Fantasy Football Projections: NFL Week 6 Start, Sit, and Sleepers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are back in action this week as they take on the Atlanta Falcons. It’s their second divisional contest this season, and it’s also their second on the road. Getting a win will be crucial to getting their season back on the playoff trajectory it once was, but let’s talk about getting you onto your fantasy football league’s playoff path, shall we?

First, here’s how we did last week.

QUARTERBACKS (1.5/3): Ben Roethlisberger took it to the Atlanta Falcons with three touchdowns. His one interception did bring his numbers down a bit, and landed him at QB7. Russell Wilson did better than I expected, but at QB12 we’re calling that one a push. The New Orleans defense continues to look better each week, and Alex Smith fell victim to this fact in Week 5. Coming in at QB18 doesn’t reward the risk we took putting him in as our sleeper.

RUNNING BACKS (1/3): Would you believe me if I said I mistakenly flipped the order of our start and sit last week? Me neither. T.J. Yeldon took off for RB5 points while Chris Thompson also failed against New Orleans’ defense. Perhaps Yeldon is finally becoming what I thought he could be – I put him on my roster every year but this one thus far in his career. Still not 100% confident in him moving forward until he shows a string of consistency. Austin Ekeler saved us here, and continues to put up RB2 numbers despite playing behind Melvin Gordon.

RECEIVERS (1/3): The rough week continued here as Corey Davis just didn’t get it done in Week 5. Although, I don’t blame him. The Titans were on my ‘do not draft’ list, meaning I targeted nobody on their entire roster when going into my drafts. This is why. Odell Beckham Jr. made good on our two touchdown projection though, giving us a WR3 for our starter. Austin Hooper continues to do the opposite of what I say he’ll do – we’ll test that theory this week – and turned in a TE3 performance following his big-time letdown in Week 4. Let’s see what Week 6 Hooper has to offer, later on.

DEFENSE AND SPECIAL TEAMS (1/3): The hits keep on coming. I said when we picked Denver against the Jets it was sort of a sleeper pick and the success of it would really hinge on how New York’s offense did more than anything. Well. They did good. And Denver came in at D/ST19 because of it. Tennessee couldn’t let Davis be the only one to make me regret rolling the dice on the Titans, and they turned in a D/ST18 performance as our sleeper of Week 5. Jacksonville delivered on our sit advice though, and fell to D/ST21 against the high flying Kansas City Chiefs.

TOTAL (38%): Look away! Something about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers not playing just threw us all out of whack. We took some shots, and unfortunately paid dearly for our boldness. Let’s not get too safe though, you don’t come here to read, “Start Le’Veon Bell.” Although, that wouldn’t be the best advice either.

Moving on! The Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints are off and the New York Giants lost to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday Night. Let’s check out what the weekend schedule has in store for you fantasy football enthusiasts.

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START: Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams (@ Denver Broncos)

Currently sitting at QB5, Goff should be able to exploit a Broncos defense surrendering more than 18 points on average to opposing quarterbacks while giving up nine touchdowns thus far. With plenty of quick targets to throw to, the Rams will likely look to use the screen game quite a bit, and should find success in doing so.

SIT: Mitch Trubisky, Chicago Bears (@ Miami Dolphins)

The Bears beat-up on one Florida team the last time we saw them, but now they have to go in to the state to face another. Don’t expect six touchdowns from Trubisky against Miami.

SLEEPER: Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@ Atlanta Falcons)

Finishing our road-trip three pack for this week’s fantasy football quarterback projections, Jameis Winston is going to be our sleeper.

With Atlanta’s defense still reeling from key injuries to players like Deion Jones and Keanu Neal, we should be able to see Winston get solid time in the pocket this weekend.

Time is always the friend of the offense and enemy of the defense. With so many targets running around for Tampa Bay, Winston should be able to put up solid numbers in his first week back as the Bucs’ starting quarterback.

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START: James Conner, Pittsburgh Steelers (@ Cincinnati Bengals)

The Steelers are more worried about Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown than they are Le’Veon Bell currently. And it’s all because of James Conner.

In his second-year out of Pitt, Conner has shown he can be a true three-down back and has made the Steelers brass look like geniuses for not caving in to Bell’s demands.

Going up against Cincy, Conner should have another good outing and keep proving to everyone why he was the right man for the job this season.

SIT: Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys (vs Jacksonville Jaguars)

Alright folks, I know we took it on the chin last week because of some big gambles, but I just can’t go against what my instincts say.

The Jaguars are going to look to make Dak Prescott beat them. This means keying in on Zeke and forcing the Cowboys to lean on their passing game more than they want. Elliott can catch and run though too, and that’s where this projection makes me nervous.

SLEEPER: Marshawn Lynch, Oakland Raiders (vs Seattle Seahawks)

Lynch has had some good moments and some not so good moments on his way to being this season’s RB13 thus far.

I feel like he’ll have more good than bad this weekend against his former squad as the Seattle Seahawks enter the black hole.

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START: Austin Hooper, Atlanta Falcons (vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Alright, Austin. Thus far this season when I say start him, he flops. When I say bench him, he shows out.

Since I’m a Bucs fan at heart, I’m going to go ahead and project him as a startable option this week against Tampa Bay.

Problem is, this is probably the week he makes good on my projection.

SIT: Kelvin Benjamin, Buffalo Bills (@ Houston Texans)

There was a time Kelvin Benjamin looked like the next big thing coming out of Florida State. But then injury, and fat Kelvin emerged.

Perhaps Benjamin’s career will get back on track sooner or later. Perhaps not.

Either way, if it does, it won’t be with Buffalo and it won’t be in this game against the Texans.

SLEEPER: Jimmy Graham, Green Bay Packers (vs San Francisco 49ers)

San Francisco is giving up 9.36 points per game to fantasy football tight ends on average, which is good for eighth-most.

He’s coming into this week as TE8 so far for 2018, so calling him a sleeper isn’t exactly a stretch projection, but for you DFS folks out there, Graham might be worth inserting into your lineups and save you some cap space while turning in Top-5 numbers this weekend.

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START: Houston Texans (vs Buffalo Bills)

According to three PFF fantasy experts (Scott Barrett, Dan Clasgens, and Jeff Ratcliffe) the Texans will be the number-one defense in fantasy football this week.

I have zero confidence in the Buffalo Bills’ offense, and must agree with those three.

Of the other two who report their weekly rankings, Pat Thorman has Houston as his second unit, and Daniel Kelley has them sixth this weekend.

Even if Kelley is the correct one, you’ll still be happy.

SIT: New England Patriots (vs Kansas City Chiefs)

I asked last weekend if the Kansas City Chiefs were the AFC’s Super Bowl favorites and got some mixed reactions.

Beating the AFC team which represented the conference last should help convince some of the ones who just weren’t convinced.

SLEEPER: Baltimore Ravens (@ Tennessee Titans)

The Titans’ offense looks terrible. The Ravens should do pretty well.