If your fantasy season isn’t off to a great start, don't panic. These boom or bust plays for Week 6 will get you sorted out.
Perhaps more so than any other season in recent memory, fantasy football is witnessing volatile swings in elite player production on a weekly basis. As a plethora of star players frustratingly disappoint, unheralded players continue to shockingly show out.
The role of this column is to highlight those players who are primed to either boom or bust in the week ahead due to expected game scripts, coach-speak or injuries.
Our list is intended to call attention to players who can potentially win your weekly matchup with outside-the-box suggestions.
If your fantasy season isn’t off to the hottest start, there is still plenty of time to turn it around. Here are our suggested boom/bust plays for Week 6 — starting with two players who likely were not drafted in the majority of leagues over the summer:
BOOMS
WR Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys
vs. Detroit; Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
Tolbert is quietly flying under the fantasy radar, posting 13-plus PPR performances in three of his five games this season. With Brandin Cooks (knee) on IR, the third-year wideout enjoyed his best game of the year last week. He finished as the overall WR12 after a seven-catch, 87-yard showing, which included a game-winning TD in Pittsburgh.
In Week 6, Tolbert draws a favorable matchup against a Lions defense that is allowing an average of 19.5 receptions and 218.3 receiving yards per game to opposing wide receivers. Expect Sleeper’s WR61 to easily crush his 7.1 PPR-point projection in a game that figures to be a shootout.
TE Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers
vs. Arizona; Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
Not many experts predicted that after the first five games Kraft would be the overall TE3 in PPR leagues and have more fantasy points than Sam LaPorta, Travis Kelce, Trey McBride, Dalton Kincaid or Mark Andrews.
But with Luke Musgrave (ankle) being placed on the IR on Thursday, Kraft will continue to flourish with his 82.3% snap share. On Sunday, Kraft faces a Cardinals defense that is fresh off allowing George Kittle to haul in eight receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown.
Fantasy managers who need a bye week or injury replacement should turn to Sleeper's projected TE7 (9.6 PPR points) in Week 6. Despite consecutive PPR outings of at least 17 points, Kraft is still available in 21% of Sleeper leagues and started in only 59%.
RB D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears
vs. Jacksonville; Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET
After three weeks of dismal production, Swift has exploded in consecutive games. The veteran back, who only posted a combined total of 19.4 PPR points in his first three games, has vaulted up to the overall RB17 after back-to-back performances of 20+ points.
Now he faces a Jaguars defense that is allowing an average of 134.8 total yards from scrimmage to opposing RBs. In fact, Jacksonville has allowed five opposing RBs to score at least 13.6 PPR points, struggling to stop dual-threat backs who thrive in the passing game.
Sleeper’s RB20 has a great opportunity to outperform his 11.7 PPR-point projection and outperform more popular options such as Travis Etienne, Brian Robinson and James Cook. Start your Sunday morning off with a boom performance while enjoying your breakfast and the early London kickoff.
BUSTS
QB Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
vs. Chicago; Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET
Lawrence posted QB1 production (22.1 points) for the first time this season in Week 5 against the Colts. Don’t let that detract from the fact that the Jaguars signal-caller still disappointingly sits as the overall QB19 behind Bo Nix, Aaron Rodgers, Daniel Jones and Derek Carr!
Across the pond, Lawrence will face a tough matchup against a Bears defense that has snagged more interceptions (six) than passing touchdowns allowed (two).
Despite his breakout performance last week, Lawrence should struggle to exceed his average of 14.4 points against a Chicago defense that has allowed the fewest fantasy points allowed to opposing QBs.
WR Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
vs. LA Chargers; Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
Sutton was drafted this summer as a high-end WR2. Despite two such games in Weeks 3 and 4, he has burned managers who invested in him. Ranking as the overall WR50, fantasy managers simply should not trust the veteran, who has been more bust than boom in five games this season.
In Week 6, the Broncos face a Chargers pass defense that has only allowed two receiving TDs to opposing WRs. Los Angeles has held opposing WR1s Davante Adams (59 receiving yards), Diontae Johnson (15) and George Pickens (57) in check and out of the end zone.
Despite bye weeks and a plethora of injuries at the position, fantasy owners need to try to avoid Sleeper’s projected WR33 (11.5 PPR points) since in order to exceed that projection he will likely need to find paydirt – something only Calvin Austin III and Xavier Worthy have been able to do against the Chargers secondary.
RB Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers
vs. Atlanta, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
As an owner of Hubbard in several leagues, it’s painful to list him in the bust section for the first time this season. The underrated back has exceeded expectations, averaging 16.1 PPR fantasy points per game – good enough for an overall RB7 ranking.
In Week 6, Hubbard draws a tough matchup against a Falcons defense that is allowing 98.4 rushing yards per game and, more crucially, just one TD total to opposing RBs this season.
On top of rushing for the fifth-most rushing yards (393) through five weeks, the emerging fourth-year back has been solid in the passing game as well, hauling in the second-most receptions (17) on the Panthers (behind only Diontae Johnson’s 23). Nevertheless, Hubbard will be hard-pressed to showcase his pass-catching catching prowess against an Atlanta defense that is only surrendering 23.2 passing yards per game to opposing backs.
Saquon Barkley and Alvin Kamara are the only RBs to have posted double-digit PPR production against the Falcons this season. Despite Hubbard’s impressive start and a Sleeper projection that has him becoming the third (12.3 PPR points), fantasy owners need to temper expectations.
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