Week 10 is here, and with bye weeks thinning out the player pool, finding the right matchups and avoiding potential letdowns is more important than ever. Several familiar names have appealing opportunities to deliver, while others face difficult defenses that could put a dent in their fantasy production. Here are the players to start, sit, and think twice about before locking in your lineups this week.
Quarterback
Best: QB Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders (@ New York Giants)
Jayden Daniels draws an excellent matchup against the Giants in Week 10. New York has struggled to contain quarterbacks both through the air and on the ground. They rank among the NFL’s top-5 worst defenses in fantasy points allowed to the position and sit second-worst in rushing yards and touchdowns surrendered to quarterbacks.
That’s particularly encouraging for Daniels, who’s rushed 31 times for 262 yards and two scores across six appearances (five full games). He showed some encouraging signs against the Rams last week, completing 24 of 35 passes for 274 yards and a touchdown. With Washington treating Thursday’s divisional matchup as a “must-win”, Daniels should have plenty of opportunities to take advantage of a Giants defense that’s especially vulnerable to his dual-threat skill set.
Worst: QB Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons (vs. Kansas City Chiefs)
Michael Penix Jr. couldn’t get much going against the Patriots in Madrid last week, throwing for just 162 yards and a lone touchdown. He’s been inconsistent throughout the season, exceeding 20 fantasy points twice but falling short of 15.5 in six of his eight appearances.
Things don’t get any easier this week against a Kansas City team surrendering the fourth-fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. With four teams on bye, streaming options are limited, but Penix still isn’t worth the gamble in what projects to be a highly difficult matchup.
Running Back
Best: RB Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks (@ Las Vegas Raiders)
After last week’s performance, it looks as if Zach Charbonnet is pulling away in Seattle’s backfield, which is highly encouraging news heading into a very favorable matchup against the Raiders. Charbs outproduced rookie Jadarian Price on the ground last week, turning 16 carries into 77 yards while accounting for 64% of the backfield’s rushing attempts. Charbonnet’s playing time has also climbed considerably since returning from injury, going from a 36.5% snap share in Week 8 to 56.7% last week.
Now he gets a Las Vegas defense that’s been one of the league’s easiest matchups for opposing running backs, surrendering the third-most fantasy points at the position and tied for last in yards per carry allowed (5.0). With his workload trending in the right direction, Charbonnet has a good opportunity to deliver his best performance since returning.
Worst: RB Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)
Tony Pollard has been a reliable fantasy option this season, ranking RB16 with an average of 14.6 points per game. He’s also coming off a bye after back-to-back performances of 35.0 and 27.2 fantasy points, so there’s reason to feel good about his recent production. Unfortunately, a matchup with Jacksonville is a different story.
The Jaguars have been one of the NFL’s toughest defenses against the run, allowing just 89.1 rushing yards per game and the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing backs (15.3 per game). Derrick Henry managed just 3.4 yards per carry against them last week, and the Jags just added run-stuffer DL Jordan Davis at the trade deadline. Pollard will likely struggle to find running room against a strong Jacksonville front seven.
Wide Receiver
Best: WR Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions (vs. New England Patriots)
Jameson Williams has spent much of the season on my Sit List, but a favorable matchup this week gives me a chance to finally predict his boom-or-bust nature correctly. Last week, Williams managed just one catch for 31 yards against a Miami defense that has been surprisingly effective at limiting opposing receivers. New England presents a much different challenge in Week 10.
The Patriots were shredded by Green Bay’s receivers last week, with Christian Watson and Matthew Golden combining for 335 yards, 17 catches, and two touchdowns. Even Savion Williams got in on the fun with three receptions, 25 yards, and a score. New England has now surrendered 32.0 fantasy points per game to opposing wideouts and a league-high 12 touchdowns. With Amon-Ra St. Brown likely drawing the difficult assignment against Christian Gonzalez, Williams could have an opportunity to capitalize on the favorable matchup and bounce back from last week’s quiet outing.
Worst: WR George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys (vs. San Francisco 49ers)
George Pickens is trending toward a return after missing last week’s game against Indianapolis, but his hamstring issue makes him a difficult player to trust in Week 10. Even if he’s cleared to play, there’s no guarantee he’ll handle his usual workload, particularly against a San Francisco defense that’s been tough on opposing wideouts.
The 49ers are allowing the fifth-fewest fantasy points (22.0) to receivers per game. With CeeDee Lamb already commanding a significant share of Dallas’ passing production, Pickens could have a tough time finding enough opportunities to make an impact. Fantasy managers should favor healthier, more dependable options unless Pickens is cleared and they’re willing to gamble on his upside.
Tight End
Best: TE Darren Waller, Carolina Panthers (@ New Orleans Saints)
Darren Waller is coming off his best performance of the season and has a chance to keep things rolling against New Orleans. The veteran tight end caught eight of 10 targets for 90 yards and a touchdown against Denver, setting season highs in targets, receptions, and yardage. That kind of production hasn’t been the norm, though. Waller has reached double-digit fantasy points in just four of eight games, averaging only 3.8 points in the other four.
Still, the Saints have been generous to opposing tight ends, allowing the seventh-most fantasy points per game to the position and five touchdowns this season. With Waller seeing an increased role in Carolina’s passing game, he’s a viable streaming option with low-end TE1 upside in Week 10.
Worst: TE Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers (vs. Minnesota Vikings)
Tucker Kraft is coming off yet another quiet performance against New England last week, and a looming matchup against Minnesota makes him tough to trust in Week 10. Despite Jordan Love throwing for 372 yards, Kraft managed just one catch for one yard on three targets as Christian Watson and Matthew Golden exploded for 17 receptions, 335 yards and two touchdowns.
Minnesota presents another major obstacle. The Vikings have allowed just 31 receptions and one touchdown to tight ends through eight games, and allow the fewest fantasy points per game to the position. Kraft has been a productive option this season as of late, but his limited target share and matchup make him a risky start. Treat him as a TE2 this week.
