Aaron Rodgers is penciled in for our sleeper/bust articles (and start ’em, sit ’em headaches) virtually every week. The Packers’ QB is on the good side of the coin this week, holding down a spot in our Week 6 fantasy sleepers. There’s been weird happenings for Rodgers in Green Bay all season, and it might be summed up by Rodgers throwing for fewer than 200 yards Week 5 yet saying it was his best performance of the season. More than ever, he’s fit a game-manager role. But as he proved with more than 400 yards in Week 4, he can still sling it when given the chance. A Monday Night Football matchup with the Lions might provide another opportunity to air it out.
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He’s joined in the picture above by Chase Edmonds, who most of you probably know as the handcuff to David Johnson. Thing is, Johnson’s dealing with injuries and Edmonds could see more usage than usual this week, even if Johnson plays. There should be a ton of points in Arizona’s game against Atlanta, and Edmonds would become even more exciting if Johnson was forced to miss out.
WEEK 6 NON-PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Minshew Mania has made its way to the sleeper article this week, too. We’re also high on the potential for fantasy points in the Redskins-Dolphins game, otherwise known as the Tua Bowl. When you can fit both Vernon Davis and Mike Gesicki into the TE sleepers, you’ve gotta do it.
It wasn’t a strong week for running back sleeper picks in Week 5. None of Ronald Jones, James White or Melvin Gordon got the playing time and usage to put up good lines. We did better in the passing game, nailing Kirk Cousins’ first good performance of the season, along with Will Fuller V’s monster game, and Auden Tate found the end zone, too. Sadly, Tyler Eifert let us down in the dream TE matchup against the Cardinals.
We also had a good Week 5 at streaming defenses. The 49ers’ D had its way with Baker Mayfield on Monday Night Football, while Gardner Minshew coughed the ball up enough for Carolina to have a solid fantasy outing.
For our Week 6 bust picks, click here.
WEEK 6 DFS LINEUPS:
Y! cash | Y! GPP | FD cash | FD GPP | DK cash | DK GPP
Week 6 Fantasy Sleepers: Running backs
Royce Freeman, Broncos vs. Titans (Billy Heyen). Freeman has averaged 14 touches per week in the first four weeks of the season. There’s nothing especially enticing about the matchup, but Freeman deserves a bit of love for being efficient, and he’s due to find the end zone.
Chris Thompson, Redskins @ Dolphins (Vinnie Iyer). They want to run more with Bill Callahan, and Adrian Peterson will be involved, but their best offensive skill player will do some nice damage, too.
Chase Edmonds, Cardinals vs. Falcons (Matt Lutovsky). Edmonds has seen an uptick in touches the past two weeks, going from four to six to 11 last week. He had his best game of the season, too, rushing for 68 yards and a score while adding another 18 yards receiving. With David Johnson bothered by a back injury, Edmonds should see 10-12 touches again. Against an Atlanta defense struggling in all facets, he has FLEX upside.
WEEK 6 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
Week 6 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Quarterbacks
Gardner Minshew, Jaguars vs. Saints (Heyen). Coming off 374 passing yards and 42 rushing yards, Minshew isn’t flying under fantasy owners radars anymore. He’s a safe play who’s only thrown one interception (although lost four fumbles). It doesn’t hurt that the Saints have given up the second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks in 2019.
Andy Dalton, Bengals @ Ravens (Iyer). There’s nothing scary about Baltimore’s pass defense, and he should deliver some more production for you in garbage time again.
Aaron Rodgers, Packers vs. Lions (Lutovsky). Rodgers’ poor fantasy stats are well documented, but we know he can still put up big passing numbers (see Week 4) and there’s bound to be some positive regression after last week’s rushing TD bonanza. Green Bay’s offense is moving with ease, which is the most important thing. Rodgers has absolutely owned the Lions in his career (4,526 yards, 40 total TDs in 18 career games), and with Davante Adams (toe) expected back, we could see vintage Rodgers on Monday night.
WEEK 6: Waiver pickups | FAAB planner | Trade values | Snap counts
Week 6 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Wide receivers
Michael Gallup, Cowboys @ Jets (Heyen). Gallup’s worst game in his three healthy outings this year was six catches for 68 yards. The Jets’ defense is vulnerable, so Gallup should be able to get open all over the field, including deep.
Preston Williams, Dolphins vs. Redskins (Iyer). He has the most promise with Josh Rosen and can come through here with his first NFL score.
Christian Kirk/KeeSean Johnson, Cardinals vs. Falcons (Lutovsky). The Falcons have been torched the past two weeks by A.J. Brown and Will Fuller specifically and by the Titans and Texans passing offenses as a whole. Kirk had seen 37 targets through the first four games before missing last week because of an ankle injury. If he’s active, he should have a big game, and if he’s out again, KeeSean Johnson, who had seven targets last week, will be a solid play.
MORE WEEK 6 DFS: Values | Stacks | Lineup Builder
Week 6 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Tight ends
Mike Gesicki, Dolphins vs. Redskins (Heyen). The Redskins’ defense has been bad in general, and they’ve been below league average against the Redskins, too. Gesicki’s played the majority of snaps this season for the Dolphins, and he has enough athleticism to make something happen in an ugly shootout.
Noah Fant, Broncos vs. Titans (Iyer). Tennessee can be leaky in coverage inside because its corners funnel everything there with good physical work on the perimeter.
Vernon Davis, Redskins @ Dolphins (Lutovsky). Miami hasn’t allowed a TE touchdown or more than 54 yards to a TE since Week 1, but it also hasn’t faced a slate of top TEs (Patriots, Cowboys, Chargers). Davis, assuming he returns from a concussion, will be the best the Dolphins have faced since Mark Andrews in the opening week, and he should get enough volume (average of 4.8 targets/game) to put up decent numbers with Case Keenum expected back.
Week 6 Fantasy Sleepers: Defenses
Miami Dolphins vs. Redskins (Heyen). Bring on whoever the Redskins start at QB. If there’s one matchup where the Dolphins’ defense can thrive all season, it’s this one. They’re not the top defense this week, by any means, but if your D/ST has a tough matchup or bye on tap, I can promise you that Miami is available.
Green Bay Packers vs. Lions (Iyer). Give them the emotional prime-time bump Monday at Lambeau to make a few big plays against Matthew Stafford.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Texans (Lutovsky). Kansas City can generate enough pressure to get sacks and cause some turnovers. Indianapolis dominated the Chiefs because it controlled the game on the ground; Houston won’t be able to do that.