NFL Week 5 Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: Wan'Dale Robinson Vs. Chris Godwin
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Two NFC receivers have faced their struggles to start the new season: Chris Godwin and Wan’Dale Robinson. Though the two have faced immensely different challenges, they’ve both endured fantasy woes through four games this season.
Chris Godwin made his season debut in Week 4 after missing the first three games of the season due to injury, and was relatively quiet in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ pass game. The veteran wideout and his squad will look to rebound from a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles entering a matchup versus the Seattle Seahawks.
Robinson, on the other hand, has struggled to find consistency as New York has shifted its offensive focus, moving to rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart to lead the offense going forward. Coming off their first win of the season in Week 4, the Giants will look to carry such momentum into a matchup versus the winless New Orleans Saints in Week 5.
Fantasy owners could be dealt with a start-sit decision in Week 5 lineups, and forced to choose between Godwin and Robinson. Here’s who makes the better case to start this weekend.
The Case For Chris Godwin
Godwin was a welcome re-addition to the Buccaneers’ offense following an injury to Mike Evans. Tampa Bay’s offense has enjoyed a breakout campaign from rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka, but has struggled to find consistent play beyond the emerging first-year wideout in the pass game.
Given his rapport with star quarterback Baker Mayfield, who’s commanding an explosive Buccaneers passing attack, it’s safe to count on Godwin bouncing back from a disappointing Week 4 performance versus an inconsistent Seahawks secondary.
The Case Against Godwin
Godwin managed to haul in just three of his 10 targets in Week 4 to the disappointment of fantasy owners. The Pro Bowl wideout recorded just 26 yards in his season debut, racking up just 5.6 fantasy points.
The Buccaneers wideout’s performance could potentially cast doubt among fantasy owners as he enters Week 5 as WR129 in PPR leagues.
The Case For Wan’Dale Robinson
Robinson posted a breakout performance in Week 2 versus the Dallas Cowboys, catching eight passes for 142 yards and a touchdown despite a narrow loss. He’s seen encouraging volume despite inconsistent production and is set to take over as the WR1 in New York following a season-ending injury to Malik Nabers.
As Dart continues to develop under center, New York’s pass game should find some momentum as the season progresses, with a stout rushing attack to boot.
The Case Against Robinson
Following a WR5 finish in fantasy in Week 2, Robinson has struggled over the past two games. Dating back to New York’s Week 3 loss to Kansas City, Robinson has posted just four catches for 40 yards on nine targets.
He finished Week 3 ranked as WR83 among PPR leagues, followed by a WR74 finish in Week 4. His production could be called into question as Dart finds his footing as a starting NFL quarterback in the coming weeks.
The Final Verdict
With Mike Evans sidelined, I’m going to roll with Godwin given his upside as WR2 in an explosive passing attack. The matchup versus Seattle isn’t the most favorable, but his volume presents an incredibly safe floor for Godwin to build on following a disappointing fantasy performance in his season debut.
Robinson is a solid option and I’m confident he’ll bounce back versus a lowly Saints squad in Week 5, but Godwin’s upside is far too great for me to pass on in Tampa Bay’s offense.
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Ethen Hutton is a MLB, WNBA, College, and Fantasy contributor at On SI. Previously, he's covered the NBA, WNBA and NFL for Sportskeeda. Hutton is also a passionate fantasy football player and an immense music lover.