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Fantasy football: Start-em, sit-em players for Week 5

By Jay Marsdale

NASHVILLE, TN - AUGUST 19: Christian McCaffrey #22 of the Carolina Panthers runs through a tackle attempt by Denzel Johnson #42 of the Tennessee Titans in the second quarter of a preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 19, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - AUGUST 19: Christian McCaffrey #22 of the Carolina Panthers runs through a tackle attempt by Denzel Johnson #42 of the Tennessee Titans in the second quarter of a preseason game at Nissan Stadium on August 19, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WA – SEPTEMBER 17: Tight end Jimmy Graham #88 of the Seattle Seahawks drops the ball while being tackled by safety Jaquiski Tartt #29 of the San Francisco 49ers in the first quarter of the game at CenturyLink Field on September 17, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA – SEPTEMBER 17: Tight end Jimmy Graham #88 of the Seattle Seahawks drops the ball while being tackled by safety Jaquiski Tartt #29 of the San Francisco 49ers in the first quarter of the game at CenturyLink Field on September 17, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images) /

Sit-em: Jimmy Graham (SEA) @ Los Angeles Rams

Jimmy Graham is in his third season with the Seattle Seahawks, and he still has not translated his play from New Orleans. For whatever reason, Graham is not the same player he was as a Saint. Fantasy football players tend to get caught up in the what-ifs and the maybes, but Graham is a lower-tier tight end right now.

Jimmy Graham has eight touchdowns as a Seahawk, and none have come this season. He had more touchdowns in each season he was in New Orleans, except for his rookie year, than in his two-plus seasons in Seattle.

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He isn’t that player anymore.

Luke Willson is listed as the No. 2 tight end on the Seahawks roster, but it doesn’t look like that every week. He has two touchdowns this season to Graham’s zero. Jimmy Graham was traded for by Seattle to be a favored red-zone target for quarterback Russell Wilson. However, that relationship and chemistry has not developed over these past three seasons.

Next: Fantasy football: Start-em, sit-em players for Week 4

Players like Charles Clay in Buffalo and Cameron Brate in Tampa Bay have been far more successful this season. They are not thought to have the same physical skills as Graham, yet every week he is outperformed by them. Graham is going to have to prove to me he is a legitimate threat again before he is back as a top-tight end play in fantasy football.

Other options: Jared Cook (OAK) vs. Baltimore and Zach Miller (CHI) vs. Minnesota