Start Cade Otton or Darnell Washington? Week 5

Our Week 5 call

Start Cade Otton over Darnell Washington in Week 5.

Market-based projections have Cade Otton at 7.5 points and Darnell Washington at 6.4, a gap of 1.0. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 7.5 fantasy points for Cade Otton, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market has Cade Otton at 29.5 receiving yards and 3.5 receptions, with a 16% chance to score a touchdown (15, 13 and 15 market sources).

Player markets imply 6.4 fantasy points for Darnell Washington, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market has Darnell Washington at 22.5 receiving yards and 2.5 receptions, with a 23% chance to score a touchdown (13, 12 and 12 market sources).

That puts Cade Otton 1.0 points ahead of Darnell Washington on the market projections.

Injury status

Cade Otton is not on the injury report.

Darnell Washington is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 5

Through Week 4, Cade Otton played 94 percent of TB snaps, drew 19 percent of the targets, earned 15 percent of the air yards and had 6 percent of the red zone chances.

Cade Otton, Week 1 against CIN: 56 of 57 snaps, 5 targets and 3 catches for 26 yards.

Cade Otton, Week 2 against CLE: 58 of 65 snaps, 6 targets and 5 catches for 38 yards.

Cade Otton, Week 3 against MIN: 65 of 69 snaps, 6 targets and 3 catches for 56 yards.

Cade Otton, Week 4 against GB: 60 of 64 snaps, 6 targets and 4 catches for 37 yards.

Through Week 4, Darnell Washington played 66 percent of PIT snaps, drew 9 percent of the targets, earned 5 percent of the air yards and had 8 percent of the red zone chances.

Darnell Washington, Week 1 against ATL: 43 of 67 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 18 yards.

Darnell Washington, Week 2 against NE: 37 of 70 snaps, 2 targets and 1 catch for 7 yards.

Darnell Washington, Week 3 against CIN: 47 of 62 snaps, 4 targets and 3 catches for 67 yards.

Darnell Washington, Week 4 against CLE: 51 of 72 snaps, 5 targets and 3 catches for 27 yards, 1 touchdown.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Cade Otton played 16 games for TB and scored 122.2 PPR points, 7.6 a game, finishing TE22.

He caught 59 of 81 targets for 572 yards and 1 touchdown, with 5 red zone targets and 261 air yards.

He was on the field for 93 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Darnell Washington played 16 games for PIT and scored 73.4 PPR points, 4.6 a game, finishing TE39.

He caught 31 of 43 targets for 364 yards and 1 touchdown, with 8 red zone targets and 135 air yards.

He was on the field for 57 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 5 calls

• Start Cade Otton over AJ Barner.
• Start Brenton Strange over Cade Otton.
• Start Brock Bowers over Cade Otton.
• Start AJ Barner over Darnell Washington.
• Start Chig Okonkwo over Darnell Washington.
• Start Darnell Washington over Dawson Knox.