Fantasy football has changed over the past two seasons. Quarterbacks have taken over as the main fantasy point scorers. In the NFL, teams have to pass to score consistently in the red zone. Running backs are important, but the tendency to specialize at the running back position and to split carries has hurt their fantasy impact. With all of the quarterback changes, fantasy owners are scrambling this week. QBs are hurt. Guys are getting benched. I mean, Daunte Culpepper may start for the Lions this week! The Cowboys, Bengals, Buccaneers and Redskins have byes this week. For NFL Week 10, here are some obvious and not-so-obvious plays that will help you maximize your roster.
START ‘EM
Joe Flacco, Ravens. Baltimore fans are wacko for quarterback Joe Flacco. Flacco has been a surprisingly steady hand for the Ravens’ offense. He was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Browns. If the Ravens can protect him against the Texans, look for Flacco to have at least 225 yards and a touchdown. Flacco only is owned in about 40 percent of fantasy leagues, so he is worth a pickup for the stretch run.
Chad Pennington, Dolphins. A couple of weeks ago the Seahawks traveled to Florida and played Tampa Bay. Tampa’s quarterback Jeff Garcia had the best fantasy game of anyone that week. In Week 10, the Seahawks make the long trip across the country to play the Dolphins. Pennington has been consistently playing well, but this week he will be even better.
Jamaal Charles, Chiefs. Believe it or not the Chiefs’ offense is playing well right now. Charles will start at running back this week. Last week, he amassed over 100 yards rushing and receiving. Look for him to have between 20-25 touches this week. Charles has a great matchup going against the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers’ defense is 29th in the NFL in fantasy points allowed.
Ryan Grant, Packers. I know Grant has been a bust so far this year. He was a top-20 pick in most drafts, but he is not even averaging five fantasy points per week. The Packers are even grumbling to the media that they gave him too much money. But this week against the Minnesota Vikings, Grant will have a breakout game. I saw the Packers’ game last week and Grant ran hard and made quick cuts. Stay with him for one more week.
Lee Evans, Bills. Evans had his worst game of the year last week against the Jets. He definitely will bounce back against New England. The Patriots’ defense is getting better, but their secondary is still the weakest link. The Bills versus the Patriots is a huge game this week and Evans should be one of the stars of the game.
*Bonus Picks – Start any Carolina Panthers, especially the defense, that you have on your roster against the Oakland Raiders. If both Carolina running backs are healthy, you should consider playing both. The Raiders already are making vacation plans for January.
SIT ‘EM
Marc Bulger, Rams. The former fantasy stalwart has been trending upward for the past three weeks. Bulger goes on the road against the New York Jets this week. Without much acclaim, the Jets’ defense has emerged as a force in the AFC. Defensive tackle Chris Jenkins and cornerback Darelle Revis are playing at a Pro Bowl level. New Coach Jim Haslett has made the Rams into a more competitive team, but the injury to Steven Jackson has hurt the Rams’ offense and has put more pressure on Bulger.
Eli Manning, Giants. These NFC rivalry games are always wars of attrition. The Eagles defense will blitz Manning all game long. The Giants should counter by running the football with their three-headed monster at running back. Look for a low-scoring contest with Manning throwing for about 150 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Matt Forte, Bears. You probably have to start Forte against the Titans, because he has been a solid fantasy option this year. However, the odds are stacked against him. The Titans’ defense is great against the run. They hit hard and tackle very well. The Bears are starting Rex “Wrecks” Grossman at quarterback. Look for the Titans to play man coverage on the wide receivers and stack about eight players in the box to stop Forte and the Bears’ running attack.
Deuce McCallister, Saints. With Reggie Bush likely to miss the game with his knee injury, Deuce should have some opportunities against the Atlanta Falcons’ defense. However, the Falcons’ defense is underrated against the run. I have watched every game this year and the defense is able to shut down bigger, power running backs. It is the quick guys that have given them trouble. McCallister has only scored two touchdowns this season and he is not used to carrying a heavy workload. Look for the Falcons’ defense to shut down McCallister this week in a big Falcons’ win.
DeSean Jackson, Eagles. Since the Eagles’ Week 7 bye, Jackson’s targets and opportunities have diminished. He still has big-play capabilities, but wide receivers Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown are starting to play like they were projected to in the preseason. These guys are seeing more passes from Donovan McNabb. Jackson should be ranked in the third tier of fantasy receivers at this point in the season.
Last Week. I finished up the week with eight picks correct and two misses. My best pick last week was to sit Santana Moss against the Steelers. Even though Moss was the third best overall fantasy receiver, he struggled mightily on Monday Night Football. My two starting running back picks, Michael Turner and Earnest Graham, had very solid games. I missed on Jamal Lewis against the Ravens’ defense, and Plaxico Burress playing against the Dallas Cowboys.
Fantasy Questions? Need lineup advice? Leave a comment below or email your questions to me at jck.bender@gmail.com. Good luck this week!
Loading ...
