Fantasy Football Projections Week 6: Sleepers and Predictions

As we enter Week 6 of the NFL season, we are beginning to fins out who are the contenders and who are the pretenders. The likes of Buffalo, Detroit and San Francisco have made the leap from NFL bottom-dwellers to NFL elite whilst the likes of Philadelphia, Chicago and Indianapolis are moving in the opposite direction.

With six teams on a bye this week, it may be make or break time already for your fantasy team. Injuries to key players such as Andre Johnson, Tim Hightower and LeGarrette Blount may have made this week harder than most to find replacements and just like the NFL, this is the week you start to separate the men from the boys in fantasy football.

Less of the ramblings, more of the predictions. Off we go...

Carolina @ Atlanta

Picks Against Spread – Atlanta by four

Yahoo Community Pick’Em

Atlanta 81 percent
Carolina 19 percent

My Pick – Atlanta

Cam Newton is really exceeding all expectations as the No. 1 player taken in last year’s draft. Newton has played at, dare I say, an elite caliber this year.  Unfortunately, his schedule has been far from kind. Chicago, Green Bay and New Orleans were all playoff teams last year and now they face 2010 NFC South division champs Atlanta, in Matty Ice’s Atlanta Dome. Nobody said it was going to be easy.

Indianapolis @ Cincinnati

Picks Against Spread – Cincinnati by seven

Yahoo Community Pick’Em

Cincinnati 83 percent
Indianapolis 17 percent

My Pick – Cincinnati

I advise any people who may even be considering watching this game to go and check yourself into some kind of mental hospital. The Colts are in shambles and the Bengals are far from entertaining. This is the dumpster game of the week.

It’s hard to see the Colts winning a game as it stands, never mind a road game. Their performances really solidify the argument as to why Peyton Manning has been MVP four times. Clearly, he is invaluable to the Colts. The Bengals win this one but the game is going to be far from pretty.

San Francisco @ Detroit

Picks Against Spread – Detroit by four

Yahoo Community Pick’Em

Detroit 85 percent
San Francisco 15 percent

My Pick – Detroit

Is it just me or does Detroit toy with their opponents? They give up a sizable lead only for them to come back and assert their dominance. They did it last week against Chicago, then again with Dallas and then Minnesota. It’s almost like they prefer to come from behind and win the hard way rather than the more traditional method of be the better team throughout the four quarters.

San Francisco has surprised me. I didn’t expect them to win in Philadelphia, but to almost everyone’s surprise they did. Then last week, I didn’t expect them to beat the Buccaneers and they annihilated them. Maybe it’s a bad omen if I pick the Lions and the 49ers will win in a whitewash. Well, they will begin to until Detroit stages another comeback to win the game. Lions go 6-0 and stay tied with the Packers for first place in the NFC North.

St. Louis @ Green Bay

Picks Against Spread – Green Bay by 15

Yahoo Community Pick’Em

Green Bay 99 percent
St. Louis one percent

My Pick – Green Bay

I have the utmost confidence that the Packers will win this game. By the Yahoo Community Pick’em results, I think a lot of other people share my beliefs. As a result of this, I won’t bore you with details.

Buffalo @ New York Giants

Picks Against Spread – New York by three

Yahoo Community Pick’Em

Buffalo 66 percent
New York 34 percent

My Pick – New York

I’ve been going back and forth with this pick all week. Both teams present a very good case as to why they will win this game. Whilst New York is coming off a demoralizing loss to the Seahawks, Buffalo is coming in off a high from beating Philadelphia.

So what swung my pick towards New York? Remember back to when the Bills beat the Patriots in Buffalo.

It was a great victory, but they followed that up with a loss to the Bengals in Cincinnati. They go on to beat the Eagles back in Buffalo. See the trend. The emotional high from beating the ‘dream team’ and then they go on the road and face a tougher team than the Bengals. I’ll take the Giants, but I’m far from confident in that.

Jacksonville @ Pittsburgh

Picks Against Spread – Pittsburgh by 13

Yahoo Community Pick’Em

Pittsburgh 98 percent
Jacksonville two percent

My Pick – Pittsburgh

You’re telling me that Blaine Gabbert is going to march into Heinz Field and leave with a victory? Child Please. Injuries ‘n’ all, Pittsburgh will teach Blaine Gabbert a lesson.

Philadelphia @ Washington

Picks Against Spread – Philadelphia by one

Yahoo Community Pick’Em

Washington 50 percent
Philadelphia 50 percent

My Pick – Philadelphia

Here's another game where I’ve dithered about over this week. On one hand, you have a desperate Eagles team who should be scared to death of going 1-5. Then you have the Washington redskins, at home and eager to add insult to injury in beating the Eagles and sending them in a downward spiral of humiliation.

In the end, I’ve gone with the Eagles for the reason that there is no way Andy Reid will let his team get down in the dumps. He won't accept that this is just not their season. The defence has some major problems and they should look to improve.

The Offense isn’t functioning outside of LeSean McCoy and it’s about time Mike Vick has the fantasy game we’ve all been waiting for. For those who may have forgotten, Michael Vick had one of the greatest games ever played by an NFL quarterback in this fixture last season.

Granted that was a Monday night master class, but he can still put up points up against this defence.

Houston @ Baltimore

Houston @ Baltimore

Picks Against Spread – Baltimore by eight

Yahoo Community Pick’Em

Baltimore 88 percent
Houston 12 percent

My Pick – Baltimore

With key players like Mario Williams and Andre Johnson out through injury, the Texans lose their two biggest playmakers on either side of the ball. With Baltimore fresh coming off a bye week and at home, it’s hard to make a case as to why the Texans can win this game. Arian foster and Matt Schaub are going to need a big, mistake-free days to bring home a victory.

I can’t see that happening against this aggressive Ravens defence looking to win take advantage of Pittsburgh’s slow start.

Cleveland @ Oakland

Picks Against Spread – Oakland by seven

Yahoo Community Pick’Em

Oakland 94 percent
Cleveland six percent

My Pick – Oakland

An emotional victory for the Raiders against Houston last week wouldn’t be without Raider fashion. They made a game winning interception with only 10 Raiders on the field.  Though the past week has been very exhausting, both physically and mentally, I expect the Raiders to win this one. The game should be a testament to the way Al Davis likes his football, where the Raiders should look to exploit the Browns with ‘the deep ball.’

Dallas @ New England

Picks Against Spread – New England by seven

Yahoo Community Pick’Em

New England 91 percent
Dallas nine percent

My Pick – New England

Though Tom Brady may not have been all that impressive, the Patriots have figured out they can run the ball pretty well. This causes nightmares for any defensive coordinator, when you come up against a team who can beat you with either their running or passing game.

Not Rob Ryan though. Rob Ryan is scared of nobody. Rob Ryan probably still thinks the Cowboys are the greatest defence since the ’85 Bears.

They are very far from that level. Expect a shootout with two explosive passing offenses and a lot of points to be put up here.

New Orleans @ Tampa Bay

New Orleans @ Tampa Bay

Picks Against Spread – New Orleans by four

Yahoo Community Pick’Em

New Orleans 92 percent
Tampa Bay eight percent

My Pick – New Orleans

The possibility of no LeGarrette Blount puts a lot of pressure on Josh Freeman to beat the Saints. Then you take away the inside force of Gerald McCoy on the defence and you are left with two great players missing on either side of the ball.

The Saints expect to have Marques Colston back for this game also which only adds to their offensive firepower and though they are outside, I can’t see Josh Freeman leading the Bucs to victory on Sunday.

Minnesota @ Chicago

Picks Against Spread – Chicago by three

Yahoo Community Pick’Em

Chicago 80 percent
Minnesota 20 percent

My Pick – Chicago

Another pick which I mulled over for a while until reaching a concrete decision. The Chicago defence is far from elite. They have given up more big plays in five games than they did the whole of last season. With Julius Peppers doubtful and a complete Safety rotation, they are definitely giving Minnesota a good shot at stealing one. Adrian Peterson is licking his lips at playing against this defence. They managed to make Jahvid Best look, well, good. And that is very hard to do.

The Offense really needs to get into a groove and protect Cutler. Mike Martz has finally realised that Matt Forte is the best player Chicago has and needs to give him the ball and give it him often. Expect a large dose of quick passes to the shifty receivers and Matt Forte to carry the ball plenty of times. This is the recipe Chicago must follow if they want to win this game. If Martz is too stubborn to change his philosophy, the Bears will lose. If he can, they will win.

Miami @ New York

Miami @ New York

Picks Against Spread – New York by seven

Yahoo community Pick’Em

New York 94 percent
Miami six percent

My Pick – New York

I do not believe Matt Moore is capable of leading an anaemic Miami offense into New Meadowlands Stadium and upsetting the Jets in primetime Monday Night Football. Whilst Brandon Marshall is a great receiver and talks all the trash he wants, he still has to remember that a) he’s going up against Darrelle Revis and b) he’s got Matt Moore throwing him the ball. That’s not a good combination.

Fantasy Football Sleepers: QB-RB-WR-TE-D/ST

QB – Tony Romo – Patriots defence couldn’t stop a nose bleed at the moment

QB – Mark Sanchez – He might not play well, but he does put up good fantasy numbers

RB – Ryan Torain – Even if Tim Hightower plays, he will still share the load against a weak Eagles D

RB – Daniel Thomas – He’s the best chance they have of getting anything out of this game.

WR – A.J. Green – He’s been phenomenal so far and has a great matchup against the leaky Colts

WR – Victor Cruz – He’s been getting more looks from Eli and is getting more playing time

TE – Tony Gonzalez - Julio Jones is banged up and Tony G could see a lot more targets this week

TE – Dustin Keller – Dolphins have given up the second most points to opposing Tight Ends

D/ST – Cincinnati – They are playing the Colts. Enough said.

D/ST – Pittsburgh – They haven’t been good this year, but this week they have the pitiful Jaguars

Fantasy Football Dreamers: QB-RB-WR-TE-D/ST

QB – Sam Bradford – Playing at Lambeau is a tough challenge for any quarterback

QB – Matt Schaub – No Andre Johnson and now they face a formidable Ravens team on the road.

RB – Jahvid Best – Monday night was an anomaly, Best still isn’t a good running back, as the 49ers will prove.

RB – Reggie Bush – Not even in PPR in a bye week. Thomas is back and Reggie downright sucks.

WR – Reggie Wayne – I may have called this a few weeks back, Painter likes Garcon over Reggie.

WR – Brandon Marshall – Revis, Matt Moore and a bad attitude going into the game.

TE – Dallas Clark – Fantasy wise, he’s done nothing at all this year. Bench/Drop him.

TE – Ed Dickson – Houston are good against tight end, giving up the third fewest fantasy points.

D/ST – Houston – Mario Williams is a big loss for them and Baltimore returns from a bye week.

D/ST – Chicago – They aren’t who we thought they were. Peppers is doubtful to play too.