Fantasy sit-start: Lineup advice on every Week 10 game
Jets vs. Buccaneers: Start Josh McCown, who’s posted 12 touchdowns over the past five games and faces a Bucs defense that has the No. 31 ranked Pass DVOA. Moreover, with Matt Forte out, expect a big game from Bilal Powell, who’s averaged 25+ touches the last five contests Forte has been sidelined or limited. He ranks second in the NFL in Yards Created Per Carry (2.32). Treat Powell as an RB1 in Week 10.
Start Ryan Fitzpatrick, who’s out for revenge. In all seriousness, he’s thrown four TDs this year on 47 attempts, Tampa Bay can’t run, and the Jets have allowed an NFL-high 19 touchdowns through the air. He’s the best “punt” play at QB this week. Moreover, DeSean Jackson should see a nice uptick in targets with Mike Evans suspended.
Giants vs. 49ers: Start Orleans Darkwa, who saw a season-high in snaps last week coming out of the bye despite the Giants getting blown out. Darkwa remains cheap in DFS and gets a 49ers defense that’s allowed the most fantasy points to running backs. His 5.1 YPC ranks No. 6 in the NFL, and his Breakaway Run Rate (7.5%) ranks fifth. Sterling Shepard and Evan Engram are also must starts in this matchup.
Start Garrett Celek if you want to “punt” tight end in DFS this week. Celek is now a starter with George Kittle out, and there are few options in SF’s passing game with Pierre Garcon also sidelined (and we may even see Jimmy Garoppolo in this game). Celek is at least a decent red zone option, and the Giants have yielded an NFL-high nine touchdowns to tight ends (next most is six) and easily the most fantasy points to the position this season.
[Week 10 rankings: Overall | PPR | QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | FLEX | DST | Ks]
Vikings vs. Washington: Sit Stefon Diggs. More of a fade in DFS recommendation here, as like last year, Diggs has slipped after a hot start. He hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 3 and has averaged just 43 yards over his last three games (missing time in between with an injury) and will see a lot of Josh Norman coverage Sunday.
Sit Rob Kelley, who’s scored three touchdowns over the last two games but hasn’t eclipsed 25 yards from scrimmage since Week 2, and the Vikings have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to running backs. Even if active, Jordan Reed is tough to trust in this spot as well.
Packers vs. Bears: Sit Aaron Jones, who blew a blocking assignment last week and suddenly finds himself back in a timeshare with Ty Montgomery. With Brett Hundley looking so incompetent, the Packers’ passing down back will be favored to see the majority of snaps moving forward as the team will be mostly playing from behind. Moreover, Jordy Nelson should be treated as a WR3 at best.
Start the Bears defense, who are playing well and at home against a QB with a 5.0 YPA mark and a 1:4 TD:INT ratio while taking a bunch of sacks. Green Bay is also traveling on a short week, and Chicago is affordable in DFS.
Steelers vs. Colts: Start JuJu Smith-Schuster, who should remain a big part of Pittsburgh’s offense even with Martavis Bryant’s return. Smith-Schuster is getting 11.8 YPT (second best in the NFL) and is up against a Colts secondary ceding a league-high 8.3 YPA.
Sit T.Y. Hilton, who’s coming off a big game but now gets a Steelers defense that’s given up the second-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers. Hilton is also dealing with a groin ailment and was a mid-week addition to the injury report.
Chargers vs. Jaguars: Sit Philip Rivers, whose 7.1 YPA is the second lowest mark of his career. Jacksonville has the No. 1 ranked Pass DVOA by a mile.
Start Marqise Lee. He finally scored last week and looked healthy coming out of the team’s bye. Lee saw a whopping 12 targets and continues to act as the Jaguars’ clear No. 1 wideout.
Bengals vs. Titans: Sit Joe Mixon, who’s now up to 98 carries with a 2.4 YPC mark. Tennessee has a top-12 run defense according to DVOA.
Start Corey Davis. The rookie saw a healthy 75 percent of the Titans’ offensive snaps last week despite not playing since Week 2, and that number is expected to only increase moving forward. The Bengals are vulnerable to opposing secondary receivers.
Saints vs. Bills: Start Ted Ginn. Halfway through the season, Ginn has 512 yards (36 targets) and three touchdowns. Michael Thomas has 545 yards (73 targets) and two touchdowns. Buffalo scores a lot more when at home, so hopefully New Orleans will have to pass more than they have been this week.
Sit Kelvin Benjamin during his first game with Buffalo. It will likely take more time for him to get fully acclimated in his new system, and the Saints quietly have the No. 4 ranked Pass DVOA.
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Browns vs. Lions: Sit Isaiah Crowell, who’s coming off his best game of the season in which he totaled 118 yards and scored. But his 64 rushing yards were a season high, and the TD was his first of the year. It’s not a good game script with Cleveland 11-point underdogs.
Start the Lions defense, who are heavily favored at home and up against a rookie QB who’s somehow committed 13 turnovers on just 213 pass attempts. Marvin Jones is also emerging as a legitimate top-10 fantasy WR, while Eric Ebron gets a matchup against the league’s second-worst defense versus tight ends.
Texans vs. Rams: Sit Will Fuller, whose fantasy value has taken a massive hit with Tom Savage now throwing him the ball.
Start Robert Woods, who’s emerged as the team’s clear No. 1 wideout this season and scored twice last week. Houston’s defense has been falling apart against the pass. The Rams defense is also arguably the No. 1 DST start of the week.
Cowboys vs. Falcons: Start Alfred Morris, who’ll get first crack at taking over the Cowboys’ RB1 job with Ezekiel Elliott (finally) suspended. There’s no guarantee this doesn’t morph into a committee, but Dallas is a terrific situation to suddenly be looking at 15+ touches, so treat Morris as a top-15 fantasy RB right now.
Start Mohamed Sanu, who’s scored in back-to-back weeks and should be heavily involved with Julio Jones banged up (even more than usual), and Atlanta likely having to throw a lot in what projects as a shootout (the Over/Under of 49 points is the highest of the week).
Patriots vs. Broncos: Start Tom Brady. Some people have shied away from this matchup, but Denver’s defense has struggled of late (and is much stronger against the run), and New England has an implied total of 26.5 points (third highest of the week).
Sit C.J. Anderson, who saw a season-low 23 snaps last week. The Broncos are also likely to be playing the majority of this game from behind, so the game script for CJA doesn’t look promising either.
Dolphins vs. Panthers: Sit Jay Cutler, who’s coming off his best game of the year and has seven TD passes over his past three contests. But Carolina has the No. 7 ranked Pass DVOA, Cutler has gotten just 5.5 YPA on the road this season, and Miami’s implied total (14.75 points) is the lowest of all teams in Week 10.
Start Devin Funchess, who didn’t see a huge bump in targets during the Panthers’ first game without Kelvin Benjamin last week, but he did record a season-high 86 receiving yards. Miami sports the No. 30 ranked Pass DVOA, as Funchess should be treated as a top-15 fantasy WR this week.
