Best Fantasy Advice: Week 10

There are only four regular season weeks left in most fantasy football leagues. These could easily be the most important weeks of the 2020 season. If you find yourself in the playoff hunt, you need to study and analyze your players’ matchups each and every week, now more than ever. Below are players you must start and must avoid for this week. 

Quarterbacks

Must Starts: 

• Jared Goff (vs SEA) Two weeks ago, Goff surrendered four turnovers to the Miami Dolphins, and he clearly looked out of sync. Now, he is coming off a week’s rest to battle against one of the worst defenses in the league. Seattle is allowing an average of 27.85 PPR points per game to opposing quarterbacks, which is easily the most by any defense this season. 

• Baker Mayfield (vs HOU) Mayfield has been hot and cold this season, and he hasn’t posted a ton of fantasy points. Expect his matchup against Houston to be one of his best fantasy outings of the year. The Texans allowed Jake Luton to score 22.46 PPR points a week ago. As a team, they have allowed three straight 20-plus point performers. EXPECT Mayfield to extend that streak to four. 

Other notables: 

Carson Wentz (vs NYG), Tua Tagovailoa (vs LAC), Tom Brady (at CAR) 

Must Avoids:

• Joe Burrow (at PIT) The rookie signal-caller is having a fine debut season. He is in the race, with Justin Herbert, to win offensive rookie of the year. This week, he takes on one of the top defenses in the league. Quarterbacks are averaging just 1.75 passing touchdowns against the Steelers this season, and they have yet to allow three passing touchdowns in one game. 

• Teddy Bridgewater (vs TB) In his first season with the Panthers, Bridgewater has been impressive. He’s averaging 18.3 PPR points per game, but he has only topped 20 points three times this season. This week will more than likely be his fourth time as Tampa Bay held the versatile quarterback to just 10.68 in week two. 

Other notables: 

Kirk Cousins (vs CHI), Ryan Tannehill (vs IND), Matthew Stafford (vs WAS)

Running Backs

Must Starts: 

• James Robinson (at GB) What a pleasant surprise Robinson has been this season. Taking over for Leonard Fournette as the ‘workhorse’ back, the rookie standout has produced the fourth most fantasy points among running backs this season. He trails only Alvin Kamara, Dalvin Cook and Derrick Henry. Expect BIG numbers this week as Green Bay is allowing the second most fantasy points to running backs this season. 

• Miles Sanders (vs NYG) Philadelphia desperately needed Sanders back this week. Without the second-year pro in the lineup this season, the Eagles are averaging just 90.67 rushing yards per game compared to 135.4 when he does play. Sanders is averaging 16.1 PPR points per game this season, and New York has allowed the tenth most fantasy points to running backs in 2020. This is an easy call. START SANDERS. 

Other Notables: 

Chase Edmonds (vs BUF), Leonard Fournette (vs CAR), J.D. McKissic (at DET), Jordan Howard (vs LAC)

Must Avoids: 

• Devin Singletary (at ARI) The second-year-pro has been struggling mightily as of late. He’s averaged 6.62 PPR points in his last five games. Last week, he only touched the ball five times for a combined 34 all-purpose yards. Zack Moss, on the other hand, touched the ball 11 times for 48 all-purpose yards and a touchdown. Avoid Singletary until he proves he’s the starter over Moss. 

• Jerick McKinnon (at NO) McKinnon out produced JaMycal Hasty last week 15.8 to 3.3 (PPR points). He has proved that without Tevin Coleman and Raheem Mostert, he can carry the load. On the other hand, he has a terrible matchup this week against New Orleans. The Saints haven’t allowed a 100-yard rusher in 51 straight games, and they only surrendered 8 last week against Tampa Bay. 

Other Notables: 

DeeJay Dallas (at LAR), Giovani Bernard (vs CLE), Wayne Gallman Jr. (vs PHI)

Wide Receivers

Must Starts: 

• Allen Robinson (vs MIN) Robinson is due for a MONSTER performance. He has received 9 or more targets in seven of his matchups this season. Yet, he has only topped 100 yards receiving twice. Expect his matchup against a poor Vikings secondary to be a great one on Monday Night. Minnesota has allowed the third most fantasy points to wide receivers this season. 

• Curtis Samuel (vs TB) Samuel has been on a ‘tear’ as of late. He has respectively scored 17.3, 21.4, 26.8 PPR points the last three weeks. Ride the hot hand against a Tampa Bay defense that got exposed last week against New Orleans. 

Other Notables: 

Christian Kirk (vs BUF), Will Fuller V (at CLE), Cooper Kupp (vs SEA)

Must Avoids: 

• Marquise Brown (at NE) It’s safe to say by now that Brown has put together another ‘dud’ fantasy season. There is always so much hype about Brown. He has only produced 83.8 PPR points this season in eight games (average of 10.48). He’s also coming off of three straight performances of less than 10 PPR points. New England has held their own against fantasy wide receivers, as they have allowed the 12th fewest points to that position this year.

• Cole Beasley (at ARI) Since John Brown came back from a calf injury, Beasley hasn’t been the same. He has scored 4.4 and 6.9 PPR points the last two weeks. Avoid him this week until he can prove to be a decent flex option. 

Other Notables: 

Adam Thielen (at CHI), Keelan Cole (at GB), Corey Davis (vs IND)

Tight Ends

Must Starts: 

• T.J. Hockenson (vs WAS) Washington has allowed the sixth most fantasy points to tight ends this season. It doesn’t help that Hockenson has been one of the hottest tight ends in the league lately. The second-year-pro has produced the third most fantasy points from a tight end this season, and he is averaging 15.1 PPR points in the last three weeks. This is a no-brainer. 

• Evan Engram (vs PHI) Speaking of hot tight ends, Engram has been on a roll as of late as well. In his last three contests, the fourth-year-pro has averaged 12.9 PPR points per game. Expect this to be a revenge game for Engram since he dropped the game-sealing catch the last time he and his Giants took on the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Other Notables: 

Rob Gronkowski (at CAR), Austin Hooper (vs HOU), Eric Ebron (vs CIN)

Must Avoids: 

• Jonnu Smith (vs IND) Avoid the cold players. Although Smith found the end zone last week against the Chicago Bears, he only caught two passes for 32 yards. He has been held to 40, or less, receiving yards since week three of this season. It doesn’t help that he is facing a Colts defense that typically shuts down the tight end position each and every week. 

• Mark Andrews (at NE) Like it was stated before, AVOID COLD PLAYERS. Andrews hasn’t scored double-digit fantasy points since week FIVE. In case you didn’t know, it’s week TEN! New England has allowed the fewest points to tight ends this season, and they have only suffered one receiving touchdown to that position in 2020.  

Other Notables: 

Hunter Henry (at MIA), Jared Cook (vs SF), Tyler Higbee (vs SEA)

Defenses

Must Starts: 

• New Orleans Saints (vs SF) San Francisco has turned the ball over 13 times this season, which is the seventh most in the league. New Orleans is coming off a game where they intercepted Tom Brady three times. Expect a pretty good outing this week for the Saints’ defense. 

• Baltimore Ravens (at NE) Speaking of turnovers, Baltimore has forced the fourth most in the league this season (14), and New England has surrendered the fourth most (15). The Ravens’ defense also leads the league in fantasy points. Easy call.

Other Notables: 

Pittsburgh Steelers (vs CIN), Chicago Bears (vs MIN), Philadelphia Eagles (vs NYG)

Must Avoids: 

• Buffalo Bills (at ARI) Before the start of the 2020 season, Buffalo was known to have a tremendous defense. It hasn’t been the case this year as they rank just 14th in fantasy points produced. They have a bad matchup this week as Arizona’s offense is averaging the sixth most points per game (29.2), and the most offensive yards per game (422). 

• San Francisco 49ers (at NO) San Francisco was known for their dominant defense before the 2020 season as well. With so many injuries attacking the 49ers team as a whole, the defense has struggled mightily. They rank 26th in fantasy points scored, and the Saints’ offense has allowed the second fewest fantasy points to team defenses this season.

Other Notables: 

Los Angeles Rams (vs SEA), Arizona Cardinals (vs BUF), Cleveland Browns (vs HOU)