Rico Dowdle & Jacory Croskey-Merritt Win Fantasy Awards for Dominant Games in Week 5

Week 5 of the fantasy football season delivered some huge surprises, with Rico Dowdle and Jacory Croskey-Merritt stealing the spotlight thanks to monster performances that helped fantasy managers soar up the standings.

Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (22) reacts after a first down against the Los Angeles Chargers in the second half at SoFi Stadium. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Week 5 will officially be in the books after the Kansas City Chiefs face off with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday Night Football. But for those without any fantasy players left in tonight’s showdown, you’re already well aware of the biggest headlines — the breakout performances, the heartbreaks, and the unexpected duds that defined the week.

Beyond the box scores and waiver-wire scrambles, it’s always fun to zoom out and appreciate the most unforgettable moments that make fantasy football so addictive. Each week, we hand out our own version of fantasy football superlatives — celebrating the heroes, the surprises, and yes, even the disappointments that shaped the week.

Think of it like your high school yearbook, but instead of “Most Likely to Succeed,” we’re crowning things like “Waiver Wire Wonder” and “Biggest Letdown.” It’s a fun, lighthearted way to honor the chaos and unpredictability that keep us hooked every Sunday.

So, while Puka Nacua might be a lock for Prom King, let’s take a look at a few other fantasy football superlatives that stole the spotlight in Week 5.

Waiver Wire One Week Wonder: Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers

Filling in for the injured Chuba Hubbard, Dowdle got the spot start and did not disappoint fantasy managers. However, many who added him (including myself) did not place him into the starting lineup. What was I going to do? Bench Breece Hall for Dowdle? I suppose I could have but I had no way of anticipating the former backup Dallas Cowboys running wild on the Miami Dolphins for 206 yards and a touchdown, while adding three receptions for an additional 28 scoreless yards. Dowdle was the RB1 on the week (even topping Jonathan Taylor) with 32.4 fantasy points in PPR formats.  

If Hubbard is sidelined yet again for Week 6, Dowdle will have to be considered a starting option given his instant production. But there’s a chance that Hubbard is back by Carolina’s Week 6 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys. While the Dolphins were a favorable matchup in Week 5, the Cowboys are an even juicer matchup in Week 6 so whoever the starting running back is, fantasy managers should start him with confidence. 

Longest Wait For The Breakout: Jacory Croskey-Merritt

The Washington Commanders moved on from Brian Robinson Jr. prior to the start of the 2025 season because they believed that Jacory Croskey-Merritt could operate as a workhorse in the backfield. And while the rookie had a rock-solid Week 1 showing in a victory over the New York Giants (10 attempts for 82 rushing yards and a touchdown), it’s been slow sledding since. 

But yesterday against a very formidable Los Angeles Chargers defense, JCM went absolutely nuclear, finishing as the RB5 after posting 111 rushing yards and two touchdown scampers on just 14 carries, while catching both of his targets for an additional 39 yards. 

Was this a fluke or is this the beginning of things to come? In Week 6, JCM and the Commanders face a Chicago Bears defense that has surrendered the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs. Fantasy managers likely need to start the rookie after his breakout performance. 

Most Likely To Lead A Game-Winning Drive AKA The Comeback King: Baker Mayfield

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are now 4-1 and they haven’t won any of their matchups by more than a field goal. In each of their victories, Mayfield has been asked to do some magic with limited time on the clock to put the Bucs in position to win. That was no different on Sunday after Sam Darnold and the Seahawks took a 35-28 lead with just a few minutes remaining. But Mayfield was practically perfect, completing 29 of 33 passes for 379 passing yards and two touchdowns. 

Baker Mayfield when trailing vs the Seahawks:

🧊 10/11
🧊 143 passing yards
🧊 2 TDs | 0 INTs
🧊 perfect 158.3 passer rating pic.twitter.com/wLBhw2lDiq

— PFF (@PFF) October 5, 2025

Even with Mike Evans sidelined, Mayfield absolutely shredded this defense by hitting Emeka Egbuka and Cade Otton all day. He also utilized the running backs, particularly Rachaad White, in the short pass game but it was mostly plays over the middle and deep near the sideline that kept the ball moving. Finally, he hit veteran Sterling Shepard for the game-tying touchdown before Sam Darnold threw an interception with less than two minutes to go, setting up a game-winning field goal attempt that was converted by Chase McLaughlin. 

Most Likely To Be Targeted On The Waiver Wire: AJ Barner & Theo Johnson

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner (88) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The tight end position is a mess. Brock Bowers is injured. George Kittle is on Injured Reserve. Trey McBride is barely a top-five option who is averaging just 12.5 PPR points per game. There’s not many tight ends fantasy football managers can rely on. However, Week 5 saw two players who are virtually unowned on every single platform break out in a big way.

First, there was Seahawks TE AJ Barner, who caught all seven of his targets for 53 yards and two touchdowns. Given the lack of options beyond Jaxon Smith-Ngigba and the clear decline of Cooper Kupp, Barner could be a solid streamer in Week 6 and beyond.

Then there was New York Giants TE Theo Johnson, who caught six of seven targets for 33 yards and two trips to the end zone. With Malik Nabers out for the rest of the season and now Darius Slayton dealing with a potentially nagging injury, Johnson could be phased much more into the offensive game plan around Jaxson Dart. 

Both of these tight ends should be scooped up off the waiver wire as we approach Week 6.