Fab's Five Sleepers is your weekly look at players who aren’t considered must-starts in fantasy football lineups but could exceed expectations based on a plus matchup or simple volume. For all of your final fantasy lineup decisions, be sure to check outStart ‘Em, Sit ‘Em and myweekly player rankings, which are updated daily throughout the season.
J.J. McCarthy vs. Falcons (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): McCarthy looked awful for the first three quarters of his NFL debut, but he went off in the fourth quarter and finished with 22.2 fantasy points. He next faces a matchup against the Falcons, who allowed 22.6 points to Baker Mayfield in Week 1. What’s more, Atlanta has surrendered the second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks dating back to last season. That makes McCarthy a viable streamer.
Tyrone Tracy, Jr. at Cowboys (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Tracy Jr.’s stats left much to be desired last week, as he scored just 5.5 points in a loss to the Commanders. The good news is that he saw 50 snaps and led the team with 12 touches, while Cam Skattebo and Devin Singletary played secondary roles. Tracy Jr. should bounce back against the Cowboys, whose run defense has long been vulnerable. I’d consider him a low-end R2/flex starter.
J.K. Dobbins at Colts (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS): Dobbins got the start and led the Broncos in both touches and fantasy points in a Week 1 win over the Titans. Looking like the lead back over RJ Harvey, at least in their first game together, Dobbins should be a nice option against the Colts. Their defense has allowed 15-plus points to backs 10 times dating back to last season, including De’Von Achane’s 16.5 points in the 2025 season opener.
Hollywood Brown vs. Eagles (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox): Brown was the most targeted wideout in the league in Week 1, and he’ll see plenty of work this week with Xavier Worthy out of action. The Eagles pass defense didn’t look great in their opener against the Cowboys, and the total for their Super Bowl rematch is as high as 47 (O/U) on BetMGM. This has the chance to be a high-scoring affair, so Brown should be productive for another week.
Khalil Shakir at Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Shakir didn’t put up a huge total in Week 1, but he did see nine targets and finished with 12.4 points. I like him to finish with a better stat line this week though, as he faces a Jets defense that’s much tougher on perimeter receivers than on the slot. In fact, New York has given up the sixth-most fantasy points to inside receivers since last season. I’d use Shakir as a viable flex option in this contest.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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