New York Giants vs. Washington Commanders: 5 players to start/sit for fantasy football in Week 5

The New York Giants (3-1) will look to continue their hot start to the 2026 season when they travel to take on the Washington Commanders (1-3) in Week 5.

The Giants enter Sunday's matchup with a 3-1 record after picking up back-to-back wins over the Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals. Washington, meanwhile, is 1-3 following last week's 30-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in London.

New York holds the top spot in the division alone for the first time since 2015.

While the Giants have played much better than many expected through the first month of the season, there are plenty of fantasy football questions surrounding Sunday's divisional matchup.

There are some injury notes to keep an eye on. Malik Nabers is dealing with a knee injury, Cam Skattebo is nursing a shoulder injury and Jayden Daniels is expected to return after missing the last two games with an elbow injury.

With that in mind, here are five Giants and Commanders players to start or sit in fantasy football for Week 5.

This one is pretty simple if Nabers is cleared to play. The Giants' No. 1 wide receiver is coming off his best performance of the season, catching six passes for 112 yards and a touchdown on seven targets against the Cardinals.

Nabers also has an extremely favorable matchup against a Washington secondary that has struggled to slow down opposing passing attacks. The Commanders have allowed 12 passing touchdowns through four games, tied for the most in the NFL.

The biggest concern is his knee. Nabers missed Wednesday's practice because of soreness but returned as a limited participant Thursday. His availability will be something to monitor heading into Sunday.

If Nabers is active, he should be in starting lineups.

Isaiah Likely has quickly become one of Jameis Winston's favorite targets, and that should continue against Washington. Likely saw a massive 12 targets in Week 4 and finished with seven receptions for 66 yards. He has now established himself as one of the most heavily involved pass catchers in the Giants' offense.

That makes him especially appealing in PPR formats. Washington has also struggled to defend opposing tight ends, creating another favorable matchup for Likely. Washington has allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to the position.

The Giants are likely to see plenty of zone coverage from Washington, which could give Winston opportunities to find Likely underneath and in the middle of the field.

After missing the last two games with an elbow injury, Daniels is expected to return Sunday against the Giants.

Daniels has played only six quarters this season, but he's already thrown three touchdown passes without an interception while adding 100 rushing yards on 12 carries.

The rushing ability gives Daniels a relatively high fantasy floor, and that could be particularly important against a Giants defense that has generated six interceptions through four games.

New York has done an excellent job limiting opposing quarterbacks from a fantasy perspective, but Daniels brings an element that Cam Ward, Jacoby Brissett and Dak Prescott don't necessarily possess.

Daniels is expected to wear a brace on his injured elbow, but the Commanders have indicated that he is ready to play. Assuming there are no setbacks, Daniels is worth starting as a borderline QB1 option.

Harris has become more involved in the Giants' backfield, but this isn't the week to trust him in fantasy lineups.

Cam Skattebo, who is a starting option by the way, remains the clear lead back, and Harris has been working primarily as the secondary option. Harris has also seen his opportunities fluctuate throughout games, making it difficult to predict exactly how much work he'll receive.

That's especially concerning against a Washington defense that has been much tougher against the run than it has been against the pass. Skattebo has already seen 76 touches this season, while Harris has received a considerably smaller workload. Skattebo's volume makes him the more appealing fantasy option even in a difficult matchup.

Even if you're dealing with significant bye-week or injury problems, Harris belongs on the bench.

McLaurin is another difficult fantasy decision this week, and his injury situation makes it even more complicated.

The veteran wide receiver missed Washington's Week 4 game with a hamstring injury and opened this week without practicing. Even if McLaurin is cleared to play, there are reasons to be cautious.

The Commanders have dealt with significant uncertainty at quarterback and among their receiving corps, and Washington has yet to produce a wide receiver who has finished inside the top 10 at the position this season.

The return of Daniels would certainly help McLaurin's outlook, but expecting him to immediately return to a full workload after dealing with a hamstring injury is risky.

If McLaurin is active and receives a positive pregame report, he becomes more appealing. But even then, he might be best left on the bench to wait and see another week.

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