Welcome to Week 5 of the 2025 Footballguys Roundtable. Our intrepid panel of fantasy pundits discusses and debates four topics every week. We split the conversation into separate features.
This week's roundtable features these four topics:
Let's roll...
Matt Waldman: Share a defense that ranks as a neutral or tough matchup statistically against a specific skill position, but you believe is much more favorable than the numbers indicate.
Jason Wood: Four weeks into the season, the Eagles’ pass defense is far and away the toughest against opposing fantasy receivers. That makes sense on multiple levels, as the unit features one of the NFL's best young cover cornerbacks in Quinyon Mitchell and one of the best nickel backs in Cooper DeJean. However, the group has an Achilles heel at the other cornerback spot. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has frequently and unapologetically criticized all the options, including Adoree' Jackson, Kelee Ringo, and Jakorian Bennett.
Now that both Jackson and Bennett are injured, the position has become a massive problem. Talented offenses are almost certain to test that weakness a few times per game. We saw it last week when the Buccaneers scored on two long touchdowns.
David Zacharias: The Tennessee Titans have the 9th-best defense versus tight ends through four games, giving up 9.6 PPR fantasy points per game to the position. In Week 5, however, the Titans travel to Arizona to face a top-three tight end, Trey McBride.
Tennessee's opponents have targeted the tight end position 5.8 times per game. McBride has been targeted 52% more frequently (8.8 times per game) and averaged 40 percent more PPR fantasy points (13.4). Arizona is favored by 7.5 points in this matchup, and I expect McBride to be a key chainmover.
Will Grant: The Ravens' defense looked solid from a fantasy perspective going into this season. I would be stunned if they were not drafted in well over 90 percent of the fantasy leagues going into week one. However, after a 1-3 start and giving up a league-worst 133 points, many fantasy owners, myself included, have cut bait and picked up better options.
But the Ravens had a rough start, facing the Bills, Lions, and Chiefs in their three losses this year. Their schedule gets much easier as the season progresses, with two games against the Bengals, another against the Browns, and home games against the Texans, Bears, and Jets.
None of these teams is even close to the level of offensive talent that the Ravens faced in Buffalo, Detroit, and Kansas City. The Ravens should dominate all of those games from the defensive side of the ball.
Consider picking them up this week before the Texans come to town and give Baltimore a chance to 'get right' on defense as they try to save their season.
Corey Spala: Jacksonville’s defense has a league-leading 13 turnovers and is allowing the fifth-fewest points per game. The defense is neutral, allowing the 15th most yards per game and notably the 4th fewest rushing yards per game.
They have faced three teams that are in the bottom 10 of total yards per game, and the other opponent was San Francisco, which ranks fifth in total yards per game. They totaled 325 yards. Jacksonville did play Cincinnati in Week 2 when Joe Burrow got injured and Jake Browning threw for 241 yards.
The offense totaled 400 yards. For a frame of reference, Cincinnati is averaging the fewest yards per game.
