I’ve already gone over the best bets for your Daily Fantasy lineup. While the top picks are necessary, sleepers also are major contributors to DraftKings lineups.
Last week, I identified Blake Bortles, Steve Smith Sr. and Jordan Howard as solid sleepers in DFS. Bortles finished third among quarterbacks, while Smith was a top-10 wide receiver option. Howard wasn’t a top running back, but still contributed double-digit points.
Here’s the top sleepers for week 5 Daily Fantasy Football in the NFL.
Quarterback
Eli Manning vs. Green Bay Packers
Manning is being way too undervalued in this Sunday night matchup. According to DraftKings, he’s going off as the 14th-most expensive quarterback against a team currently ranked fourth-worst in the NFL against the pass.
Injuries have hampered Green Bay’s secondary this season, and while there was some good news in practice this week, Green Bay will likely still miss some contributors in week 5. That bodes well for Manning and the Giants, which have made a living throwing the ball in the first few weeks of the season.
He’s thrown for more than 350 yards twice this season, and despite being limited last week, he still chucked the ball 45 times against Minnesota. Green Bay doesn’t allow teams to run and New York doesn’t mind throwing all day. Manning should have no problem throwing in week 5 and is a cheap option for some decent fantasy points.
Running Back
Jay Ajayi vs. Tennessee Titans
Miami coach Adam Gase said this week that using a four running back approach may have been an unwise decision. He could have asked me that question a few weeks ago and I could have told him that before he actually allowed that to happen.
But here we are in week 5 without a clear answer who will carry the ball for the Dolphins. But signs have emerged recently that Ajayi may be winning the bulk of the carries. He’s been by far the best option in the backfield since Arian Foster has been out with injury. And with Foster likely out again in week 5, it’s now or never for Ajayi.
And this could be an opportunity for Ajayi to put up some numbers as a sleeper. The weakest part of the Titans’ defense is the rush defense as it allows 110 yards per game. If Ajayi can get in a groove, he can put up some points.
Wide Receiver
Steve Smith vs. Washington Redskins
I’m doubling down on Smith who proved me right last week with his sleeper status. Smith is the No. 1 target on a team focused squarely on passing the ball.
He’s attracted more targets each of the season and he’s starting to put together bigger chunks of yardage. What helps in this matchup, too, is Washington’s inability to stop the pass. The Redskins allow 280 yards per game through the air, playing right into the Ravens’ gameplan.
Smith is trending up and shouldn’t be as cheap as he is on DraftKings. He’s currently going off as the 30th-most expensive option at wide receiver. He’s capable of being in the top-10 this week among wide receivers.
Tight End
Hunter Henry vs. Oakland Raiders
Philip Rivers has to throw to somebody. So why not a rookie filling in for the injured Antonio Gates?
Henry has filled in nicely for Gates, being targeted 12 times in the last two games, and netting a touchdown in week 4. The Chargers will likely look to pass often against Oakland, which owns the worst pass defense in the NFL.
And it doesn’t hurt that the Chargers like to pass anyway. For Rivers, he also likes to look for the tight end position in the red zone, which will help Henry’s value in Daily Fantasy Football.
Currently, he’s the 14th-most expensive option in Daily Fantasy, so he’s worth a flier as a sleeper based on the volume that I anticipate he will generate against Oakland.
