If you happen to start some of the sleepers in last week’s fantasy football article, you may have benefitted from Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyjae Spears, Sam Howell, and Curtis Samuel all finishing inside the top 13 at their respective positions in PPR formats.
Let’s take a closer look at some of my sleepers who are quality starting options for your fantasy team in Week 6.
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Week 6 Fantasy Football Sleepers | Quarterbacks
Brock Purdy | San Francisco 49ers @ CLE
Brock Purdy is entering must-start territory with his red-hot start to the 2023 NFL season.
Purdy’s numbers are difficult to believe after tearing his UCL earlier this calendar year, but he has nine touchdown passes to zero interceptions with an additional two rushing scores through five games.
Keep in mind, he was essentially robbed of two passing touchdowns with screen passes to Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey that went down in the box score as rushing plays. His numbers could be even better.
While Purdy has the lowest passing attempts per game of any quarterback who has started five games this season, he makes up by having the highest air yards per attempt of all starting quarterbacks through the five games at 5.7.
If you blitz him, he knows which receiver is hot to get the ball out of his hands quickly. If you choose to sit back in coverage, he can dissect your defense with intermediate throws over the middle of the field by playing on time and throwing with anticipation consistently.
He may have the best weapons in the NFL, but this offense has never looked better than it has during Purdy’s time as the starting quarterback for the 49ers.
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I know they have a tough matchup against a stout Cleveland Browns defense, but Purdy just dropped 252 yards and four scores on a Super Bowl-caliber defense down there in Dallas.
Purdy is flirting with matchup-proof status if he continues to produce MVP-caliber numbers.
Derek Carr | New Orleans Saints @ HOU
One week after one of his worst fantasy performances of the season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Derek Carr bounced back with a decent two-score day in a blowout win against the New England Patriots defense.
This week, he will face off against a Houston Texans defense that gave up over 300 yards through the air against Desmond Ridder and the Falcons struggling passing attack.
Carr has been mostly a fantasy disappointment this season, but he could sneak inside the top 15 at the QB position against the Texans if he can manage to connect with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed on a couple of big shots down the field.
Week 6 Fantasy Football Sleepers | Running Backs
Roschon Johnson | Chicago Bears vs. MIN
This is a speculative play if Roschon Johnson can clear concussion protocol for Week 6, but assuming he does, he could be in for the biggest workload of his NFL career against the Minnesota Vikings.
Johnson has been off of most fantasy managers’ radar since his rookie debut, but his three-down skill set in an offense that has been moving in the right direction over the last two weeks means he could be a top-24 play at the RB position this week.
Tyjae Spears | Tennessee Titans vs. BAL
Fantasy managers should know by now that Spears is a high-upside handcuff for Derrick Henry.
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However, his recent production and usage in this Tennessee Titans offense suggest he has plenty of stand-alone fantasy value for your team every week.
He saw a season-high 11 total touches against the Indianapolis Colts, turned those opportunities into 69 total yards, and found the end zone for the time in his NFL career.
He has been one of the most efficient backs in the league on a per-carry basis (5.78) and has continued to get plenty of snaps and touches throughout the first five games of the season.
He is in the RB3 conversation this week against Baltimore.
Chuba Hubbard | Carolina Panthers @ MIA
For a second consecutive week, Chuba Hubbard has produced more total yards than starting running back Miles Sanders.
While Sanders was the more efficient back, he didn’t help his feature back status any by losing his second fumble of the season in Week 5.
The Miami Dolphins offense is likely to overwhelm the Carolina Panthers’ offense, which is still a work in progress with a rookie quarterback under center.
I wouldn’t expect the game script to produce a ton of rushing opportunities for Hubbard, but if the game gets out of hand heading into the second half, I could see a world where Hubbard out-touches and out-produces Sanders for a second straight week.
Week 6 Fantasy Football Sleepers | Wide Receivers
Josh Reynolds | Detroit Lions @ TB
The absence of Amon-Ra St. Brown did more for the fantasy value of Josh Reynolds than dynamic second-year wideout Jameson Williams in Week 5.
Reynolds led all wide receivers with five targets, four receptions, and 76 receiving yards while managing to find the end zone in comparison to Williams’ two catches for two yards.
Reynolds has been the best fantasy WR behind St. Brown in this offense this season. While many hope Williams will see his role expand shortly, Reynolds still feels like the better fantasy option in the short-term future against the Buccaneers in Week 6.
Rashid Shaheed | New Orleans Saints @ HOU
Shaheed is a fun, explosive player to watch, but his usage in the Saints passing game has been frustrating, to say the least.
The aforementioned Carr has failed to have a true breakout fantasy performance, which has left fantasy managers who are high on the big play weapons in this passing attack — like Olave and Shaheed — wanting much more than Carr’s four touchdown passes through the first five games of the 2023 season.
Well, a matchup against the Texans defense — who just gave up 329 yards through the air to the Falcons — may help rejuvenate this vertical passing game.
Curtis Samuel | Washington Commanders @ ATL
Samuel may be the third wheel in the Washington Commander’s WR room, but their involvement has nearly been identical through the first five games of the season.
- Terry McLaurin: 31 targets, 25 receptions, 261 yards, and one TD
- Jahan Dotson: 30 targets, 17 receptions, 140 yards, and one TD
- Curtis Samuel: 27 targets, 23 receptions, 243 yards, and two TDs (one rushing)
Washington quarterback Howell is spreading the ball around, which makes Samuel a viable flex option in deeper PPR leagues while usage continues at this rate.
Week 6 Fantasy Football Sleepers | Tight Ends
Cole Kmet | Chicago Bears vs. MIN
Cole Kmet followed up his 2023 fantasy breakout performance with a solid five receptions for 42 yards and a score against the Commanders in Week 5.
The offense has been red hot over the last two weeks, and Kmet has been a big part of the elite production from the passing game against the Denver Broncos and Commanders.
He is a top-10 play against a Vikings defense that allows an average of 9.9 fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends this season.
Gerald Everett | Los Angeles Chargers vs. DAL
Gerald Everett has come pretty close to finding pay dirt on a couple of occasions this season. He has also managed to get other potential touchdowns vultured by another tight end on the Los Angeles Chargers roster on three occasions this season.
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Well, if Donald Parham Jr. is unable to go against the Dallas Cowboys after sustaining a sprained wrist in Week 4, then Everett should figure to more snaps and targets in an offense that is still trying to sort out its passing game with Mike Williams out for the remainder of the 2023 season.