6 sleeper fantasy football picks to consider in Week 6

Sleeper is a nebulous term in fantasy football. One size never fits all with any shaft.

My goal with this piece is to help you think about fantasy players who may be overlooked or underrated, whether that’s as stopgap fill-ins, potential depth acquisitions, or perhaps a driving force for a promotional play or DFS slot. As always, your mileage may vary, and you know your league—and your specific needs—better than any outsider.

It was a normal return to the sleeper page last week. Curtis Samuel came in (and deserves another shot this week; only 31% rostered) and Zach Ertz was semi-successful, as someone mentioned in passing. The other plays were a net loss, but such is life on the sleepy streets. We know what we’re dealing with.

QB Sam Howell (36%, at Atlanta)

Howell has turned into a fantasy quarterback that you can sometimes play with, but might not want to watch. He takes too many sacks, and sometimes he trusts his athleticism too much and it will take him down a bad path (see the touchdown he gave Arizona in Week 1). But the Falcons have one of the worst pass rushes in the league (just five sacks), so Howell will probably have more time to work this week (just be aware, sacks are generally more of a quarterback stat than a blocking stat).

Washington OC Eric Bieniemy isn’t afraid to go into a passing-heavy script, especially if the leaders are falling behind. I wouldn’t advise you to watch three hours of Washington football (and the Falcons can drive you crazy, too), but I would approve of Howell for a deeper start in the league or considering streaming.

QB Gardner Minshew (6%, Jacksonville)

Gardner Minshew’s Revenge Game? I’m here for that. The Colts’ offense has interesting pieces – a legitimate target hog in Michael Pittman Jr., an emerging (and sleep-worthy) option in Josh Downs, a backfield that now includes Jonathan Taylor and Zach Moss, and the creative schemes of new head coach Shane Steichen. The Jaguars are below average in YPA allowed, which is roughly league average in passer rating allowed.

The timing of the game is also in the Colts’ favor – Jacksonville returns to America after two games in London and a huge upset win over Buffalo. Jaguars can go flat in this place. I expect the Colts offense to maintain this competitiveness, and at least meet its implied total of 21 points. Minshew approved if you need to dig deep.

Derrick Henry’s managers don’t like to think about it, but Spears has an important role in Tennessee’s offense. The Spurs have accounted for 37 touches in four weeks, including a 12-touchdown, 69-yard game (with a touchdown) last week. Spears is clearly the preferred receiving option for running backs, and Tennessee could have to chase the game a bit against Baltimore. This isn’t just an emergency selection for your backfield; Spears must now be viewed as someone who provides value in her own right. And if Henry ever suffers an injury, the Spurs could be an impactful pick, especially given some of the exciting matchups Tennessee has lined up for the second half of the year.

Even if Spears is on your list, keep him top of mind. Tennessee has a Week 7 bye, and unless it blows up in that spot, it could be dropped in some groups next week. If so, be prepared to pounce.

We mentioned Curtis Samuel and Josh Downs above, both of whom are favorites over Cooks. But maybe you need to take it down a notch, and that’s where I’ll consider Dallas’ future. The Cowboys’ offense has looked lost in two recent losses, but the Chargers’ defense is a good unit — they allow 8.3 YPA and most of the fantasy points to wide receivers. Although Cox did not feature in any games, he was not completely ignored, scoring 15 goals in three weeks. If he ramps up that usage a bit, he could sneak into WR3 territory at a time when the receiver landscape is particularly barren.

(If you’re looking at Minnesota wideout in this area, note that Jordan Addison is already listed at over 90% in Yahoo, and KJ Osborn is shooting for 61%. They’re good plays, but they don’t fit the purpose of this column.)

The Saints defense is often a group to avoid, but Schultz is still worthy of attention. He’s coming off a season-best 7-65-1 (on 10 targets), and the Texans’ receiver room is dealing with a cluster of injuries. CJ Stroud clearly trusts Schultz at key points, especially at the goal line (touchdowns in two straight weeks). Schultz is another player I’d consider keeping through Week 7 – Houston’s schedule has a lot of green (i.e., plus playoffs) games in the second half of the year.

Raiders D/ST (36%, vs. New England)

The Falcons’ defense will get plenty of fantasy pursuit with Sam Howell’s sack issue coming to town, but Atlanta’s pass rush may not be able to take full advantage. I’m interested in the Raiders’ defense, which was surprisingly active in the win over Green Bay on Monday. And I simply don’t trust Mac Jones to make good decisions right now; The Patriots offense appears broken. Run defenses usually boil down to picking weak offenses and riding the home favorite whenever you can. The Raiders check both of these boxes.