This is Fantasy Sleepers Week 6!
Quarterbacks
Baker Mayfield | Tampa Bay (26%)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are coming off of a bye week and host the red-hot Detroit Lions. Baker Mayfield has led Tampa Bay to a 3-1 record and has put up solid mid QB2 numbers all season long. Mayfield is coming off of his best game of the season- a three TD performance where he also chipped in 31 rushing yards.
The rushing production has not been anything special, but the attempts have been noteworthy (23 in four games played).
Desmond Ridder | Atlanta (8%)
Ridder is coming off of a career high 329 passing yards in Week 5’s victory over Houston. He now faces off against a Washington secondary that has been shredded multiple times this season. It is tough to insert Ridder in as one of your starters, but this matchup-based stream could pay dividends.
Gardner Minshew | Indianapolis (7%)
Minshew Magic is back in Jacksonville, and you are not excited? Two teams with identical 3-2 records meet in a rematch from Jacksonville’s Week 1 win. Minshew was a cult hero and had many fantasy friendly moments as the Jaguars starting quarterback. Look for Minshew to lean on Michael Pittman and Josh Downs. Jacksonville has allowed 262.4 passing yards per game. This ranks bottom five among all NFL defenses.
Running Backs
D’Onta Foreman | Chicago (28%)
Foreman has multiple outs to fantasy production this week. Roschon Johnson may not clear the concussion protocol, and Foreman would immediately be a high end RB2/RB1 based on volume in a plus matchup vs Minnesota.
Foreman could also simply inherit the Khalil Herbert role with Johnson seeing a slight uptick in usage, but not the dramatic increase many of us are hoping for. Last season, Foreman rushed for 900+ yards. He is capable of handling a high number of touches. I will be starting him in multiple leagues.
Chuba Hubbard | Carolina (31%)
Miles Sanders is banged up and could miss this week. Long term, Sanders ailments have started to add up. He has dealt with shoulder, groin, and pec injuries this season already. Sanders has also not looked as good as Hubbard. Hubbard has outgained him for two straight weeks. If Hubbard is available, go get him. He could provide low end RB2/flex value based on volume over the next few weeks.
Keaton Mitchell | Baltimore (23%)
Baltimore is coming off a disappointing 17-10 loss to their bitter rivals the Pittsburgh Steelers. The offense dropped multiple passes and looked stuck in the mud. Enter Mitchell. The UDFA may have limited touches, but there is an outside chance that Baltimore utilizes him a lot more than many predict. He has 4.37 speed and could inject some life and energy into this offense. He is a must stash.
Kendre Miller | New Orleans (15%)
New Orleans controlled the game from start to finish in an easy win over New England. Alvin Kamara had 25 touches, but Miller also contributed a career high 90 combined yards. Additionally, Miller caught four passes, tying Michael Thomas for the team lead in this category. The third-round pick can be used if you are in a jam at RB2. Houston has conceded seven RB2 or better performances- the most in the NFL.
Tight Ends
Gerald Everett | Los Angeles (24%)
Everett has provided little to no production and has been a fantasy afterthought but has a chance to turn it around coming off of a bye week. Donald Parham is dealing with a wrist injury, and the Chargers could ramp up the targets for Everett.
Dallas was burned by George Kittle last week in a three TD smash game. Everett finding the end zone in a game with a 50+ point total is very possible.
Dawson Knox | Buffalo (16%)
Dalton Kincaid is in the concussion protocol, and Knox could have the TE opportunities all to himself. Knox is dealing with a wrist injury himself, and has not had much of any fantasy production, but there is always a chance for a Josh Allen to Knox TD- especially with Kincaid sidelined.
Tyler Conklin | New York Jets (9%)
Could this finally be the week that Conklin finds the end zone? Conklin is coming off of a season high 67 receiving yards in Week 5’s win over Denver. He is a floor play, but a reliable low-end source of targets with at least five in every game since Zach Wilson took over as the starter. The Eagles have been generous to TEs this season.
Wide Receivers
Curtis Samuel | Washington (32%)
Samuel is only available in 68 percent of Yahoo League’s, which is a little higher than I usually list as a Sleeper. It is surprising that more fantasy managers have not been more aggressive adding him to their teams. Samuel has back-to-back games of 18 or more PPR points. He has outproduced Jahan Dotson this season and is challenging Terry McLaurin for most fantasy points among Washington wide receivers.
Josh Downs | Indianapolis (29%)
Much like Samuel, Downs has been picked up in many leagues, but if he is still available in your league, GO GET HIM. Downs had a career high 97 receiving yards and has been one of Gardner Minshew‘s favorite targets.
Minshew will now be the starter for at least four games. Downs is averaging over 11 yards per catch and has a shot at double digit targets this week. I am starting him in multiple spots.
Michael Wilson | Arizona (25%)
Wilson was invisible in Week 5’s loss to Cincinnati and had his worst production as a Pro. But a big positive for Wilson was that he had played in a season high 75-percent of snaps. The Rams are a tough defense for opposing pass catchers, but Arizona are significant underdogs, and Wilson will have some opportunities for downfield targets. In Week’s 3 and 4, Wilson combined for nine catches, 162 receiving yards, and two TDs.
DJ Chark | Carolina (16%)
Chark returns to the Sunshine State where he had the most fantasy success of his career in Jacksonville. The Carolina passing attack has centered around Adam Thielen, but Chark could see some additional targets as the Panthers try to keep up with the explosive Miami Dolphins offensive juggernaut. Chark has caught a TD in two of his last three games.
Kendrick Bourne | New England (15%)
Bourne had me in the first half, not gonna lie. I was intrigued by the early passing volume and targets for Bourne, but his production has crumbled along with the rest of the Patriots offense. Bourne had 19 targets in the first two games of the season, and only 13 in the last three.
He did lead New England in receiving yards last week (43). The Raiders defense will be a lot easier to deal with than New England’s last three opponents (Dallas, New Orleans, NY Jets), and we could see Bourne get back on track.
Robert Woods | Houston (17%)
Woods has been banged up with a rib injury, but he was able to practice on Thursday. He has had at least six targets in every game this season and has accumulated a shocking 40 targets on the year. Tank Dell will miss with a concussion, and Woods should see an uptick in opportunities against a tough New Orleans defense.
