Each week there are some obvious starts and sits in fantasy football. Other decisions are not quite so simple. Here are some of my picks for Week 10 in the latest edition of Studs, Duds & Sleepers.
STUDS
QB: C.J. Stroud (HOU at CIN): Don’t expect last week’s record-breaking numbers, but he has thrown for multiple scores in five of his last seven and ranks inside my top 6 at the position this week in a game I expect there to be points put on the board.
RB: Josh Jacobs (LV vs. NYJ): Interim head coach Antonio Pierce has brought some swagger back to the Raiders and appears to be set on going back to the well. Jacobs turned in his best game of the season and this week gets a Jets’ defense that has ceded the 11th most fantasy points to running backs on the season.
WR: DeAndre Hopkins (TEN at TB): Will Levis has been named the starter for the rest of the season and that is the best news Hopkins’ fantasy managers can hear. Hopkins’ big play ability is back and after watching the Bucs’ D get torched last week I’m bullish on D-Hop in Week 10.
TE: Sam LaPorta (DET at LAC): With Travis Kelce on bye LaPorta tops my ranks at tight end. The rookie should make the most of his first-ever appearance there on my board. The Chargers are allowing the fifth most PPR points (15.0) per game to tight ends this year.
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DUDS
QB: Trevor Lawrence (JCK vs. SF): This is a bunch of play more than anything else, but with the 49ers coming off a bye week where they were sitting on a three-game losing streak I am looking for the 49ers to come out pissed off. I have Lawrence outside my top 10 quarterbacks this week.
RB: Jerome Ford (CLE at BAL): Ford failed to reach double digit PPR points vs. the Ravens in his Week 4 matchup and my expectations are low again here. With Kareem Hunt eating into his mix, he’s lost the bell-cow upside he had a month ago too.
WR: Zay Flowers (BAL vs. CLE): The Ravens’ running attack has been so potent it has limited any upside the passing game had. Also, the uptick in action for Odell Beckham Jr and Rashod Bateman has cut into his target share. He averaged 8 targets per game in Weeks 1-5, but since Week 6 has only netted 5.5 targets per contest.
TE: Jonnu Smith (ATL at ARI): Tight ends have scored in back-to-back games vs. the Cardinals, but before that they hadn’t allowed a TD to the position in their first six contests. Smith needs a TD to enter TE1 range and I’m not banking on it here.
SLEEPERS
QB: Baker Mayfield (TB vs. TEN): The Titans can be passed on and playing at home look for Mayfield to continue his solid mid-season stretch. The schedule toughens up quite a bit ahead, so use him while you still can.
RB: Antonio Gibson (WAS at SEA): With 10 targets over the past two weeks Gibson is back on the PPR flex radar. I’m not reaching to put him in my lineups, but if necessary he can offer some potential as a passer in the high-volume Commanders’ passing attack.
WR: Tyler Lockett (SEA vs. WAS): Lockett has been mostly disappointing, but playing at home after getting smoked a week ago in Baltimore, look for Seattle to do a much better job of exploiting a depleted Washington defense. He’s a solid WR3 in Week 10.
TE: Tyler Conklin (NYJ at LV): With three catches in all but two games Conklin offers a decent weekly PPR floor for those desperate at tight end. Eight tight ends have reached that feat vs. the Raiders in 2023.
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