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Scott Engel features fantasy football lineup starts/sits for Week 10 (2026). He focuses on key NFL players who are creating tough lineup decisions because of injuries and disappointing starts to the season.
Our Key Starters and Tough Calls article for Week 10 of the 2026 season helps you make challenging lineup calls at running back. Scott Engel's Week 10 Lineup Spotlights column features polarizing and sometimes underrated RBs to start or sit. "The King" takes a deep look at players who may be stirring fantasy anxiety.
The fantasy football RBs included in this Week 10 column are based on Scott's Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available in the RotoBaller NFL Premium Pass. You can access his full player rankings and also utilize a wide selection of tools and analysis. Enter the referral code KING to get a discount on the RotoBaller Premium Pass.
To make the most confident Week 10 lineup decisions, consult this analysis, the RotoBaller staff fantasy football rankings, and the free Who Should I Start? tool for comparing as many as four players. This week, we're focusing on three RBs who are forcing many tight lineup calls.
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Emmett Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs
For much of the first half of the season, Kenneth Walker III was arguably the league's best pure rushing RB. But injuries have often been a concern for him in the past. While it was great to see him excel for much of the year, he is now set to miss his first game as a Chief due to a groin injury,
His absence puts exciting rookie Emmett Johnson in line to make his first NFL start. When he has touched the ball on occasion this season, Johnson has looked absolutely electric as an offensive playmaker.
Opportunity doesn’t always lead to ideal fantasy production, and that can certainly be the case for rookies. But it’s hard not to get excited about Johnson starting this week.
Johnson is an elusive runner with game-breaking speed. He has made most of his statistical noise as a pass-catcher in flashes of playing time so far this season. On 14 receptions, he is averaging 16.9 yards per catch.
No, the Emmett Johnson number isn't a typo https://t.co/rbLjAxyHCn
— PFF (@PFF) November 12, 2026
In Week 8 against Denver, Johnson caught all five of his targets for 128 yards, including a 73-yard TD reception. So naturally, fantasy leaguers are looking forward to him seeing an expanded workload.
Undrafted third-stringer Jaydn Ott is also questionable with a hamstring injury, so Johnson can be expected to get regular touches vs. Atlanta. There should be some minor caution when evaluating Johnson as he gets a consistent workload for the first time.
We have yet to see how he will truly fare when carrying regularly. Will he exhibit enough patience as a featured back?
Because we haven’t seen much of him as a runner, I cannot recommend starting Johnson over guys who have consistently performed at winning fantasy levels this season, such as Jaylen Warren and Chuba Hubbard. But outside of the usual elite performers, it’s too tempting to not have Johnson in the lineup. I rank him eighth at RB for fantasy football Week 10.
Fantasy players love upside, and this is the ultimate upside scenario where I would get my Fantasy Sports Writers Association membership revoked if I didn’t rank Johnson as an RB1 this week. Atlanta ranks 26th in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to RBs.
The only RBs I rank ahead of Johnson this week are Christian McCaffrey, Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, James Cook III, Warren, Hubbard, and Javonte Williams. There’s no apparent reason for me to push back on Johnson being a top-10 fantasy RB play this week.
Let’s try to enjoy an exciting scenario for once, instead of pulling any unfounded negativity out of the air as fantasy players sometimes do.
Travis Etienne Jr., New Orleans Saints
Etienne is finally expected to make his return from a hamstring injury for the Week 10 matchup vs. Carolina. He has been out since Week 3, and comes back just in time for the most unusual matchup of the week: The 3-5 Saints face the 3-5 Panthers, with the winner taking over sole possession of first place in the laughable NFC South.
This is an ideal matchup for Etienne’s first game back, as Carolina allows the second-most Fantasy Points Per Game to RBs and ranks 28th in the NFL in rushing defense. Etienne was a significant pickup for New Orleans in the offseason. He was expected to bolster the Saints’ backfield with his versatility and ease some pressure on QB Tyler Shough.
Etienne never really thrilled fantasy players with his explosiveness or any frequent upside in the past, but he can certainly be a respectable fantasy starter. In his final season with the Jaguars in 2025, he rushed for a career-high 1,107 yards and seven TDs.
“There’s some explosiveness, obviously, that Travis has. I think he’s a really balanced runner.”
#Saints HC Kellen Moore on what RB Travis Etienne Jr. returning from hamstring injury provides to the offense. https://t.co/RlxKNVdihe
— NOF (@nofnetwork) November 11, 2026
In his first few weeks as a Saint, Etienne didn’t excite anyone with his production, as he averaged 4.3 yards per carry and 4.6 yards per reception with no scrimmage TDs. He did catch seven passes in the season opener, though.
But he can surely be more productive than any of his replacements were while he was out. We didn’t see too much fantasy-wise from Kendre Miller, Alvin Kamara, and Audric Estime, who at least performed respectably for a bit.
This could be a big game for the Saints in terms of potentially winning the NFC South. In addition to having Etienne back, rookie WR Jordyn Tyson is also available for his second NFL contest, after his own long hamstring-related absence. The New Orleans offense may be getting healthy at the right time.
There have been no reports of a snap count, so consider Etienne as you normally would for fantasy lineup activation. He should naturally share some work with Kamara and Estime, but the importance of the game requires that Etienne be prepared for a significant role. The Saints apparently did not rush him back into action.
Etienne should be considered a mid-range fantasy RB2 for fantasy football Week 10. He can post quality rushing totals while catching passes out of the backfield. I expect an adequate fantasy floor for PPR purposes.
Shough has also been inconsistent recently, but the return of his top RB should better balance the offense and make the Saints’ passer a more appealing back-end fantasy QB1 play for Week 10.
Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks
The widespread narrative during the first half of the season was to roast the Seahawks for not retaining Walker. Some even went as far as to put out untruths on social media, claiming that Seattle chose to bring back Rashid Shaheed over Walker, which was simply false.
Still, with Charbonnet missing several games while recovering from a major knee injury, and rookie Jadarian Price dealing with his own injury problems and fumbling issues, the Seattle running game faltered.
The lack of a respectable running attack also hurt the play of Sam Darnold, who needs the support of a quality ground game to keep defenses honest and allow him to play at his best as a play-action passer.
As Charbonnet returned in Week 8, the Seattle running game ranked 24th in the NFL at 3.9 yards per carry. Emanuel Wilson was forced into lead RB work for much of the first half of the season and performed as well as possible at times, but he did not threaten defenses with much elusiveness or speed.
In Charbonnet’s first game of the season, he totaled 29 yards from scrimmage, and the grumbling about the Seahawks’ running game continued. The widespread word on social media was that Charbonnet was never anything special, and Price was already a bust.
But in his second game back, Charbonnet changed the narrative and garnered numerous accolades from many on the Seahawks beat and some national NFL analysts. He was praised for a performance in which he rushed for 77 yards on 19 carries and made quite an impression on one reception that ended up not counting at all.
"Zach Charbonnet just looks as good as he's ever been -- if not better." 👀
#Seahawks win 17-3 over the Cardinals, Dave Wyman (@WymanAndBob) shares his instant reaction from Lumen Field presented by @Harborstone.
📰: https://t.co/W8xl6kdsMJ https://t.co/jRVg2YRu3w
— Seattle Sports (@SeattleSports) November 9, 2026
On a 25-yard reception that was called back because of a penalty unrelated to Charbonnet’s efforts, he confidently tossed defenders out of the way. On other carries during a 14-point win over Arizona, he displayed nifty footwork and tackle-breaking skills. Some who cover the Seahawks regularly exclaimed that he looked better than the pre-injury version of himself.
Price also showed increased promise, especially as a pass-catcher. The Seahawks were criticized for not trading for an RB at the trade deadline, but if Charbonnet and Price continue to improve on what they displayed last week, the Seahawks’ running game could be better than many observers expect during the remainder of the season.
The two RBs might continue to frustrate fantasy players as they share carries. Charbonnet should have the more reliable statistical floor, and he is a proven short-yardage TD threat.
Price is more of a threat to deliver splash plays and catch passes out of the backfield. Charbonnet should likely edge Price out in reps in the near future because of his established pass protection skills.
This week, however, those who roster both RBs can give them true lineup consideration. Seattle faces the league’s worst run defense in Week 10. Las Vegas allows 151.2 rushing yards per game. I prefer Charbonnet for more possible consistent carries, and he is more proven as a runner.
Per @NextGenStats Seahawks Zach Charbonnet faced eight or more defenders in the box on 37.5% of his carries versus Arizona but still recorded 19 rush yards over expected across 16 attempts. https://t.co/NroY30GC8d
— Brian Nemhauser (@hawkblogger) November 10, 2026
Start Charbonnet with confidence as a mid-range fantasy RB2, and you might get more than one TD run. I would start him over RBs such as Chase Brown, Etienne, Tony Pollard, Ashton Jeanty and Quinshon Judkins.
Price can be considered a flex play with some possible upside but less of a floor.
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