Week 10 is upon us as we are past the midway point of the 2020 NFL season and enter the final four weeks of the fantasy football regular season (in most leagues).
The Chiefs, Falcons, Cowboys and Jets are all on bye this week. Don’t forget to remove Patrick Mahomes, Julio Jones, Ezekiel Elliott, et al. from your lineups.
Set your lineups for Week 10 and check out some good plays at each position below, as well as some other players you should consider avoiding.
If you need a streaming option or bye fill-in, check out Week 10 waiver wire pickups here.
Who to Start in Week 10
Tua Tagovailoa (QB), Miami Dolphins vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Tagovailoa bounced back in Arizona after a shaky NFL debut. He completed 20 of 28 attempts for 248 yards and two touchdowns and had seven rushes for 35 yards, finishing as QB17. He falls into the borderline QB1 conversation this week against the Chargers, who are allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season and have allowed an average of 31.8 total offensive points over the last five games.
Zack Moss (RB), Buffalo Bills at Arizona Cardinals
Moss led the Bills in rushing in Week 9 against the Seahawks and saw nine carries for 18 yards and a touchdown. He also caught two of two targets for 30 yards, and his touchdown was the third in two weeks. In contrast, Devin Singletary saw two carries for 1 yard and caught three of three passes for 33 yards. Moss’ workload — particularly in the red zone — makes him a much higher upside option for fantasy week-to-week. Pencil him in as an RB2 this week against the Cardinals’ below-average run defense.
Leonard Fournette (RB), Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers
Neither Fournette nor Ronald Jones had a productive Week 9 against the Saints. That said, the Buccaneers did not score a touchdown all game, and their usage (or lack thereof) was more of a reflection of game script than talent. Fournette remains the preferred back in Tampa when healthy, as ball security and pass protection continue to hinder Jones. Fournette remains a solid RB2 this week in Carolina against the Panthers’ vulnerable run defense, which has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to running backs this year.
Jerry Jeudy (WR), Denver Broncos at Las Vegas Raiders
Jeudy had his best game to date in Week 9 against the Falcons. He caught seven of 14 passes for a whopping 125 yards and scored his second career touchdown. The exciting rookie has been forced to step up with Courtland Sutton out for the year with a torn ACL and has seen 24 targets over the past two games. He now faces the Raiders, whose games always seem to be high-scoring affairs (seven of eight games this year have hit the over). He is a low-end WR2 this week in what should be a shootout.
Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy and Carolina Panthers wide receiver D.J. MooreGetty ImagesBrandon Aiyuk (WR), San Francisco 49ers at New Orleans Saints
Aiyuk missed the 49ers’ Week 9 matchup against the Packers after coming in close contact with fellow wideout Kendrick Bourne — who tested positive for COVID-19 — but has been activated off the reserve list ahead of this game. Prior to Week 9, the rookie had strung together three solid fantasy performances, including a 10-target game in Seattle in Week 8. The 49ers may get Deebo Samuel — who has missed five games this year — back for this game which would lower Aiyuk’s status slightly. He falls into the high-end flex territory this week if Samuel plays, and is a borderline WR2 if Samuel sits.
Dallas Goedert (TE), Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants
Goedert didn’t deliver in his first game back against Dallas after missing four games with a fractured ankle. He reeled in his lone target from quarterback Carson Wentz for 15 yards in the pathetic NFC East showdown. He should be well-rested coming off of the Eagles’ bye and gets a juicy Week 10 matchup against another NFC East opponent at MetLife. Goedert is a top play this week with star tight end Zach Ertz on short-term IR.
Who to Sit in Week 10
Matthew Stafford (QB), Detroit Lions vs. Washington Football Team
Stafford somehow performed well against the Colts, who have a top-notch defense this year, in Week 8 and floundered in Week 9 against the Vikings, whose secondary is very exploitable. He completed 23 of 32 attempts for 211 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions and finished as QB26 for the week. Despite offseason optimism that Stafford could return strong from his back injury, the veteran signal-caller has struggled, posting just two top-12 finishes through eight games. The Lions’ Week 10 opponent is Washington, who has been surprisingly decent on defense this year, allowing the seventh-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Stafford falls significantly shy of the QB1 conversation this week.
Jerick McKinnon (RB), San Francisco 49ers at New Orleans Saints
It was McKinnon — not JaMycal Hasty — who dominated touches for the 49ers last Thursday on the heels of two games in which the oft-injured veteran back was limited to three attempts each. He saw 12 carries for 52 yards and scored one garbage-time touchdown while also picking up three catches on four targets for 16 yards. It’s going to be tempting to roll out McKinnon again, but fantasy points from 49ers running backs not named Raheem Mostert — who may return from IR this week — are fools gold and cannot be counted on for consistent production.
Damien Harris (RB), New England Patriots vs. Baltimore Ravens
Harris led the Patriots in rushing during Monday night’s nail biter against the Jets and saw 14 carries for 71 yards. He appears to be the running back du jour for mercurial head coach Bill Belichick, but was banged up in the game after suffering a chest injury early in the second half. Harris’ status entering Week 10 is uncertain, but even if he’s fully healthy, he will have to face the Ravens’ stingy run defense, which has allowed the fewest fantasy points to running backs this year. He is a touchdown-dependent flex play this week with a low floor.
D.J. Moore (WR), Carolina Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Panthers wide receiver corps continues to be a fantasy football conundrum: Moore — who shined last season as Carolina’s No. 1 option — caught two of three targets for 18 yards against the Chiefs in Week 9 in a game in which quarterback Teddy Bridgewater attempted 49 passes. He ranked fifth in targets behind receivers Robby Anderson and Curtis Samuel, who saw 13 and nine targets, respectively; and running backs Christian McCaffrey and Mike Davis, who saw 10 and six targets, respectively. Moore may be due for an increased target share if McCaffrey’s shoulder injury forces him to miss time, but he isn’t a trustworthy start anymore and falls outside the WR2 range this week against Tampa’s stout secondary.
Tee Higgins (WR), Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers
Higgins has been one of the most exciting receivers from the 2020 NFL Draft class through nine weeks and has undeniable chemistry with rookie quarterback Joe Burrow. He has seen a healthy target share in nearly every game, but could struggle on the road this week against Pittsburgh and three-time Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden, who is expected to shadow Higgins. He is a boom-or-bust flex this week in a challenging matchup.
Jonnu Smith (TE), Tennessee Titans vs. Indianapolis Colts
Smith caught two of two targets for 32 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s win over the Bears, but his declining target share is still concerning. He is averaging just 1.5 catches over the past four games and is almost completely reliant on scoring a touchdown to produce for fantasy. That could be challenging this week against the Colts, who are the toughest defense against tight ends this year.



