Hungry for More: The Fantasy Footballers’ Predictions for Week 10
The closer we get to the fantasy football playoffs, the more important it gets for fantasy managers to be able to keep adding players who can take their rosters to the next level! It’s like making a great plate of nachos and then putting that scoop of sour cream to top it off – it’s just THAT much better! Andy, Mike, and Jason are bringing a trio of players they’re betting will take that important step forward ahead of Week 10 in this week’s Hungry for More presented by Uber Eats!
Each week the Ballers hit the fantasy football menu to find a player that they think is primed to bring value to fantasy rosters!
Tampa Bay Wide Receivers
| Week 9 | ||
| Receptions | Receiving Yards | TDs |
| 8 | 97 | 1 |
Andy isn’t singling out a specific player, but instead an entire team’s position group, just asking for one of the Buccaneers’ WRs to step into the spotlight! Baker Mayfield has been true to his name and consistently pulling hotcakes out of the oven for fantasy managers week after week as the current QB2 on the season, but since the injuries to Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, he hasn’t been getting much help from his WRs. Over the last three weeks, 51% of Tampa Bay’s targets have gone to either the TE or RBs, mainly due to none of the available WRs stepping into the WR1 shoes. The most realistic option to do so could be rookie Jalen McMillan, who unfortunately missed Week 9 with a hamstring injury.
If there is a WR who steps up for the Bucs, they’ll have a chance to be a consistent fantasy option for fantasy managers even with a tougher stretch of matchups on the horizon. Tampa Bay only has two games left this season against teams that are giving up more points above expectation. In reality, the matchups don’t matter as much for players on a team that throws the ball at the rate that Tampa Bay will because there will continue to be plenty of opportunity for them regardless of who they’re playing. The trick will be picking out which receiving option can make the most of the absence of Evans and Godwin who isn’t named Cade Otton.
Upcoming Schedule: vs. San Francisco, bye, at N.Y. Giants, at Carolina
WR – Zay Flowers (BAL)
| Week 9 | ||
| Receptions | Receiving Yards | TDs |
| 5 | 127 | 2 |
Despite plenty of concerns about the passing volume in the Ravens’ offense, Zay Flowers’ recent hot streak has Jason willing to burn the roof of his mouth like a Hot Pocket fresh from the microwave! Flowers is currently the WR6 on the season and has been a top-12 WR in three of his last four games. What may be more impressive about that stretch is that Flowers has only reached the end zone in one of those games and has relied on pure receiving volume to get his fantasy production. Flowers has had at least six targets and 100+ yards in all but one game since Week 5 and is carving himself out a very necessary role in the Baltimore offense that fantasy managers could be able to ride into the playoffs.
If Flowers is going to keep his roll of big weeks coming, he’s got a great matchup on Thursday night to do so against the Bengals. Cincinnati is allowing almost an entire point above expectation to opposing WRs and just allowed Jakobi Meyers to finish as the WR12 against them last week, so the opportunity is there for Flowers to keep the positive momentum going forward. Down the stretch of the season though, Flowers won’t play a team that is allowing positive points above expectation again until championship week. Hopefully, being a part of a great offense will aid Flowers in continuing to be a productive piece of fantasy lineups.
Upcoming Schedule: vs. Cincinnati, at Pittsburgh, at L.A. Chargers, vs. Philadelphia
RB – Rico Dowdle (DAL)
| Week 9 | ||
| Carries | Rushing Yards | TDs |
| 12 | 75 | 0 |
Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Mike is drooling over Rico Dowdle again, though this time we have more on-field production to back it. After missing Week 8, Dowdle turned a tough matchup against the Falcons in Week 9 into an RB12 finish, marking his third top-24 RB finish in three of his last four games played. What was most encouraging about Dowdle’s productive day was the 6.2 yards per carry he averaged while playing a season-high 71% of snaps. When you add in his five receptions and a receiving TD, there could be a full takeover happening in the Cowboys’ backfield which is worth noting. In fact, Mike points out that Dowdle is out-producing a handful of RBs in the passing game who are viewed as high-end fantasy options because of their receiving work.
There may be an adjustment period for Dowdle and the Cowboys’ offense with QB Dak Prescott set to miss some games due to injury. Looking forward though, Dowdle has a stretch of games over the next month that features three teams in four weeks that are allowing positive points above expectation to the RB position. If Dowdle can remain active in the Dallas passing game until the main pieces of the Cowboys’ offense are back from injury, he could prove to be a huge piece of a deep playoff run for fantasy managers.
Upcoming Schedule: vs. Philadelphia, vs. Houston, at Washington, vs. N.Y. Giants