2026 season · Week 5 · QB

Deshaun Watson vs Kirk Cousins: Who Should I Start in Week 5?

Start Cousins over Watson in PPR. NYJ allows the 4th-fewest QB points; Projects 14.4 vs 14.1 PPR points.

Scoring

Start Cousins over Watson in PPR

FlexQB2 · #18

Deshaun WatsonCLEQB@ NYJ

14.1 PPR pts

623

Floor 6 · median 13.2 · ceiling 23

Plays: 98%
Implied total: 18.5 (dog by 2.5)
Matchup: Tough · 4th
Usage: –

NYJ allows the 4th-fewest QB points; Projects 14.1 vs 14.4 PPR points.

Medium

StartQB2 · #17

Kirk CousinsLVQB@ NE

14.4 PPR pts

624

Floor 6 · median 13.5 · ceiling 24

Plays: 98%
Implied total: 21.0 (dog by 3.5)
Matchup: Tough · 1st
Usage: –

NYJ allows the 4th-fewest QB points; Projects 14.4 vs 14.1 PPR points.

Medium

Add more players in Who Should I Start Deshaun Watson stats and usage Kirk Cousins stats and usage All Week 5 projections

Jordan Love vs Kirk Cousins

How this works

Both players come from the same weekly projection: a mean and an 80% range from 2,000 simulated games, scored in your format, and the chance he plays. Start goes to the higher expected points (chance to play × projection); within 10% is a Flex-level close call. The tier ranks each player against everyone at his position this week. Reasons are templates filled with the model's numbers.

Updated Tue, Oct 6, 2:39 PM ETFull methodology

Frequently asked questions

Should I start Deshaun Watson or Kirk Cousins in Week 5?

Start Cousins over Watson in PPR. NYJ allows the 4th-fewest QB points; Projects 14.4 vs 14.1 PPR points.

Who has the higher ceiling, Deshaun Watson or Kirk Cousins?

Kirk Cousins: his 90th-percentile outcome is 24 PPR points against 23 for Deshaun Watson, from 2,000 simulated games each.

Who is the safer start, Deshaun Watson or Kirk Cousins?

Deshaun Watson: a floor (10th percentile) of 6 PPR points vs 6, and a 98% chance to play vs 98%.

What are Deshaun Watson's and Kirk Cousins's Week 5 projections?

PPR: Watson 14.1, Cousins 14.4; half-PPR: Watson 14.1, Cousins 14.4; standard: Watson 14.1, Cousins 14.4 (points if he plays).

Side-by-side comparison