RADIO
Sam Darnold is Ruled Out for Week 10, but Continues Making Progress
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (quad) has been ruled out for the Week 10 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Darnold will miss his second straight contest after suffering a quad injury and cracked ribs during the Week 8 loss to the Chicago Bears. It sounds like Darnold is making progress, so fantasy managers can be hopeful for his return following the Week 11 bye. He'll get two more weeks to rest before potentially suiting up for an important matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. In the meantime, Drew Lock (elbow, oblique) will draw the start under center for Sunday's game against the Raiders.
Source: Brian Nemhauser
Source: Brian Nemhauser
Devin Duvernay's Value Limited Despite Injuries To Teammates
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Devin Duvernay's recently expanded role on offense has yet to yield any significant results. Duvernay was limited to return duty until he was pressed into service on offense in the wake of injuries to Kendrick Bourne (leg) and Michael Wilson (neck). Duvernay saw snap shares of 42% and 45% in each of the last two weeks but had just two targets and two receptions in each game for a total of 22 receiving yards. On Sunday, Arizona will host the Rams, who are allowing the fifth-fewest PPR points per game to wide receivers, and may get Trent McDuffie (back) back from injury. With Gardner Minshew's (elbow) season over, the Cardinals' starting quarterback will be rookie Carson Beck, who will be making his professional debut. Duvernay's only fantasy utility for Week 10 is a desperation flex in leagues that count return yards. Otherwise, he should not be in lineups.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Reggie Virgil Has Little Utility Despite Expanded Role
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Reggie Virgil could see his role continue to expand with Michael Wilson (neck) on injured reserve. After riding the pine for the first four games of the season, then seeing seven targets spread over Weeks 5 through 8, the rookie had four targets last week with Kendrick Bourne (leg) out of service. The extra work resulted in just one catch for 25 yards, however. In Week 10, Virgil's potential will be capped in a meeting with the Rams. Los Angeles is allowing the fifth-fewest PPR points per game and could get cornerback Trent McDuffie (back) back from injury. Additionally, Arizona will be rolling out an untested rookie at starting quarterback, as Carson Beck will be making his regular-season debut. Virgil is projected as a WR5 and should only be used by fantasy managers in deep leagues who are dealing with big roster gaps with four NFL teams on bye.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Chris Bell is Considered Doubtful for Week 10
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Chris Bell (knee) is listed as doubtful ahead of Sunday's Week 10 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Bell was a limited participant in practice to begin the week before sitting out the next two practices. He's dealing with a knee issue, but the team doesn't view it as a long-term problem or anything related to his ACL repair surgery from last year. The absence of Bell would likely mean that Kevin Coleman Jr. would see increased opportunities. Coleman has recorded eight receptions for 82 yards and two touchdowns in eight games this season. He has mostly played in a limited role as the fourth receiver, so he doesn't need to be rostered in anything other than dynasty leagues.
Source: David Furones
Source: David Furones
Tetairoa McMillan Can Be Confidently Relied Upon vs. Saints
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan had a decent performance in Week 9 versus a tough Broncos' secondary, drawing six targets and catching four of them for 56 yards, with his fantasy day being saved by a five-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. McMillan and teammate Jalen Coker only received 11 targets combined as the premier pieces of the Panthers' passing attack, which is atypical, as McMillan has only seen six or fewer targets in three games through eight played. His usual substantial role has elevated him to WR14 in fantasy points per game this year. He has an easier task this week against a vulnerable Saints' defense, which is middle of the league in both fantasy points and touchdowns allowed to opposing wide receivers. Given that QB Bryce Young leads the NFL in pass attempts per game at 38.5, and the Saints Defense has allowed 27 points per game, McMillan should be in line for plenty of opportunities in Week 10. Fantasy managers can confidently start McMillan as a high-end WR2 in their Week 10 contest.
Source: StatMuse
Source: StatMuse
Elic Ayomanor Offers Big-Play Upside but Low Fantasy Floor
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Elic Ayomanor failed to capitalize on an expanded opportunity with Carnell Tate (shoulder) sidelined last game, finishing with three catches for 34 yards and failing to separate himself from the rest of the receiver room. More concerning, Chimere Dike actually played more offensive snaps than Ayomanor, which was a bit of a surprise given Ayomanor's larger role for most of the season. The second-year WR from Stanford still offers some appeal because of his ability to make plays downfield, and Tate being out again should keep the door open for additional opportunities. However, his inconsistent target volume and Dike's emergence make Ayomanor's role harder to project than it appeared a few weeks ago. Jacksonville has been more vulnerable in terms of passing yardage than touchdowns allowed, which gives Ayomanor some big-play upside, but he remains too volatile to trust in standard fantasy lineups. He is best viewed as a deeper-league dart throw in Week 10.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Chris Boswell Worth Starting in Divisional Bout
Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell went 2-for-3 on field-goal attempts and converted all three of his extra-point tries in a Week 8 win over the Cleveland Browns. He'll return from a Week 9 bye to face another division rival in the Cincinnati Bengals. Cincinnati has been solid against fantasy kickers this season, but the Bengals surrender over 28 points per game at home, and this contest should have no shortage of scoring opportunities, with a projected total of around 49.5. The Steelers' offense has been productive enough to give Boswell a reliable floor this year, as he's averaging nearly 10 fantasy points per game. The veteran should be viewed as one of the top options at his position and enters Week 10 ranked seventh among kickers in RotoBaller's rankings.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jaylen Wright is Cleared for Week 10
Miami Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright (quad) doesn't carry an injury designation into Sunday's Week 10 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Wright will be back in the mix after missing last week's loss to the Detroit Lions due to a quad issue. He was able to practice in full all week, so it's not surprising to see him being a full-go here. Ollie Gordon II has run away with the lead back job with De'Von Achane (knee) out for the season. Wright figures to see a handful of carries behind Gordon, but it's unlikely to be enough to warrant starting him in any fantasy formats. The 23-year-old is a possible deep league or dynasty stash option, but he doesn't offer much more value than that right now.
Source: David Furones
Source: David Furones
Chimere Dike an Interesting Deep-League Dart Throw
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Chimere Dike put up the best offensive performance of his young career in Week 9 at Cincy, catching five of six targets for 71 yards and his first receiving touchdown of the season. Dike now has 11 catches for 124 yards and a touchdown on just 14 targets this year, so one game obviously isn't enough to establish a dependable fantasy role. However, this week gives him a legitimate opportunity to build on it. Carnell Tate has been ruled out, and while Dike is listed as Calvin Ridley's backup on the depth chart, he played 82% of offensive snaps last week compared to 52% for Ridley. Dike remains very risky for standard fantasy lineups, but managers in deeper leagues should at least take notice after his performance before the bye. He's a boom-or-bust flex option and an intriguing DFS play rather than a conventional start.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Darnell Washington Has Streaming Appeal Against Bengals
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington finished as a top-12 fantasy option at his position in two of his last three games before the team's Week 9 bye and should remain involved against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10. Despite allowing just one touchdown to opposing tight ends this season, Cincinnati is still a favorable matchup, surrendering the 10th-most fantasy points per game and the fourth-most receiving yards to the position. Washington offers upside because of his usage near the goal line, as the 25-year-old has garnered at least one red-zone target from quarterback Aaron Rodgers in five consecutive games. His snap share alongside fellow tight end Pat Freiermuth makes him difficult to rely on, but fantasy managers in need of a streaming option can consider Washington in what projects to be a high-scoring game.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Pat Freiermuth Gets Enticing Matchup in Week 10
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth has been outproduced by teammate Darnell Washington in recent weeks and will look to bounce back against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10. Freiermuth has delivered several big fantasy performances against Cincinnati throughout his career, but he was held to just two catches for 30 yards when these division rivals last met in Week 3. Although the Bengals have allowed only one touchdown to an opposing tight end this season, they are still giving up the fourth-most receiving yards and the 10th-most fantasy points per game to the position. Still, it's difficult to trust Freiermuth at this point given his inconsistent role and snap split with Washington. Fantasy managers in need of a streaming option can take a shot on Freiermuth in what projects to be a high-scoring affair, but the 28-year-old should not be considered a dependable fantasy asset.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Gunnar Helm an Intriguing TE Streamer in Week 10
Tennessee Titans tight end Gunnar Helm finally showed signs of becoming a bigger part of the passing attack before the bye, catching five of a career-high nine targets for 76 yards against Cincinnati. The 76 yards were easily his best total of the season and his short professional career. More importantly for Week 10, Carnell Tate's absence removes the Titans' leader in targets and receiving yards from the lineup, potentially opening additional opportunities in the middle of the field for Helm. The matchup isn't particularly favorable, however. Jacksonville has held opposing tight ends to 32 catches for 250 yards through eight games and is allowing only 10.3 PPR fantasy points per game to the position, the fourth-fewest in the league. The Jaguars have been even tougher recently, allowing tight ends just seven total catches for 42 yards over their last three games. Helm's increased involvement before the bye and Tate's absence make him an interesting streaming option, but he's still better viewed as a TE2 than a confident fantasy start.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Wan'Dale Robinson Offers Modest PPR Flex Appeal in Week 10
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson entered the bye after one of his better performances of the season, catching six passes for 57 yards and a touchdown against Cincinnati. He now leads Tennessee with 35 receptions on 50 targets while adding 262 yards and three touchdowns through eight games. The yardage remains underwhelming even for a short area guy like Robinson, but his Week 10 outlook gets a significant boost with Carnell Tate ruled out once again due to a shoulder injury. Tate leads Tennessee with 51 targets and 413 receiving yards, leaving a sizable chunk of the passing offense up for grabs. Jacksonville has allowed 1,396 receiving yards to wide receivers this season, but only four touchdowns to the position, and opposing receivers have produced roughly league-average fantasy numbers overall. The matchup isn't ideal, but Robinson's essential role should give him a relatively safe path to targets. He is a reasonable PPR flex this week, although Tennessee's inconsistent passing offense still limits his ceiling.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Tommy Tremble Should Be Left Out of Lineups Versus Saints
Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble finished with over 10 half-PPR points for the second time this season in Week 9, drawing six targets, catching four of them for 24 yards, and scoring a touchdown. His six targets are the most he has seen this year, and he also saw the field the most in a game at a 70% snap rate, which is encouraging. However, his improvements coincided with his talented wide receiver teammates, Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker, drawing only 11 combined targets, a number that the duo usually easily surpasses. Fellow tight end Darren Waller also received 10 targets and scored a touchdown, which further supports their Week 9 opponent, the Denver Broncos, being a soft TE matchup so far this season. The New Orleans Saints, the Panthers' Week 10 opponent, are close to the top quarter of the league for both most fantasy points and touchdowns allowed to the tight end position, presenting another opportunity for the tight end duo. Even so, Tremble is not a likely candidate to repeat his performance and is not the preferred Panthers tight end to roster. Tremble can remain on the waiver wire/bench this week versus the Saints.
Source: Fantasy Points Data Suite
Source: Fantasy Points Data Suite
Germie Bernard Could Surprise in Week 10
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Germie Bernard was relatively quiet in Weeks 7 and 8 after breaking out in Week 6, but he'll look to get back on track following the team's Week 9 bye. His first opportunity to do so comes against the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals in a primetime matchup on Sunday Night Football. Cincinnati ranks middle-of-the-pack against fantasy receivers this season, but its pass defense has been subpar overall and particularly vulnerable to production from the slot. The Bengals surrender the second-most fantasy points per game to slot receivers, where Bernard lines up nearly 50% of the time. Pittsburgh's receiver room remains thin due to injuries to Roman Wilson (finger) and Michael Pittman Jr. (foot), so Bernard should see plenty of playing time alongside DK Metcalf, even with Ben Skowronek (calf) back in the mix. Assuming the Steelers need to throw to keep pace with Cincinnati's high-powered passing attack, Bernard carries some upside into this matchup and is worth considering as a WR3 or flex option in most formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
