Fantasy Football Rankings: 5 most polarizing players for Week 5

We have five Yahoo rankers every week, and this column will look at five of the buzziest names of the week. I'm looking for players where there is real disagreement, and I'm using a little something called "coefficient of variation" to help me find just that. These rankings will be tinkered all the way until kickoff, so please check back in on our weekly rankings pages and Sunday AM sit/start show for the absolute latest.

These blurbs are also in The Blueprint, which is my weekly rankings and analysis column. The RB version is out on Wednesdays, while the WR version and the QB/TE/K/DEF version are each out on Thursdays before Thursday Night Football.

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Here's a look at the most polarizing players for Week 5 based on fantasy football rankings.Hayden Winks

Carnell Tate (vs. HOU) - 49.5 proj. receiving yards

Tate had a career-high 15.8 expected half PPR points in Week 4 and his usage has climbed in three straight games. Results were mixed, but things are generally trending up. Cam Ward delivered a couple of “wow” throws out of structure to Tate, who was only targeted 5+ yards downfield on all 12 of his looks. There were some high throws with offbeat timing in there, but the volume is real and there will be go-ball explosives eventually. He had a double-move penalty drawn on him from All-Pro S Kyle Hamilton as an example. Tate is the WR34 on WR22 usage to start his career, and I don't see Calvin Ridley, Wan'Dale Robinson and others eating into his alpha status.

Brian Robinson Jr. (vs. BAL) - 39.5 proj. total yards

Shoutout to our friends with the 1.01 pick who selected Brian Robinson by accident. There have been far worse picks in the first couple rounds!!!

Here's a look at Atlanta's RB rotation from its Week 4 game against the Saints.Hayden Winks/Yahoo Sports

The Falcons are using "B-Rob" before garbage time. He's getting multiple runs in a row in the first half of games to spell Bijan, and that obviously can include goal-line work if he was out there for the previous plays. It's been enough to be the RB19 on RB40 usage this month. He's had 5.9 and 12.7 expected points in these Michael Penix Jr. starts, making him similar to Blake Corum or Chris Rodriguez Jr. as a deep-league RB3 option. He should be nearly 100% rostered as one of the most obvious insurance plans.

Romeo Doubs (vs. LV) - 49.5 proj. receiving yards

Doubs has been the wildest rollercoaster of the year, but Week 4 was nothing but a total smash. Aside from an extremely low ball that was tossed by Doubs into the air for an INT, he played well. He had a skinny-post TD, a 4th-and-3 slant win and a one-handed fade TD. His WR8 finish was on WR11 expected half PPR points, and the Patriots also lost Mack Hollins (calf) around halftime. They're running out of bodies for Drake Maye to throw to, so Doubs' value is absolutely trending up. His expected half PPR points have climbed every week: 2.6, 5.2, 6.7, 15.4.

Josh Downs (at PIT) - 59.5 proj. receiving yards

Downs is good enough to be excited about but also not great enough to have too high of expectations for given the state of the Colts' average offense. Their pass protection has regressed, and Daniel Jones isn't going to have the same arm talent this year while coming back from an Achilles tear. They will live in the dink-and-dunk world, which does play to Downs' strengths. Defenses just know what is coming. That was a problem against the Commanders last week (WR78 on WR78 usage), but Downs was the WR15 and WR11 in expected points without Alec Pierce (heel) in the two weeks prior. There's still a clean pathway to be an upside WR3, particularly in full PPR.

This week's matchup will have similar issues. The Steelers’ defensive line could give the Colts RT trouble, and there are physical players in the secondary. That said, CB1 Jamel Dean hasn't practiced and slot CB Jalen Ramsey is playing through a fractured wrist. They've allowed a WR to gain 89+ yards in three straight games, including Denzel Boston (89), Ja'Marr Chase (98) and Doubs (96). Indianapolis has a 20.25-point team total (23rd).

Cam Skattebo (at WAS) - 73.5 proj. total yards

On the season, Skattebo is the RB26 on RB19 usage. He is feeling more pressure from Najee Harris than we'd like. His 49% route share from last week should lead to more targets moving forward, but he was the RB35 on RB31 usage in Week 4.

Here's a chart looking at the RB rotation for New York in its Week 4 matchup against the Cardinals.Hayden Winks/Yahoo Sports

At one point, the Giants scored a TD (Theo Johnson) with Skattebo on the field, then they successfully ran in the two-point conversion in with subbed-in Harris. That was the lone goal-line opportunity of the game. Harris did brutally fumble the ball early in the fourth quarter, however and was benched for the rest of the game. Harris also ran the ball himself on 10-of-12 snaps. Wild stuff here.

This matchup is a sneaky tough one under new DC Daronte Jones. The Commanders have allowed the 28th-most fantasy points to RBs, and that's fourth best when adjusting for opponent. They held a healthy Saquon Barkley to 8.5 half PPR points and Javonte Williams to just 6.5 earlier this season. With the Giants projected for 20.0 points (24th), Skattebo is more of an upside FLEX than bankable RB2.

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