Week 6 of the 2026 NFL season is underway after the Broncos beat the Seahawks in overtime Thursday night. But what will happen in the remaining 13 games? We have 15 predictions from our NFL experts.
First, betting analyst Pamela Maldonado picks three underdogs who could win outright. Then, analytics writer Seth Walder projects stat lines for three players. Fantasy football writer Eric Moody suggests three sleepers, and analyst Matt Bowen predicts three players who will find the end zone. Finally, analyst Ben Solak lays out three wild-card predictions.
Could the Texans pull off an upset in London? How many sacks will Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones have against the Chargers? Could Rams tight end Tyler Higbee be a sneaky play in fantasy? Will Falcons wide receiver Drake London find the end zone for the first time this season? And will Aaron Rodgers move up in the NFL record books against the Bucs? Let’s make 15 big predictions for the Sunday and Monday action.
Jump to:
Upset picks | Projected stat lines
Fantasy sleepers, surprises
TD scorers | Other predictions
Maldonado predicts three upsets
Dallas Cowboys +1.5 (+102 moneyline) at Green Bay Packers
The Packers have allowed the eighth-fewest passing yards per attempt this season, but this matchup presents a much tougher test than the backup quarterbacks they’ve faced in the past two weeks. The Cowboys convert nearly half their third downs and lead the league in the percentage of possessions producing points. Green Bay can hit big plays, but the Cowboys have enough on offense with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens to answer.
New York Giants +1.5 (+108 moneyline) vs. New Orleans Saints
The Giants have a way to make this Sunday easier for quarterback Jameis Winston. They can run against a struggling Saints defense, then move tight end Isaiah Likely out wide for easy throws over smaller defenders.
On the other side, Saints QB Tyler Shough has struggled even when he has time to throw. So New York doesn’t need to constantly pressure him to get stops. That gives the Giants enough to keep this close and win at home.
Houston Texans +3 (+120 moneyline) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville’s defense is allowing just 14 points per game, but opponents are still finding room to throw. The Jaguars allow 7.7 yards per attempt and 93.2 yards per game to No. 1 receivers, giving QB C.J. Stroud and WR Nico Collins a matchup to attack in London on Sunday.
Houston can also pressure Trevor Lawrence without blitzing or disguising its coverage, making it harder for the quarterback to read the defense. That gives the Texans a way to get stops while leaving more players in coverage.
Walder predicts three stat lines
Sauce Gardner, CB, Indianapolis Colts: 28 coverage snaps, 3 targets, 0 receptions allowed
Gardner has had a rough season, allowing 1.3 yards per coverage snap and 10.3 EPA when targeted. But I think most of that has been due to on-ball results, rather than Gardner putting himself in poor position throughout the route.
Gardner has allowed a plus-19% completion percentage over expected, while spending 24% of the time in tight coverage (fourth most among outside CBs with at least 100 coverage snaps). And my own player tracking analysis indicates Gardner has been in good position before the ball is thrown. All of this is to say that his start to the season might be a blip, and a game against the Titans is just what he needs to turn the results around.
Chris Jones, DT, Kansas City Chiefs: 1.5 sacks, 5 pressures, 26% pass rush win rate
Jones has the privilege of facing Chargers right guard Cole Strange in Week 6, which ought to present more than enough opportunities for Jones to get at QB Justin Herbert. Strange has just a fourth percentile pass block win rate this season; Herbert is taking sacks at a massive 9.7% clip.
Jones’ season is off to a quiet start with zero sacks and a 59th percentile pass rush win rate at defensive tackle. He can kickstart his year against Strange — and have an even bigger day if right tackle Joe Alt (neck) is out again.
Michael Wilson, WR, Arizona Cardinals: 34 routes, 6 targets, 2 receptions, 12 receiving yards
Marvin Harrison Jr. was traded to the Texans, so Wilson is in for a production explosion, right? That might happen … but only after this week against the Rams.
Wilson could see a healthy dosage of Trent McDuffie — if the Rams’ top cornerback plays (he is questionable with a groin injury). McDuffie is allowing 0.4 yards per coverage snap in 2026 — well below the 1.1 average for an outside cornerback, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Plus, he has spent 28% of his time in tight coverage, which puts him third in that stat — one spot above the aforementioned Gardner.
Wilson has a 93 catch score in ESPN’s receiver scores, which means he’s good in contested catch situations. But he is struggling to get separation from defenders (47 open score). It is likely going to be a tough afternoon for him.
Moody predicts three fantasy sleepers
Kirk Cousins, QB, Las Vegas Raiders (41.8% rostered in ESPN leagues)
Cousins disappointed with just 13.7 fantasy points against the Patriots last week, but he has averaged 18.5 fantasy points per game this season. He has a favorable matchup against a Bills defense that has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks and the most to wide receivers.
Kendre Miller, RB, New Orleans Saints (21.9%)
Miller is on the flex radar against the Giants after leading the Saints’ backfield with 10 carries for 9.0 fantasy points last week. Alvin Kamara was dealing with a back injury in that game (and Travis Etienne Jr. has been on IR for the past two weeks), so Miller could see more touches if Kamara remains limited. The Giants’ defense has allowed the ninth-most rushing yards per game this season.
Tyler Higbee, TE, Los Angeles Rams (11.2%)
Higbee has seen at least six targets and scored 11 or more fantasy points in each of the past three games, including a 20.2-point performance in Week 3. The Rams lead the league with 43.8 pass attempts per game, and this week’s matchup against the Cardinals has one of the highest projected point totals on the slate (51.5 on DraftKings). Arizona has also allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends this season.
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Why Rams releasing Harrison Mevis for Blake Grupe is a ‘significant change’
Bowen predicts three touchdown scorers
Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons
London has yet to find the end zone this season, but he’s averaging seven catches and 136 receiving yards over the past three games. He will see plenty of man coverage from the Bears secondary Sunday (55.3% of coverage snaps), and he will have clear advantages on the perimeter.
Cam Skattebo, RB, New York Giants
Skattebo hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 1, but he has the volume and matchup to change that against the Saints. Skattebo has 18 or more carries in three games, with at least 15 touches in all five. New Orleans has given up a league-worst 10 rushing scores this season. I think Skattebo gets in on a goal-line carry here.
Javonte Williams, RB, Dallas Cowboys
Williams has rushed for at least one touchdown in four games this season, and his 11 carries inside the 5-yard line are tied for the most in the league with Jahmyr Gibbs and Derrick Henry. I expect Williams to see scoring opportunities versus a Green Bay defense that has allowed eight rushing touchdowns this season, the second most in the league.
Solak makes three more predictions
Browns WR Denzel Boston will have his first 100-yard game
The Browns rookie reminds me a lot of the Falcons’ Drake London, who just put up 118 yards on the Ravens’ secondary across seven catches. Boston has the blend of size, hand strength and technique that allows him to win in the layers between defensive zones, where the Ravens have really struggled to condense space so far under new coach Jesse Minter. Boston is the current leader in yards per reception (20.6) and in Offensive Rookie of the Year odds (+170 on DraftKings) — that shouldn’t change after Sunday.
The Titans will win their first game
I’m worried about what I’m seeing in Indianapolis, where quarterback Daniel Jones still looks stiff in the pocket and uncertain driving the football. Arden Key is now on injured reserve, making the league’s weakest edge rushing room even weaker. And the lack of healthy wide receivers behind Josh Downs allows opposing defenses to key in on running back Jonathan Taylor. The Colts are gettable; the Titans are desperate. Expect a close one.
Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers will eclipse Peyton Manning in the record books
Rodgers is two passing touchdowns shy of Manning for third on the career list (539). The Steelers have been quite pass-happy in the red zone this season, thanks in large part to Rodgers’ ability to change plays at the line and hunt matchups. Against the Buccaneers, there will be an abundance of favorable matchups — especially with TE Darnell Washington and RB Jaylen Warren against Tampa Bay’s linebackers.
Rodgers has three passing touchdowns in each of his past three games, and I think he can make it four straight Sunday to leapfrog Manning.
