Fantasy Football Start or Sit Week 5: RB Matt Forte

Heading into Week 5 Fantasy Football, running back Matt Forte of the New York Jets will bounce nicely against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Don’t let the past two weeks fool you when it comes to running back Matt Forte and his fantasy football value. Heading into yet another important matchup in Week 5 between the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers, Forte will once again be given a “workhorse” kind of day.

In Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills, Forte saw plenty of action as it was one of the main reasons why the Jets left that road game victorious. Forte saw 30 attempts and a final stat sheet of 100 rushing yards, three touchdowns, and kept those chains moving.

Since then, Forte has only been given 29 attempts to run the football in the past two weeks. Coincidence that the Jets lost both games? Absolutely since offensive coordinator Chan Gailey cut his workload in half in favor of putting more of an emphasis on the Jets’ passing game.

Obviously, it hasn’t been working. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick shouldn’t be depended on anymore to win football games by passing it so much. The Jets are a ground-and-pound kind of football team and while many believe they are limiting Forte’s carries to keep him fresh for the rest of the season, that needs to end now.

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Football games are won and lost based on the performance of impact players. Forte is a premier players that the Jets spent top dollar on in acquiring via free agency this offseason.

It’s time to put him in a position to succeed and feed him the football. While player longevity is important, the Jets don’t have time to limit him now in a game that could very well define the rest of the season.

For fantasy owners, Forte should see much more attempts in this Week 5 matchup and should be able to score at least a touchdown or two. The Jets’ offense will go back to basics as Gailey will more than likely commit to establishing the run against the Steelers.

Forte is an RB2 this week and at the very least, a FLEX option in the grand scheme of things. His ability to be a difference-maker as a receiving target out of the backfield is a great dimension to have on offense that the Jets will more than likely utilize.

Must Read: Fantasy Football Start or Sit Week 5: QB Ryan Fitzpatrick

Overall, Forte should be in your fantasy lineup as he’ll be depended on heavily to put the season of the Jets back in the right direction. It won’t be easy to beat the Steelers on the road but if the Jets commit to Forte getting the job done, fantasy owners will be happy with their decision to start him.