Fantasy Football Week 5 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: Deebo Samuel vs. Romeo Doubs

Evaluating who to play in fantasy football in Week 5 between New England Patriots WR Romeo Doubs and San Francisco 49ers WR Deebo Samuel.

Oct 4, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (19) jogs onto the field before the game against the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A couple of WRs coming off their best fantasy performances in Week 4, New England Patriots WR Romeo Doubs and Deebo Samuel, have decent fantasy outlooks in Week 5. With that, here is a breakdown of who to play in starting lineups between the two this week in fantasy.

Romeo Doubs

September 20, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Romeo Doubs (87) runs against Pittsburgh Steelers defense player Rayshawn Jenkins (20) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After a couple of underwhelming weeks in an increased role with Patriots WR1 AJ Brown on injured reserve from an ankle injury he suffered in Week 1, Doubs found notable fantasy success in Week 4. Against the Buffalo Bills, he had six receptions on nine targets for 58 yards and two TDs.

The Bills are allowing the sixth-most passing yards per game in the NFL, 256.3. Doubs Week 5 opponent, the Las Vegas Raiders, will be a much tougher opponent for his fantasy outlook on paper.

The Raiders, through four regular-season games, are allowing the eighth- fewest passing yards per game in the league, 202.8. They are also giving up the seventh-fewest PPR fantasy points per game to WRs and the 10th-fewest standard fantasy points. 

The following elite statistics from Las Vegas do not paint the whole picture. They can give up big games to opposing WRs and have done so the past two weeks. In Week 3, New Orleans Saints WR Chris Olave had nine receptions for 107 yards, and in Week 4, Kansas City Chiefs WR Tyquan Thornton had five receptions for 111 yards and two TDs.

Deebo Samuel

Oct 4, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (19) runs after the catch against the Denver Broncos during the first half at Levi's Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Samuel has far exceeded his perceived fantasy value going into 2026. In his latest game in Week 4 against the Denver Broncos, he had five receptions on six targets for 26 yards and a TD. He also had three carries for 44 yards.

Samuel will have a tough opponent to try to repeat similar statistics in Week 5 as he and the 49ers take on one of the best, if not the best, passing defenses in the NFL, the Seattle Seahawks.

The Seahawks are currently allowing the fewest passing yards per game in the NFL, 144.8. They are also allowing the third-fewest standard fantasy points to opposing WRs per game in the league and the third-fewest PPR points. Seattle has only allowed one opposing player to have over 65 receiving yards against them in 2026.

Final Verdict

When it comes to who should start and who should sit in fantasy football in Week 5, Samuel should sit, and Doubs should start.

Samuel has multiple ways he can affect a game and generate fantasy points, but going against the Seahawks, it is just too tall an ask for him to think he can find a way to post any solid fantasy numbers, given how they have limited other WRs so far in 2026.

Doubs does have a tough matchup, but with the vulnerability the Raiders have shown to WRs over the past two weeks, and Doubs coming off Week 4, where he had the most targets he has had all season in a single game, he is the safer fantasy play in this debate.

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