Fantasy Takeaways, Week 10: Marcus Mariota keeps dealing
Tennessee’s offense is endless fun.
If you were skeptical about the fantasy potential or the entertainment value of the Titans’ Exotic Smashmouth™ offense entering the season, you weren’t alone. But after Sunday’s evisceration of Green Bay, there’s no doubting Tennessee. Marcus Mariota opened the game with 10 straight completions for 196 yards, and he barely slowed down. When all the numbers were in, Mariota had completed 19 of his 26 attempts for 295 yards and four touchdowns, producing a passer rating of 149.8. Over his last six games, he’s accounted for 19 combined TDs (two rushing, 17 passing). There’s certainly no reason to expect Mariota to disappoint next week at Indianapolis, nor the following week at Chicago. We have to view him as an every-week fantasy QB going forward, a top-five option at his position.
Mariota’s four touchdown passes in Week 10 went to four different receivers. Rishard Matthews hauled in yet another score, his sixth in six weeks. Delanie Walker topped 100 yards for the first time this season and scored for the second time in as many games. DeMarco Murray was beastly again (no surprise there), delivering 156 scrimmage yards on 19 touches, plus he lobbed a first quarter TD pass to Walker — nifty play, great throw. Woe unto those facing Murray this week. Or Mariota. Or any combination of Titans.
Devontae Booker remains in charge in Denver’s backfield.
So the Kapri Bibbs takeover you might have been expecting (and many Denver beat writers were imagining) never quite materialized. Booker dominated the carries on Sunday, running the ball 24 times for 76 yards, adding two catches for 12, and generally looking the part of a full-workload featured back. Bibbs had little more than a rotational role, finishing with seven carries for 22 yards and zero catches on one target. Not exactly the 50/50 or 60/40 workload split many were hoping to see. Bibbs has a terrific highlight on his resume this year, but so far it’s just one play. Booker is still the back to own in Denver, the unchallenged No. 1. Bibbs is merely the handcuff.
And in other backfield news…
Ryan Mathews still belongs in your fantasy plans.
Just when most of us thought Darren Sproles was the guy to own in Philly’s backfield, well … nope. Mathews was excellent in Sunday’s win over Atlanta, and he saw 20-plus touches for the first time since the season opener. He finished with 19 carries for 109 yards, two spikes and a two-point conversion, and he added two catches for 30 yards. As of this writing, he’s the top-scoring RB in Week 10, yet he’s available in nearly 30 percent of Yahoo leagues. It’s possible those Mathews fantasy drops were a bit premature.
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