With the bye-week situation improving after last week’s six-team nightmare, there are more viable players available for start ’em, sit ’em debates. Before you set your lineup in one of your most crucial matchups of the fantasy football regular season, our Week 10 fantasy busts list is here to help you avoid starting potential landmines, such as AJ Dillon, Brandin Cooks, and Justin Herbert.
Even superstars can put up duds every now and then (see Alvin Kamara this past week), but you won’t see players among our bust picks unless we legitimately advise benching them. We aim to highlight players on the start ’em, sit ’em bubble, not “must-starts” and not players only found in the deepest of leagues. With injuries and bye weeks thinning out player pools, you might not have enough depth to bench the players on this list. You might also just completely disagree with our choices. Either way, do what you have to do to round out your lineup.
Our picks of Isiah Pacheco, Brian Robinson Jr., Jared Goff, Matthew Stafford, Michael Pittman Jr., Jakobi Meyers, Taysom Hill, Mike Gesicki, and Rams’ D/ST paid off in Week 9, so we’ll once again try our hand at pinpointing trendy players worth fading.
WEEK 10 FANTASY PICKS: Sleepers | Start ’em, sit ’em
Our goal is to improve each week, so without further ado, here are our Week 10 bust picks.
Week 10 Fantasy Busts: Running backs
D’Andre Swift, Lions at Bears (Vinnie Iyer). Is he healthy or not? There’s no way you can trust him to roar with an ambiguous snap count again.
Melvin Gordon, Broncos @ Titans (Nick Musial). Gordon’s in a split backfield with Latavius Murray, and despite a 14.2-fantasy point showing in his last outing, the veteran was largely ineffective on the ground. He churned out just 3.2 yards per carry on nine attempts, and now he faces a Titans defense that’s limited RBs to just 16.3 fantasy points per game (FPPG), sixth fewest in the NFL. We’re not exactly sure how much newly acquired RB Chase Edmonds will play, but his insertion into the backfield also lowers Gordon’s ceiling.
AJ Dillon, Packers vs. Cowboys (Matt Lutovsky). Even if Aaron Jones (ankle) is out, Dillon has a tough task against a Dallas defense allowing the second-fewest fantasy points per game (FPPG) to RBs. Dillon is averaging 4.0 yards per carry and has posted just three catches over the past three weeks. He would get 15-plus touches and be tough to sit if Jones is out, but he will still likely disappoint in a one-dimensional offense. If Jones plays, you can’t take the risk with Dillon.
WEEK 10 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Week 10 Fantasy Busts: Quarterbacks
Justin Herbert, Chargers at 49ers (Iyer). He has underwhelmed with limited weapons of late, as it’s been the Austin Ekeler show, and this isn’t a get-right matchup against a tough, rested defense.
Daniel Jones, vs. Rams (Musial). Jones draws a tough matchup against a Texans defense allowing the sixth-fewest FPPG to QBs (13.1). Additionally, the Texans’ defense enters Week 10 surrendering the most FPPG to RBs (30.9), so a big game from Saquon Barkley could limit Jones’ fantasy ceiling with the Giants relying on the ground game.
Kirk Cousins, Vikings @ Bills (Lutovsky). Cousins has offered a fairly solid floor this year, but his ceiling has been low, as he’s only once posted more than two TDs and is yet to top 300 yards. The Bills allow the fourth-fewest FPPG to QBs, so it’s tough to expect with a shootout or garbage-time points from Cousins.
WEEK 10 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Week 10 Fantasy Football Busts: Wide receivers
Michael Pittman Jr., Colts at Raiders (Iyer). You might be tempted because the matchup is so good, but Sam Ehlinger has proved he can’t effectively get Pittman the ball.
Curtis Samuel, Commanders @ Eagles (Musial). With the help of an official, Samuel put up 19.1 PPR fantasy points in Week 9, hauling in a 49-yard TD pass to boost his stat line. It’s unlikely Samuel comes through this week for fantasy owners, as generating consistent offense will be hard to come by against a stout Eagles defense. Samuel averaged 10 targets per game through the first three weeks of the season, but that number has slowly declined to just four looks per game over his past two contests.
Brandin Cooks, Texans @ Giants (Lutovsky). Cooks (personal) sat out last Thursday after not being traded, but if he’s back this week, you might want to sit him for your fantasy lineup. He always has big-play potential, but he’s yet to top 82 yards in a game and he’s scored just one TD. The Giants allow the third-fewest FPPG to WRs, so there’s little reason to trust Cooks or any other Texans’ receiver.
WEEK 10 DFS LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel
Week 10 Fantasy Football Busts: Tight ends
Pat Freiermuth, Steelers vs. Saints (Iyer). The Saints are very good at stopping tight end production, and the Ravens were fortunate to get a TD from Isaiah Likely last week.
Noah Fant, Seahawks vs. Buccaneers (Musial). Fant put forth his best game of the season in Week 9, racking up 96 receiving yards on five receptions, but replicating that output against a now-healthy Buccaneers defense is going to be tough. His big Week 9 showing had to do with the Cardinals’ defense struggling to limit production from the TE position, something Tampa Bay is a bit better at.
T.J. Hockenson, Vikings @ Bills (Lutovsky). We doubted Hockenson last week and he showed us up with nine catches and 70 yards, but we’re going back to the well. Hockenson was inconsistent all season with the Lions, and Vikings’ TEs were also up and down. Against the Bills, who allow the 10th-fewest FPPG to TEs, it’s tough to expect a big game from Hockenson.
WEEK 10 DFS: Best stacks | Best values
Week 10 Fantasy Busts: Defenses
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Jaguars (Iyer). They didn’t really do much against the run-heavy Titans, and Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars can keep this somewhat competitive with their offensive weapons.
San Francisco 49ers vs. Chargers (Musial). San Francisco’s defense hasn’t been that great from a fantasy perspective, entering Week 10 as the No. 11 D/ST. While the Chargers’ offense isn’t as potent as many thought it would be, Los Angeles can still score 20-plus points on Sunday night, and if Justin Herbert is able to avoid turning the ball over, another sub-par fantasy showing is in line for the banged-up Niners defense.
Miami Dolphins vs. Browns (Lutovsky). Miami managed a D/ST touchdown last week thanks to a blocked punt, but it only had two sacks and no takeaways while allowing 32 offensive points. Miami has given up at least 24 offensive points in five of the past six games, and it’s registered a turnover in just one game in that span, too. Cleveland’s run-heavy approach doesn’t allow for many scoring opportunities for D/STs, so there’s no reason to take a chance on Miami here.
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