It’s time to take a look at the best sleepers in the week 6 Daily Fantasy Football world. Last week was a hit and miss.
I whiffed on Eli Manning and Steve Smith (thanks to an injury), but wasn’t horrible on Jay Ajayi, who finished 17th among running backs in points, and Hunter Henry, who placed third among tight ends.
I’ll pick the best sleeper at each position at DraftKings to help maximize your lineup to include a few top picks and cheap options who can contribute in week 6.
The price list is according to DraftKings.
Quarterback
Alex Smith vs. Oakland Raiders
I don’t have to risk a ton on a quarterback throwing it 40 times a game? Sign me up.
The last time we saw Smith, he threw it 50 times against Pittsburgh. But that’s not the first time he’s thrown it all over the yard.
He has thrown 37 or more passes in three of four games this season. That’s too much for continued success for Kansas City, but even with a bit of a drop off in volume this week, he still should put up good numbers.
Oakland’s pass defense is atrocious, ranking as the worst defense in the NFL. Andy Reid’s bye record speaks for itself at 15-2 and the Chiefs will likely try to get the running game going.
But even with increased attention to the rushing game, Smith still should be able to see 25 to 30 passes this week. And even with the less volume, the Raiders have proven on a weekly basis that each pass can go for a solid gain.
Smith is the 21st-cheapest quarterback on DraftKings. That’s a solid number for a quarterback who has seen plenty of volume and facing such a bad defense.
Running Back
Isaiah Crowell vs. Tennessee Titans
This is a case where I believe experts are overvaluing Tennessee’s rush defense.
The Titans have been a decent defense in the past. So this is not a surprise that they rank in the top-half of the NFL in total defense. But against the run this season, they’re better on paper than in real life.
Sometimes statistics lie. Look at the teams Tennessee has faced this season. Minnesota, Detroit, Oakland, Houston and Miami are past opponents. For the season, three of those five teams rank in the bottom 10 of the NFL in rushing yards, with Miami and Minnesota ranking as the worst rushing teams in the NFL.
Houston is middle of the pack at No. 15, while Oakland is a top-10 rushing team. Against those two teams, the Titans have allowed a combined 209 yards rushing. In the other three games against inferior rushing teams, Tennessee has allowed a combined 186 yards on the ground.
Tennessee beats up on bad rushing teams. For all their deficiencies, Cleveland does run the ball at 124.8 yards per game.
Crowell is the bell-cow for Cleveland, so he should get a look in Daily Fantasy. Currently, he’s $3,400 cheaper than the top option for the week on DraftKings. He’s a sleeper you can’t ignore.
Wide Receiver
Davante Adams vs. Dallas Cowboys
Eventually Aaron Rodgers will go for a monster game. But even if he doesn’t, Adams is still a receiver you can’t ignore in Daily Fantasy.
He’s currently at $3,900 on DraftKings, just $900 more than the lowest options available on the Daily Fantasy site. And even though he’s a clear-cut No. 3, he plays more like what a No. 2 would be on another team.
He has a touchdown in three of four games this season and he’s being targeted at a healthy clip. And during his last game, he chipped in 85 yards to go along with the touchdown reception, something not seen this season.
He’s a drop machine, but for some reason, Rodgers trusts him. He offers some speed, which the Packers are missing, so that will allow him to be a viable option for this offense.
Adams has a plus-matchup in week 6 against Dallas. While everyone’s salivating for Dallas this season, they’re still pretty mediocre against the pass at 270 yards through the air. If Dallas can’t keep the ball away from Rodgers, he can definitely exploit this defense.
And expect Adams to see a healthy number of targets before the week is over.
Tight End
Coby Fleener vs. Carolina
Fleener has been a tremendous disappointment so far this season. He was a top tight end entering this season in fantasy football, but has produced in only one game in 2016.
Other than a 109-yard outburst in week 3 against Atlanta, he’s mustered no more than 29 yards in either of his other three games.
But this offense is still friendly toward tight ends. And against Carolina that will matter. The Panthers are allowing the fourth-most points against tight ends this season. New Orleans is coming off a bye, so I’d hope they worked on trying to get Fleener more involved in the offense.
He’s currently sitting as the 14th-ranked tight end on DraftKings. He should provide enough value at that spot to be a top-three tight this week in Daily Fantasy Football.
