We had another great week of games in Week 9, which included the first game in Germany this season, a much-anticipated matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins. The game was not the shootout everyone was expecting, but it was still a good game between two of the top teams in the NFL. We also had a breakout game from rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, who completed 71.4% of his passes for 470 yards and five touchdowns. It was an amazing performance and probably has the Carolina Panthers wondering why they picked Bryce Young over Stroud at number-one overall in the NFL Draft this year. Another rookie in that game had a coming-out party in wide receiver Tank Dell. Dell had six receptions on 11 targets for 114 yards and two touchdowns. I believe Stroud and Dell are going to be tough to stop in the AFC South for years to come. Now that Week 9 is in the books, we can turn the page to Week 10 and look at who to start and sit this week.
The season can be a grind at times, from doing waiver claims to looking at rankings and then finally deciding who to start. It can seem difficult, but that is where the staff at DrRoto.com comes in to help you. We have everything you need to make the tough decisions here in one place. I will be writing this start/sit article each week to help you make the tough lineup decisions. You can also join our members-only Discord channel and ask us personalized questions anytime you want on there.
Keep in mind before I get into my starts and sits this week that certain players should always be in your starting lineup. Please don’t try to get cute and sit the likes of Justin Jefferson, Christian McCaffrey or Patrick Mahomes. They are in your lineup regardless of matchups. The decisions I am here to help you with are for the players drafted in the middle to late rounds of your draft or added from waivers who you aren’t sure whether to trust.
Week 10 Quarterback Starts
Jared Goff, Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Chargers
Jared Goff is going back to where he played well at the beginning of his career in Los Angeles, but this time, he is facing the other team that plays in SoFi stadium, the L.A. Chargers. I know I said in the past not to start Goff when he is playing on the road, but I just think this is a great match-up against the Charger’s defense. Goff ranks as the QB12 so far this year, and the Chargers’ defense is ranked 30th in passing yards allowed and 24th in total yards allowed. I believe this will be another big week for Goff.
Will Levis, Tennessee Titans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Will Levis has a great matchup this week with a Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense that just let up a record-setting performance last week to fellow rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. Levis has played well in both of his starts this season. He should be able to put up excellent numbers this week, as the Bucs’ defense is 28th in passing yards allowed and 21st in total yards allowed this season. I think Levis will start getting more rushing yards in the coming weeks as he is a big guy with excellent quickness and speed.
Week 10 Quarterback Sits
Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers at Pittsburgh Steelers
Jordan Love started the season off very well, but he has cooled off over the last three weeks. It does not help that he is going on the road this week to face a tough Pittsburgh Steelers defense that has played much better than their rankings would suggest. Love is the QB15 so far this season and the Steelers’ defense comes into the week ranked 19th in passing yards allowed and 25th in total yards allowed this season. I expect Love to struggle this week in Pittsburgh.
Brock Purdy, San Fransico 49ers at Jacksonville Jaguars
Brock Purdy gets a tough matchup this week against the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defense. Purdy played very well for the first six weeks, but he has been struggling over the past three weeks. I also don’t like it when a West Coast team must travel to the East Coast for a 1 p.m. Sunday start. When the 49ers had to do this earlier this season, they took their first loss against the Cleveland Browns. Purdy currently ranks as the QB13 on the season, and he has to face a tough Jaguars defense that comes in ranked 14th in total yards allowed so far this season. I would sit Purdy this week if you have a better option.
Week 10 Running Back Starts
Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals
Everyone is down on Bijan Robinson right now, but I do not think it is his fault that his fantasy numbers have gone down over the past three weeks. I put the blame squarely on the Atlanta Falcons coaching staff, as they have no idea how to use transcendent talents at any position like Robinson and Kyle Pitts. Despite his terrible usage, Robinson is currently ranked as the RB13 in PPR scoring, and he gets an excellent matchup this week against the Arizona Cardinals’ defense. The Cardinals’ defense is ranked 30th in rushing yards allowed and 29th in total yards allowed on the season. I expect the Falcons to want to run the football a lot in this game to keep Taylor Heinicke from making too many bad decisions, meaning a big game from Robinson this week if Head Coach Arthur Smith gives him the ball.
Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills
Javonte Williams is slowly starting to get rolling in the Broncos’ backfield. He is currently ranked as the RB31 in PPR scoring on the season. I have him as a start this week because he gets to face the Buffalo Bills’ run defense. The Bills’ defense is ranked 21st in rushing yards allowed and 23rd in total yards allowed on the season. I am not expecting a huge week from Williams, but a 100-yard week with a touchdown is certainly in play.
Week 10 Running Back Sits
Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings vs. New Orleans Saints
Everyone is going to have Alexander Mattison as a start this week because Cam Akers injured his Achilles for the second time in three years and is now out for the rest of the season. But the Vikings have been down on Mattison for the past four weeks as they were working Akers into the offense more and more each week, and I expect they will work other running backs in now as well. This means Mattison might not get as much work as everyone is expecting now with Akers out. It also does not help that Mattison has a tough matchup against the New Orleans defense, which ranks as 13th in total yards allowed on the season. Mattison is currently ranked as the RB24 in PPR scoring, but I expect the Vikings offense to struggle and for him to be under 100 total yards this week.
Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens
I like Jerome Ford, but he is in a timeshare now with Kareem Hunt and Pierre Strong. Ford is nursing an ankle injury, so maybe that is why he is splitting reps in Cleveland right now, but I would stay away from this backfield, if possible, in fantasy. Ford is currently the RB22 in PPR scoring, but he faces a tough Baltimore Ravens defense in Week 10. The Ravens’ defense ranks 3rd in total yards allowed and 10th in rushing yards allowed, so expect Ford to struggle in this game.
Week 10 Wide Receiver Starts
Gabe Davis, Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos
I know Gabe Davis is coming off his worst game of the season with zero receptions on just two targets against the Cincinnati Bengals last week. However, I am expecting a big bounce back this week. He is currently ranked as the WR29 in PPR scoring and he gets to face a Broncos defense that is ranked 23rd in passing yards allowed and 31st in total yards allowed on the season. I expect Davis to see a lot of targets this week, and it is possible that he could go over 100 receiving yards with a touchdown in Week 10.
DeAndre Hopkins, Tennessee Titans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
DeAndre Hopkins has an excellent matchup this week against a beat-up Tampa Bay Buccaneers secondary that just allowed Tank Dell and Noah Brown of the Houston Texans to have career days last week. Also, the way to beat the Buccaneers’ defense is through the air and not by running the football. Hopkins is currently ranked as the WR24 in PPR scoring and the Buccaneers’ defense is ranked 28th in passing yards allowed on the season, so I believe Hopkins could have nine receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown this week.
Week 10 Wide Receiver Sits
George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers
George Pickens has struggled the last two weeks, and that is because Diontae Johnson came back from his hamstring injury and has taken back the number one wide receiver role in the Steelers’ offense. Pickens is currently ranked as the WR30 in PPR scoring and has a tough matchup this week against the Green Bay Packers defense that is ranked sixth in passing yards allowed and eighth in total yards allowed on the season. I expect the Steelers’ offense to struggle this week, so if you have a better option on your bench or waiver wire, then don’t hesitate to sit Pickens.
Brandin Cooks, Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants
This one is tough for me because I have liked Brandin Cooks since his rookie season, but he might be starting to slow down this year. He has not had more than four targets in a game since Week 2 and he has not topped more than 50 receiving yards in any game this season. He is currently ranked as the WR72, which is much worse than I could have imagined coming into this season. He gets a good matchup this week against a New York Giants defense that is ranked 16th in passing yards allowed and 27th in total yards allowed on the season, but that’s not enough. I would recommend keeping Cooks on your bench this week and possibly cutting him if you have a better option on the waiver wire.
Week 10 Tight End Starts
Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos
Dalton Kincaid has a great matchup this week against a bad Denver Broncos secondary. I expect the Bills to try to throw the football early and often against the Broncos defense. Kincaid is ranked as the TE14 in PPR scoring, and that is just going to continue to rise if he keeps making plays like he has the last two weeks. The Broncos’ defense that he will match up with this week is ranked 23rd in passing yards allowed and 31st in total yards allowed on the season. The way to beat the Broncos defense is by throwing to the tight end over the middle of the field, so I expect Kincaid to have a big game this week.
Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings
I can’t quit Taysom Hill, as he is on the start list again this week. Hill has been playing all over the field so far this season, but he is listed as a tight end for fantasy football purposes. Still, Hill has been playing a little at each of quarterback, running back, and receiver this season. Hill has a great matchup this week against a Minnesota Vikings defense that is ranked 24th in passing yards allowed and 19th in total yards allowed so far this season. I believe Hill will be a top-ten tight end in PPR scoring leagues this week.
Week 10 Tight End Sits
David Njoku, Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens
David Njoku has a tough match-up this week against the Baltimore Ravens’ defense. Njoku’s usage in the passing game has been very up and down this season, and he ranks as the TE16 in PPR scoring this season. But he is facing a Ravens defense that ranks fifth in passing yards allowed and third in total yards allowed on the season. I would sit Njoku this week if you can find a better option.
Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Chargers vs. Detroit Lions
It was hard for me to find a second tight end to put on the sit list this week, and I ended up with Gerald Everett. I know a lot of fantasy managers are probably not starting Everett at this point, but with Travis Kelce, Dallas Goedert, Tyler Higbee, and Darren Waller all out because of injury or a bye week, someone might be looking for a starting tight end and I am just going to tell you to look to someone other than Everett. Everett is currently ranked as the TE24 and he gets a tough matchup against a Detroit Lions defense that is ranked 10th in passing yards allowed and fourth in total yards allowed this season.
Week 10 Defense Starts
Dallas Cowboys Defense vs. New York Giants
The Dallas Cowboys are ranked second in total yards allowed on the season. This week, they get to face the New York Giants with rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito getting his first start of the season. I would start the Cowboys’ defense in every league I can this week.
Las Vegas Raiders Defense vs. New York Jets
The Las Vegas Raiders played some inspired football under interim Head Coach Antonio Pierce last week. I am expecting them to do the same this week against the New York Jets. The Jets’ offense has been very up and down (mostly down) all season. I believe Zach Wilson will allow plenty of sacks and a few turnovers for the Raiders’ defense. I would pick them up this week and start them.
Week 10 Defense Sits
Houston Texans Defense at Cincinnati Bengals
The Houston Texans’ defense has been good so far this year, but they must go to Cincinnati to play a red-hot Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ offense this week. I believe this game will be a shootout, as both quarterbacks are hot right now and can score at any time. I would like to find another defense to start this week, as I would not trust any defense against this Bengals offense right now.
New York Giants Defense at Dallas Cowboys
I know the New York Giants were a popular streaming defense last week, and they have been a startable fantasy defense at times this season. This week, though, the Giants get a tough matchup against Dak Prescott and the Cowboys’ offense in Dallas. The Cowboys are an above-average offense in the NFL this season, so I would sit the Giants’ defense.
Good luck in Week 10, everyone!
