Week 10 Rankings

Updated 11/15 at 12:50 PM ET. Moved Lynch and Sanders down further. 

Updated 11/15 at 12:00 PM ET. Removed Eddie Lacy. Plunged Marshawn Lynch, whom I may remove before 1PM ET. Plunged Emmanuel Sanders. Removed Austin Seferian-Jenkins.

P.S., here's an Eagles of Death Metal song if you need some luck this week.  

Alshon Jeffery’s contract drive started with him missing four of the first five games of the season. It’s resumed with him reaving souls, catching 28 passes for 414 yards and two touchdowns over Chicago’s past three contests.

Seeing DeAndre Hopkins-esque targets, Jeffery has drawn 11, 15 and 16 looks since returning. He’s averaging 17.8 fantasy points in the process, which is 2.4 more than both Hopkins and Julio Jones. Jeffery’s pace will slacken, of course, but with Eddie Royal (knee) set to miss another game, it won’t happen in Week 10.

The Rams are a tough matchup, but are actually smack dab in the middle of the league in receiver receptions, permitting 104. That’s 13 per game. Who do you think is going to catch them for the Bears? Marc Mariani?     

We wrote before the season that Jeffery has WR1 overall kind of upside. He’s been flashing it since finally getting healthy, and will continue to do so for a team that has no choice but to funnel him the ball. Even in tough matchups like the one he has this weekend, Jeffery is an alpha WR1, one capable of singlehandedly winning weeks.  

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Week 10 Quarterbacks

QB Notes: Even if you pick and choose from different weeks, Tom Brady’s worst performance would be 23-of-37 for 275 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Meaning, he’s yet to throw for fewer than 275 yards or two touchdowns, and completed at least 62.2 percent of his passes every time out. He’s playing quarterback at a level it’s rarely been played. … Awakened after halftime last week, Aaron Rodgers comes off his 1.5-game slump against a Lions defense allowing a league-worst 8.7 yards per attempt, and the sixth most fantasy points to quarterbacks. With Randall Cobb and Davante Adams both healthy, Rodgers is going to get back on track. … All the way up to QB2 status, Drew Brees is completing 71.9 percent of his throws since returning from a shoulder injury six games ago. He’s posted a 16:5 TD:INT ratio in the process, and averaged 359 yards per game. You just can’t hold these guys down. … The QB5, Andy Dalton already has four three-touchdown performances after having only one in all of 2014. For Week 10, he gets a Texans defense tied for 27th in passing scores allowed (16).

Coming off a 38.6-point effort against the Packers, Cam Newton is averaging 26.4 points per week. Only Brady and Brees are managing more. The Titans are fairly stingy through the air, but surrendering the 10th most rushing yards to quarterbacks. Newton has produced ground scores in 5-of-8 starts. … Tom Brady and Carson Palmer — that’s the complete list of players to throw for more touchdowns than Derek Carr. Playing at what would be considered an MVP level were the Raiders leading the AFC West, Carr has produced 11 scores over his past three starts, which include two Raiders victories. The Vikings are a stiff matchup, but so were the Jets, whom Carr shredded at home two weeks ago. … Blake Bortles at No. 7 makes me nervous, but it’s really not much of a debate. Bortles is the QB8 on the season, and has managed multiple scores in 6-of-8 starts, including four straight. Only the Saints are allowing more fantasy points to enemy QBs than Baltimore. For DFS purposes, Bortles is a fit for both cash and tournament lineups.

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Coming off a humdrum day in Tampa, Eli Manning gets the undefeated Patriots. The Pats have an effective pass defense, but the conditions will be ripe for a shootout at MetLife Stadium. … Peyton Manning is throwing picks at a Schaub-ian rate, but has averaged 311 yards in two post-bye starts. The Chiefs harassed Manning in Week 2, but still allowed three scores in a home game. Now in Denver and permitting two air scores per week, K.C. is going to allow Manning his numbers. … Carson Palmer should probably be lower, but the 10-and-beyond range at quarterback is an absolute mystery this week. Second in the league in touchdowns after Tom Brady, Palmer should never be benched in season-long formats. … Tyrod Taylor’s ceiling remains mouthwatering, but on a short week on the road against the Jets’ elite defense, his floor is scary with Sammy Watkins (ankle) at less than 100 percent. … Russell Wilson is on pace for a career high in passing yards (3,756), but has only nine total scores in eight games. That number is overdue for some positive regression, but the Cardinals aren’t going to surrender any cheap touchdowns.

Ryan Tannehill is quietly seventh in passing yards per game (280), but hasn’t tossed a touchdown since Week 7. The Eagles are playing tough defense, and creating turnovers. Tannehill’s yardage gives him a nice floor, but his Week 10 ceiling won’t be getting drafty. … Joe Flacco is in dangerous fantasy waters without Steve Smith Sr. (Achilles’), but the Jags are about as inviting as it gets for a matchup. Only seven teams have allowed more fantasy points to rival signal callers, while Gus Bradley’s defense has been stung for a 14:3 TD:INT ratio. Things could get ugly for Flacco down the stretch, but Week 10 seems like a safe place. … Sam Bradford has two total touchdowns over his past three games, but is coming off his third-best yardage effort of the season against a crumbling Dolphins defense. Coach Chip Kelly believes “everything” has gotten better with Bradford’s play. There’s a monster effort waiting to be had by Bradford in Kelly’s offense. … Ryan Fitzpatrick got his weekly two scores in last Sunday’s win over the Jaguars, but is still at far less than 100 percent as he plays through a thumb injury, one he might have surgically repaired on Friday.

Kirk Cousins is the du jour play of the week against the Saints’ truly pathetic defense, but just like the Saints are a good matchup for Cousins, he also represents a breather for Rob Ryan. Cousins is a good bet for a nice afternoon, but it’s not as if he’s ready to go stratospheric. Temper your expectations. … The Cowboys aren’t creating many sacks or turnovers, but are allowing a modest 241 passing yards per game. With the Bucs trying to keep Jameis Winston below 30 attempts, his ceiling isn’t particularly high against Big D. … The matchup could scarcely be worse for Jay Cutler, but he’s been extremely consistent. With Alshon Jeffery balling out, Cutler is still worth starting in two-quarterback leagues. … The Packers are allowing 257 passing yards per game, but have as many interceptions as touchdowns against (10). Expect a very Stafford-y performance from Matthew Stafford. … Marcus Mariota goes from dream matchup in the Saints to nightmare in the Panthers. A couple of scores aren’t out of the question, but neither are a couple of turnovers. … Josh McCown can be immediately reinserted into two-QB league lineups against the Steelers’ leaky defense. … Both Brian Hoyer and Alex Smith have no-go road matchups.

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Week 10 Running Backs

RB Notes: Todd Gurley is coming off his “worst” start, but it still featured a touchdown and 109 yards from scrimmage. He has an excellent matchup in a Bears run defense allowing 4.6 yards per carry and 122 yards per game. … Even with the Steelers likely to ease off the throttle a bit after DeAngelo Williams tweaked his foot in a 29-touch Week 9, D-Will is a no-brainer top-three option against Cleveland’s league-worst run defense. Mike Pettine’s unit is silver plattering 148 weekly yards. D-Will will be the Steelers’ de facto quarterback with Landry Jones under center. … One of the reasons the Raiders are allowing just 97 rushing yards per game is because they’re so easy to throw on. They’re not a concerning matchup for Adrian Peterson, who leads the league in ground yards (758). … Mark Ingram is coming off an absolute dud in an ideal spot, but thankfully has an even better one for Week 10. The Redskins are 29th in yards per game (133), and 30th in YPC against (4.82).  

Marshawn Lynch has essentially had one good game this season, but at home and as healthy/rested as he’s ever going to be after the Seahawks’ bye week, he’s a top-five play in a tough matchup with the Cardinals. … Coming off his best game of the season, LeGarrette Blount gets a Giants defense that’s sent both MLB Jon Beason and NT Johnathan Hankins to injured reserve in the past five days. The G-Men have gotten positively smoked by power runners in the past month, giving up big days to Carlos Hyde, Mark Ingram, DeMarco Murray and even Darren McFadden. With Dion Lewis (knee) on injured reserve, Blount is a much safer play than usual. … How things will unfold behind Blount is the question. ESPN Boston calls James White the “top candidate” to take Lewis’ snaps, but expects Brandon Bolden to “factor into the mix.” The reality is, there’s no way of knowing what coach Bill Belichick might have planned. White is a risky RB4, while Bolden is a bench stash RB5/6. … The Bucs have an underrated run defense (3.7 YPC against), but Darren McFadden is getting biblical workloads, averaging 28 touches in three games as starter. If you’re getting the ball more than 25 times per game, you’re almost always an RB1.

Suddenly the RB13, DeMarco Murray is playing his best football just as the Dolphins’ collapsing defense comes to town. Allowing the third most fantasy points to rival runners, Miami is getting destroyed for 142 weekly yards on the ground. That number should only go up with Cameron Wake (Achilles’) no longer around to command attention. … Up to RB9 status on the year, Lamar Miller is averaging 22.2 fantasy points since Dan Campbell took over as coach four games ago. That would rank No. 1 on the season. A tough(er) matchup in the Eagles has gotten easier with ILB Jordan Hicks (pectoral) heading to injured reserve. … Doug Martin had been the league’s hottest runner, but finds himself in a two-game slump. A Cowboys defense allowing the second most fantasy points to running backs should be the antidote. … Chris Ivory has been remarkably ineffective over the past three weeks, taking the rock 55 times for … wait for it … 84 yards. That comes out to a hard-to-believe 1.53 YPC. The silver linings, of course, are that the Jets haven’t gone away from him, and that he still produced three total touchdowns in the process. The Bills aren’t a forbidding matchup on a short week.

Jonathan Stewart is averaging just 3.88 yards per tote, but is fourth in the league in carries (147), and ninth in yards (571). He’s cleared 20 touches in four straight games. … The Ravens need Justin Forsett more than even with Steve Smith Sr. gone, but the Jags are allowing a league-low 3.2 yards per carry. Forsett is guaranteed big workloads, but he’ll probably need 4-5 catches to make it worth fantasy owners’ while. … Latavius Murray (concussion) needs to get cleared first, but is locked into every-week RB2 workloads. … They don’t make defenses tougher than Denver’s, but the Broncos are slightly more forgiving on the ground than through the air. Averaging 24 touches over his past two games and well rested after the Chiefs’ bye, Charcandrick West is a must-start RB2. … Chris Johnson’s matchup is tough, but he’ll be in for another voluminous workload coming off Arizona’s bye. Only Adrian Peterson and Devonta Freeman have more rushing yards. … Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill remain mired in stalemate, but Bernard is doing far more with his touches, and playing a more versatile role. He has both a higher ceiling and floor than Hill, who is just a last-gasp RB2 for the time being.

Matt Forte (knee) apparently might play, but for now, Jeremy Langford is a workload-based RB2, even against the Rams’ elite defense. … T.J. Yeldon has cleared 15 touches in 6-of-7 games. … I’ve laughed off the Packers’ “committee” in recent weeks, but it’s clearly here for Sunday’s game against the Lions. I still think Eddie Lacy will get a decent amount of work, but James Starks will play the money snaps on third down and in the red zone. He’s a legitimate RB2 against a Lions defense that’s allowed a league-worst 14 rushing touchdowns. … At less than 100 percent on a short week against an elite defense with a piping-hot backup, LeSean McCoy is a low-end RB2. Karlos Williams is an upside FLEX. … The merry-go-round hasn’t stopped spinning in Denver. With C.J. Anderson now healthy and Ronnie Hillman (thigh) ailing, CJA looks like the better bet against the Chiefs. … Ryan Mathews is getting DeMarco Murray’s crumbs, but even that is enough for RB3 value against the Dolphins’ No. 31 run defense. … The matchup is right for Alfred Blue, but game flow could have a negative impact. It’s also possible Chris Polk and Jonathan Grimes will be prescribed more work after Bill O’Brien had a bye week to think about it.

Week 10 Receivers

WR Notes: DeAndre Hopkins has cooled a bit the past two weeks, but has still yet to draw fewer than 11 targets. … Everyone knows the Patriots like to take away their opponent’s top weapon, but that’s nearly impossible with Odell Beckham. The Pats have also allowed 114 receptions to receivers, tied for the 10th most in the league. Perhaps this won’t be Beckham’s best game, but he’s impossible to bet against coming off his best two-week stretch of the year. … Fourth in the league in targets (93), Demaryius Thomas enters a matchup with the Chiefs’ shaky pass defense averaging 7.6/93. One of the league’s premier touchdown scorers, Thomas somehow only has one on the year. Who better to help him regress to the mean than a Chiefs D that’s allowed the sixth most aerial scores? … The Giants are a bottom-three pass defense by almost any measure. They’re going to have a tough time with the WR5, Julian Edelman. … Antonio Brown is the best receiver in the NFL when Ben Roethlisberger is on the field, but Big Ben is sidelined for Week 10. Brown struggled mightily with Michael Vick earlier this season, but actually produced 6/124 in Landry Jones’ start. Even with Ben sidelined, you can’t leave Brown off wideout’s top tier.

Allen Robinson came away from Darrelle Revis Island with six catches for 121 yards. Now he gets a Ravens defense allowing the seventh most fantasy points to rival receivers. Robinson hasn’t been held below 68 yards since Week 1, and has scored six times in seven games. … A.J. Green is getting his numbers, but they’ve been hard to predict with Tyler Eifert and Marvin Jones also going off. Either way, he’s a good bet to score against a Texans defense allowing a touchdown pass every 16.6 throws. … Dez Bryant proved he was back in Week 9, but picked up a knee nick in the process. He’s expected to be fine for Sunday’s game against the Bucs, but with Matt Cassel making one more start, Bryant is a boom-or-bust WR1 instead of cinch top-five option. … Calvin Johnson has gone at least 5/85 in three straight games, making his slow start a thing of the past. … Speaking of vanquished slow starts, Randall Cobb turned a tough matchup with the Panthers into 4/99/1. Now he gets a Lions defense surrendering some of the most big plays in the league. Aaron Rodgers and Cobb are going to find the cushions in a unit coughing up 8.7 yards per attempt.

Brandon Marshall is on pace for 108/1,460/10. The yardage would be the second most of his career. Marshall has scored in 5-of-8 contests. … Emmanuel Sanders’ ankle issue isn’t a concern. Peyton Manning’s diminutive No. 2 wideout has cleared 65 yards in 7-of-8 games, and is on pace for 92/1,278/8. … Coming off the biggest dropfest of the past 10 years, Mike Evans will try to get back on track against a Cowboys defense allowing the third fewest fantasy points to wide receivers. Although his numbers have been acceptable, Evans has earned a negative Pro Football Focus grade in 4-of-7 games. The 22 year old’s growing pains are coming as a sophomore instead of as a rookie. … The most surprising part about Derek Carr going nuts? He’s done so with Amari Cooper averaging a modest nine targets per game. Thankfully for Cooper owners, he drew a season high 13 in Week 9. … Up to 53 catches on the year, Jarvis Landry is on pace for 1,070 receiving yards, and another 190 on the ground. Week 10 opponent Philadelphia can be all sorts of burned through the air.

Coming off back-to-back 7/100/1 efforts, Michael Crabtree is back back, and ready to get real paid in the offseason. … Early-season disappointment Brandin Cooks is the WR15 by average points over the past five weeks. … No one is allowing more passing yards than the Raiders, who surrender 17 weekly receptions to opposing wideouts. There’s going to be yardage for the taking for Stefon Diggs, who should bounce back from his first ever quiet NFL start in Week 9. … Allen Hurns is happening, whether you want him to or not. Hurns is the WR11 on the season, and is on pace for 72/1,270/12. The sophomore has scored in six straight games. He has a dream matchup in the Ravens, but dealing with a foot injury, might not be able to play. … Martavis Bryant dropped an 86-yard touchdown in Week 9. The lad is boom or bust, especially with Landry Jones at quarterback. … Larry Fitzgerald is the WR4, but with the Cardinals’ receiver corps now a three-headed monster, he can’t be trusted as more than a low-end WR2 for Arizona’s trip to Seattle. The Seahawks have allowed the fewest fantasy points to receivers, and a grand total of six passing scores in eight games.

Coming off the Eagles’ bye, Jordan Matthews had his best game of the season. The Dolphins have been fairly sturdy against the pass, but coughed up 16 air scores in eight games. … Tavon Austin is on pace for 414 yards — rushing. The finally emerging third-year receiver is on course for another 56/600/8 through the air. Austin’s unique skill-set can make him hard to gauge in fantasy, but he’s the WR22 on the year. … Rishard Matthews is on track for 74/1,108/8 at the season’s midway point. He has a really good matchup in the Eagles. … Brandon LaFell is a legit WR3 against a Giants defense allowing the third most fantasy points to receivers. … DeSean Jackson will be doing battle with the league’s worst secondary in the Saints, but is still just a boom-or-bust WR3 for a team with a lot of mouths to feed. … Kamar Aiken should be good for 5/60 most weeks, but lacks a WR2 ceiling. … Playing nearly every down since returning from his ankle injury, Davante Adams has an inviting matchup in the Lions. … At less than 100 percent on a short week against Darrelle Revis, Sammy Watkins’ fantasy production figures to vanish just as quickly as it appeared.                                               

Week 10 Tight Ends

TE Notes: Coming off his quietest game of the year, cyborg Rob Gronkowski gets a Giants team allowing the third most fantasy points to tight ends. The G-Men have coughed up a league worst 59 tight end receptions in nine games. … Greg Olsen has been held below 66 yards only twice in eight games. He’s averaging 11.1 fantasy points per contest. That’s 2.5 better than 2014, where he finished as the TE5. … Tyler Eifert boasts nearly identical numbers to Olsen, but hasn’t been quite as consistent, and has a slightly less inviting matchup for Week 10. 68.5 percent of Eifert’s fantasy points have come in three games. He’s dominant, but boom or bust. … Only the Raiders are allowing more fantasy points to tight ends than the Saints, giving Jordan Reed a boffo Week 10 matchup. The TE6 by average points, Reed is seeing nine targets per game.  

Gary Barnidge has had one bad game in the past two months. With Josh McCown expected back for Week 10, Barnidge is a great play against a Steelers defense allowing the sixth most fantasy points to tight ends. … Quietly averaging a weekly 5/67, Travis Kelce is the TE8. He has only three scores, but the pterodactyl-like Gronk offspring seems primed for a second half increase in his touchdown rate. … Coming off four straight six-catch performances, Delanie Walker is averaging a weekly 6/65. For all intents and purposes, he’s Marcus Mariota’s No. 1 receiver. … Martellus Bennett has seen his yards per catch plunge from 10.2 to 8.5 this season, but with Eddie Royal (knee) sidelined, he’s a veritable guarantee for 8-10 weekly targets. … Averaging 7/98 over his past four games, Ben Watson is reaching Gary Barnidge levels of “not going away.” No. 9 is probably a bit low, but tight end has featured surprising depth this season.

Jimmy Graham has two seven-catch performances in his past three games, but hasn’t scored since Week 3. He has a tough matchup in a Cardinals defense allowing the second fewest fantasy points to tight ends. … The Packers are allowing 6.3 weekly catches to tight ends, and are a great matchup for Eric Ebron coming off the Lions’ bye week. … Jason Witten couldn’t stop catching passes if he tried, but hasn’t scored since Week 1. His TE1 candidacy will receive a big boost when Tony Romo returns in Week 11. … Crockett Gillmore probably deserves to be higher. He’s going to draw a ton of targets in Baltimore’s post-Steve Smith Sr. landscape. … Averaging 4.8 catches over his past four games, Zach Ertz has at least achieved plug-and-play TE2 status. … Julius Thomas will probably get a boost if Allen Hurns (foot) can’t go against the Ravens. … Austin Seferian-Jenkins (shoulder) should finally return against the Cowboys, but an inconsistent, injury prone sophomore shouldn’t be considered a cure-all for your tight end woes in a tough matchup. … I believe in Vernon Davis with Peyton Manning, but maybe it will take longer than I was expecting.        

Week 10 Kickers

Week 10 Defense/Special Teams