Bye weeks are upon us. Now we’re diving even deeper into the waiver wire or starting guys we may have never heard of coming into the season or those we thought retired.
Trey Sermon? Cordarrelle Patterson, is that you?
If you have moved on, facing key byes or are benching guys you believed were starters as the year began, Roto Street Journal is here to recommend sneaky replacements.
In its second season, Roto Street Journal presents the top five sleepers of each week. Maybe it’s guys you haven’t heard of. Maybe they’re new to the NFL or on a new team? Maybe they’re filling in for an injury? Regardless, these picks ended up on the right side of the ball more often than not last season.
Let’s be honest, do you really need to be told to start guys such as Jared Goff and Dak Prescott in what could be the highest scoring game of Week 6? Or to sit someone such as Raachad White who has a brutal matchup against New Orleans and in a timeshare?
But what you may need is that extra oomph to start someone you’re on the fence with. You also may have taken a gamble in the draft and feel depleted at a position and are looking to slide someone in this week slyly. And let’s be honest, this happens most weeks.
Last week, we saw Vikings’ QB Sam Darnold, Ravens’ RB Justice Hill, Chiefs’ WR Xavier Worthy, Raiders’ WR Tre Tucker and Bengals’ TE Eric All make the list.
No doubt one of our toughest weeks this season. I’d say sometimes you strike out, but this isn’t baseball. So we go back to the drawing board and analyze more matchups and more reasons why you need to start a boom/bust someone.
To help you out, I’ll give you my top five fantasy football Week 6 Sleepers and Streamers, and why.
Editor’s Note: These selections rank Tier 4 or lower (and Tier 3 for tight ends) on The Wolf’s Week 6 Rankings.
Daniel Jones, QB, New York Giants
vs Cincinnati Bengals
Every week I say there’s no way Daniel Jones can throw multiple touchdowns again, but here we are.
Jones is currently the 14th-best fantasy quarterback through five weeks. Yep. And ahead of guys such as Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts. Double yep.
Jones and the Giants face the Bengals in Week 6 at home. Cincinnati just allowed 348 yards and four passing touchdowns to Lamar Jackson and it hasn’t been much prettier in any other game this season for that secondary.
The Giants’ signal-caller went 23-for-34 passing for 257 yards and two touchdowns without Malik Nabers cross-country in Seattle. He has received support from Wan’Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton and Theo Johnson. A 120-plus yard game from backup running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. helped the unlikely balance of the New York offense. Tracey Jr. could see further work in Week 6, too, with Singletary not fully recovered from his groin injury. Nabers (concussion) could also be back in action also.
Jones ranks in Tier 4 (QB 17) on The Wolf’s Week 6 Rankings.
Austin Ekeler, RB, Washington Commanders
@ Baltimore Ravens
Although not officially ruled out, Brian Robinson Jr. (knee) did not practice in any capacity this week leading up to the Battle of the Beltways.
Not only would Austin Ekeler be featured as the lead back on Sunday, he’ll also be a safety valve in the passing game for Jayden Daniels.
We can’t ignore that Daniels is completing a league-best 77% of passes and making a case for Rookie-of-the-Year. But we can complete a deeper dive into that statistic and see he’s having some of that success come from bubble passes: a pass a few yards beyond the line of scrimmage that allows a player to run in some open lanes.
While we’ve seen longer passes, Daniels and Ekeler could punch away at the veteran’s back specialty of yards after the catch out of the backfield or near the line of scrimmage.
Only Terry McLaurin has found consistent success as a pass-catcher so far this season, and in a matchup between the No. 1 and 2 current best-scoring offenses in the league, we could see them firing on all cylinders. Definites in journalism are always no-nos, but Daniels will need Ekeler on Sunday. Book it.
Ekeler ranks in Tier 5 (RB 36) on The Wolf’s Week 6 Rankings.
Jerome Ford, RB, Cleveland Browns
@ Philadelphia Eagles
Jerome Ford will not have competition from Nick Chubb for at least one more week after the veteran back was officially ruled out Friday despite his Physically Unable to Perform list practice window opening.
Cleveland’s offense with Deshaun Watson is miserable. But Watson has a chance this week to prove all hope shouldn’t be lost for him as the Browns’ starter.
The Eagles rank 27th in total yards per game, meaning Watson and Ford, with the Browns’ offense, should stay on the field longer than they have in other games this season.
Ford has shown sparks of relevancy this season, having two games with double-digit points in PPR. He also found the end zone in Week 1. However, touchdowns have been hard to come by for Cleveland, so there may be at least 30 other options better than Ford if you’re banking on a touchdown.
Jerry Jeudy, who had a prime matchup in Week 5, managed only one catch. But Cleveland tried to lean on Ford, giving him 12 total touches. Ford is no stranger to receiving, and God forbid the Browns can’t get its run game jiving, Ford can adjust to be an asset in the passing game.
Ford ranks in Tier 5 (RB 28) on The Wolf’s Week 6 Rankings.
Jalen Tolbert, WR, Dallas Cowboys
vs Detroit Lions
In Dallas’ first full game without Brandin Cooks (knee, injured reserve), Jalen Tolbert, in the Cowboys’ No. 2 role, garnered 10 targets, bringing in seven and finding the end zone.
He saw one more target than CeeDee Lamb, but the Steelers’ defensive coverage is anything but forgiving.
Detroit allows the second-most fantasy points to opposing receivers. And with Tolbert succeeding (more so in PPR) prior to Cooks’ departure, he should continue to be in line for productive weeks. Tolbert has at least 13 PPR points in three of his last four games.
It’s also important to note that Dallas has a bye in Week 7, so even if the team has plans to fully replace Cooks or adjust the offense, it likely didn’t do it ahead of the bye.
Tolbert ranks in Tier 6 (WR 40) on The Wolf’s Week 6 Rankings.
Tyler Conklin, TE, New York Jets
vs Buffalo Bills
Trying to find a sleeper tight end, let alone a good-scoring tight end, is vomit-inducing.
We aren’t venturing down the Josh Whyle rabbit hole again, so we’ll stick with Tyler Conklin. Conklin, a guy that feels like has been in the NFL forever, and yet, still on a dumpster fire team.
Maybe with Robert Saleh fired, the Jets will have some big come-uppence of camaraderie and win a division game.
Conklin does have 17 targets in the Jets’ previous two games. He’s still looking for his first touchdown, but he’s at least a favorite of Aaron Rodgers. I don’t expect Davante Adams to be traded and suited up by Monday night, so Rodgers will need more than Garrett Wilson to send multiple passes to.
It’s good to note that, at least in PPR, Conklin has reached double digits twice already this season.
Conklin ranks in Tier 3 (TE 14) on The Wolf’s Week 6 Rankings.
