The dark backdrop of bye weeks looms over this installment of Sizzle/Fizzle. Six squads will not be playing this weekend. From good (New England and Houston) to bad (Denver and Washington) to somewhere in between (Philadelphia and Jacksonville) the losses add up in a hurry. But we scramble to survive and do everything in our power to be successful. Keep reading, as knowledge brings you power! Here are our Week 10 fantasy trends.
Week 10 Rankings | QB | RB |WR | TE |
Sizzle
Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks – Wilson generates plenty of real world MVP conversation. Many fantasy owners eagerly endorse Wilson for the award, especially after an overtime victory over Tampa Bay. Wilson threw for five touchdowns and 378 yards. Two of Wilson’s scores went to Tyler Lockett, who had his best game of the season. Rookie D.K. Metcalf also found the end zone and had a clutch catch in overtime. The Seahawks also just signed Josh Gordon. While it remains to be seen if Gordon will fit, he theoretically gives Wilson another big weapon. A Monday night date in San Francisco could be rough, but Wilson will pilot plenty of fantasy teams to the playoffs.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Miami Dolphins – We are witnesses once again to the power of Fitzmagic. All of the talk about tanking in vanished for a week. The Dolphins will not go 0-16 (though Cincinnati still has a shot). Fitzpatrick burned the hapless Jets for 288 yards and three touchdown passes. Expect a return to reality in Indianapolis. Breakout receiver Preston Williams is now out for the season. Devante Parker and Mike Gesicki will pick up the slack, but ultimately, this remains a bad team. Nonetheless, at least for one game, fun and success visited South Florida.
Devin Singletary, RB, Buffalo Bills – The 6-2 Bills adore Frank Gore. The veteran offers lots of leadership and can still churn out the tough yards. But if Buffalo reaches their ceiling, it will be because they expanded Singletary’s role. We saw plenty of Singletary against Washington and the rookie out of Florida Atlantic piled up 140 total yards and a touchdown. Singletary ought to give fantasy teams a dependable starter down the stretch, with plenty of upside.
Damien Williams, RB, Kansas City Chiefs – A bust so far, Williams may be poised to boom after all. His 91-yard touchdown run played a major role in Kansas City’s win over Minnesota. It also helped fantasy owners who were gutsy enough to give Williams another chance. LeSean McCoy received only three carries against the Vikings while Williams had 12. With the structure of Kansas City’s offense being what it is, Williams will not ascend to RB1 status most weeks. But once again at the top of the pecking order, trips into RB2 territory should take place at times.
The MetLife Stadium Cat – Out of nowhere Monday night, a black cat mesmerizes an entire country. Unfortunately, it appears no one started the cat in any format. Will the fast feline earn a contract with an NFL team? His agent may be trying to put together a deal. The cat may be undersized for an NFL running back, but as they say, speed kills. Consider a speculative add because you might just land an RB1 for the final stages of the season.
Zach Pascal, WR, Indianapolis Colts – The Colts are running out of receivers. Already without T.Y. Hilton, now Parris Campbell will miss time due to a hand fracture. Pascal made plenty of plays last Sunday in Pittsburgh. The former undrafted free agent out of Old Dominion caught five passes for 76 yards and a touchdown. In a Week 7 win over Houston, Pascal hauled in six passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns. While it remains to be seen if starting quarterback Jacoby Brisette will play, backup Brian Hoyer is plenty capable of getting the ball to Pascal. With Miami on tap, expect another round of success from the Zach Attack.
Noah Fant, TE, Denver Broncos – The departure of Emmanuel Sanders opens up targets for Fant. And Fant shined in Denver’s victory over Cleveland. He had a 75-yard touchdown reception and 115 yards. Although Brandon Allen succeeded in his first start, Fant probably will end up dealing with more quarterback turmoil. And Noah needs to be more consistent. But if he can stay Denver’s number two receiver behind Courtland Sutton, owners desperate for tight end help can dial Fant’s number on the waiver wire.
Fizzle
Gardner Minshew, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars – The man, the mystique, and the mustache heads to the bench. Disappointed streamers who banked on Minshew last weekend are not surprised. He threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles while failing to toss a touchdown pass. Nick Foles returns as Jacksonville’s starter. Nothing should change dramatically with Foles back in the lineup. The Jacksonville attack stays centered around Leonard Fournette. And D.J. Chark and a hopefully healthy Dede Westbrook should lead the target tree. In most leagues, Foles will be nothing more than a streamer, but he helps the scene in 2QB setups.
Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers – Instead of Cam leading Carolina on a playoff run, he will miss the remainder of the season. And his future becomes a hot button topic in 2020. Are the Panthers and Newton heading for a separation? Will Cam replace Mitchell Trubisky in Chicago? Could he land with divisional rival Tampa if they dump Jameis Winston? He will have to get healthy before either of those crazy ideas I mentioned become reality. Meanwhile, Kyle Allen stays in place as Carolina’s starter. Curtis Samuel has been on a hot streak of late with Allen at the helm. D.J. Moore remains due for positive touchdown regression. Regardless, the Panthers remain centered around fantasy superstar Christian McCaffrey.
Adrian Peterson, RB, Washington Redskins – Peterson makes this list despite the fact he has played relatively well. He rushed for 108 yards in Washington’s Week 9 loss to Buffalo. But team situations drive fantasy football stock. Derrius Guice looks likely to return after Washington’s bye. Back in Week 1, Peterson was inactive as Guice served as Washington’s lead back. While inactivity seems unlikely as the Redskins are a ground and pound group, volume will no longer prop up Peterson as a flex. Keep him on your roster though as Guice must prove his durability.
Mark Walton, RB, Miami Dolphins – Walton’s troublesome offseason bites him at the most inopportune time. The lead back in Miami thanks to the trade of Kenyan Drake and Kalen Ballage being Kalen Ballage, Walton is now suspended for four games. By default, Ballage will get more work. However, this looks like a situation where someone may come out of nowhere and become a waiver wire darling. The Miami backfield should remain a mess the rest of the season. But keep an eye on usage this weekend. If an “unknown” such as Myles Gaskin or someone else gets a decent amount of work, even a lead back for the Dolphins could help at some point.
DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles – Landing on injured reserve after core muscle surgery, Jackson could return in the playoffs if Philadelphia makes a run. But fantasy owners have no choice but to move on. His sensational Week 1, where he caught eight passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns, hinted at an amazing season for the Eagles offense. Philadelphia has seemed flat since then. Perhaps their bye will help them get on track. Rookie Miles Sanders may be counted on more in the passing game given his quick strike potential. And Philadelphia will lean on their talented duo at tight end, Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert. Ertz had his best game of the season against Chicago, with nine receptions for 103 yards and a score.
Evan Engram, TE, New York Giants – Engram’s health issues have become a serious problem again. He missed a game earlier this year. And he missed several games last year. Now a foot sprain sidelines him for the foreseeable future. And many fantasy owners have to hunt elsewhere for a TE1. The loss of Engram hinders the development of Daniel Jones, already operating without Sterling Shepard. Engram’s backup, Rhett Ellison, happens to be more of a blocker. Jones should lean on Golden Tate, Darius Slayton, and of course Saquon Barkley.
New England Patriots Defense – The torrid run for the Patriots ends in Baltimore. After generating tons of turnovers and touchdowns, New England was no match for Lamar Jackson and company. Jackson rushed for 61 yards and two touchdowns while also throwing a touchdown pass. When the Patriots return from bye next Sunday, their schedule gets tougher. Philadelphia, Dallas, Houston, and Kansas City are New England’s next four opponents. While still a legitimate starting option, that type of stretch opens the door for owners to look for alternatives. However, we recommend holding onto the Patriots. In Week 15 they have what should be an easy clash with Cincinnati. And in Week 16, Buffalo ventures to Massachusetts. The Bills are legit, but not a shy away matchup.
We will have more Sizzle/Fizzle for you next week!
