Currently ranked RB15 in fantasy points per game, Ashton Jeanty
remains one of Thursday night’s more volatile, yet enticing
options. His balanced scoring profile (three rushing touchdowns
and three receiving) gives him RB1 upside most weeks.
The Broncos defense has allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points
to running backs, but five different RBs have managed 16+ points
against them this year. That keeps Jeanty squarely in the RB2
mix, with upside for more.
With Jakobi Meyers traded away, Tre Tucker looks poised to step
into the WR1 role for Las Vegas. He’ll remain a clear second
in the target hierarchy behind Brock Bowers, but no other receiver
on the roster appears ready to challenge him for volume.
Tucker should return to the 5–9 target range he saw earlier in
the season while Bowers was limited. The Broncos aren’t the easiest
draw for his first week in this expanded role, but with Patrick
Surtain II sidelined (pectoral), Tucker has a shot to produce
as a deep flex play.
Geno Smith benefited greatly from Bowers’ three-touchdown
return last week, but the loss of Meyers once again narrows his
options. That’s a problem against a Broncos defense that
just held C.J. Stroud and Davis Mills to a combined 10.6 fantasy
points — and that was without Surtain. Geno belongs on benches
or waivers this week.
Among Raiders receivers, Tyler Lockett reunites with his former
QB but showed little chemistry last season and drew just one target
in his Las Vegas debut. Rookies Jack Bech (zero snaps last week)
and Dont’e Thornton (healthy scratch) may be active this week,
but neither is expected to hold a stable role yet. In deep leagues,
Bech is a stash-worthy long shot, nothing more.
LV FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.12
LV FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.14
LV FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.6
LV FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.29
Bo Nix faces a Raiders defense that’s been inconsistent
against quarterbacks — holding Drake Maye and Daniel Jones
below 17 points while surrendering 22+ to Trevor Lawrence and
Marcus Mariota. Nix himself has been up and down, but sits at
QB10 in FPts/G and should remain a top-10 option against a defense
allowing the 12th-most points to the position.
Courtland Sutton managed just one catch last week — fortunately,
a 30-yard touchdown. That was his third one-catch game of the
season and fifth with one or fewer receptions in the last two
years. Sutton’s volume volatility is real, but his red-zone
role and status as Denver’s best receiver keep him in the
mid-WR2 tier against a vulnerable Raiders secondary.
Troy Franklin struggled again in Week 9 (4-27-0 on 10 targets)
and has now posted under 30 yards in three of his last four. Still,
his volume (eight targets per game over that span) and three touchdowns
in the last month make him a playable flex. The Raiders have allowed
the sixth-most points to WRs, so Franklin could find more room
to operate this week.
J.K. Dobbins remains the Broncos’ clear lead-back, averaging
16 touches per game over the last three weeks despite being outscored
5–0 by RJ Harvey during that stretch. Dobbins has maintained goal-line
control (3 carries to 1 for Harvey) and should deliver solid RB2
production against the Raiders.
RJ Harvey has scored in three-straight games but remains locked
into a limited role. He’s played fewer than 20 snaps in
each of those contests and handled just 13 carries total across
the three. That makes him nearly touchdown-dependent — a
high-variance dart throw in deeper leagues.
After stringing together five-straight games with at least four
receptions, Evan Engram was blanked in Week 9 (3 targets, 0 catches).
He finished fourth on the team in targets, behind Franklin and
both running backs.
The Raiders have allowed just two tight ends to top seven fantasy
points all season, making Engram a shaky bet for a bounce-back.
Even with bye weeks thinning the position, he’s no better
than a mid-TE2 this week.
Pitts has 43 receptions on the season including 26 in the last
three weeks. Considering he only had 47 receptions last season,
his stock has been on the rise in 2025. His one touchdown on the
season is keeping him out of the TE1 category, but with the Falcons
struggling to find a wideout to produce outside of Drake London,
Pitts has become a top three receiving option in this offense.
The Colts are a positive matchup having given up the second most
receiving yards (674) to the tight end position, meaning he should
be a focal point of the gameplan as the Falcons take on Indianapolis
in Germany.
In contrast to Pitts, it’s been a dismal season for Mooney
who’s battled injuries since training camp and struggled
to get his footing in the offense. He has just 12 catches on the
season and had just 2 targets last week despite playing every
snap. The Atlanta offense revolves around Bijan, London and Pitts
leaving Mooney to pick up scraps in the passing game. His highest
output of the season was in Week 7 when he posted a 3-68-0 line
against the 49ers. Look for better options in Week 10.
ATL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.25
ATL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.11
ATL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.26
ATL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.32
Pittman is enjoying a solid season with Daniel Jones at quarterback,
clocking in as the WR11 in fantasy points per game (half-PPR).
He’s certainly out-played his draft stock, scoring in six of nine
games to start the season. He typically doesn’t see double-digit
targets unless the Colts get behind, but we should expect 6-7
targets in a normal game script with upside for more if the Colts
are chasing points in the 2nd half. The Falcons have been somewhat
stingy to wide receivers, giving up only one 100-yard game (Demario
Douglas of all people) but that’s not enough to get Pittman out
of your lineup.
The Colts are carrying a nice implied team total of 27 into this
game which means we can reasonably expect a solid performance
from the passing attack… unless Taylor scores all the TDs.
Jones is coming off his worst performance of the season which
included 3 INTs and 2 lost fumbles against the Steelers, but he
did manage to throw for 342 yards, 1 TD and had a rushing TD.
He’s accounted for multiple touchdowns in all but two games
this season (@TEN, @LAR).
The Colts are using a tight three-man rotation at wide receiver
and just shipped off volatile Adonai Mitchell in a trade with
the Jets that returned CB Ahmad Gardner. Downs and Pierce can
be fantasy viable but it’s unlikely both will return WR3 value
in this game. Pierce has yet to find the endzone this season and
the Falcons shell defense makes it unlikely for him to score on
a downfield throw. On the other hand, Downs has a TD in three-straight
games but hasn’t topped 57 receiving yards all season. Both are
Flex options but don’t have a lot of upside in this matchup.
With Jackson back in action last Thursday night, the Ravens had
little trouble topping the Dolphins. Of the former MVP’s four
touchdown passes, two found their way to Andrews, though they
represented the tight end’s only two receptions on the night and
covered just 22 yards. That continues what is nearly a season-long
trend. With the exception of his 6-91-2 outing versus Detroit
in Week 3, Andrews hasn’t logged more than 34 yards in a game,
and his four touchdowns have come in just two games, meaning his
fantasy value has been basically nil in six of eight outings this
season. He has some upside for Sunday’s matchup with the Vikings,
though, as he’s a nice underneath option that Jackson can go to
when Minnesota dials up the pressure. Sam LaPorta finished with
six receptions, 97 yards, and a TD in Week 9 against the Vikings.
Before that, we saw Oronde Gadsden II (5-77-1) and David Njoku
(6-67-1) deliver as well. It’s not a bad week to give Andrews
a chance.
Odds are, most owners aren’t even thinking about starting
Bateman or Hopkins this Sunday in Minnesota. Just in case you
were considering it, though, bear in mind that Bateman has topped
25 yards in a game exactly twice this season, and D-Hop went without
a catch in Jackson’s last two starts. Stay away from both.
BAL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.8
BAL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.5
BAL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.4
BAL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.19
After doing little in his Week 8 return following a stint on
IR, Jones was in the process of putting together a huge game (11
touches, 98 yards) against the Lions when a shoulder injury ended
his afternoon prematurely. The veteran says the injury isn’t serious,
and that he’ll be ready to go this Sunday. For now, we’ll take
him at his word, though he wasn’t on the field for Wednesday’s
practice. Assuming he’s back, Jones should be a major presence
in the offense as the Vikings look to both take pressure off of
J.J. McCarthy and play keep away from Jackson. Unless he’s among
Sunday’s inactives you can pencil Jones in as an RB3/flex with
RB2 upside. If Jones isn’t ready to go, plug Jordan Mason into
your lineup as a flex.
Given the circumstances surrounding the decision to play Carson
Wentz (shoulder) in Week 8 over McCarthy, not to mention a trip
to Motown on the team’s schedule, many looked ready to write
off the Vikings for the rest of the 2025 season. Instead, McCarthy
helped lead Minnesota to an upset win over the Lions. The numbers
weren’t great -- 143 yards passing, 12 yards rushing --
but he totaled three touchdowns (one rushing) to deliver solid
value for fantasy owners. Can he do it again? Perhaps. The Ravens
have looked vastly improved in two games since the bye, however,
holding Chicago and Miami to a combined 22 points, and they’re
also getting extra rest to prepare for the Vikings. It makes McCarthy
a dicey call.
While he entered 2025 as a top-10 fantasy tight end, Hockenson
has fallen well outside of that range, registering a 29-233-2
line through eight games. Despite that, it’s not uncommon
to see the veteran ranked in playable range on various sites.
At this point, that’s purely reputation-based. The fact
that Hockenson found the end zone last week shouldn’t make
a difference as it was accompanied by just 11 yards receiving.
It’s nothing new, either. In McCarthy’s three starts
this year, Hockenson has yet to eclipse 15 yards in a game. Until
he starts filling a more central role for the offense, he doesn’t
belong in your lineup.
Last week with Rhamondre Stevenson on the sidelines due to a
toe injury, Henderson played 75% of the snaps while Terrell Jennings
played just 25%. However, Henderson only out-touched Jennings
18-12 and Jennings found the endzone. The Patriots do prefer Henderson
in the passing game (6 tgts last week) which keeps his value strong
in PPR leagues, but this isn’t an ideal situation for a lead back.
The matchup is decent for Henderson in that the Bucs have given
up the most receiving yards (466) to running backs through nine
weeks. That keeps him in the Favorite category if Stevenson sits
again.
It’s difficult to trust Diggs these days as anything more than
a WR3 option given his recent low volume. His overall target share
(21.4%) ranks 25th among wide receivers but he’s seen 5 targets
or less in three out of his last four games. Thankfully, he’s
scored twice in the last two weeks to help his cause. Kayshon
Boutte is dealing with a hamstring injury which will certainly
help Diggs’ value if he misses this game, but we know the Patriots
are comfortable using a five-wideout rotation and should expect
rookie Kyle Williams to see more action in that scenario. The
Bucs are a middling matchup for wide receivers so it wouldn’t
be a shock if Diggs does just enough to crack the top 24 among
wideouts this week.
Henry saw 6 targets last week… the most he’s seen since Week
3 when he had 11 looks. His 4-51-0 line was only good enough for
a TE22 finish. As is the case, with the tight end position, if
you don’t score, it’s difficult to return meaningful value. Henry
ranks 14th among tight ends in target share (17.3%) so he retains
his appeal as a TE2 option that you hope gets in the endzone.
Boutte has missed practice Wednesday and Thursday due to a hamstring
injury suffered in Week 9 and is trending towards missing Week
10. He leads all New England wideouts in snap rate (66.5%) and
has a ridiculous 18.7 yards per catch average as the Patriots
love the deep ball.
NE FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.21
NE FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.30
NE FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.16
NE FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.7
Baker is currently the QB15 and just the QB18 in fantasy points
per game after a couple of duds in his last two outings (@DET,
@NO). The main reason for his low totals in those contests has
been his lack of rushing – zero yards. Navigating the injuries
to the offensive line and receiver room has also proved to be
challenging. Still, we may see more pass attempts in this game,
given the state of the running back room and the return of a couple
Baker scrambles should be enough to keep Baker in the low-end
QB1 conversation. The Patriots have given up 5 passing TDs (Penix,
Gabriel) in their last two games.
The Bucs came out of their bye this week with Bucky Irving remaining
on the sidelines. That means we get another week of Rachaad White
as the lead back in Tampa Bay… right? Or, do we see more of Sean
Tucker after White failed at the goaline miserably in Tampa’s
last game in Week 8 against the Saints. White posted a 13-35-0,
2-26-0 line and played just 55.2% of the snaps in that contest.
Meanwhile, Tucker’s usage increased as he finished with a 12-42-1
line. Don’t be surprised if we see more of an even timeshare between
these two backs against the Patriots which makes White more of
a risky Flex option this week.
Just like Bucky, Chris Godwin does not appear ready to return
to action in Week 10 which means we’ll get another week of Tez
Johnson being a viable fantasy asset. Yes, Sterling Shepard will
be in the mix but Tez is simply capable of making plays that Shepard
can’t. Johnson has 15 targets in his last two games while Shepard
has just 9. This sets up for Johnson to be a solid Flex option
in a week with four teams on bye.
With the help of overtime, Etienne saw his highest touch count
(27) of the season last week against the Raiders allowing him
to finish as the RB10. His output broke a bad streak of three-straight
games under double-digit fantasy points. He posted an inefficient
day back in Week 3 against the Texans (16-56-1) but did find the
endzone, something he’ll likely need to do here in order
to return RB2 value. In a game with a 37.5 total and a below-average
matchup, this isn’t the best environment for fantasy scoring
for the Jags RBs but we should expect a heavy dose of the run
game given the personnel problems in the JAX wide receiver room.
If Parker Washington is your focal point in the passing game,
then your offense has problems. That exactly what happened last
week as Washington led the JAX wideouts in snaps (87.5%) and target
share (27.3%). Given the injuries to BTJ and Travis Hunter (IR)
we could see Washington lead this group again. The Jaguars may
be forced to play Jakobi Meyers more than they’d like but it’s
unlikely he’s going to have a high workload in his first week
with the team. As a result, Washington is an uninspiring volume
play in a bad matchup against the Texans.
Lawrence has been a high-end QB2 on the season thanks in large
part to four rushing TDs but his weekly output has included more
duds and middling performances than we’d like. The last
time these two teams met (Wk3), Lawrence finished as the QB29,
completing 50% of his passes with no touchdowns. Facing a menacing
Texans-D with Parker Washington and the newly acquired Jakobi
Meyers as his top two options, this doesn’t seem like a
good spot for T-Law.
BTJ is nursing an ankle injury suffered last week against the
Raiders and it’s unclear at the time of this writing if
he’s going to play. He’s missed practice on Wednesday
and Thursday. Even if he does see the field, he’s going
to be less than 100 percent and has been underwhelming the majority
of the season including a 2-55-0 line on 6 targets against Houston
back in Week 3. The Texans are not a matchup to exploit at the
wide receiver position, so leaving Thomas on your bench this week
is justified.
HOU FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.32
HOU FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.21
HOU FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.28
HOU FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.28
Nico has had a subpar fantasy season to date, topping 100 yards
just once (Wk3) while averaging 59 yards per game. That said,
he’s the clear alpha in the receiver room and should command
targets in this matchup against the Jaguars that have given up
three 100-yard receiving games this season, including one to Collins
(8-104-1). Houston likes to rotate five receivers but Collins
will push an 80% snap share and he was Mills’ favorite option
last week against the Broncos.
Chubb is dealing with a foot injury that kept him out of practice
on Wednesday. If he’s unable to go this week, then we should
see a usage bump for Marks who’s been splitting time with
Chubb in recent weeks. Neither back has been efficient on the
ground but Marks is the preferred option in the pass game, averaging
12.7 yards per catch. The Texans used four running backs last
week, including giving British Brooks a couple goaline carries,
but Marks is their best weapon out of the backfield that should
be leaned on with Stroud (concussion) on the sidelines.
Mills gets the call at quarterback this week for a Texans team
that’s averaging 212 passing yards per game (18th) and ranks
24th in passing TDs (11). Mills stepped in for a concussed Stroud
against the Broncos last week and finished with a 137-0-0, 2-7-0
line completing 56.7% of his passes. His expected fantasy points
on the ground are minimal but the one positive for Week 10 is
the matchup against the Jags who’ve allowed the 2nd most
fantasy points to the position. You can squint your eyes and see
225 yards passing and 2 TDs but that will likely be the high-end
of his outcomes. Mills is a better dart throw for Superflex or
2-QB leagues.
Chubb has 2 touchdowns in eight games and his best fantasy finish
was RB21 in Week 2. When these teams met in Week 3 Chubb posted
40 yards on 12 touches. Jacksonville has given just two rushing
TDs to RBs and has allowed the third fewest rushing yards to the
position. There simply isn’t any juice here and without
a TD, Chubb is going to be big hole in your flex spot.
Rookie running back Quinshon Judkins left Week 8’s game
with an injury which may have left a bad taste in fantasy managers’
mouths, but the bye week seems to have done him well as he is
looking like he’ll be a full go here in Week 10 when the
Browns head on the road to battle the Jets.
Judkins had dominated the touches in the Cleveland background
for the previous handful of weeks prior to his Week 8 injury,
so fantasy managers should be looking for more of that in this
one as he battles against a Jets defense that just gave up a two-touchdown
day to Chase Brown this past week.
The Browns’ offense might be one of the worst in the league,
but it’s hard to argue against them having the best one-two
punch in the league at tight end right now. David Njoku and Fannin
have both been usable in fantasy throughout much of the first
half of the season. The unfortunate thing is that it’s been
extremely difficult to predict which one of the two will be better
on a given week, which has been frustrating for managers to navigate.
Njoku has dealt with some injuries early on, but he appears to
be back at full strength, so look for both players to be heavily
utilized in the offense this week and going forward. Fannin missed
practice Thursday with a hamstring injury so monitor his status
this weekend.
Fade: Everyone Else
Whether it’s Dillon Gabriel or any of his wide receivers,
the Browns’ passing game is not one that you want to be
invested in at the moment. A tough matchup against a solid Jets’
pass defense only amplifies the already existing offensive issues
for the Browns, so fantasy managers should look to avoid the situation.
CLE FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.26
CLE FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.31
CLE FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.13
CLE FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.16
The Jets’ lack of consistency at quarterback is bad enough,
but the knee injury that has kept him out of the Jets’ previous
two games has been a killer for fantasy managers. Wilson is looking
like he might be activated now that the Jets are coming off of
their bye week, but it’s hard to know if he’s going
to be at full strength. Fantasy managers need to keep a close
eye on this situation and have a backup plan ready either way.
It’s looking like Justin Fields will be back behind center
for the Jets in Week 10, but he might be the least secure starting
QB in the league right now. Fields has been benched due to poor
performance already this season and while he’s actually
been a solid fantasy producer most weeks, we have also seen situations
where he’s left managers with a total dud when he gets benched
midway through a game.
The Browns/Jets game has one of the lowest Vegas totals on the
board this week, meaning that there probably won’t be many
touchdown opportunities for Fields to save his fantasy day. If
he looks good in this one and is announced as the starter for
Week 11 then we may have a different path forward, but for now
it’s probably wise to avoid putting Fields in your fantasy
lineup.
The Saints made a deal at the trade deadline, shipping Rashid
Shaheed off to Seattle which leaves Olave as the only real threat
in the wide receiver room. He ranks 2nd among wide receivers with
87 targets behind only Ja’Marr Chase (107) but saw his target
share dip last week to 16.7% with Shough at quarterback. Expect
Olave to be the focal point in the passing game with Shaheed out
of the picture but make no mistake, this is a low-volume, inefficient
passing attack that doesn’t lend itself to big wide receiver
stats. Olave is on the WR2/3 borderline this week.
Johnson found the endzone last week for the second time this
season which resulted in at TE8 finish. Typically, he’s
settling in as a mid-range TE2, averaging a little over 6 targets
a game. The Panthers are a neutral matchup against the position
with a slight lean to the plus side, and the removal of Shaheed
could give Johnson an extra target or two. As a result, I’d
be OK with plugging in Johnson as my TE this week.
Kamara had 1 touchdown on the season which came back in Week
1. He has just six carries in each of his last two games and hasn’t
topped 50 total yards in his last three. He ranks 19th among running
backs in receiving yards with 150 behind Justice Hill (157). To
make matters worse, his snap rate has been on the decline the
last two weeks (51.4%, 58.5%) which has allowed Devin Neal more
opportunities. I’d be looking for other options until further
notice.
NO FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.11
NO FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.12
NO FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.15
NO FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.14
Dowdle is actually a No-Brainer this week but I wanted to highlight
his role and usage from Week 9 which saw him play 72.4% of the
snaps and handle 27 touches in the Panthers underdog victory over
the Packers in Green Bay. By contrast, Chuba Hubbard played just
22.4% of the snaps and had just 5 touches. Make no mistake, this
a workhorse role for Dowdle who should be in your lineup regardless
of matchup given the expected volume. The Panthers are a 5.5-point
favorite against the Saints who’ve given up the 12th most fantasy
points to the position.
McMillan is the clear No.1 for the Panthers. He leads the team
in targets (69) and receptions (41) by a wide margin. However,
he’s sitting in the low-end WR2 range in fantasy football
because the Panthers lean on the run heavily in positive and neutral
game scripts. This is the exact script we should get here as Carolina
is a sizeable favorite over the Saints. New Orleans is a neutral
matchup against wide receivers but they have given up 11 TDs to
the position, tied for 3rd most (WAS).
Unfortunately, Hubbard does not carry any standalone value given
his current role. He’ll likely need an injury to Dowdle
in order to reclaim fantasy relevance.
You could certainly make the argument that Dart is a no-brainer
right now, but it still feels a bit premature. Injuries have stripped
the Giants of their top two playmakers -- Malik Nabers (knee)
and Cam Skattebo (ankle) -- leaving Dart with names like Tyrone
Tracy Jr., Devin Singletary, Darius Slayton, and Robinson to carry
the torch. Despite that lack of talent, the rookie QB continues
to produce for fantasy owners, accounting for 191 yards passing,
56 yards rushing, and 3 total TDs in last week’s loss to San Francisco.
Robinson led the way in that one with nine receptions and 11 targets,
though his longest catch of the day was for nine yards. On the
other side, Chicago’s defense is predicated on taking the ball
away. When they do that, they can have success. If not, they struggle
to stop teams. A week ago in Cincinnati, the Bengals hung 42 points
on the Bears, which came one week after they allowed 30 to Baltimore.
Both games were started by backup quarterbacks. That leaves Dart
well positioned to post QB1 numbers again this Sunday, whereas
Robinson is more of a high-end WR3 with a little juice.
The rise of Skattebo was preceded by a shoulder injury to Tracy,
who began the season as New York’s lead back. The loss of
Skattebo was supposed to propel Tracy back into that featured
role. For at least one week, that didn’t happen, with Singletary
posting more touches (10) and yards (51) than Tracy. We’ll
see if that distribution continues this week. The Bengals didn’t
get much done on the ground, but Chase Brown was heavily involved
as a receiver and finished their Week 9 game against Chicago with
112 total yards. Use Tracy as an RB3/flex and you might get a
nice return on investment.
Fade: N/A
NYG FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.7
NYG FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.2
NYG FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.7
NYG FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.21
Before diving into Williams, let’s note that Swift’s status is
obviously dependent on returning to the lineup after missing Week
9 with a groin injury. If he’s inactive again, you’ll want to
slide Kyle Monangai (198 total yards against Cincinnati) into
your starting lineup as a temporary no-brainer. Returning to Williams,
the second-year pro has had exactly two big games this season:
Week 3 vs Dallas (298 yards, 4 TDs), and Week 9 vs Cincinnati
(280 yards, 4 total TDs). It’s no coincidence that those are arguably
the two worst defenses in football. That’s a long-winded way of
saying he delivers in plus matchups, and while the Giants aren’t
as bad as the Bengals or Cowboys, they’re still in the bottom
10 of the NFL against the pass. Chicago’s schedule has been littered
with cupcakes to this point, but after facing the Giants they
have only one game remaining versus a team that currently has
a losing record. Play Williams while you can.
Moore had his best game of the season in Week 9, posting a 4-72-0
line as a receiver and logging an unconventional pair of touchdowns
(one as a runner, and one as a passer) in Chicago’s wild
victory over the Bengals. Owners that have held onto Moore through
his disappointing campaign might be anxious to get him into their
lineup on the heels of him finally delivering a healthy number
of fantasy points. While he does have a decent matchup, there
are red flags pertaining to him maintaining value. The veteran
still isn’t getting a ton of work -- he hasn’t had
more than four catches in a game since Week 2 -- and he still
only has one receiving score on the season. At best, you can try
him as a low-end WR3 or flex.
Through his first six NFL games, Loveland had 11 receptions,
116 yards, and 0 TDs. Last Sunday, he put up a 6-118-2 line. Rookies
always create a disproportionate amount of excitement among fantasy
owners, and this is a classic case. Loveland was thrust into a
larger role midgame when Cole Kmet (concussion) bowed out with
a concussion, and the rookie hauled in a 58-yard touchdown on
Chicago’s final offensive snap that had far more to do with atrocious
defense than anything Loveland did. Before that, he had a respectable
but far from eye popping 5-60-1 effort. With Kmet back at practice
and trending toward a return, Loveland would be a massive risk
in your lineup.
He came out of Week 9’s victory over the Chiefs with an
ankle injury that kept him out of practice early in the week,
but it’s looking like James Cook is trending toward playing
on Sunday when the Bills head to Miami to face the Dolphins. Cook
has touched the ball at least 15 times in every game this season
while contributing five 100-yard rushing performances and scoring
seven touchdowns in the Bills’ eight games.
The Dolphins have been a sieve against opposing running backs
this season, including Cook himself who rushed for 108 yards on
over five yards per carry and scored a touchdown against them
when these teams matched up back in Week 3. Keep an eye on his
practice activity and make sure he’s active, but Cook is
in a great spot for another huge week as long as he’s on
the field.
The consistency hasn’t been there from this young tight
end, but Dalton Kincaid is beginning to show the ceiling that
made him one of the highest-drafted tight ends in fantasy following
his rookie season. Kincaid crushed the Chiefs for six receptions,
101 yards and a touchdown in Week 9 - his second 100-yard performance
in three games.
Kincaid scored a touchdown on five receptions for 66 yards when
these teams played back in Week 3. The Dolphins have also struggled
to defend other tight ends, including giving up three touchdowns
to opposing TEs over the past three weeks. Kincaid might not feel
like an elite option, but this matchup and his current hot streak
put him right on the cusp.
The usefulness of a player like Khalil Shakir ultimately comes
down to the size and format of your league, but Shakir continues
to be a low-double-digit PPR scoring machine. This is despite
the fact that Shakir has not yet earned a double-digit-target
game so far this season. While this consistency has allowed him
to be usable as a low-end WR3/Flex option, it hasn’t resulted
in many high ceiling performances, making him a tough player to
put in lineups for players in smaller leagues.
Shakir did have a solid enough fantasy day when these teams played
earlier in the season, but it was largely saved by him getting
into the end zone as he caught just four passes for 45 yards while
seeing just four targets. Bye weeks and injuries make Shakir a
solid plug-and-play option, but the likelihood of getting a big,
difference-making performance is very low.
Fade: N/A
BUF FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.31
BUF FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.7
BUF FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.22
BUF FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.31
The Dolphins’ offense continues to struggle as they were
held to just six total points this past week in their home loss
to the Ravens. Running back De’Von Achane - known for his
big play ability - has been by far the most consistent fantasy
contributor on this otherwise awful offense, but he’s also
been one of the most consistent running backs in all of fantasy
football. Achane has hit double-digit PPR fantasy points in every
game, he’s averaging nearly 20 points per game, and he currently
sits as the RB2 in fantasy.
His matchup against a bad Buffalo run defense provides not only
a floor but also an excellent ceiling. Achane rushed for over
five yards per carry and caught seven passes when these teams
played back in Week 3, so this looks like a good opportunity for
him to have another great fantasy performance.
Miami may be looking for a new quarterback following this season,
but for now fantasy managers should at least be thankful that
Tua Tagovailoa is getting the ball to his top wide receiver Jaylen
Waddle. Waddle has quietly put together a solid fantasy season
and sits just outside of WR1 range for the season. He’s scored
14 or more fantasy points in six of his past eight games.
The biggest concern about Waddle is that, while he’s been
able to get into the endzone four times this season, he’s
never been much of a touchdown scorer previously throughout his
career, and the Dolphins’ offense has been in a huge draught,
which makes it unlikely that he’s able to keep getting into
the end zone at this rate. Given that Waddle is yet to be targeted
10 times in any game, he’s still capable of delivering some
dud performances that kill his managers, which is why he’s
listed as “on the fence” this week despite his season-long
stats.
With Kyler Murray on IR, Jacoby Brissett remains the Cardinals’
starter for the foreseeable future. In three games since taking
over, he’s thrown two touchdown passes in each, averaging more
than 290 yards through the air and an impressive 23 fantasy points
per game.
Brissett has never been a steady QB1 option during any of his
previous stops, so regression toward QB2 territory is possible.
Still, his chemistry with Trey McBride and Marvin Harrison Jr.
gives him streaming appeal for fantasy managers in need of upside.
Marvin Harrison Jr. delivered one of his best outings yet in
Week 9, posting a 7-96-1 line against Dallas. Seattle, however,
presents a tougher test — ranking eighth-best against opposing
receivers. Harrison’s 9.8 yards per target is encouraging,
but he’s been inconsistent, with three or fewer receptions
in four games this season (including just two in each of the two
prior to last week). He’s a volatile flex play in a difficult
matchup.
Fade: Cardinals RBs
Until Trey Benson returns from IR (likely 1–2 weeks away),
the Cardinals’ backfield remains a full-blown committee
carousel. Michael Carter, Zonovan Knight, and Emari Demercado
have each led the team in carries at different times, only to
rotate out the following week.
With Knight and Demercado expected to share the load again, fantasy
managers are left guessing who, if anyone, will emerge. Facing
a Seahawks defense allowing just 3.2 yards per carry, this backfield
is best avoided altogether.
ARI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.24
ARI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.17
ARI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.18
ARI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.8
The Cardinals have allowed the ninth-fewest fantasy points per
game to quarterbacks, but that stat may not hold up this week
with both top corners and coverage linebacker Mack Wilson likely
out. That sets the stage for Sam Darnold—who’s thrown
eight touchdowns in his last four games—to deliver another
strong QB1-level outing.
Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet continue to cannibalize each
other’s fantasy value. Walker hasn’t scored since
Charbonnet’s return from injury, and Charbonnet still hasn’t
topped 50 rushing yards in a game this season. Both sit outside
the top 25 in fantasy points per game, making each a modest flex
option. Charbonnet remains the more touchdown-dependent play.
Tight end AJ Barner could be a sneaky option this week. The Cardinals
have struggled to contain tight ends (eighth-most points allowed),
and injuries in their secondary only amplify that weakness. Barner
has averaged just 29.5 receiving yards per game, but he’s been
a key red-zone presence with five touchdowns. With Tory Horton
(five TDs) not practicing, Barner may see expanded opportunities
both in the open field and near the goal line. He’s a mid-TE2
with upside for needy managers.
Matthew Stafford enters Week 10 with an impressive 21-to-2 TD-to-INT
ratio and draws a 49ers defense that’s been unexpectedly
soft against the pass — allowing 15 touchdowns while recording
just one interception all season. Stafford has thrown 3+ touchdowns
in four of his last five games and currently ranks as the QB9
in FPts/G. He’s a confident QB1 play versus San Francisco.
Davante Adams has been in vintage form, adding two more touchdowns
last week to bring his season total to eight — already matching
each of his last two full seasons. His chemistry with Stafford
has been instant, and he’s on pace to challenge for another
league-leading TD mark. While the 49ers kept him out of the end
zone back in Week 5, Adams still posted a 5-88 line on 11 targets.
Pencil him in as a borderline WR1 this week.
Blake Corum has logged a career-high 13 touches in each of the
past two games, but those came in comfortable blowout wins over
Jacksonville and New Orleans. Given that the previous Rams-49ers
meeting went to overtime, a tighter game script could again limit
Corum’s role behind Kyren Williams. He remains a deep bench
stash but not a fantasy starter in Week 10.
LAR FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.27
LAR FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.32
LAR FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.14
LAR FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.22
Still battling through injuries, Jauan Jennings continues to
trend upward, recording four receptions in three straight games
and finding the end zone again last week versus the Giants. When
these teams met in Week 5, Jennings was sidelined — and Kendrick
Bourne erupted for 10-142-0. With Bourne fading and Ricky Pearsall
still out, Jennings now projects as the 49ers’ top wideout and
a viable flex option against the Rams.
Few quarterbacks have fared well against the Rams this season
— but Mac Jones did in Week 5, throwing for 342 yards and
2 touchdowns. Though he’s been quieter since while battling
injuries, Jones was sharp in last week’s win over the Giants
(79% completion rate, 9.8 Y/A, 2 TDs). He’s practicing in
full this week, while Brock Purdy remains limited. If Jones starts,
he profiles as a high-end QB2, with Purdy offering a similar ceiling
if cleared.
After exploding against the Rams earlier this season, Kendrick
Bourne has slid back into a limited role with the return of Jauan
Jennings and George Kittle commanding target priority. With just
seven catches over his last three games, Bourne is not a fantasy
consideration this week.
The Lions suffered a surprising division loss to the Vikings
this past week and the team itself wasn’t the only thing
that fell short of expectations. Star running back Jahmyr Gibbs
also struggled to get things going, compiling just 25 rushing
yards on nine carries while adding just three yards in the passing
game – his worst fantasy performance so far this season.
Looking forward to Week 10, though, things look much better for
Gibbs’ possibility to get back on the path of elite fantasy
production. The Commanders have been solid against opposing running
backs so far this season, but they’ve struggled to contain
the more versatile backs like Bijan Robinson and D’Andre
Swift who can also contribute in the passing game. Gibbs is one
of the best in the league at exploiting defenses like this with
the Lions being a road favorite there is a good chance that he
sees plenty of opportunities in this matchup.
Part of “The Jameson Williams Experience” is the
complete rollercoaster of totally useless games followed by performances
the very next week. That’s what we saw over Williams’
previous two games as he was completely locked up against the
Buccaneers in Week 7 before bouncing back with four catches for
66 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings in Week 9.
Williams now faces a Washington defense that has been horrible
at defending against opposing passing games, having given up the
fourth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season.
This past week both Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Tory Horton went over
20 points against them and the defense has already conceded six
of those 20-point fantasy games throughout the first half of the
season.
Williams is always going to be a hit-or-miss kind of player,
but this is the kind of defense that a player like him is capable
of exploiting.
The 2025 season has seen the gap continue to grow between Jahmyr
Gibbs and David Montgomery, and the difference has only become
more obvious in recent weeks. Following the Lions’ surprising
Week 9 loss to the Vikings, Montgomery has now contributed an
average of fewer than nine PPR points per game over his past five
contests – and it would’ve been even worse if he hadn’t
been able to get into the end zone twice during that stretch.
Montgomery has now essentially become a boosted-up touchdown-or-bust
type of fantasy back and while there’s a reasonable chance
that he does get into the end zone in this one, it appears likely
that his days as a fantasy RB1 – and perhaps even a fantasy
RB2 – are in the rear-view mirror.
DET FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.9
DET FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.29
DET FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.8
DET FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.20
The elbow injury suffered by Jayden Daniels has meant that the
Commanders will again turn to veteran backup quarterback Marcus
Mariota to manage the offense going forward. While this situation
does lower the offense’s ceiling, it’s worth considering that
Mariota himself has actually been a decent fantasy quarterback
throughout much of his career, and even this season in Washington.
Mariota has underrated mobility and while he does turn the ball
over more often than we’d like, he’s also willing to push the
ball down the field.
Mariota will face a Lions defense that ranks as a top-10 matchup
for opposing quarterbacks this season, having given up solid fantasy
days to almost every QB they’ve gone up against so far this
season. He’s not a stud by any means, but fantasy managers
who are looking for a bye-week fill-in could do worse than the
former Oregon Duck.
Fade: Everyone Else
The Commanders’ offense looked bad even with Jayden Daniels
on the field this past week in their home blowout loss to the
Seahawks and now they’ll be without their young star quarterback.
While Mariota might be able to contribute some decent fantasy
production, the rest of the offense will almost certainly have
their ceilings as well as their floors limited going forward.
Whether it’s running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, wide
receiver Deebo Samuel, or tight end Zach Ertz, it’s probably
best to look elsewhere for fantasy production right now until
we see the offense start to gel under their new quarterback. It’s
looking unlikely that Terry McClaurin (quad) will be active this
week, but even if he is, managers should avoid this situation
as much as possible.
Jaylen Warren, averaging 14.1 rushes per game, continues to rely
on efficiency over sheer volume. Fortunately, this week’s
matchup sets up well — the Chargers have allowed 5.0 yards
per carry to opposing backs. Averaging 12.6 FPts/G on the season,
Warren projects as a steady mid-RB2 option with upside if game
flow cooperates.
DK Metcalf has been touchdown-dependent through much of 2025,
logging 55 or fewer receiving yards in five of eight games while
finding the end zone five times. The Chargers, however, have yielded
just four receiving touchdowns all year, putting pressure on Metcalf’s
yardage output to carry his fantasy day. He’s a volatile
WR3/flex play in Week 10.
While Aaron Rodgers sits just 22nd in FPts/G, he’s flashed
ceiling weeks — throwing four touchdowns twice this season
(vs. the Jets and Bengals). Unfortunately, the matchup is a poor
one: the Chargers have surrendered the fourth-fewest fantasy points
to quarterbacks. Rodgers is heavily touchdown-dependent and projects
as a fringe QB2 at best.
Tight end Pat Freiermuth has been productive lately, with three
touchdowns in his past three games and a 100-yard performance
against Cincinnati. Still, the tight end rotation in Pittsburgh
(Jonnu Smith, Darnell Washington) caps his routes and targets
— he’s averaging only 3.1 targets per game and ranks fifth on
the team in looks. Against a Chargers defense allowing the sixth-fewest
points to tight ends, Freiermuth is no better than a low-end TE2
this week.
PIT FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.4
PIT FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.23
PIT FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.2
PIT FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.3
Despite losing LT Joe Alt (IR), Justin Herbert should thrive
against a Steelers defense that’s quietly allowed every
opposing QB but one (rookie Dillon Gabriel) to score 20+ fantasy
points. Four of the last five passers to face Pittsburgh have
thrown for over 340 yards — so even with a quicker game
plan to offset T.J. Watt’s pressure, Herbert carries top-3
QB upside in Week 10.
Tight end Orande Gadsden II continues to emerge as a major factor,
adding five catches for 68 yards in Week 9. Herbert’s need for
quick-release options may increase Gadsden’s role further, and
Pittsburgh’s vulnerability against tight ends only sweetens the
outlook — both Hunter Henry and Tucker Kraft topped 25 fantasy
points against them. Gadsden II is a strong TE1 with elite upside.
The Steelers have surrendered double-digit PPR points to multiple
receivers in four different games this season, paving the way
for both Ladd McConkey and Keenan Allen to succeed. McConkey has
commanded 40 targets for 311 yards over the last four games, reestablishing
himself as Herbert’s alpha receiver and a high-end WR2.
Allen’s short-area reliability should help Herbert manage
pressure, keeping him in the flex mix.
Quentin Johnston remains a big-play threat but has seen reduced
consistency amid a deeper target rotation and offensive line attrition.
With 14 touchdowns in his past 23 games, he still has upside —
but versus Pittsburgh’s improving secondary, he’s
best viewed as a boom-or-bust flex.
Kimani Vidal’s first four starts have been a roller coaster:
two 100-yard efforts mixed with two games under 35 rushing yards.
Facing a Steelers defense allowing the 10th-fewest points to opposing
RBs, Vidal carries a wide range of outcomes. The loss of Joe Alt
could hurt run lanes, though Vidal’s biggest breakout came
with Alt already sidelined. He’s a volatile back-end RB2
with ceiling potential.
Perhaps no team consolidates touches more than the Eagles, which
produce box scores where only a handful of players appear. For
fantasy purposes, that means those lucky few offer weekly value.
With the Eagles coming off a bye, and their Week 10 game not until
Monday night, there haven’t been any updates on Barkley, who injured
his groin in Week 8, or Brown, who did not suit up. The outlook
for both was optimistic that they’d be available this week, but
it’s something that you’ll want to monitor closely as all the
other games will have concluded, limiting alternatives if either
player can’t go. A Brown absence wouldn’t really elevate anyone
else, but if Barkley sits, Tank Bigsby would be worth getting
in your lineup.
With all that out of the way, let’s focus on the only real
skill player on the Eagles that you might consider starting or
benching each week based on matchups. Goedert hasn’t posted
a lot of yards this season -- 110 of his 289 yards came in one
game, topping 40 yards just one other time -- but he’s tied
for second in the NFL with seven TD catches. He had a 4-47-1 line
versus the Packers in their last meeting, and he’s worth
utilizing in your starting lineup.
On the Fence: N/A
Fade: N/A
PHI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.19
PHI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.8
PHI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.21
PHI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.30
When everyone is healthy, the Packers might have the deepest
receiver room in the NFL in terms of legitimate contributors.
To put it mildly, Green Bay is not healthy. Tucker Kraft (knee)
was lost for the season, Jayden Reed (shoulder) is on IR, and
it’s unclear if Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) or Matthew Golden (shoulder)
will play this Monday night. That leaves Christian Watson and
Doubs. Of the two, the latter is easily the safer choice, having
averaged 8.2 targets per game over the last five, leading to 5.4
receptions and 64 yards per outing with three total touchdowns.
In two games since returning, Watson has posted 4-85-0 and 2-58-0
lines, respectively, so he does boast some upside. That being
said, Doubs is currently Jordan Love’s go-to target, and that
could increase with Kraft unavailable. You can tab Doubs as a
WR3 while Watson is more of a lottery ticket flex.
As noted above, the Packers ran into significant issues at the
pass-catching positions last Sunday, to the point that Bo Melton,
who had converted to cornerback before the season, was forced
into receiver duty. Despite that, and an offensive line that once
again had protection issues, Love still finished with a respectable
273 yards. He went without a touchdown for the first time since
Green Bay’s Wild Card loss to the Eagles, however, and it’s unknown
who will be available among the team’s injured wideouts this Monday
night. There are also some schematic concerns as Philly runs the
two-high shell as well as anyone, and that was the defense the
Panthers relied on in their upset, cutting off the deep shots
and banking on the Packers self-destructing somewhere along the
way -- it turned out to be in the red zone repeatedly. Love is
certainly talented enough to overcome and put up QB1 numbers,
but he’s a risky choice versus the Eagles.
Outside of Love and Micah Parsons, Kraft was probably the player
the Packers least would have wanted to lose. Unfortunately, that’s
what happened as the star tight end tore his ACL. That means it’s
“next man up” time in Green Bay, and that next man
is Musgrave, who was actually drafted a round before Kraft and
was the starter earlier in their respective careers until he suffered
an injury of his own. So, while he can’t do everything Kraft
can, Musgrave can play, and his weakness is more as a blocker,
which doesn’t matter to fantasy owners. All that being said,
we haven’t seen much of the Oregon State product this season,
and it’d be an awful lot to ask for him to step right in
and contribute anywhere near the TE1 level that Kraft had. This
is a week to watch the Packers offense to see how they work Musgrave
into the passing game.
