I invest significant time and effort into this series and take pride in identifying players who will outperform expectations weekly. This article is your guide for optimizing Fantasy Football lineups and DFS plays, giving you a competitive edge.
Each week, I analyze NFL matchups, analyzing Fantasy points per game (PPG) allowed, yards allowed, and player performances to identify who will excel. I take full responsibility for my successful picks and misses.
Last week’s misses include James Cook, David Njoku, Sam LaPorta, Michael Pittman Jr, and Exavier Worthy. Some of my big hits from Week 9 include:
- Davante Adams – 22.1 Fantasy Points
- Bijan Robinson – 21.5 Fantasy Points
- De’Von Achane – 32.1 Fantasy Points
- Alvin Kamara – 27.5 Fantasy Points
- Xavier Legette – 13.9 Fantasy Points
- Brock Bowers – 15.5 Fantasy Points
- Joe Burrow – 30.1 Fantasy Points
- D’Andre Swift – 14.2 Fantasy Points
- James Conner – 14.9 Fantasy Points
- Jayden Reed – 16.3 Fantasy Points
- Cade Otton – 21.7 Fantasy Points
As the weeks move forward we get closer and closer to the Fantasy Football playoffs. Getting those W’s is more important than ever. I am here to help. Here are your matchup winners for Week 10 –
Fantasy Football Week 10 Matchup Winners
Bengals vs. Ravens (Thursday Night Football)
In Week 5 Ja’Marr Chase exploded against the Baltimore Ravens, catching 10 of his 12 targets for 193 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Chase scored a matchup-winning 41.3 Fantasy Points. The Ravens are the best matchup in Fantasy PPG allowed to wide receivers and also allow the most passing yards per game this season by over 24 yards per game. Fire up those Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase stacks in DFS and be prepared for a massive Fantasy week for these two. Joe Burrow threw five touchdowns against the Ravens in Week 5 and just threw five touchdowns again last week. Success in Week 5 can definitely translate to success in Week 10 to the same team.
The Bengals allow the seventh most Fantasy PPG to tight ends this season, and in Week 5 the Ravens had three tight ends who produced plenty in that matchup. Charlie Kolar finished with three receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown. Mark Andrew caught four passes for 55 yards. Isaiah Likely caught three passes for 13 yards with two of them being for touchdowns. So that is 10 catches for 132 receiving yards and three touchdowns between the three tight ends in that overtime 41-38 Ravens lost from Week 5. Andrews cooled off in Week 9 but scored 14.6, 20.1, and 15.6 Fantasy Points going backward the three previous weeks, guided by four receiving touchdowns during that span. I doubt the Ravens implement three tight ends in their second Bengals matchup, and with the touchdown upside Andrews has recently displayed I think we see it again in Week 10.
Giants vs. Panthers (Sunday Morning Game)
The game script did not factor Tyrone Tracy in Week 9, but the still managed to rush an efficient 16 times for 66 yards and played 72% of the snaps. It is very clear that even with Devin Singletary back, Tracy is the Giants’ RB1. Tracy rushed 20 times for 145 yards and a touchdown in Week 8, and 18 times for 129 yards in Week 5 which shows some major upside on the ground. Rushing touchdowns in Weeks 6/8 along with six catches for 57 receiving yards in Week 6 show even more upside for the former wide receiver turned running back. The rookie will now face a Panthers defense allowing the most Fantasy PPG to running backs and the most rushing yards per game this season in a smash matchup.
First-round rookie Xavier Legette has taken on the WR1 role for the Panthers following the Diontae Johnson trade to the Ravens. Legette has caught eight of his 13 targets the last two weeks, and although his receiving yardage has not bee great during these games he has still scored in both of them with Fantasy Football scores of 13.4 and 13.9 points. Legette showed off some upside back in Week 4 with a receiving line of six receptions on 10 targets for 66 yards and a touchdown for 19.6 Fantasy Points. Legette will continue to have FLEX upside in Week 10.
Patriots vs. Bears
Rhamondre Stevenson has rushed for under 50 yards in five of his eight games played this season and rushed for 120 (Week 1), 81 (Week 2), and 89 (Week 5) yards in those other three games. The biggest green flag for Stevenson this season has been his touchdown upside, with six rushing and one receiving touchdowns through his eight games. Although the yardage may not have been great, Stevenson is on Fantasy fire the last two games with scores of 23.5 and 22.4 points due to four touchdowns scored during this span. Another positive sign from the last two weeks was Stevenson’s 23 touches in Week 8 and his five receptions in Week 9. Rhamondre faces a Bears defense allowing the 12th most Fantasy PPG to running backs this season in Week 10.
D’Andre Swift scored a respectable 14.2 Fantasy Points in Week 10, which sounds like a down week for him seeing as though going backward the prior four weeks he scored 18.9, 21.9, 20, and 29.5 Fantasy Points. Swift continues to be one of the hottest running backs to roster for Fantasy Football who has both solid volume and solid production. Swift has earned 18+ touches now for the last five weeks in a row with 21+ touches in four of those games. During this five-game span Swift has rushed for over 90 yards three times, scored four rushing touchdowns, and had two weeks where he caught six or seven passes. True dual-threat, productive, workhorse running back in Chicago. The Patriots allow the fifth most Fantasy PPG to running backs and the seventh most rushing yards per game this season which presents another solid matchup for Swift to produce in.
Bills vs. Colts
Dalton Kincaid has not lived up to expectations this season, but all hope is not gone. Especially in this Colts matchup against a defense allowing the fourth most Fantasy PPG to tight ends and the seventh most passing yards per game. Kincaid is averaging 7.17 targets per game across the lats six weeks, and most encouraging is coming off of a week he was targeted 10 times. Kincaid has finished just three weeks with double-digit Fantasy Points but a touchdown scored in Week 8, the volume in Week 9, and the matchup in Week 10 are positive signs for a nice Fantasy week.
Jonathan Taylor had a down Week 9 in production following rushing for 88+ yards the prior four games straight. Taylor through six games this year has rushed for over 100 yards in half of them and totaled five rushing touchdowns. The rushing upside we have historically attached to Taylor has been present when the running back has been healthy and he has scored 15+ Fantasy Points four times and 18+ Fantasy Points three times again in the six appearances played. The Bills present a solid bounce-back week from JT as they allow the second-most Fantasy PPG to running backs this season.
Vikings vs. Jaguars
Sam Darnold threw a season-high 290 passing yards in Week 9, and his three passing touchdowns marked the third time this season he has finished a game with three or more. Darnold is currently tied for fourth in passing touchdowns on the season with 17, and his 17.9 Fantasy PPG has been extremely useful as one of the bigger Fantasy surprises of the season. Darnold has scored above that average in back-to-back weeks and has scored 19+ Fantasy Points four times this year. The Jaguars are a great matchup to have Darnold in your lineups for as they allow the second-most Fantasy PPG this season and the second-most passing yards per game.
Brian Thomas Jr. had a down Week 9, but has had a stellar rookie season with three weeks scoring over 21 Fantasy Points and four weeks scoring over 15. BTJ has finished weeks with 94 (Week 2), 86 (Week 4), 122 (Week 5), and 89 (Week 7) receiving yards and has totaled five receiving touchdowns through nine weeks. The big-play, touchdown-scoring monster at LSU carried over those traits into the NFL. The Vikings are a great matchup fro BTJ this week as they allow the second-most Fantasy PPG to wide receivers and the fifth-most passing yards per game this season. Thomas Jr. suffered a chest injury in Week 8 that originally projected for him to miss 2-4 weeks, so the fact that he played 91% of the snaps in Week 9 and is not questionable as of today is encouraging that Week 9 may have had to do with that.
Broncos vs. Chiefs
While the Chiefs are not a great Fantasy matchup for wide receivers, Courtland Sutton’s last two weeks along with a projected high passing game script for Bo Nix should encourage you to play the wide receiver. Sutton’s connection with his rookie quarterback looks like it has taken a big step forward the last two weeks as he has earned 21 targets (11/10), caught 15 (eight/seven) of them for 222 total receiving yards (100/122), and scored 17.12/23.28 Fantasy Points during these two games. Sometimes riding the hot hand is the simplest form of advice that pays off for Fantasy Football.
Kareem Hunt cannot stop scoring touchdowns, which means until Isiah Pacheco comes back you cannot stop playing him in your Fantasy Football lineups. Hunt has scored five rushing touchdowns across the last four weeks and has rushed for over 100 yards in half of those games. Through five appearances as a Chief Hunt has scored double-digit Fantasy Points in each of them with three weeks over 18 Fantasy Points. The safety of Hunt’s scoring is tied to his workhorse role in a solid offense with 22+ touches in four straight games.
Falcons vs. Saints
Darnell Mooney is quietly having a big breakout season for Fantasy Football, and it almost feels like he is not being respected enough for that. Mooney has scored 18.6 then 19.8 Fantasy Points the last two weeks, in games where he finished with 86/88 receiving yards and scored a touchdown in both. Mooney has finished four weeks now with over 85 receiving yards and scored five receiving touchdowns, which is a season touchdown career-high already. Mooney finished with 1,055 receiving yards back in 2021 for the Bears, and his 588 through nine games paces him to smash that. 14.4 Fantasy PPG ranks 22nd for the position and he has five weeks above that. Drake London is currently dealing with a hip issue which could further boost Mooney in a Saints matchup who allow the 11th most Fantasy PPG to wide receivers and eighth-most passing yards per game this season.
Rashid Shaheed has been out for the season, rookie Bub Means hit the IR, and Chris Olave had to be carted off in Week 9. The Saints have been banged up. Signal the Bat-Signal to Taysom Hill. Hill has been targeted nine times across the last two weeks and has also rushed the ball nine times during this span. Four catches for 41 yards and five rushing attempts for 19 yards and a touchdown combined for a solid 16 Fantasy Point outing in Week 9. Hill rushed six times for 24 yards and two touchdowns for 14.4 Fantasy Points back in Week 4 against Atlanta, who he faces yet again in Week 10. Hill is worth the shot in your tight end position this week.
49ers vs. Buccaneers
Prior to the 49ers’ Week 9 BYE, Brock Purdy tossed 260 yards and a touchdown and rushed for a season-high 56 yards and a rushing touchdown for 26 Fantasy Points. Week 8 was the third time Purdy has scored over 24 Fantasy Points this season. Purdy is averaging 30.3 passing attempts and 262.6 passing yards per game this season with 10 total touchdowns through eight games. Interesting is the rushing numbers jumping, as Purdy rushed for 144 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games last year but has already upped his totals to 210 yards and three touchdowns through eight games this year. Purdy is a must-start against a Buccaneers defense allowing the most Fantasy PPG to quarterbacks and the third-most passing yards per game this season.
Cade Otton is a top-three tight end for the rest of the season with his leap in volume and production. I do not care what the matchup is, if you roster him you play him. Chris Godwin landing on the IR and Mike Evans being banged up has made Otton the feature of the passing game, and his connection with Baker Mayfield has been extremely evident. Otton has been targeted 10, 10, and 11 times in the last three weeks for receiving yard totals of 100, 81, 77 and he has scored three touchdowns during this span. 18 then 29.1 then 21.7 Fantasy Points the last three weeks have been a major difference-maker for the tight end position in Fantasy Football.
Steelers vs. Commanders
George Pickens scored double-digit Fantasy Points in three of his six games prior to Russell Wilson starting but has scored double-digit Fantasy Points in both games since Russ has been the starter. Pickens has been targeted nine then five times in these two Russell Wilson games with receiving yard totals of 111 and 74 yards. Pickens scored in Week 7 and then had a touchdown taken away in Week 8t that has caused much debate. Pickens is a player trending up, and his upside has been evident the last two games with Wilson.
I talked about Noah Brown within some of my waiver wire content this week, and while I do not think he has the best matchup for Week 10 I do believe he is worth rostering. Brown has been targeted six times in both of his last two games played, with recieivng yard totalks of 73 and 60 yards. Brown caught that highlight-reel Hailmary touchdown from Jayden Daniels in Week 8, and overall has been operating very clearly as the WR2 for the Commanders. Having a consistent role attached to Daniels will bring FLEX-worthy weeks, and Brown has scored 16.3/11 Fantasy Points the last two games.
Titans vs. Chargers
Another player who does not necessarily have a great matchup but is worth rostering is Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who has had steady production with a rising role since the DeAndre Hopkins trade. NWI has scored a receiving touchdown in four straight games, and is coming off of a week he caught five of his six targets for 50 yards. 16 Fantasy Points in Week 9 shows FLEX potential moving forward pending how the quarterback play looks.
Another week another big-time JK Dobbins Fantasy Football score. Dobbins rushed 14 times for 85 yards and two touchdowns and also caught two balls for another 20 yards which resulted in a season-high 24.5 Fantasy Points. Dobbins now has totaled 620 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns through eight games this season. The big Week 9 was the third time Dobbins has scored over 20 Fantasy Points and the fifth he has scored over 16 this season. The Titans rank just outside the top 12 at 13 in Fantasy PPG allowed to running backs. The game script in this one may emphasize work on the ground though for Dobbins against a Titans offense who has scored the sixth-least points per game this season.
Jets vs. Cardinals
In Week 9 Davante Adams finished with 91 yards and a touchdown and Garrett Wilson finished with 90 yards and two touchdowns which lifted Aaron Rodgers to a solid 20.34 Fantasy Points. Rodgers finished Week 9 with 211 passing yards and three touchdowns, which marks his sixth game of the year finishing with multiple passing touchdowns in a game. Rodgers now enters a Cardinals matchup that allows the 12th most Fantasy PPG to quarterbacks and the ninth most passing yards per game this season which on top of what happened in Week 9 makes him a solid streaming option.
James Conner rushed 18 times for 107 yards and caught three passes for 12 more in Week 9 with his 14.9 Fantasy Points being the third week in a row he has scored 14+. Workhorse volume has been consistent for Conner who has finished seven of his nine games with 17+ touches and that has translated directly to Fantasy Football with his four weeks of 17+ points. The Jets allow the second-least passing yards per game this season, but allow the 12th-most rushing yards per game which makes them a much better rushing than passing matchup.
Eagles vs. Cowboys
The Cowboys allow the third-most Fantasy PPG to running backs and also the third-most rushing yards per game this season. Saquon Barkley exploded in Week 9 as he rushed 27 times for 159 yards, scored a rushing touchdown, caught three passes for 40 yards and a receiving touchdown, and finished with 32.9 Fantasy Points. Barkley has finished with over 32 Fantasy Points now three times this season as a true league-winner. Week 9 marked three straight games over 100 rushing yards which has been a category Barkley has been elite in with games of 109 (Week 1), 147 (Week 3), 176 (Week 7), 108 (Week 8), and 159 (Week 9) yards. A great matchup for Barkley to continue to thrive in.
Lions vs. Texans (Sunday Night Football)
Across the last five games, Amon-Ra St. Brown has caught 27/27 of the targets he has earned. ARSB has also scored a receiving touchdown in six straight games played. St. Brown has scored 18+ Fantasy Points five times this season and over 20 Fantasy Points four times through nine games played. ARSB will face the Texans defense that currently allows the sixth-most Fantasy PPG to wide receivers which should mean another big week attached to Jared Goff.
Stefon Diggs is out for the year, Nico Collins has been out and may return in Week 10, but Tank Dell still deserves the credit for him rising the last two weeks. Dell scored a touchdown in Week 8 then proceeded to catch six of his nine targets for 126 receiving yards for 18.6 Fantasy Points in Week 9. Last week was a flash of the rookie-to-rookie connection we saw across multiple weeks last year between Dell and CJ Stroud. The Lions allow the third-most Fantasy PPG to wide receivers and the fourth-most passing yards per game this season which gives Dell the opportunity to stay hot in a huge matchup.
Dolphins vs. Rams (Monday Night Football)
Week 10 will be the major bounce-back week for Tyreek Hill, who has been extremely disappointing this season for Fantasy Football. Through four Tua Taagovailoa games this year Hill has finished with 26, 6.6, 13.2, and 12 Fantasy Points. Week 1’s 130 receiving yards showed the upside we know is attached to Cheetah’s profile. While Hill has not been great the last two games, he has still managed 72/80 receiving yard totals on just 10 total catches. The Rams allow the eighth most Fantasy PPG to wide receivers and the 10th most passing yards per game this season. With Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua on the other side of the ball, look for Hill to earn 10+ targets and finish with over 100 receiving yards for the first time since Week 1 in Week 10.
Kyren Williams has scored 10 touchdowns through eight games this season and is averaging 2.5 receptions, 12.9 receiving yards, and 75.2 rushing yards so far. Williams has scored 15+ Fantasy Points in six of his eight games and over 20 Fantasy Points three times. Although Williams has not been as efficient as last season his opportunities truly boost him as his 87% snap share and 43 red zone touches both rank first for the position. The Dolphins allow the sixth most Fantasy PPG to running backs this season which presents Kyren a nice matchup to have another big week for Fantasy Football.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 10 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!