Between injuries, disappointing players, and bye weeks, building competitive fantasy football lineups is becoming increasingly challenging. Sure, there are the few fully healthy teams out there without players on bye, but for most, relying on sleepers is how a win in Week 7 will be possible.
Here's a list of six potential sleepers who should be able to put up starter-level points at worst, and potentially help managers win in Week 7.
Jaxson Dart: Quarterback, New York Giants
Admittedly, it's a tough week to stream quarterbacks, and perhaps I'm a bit of a homer, but I truly do believe Jaxson Dart is a good play this week, even against an elite Denver Broncos defense.
Dart has been the talk of the Tri-State Area since starting his first game in Week 4, and for good reason. He's helped the New York Giants win two of the three games he's started, and despite being without Malik Nabers for all but one half of those games, he's been a remarkably productive fantasy quarterback despite matching up against two elite defenses.
He's put up at least 15 points per game in his three starts, including 19.8 points against the Los Angeles Chargers and 23.6 points against the Philadelphia Eagles. He was QB3 in Week 6 despite facing a talented Eagles defense. Throwing the ball might be a challenge against Pat Surtain and Co. on the Broncos, but Dart has at least seven carries and 50 rushing yards in each of his starts. His rushing floor is so high, making him feel like a safer start than the matchup might indicate.
Tyler Allgeier: Running back, Atlanta Falcons
This could be seen as a strange pick since Bijan Robinson is Tyler Allgeier's Atlanta Falcons teammate and arguably the best running back in the NFL, but Allgeier, even as the RB2, has carved an impressive role for himself.
Allgeier has at least 10 carries in four of Atlanta's five games, with the lone exception coming in a blowout loss in Carolina in Week 5. He's recorded as many as 16 carries twice. He's put up at least 10.8 points in three of his five games. Despite limited involvement in the receiving game, Allgeier gets enough volume on the ground to be an intriguing RB2 option weekly.
With his Week 7 opponent being a banged-up San Francisco 49ers team that just allowed 90 rushing yards and two touchdowns to a Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back duo that didn't even include Bucky Irving, why can't Robinson and Allgeier have good games? There's always some risk that comes with starting an RB2 on his own team, but there's no reason to believe Allgeier will just stop getting the ball unless the Falcons face a major early deficit.
Kendrick Bourne: Wide receiver, San Francisco 49ers
Does Kendrick Bourne still count as a sleeper? He shouldn't be, but the fact that he's only rostered by 49 percent of ESPN leagues suggests that he is a sleeper. Bourne was essentially a non-factor through the first month of the season, but has been one of the best fantasy wideouts in the last two weeks, putting up a combined 43.4 points in those two games.
The San Francisco 49ers have been as banged up as any team in the NFL recently, and with George Kittle, Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings and Brock Purdy all sitting out or playing through injuries, Bourne has gotten ample opportunities to contribute.
Purdy and Kittle might be back in Week 7, and Jennings is likely to play through his injuries, but there should still be plenty of targets to go around for Bourne against the Falcons.
Tre Tucker: Wide receiver, Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders' passing game has been a mess thus far. Brock Bowers hasn't been healthy, and Geno Smith has thrown two more interceptions than any other quarterback thus far. He has 10 interceptions in just six games after throwing 15 in 17 games last season. Given how poorly Smith has been playing, it's tough to start any Raiders pass catcher, especially with Bowers hurt, but Tre Tucker is an intriguing sleeper to consider.
Tucker is far from a household name and is not the WR1, but he's been fairly consistent this season. Sure, the 40.9 points he scored in Week 3 were certainly an outlier, but he's hit double digits in four of six games.
The Week 7 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs projects to be a tough one, but if things go as they have this year for the Raiders, they're going to be down big, and early. This gives Smith ample opportunity to lean on the passing game, and gives Tucker a chance to play a major role. In fantasy football, nobody cares whether points are scored in a close game or in garbage time. I think Tucker should get plenty in the latter.
Sterling Shephard: Wide receiver, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are fully healthy, Sterling Shephard might rarely ever see the field. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, though, virtually every starting skill position player they have is hurt. Bucky Irving and Chris Godwin have already been ruled out. Emeka Egbuka is questionable, but is unlikely to play. Mike Evans has a better shot of playing, but he, too, is questionable.
If all four of those players are hurt, who else is there for Baker Mayfield to target but Shephard? Guys like Tez Johnson and Kameron Johnson might factor in somehow, but Shephard, a veteran who has averaged just under 10 points per game in the last two weeks, even with Egbuka playing, feels like the safest bet to contribute.
Evans playing, which is certainly a possibility, would likely impact Shephard's ceiling, but Baker Mayfield is going to have to throw to somebody. Shephard, whether he's a WR1 or WR2, should play a role in what should be a high-scoring shootout against the Detroit Lions.
Harold Fannin Jr: Tight end, Cleveland Browns
Harold Fannin Jr., a Cleveland Browns rookie, is currently TE12 overall in fantasy football despite an atrocious quarterback situation and David Njoku, a talented tight end, playing alongside him. He's been borderline startable as is, scoring in double figures three times in his first six weeks, and he should be even better in Week 7.
Njoku is out with an injury, making Fannin the clear-cut TE1 on the Browns. Last week, Fannin caught seven of his 10 targets for 81 yards and scored 15.1 fantasy points. He was targeted a ton as is, and when Njoku left the game in the fourth quarter, he was targeted five times.
I don't know if the Browns will be down big at home against the Miami Dolphins as they were against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6, but regardless, with Njoku out, Fannin should be started in every league he's rostered in. This is the easiest no-brainer on the list.