Week 10 is almost in the books. On the bright side, only a handful of injuries impacted Sunday's games, and it's not yet clear if any were serious. On the downside, seemingly can't-miss options missed badly. That's what happens, but it doesn't make it any easier for those who lost because Drew Brees managed only 11.5 fantasy points against one of the league's softest defenses, or David Montgomery and Marlon Mack were limited to pedestrian numbers despite facing brutally bad run D's.
Speaking of Mack and Montgomery, my DFS 50/50 Lineup of the Week was a loser. Two dominant performances and a bunch of lukewarm ones didn't cut it, dropping me to a dismal 4-5-1 on the season. On the bright side, my weekly contrarian bargains and busts continue to break through; 6-of-9 were correct, with two question marks remaining. I'm now 67-and-42 (61%) on the year.
And now, as always, here's the most notable fantasy storyline of each Sunday team:
Lions -- In the span of 24 hours between Friday and Saturday morning I traded for Matthew Stafford, and then unloaded him. About an hour after that, it was reported that he might miss Sunday's game. Then yesterday morning there were reports that he might miss multiple games. While Golladay and Marvin Jones fared well, there's no doubt Jeff Driskel at QB will lower expectations for all offensive players. And keep an eye on Ty Johnson's concussion, as his absence would push J.D. McKissic into the RB3 conversation.
Bears -- Mitch Trubisky's first four drives: 3-for-6 for 15 yards. Yes, on Twitter I was calling for Chase Daniel. Trubisky entered the contest with two touchdowns in his previous four games. But before anyone thinks he's turning a corner, keep in mind Detroit entered Sunday giving up 288.4 passing yards per game (second worst in the NFL) and a 16-3 TD-INT ratio. Trubisky will play out the season trying to prove he deserves to remain Chicago's starter. With the Rams up next, his odds remain dim.
Ravens -- Lamar Jackson needed only 17 pass attempts to be Sunday's top fantasy QB. Elsewhere, Gus Edwards didn't "mop up" as I expected, earning his fewest carries (four) since Week 2.
Bengals -- I've asked this multiple times, and will keep asking: Why would A.J. Green return to this? Ryan Finley was adequate as expected--essentially, Andy Dalton by another name. Most importantly, Joe Mixon dominated touches and turn in an impressive fantasy performance (despite the 3.8 YPC). Those who refused to bail have picked up back-to-back solid outings against the Rams and Ravens.
Bills -- Josh Allen can't be stopped. Seriously: 25.4 fantasy points despite not throwing for a touchdown. He's the #9 fantasy QB despite being the consensus 21st-ranked QB this summer.
Browns -- With my starting QB on bye next week, I added Baker Mayfield off waivers yesterday morning and pushed him hard as an underrated fantasy QB for Week 10. He turned a corner yesterday and sets up well with four of his final seven opposing defenses officially "friendly": Miami, Arizona, Cincinnati (twice). Oh, and Nick Chubb surprised me with his dominating usage and production, while Kareem Hunt still earned plenty of run (11 touches).
Chiefs -- Their last 13 losses have been by a touchdown or less. Pretty insane. The biggest fantasy story was LeSean McCoy getting scratched and Damien Williams serving as the unquestioned bellcow--while also losing a fumble. You all know my views on Williams. I can't deny the fact that Williams-as-bellcow is hard to bench. But I'm still not buying him as the answer in Kansas City.
Titans -- My A.J. Brown call stank, and Derrick Henry rumbled into fifth place among fantasy RBs. If he only had a meaningful role in the passing game . . .
Falcons -- The conditions weren't ideal, with Matt Ryan facing a stellar New Orleans squad on the road. And Ryan was far from his best. But despite a bad offensive line and a weak running attack, he managed the team to a surprising win. Devonta Freeman's foot injury is the biggest story; if he misses Week 11 in Carolina, Brian Hill will be a hot waiver add (but don't get your hopes up).
Saints -- Through nine weeks, Drew Brees had been sacked only once. Atlanta got to him six times. The 26-9 loss was simply shocking. Fantasy-wise, Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas still got their points.
Giants -- Daniel Jones got it done despite missing his top two receivers, and in spite of Saquon Barkley's disastrous start. Speaking of Barkley, he's looked worse in each successive game since returning Week 7. Things won't get easier after the bye with Chicago. But keep an eye on his fantasy playoff schedule: Miami Week 15 and Washington Week 16. He should be a trade target in every league.
Jets -- Robby Anderson's targets keep dropping, Jamison Crowder has solidified himself as one of Sam Darnold's two favorite receivers, and Damaryius Thomas made the most of his third nine-target outing of the year. Yet we can't ignore Le'Veon Bell collecting only 34 yards on 18 carries (1.9 YPC) against a team that had given up 128 rushing yards per game (eighth most in the league).
Cardinals -- Repeating what I've been saying since the summer of 2018: David Johnson hasn't been an efficient rusher since early in his breakout 2016 campaign. Something like a 3.3 YPC since then. Yesterday he hit rock bottom. Not that Kenyan Drake was a lot better against a brutal Bucs run D. But Drake was clearly better, and that's what counts.
Buccaneers -- Three major things to unpack. First, Jameis Winston could muster only one touchdown (along with two picks) against a team that had yielded 24 passing scores to go with only two interceptions. He's truly the hardest fantasy QB to figure out. Second, O.J. Howard finally broke through. When Tampa Bay didn't trade him, my sense was that they'd finally start using him once he got healthy. His seven targets weren't a fluke; expect TE1 production the rest of the way. And Ronald Jones blew up--before fumbling and giving way to Peyton Barber. Every time Jones gets close to winning the bellcow job, something happens. Fortunately, I believe this was his first career fumble, so he should still be the lead back next week.
Dolphins -- Break up the Fins! So let's all agree Kalen Ballage still doesn't belong in fantasy lineups, and DeVante Parker is the team's only trusted wideout. He has double-digit fantasy points in six of eight games.
Colts -- An utter disaster. Brian Hoyer crashed, Eric "Squeaky Wheel" Ebron corralled only five of 12 targets (and gave up a TD pass), and Jordan Wilkins' injury could open the door for Nyheim Hines to earn more run.
Panthers -- FF4W readers know my views on Kyle Allen--that he's benefited from winning, not from exemplary play. He can thank Christian McCaffrey for almost single-handedly carrying the team. Allen has six TDs and six turnovers in his last six games. Once 4-2, Carolina is now 5-4 and nearing must-win territory with two remaining games against the Saints and a couple other tough ones (Seahawks, @Colts).
Packers -- It was Aaron Jones' turn. If Green Bay can stay healthy, they'll be mightily dangerous in the postseason.
Rams -- Ugly across the board. Cooper Kupp posts a big zero, and my contrarian RB bust of the week (Todd Gurley) was sub-pedestrian. In fact, Gurley has only one reception in his past three games after catching 59 balls last season. Oh, and in a sign that I was the last person on the Jared Goff bandwagon, I traded him a few days ago. About a year ago he was on pace for an incredible 5,159-38-9 season. This year he's on pace for 4,208-20-12.
Steelers -- Pittsburgh's somehow 5-4 after starting 1-4, and has six winnable games remaining. Jaylen Samuels failed to break through the Rams' tough run D and couldn't come close to replicating last week's astounding 13 receptions. And interestingly, James Washington has caught 10 of his last 11 targets after starting the year an abysmal 10-for-27. That'll build trust with your QB, and yesterday he led all Pittsburgh receivers as a result. A consistent Washington would wreak havoc on JuJu Smith-Schuster's already erratic value.
Vikings -- Kirk Cousins averaged 10.8 fantasy points in his first four games. He's averaged 21.5 in the six games since--despite Adam Thielen missing almost four of those games.
Cowboys -- Randall Cobb and Zeke Elliott were the biggest surprises for opposite reasons. Cobb has enjoyed 6+ targets in five of his eight games. But this was the first time since Week 1 that he's exceeded 11 fantasy points.
Speaking of Mack and Montgomery, my DFS 50/50 Lineup of the Week was a loser. Two dominant performances and a bunch of lukewarm ones didn't cut it, dropping me to a dismal 4-5-1 on the season. On the bright side, my weekly contrarian bargains and busts continue to break through; 6-of-9 were correct, with two question marks remaining. I'm now 67-and-42 (61%) on the year.
And now, as always, here's the most notable fantasy storyline of each Sunday team:
Lions -- In the span of 24 hours between Friday and Saturday morning I traded for Matthew Stafford, and then unloaded him. About an hour after that, it was reported that he might miss Sunday's game. Then yesterday morning there were reports that he might miss multiple games. While Golladay and Marvin Jones fared well, there's no doubt Jeff Driskel at QB will lower expectations for all offensive players. And keep an eye on Ty Johnson's concussion, as his absence would push J.D. McKissic into the RB3 conversation.
Bears -- Mitch Trubisky's first four drives: 3-for-6 for 15 yards. Yes, on Twitter I was calling for Chase Daniel. Trubisky entered the contest with two touchdowns in his previous four games. But before anyone thinks he's turning a corner, keep in mind Detroit entered Sunday giving up 288.4 passing yards per game (second worst in the NFL) and a 16-3 TD-INT ratio. Trubisky will play out the season trying to prove he deserves to remain Chicago's starter. With the Rams up next, his odds remain dim.
Ravens -- Lamar Jackson needed only 17 pass attempts to be Sunday's top fantasy QB. Elsewhere, Gus Edwards didn't "mop up" as I expected, earning his fewest carries (four) since Week 2.
Bengals -- I've asked this multiple times, and will keep asking: Why would A.J. Green return to this? Ryan Finley was adequate as expected--essentially, Andy Dalton by another name. Most importantly, Joe Mixon dominated touches and turn in an impressive fantasy performance (despite the 3.8 YPC). Those who refused to bail have picked up back-to-back solid outings against the Rams and Ravens.
Bills -- Josh Allen can't be stopped. Seriously: 25.4 fantasy points despite not throwing for a touchdown. He's the #9 fantasy QB despite being the consensus 21st-ranked QB this summer.
Browns -- With my starting QB on bye next week, I added Baker Mayfield off waivers yesterday morning and pushed him hard as an underrated fantasy QB for Week 10. He turned a corner yesterday and sets up well with four of his final seven opposing defenses officially "friendly": Miami, Arizona, Cincinnati (twice). Oh, and Nick Chubb surprised me with his dominating usage and production, while Kareem Hunt still earned plenty of run (11 touches).
Chiefs -- Their last 13 losses have been by a touchdown or less. Pretty insane. The biggest fantasy story was LeSean McCoy getting scratched and Damien Williams serving as the unquestioned bellcow--while also losing a fumble. You all know my views on Williams. I can't deny the fact that Williams-as-bellcow is hard to bench. But I'm still not buying him as the answer in Kansas City.
Titans -- My A.J. Brown call stank, and Derrick Henry rumbled into fifth place among fantasy RBs. If he only had a meaningful role in the passing game . . .
Falcons -- The conditions weren't ideal, with Matt Ryan facing a stellar New Orleans squad on the road. And Ryan was far from his best. But despite a bad offensive line and a weak running attack, he managed the team to a surprising win. Devonta Freeman's foot injury is the biggest story; if he misses Week 11 in Carolina, Brian Hill will be a hot waiver add (but don't get your hopes up).
Saints -- Through nine weeks, Drew Brees had been sacked only once. Atlanta got to him six times. The 26-9 loss was simply shocking. Fantasy-wise, Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas still got their points.
Giants -- Daniel Jones got it done despite missing his top two receivers, and in spite of Saquon Barkley's disastrous start. Speaking of Barkley, he's looked worse in each successive game since returning Week 7. Things won't get easier after the bye with Chicago. But keep an eye on his fantasy playoff schedule: Miami Week 15 and Washington Week 16. He should be a trade target in every league.
Jets -- Robby Anderson's targets keep dropping, Jamison Crowder has solidified himself as one of Sam Darnold's two favorite receivers, and Damaryius Thomas made the most of his third nine-target outing of the year. Yet we can't ignore Le'Veon Bell collecting only 34 yards on 18 carries (1.9 YPC) against a team that had given up 128 rushing yards per game (eighth most in the league).
Cardinals -- Repeating what I've been saying since the summer of 2018: David Johnson hasn't been an efficient rusher since early in his breakout 2016 campaign. Something like a 3.3 YPC since then. Yesterday he hit rock bottom. Not that Kenyan Drake was a lot better against a brutal Bucs run D. But Drake was clearly better, and that's what counts.
Buccaneers -- Three major things to unpack. First, Jameis Winston could muster only one touchdown (along with two picks) against a team that had yielded 24 passing scores to go with only two interceptions. He's truly the hardest fantasy QB to figure out. Second, O.J. Howard finally broke through. When Tampa Bay didn't trade him, my sense was that they'd finally start using him once he got healthy. His seven targets weren't a fluke; expect TE1 production the rest of the way. And Ronald Jones blew up--before fumbling and giving way to Peyton Barber. Every time Jones gets close to winning the bellcow job, something happens. Fortunately, I believe this was his first career fumble, so he should still be the lead back next week.
Dolphins -- Break up the Fins! So let's all agree Kalen Ballage still doesn't belong in fantasy lineups, and DeVante Parker is the team's only trusted wideout. He has double-digit fantasy points in six of eight games.
Colts -- An utter disaster. Brian Hoyer crashed, Eric "Squeaky Wheel" Ebron corralled only five of 12 targets (and gave up a TD pass), and Jordan Wilkins' injury could open the door for Nyheim Hines to earn more run.
Panthers -- FF4W readers know my views on Kyle Allen--that he's benefited from winning, not from exemplary play. He can thank Christian McCaffrey for almost single-handedly carrying the team. Allen has six TDs and six turnovers in his last six games. Once 4-2, Carolina is now 5-4 and nearing must-win territory with two remaining games against the Saints and a couple other tough ones (Seahawks, @Colts).
Packers -- It was Aaron Jones' turn. If Green Bay can stay healthy, they'll be mightily dangerous in the postseason.
Rams -- Ugly across the board. Cooper Kupp posts a big zero, and my contrarian RB bust of the week (Todd Gurley) was sub-pedestrian. In fact, Gurley has only one reception in his past three games after catching 59 balls last season. Oh, and in a sign that I was the last person on the Jared Goff bandwagon, I traded him a few days ago. About a year ago he was on pace for an incredible 5,159-38-9 season. This year he's on pace for 4,208-20-12.
Steelers -- Pittsburgh's somehow 5-4 after starting 1-4, and has six winnable games remaining. Jaylen Samuels failed to break through the Rams' tough run D and couldn't come close to replicating last week's astounding 13 receptions. And interestingly, James Washington has caught 10 of his last 11 targets after starting the year an abysmal 10-for-27. That'll build trust with your QB, and yesterday he led all Pittsburgh receivers as a result. A consistent Washington would wreak havoc on JuJu Smith-Schuster's already erratic value.
Vikings -- Kirk Cousins averaged 10.8 fantasy points in his first four games. He's averaged 21.5 in the six games since--despite Adam Thielen missing almost four of those games.
Cowboys -- Randall Cobb and Zeke Elliott were the biggest surprises for opposite reasons. Cobb has enjoyed 6+ targets in five of his eight games. But this was the first time since Week 1 that he's exceeded 11 fantasy points.