Hey-o! I cashed out a bit last week, and hopefully most of you did the same. I would have won a lot more money if Derek Carr decided to step up a bit, but I digress. I’m here to steer you in the right direction for the week five slates. As always, good luck to everyone and I hope you all cash out big time this weekend!

Tier 1 – Elite

Tom Brady, New England Patriots, $7,800 – It’s hard to bet against Tom Brady any given week, especially in fantasy, so it shouldn’t be a big surprise to see him on my list for this weekend. Brady and the Patriots are headed into Dallas, though it shouldn’t really matter who Brady faces at this point, as he’s clearly out to prove something every single week. The one thing to look out for here is Greg Hardy, who returns from his suspension this weekend and will be looking to take Brady out. However, given the way this Patriots’ team operates, I bet the latest comments from Hardy regarding Brady’s wife will only give the reigning Super Bowl MVP more motivation to go off against the Cowboys’ D. Starting Brady this weekend is a pretty easy play, especially when you pair him running back Dion Lewis.

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers, $7,900 – The matchup isn’t in Rodgers’ favor this weekend, but I still like him enough to put him on this list despite the cheaper options including Drew Brees. I’m a little shocked that Rodgers costs more this weekend than Brady, given the fact that Rodgers has to go against the powerful front four of the St. Louis Rams. Nonetheless, Rodgers is far and away the best quarterback on the planet right now, so no matchup can really ever scare you away from the 2014 MVP.

Tier 2 – Value

Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos, $7,000 – Surprisingly (or not), this is the first time I’ve included Peyton in this post, as I just don’t think he’s really anywhere near the same type of quarterback that he used to be. That being said, he is going up against an Oakland Raiders’ defense that will be tested with shutting down Demaryius Thomas and Emmanual Sanders, which is not an easy feat. There is a very good chance that this is one of the only times you see Peyton in this post, as the weeks I can trust him are becoming few and far between. If you can trust Peyton enough this weekend, run him out there with either Thomas or Sanders, as those two have been targeted on 32 and 27 percent of the team’s offensive plays, respectively.

Phillip Rivers, San Diego Chargers, $6,200 – This will likely be one of the popular picks that you find this weekend, as Rivers has a favorable matchup and is priced pretty fairly at $6,200. It’s clear that the Pittsburgh Steelers defense isn’t what it used to be, and Rivers will surely take advantage of that. Rivers is historically a fantastic touchdown producer, while also throwing a touchdown pass on nearly six percent of his passes this season. Last weekend, Rivers went off against a much better Cleveland Browns’ defense, throwing for 358 yards and three touchdowns. It wouldn’t be a shock to see Rivers put up similar numbers Monday night, if not better numbers. Expect a big day from Rivers and company.

Alternatives: Sam Bradford, Carson Palmer, and Eli Manning

Tier 3 – Contrarian

Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens, $5,600 – Flacco is dirt cheap going against a Cleveland Browns defense that got lit up by Phillip Rivers last weekend, so he should make for a valuable play if you’re looking to cut costs at the quarterback position. Flacco and the Ravens offense lack real playmakers, especially with Steve Smith sidelined for the next couple of weeks, so that could explain why Flacco is so cheap this week. Personally, I’d rather take the risk and start Jameis Winston this weekend over Flacco, but that’s only because he’s priced a little cheaper and actually has some options to throw to. However, you’ll rarely find Flacco this cheap, so you might want to roll with it.

Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, $5,200 – Famous Jameis! If you don’t typically read the forums here at the fix, there is one from last week that might give you a good laugh. Long story short, I predicted Jameis to breakout and have a huge week against Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers; “Breakout” is now defined as throwing four picks. Ha! This week, Jameis is priced at $5,100, which could be because of the week he had against the Panthers. However, I expect Jameis to bounce back against the Jacksonville Jaguars tomorrow, with wide receiver Mike Evans having a big day as well. It’s only a matter of time until this offense starts to really click, and this could be the week that it happens. Given the price, starting Winston won’t be a huge risk, but could possibly be a very large reward.

 Alternatives: Alex Smith, Nick Foles, and Matthew Stafford