Fantasy Football: Week 10 Starts And Sits
By Pat Pitts
Last week may have been the most exciting week of football this season. All three of the 4pm games came down to the wire, Carolina almost pulled off a major upset against Kansas City, and the Lions disappointed me once again. It had a little bit of everything.
I am going to jump right into my picks this week, but before I do, I would like to apologize to my fans. I told everyone to bet the house on Brady last week and cast Brees to the side. In my 20 years of watching him play, I have never seen Brady play or look that awful. I promise to be better moving forward, and forward starts right now.
BYE WEEKS: New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons
Start
Lock of the Week
Aaron Rodgers & Davante Adams vs JAX
Rodgers and Adams have been the most lethal combo in fantasy football this season. A must start in daily fantasy matchups that has also led the Packers to the top spot in the NFC North.
The Packers face the Jacksonville Jaguars. According to PFF, the Jaguars have the 31st ranked defense, allowing the 4th most passing yards in the NFL, and have allowed over 30 points per game, solid enough for 31st in the league. Straight cheddar.
Quarterbacks
Jared Goff vs SEA
Goff has been extremely consistent this season not having a single game under double-digit fantasy points. The Seahawks defense has allowed the most yards in the league (2897). I expect this divisional matchup to be fast and high scoring. Goff ranks as a QB1 for me this week.
Carson Wentz @ NYG
I know the Eagles have been bad this season, but Wentz has been electric. He has thrown at least two touchdowns in four straight games and only finished with under 20 fantasy points once in that span.
A few weeks ago against the Giants, Wentz finished as QB7 and racked up 27 fantasy points. It is very possible for him to finish inside the Top-5 QBs this week against a lackluster New York secondary. I believe in Wentz as he continues to get healthy weapons surrounding him. In the name of the Howie, and of the Doug, and of the Ginger Jesus, we pray.
Drew Brees vs SF
Well, Drew Brees made me eat my words last week, making easy work of Tom Brady and the Bucs, throwing for 222 yards, 4 touchdowns, and finished with an 81% completion rate. He did it while facing a Top-5 defense in the NFL.
Brees lines up against a 49ers team that is dealing with significant injuries on defense. Brees is a fringe QB1 this week, especially with Michael Thomas back in the fold. I am done betting against Brees for a bit.
Running Backs
James Robinson @ GB
I just bashed the Jaguars above, but their rookie running back has been the consistent bright spot of the offense this season. He ranks in the Top-10 in rushing attempts, yards, and touchdowns this season. In his last three games, he has finished in the RB1 ranks (RB11, RB2, and RB3).
The Packers are good, but have notoriously struggled against the run under Mike Pettine. I do not expect Jake Luton to be the X-factor of the offense this week. Robinson has a low-end RB1 ceiling and has a high-end RB2 floor for Week 10.
Chase Edmonds vs BUF
Edmonds has been extremely consistent filling in for Kenyan Drake while he's been out with injury, racking up two RB8 finishes and an RB21 rank.
The Bills surprisingly have allowed the 6th most rushing yards this season. The Cardinals love to move the ball on the ground; Edmonds ranks as a great RB2 play this week.
Ronald Jones @ CAR
There is absolutely no way the Bucs can play worse than they did last week against the Saints. Tampa Bay takes on a Carolina defense that is better covering the pass than stopping the run, which should open the door for Ronald Jones, who only ran the ball seven times for 23 yards and a touchdown the last time these two teams played. Jones turns it around this week for an RB2 performance.
Wide Receivers
Robert Woods vs SEA
Woods has more Top-24 (WR2) finishes than Kupp this season and is used in different schemes on offense. Bob the Builder is here to fix your fantasy woes against the worst passing defense in the NFL.
Chase Claypool vs CIN
Ranking as WR19 according to ESPN, Claypool has only finished under ten points once since the Steelers impromptu bye week.
Claypool may have fallen out of the Top-24 the last two weeks, but he lines up against a very bad Bengals secondary. Claypool is a must start this week.
Christian Kirk vs BUF
Since Week 6, Kirk has averaged 82 yards, 2.5 touchdowns, and 20 fantasy points/game.
The Bills have some big names in their secondary who will be worried about DeAndre Hopkins, giving Kirk the opportunity to jettison down the field with his absurd speed. Kirk remains in my FLEX spot for Week 10, but could be a potential WR3 with massive upside if he can get loose in the open field.
Tight Ends
Eric Ebron vs CIN
The Bengals cannot stop teams in the red zone, which is where Ebron is doing his damage this season. Ebron is touchdown dependent, but he’s a must start at TE for me this week.
Jimmy Graham vs MIN (MNF)
Graham has been somewhat fantasy relevant ever since Nick Foles took over at QB for the Bears. When the Bears offense is clicking, Graham is an asset, especially in the red zone. Chicago takes on the Vikings defense that gave Matthew Stafford trouble last week, but the Lions are a bad football team. Graham is a high-end TE2 with potential TE1 upside if he can muster up some trips to the end zone.
Jared Cook vs SF
Since returning from injury, Cook has notched double-digit fantasy points every week except last game against Tampa Bay. Brees relies on him just as he relies on Michael “Slant Boy” Thomas to make plays.
The 49ers are banged up and the Saints are red hot. When Brees plays well, Cook does too. Cook is a TE1 this week that could be a sneaky Top-5 TE this week.
Sit
Sit of the Week
All fantasy "relevant" Patriots vs BAL (SNF)
With Cam Newton struggling, everyone on the offense around him being inexperienced or injured, it taking a game-winning field goal to get a win against the New York Jets, and now a prime time showdown with the Ravens defense? It speaks for itself, just stay away.
Quarterbacks
Tua Tagovailoa vs LAC
I know Tua is coming off of a massive win against the Cardinals, but I would not rely on him for your fantasy lineup. He has not shown me enough to consider him a start, he's a smash the glass emergency QB that's sitting on your bench until we see consistency for multiple weeks in a row.
Kirk Cousins @ CHI (MNF)
Cousins played extremely well against the Detriot in Week 9, not turning the ball over and throwing three touchdowns. The Bears have a Top-10 defense that is going to cause the Vikings problems on Monday night. There's a reason he's referred to as Kirk Coupons.
Teddy Bridgewater vs TB
This has nothing to do with Bridgewater and everything to do with the Bucs defense.
Tampa Bay got spanked by the Saints in prime time and Tom Brady played the worst game I have ever seen him play. The defense let Drew Brees walk all over them and they'll be out for blood on Sunday.
Running Backs
Jonathon Taylor @ TEN (TNF)
The past few weeks, Taylor has been left on the sidelines while Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines have been leading the Colts backfield. Wilkins has had nine more snaps than Taylor the past two games and even has a touchdown over him too.
The Colts are riding with the hot hand week to week, so don’t gamble on an unsure thing.
Joe Mixon and Giovanni Bernard @ PIT
Are we seriously playing running backs against the Steelers defense still? Silly rabbit, that's for kids.
David Montgomery vs MIN (MNF)
David Montgomery is borderline droppable at this point. He's been a flat out disappointment from the jump and there is no reason whatsoever to have him in your fantasy lineups anymore.
Wide Receivers
D.J. Moore vs TB
Four catches for 73 yards in two weeks is pretty bad. Matt Rhule has been utilizing Curtis Samuel in the Panthers offense more, along with the trend of getting the ball to Robby Anderson deep down field. Moore will most likely see top corner coverage, which will make him nothing more than a low-end FLEX play for a guy that should be a weekly WR1.
Tyler Boyd @ PIT
Steelers defense. End of story.
Marquise “Hollywood” Brown @ NE (SNF)
Hollywood Brown is leading in the biggest bust of the year category. Brown has six games this season finishing with single-digit points. He lines up against reigning DPOY, Stephon Gilmore, and Lamar Jackson has struggled getting him the ball. He’s a non-factor for me until further notice.
Tight Ends
Jonnu Smith vs IND (TNF)
My weekly speech about how good Darius Leonard has begun. He may not have the flashiest stats, but the man knows how to cover his zone. He has been an issue for opposing TEs all season. Grab a guy like Jimmy Graham off the waiver wire, rostered in 66% of leagues.
Tyler Higbee vs SEA
This is the final time I'll tell you this: DROP TYLER HIGBEE!
Mike Gesicki vs LAC
Mike Gesicki has scored 18 fantasy points in five games (six weeks including their bye). His hype train has pulled into the station with Tua now under center.
Good luck this week as your team pushes forward for a playoff berth!