Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens 1:05 p.m. EST
These two teams met each other back in Week 4, and the Ravens dominated the Browns 28-3. The Browns were without QB Deshaun Watson, but I don’t think his presence makes anyone from their offense stand out. I expect the Ravens to shut down the running game and get after the passer, making their defense DFS viable.
Cleveland’s defense has been really good and there is not anyone on Baltimore’s offense who I feel confident in. QB Lamar Jackson is always viable, but last time vs. the Browns he was able to play with a short field, which he will not be this week. TE Mark Andrews did have 80 yards receiving and two touchdowns in their Week 4 matchup, but I think there are better tight end options on the slate. A Jackson-Andrews stack would be extremely low-owned and worth considering as a long-shot lineup for the millions.
New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings 1:05 p.m. EST
I don’t know what to think of the Saints’ offense. It’s very inconsistent. They can move it well at times, but then it’s like they are in a lull and sputter for two quarters. WR Chris Olave was off to a great start last week, having three catches on the opening drive, including a touchdown, but was rarely targeted the rest of the game. He should have a good matchup here, but he is going to have to score to win you a tournament. The Vikings are good against the run, and I don’t know if RB Alvin Kamara can get enough receiving volume to justify his high price tag. TE Taysom Hill is the Saint I will target the most. He has averaged 20 points over the past three weeks and is getting most of the red zone volume. Look for another TD this week.
The Vikings’ offense has a lot going on right now. QB Josh Dobbs was excellent after he settled down and his running ability makes him DFS viable every week. He is going to win someone a million dollars in this offense, especially when WR Justin Jefferson returns from IR. Speaking of Jefferson, he is able to come back from injured reserve this week, but I would not expect that to happen yet. Head Coach Kevin McConnell said that Jefferson coming back this week would be “aggressive.” Not all is negative, as WR K.J. Osborn is practicing in a limited fashion and would be an option if he clears protocol. WR Jordan Addison will be covered by Saints corner Marshon Lattimore, so I expect Osborn to be a solid target. WR Brandon Powell is dirt cheap and maybe a good punt option. TE T.J. Hockenson is dealing with a rib injury, but he’s going to play and I expect him to play well. Remember when Dobbs played for Arizona, he constantly targeted the tight ends. I don’t know why, but I have a good feeling about RB Alexander Mattison. The Saints have only faced one team with a winning record and they haven’t faced a team as balanced as the Vikings since playing the Jaguars. I expect the Viking offensive line to push the Saints around and look for some nice holes to open up. Seasonal players can go ahead and pick up RB Ty Chandler. He is going to be the backup now that Cam Akers is out for the season and could become a league winner if anything were to happen to Mattison.
Green Bay Packers at Pittsburgh Steelers 1:05 p.m. EST
I am sorry about suggesting that Packer QB Jordan Love was sneaky last week. There is nothing sneaky about this Packer passing offense, and I will avoid them here. It was nice to see RB Aaron Jones get 24 touches, and he paid off with 18.9 fantasy points. He does have an injury designation, but that is the Packers limiting him in practice as a precaution. His price isn’t outrageous but I think there are better running back plays on the board.
The Steelers’ offense will rely heavily on the run vs. the Packers. I think both backs, Najee Harris and Jalyen Warren, are viable, with an edge to Harris. He gets a little more volume and is the back who is used in their first red-zone possessions. WR George Pickens has had some controversy this week as he was posting on social media because he isn’t getting the ball. Fellow WR Diontae Johnson has been getting all the volume in his return, leaving Pickens out. I think Pickens will get more involved, especially if the Packers use CB Jaire Alexander on Johnson in coverage. We just have to hope QB Kenny Pickett can get him the football.
Houston Texans at Cincinnati Bengals 1:05 p.m. EST
Rookie QB C.J. Stroud dominated the slate in Week 9 and further improved his rookie resume. I know everyone is excited, but I think this is the week to pump the brakes just a little bit. I think 20 fantasy points is obtainable, though, because this game could be high-scoring. Tank Dell is an option with Nico Collins sidelined. TE Dalton Schultz is coming off a 10-catch performance and has an outstanding matchup vs. a Bengal defense that gives up the most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. I am avoiding all Texan running backs as they just can’t get their running game going.
The Bengals’ offense has been hitting their stride as QB Joe Burrow is back to All-Po form. He was going to be one of my top QB options this week, but WR Tee Higgins is out as he injured his hamstring in practice and WR Ja’Marr Chase is questionable. I do expect Chase to play, and he should be an outstanding DFS player if he does. WR Tyler Boyd will be interesting, but he seems to let us down in these situations. WR Trenton Irwin could be a cheap punt play and could be in winning lineups if he scores. TE Irv Smith Jr. has been more involved lately and is also a very cheap DFS option who can score. RB Joe Mixon is also in a good spot and is coming off two good games in a row. He passes the eye test with speed and agility, something he didn’t do during his first few games.
San Francisco 49ers at Jacksonville Jaguars 1:05 p.m. EST
The 49ers are coming off a much-needed bye after losing three straight games. Not only that, they will get a handful of players back from injury, including WR Deebo Samuel and LT Trent Williams, which will bolster their offense. I do expect a bounce back, and this game could be a sneaky shoot-out game. All offensive players are in play, but I like RB Christian McCaffrey and WR Brandon Aiyuk the most, as I think QB Brock Purdy targets them often. I don’t know what to expect from Samuel, and TE George Kittle could score 20+ points or 10.
The Jaguars are also coming off a bye and their offense will depend on their pass protection. If they get solid pass protection, then they should be able to make plays downfield in the passing game. WR Calvin Ridley should be the biggest beneficiary, as he should have the best matchup. WR Christian Kirk is also a solid option. I am passing on TE Evan Engram as the 49ers have played the tight end fairly well, except for T.J. Hockenson. RB Travis Etienne should be serviceable but will only take down a DFS tournament if he can get involved in the passing game.
Tennessee Titans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1:05 p.m. EST
The way to beat the Buccaneer defense is through the air, as they are stout vs. the run. Last week, QB C.J. Stroud threw for 470 yards, but Titans’ QB Will Levis doesn’t have the firepower that Stroud has. WR DeAndre Hopkins should have a good game as he should be targeted often, but his counterpart is WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. They are not the type of tandem that Nico Collins and Tank Dell are. Tampa Bay has been terrible at covering the tight end as well. Is this the week that Chigoziem Okonkwo breaks out? Also, can QB Will Levis throw the ball into the windows that the Tampa-2 defense allows? Will head coach Mike Vrabel go away from the run, which has been the team’s bread and butter for years with RB Derrick Henry? Sometimes, it doesn’t seem like he plays the matchup and goes with his offense despite the mismatch.
Tennessee is also good against the run, and Tampa will also have to rely on the passing game. The only problem is that QB Baker Mayfield is inaccurate and misses big plays down the field. WR Mike Evans is in a great spot and should be the go-to guy. I like Chris Godwin, but he has only had one touchdown and needs a ton of volume. I like RB Rachaad White, as he needs to be a focal point in the passing game. The Buccaneers’ offense sputters when he comes out of the game. I mentioned last week that I like White to be a top-10 back going forward, and he did not disappoint. He should be a 20-point player every week.
Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinal 4:05 p.m. EST
I don’t know what head coach Arthur Smith is doing. RB Bijan Robinson was the eighth overall pick and has received 13 touches or less in his past two games, and Smith turns to RB Tyler Allgeier in the red zone. This is a prime spot, but Robinson hasn’t broken 13 points in over a month. Receiver Drake London is practicing in full and is a player of interest. I think he can get seven catches for 80 yards and will be a huge bargain if he finds the end zone. TE Kyle Pitts is really unplayable at this point. I think you can play QB Taylor Heinicke because he is cheap and can spread the ball around. I wouldn’t be shocked if he ran one in.
The Cardinals will turn to QB Kyler Murray, who is playing his first game since last December 12 after tearing an ACL. He is priced cheap for a player of his fantasy capabilities, but we don’t know what to expect. Is he going to run like he once did? His fantasy value has a lot to do with his legs. I will have him in some of my lineups just in case he is still explosive. His return means that WR Marquise Brown could be a steal at his cheap price. TE Trey McBride is also cheap, and the matchup is solid. You can play the Cardinals as a stack and fit some very nice pieces in your lineup. RB James Conner could also be back from injured reserve, but I wouldn’t expect a full workload. RB Keaontay Ingram would get the start if Conner is not back, but isn’t a viable option even at a cheap price.
Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Chargers 4:05 p.m. EST
This will be the game that most people will turn to as it has the highest total on the board at 48.5. First, QB Jared Goff is in play, as the Chargers’ pass defense can give up big plays. Goff could throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns. WR Amon-Ra St. Brown is a must-stack option in all Goff lineups, as he is going to have 100 yards if Goff throws for 300. TE Sam LaPorta is also a great option and should have at least five catches here. WR Jameson Williams is a wild card and punt option at his cheap price. Detroit is coming off a bye and I can see more targets going his way. He is always a threat to score from anywhere on the field. RB David Montgomery is back and should take over as the lead back, leaving RB Jahmyr Gibbs back to third-down duties. I also expect Gibbs to split out as a receiver at times. The Chargers’ run defense has improved over the last few weeks, and these backs are too overpriced for me to play.
The Lion defense bounced back against the Raiders two weeks ago, but there were receivers running wide-open, it was just that QB Jimmy Garoppolo was inaccurate and could not get them the football. This week, I’m expecting QB Justin Herbert to exploit that secondary and for WR Keenan Allen to be the beneficiary. They will be in many of my stacks with Amon-Ra St. Brown coming back. RB Austin Ekeler should also get into the action as a receiver and should score to validate his hefty price tag. TE Gerald Everett is in a good spot as well, but he doesn’t get many targets. Still, one has to figure that someone other than the big three has to step up for the Chargers to win. QB Quentin Johnston has been a disappointment, and I just don’t think he’s viable.
New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys 4:25 p.m. EST
The Giants come into this week with QB Tommy DeVito as their starting QB. I will not play anyone from the Giant offense and, in fact, will roster the Cowboys’ defense in a majority of my lineups.
Dallas RB Tony Pollard is in a prime spot here vs. a Giants run defense that has been bludgeoned by their opponent’s running backs. QB Dak Prescott has had three solid weeks in a row, but I worry that the Cowboys could be shutting down the offense early. Still, he could easily break 20 points in three quarters. The top receiving options are WR CeeDee Lamb and TE Jake Ferguson, who are formidable stacking options.
Washington Commanders at Seattle Seahawks 4:25 p.m. EST
The Commanders are an up-and-down team, and I think this is going to be a game that they will have to score into the upper 20s to win. They will have to rely on QB Sam Howell, but I don’t know how much pass protection he is going to get. He has been sacked a league-high 44 times and the Seahawks like to get after the passer. Also, the Seattle secondary is better than anyone thinks. Their defense is definitely in play. I think RB Antonio Gibson could be sneaky as a dump-off option, as he has 10 catches over his last two games. If he scores a TD, he should get nearly 20 fantasy points at a cheap price. WR Jahan Dotson is now viable after having 26 targets over his last three games, and I prefer him over fellow WR Terry McLaurin because he is a bit cheaper in price.
As for Seattle, QB Geno Smith has really struggled with accuracy, and it’s hurting his receivers’ fantasy value. WR D.K. Metcalf was held out of practice on Thursday, but it is being speculated that it was just for rest. He is a top 10 fantasy receiver this week as the Commander secondary has been a sieve. WR Tyler Lockett is also a play as he is capable of 20+ points any Sunday. WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba has three straight double-digit games and there is an outside chance that he could also break 20 points, so we have a lot to choose from. If Metcalf is out, then Lockett and Smith-Njigba become premier plays. The Seattle rushing offense has dipped dramatically, but they did play two outstanding rush defenses in Baltimore and Cleveland back-to-back weeks. Many are worried that Zach Charbonnet is going to take away from Kenneth Walker as the season progresses. I just think it’s been bad matchups, and Walker will get his. He should get 15+ points if he scores, and I think he will.
