Booms and Busts - Fantasy Football Starts and Sits for Week 10 Lineups

Welcome to another exciting week of fantasy football action as we dive into the pivotal Week 10 matchups that could make or break your season. With the playoffs on the horizon, it's crucial to make the right decisions when it comes to selecting your starting lineup and who to sit on the bench. As the NFL season progresses, we've witnessed some surprising developments, breakout performances, and disappointing outcomes, adding an extra layer of complexity to your start-sit decisions. In this week's article, we'll guide you through the most compelling start-sit dilemmas, helping you navigate the turbulent waters of fantasy football and make the best choices for your team.

The Week 10 slate is packed with enticing matchups, and it's crucial to keep an eye on injuries, emerging trends, and player performances to ensure you're making the right choices. This week, we have several intriguing storylines to follow, including the return of some star players from injury, unexpected heroics from under-the-radar talents, and critical divisional battles that could have a significant impact on fantasy outcomes. From the quarterback position to the depths of your flex spots, we'll break down the start-sit decisions you'll need to make, considering the latest information and statistics to help you optimize your lineup.

Whether you're chasing a playoff spot, aiming for the top seed, or simply looking to enjoy the thrill of fantasy football, our Week 10 start-sit advice will provide you with valuable insights, expert analysis, and the confidence to make the right calls for your team. Stay tuned as we explore each position, highlighting sleepers, studs, and potential disappointments to help you achieve fantasy glory in Week 10 and beyond. Let's dive into the matchups and make sure your lineup is stacked for success as we embark on another exhilarating week of fantasy football action!

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Week 10 Woos - Fantasy Football Booms

Kyler Murray - QB, Arizona Cardinals vs. Atlanta Falcons

Week 10 will mark the 2023 NFL debut for Kyler Murray as he makes his return from the ACL injury that cut short his 2022 season. Things are vastly different from the last time we saw him on the field. The Cardinals have a new coaching staff and have implemented a new offensive strategy from what we were accustomed to seeing from Kliff Kingsbury in 2022.

It may take a bit for Murray to knock off the rust from the layoff, but fantasy managers have been more than patient awaiting his return. But expecting the old version of Murray could be a bit of a reach as he will likely not be the running quarterback he was before the injury. This could limit his upside early on as he acclimates back to the speed of the NFL.

The Cardinals coaching staff played things smart in deciding on who to allow Murray to return against as he missed games against both the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns after his return from the IR was opened. Instead of facing stifling defenses, Murray will have the benefit of facing the Atlanta Falcons at home. A Falcons defense that has been nearly the worst in the league over the last four games in points allowed to the position (22.18 FPPG).

This defense has allowed the most passing scores (10) over that timeframe, which bodes well for a quarterback looking to ease back into action. With the Cardinals currently a home underdog, the expectation is that Murray and the offense will need to keep pace. Look for him to put together a solid first-game performance to the tune of a fringe QB1 and someone that fantasy managers could slide into the starting lineup.

Jaylen Warren - RB, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers

The conundrum of the Pittsburgh Steelers backfield has been one that has driven fantasy managers crazy through the first nine games of the year. Depending on which narrative you want to take, an argument could be made for either Najee Harris or Jaylen Warren to take command of the workload. On the season, Harris still holds a majority of the snaps at 54% to Warren's 45%. But Warren's efficiency with touches has been hard to ignore.

Although he currently ranks as the RB33 in fantasy points per game (10.3), his usage as a receiver has kept him in play as a flex option most weeks. He ranks inside the top 10 in both targets (35) and receptions (29) and is the RB5 in yards per route run (1.92). Although Warren and Harris are nearly tied in missed tackles forced, Warren holds a large lead in missed tackles forced per attempt (0.41). Which one would assume should lead to more work as a runner in this rotation.

Going into Week 10, fantasy managers should expect more of the same in the Steelers backfield. But the good thing is that the matchup is one that both running backs could prosper in. The Steelers will be at home facing a Green Bay Packers defense that has been very susceptible to opposing running backs. Although they have been better in recent weeks, on the season they are allowing 23.41 FPPG.

With the struggles that the Steelers' passing game continues to have, look for them to lean on the running game in this matchup. Look for Warren to play at a near 50% snap split in this game and keep the momentum going from his performance in Week 9 in which he finished as the RB14. Fantasy managers can start him with confidence in the flex position for Week 10.

Kyle Philips - WR, Tennessee Titans @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This is one that I am going to call my "long shot of the week." The name Kyle Philips does not come to mind when fantasy managers are trying to determine players to get into their lineups. Many have outright avoided the Tennessee Titans' passing game for a while and with good measure.

After missing the first four games of the season, Philips has largely been invisible from a production standpoint. But since the Ttians' Week 7 bye and the switch to Will Levis at quarterback, things have picked up for Philips. Over the last two games, he has seen eight targets, hauling in seven receptions, and even finished Week 9 as a WR3.

Heading into Week 10, Philips could see another week of consistent production in the Titans' passing attack as they travel to Tampa Bay to face the Buccaneers. A secondary that is fresh off of getting smoked by C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans. On the season, the Buccaneers have consistently been one of the worst in the league in points allowed to the position, but over the last four games, that number has been a whopping 52.50 FPPG.

Another thing going in Philips' favor this week is the weakness that the Buccaneers have against slot receivers. Slot receivers have feasted against this secondary and with Philips playing out of the slot at 71.2%, odds are that Will Levis will look his way often in this game. With so many highly productive receivers on bye in Week 10, fantasy managers could be searching for a steady WR3 option in the lineup. Kyle Philips could be your guy and a player that is virtually free to acquire.

Hunter Henry - TE, New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts

After the hot start to the 2023 season with TE1 finishes in each of the first two games, Hunter Henry has cooled off mightily. Until this past week, he had been on a six-game streak without finding the end zone. Due to the lack of production, he finds himself ranked as TE18 on the year with 8.1 FPPG.

Most of that production has come in the three games in which he has scored a touchdown as in most other deeper analytical categories he ranks well outside the top 10. Oddly enough, the areas in which he is highly ranked are air yards (379), deep targets (three), and average target distance (9.2).

With so many injuries plaguing the Patriots' receiving group, Henry finds himself as one of the more reliable targets for the struggling Mac Jones. Going into Week 10, look for Jones to settle things down and take advantage of a plus matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. A defense that has been one of the worst in the league over the last month in points allowed to opposing tight ends (18.39 FPPG).

Look for Henry to improve upon his three red zone targets on the year against a defense that has allowed the second-most receptions in that area as he gets into the end zone. As we have seen before, if Henry scores, he finishes as a TE1 and should be considered as a starter for fantasy managers needing a boost at the position.

Week 10 Boos - Fantasy Football Busts

Deshaun Watson - QB, Cleveland Browns @ Baltimore Ravens

After missing what amounted to the previous four games, Deshaun Watson made his return as the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns last week and instantly produced a QB1 finish. Chalk it up to an overall down week for quarterback production across the league, but Watson and his 19 fantasy points were more than many were expecting to see.

As we have seen for most of the 2023 season, Watson has yet to find that old magic that he had before the suspension prior to being traded to the Browns. With the struggles with inconsistencies, Watson has rightfully lost the trust of the fantasy community and now finds himself in a "show me first" mentality before being counted on as a starting option.

That mentality will not be helped in Week 10 as Watson will be looking at a terrible road matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. A defense that has been far and away the best in points allowed to the position. Over the last four games, this defense has not allowed a passing score on the way to surrendering just 4.44 FPPG.

With this game carrying one of the lowest implied totals on the slate (38), scoring opportunities will likely be few and far between. This makes playing Watson a very sketchy proposition in Week 10 as fantasy managers will need to pivot to another option.

James Cook - RB, Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos

The much-hyped James Cook was one of the hottest names in the fantasy community heading into the 2023 season. But the hype train has yet to get out of the station through nine games as he ranks as just the RB29 with 11.7 FPPG. Most of this is strictly due to his usage (57.3% sanp share). Many were predicting an uptick in rushing opportunities, but that has yet to come through as he has just 108 on the year (RB19).

But where he has fallen short is in the passing game, an area that fantasy managers were expecting consistent production. Through the first nine weeks, Cook has seen just 26 targets (RB22) and 22 receptions (RB17). Without any consistent opportunities inside the red zone (17 touches), Cook now finds himself as a flex option each week, where he was consistently drafted to produce RB2 upside.

Don't expect to see the production get kickstarted in Week 10 as the Bills will be facing the Denver Broncos. A defense that at one point this season was a doormat for opposing offenses but has started to find its footing. Over the last four weeks, the Broncos are one of only two defenses that have not allowed a touchdown to opposing running backs and have surrendered just 19.07 FPPG.

With the Bills likely to elevate Leonard Forunette from the practice squad this week, it will be another hurdle for Cook to leap to find steady production. Many fantasy managers will keep Cook in the starting lineup due to a lack of options, but with a more difficult matchup on tap, tempered expectations are warranted.

Davante Adams - WR, Las Vegas Raiders vs. New York Jets

The downfall of Davante Adams has been one of the more confounding cases of the 2023 season. Sure, you could blame the poor quarterback play, but for such a highly drafted player to have just one WR1 finish on the season is frustrating. On the season, he ranks as just WR20 with 14.0 FPPG but sits inside the top 10 at the position in targets (85) and target rate (29.7%). He is the top wideout with 16 red zone targets.

Most of Adams' struggles have come from his inability to separate as he is WR60 in target separation at 1.59. If he can improve in this area, then he will surely improve upon his poor fantasy points per target of 1.49 (WR74).

Don't expect to see a turnaround as we enter Week 10 either with the Raiders facing the tough New York Jets secondary. A defense that has not allowed an opposing receiver to score over the last four games on the way to surrendering just 19.97 FPPG. Add in the fact that Adams will likely be shadowed by Sauce Gardner in this game and you have a recipe for disaster.

As we saw in Week 9, new head coach Antonio Pierce will undoubtedly continue to lean on the running game with Josh Jacobs and limit the opportunity to gain targets for Adams. All this adds up to a player that many fantasy managers feel they have to play because he was drafted as a WR1, but if there is a week to search for other options to play, this is it.

Mark Andrews - TE, Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns

After missing Week 1 due to injury, Mark Andrews has been the dominant tight end that we have been accustomed to seeing over the years. He currently leads the position in touchdowns (six) and is top-five in both receptions (five) and receiving yards (477). If you look at any of the main statistical categories for the position, you'll see Andrews' name near the top.

All of this has helped Andrews maintain his position as one of fantasy's top producers as he is currently the TE2 on the season with 15.6 FPPG. He is one of the few players in all of fantasy that you never think about removing from your starting lineups.

Even though he will remain in the starting lineup of fantasy managers weekly, the matchup in Week 10 is not one to get excited about if you are looking for upside. Andrews will be facing a Cleveland Browns defense that has allowed just 155 total receiving yards on the year to opposing tight ends.

As you can imagine, this has helped the Browns and their stingy defense lead the league in points allowed to the position (5.81 FPPG) as well. Needless to say, Week 10 will prove to be a tall task for not only Mark Andrews but the Ravens offense as a whole.

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