Tommy DeVito was a fringe QB streamer. Rico Dowdle and Keaton Mitchell posted top-20 RB numbers. The Cowboys' Brandin Cooks was elite, while former Cowboy Noah Brown was near-elite. And the largely forgotten (until recently) Trey McBride showed what he could with a capable QB at the helm.
Week 10 witnessed a lot of fantasy movers, both good and bad. And it also reminded us that we can always find breakout candidates on waivers. Let's walk through the most notable fantasy storyline for each Sunday team.
Patriots -- I wrote three weeks ago that Demario Douglas "has more upside than any other Patriots receiver." His targets and/or yards have ticked up each week since. Regardless of who's under center, he should continue to shine (relatively speaking) as New England's #1 WR.
Colts -- Meanwhile, Zack Moss's touches have steadily declined each of the last several weeks. He's gone from a must-start option to a "start-and-hope" RB to, seemingly, unstartable going forward.
Bengals -- Remember, this isn't only who scored the most points, or who deeply disappointed. It's about value shifts. On a day when Tee Higgins was out and Ja'Marr Chase was far less than 100%, one might have thought Irv Smith would step up. Instead, Tanner Hudson has claimed the #1 TE job in Cincy.
Texans -- I picked the wrong day to poo-poo Devin Singletary and Noah Brown. Major props to those who started one or both. In particular, Brown's dominance is terrible news for managers rostering the injured Nico Collins, who's not "owed" Houston's #1 or even #2 WR. C.J. Stroud is 13-for-14 for 325 yards on targets to Brown the last two games. It's an insane clip, and it suggests Brown won't fade to tbe background when Collins returns.
Vikings -- Remember when Minnesota was 1-4 and staring at an extended absence for Justin Jefferson? Their resurgence is fantastic news for all core Viking players -- not only because they're scoring in bunches, but also because they'll be less likely to sit their stars down the stretch. But it's not all great news (or maybe it is, depending on your situation). The struggling Alexander Mattison suffered a concussion, ceding touches to Ty Chandler. While Chandler isn't "the answer," he could be a huge waiver add heading into Week 11.
Saints -- Michael Thomas left early with a knee injury, and sixth-round rookie A.T. Perry picked up some of the slack, while Rashid Shaheed had a season-high nine targets. If Thomas misses time after the Week 11 bye, keep an on eye on the generally unrostered Perry.
Steelers -- I was "all in" on George Pickens and Diontae Johnson. Ugh. Kenny Pickett threw only nine times to his wideouts, which is a recipe for disappointment. Notably, Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren have dramatically turned things around recently. Both are now top-30 RBs on the season, and their usage suggests they'll remain featured options in a run-friendly offense.
Packers -- Is Christian Watson droppable? Not yet. But entering yesterday, Jordan Love had a 47.9 QB rating when targeting his preseason #1 WR. Watson's scoreless 2-23 receiving line on seven targets damages his value even more, especially with rookie Jayden Reed stepping up.
Buccaneers -- I remain mesmerized by Rachaad White, who's a top-10 fantasy RB despite trudging along for 3.2 yards per carry. Volume on the ground, targets, and timely touchdowns keep him in must-start territory. A major fantasy correction is coming, but I've given up trying to figure out when.
Titans -- Tyjae Spears outplayed Derrick Henry, and while that doesn't matter in a vacuum, it matters a lot after another Tennessee loss, which dropped them to 3-6. Unless they somehow turns things around, at some point this team will need to decide whether to prepare for 2024. Don't be shocked if Spears out-touches Henry in the season's final two or three weeks.
Jaguars -- It's hard to learn much from Jacksonville's embarrassing blowout defeat at home. But with Tank Bigsby mustering 2.3 YPC, D'Ernest Johnson is making a play for the handcuff role. Maybe it won't happen. But ahead of the fantasy playoffs, I'd rather roster the more experienced Johnson.
49ers -- After three straight losses and a bye week, the Niners figured things out. It helped that Deebo Samuel was back. Notably, George Kittle has often struggled with volume when everyone's healthy. While he lit up the stat sheet, be mindful that 4-6 targets probably will be the norm.
Ravens -- Keaton Mitchell does it again. Will Baltimore feed him more? That's the huge question, and it helps that Justice Hill had only two touches yesterday. As suggested last week, the rookie appears to be firmly ahead of Hill on the depth chart.
Browns -- Deshaun Watson looked bad more than he looked good. But "good" occurred when he and his team needed it most. Keep tabs on his injuries (he was in a walking boot after the game).
Chargers -- Gerald Everett got hurt, which might elevate Donald Parham to deep-league streamer value next week. But the bigger story is Quentin Johnston, who almost had a monster fantasy day, but who instead was simply "very good." Most managers will take it. I'm kicking myself for dropping him the week before Joshua Palmer got hurt.
Lions -- Hats off to managers who started David Montgomery, and also . . . this is why I pushed Jahmyr Gibbs. Talent usually wins in the end, and Gibbs is too talented to play a 1B backfield role.
Cardinals -- Kyler Murray and James Conner returned, and neither got hurt. And Trey McBride was Kyler's #1 target. It wasn't a fluke.
Falcons -- Taylor Heinicke got hurt, giving way to Desmond Ridder. If you're rostering a Falcons WR or TE, you're probably hoping Heinicke gets healthy and keeps the starting job.
Seahawks -- Seattle's three-headed WR corps remains tough to figure out. Just when it appeared Jaxon Smith-Njigba was pushing for a co-#1 role, he took a backseat to veterans D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. I remain concerned that Geno Smith can't feed all three each week, and they won't always have the luxury of facing a beatable Washington D.
Commanders -- Brian Robinson and Antonio Gibson led all Washington players in receiving yards. It was that kind of afternoon. Still, Sam Howell managed his third 3+ TD day in his past five games. It's been a remarkable campaign for a guy who was a near-consensus bottom-10 fantasy QB this summer.
Cowboys -- I've argued repeatedly that Tony Pollard needs help in the backfield -- that Dallas will find someone who can help share the load in what could be a 20+ game season. Thought it would happen before the trade deadline. Instead, it might end up being Rico Dowdle. With Carolina and Washington up next, the handcuff could be a strong deep-league dart throw.
Giants -- Tommy DeVito faced a near-impossible situation in his first NFL start, beginning with his first possession, which started at his own one-yard line on the road against one of the league's top defenses. But friendlier matchups are on the horizon, and if he continues to start, his versatility could keep him in the top-22 mix. Desperate superflex managers could do worse at this stage of the season.
Raiders -- Davante Adams was force-fed beginning in the opening drive. It was a "sorry for ignoring you more than usual four of the last five games" situation. The problem is that this passing attack can barely support two receivers per week. Adams had 8.4 yards per target last year. This year he's around 6.7. Along with not scoring since Week 3, it helps explain why his floor is so low.
Jets -- Nothing surprising here, though Breece Hall has now been bottled up on the ground in four straight contests. As always, he needs targets to be in must-start territory.