Let’s dive into some news and notes around the league, my top fantasy plays and favorite picks for Week 10.
Notes:
• Is Carolina regretting its choice with the top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft? While Bryce Young and the Panthers got their first win of the season in Week 9, No. 2 overall pick C.J. Stroud put together another masterful performance, throwing for 470 yards and five touchdowns. He is shattering records for rookie quarterbacks and capped Sunday off with a game-winning drive to continue his Rookie of the Year campaign. Stroud has favorable matchups down the stretch, as most of the AFC South defenses are struggling to defend the pass.
• The talk in Baltimore is the emergence of undrafted free agent Keaton Mitchell, who exploded on to the scene with 138 rushing yards and nine carries against the Seahawks on Sunday. Everyone is assuming that Mitchell has leapfrogged Justice Hill in the pecking order, but Hill played 48 snaps, compared to 14 snaps for both Mitchell and Gus Edwards. This is a three-headed monster at running back for the Ravens, but Edwards is the only one worthy of starting.
• We might need to rank the Dolphins based on their opponents. Miami is 6-0 against teams with losing records, but 0-3 against winning teams. The team’s fantasy scoring has taken a hit as well in those three games, and the Dolphins have one of the toughest schedules in the final month of the season. You’re never benching Tua Tagovailoa or Tyreek Hill, but we need to start tempering expectations against quality opponents.
• The fear a few weeks ago is whether or not Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua would be able to coexist with one another. After a couple weeks of back-and-forth production, neither has done much with Matthew Stafford banged up. Both need to be lowered in the rankings until Stafford is back to form.
• Week 10 should see the return of many fantasy-relevant players from various different injuries, including a couple of Cardinals in Kyler Murray and James Conner. Both should add a jolt to the offense and while I’m a little hesitant to start Murray right away, I would instantly insert Conner into my starting lineup.
• We have the final international game of the year this Sunday, but unlike last week’s Dolphins and Chiefs matchup that was worth changing your Sunday plans around, this one is not. The Colts and Patriots will square off in Germany at 9:30 a.m. EST start, so set your lineups accordingly.
• Some of fantasy football’s best are on a bye this week, as the Chiefs, Dolphins, Eagles and Rams are all off. That means fantasy owners will be without the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, Tyreek Hill, A.J. Brown, Cooper Kupp and Travis Kelce, to name a few.
Thursday Night Game: Panthers vs. Bears
Sunday Night Game: Jets vs. Raiders
Monday Night Game: Broncos vs. Bills
Top Pickups of the Week: Kyler Murray, Keaton Mitchell, Zach Charbonnet, Tank Dell, Demario Douglas, Taysom Hill, Trey McBride
Buy Low: Trevor Lawrence, David Montgomery, Calvin Ridley, D.K. Metcalf, Evan Engram
Sell High: C.J. Stroud, Raheem Mostert, Gus Edwards, DeAndre Hopkins
Send to the Waiver Wire: Daniel Jones, Cam Akers, Elijah Moore, Darren Waller
Start ‘Em:
Quarterback: Derek Carr
Running Back: D’Onta Foreman
Wide Receiver: Christian Watson
Tight End: Cole Kmet
Defense: Steelers
Sit ‘Em:
Quarterback: Deshaun Watson
Running Back: Jerome Ford
Wide Receiver: Josh Downs
Tight End: Luke Musgrave
Defense: Lions
Sleepers:
Quarterback: Taylor Heinicke
Running Back: Ezekiel Elliott
Wide Receiver: Darnell Mooney
Tight End: Irv Smith Jr.
Defense: Raiders
NFL Picks for Week 10
Weekly Pick ‘Em (Season Record: 86-50)
Bears (vs. Panthers)
Patriots (vs. Colts)
Ravens (vs. Browns)
Bengals (vs. Texans)
Jaguars (vs. 49ers)
Saints (vs. Vikings)
Steelers (vs. Packers)
Buccaneers (vs. Titans)
Falcons (vs. Cardinals)
Chargers (vs. Lions)
Cowboys (vs. Giants)
Seahawks (vs. Commanders)
Raiders (vs. Jets)
Bills (vs. Broncos)
Five Picks Against The Spread (Season Record: 24-21)
Patriots +1.5 vs. Colts
Jaguars +2.5 vs. 49ers
Packers +3.5 vs. Steelers
Buccaneers -1.5 vs. Titans
Giants +15.5 vs. Cowboys
Five Over-Under Totals (Season Record: 22-23)
Panthers-Bears under 40
Falcons-Cardinals over 41.5
Commanders-Seahawks over 44.5
Jets-Raiders under 37
Broncos-Bills over 47
One Bold Prediction For The Week
Week 1: Sam Howell finishes as a top-five fantasy QB against Cardinals. (miss)
Week 2: Michael Thomas leads all players in receiving yards in the two Monday night games. (miss)
Week 3: Justin Fields leads the league in rushing yards in an effort to keep up with the Chiefs. (miss)
Week 4: Travis Kelce has more receiving yards than Zach Wilson has passing yards in the “Sunday Night Football” game. (miss)
Week 5: The Bills put up 50-plus points against the Jaguars in London. (miss)
Week 6: Josh Jacobs has more total scrimmage yards than Mac Jones has passing yards. (miss)
Week 7: The Eagles hold Tyreek Hill to under 50 receiving yards. (miss)
Week 8: The Jets and Giants score more points than the Patriots and Dolphins. The Jets-Giants total is 36.5, while Patriots-Dolphins total is the highest of the week at 47. (major miss)
Week 9: Tee Higgins leads all receivers in yardage against Bills. (miss — finished fifth)
Week 10: With Travis Kelce on a bye, a tight end leads the league in receiving.
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