Expect Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton to break loose against New Orleans

Fantasy football tips for Week 6:

Play ’em

▪  Cam Newton (Carolina) should get back to breaking out large against an epic-bad Saints defense. Other than the New York Giants game, every other team has scored 34 points against it. Newton had seven total touchdowns against the Saints last year.

▪  Coming off a bye-week to heal up, the Seahawks’ passing game should be in high gear this weekend. Russell Wilson will face a defense that allows the second-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, and Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett could find the end zone – the Atlanta defense is allowing an NFL-worst 2.8 receiving touchdowns per week.

▪  Somewhat slow to start the season as the 27th-ranked fantasy receiver, look for a big game from DeAndre Hopkins (Houston). He had 19 receptions and 263 yards in two games against the Colts last year.

▪  Jeremy Maclin (Kansas City) should be in store for a big game. Oakland allows the most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers per game and Maclin roasted them last year with three touchdowns in two games.

▪  Get Jamaal Charles (Kansas City) in the lineup despite just two touches in his most recent game. After their bye week, Charles is said to be 100 percent healthy and ready to get back to his more usual workload. Charles could have a big-splash game.

Be wary

▪  Eli Manning (N.Y. Giants) is very hard to trust, averaging just one passing touchdown per game, and Baltimore allows just 1.8 red zone trips per game, the fewest in the league.

▪  Cameron Meredith (Chicago) was very impressive in his first start last weekend and played in 93 percent of the Bears’ snaps. Conversely, Alshon Jeffery slides some in this week’s rankings as he just doesn’t seem to be in sync with Brian Hoyer. On 43 attempts last weekend, just six went to Jeffery, who has yet to score in 2016.

▪  It’s likely impossible to actually sit Julio Jones (Atlanta), but it’s a tough matchup and he isn’t likely to have a huge game this weekend. The Seahawks have allowed just five touchdown passes to wide receivers in their past 20 games and are a particularly difficult challenge at home. Additionally, star defensive back Richard Sherman will likely shadow Jones.

Sleepers

▪  Off a 397-yard game, Brian Hoyer (Chicago) is averaging 337 yards as a starter in three games, all topping 300 yards passing. He’s completing 71 percent of his passes and hasn’t thrown an interception this season. Ride the hot hand here.

▪  Alex Smith (Kansas City) gets a big bump up in the rankings against an Oakland defense that allows an NFL-worst 330.6 yards passing per week. Smith has had at least two passing touchdowns against Oakland in five straight games, including a five-touchdown game two seasons ago.

▪  Tavon Austin (Los Angeles) can be a little hit or miss, but against a Detroit-defense allowing 2.8 receiving touchdowns per game, this feels like a “hit” week.

▪  Staying with the Rams, Todd Gurley (Los Angeles) is a good candidate to break out for a big game. Detroit allows 4.9 yards rushing per carry, and Gurley went off for 140 yards and two touchdowns against the Lions last year.

▪  Kamar Aiken (Baltimore) could be a super deep sleeper as the Giants have been vulnerable to the slot. Steve Smith is likely out and Mike Wallace is questionable.

▪  Expect another big week from Delanie Walker (Tennessee) – the Cleveland defense allows the most fantasy points to opposing tight ends per game, including allowing three scores to Martellus Bennett last week.

This story was originally published October 14, 2016 at 6:37 PM with the headline "Expect Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton to break loose against New Orleans."