We're all looking for that hidden gem to give our fantasy football team an edge, so we can kick back and relax on Sundays while gleefully watching our squad march to victory. Let Scott Pianowski help you rest easy this season with his top sleepers.
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The sleeper page had some hits in Week 5, notably Michael Carter, who headed the Arizona backfield committee and checked in at RB11. Jaxson Dart finished at QB16, with three turnovers taking away from two touchdown passes and 55 yards rushing. Kendre Miller had to share in New Orleans, as expected, but played well for another week.
Let’s see what’s available for Week 6.
RB Kimani Vidal at Dolphins (21%)
Vidal has barely played since joining the NFL in 2024, and he’ll obviously have to share with Hassan Haskins as the Chargers try to survive without Omarion Hampton (ankle). Haskins is around 50% rostered in Yahoo leagues, despite the fact that both of these backs are likely to play, and Miami’s rushing defense just got flattened by Rico Dowdle.
Call it a hot-hand situation, and Vidal probably has as good a chance as Haskins to do something useful. The Chargers have a skeleton crew on the offensive line, but Miami’s leaky front seven should offset some of that.
TE Mason Taylor vs. Broncos (33%)
I’m surprised Taylor has yet to graduate from this space, as his breakout is still somewhat ignored in fantasy leagues. His opportunity has increased for three straight weeks, culminating in last week’s 9-67-0 haul against the Cowboys. Taylor also caught a two-point conversion in that game, pushing him to a TE10 finish. He’s become the second passing option in the New York passing attack, and although the Denver draw isn’t ideal, he has easier matchups ahead.
TE AJ Barner at Jaguars (10%)
The Seattle passing game has been headlined by emerging star Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but don’t lose sight of the steady improvement Barner is showing. The second-year tight end already has four touchdown catches, and he logged a season-best 7-53-2 line in the barnburner against Tampa Bay, earning the TE1 post for the week. The Jaguars have been the eighth-best matchup for opposing tight ends. Touchdown equity is critical for sleeper TEs, and Barner has already earned it.
QB Bryce Young vs. Cowboys
This one takes a leap of faith, as Young has only cracked the top 20 at the position once in five starts. But the Dallas defense has been a sieve all season, escorting every opposing quarterback into a good spot (QB8, QB2, QB1, QB6, QB7).
And consider some of the names who have prospered against Dallas — Russell Wilson (since benched), Caleb Williams (a work in progress) and Justin Fields (forever inconsistent). The Cowboys routinely play pinball games — they score easily, but they keep the other team in the game — and that could push Young to his best game of the season.
WR Tyquan Thornton vs. Lions (20%)
This could be the last central Thornton start for a while, with Rashee Rice coming off suspension next week. But we can’t ignore that Thornton has touchdowns in three of his past four games, and his lone game without a spike was a useful 3-90-0 log at Jacksonville.
Thornton leads the NFL in deep targets and has become the featured deep threat in Kansas City; I suspect he holds some relevance even when this entire roster is available. And the Detroit matchup gets more fun, with the Lions riddled with injuries in the secondary.
RB Kenneth Gainwell vs. Browns (39%)
Gainwell was a Europe smash in Week 4 against the Vikings (134 total yards, two touchdowns), taking over when Jaylen Warren (knee) was scratched. Now the Steelers have returned to America and taken a week off, so Warren is presumed available for this week. But it’s possible Gainwell’s strong start has earned him a bigger share of the backfield work, and although the Cleveland draw this week isn’t ideal, two juicy Cincinnati matchups are coming soon (Week 7, Week 11). Even if you’re merely rostering Gainwell for depth, I’ll sign off.