Advertisement

2019 Yahoo Fantasy Football Week 10 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

Sit and start is relative and league dependent, so consider some of these suggestions more “fliers” and “fades” (note that some are targeted for DFS).

Good luck with your Week 10 lineups.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Tennessee Titans

Start: Sammy Watkins, Ryan Tannehill

Watkins saw 10 targets last week, gets back Patrick Mahomes and faces a beatable Tennessee secondary that just got thinner after losing Malcolm Butler. The Chiefs struggle running the ball, face a funnel Titans defense and have one of this week’s highest implied team totals, so treat Watkins as a top-20 WR.

Tannehill is getting 8.4 YPA this season, and the KC defense is likely going to sell out to stop Derrick Henry. Tannehill has a 5:1 TD:INT ratio over two home games this year and should be throwing plenty while playing catch up Sunday, making him a sneaky QB option.

Buffalo Bills @ Cleveland Browns

Sit: Frank Gore

Start in DFS: Nick Chubb ($27)

Gore’s longevity has been impressive, but the 36 year old has given way to Devin Singletary as Buffalo’s lead back, and carries won’t be overly plentiful with the Bills as underdogs. Singletary should be treated as a top-20 back, and Gore belongs on fantasy benches.

It's unclear how Freddie Kitchens will use Kareem Hunt during his first game back from suspension, but that uncertainty will likely keep Chubb’s started percentage somewhat down in DFS, and this is a possible smash spot at home against a Bills defense ranked fifth against the pass yet 30th versus the run in DVOA. Chubb brings some risk, but he has the upside and path to finish as this week’s top back.

Arizona Cardinals @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Start in DFS: Christian Kirk ($16)

Start: O.J. Howard

Kirk has seen good targets when healthy this season and gets a prime matchup against a Bucs defense that ranks 26th against the pass yet No. 1 versus the run in DVOA, having allowed by far the most fantasy points to wide receivers this season. Both teams check in at the top 10 in pace, and this game features the slate’s highest total (52 points), so the setup is perfect for Kirk, whom I have as a top-15 WR this week.

Howard has been a gigantic bust this season and is coming off an injury, but he’s been practicing in full, still possesses the same tantalizing skills that had people like me ranking him crazy-high before the year and gets the tight end friendly Cardinals defense this week. Arizona has ceded 810 yards and nine touchdowns to TEs this year; no other team has allowed more than 675 or six TDs. Howard is risky, but I have him as a top-10 tight end this week, as the position gets weak fast ... Ronald Jones is a strong DFS option this week as well.

O.J. Howard #80 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
If there was ever a week for O.J. Howard to join the party, it's Week 10. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

New York Giants @ New York Jet

Start: Darius Slayton, Jamison Crowder

Slayton has quietly racked up air yards in a limited role, as the rookie can clearly play, and he’s looking at a bigger opportunity now with Evan Engram joining Sterling Shepard on the sideline. The Giants face a Jets defense that’s very stingy against the run yet has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to Slay’s primary side this season, so he’s a viable flex option.

On the flip side, the Giants have yielded the fourth-most fantasy points to the slot over the last month, where Crowder continues to be targeted heavily by Sam Darnold. I have Crowder as a top-25 WR this week.

Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints

Sit: Calvin Ridley

Start: Ted Ginn

This may seem like a good spot for Ridley, especially with Mohamed Sanu gone, but few teams have been tougher against fantasy wide receivers than the Saints over the last five games, Matt Ryan will be playing hobbled, and the Falcons have one of the lowest implied team totals this week.

Conversely, the Saints will be getting Tre’Quan Smith back, but few teams have been more giving to fantasy wide receivers than the Falcons over the last five games, Drew Brees should be healthier after the bye, and the Saints have this week’s highest implied team total by a wide margin.

Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals

Start: Marquise Brown

Sit: Joe Mixon

Brown’s been quiet after a big start to his NFL career but had to deal with Stephon Gilmore during his return last week. He’s healthy now and gets one of the league’s more inviting matchups.

When Mixon ran for 66 yards last week, it marked his second-highest total of the season, and he’s still searching for his first rushing score on the year. He’s gotten 2.8 YPC at home and could be leaving the field often on passing downs Sunday with the Bengals as near two-touchdown underdogs with fourth-round rookie Ryan Finley making his NFL debut.

Detroit Lions @ Chicago Bears

Sit: Matthew Stafford

Start in DFS: David Montgomery ($20)

Stafford has had a legitimate MVP type performance this season, including 10 TD strikes and 9.4 YPA over the last three games. But this is a difficult setup Sunday outdoors in Chicago against a Bears defense that’s especially tough against the Lions’ strength (outside receivers) in a game with a low projected score.

[Play in Yahoo’s NFL $250K Baller. $10 entry fee and $25K to first place]

It took longer than hoped, but Montgomery has taken full control of Chicago’s backfield, and he gets a reeling Detroit defense that’s allowed the most fantasy points to RBs this season. The rookie back has actually seen the same target share as Tarik Cohen in games that project like Sunday’s, making Montgomery an RB1 in Week 10.

Miami Dolphins @ Indianapolis Colts

Start: DeVante Parker, Zach Pascal

Parker has scored a touchdown in four of the last five games, and he’s averaged a healthy 8.0 targets since Ryan Fitzpatrick took over QB three weeks ago. The former top-15 pick should be even busier now with Preston Williams out for the season, and a healthy Parker is showing why he received all that past hype. The Dolphins sport the league’s worst defense and have Kalen Ballage atop their RB depth chart, so they’ll likely be throwing plenty Sunday against a middling Colts defense. I have Parker as a borderline WR1 this week (and teammate Mike Gesicki as a top-12 tight end).

Pascal led the Colts in targets last week and should again act as the team’s No. 1 wideout with T.Y. Hilton sidelined. Regardless of who plays QB for Indy, fire up Pascal with confidence against a Miami defense that’s been gashed for 8.6 YPA and a 19:3 TD:INT ratio this season.

Carolina Panthers @ Green Bay Packers

Start in DFS: D.J. Moore ($16)

Start: Jamaal Williams

Moore has seen 29 targets over the last three games while racking up air yards, and he gets a fading Packers defense that’s yielded the second-most yards per play since Week 4. As usual, pay up for Christian McCaffrey in DFS as well.

It was September the last time Williams played and didn’t catch a touchdown, and he now gets a Carolina defense that’s been the most favorable in the NFL against fantasy backs over the last five games.

Los Angeles Rams @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Sit: Todd Gurley

Start: Steelers defense

The touchdowns have been there, but Gurley hasn’t topped 70 yards from scrimmage since Week 1 and has looked like a shell of his former self. He gets a Pittsburgh defense that’s been stingy against fantasy backs, and it should only be a matter of time before Darrell Henderson takes over this backfield.

Pittsburgh enters with a huge advantage in the trenches, and the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade looks better by the game. The bye week will help Sean McVay and company, but T.J. Watt should be licking his chops against this offensive line and Jared Goff on the road (6.9 YPA compared to 8.3 at home).

Minnesota Vikings @ Dallas Cowboys

Start: Kyle Rudolph

Start in DFS: Michael Gallup ($21)

With Adam Thielen sidelined and Stefon Diggs frequently up against Byron Jones, Rudolph is looking at increased targets in a potentially high-scoring affair Sunday night. The Cowboys have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to tight ends this season, and Irv Smith Jr. is a flier in deeper leagues as well, especially at a thin TE position and with six teams on bye this week.

Amari Cooper is reportedly going to play, but he’s dealing with a bruised knee that’s likely going to make him compromised at best. It should lead to a bigger workload for Gallup, who ranks top-10 in yards per route run this season and faces a Minnesota secondary that’s been shredded for the second-most fantasy points by outside receivers this year.

Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers

Sit: DK Metcalf

Start: Deebo Samuel

Metcalf looks like one of the NFL draft’s biggest steals with the last pick of the second round — he’s scored three touchdowns over the last two games — but he gets an SF defense that’s been the toughest against fantasy wide receivers over the last five contests. Josh Gordon should also make his Seattle debut Monday night, when San Francisco’s line likely overwhelms Seattle’s.

Samuel had a brutal drop in the end zone last week but tied a season-high with seven targets, and while Emmanuel Sanders has immediately become the team’s WR1, the rookie has emerged as SF’s clear No. 2. Samuel has a plus matchup versus Tre Flowers and could be looking at a much bigger opportunity with George Kittle genuinely questionable to play Monday night.

Follow the Yahoo fantasy football crew on Twitter: Andy Behrens, Dalton Del Don, Brad Evans, Matt Harmon, Liz Loza, Scott Pianowski and Tank Williams

Listen to the Yahoo Fantasy Football Podcast