One ESPN analyst is picking the Dallas Cowboys to win at Lambeau Field. Another wants you to start a Raiders quarterback who is still sitting on waiver wires in more than half of ESPN leagues. The NFL Week 6 predictions are in, and this panel did not come to play it safe.
Week 6 already served up its first surprise. On Thursday night, the Denver Broncos beat the Seattle Seahawks 17-14 in overtime, per the team’s own game recap. Thirteen games remain, and ESPN’s Week 6 predictions column spreads 15 picks across five analysts. Here is what jumped out at me.
NFL Week 6 predictions: upset picks that actually take a stand
Betting analyst Pamela Maldonado leads her NFL Week 6 picks with Dallas as a 1.5-point underdog at the Green Bay Packers, with a moneyline of +102. In plain English, it is basically a coin flip, and she is taking the visitors.
That is the fun of these columns. The public sees Lambeau Field and the Packers and assumes the home team wins. A sharp bettor sees a line that is almost a pick’em and asks why Dallas is getting any points at all.
Odds move all week, so check your sportsbook before you act on any of this. For another take on how the board looks, see how two CBS pickers handled the Seahawks and Broncos.
Fantasy sleepers: yes, that Kirk Cousins
Fantasy writer Eric Moody names Kirk Cousins, the Las Vegas Raiders quarterback, as one of his three sleepers. That makes him the most intriguing name in this Week 6 NFL forecast. Only 41.8 percent of ESPN leagues roster Cousins, which means most managers are scrolling right past him.
Is he a league winner? Probably not.
But a sleeper is supposed to look like this: a quarterback who might be sitting on your waiver wire for free. That is a low-risk swing for anyone with a shaky starter.
The questions that will decide Sunday
Any good set of Week 6 NFL picks leaves a handful of questions hanging, and Sunday and Monday will answer these:
- Can the Houston Texans pull an upset in London?
- How many sacks does Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones get against the Chargers?
- Is Rams tight end Tyler Higbee a sneaky fantasy play?
- Does Falcons receiver Drake London finally score his first touchdown of 2026?
- Does Aaron Rodgers climb the NFL record books against the Buccaneers?
The ESPN picks come from five analysts. Seth Walder offers stat lines for three players, Matt Bowen picks three touchdown scorers, and Ben Solak throws in three wild cards.
These are opinions, not results (no one gets a trophy for a bold take on Tuesday), so treat these NFL Week 6 predictions as a starting point for your own lineup decisions.
Here’s the thing about Thursday night’s Week 6 NFL forecast
Denver improved to 4-2 and Seattle fell to 3-3 in a game decided by defense. The Broncos piled up five sacks and an overtime interception by Ja’Quan McMillian, according to ESPN’s game story. They did it without cornerback Pat Surtain II and safety Talanoa Hufanga.
Turnovers defined Seattle’s night, and the Seahawks now get a bye to sort it out, per their own numbers recap. If a team can win while missing two defensive starters, chaos on Sunday is not a stretch.
College fans get their own loaded slate too, with Georgia-Alabama headlining college football Week 6.
Kickoff for the London game is early Sunday morning, so set an alarm. By Monday night we will know whether ESPN’s panel looks brilliant or just brave.
