Week 10 NFL Matchup Preview Part One
Be sure to check out Part Two of our Week 10 NFL Matchup Previews.
-The Fantasy Footballers Week 10 Rankings
THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL – November 10, 2016
8:25 PM EST
Cleveland Browns @ Baltimore Ravens
BROWNS
QB Cody Kessler: Not a great fantasy option, especially on a short week vs the Ravens.
RB Isaiah Crowell: Worth a bench spot this week after generating 4 yards on the ground last week vs Dallas and now faces the best run defense in the league.
WR Terrelle Pryor & Corey Coleman: Both will see more targets as I expect there to be little to no run game for the Browns this week. Consider both wideouts to be WR3/flex options with WR2 upside.
TE Gary Barnidge: Hasn’t done much lately. He does get the targets but is up against the defense that has allowed the 2nd least fantasy points to the TE position this season.
RAVENS
QB Joe Flacco: Perhaps the most frustrating fantasy QB in the league, Joe Flacco has a great matchup at home against the terrible Browns secondary. Not a bad streamer for this week. Mid-risk, high reward this week.
RB Terrance West: Has been terrible 2 weeks in a row, however, has such a great matchup this week. I expect West to bounce back vs the Browns with RB2 production.
WR Mike Wallace & Steve Smith Sr.: Both are must starts this week. Smith will get increased targets from last week which will eat into Wallace’s opportunities but Wallace is fully capable of producing regardless.
TE Dennis Pitta: Targets dropped dramatically with Steve Smith back. Bench him unless you need a desperate stream.
-The Fantasy Footballers Matchup Preview on YouTube
SUNDAY – November 13, 2016
1:00 PM EST
Kansas City Chiefs @ Carolina Panthers
CHIEFS
QB Alex Smith: I don’t recommend starting Smith this week even against one of the weaker defenses against the QB this year. Smith just doesn’t have anything going on offense to have a productive game.
RB Spencer Ware: Expected to be back from concussion this week and it will not be an easy game for Ware. I’d consider him an RB3/flex option for this week. However, the Ballers have him ranked as solid RB2.
WR Jeremy Maclin & Tyreek Hill: Maclin is out this week making Tyreek Hill a solid WR 2 option in a great matchup.
TE Travis Kelce: Alex Smith returns from a head injury and will utilize his safety blanket in this game. I expect a big one out of Kelce. Enter him as your TE1 vs Carolina.
PANTHERS
QB Cam Newton: Hot and cold for most of the season, I can see Cam having a big game at home vs the middle of the road Chiefs defense. Start Newton and expect closer to QB1 numbers this week.
RB Jonathan Stewart: Look for Stewart to give RB2 type numbers vs the Kansas City defense that has allowed the 15th most fantasy points to RBs this year.
WR Kelvin Benjamin: Has been consistent but has not found the end zone in the past 4 games. Look for Kelvin to break that streak and have himself a big WR1 game with a score this week.
TE Greg Olsen: The top TE this year has a tough matchup against a defense that has allowed the 6th fewest fantasy points to TEs this year. Still can expect TE2 value from him at the very lowest.
-The Fantasy Footballers Matchup Preview on YouTube
Houston Texans @ Jacksonville Jaguars
TEXANS
QB Brock Osweiler: Not a fantasy option now or in the near future. Leave him on waivers.
RB Lamar Miller: Expect Miller to be the most productive player on the Texans, Sunday. He should bode well against a defense that has not been the best at stopping the run.
WR DeAndre Hopkins: Such a disappointing player this season. He is no more than a weak WR3/flex in this one.
TE: C.J. Fiedorowicz: Has been a decent factor for Osweiler lately but does have a very tough matchup for the TE position against the Jaguars.
JAGUARS
QB Blake Bortles: A terrible QB that seems to generate points in fantasy, mostly due to garbage time. This week I do not see a case where Bortles will have much garbage time in what I expect to be a low scoring game. Bench him.
RB T.J. Yeldon & Chris Ivory: Yeldon is irrelevant to fantasy this year and Ivory is a boom or bust candidate in this week’s matchup vs the Texans.
WR Allen Robinson & Allen Hurns: Hurns still under concussion protocol and is questionable for Sunday. Even if Hurns plays, consider him a low-end WR3. Allen Robinson has a tough matchup vs the Texans secondary that has given up the 3rd fewest fantasy points to WRs. Robinson is a low-end WR2 this week.
TE Julius Thomas: Has not produced much at all this season even when he scores. Keep him on the bench.
-The Fantasy Footballers Matchup Preview on YouTube
Denver Broncos @ New Orleans Saints
BRONCOS
QB Trevor Siemian: Has a chance to produce decent fantasy numbers against a defense that has allowed the 10th most points to opposing QBs this year. Still, Siemian is a low-end QB2 at best.
RB Devontae Booker: Rough game for Booker last week but has a great matchup against the Saints. Booker will bounce back with RB1 production.
WR Demaryius Thomas & Emmanuel Sanders: Both of these WRs typically give very similar production. They are both solid WR2 options this week against the New Orleans defense.
SAINTS
QB Drew Brees: Up against the toughest defense against the QB in fantasy this year but is still a decent play this week. Brees is too good to bench and has plenty of talented options to give it to. Brees has thrown for multiple touchdowns in 6 of 8 games this year.
RB Mark Ingram & Tim Hightower: As good as the Broncos defense is, they haven’t been so much against the run this season. Ingram was motivated last week to prove himself as the starting RB for the Saints and I believe that momentum continues this week. Hightower will still get his share as well but consider Ingram the RB1 here and Hightower a solid flex play.
WR Brandin Cooks & Michael Thomas: Such a tough matchup this week against the number 1 defense vs WRs. Cooks is a decent flex play while Thomas has been doing a little bit more with his targets making him a low-end WR2 this week.
TE: Coby Fleener: Coby Fleener’s stat line has not been enough to consider him this weekend.
-The Fantasy Footballers Matchup Preview on YouTube
Los Angeles Rams @ New York Jets
RAMS
QB Case Keenum: Has been throwing a ton lately and will be up against the Jets who have given up the 11th most fantasy points to QBs this season. Keenum isn’t a terrible stream if you need him this week.
RB Todd Gurley: Gurley may have a tough game this week as the Jets are better against the run than they are the pass game. Still, Gurley is in the RB2 neighborhood.
WR Kenny Britt & Brian Quick: Both receivers are similar in product but Britt has more upside given his big play ability. Consider Britt a WR2 and Quick a decent flex against the Jets this week.
TE Lance Kendricks: Kendricks is reaching TE1 status lately and I don’t see him slowing down against a mediocre defense against the TE position.
JETS
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick: Has been fantasy irrelevant and should continue on that path this week vs the Rams.
RB Matt Forte: Has returned to his true form the past few weeks but may hit a road block this week vs the Rams that have allowed the 8th fewest fantasy points to RBs this season. A “road block” for Forte the way he has been playing is still RB2 production.
WR Brandon Marshall & Quincy Enunwa: Lately, Marshall is a weekly WR2 and I see more of the same this week vs the Rams defense. Enunwa has a less than impressive game last week and is typically a decent flex option. This week consider him a boom or bust.
-The Fantasy Footballers Matchup Preview on YouTube
Atlanta Falcons @ Philadelphia Eagles
FALCONS
QB Matt Ryan: Tough matchup against a very good defense but still can’t sit the red-hot, Matt Ryan. He is safely your QB1 this week.
RB Devonta Freeman: Again, a tough matchup this week but the Atlanta offense is dangerous and that makes Freeman a solid RB2 vs the Eagles.
WR Julio Jones: You just can’t bench Julio Jones. Expect another big game from your WR1.
TE Austin Hooper: Has been more productive than Jacob Tamme who could return Sunday taking fantasy value from Hooper against the Eagles. Hooper has a tough matchup and is truly a TD-dependent option. I would bench any Falcon’s TE this week.
EAGLES
QB Carson Wentz: Hasn’t been a good fantasy QB since week 5. He could easily have one of his better games this week against the Falcons who have given up the most fantasy points to QBs. Decent stream option if you need to fill a bye week.
RB Ryan Mathews & Darren Sproles: Sproles will look to take advantage of his increased workload this week vs a mediocre defense. Sproles is nothing more than a flex or RB2 in PPR this week. Ryan Mathews should be dropped in all formats.
WR Jordan Matthews: Matthews should see a ton of targets against the worst defense vs WRs this year. He is a WR1 this week.
TE Zach Ertz: Had a fantastic game last week and has a juicy matchup against a defense that has allowed the 6th most fantasy points to tight ends this year. A TE2 with TE1 upside this week.
-The Fantasy Footballers Matchup Preview on YouTube
Chicago Bears @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
BEARS
QB Jay Cutler: Did not have a terrible game against a very tough Minnesota defense last week and is in line for a much easier matchup this week. Cutler is a solid QB2 against the Bucs.
RB Jordan Howard: Has regained his RB1 status after last week and should have another great game vs the Tampa Bay defense that has given up the 7th most fantasy points to RBs this year.
WR Alshon Jeffery: This matchup is too tasty to not consider Jeffery a WR1 this week.
TE Zach Miller: Could be Cutler’s favorite target and is my stream of the week, so get him and play him this week.
BUCCANEERS
QB Jameis Winston: Great matchup for Winston but could be downgraded a bit if Mike Evans is unable to play. Even so, play Winston as you normally would and hope that Evans clears the concussion protocol.
RB Doug Martin & Peyton Barber: Barber may have RB duties this week but it’s a very tough matchup. Keep him on the bench. If Doug Martin finally plays this week, it would be hard to trust him enough to start him.
WR Mike Evans: Still in the concussion protocol so something to keep an eye on but is an elite WR1 if he is a go for Sunday.
TE Cameron Brate: Has scored a TD in each of the last 2 games but is nothing more than a TD dependent TE3.