Booms and Busts - Fantasy Football Starts and Sits for Week 10 Lineups (2025)

Dave's fantasy football start 'em and sit 'em booms and busts for Week 10 of 2025. Sneaky starts that may boom, and typical starters who will disappoint.

As we enter Week 10, there are just five weeks remaining until the start of the fantasy football playoffs. Where did the time go? Fantasy managers are certainly feeling this time crunch. With another four teams on bye this week, gamers are well aware of how each lineup decision could make or break their season.

One wrong move could cost your team a spot in the playoffs, and that stress can be enough to make anyone break. That might sound like an overstatement, but that’s the reality many gamers are facing, as nobody wants to miss out on a chance to win ultimate bragging rights. Well, I think I have said enough to heighten everyone’s anxiety. So, let’s get to the reason you're all here and get into this week’s booms and busts calls.

Make sure you’re following RotoBaller on X and download the RotoBaller app for all your fantasy football needs. Let's discuss our boom/bust picks for Week 10 of the 2025 NFL season.

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
• Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
• Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
• FLEX fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• Kicker (K) fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

Sonic Boom of the Week

Jordan Addison - WR, Minnesota Vikings vs. Baltimore Ravens

Addison is coming off a poor performance in Week 9, where he only caught two passes for 48 receiving yards on just four targets. However, this weekend could be a spot where he pops for a big game.

The Baltimore Ravens defense played much better last week, but that was against a Miami Dolphins team that seems more focused on planning their offseason activities than winning football games.

Baltimore’s secondary is still a major concern as the Ravens rank 21st in FTN Fantasy’s defensive passing DVOA and have allowed the third-most PPR points per game to opposing wide receivers this year, per Fantasy Football Today. The Ravens also allow the fifth-most passing yards per game and rank 25th in DVOA against opposing WR2s.

J.J. McCarthy remains a huge wildcard in this game, but he played very well in Week 9. This is a matchup where that could continue. Combine that with the fact that the Ravens will likely devote a ton of attention to slowing down Justin Jefferson, and it could mean big things for Addison.

Start him as a WR3 or flex play in all formats.

Other Week 10 Fantasy Football Booms

Jaxson Dart - QB, New York Giants at Chicago Bears

Dart had another strong outing in Week 9 against the San Francisco 49ers. He threw for 191 passing yards and two passing touchdowns to go along with 56 rushing yards and a score on the ground. He finished the week as the overall QB7.

Jaxson Dart runs it in for 6

SFvsNYG on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/avNab5xupS

— NFL (@NFL) November 2, 2025

The Bears just allowed Joe Flacco to have a career game against them last weekend. Chicago has now allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks in 2025.

Dart always offers gamers a safe floor thanks to his legs, and this looks like a great spot for him to post another QB1 finish. Start Dart in all formats.

Kyle Monangai - RB, Chicago Bears vs. New York Giants

Monangai had a career day last week against the Cincinnati Bengals. He ran for 176 rushing yards and caught three passes for 22 receiving yards as well. He would finish Week 9 as the overall RB3.

Unleash Kyle Monangai 😤

CHIvsCIN on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/YLQ3cT70sT

— NFL (@NFL) November 2, 2025

Monangai draws another tasty matchup in Week 10 as the Giants rank 32nd in defensive rushing DVOA, 30th in PFF rushing defense grade, and allow 150 rushing yards per game, which is the second-most in the league.

We’ll see if D’Andre Swift can suit up in this game. His status would obviously have a big impact on Monangai’s ceiling.

Even if Swift is active, though, Monangai would still be a viable flex play. He played well enough in relief last weekend that he may force this backfield into a 50/50 committee.

The matchup here is just too good to ignore, and gamers should leave Monangai in their lineups for at least one more week.

Jameson Williams - WR, Detroit Lions at Washington Commanders

We have not had much luck targeting Williams in this column so far this year, but we are heading back to the well one more time. He had one of his better games of the year coming out of Detroit’s bye last week and posted a 4-66-1 line on six targets.

Now, Detroit faces a Washington Commanders secondary that Sam Darnold just torched for 330 passing yards and four touchdowns. Washington has also allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers as well as the fifth-most touchdowns to the position.

This feels like a game where we could see Williams pop for multiple splash plays and post one of his famous week-winning efforts. Start him as a WR3 or a flex.

Kyle Pitts Sr. - TE, Atlanta Falcons at Indianapolis Colts

Pitts only caught four passes for 38 receiving yards against the Patriots last week, but he saw seven targets for the third consecutive game. Atlanta travels to Indianapolis to take on the 7-2 Colts in Week 10, and this looks like a good spot to insert Pitts into fantasy lineups.

Indianapolis ranks 28th in DVOA against opposing tight ends and allows 76.8 receiving yards per game to the position. The Colts have also allowed the second-most PPR points to opposing tight ends this year.

Atlanta is listed as a 6.5-point underdog here, and could wind up playing from behind for most of this game. That could mean plenty of targets will head Pitts’ way.

Consider him a viable streaming candidate or bye-week replacement.

Landmine of the Week

Breece Hall - RB, New York Jets vs. Cleveland Browns

Hall was the subject of constant trade rumors in the run-up to this week’s trade deadline. However, nobody made a move for Hall, and for now, he remains a member of the New York Jets.

That’s generally not a good thing, but it could be really bad news for his fantasy value this weekend. Cleveland boasts one of the best run defenses in the entire NFL. The Browns allow the ninth-fewest rushing yards per game, rank first in defensive rushing DVOA, and have allowed the second-fewest PPR points per game to opposing running backs this year.

This could be a game where the Jets offense has a lot of trouble moving the ball, regardless of who starts at quarterback. That would be highly problematic for Hall.

In a few weeks, New York’s schedule opens in terms of rushing defenses, so there should be plenty of chances for Hall to post some big outings. This week doesn’t appear to be one of them, and gamers should consider pivoting off the Jets RB1.

Other Week 10 Fantasy Football Busts

Trevor Lawrence - QB, Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans

Lawrence only threw for 220 passing yards against the Las Vegas Raiders last week. However, he salvaged his fantasy day thanks to two scores on the ground and finished Week 9 as the overall QB12.

Things get a lot tougher this weekend, though, as the Jaguars will take on a Houston Texans team that ranks first in defensive passing DVOA and has allowed the fourth-fewest passing yards per game in the league. Houston has also allowed just eight passing touchdowns this year (tied for second-fewest) and has intercepted opposing quarterbacks eight times (tied for fifth-most).

We can probably expect this game to be a low-scoring, defensive battle. That would also mean fewer opportunities for Lawrence to score fantasy points.

All that aside, Lawrence continues to struggle with consistency and still routinely makes several head-scratching decisions in every game. That feels like a bad combination when going against one of the best defenses in the league. It also makes him an easy sit call for this weekend.

Josh Downs - WR, Indianapolis Colts vs. Atlanta Falcons

Downs has been running hot and has found the endzone in three consecutive games. However, this is lining up as a spot where that streak will end.

The Falcons have been rather disappointing this year, but they have been very good at limiting wide receiver production. Atlanta has allowed the seventh-fewest PPR points per game to opposing wide receivers, as well as the second-fewest receiving yards and second-fewest receptions to the position.

After a disappointing loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 9, we will likely see Indianapolis attempt to get its ground game back on track and ride Jonathan Taylor to a victory this weekend. That could mean fewer passing opportunities and thus fewer targets for Downs.

Combine that with a tough matchup, and Downs becomes an easy sit.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt - RB, Washington Commanders vs. Detroit Lions

What began as a season full of promise for Croskey-Merritt and the Commanders has quickly turned sour. Croskey-Merritt is still PFF’s 12th-highest graded rusher and is averaging a healthy 4.7 yards per carry. But the Commanders have fallen to 3-6, and Croskey-Merritt has posted several disappointing outings in a row.

Things won’t get any easier for this rookie this weekend as the Lions rank eighth in defensive rushing DVOA and fourth in PFF’s rushing defense grade. Detroit also allows the third-fewest PPR points to opposing backs, so this looks like another spot where Croskey-Merritt will struggle.

Throw in backup quarterback Marcus Mariota starting for an injured Jayden Daniels, and it's hard to get excited about Croskey-Merritt this weekend. That means it’s probably best if managers leave him on the bench.

However, be prepared to throw him into lineups in Week 11 as the Commanders have a great matchup against the Miami Dolphins, who've been one of the biggest run funnels in the league this year.

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