for the second-highest on the slate and virtually unheard of for a Jets game.

It makes Fields the strongest value at the position. He leads all players in projected Plus/Minus on DraftKings, where his $5,600 salary comes with a 97% Bargain Rating.

Daniel Jones ($5,800 DraftKings, $7,400 FanDuel)

Fields isn’t quite as strong a value on FanDuel, so Jones edges him out for the top spot in projected Plus/Minus. “Indiana Jones” has come back to reality a bit over the past two weeks, scoring just 15.82 and 12.38 FanDuel points vs. the Titans and Rams, respectively. However, the Rams have a really tough defense, while the Colts simply didn’t need much from Jones vs. Tennessee. They racked up 41 points, so he was only asked to throw the ball 25 times.

Jones still brings a solid dual-threat skill set to the table. His yardage is a bit down this season, but he’s made up for it with three rushing touchdowns. He’s also posted the best passing numbers of his career, though he did throw two picks last week vs. the Rams.

Hopefully, Jones can get back on track this week vs. the Raiders. It’s an elite spot, with the Colts currently implied for 27.0 points. That’s the second-best mark on the slate, trailing only the Lions.

Now available: our NFL DFS SimLabs Lineup Generator that creates advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation.

Top NFL DFS Tournament Options

Justin Herbert ($6,100 DraftKings, $8,000 FanDuel)

Herbert and the Chargers suffered their first defeat of the season in Week 4, suffering an embarrassing loss to the Giants in Jaxson Dart’s first start. Still, Herbert has compiled some impressive numbers to start 2025. He’s averaged 265.8 passing yards per game with seven passing touchdowns, and he’s cracked the 300-yard barrier in two of four starts.

The big development has been the Chargers’ change in offensive philosophy this season. Head coach Jim Harbaugh has historically been a run-heavy coach, but the Chargers have been the most pass-heavy offense in football to start the year. They lead the league in pass rate over expectation, and they’re first in that department in the red zone as well. That’s going to give Herbert plenty of opportunities to rack up fantasy points.

He struggled with the Giants’ pass rush last week, which is not surprising with the team dealing with multiple offensive line injuries. The Commanders’ pass rush isn’t quite as potent, ranking 13th in PFF grade to start the year.

The Chargers are another team with a quality implied team total on this slate (25.25), and no quarterback is showing up with a higher optimal lineup rate in SimLabs. 

Dak Prescott ($6,000 DraftKings, $7,300 FanDuel)

It was no CeeDee Lamb, no problem for Prescott in Week 4. Despite facing a tough Packers defense led by former teammate Micah Parsons, Prescott racked up 319 passing yards and three passing touchdowns. He added a rushing score, bringing his fantasy tally to 33.96 DraftKings points.

Even without Lamb, Prescott is going to be extremely busy for the Cowboys’ offense. He’s averaged more than 40 pass attempts per game through the first four weeks, and Dallas has thrown the ball at the fifth-highest frequency overall. Javonte Williams has given the run game a decent upgrade compared to last season, but the offense is still going to go through Dak’s right arm.

The Jets have historically had a strong defense, but that has not been the case so far this season. They rank 28th in points and 20th in yards allowed, and they’re 28th in EPA per play defensively. They’ve allowed the 11th-most fantasy points per game to opposing QBs, so it’s another great spot for Prescott to do some damage. 

Jalen Hurts ($6,800 DraftKings, $8,600 FanDuel)

This slate is missing some of the biggest fantasy names at quarterback (Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Patrick Mahomes), leaving Hurts as the clear top guy from a ceiling standpoint. Well, at least if you’re going based on previous years. Hurts has not looked like the same player so far in 2025. He didn’t complete a single pass after halftime last week, and he’s had 152 passing yards or fewer in three of four games.

Still, Hurts’ track record suggests he’s capable of much more. He averaged 21.3 fantasy points per game in 2024, and he popped off for more than 30 DraftKings points in Week 3 vs. the Rams. He has more touchdown upside than just about anyone in football – he’s scored at least 13 TDs in three straight seasons – so he doesn’t need to do a ton with his arm to post a massive fantasy score.

The biggest issue for Hurts has been the game script. The Eagles simply haven’t been challenged outside of that game vs. the Rams, so they’ve been able to ride their defense and run game to comfortable wins. They might not have that luxury vs. the Broncos. They have a great defense and are capable of scoring some points, so the Eagles might have to actually break a sweat on Sunday. Hurts ultimately has the third-highest optimal lineup rate on both DraftKings and FanDuel, trailing only Herbert and Jones.

Contrarian NFL DFS Tournament Options With Upside

Sam Darnold ($5,100 DraftKings, $7,200 FanDuel)

Darnold hasn’t put up gaudy totals so far this season, but he’s been pretty efficient. He ranks second among qualified QBs in EPA + CPOE composite, and he’s tied for third in terms of PFF grade. Not bad for a guy who is on his fourth team in as many years.

Of course, Darnold put together a career year with the Vikings in 2024, but that didn’t stop them from letting him walk out the door. It’s possible that he’s simply a solid QB at this point, and the Vikings might regret that decision.

Darnold has a chance to increase his volume a bit in Week 5. The Seahawks are taking on the Buccaneers, who have the top run defense in the NFL this season. Vita Vea is an absolute monster on the interior, so the Seahawks may have no choice but to let Darnold air it out. Only the Jets have a lower pass rate over expectation for the year, so Darnold could be much busier than usual in this spot. No quarterback has a bigger gap between projected ownership and optimal lineup rate on DraftKings.

Spencer Rattler ($4,800 DraftKings, $6,500 FanDuel)

Rattler has exceeded most people’s expectations this season. He still hasn’t been great, but he’s at least managed to keep the Saints’ offense somewhat relevant. They’re 22nd in yards per game, which is not nearly the level of dumpster fire that was expected in New Orleans.

Rattler has also provided just a bit of fantasy viability this season. He racked up more than 21 DraftKings points vs. the 49ers in Week 2, and the Saints are favored for what will probably be the only time all season in Week 5. Quarterbacks tend to perform better in that split than they do as underdogs, which makes sense. Favorites typically score more touchdowns, and touchdowns lead to fantasy production.

Finding a favorite at such a low price is a rarity. We’ve only seen three previous instances this season, and they were when backup quarterbacks were making spot starts. Those QBs have also fared well, scoring 22.76, 21.28, and 15.32 DraftKings points (per the Trends tool).

Jayden Daniels ($7,000 DraftKings, $8,300 FanDuel)

Daniels is a major wild card this week. He’s expected to return to the lineup after missing the past two games with a knee injury, but it remains to be seen how close he is to 100%. He’s stated all the right things to the media, but if he’s not as explosive as a runner, he’s not going to provide nearly the same fantasy upside.

We saw that last season when Daniels played through a rib injury. He had fewer designed runs and scrambles in those contests, which impacted his ability to score points.

While it’s possible that he’s limited in his first game back, it’s also possible that he’s healthier than expected. If that’s the case, it provides an opportunity to target a stud dual-threat quarterback at reduced ownership. Daniels is projected for less than 4% ownership on DraftKings, but his optimal lineup rate is closer to 9%.

Pictured: Justin Fields
Photo Credit: Imagn