NFL

8 Big-Name Players You May Want to Avoid in Week 5

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Alex Smith, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

I love the versatility of production that Alex Smith provides. A quarter of the way through the season, he is the 13th-ranked fantasy quarterback in weekly average fantasy points, and part of that is due to being second in rushing yardage among signal-callers this year (107 yards). His mobility and security with the ball offers him a solid floor every week, and a security that not a lot of passers have in fantasy.

The concern with Smith has only ever been two things: first, when one is averaging only 200 or so passing yards per game (and this isn't a fluke from Smith's career mark, either), there's not a very high ceiling for fantasy production. In fact, Smith's current per drop back Passing Net Expected Points (NEP) shows that, while his security is good, his efficiency is just middling; he ranks 15th in the metric behind even scattershot quarterback Carson Palmer.

Second, the weapons he has at his disposal are never extensive. Late-career Dwayne Bowe and the rest of the wide receivers in Kansas City are not players to rely on. Ever. Without a real receiving threat besides running back Jamaal Charles and tight end Travis Kelce, I bet the 49ers will find it fairly easy to shut down their former first overall draft pick on Sunday.