Week 10 Busts? Players To Consider Avoiding

November 10, 2019

Keith Hernandez analyzes NFL players to consider sitting or benching for Week 10. These are his top potential fantasy football lineup busts to avoid starting.

If you had the 49ers in your pool for the last remaining unbeaten team in 2019 before the season started, well, you're probably lying. They had a scare from the Cardinals on Halloween but pulled it out on the road to go to 8-0. The NFL's only other undefeated team, the Patriots, faced their first true tough test of the year on Sunday night in the Ravens, and, well, they were exposed. New England isn't a bad team, but their cakewalk of a first-half schedule (Steelers, Dolphins, Jets, Bills, Redskins, Giants, Jets, Browns) made them look like one of the best teams of all time.

Bill Belichick's brain trust will go back to the drawing board during their bye before facing a murderer's row in Weeks 11-14 with games at the Eagles, home to the Cowboys, at the Texans and home to the Chiefs. The reigning Super Bowl champs will be tested. The depth of your fantasy rosters will be tested in Week 10, too, with five other teams (Broncos, Eagles, Redskins, Jaguars, Texans) besides the Patriots on bye. With injuries around the league piling up on top of it, you might have to get really creative on the waiver wire and via trades. Good luck!

Below are 10 potential busts for Week 10 of the 2019 fantasy football season.

Potential Quarterback Busts for Week 10

Russell Wilson - Seattle Seahawks @ 49ers (Monday Night)

The front-runner for MVP through nine weeks, Wilson has been electric this year and leads all quarterbacks with 251.6 fantasy points and 22 touchdowns. And he's thrown just one interception. The Niners D will have their hands full, but they've allowed the fewest passing yards (1,333) and the fewest fantasy points per game (12.6) to opposing QBs. This one could be a run-first grind of a divisional battle. It should be fun.

Kirk Cousins - Minnesota Vikings @ Cowboys

Cousins has had a nice little run the last four games in great matchups against the Eagles, Lions, Redskins and Chiefs. He's gone over 300 yards twice and has a tidy 11:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Don't expect it to continue in Big D, though, against an underrated Dallas secondary. Cousins will also likely be without Adam Thielen (hamstring) again. Kansas City made it a point to stop Stefon Diggs (just one catch) with Thielen hurt last week. Expect Dallas to follow a similar blueprint.

Others: Matthew Stafford (@ Bears), Baker Mayfield (Vs. Bills)

Potential Running Back Busts for Week 10

Devonta Freeman - Atlanta Falcons @ Saints

The Falcons should be getting Matt Ryan (ankle) back this week, but expect Atlanta to be playing from behind for most, if not all, of the day in this tough divisional tilt on the road. Freeman has saved his fantasy production somewhat by being involved in the passing game, but he still has yet to see 20 carries in a game, hasn't run for 100 yards and hasn't scored a touchdown on the ground. The Saints Defense has allowed the fewest rushing yards (493) and just three rushing scores all season to the position.

Todd Gurley - Los Angeles Rams @ Steelers

Next to the Saints, the Steelers have been the next toughest defense against the run in the last five weeks, allowing only 245 rushing yards, one touchdown and 10.4 fantasy points per game to the position. The 25-year-old continues to have his workload limited by LA in 2019, carrying the ball 15-plus times on three occasions in seven games. He's yet to have a 100-yard game on the ground and has rarely been used in the passing game.

David Johnson - Arizona Cardinals @ Buccaneers

DJ is practicing in full this week and is on track to return since aggravating his ankle after only one carry on Oct. 20 against the Giants. He should return as Arizona's lead back, but don't be surprised if Kenyan Drake -- who worked as the bell-cow back for 15 carries, 110 yards and a TD against San Fran's stout D last week -- spells him frequently. Tampa's run defense has been strong all year, too, allowing the third fewest fantasy points per game (12.4) to the position.

Others: Chris Carson (@ 49ers), Joe Mixon (Vs. Ravens), Nick Chubb (Vs. Bills)

Potential Wide Receiver Busts for Week 10

Tyler Lockett - Seattle Seahawks @ 49ers

Boy did Lockett go off in Week 9 against the Buccaneers (13-152-2). He's now third among receivers with 111.9 standard fantasy points this year, trailing only Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Lockett is one of the most efficient wideouts in the league and has an MVP candidate throwing him the ball, but most of his damage has come in three games, with reception totals of 13, 11 and 10. The Niners D, one of the best in football at all three levels, will make sure that Lockett doesn't beat them.

Kenny Golladay - Detroit Lions @ Bears

Golladay has come alive this year with Stafford having a career season. He's scored seven times already and has four 100-yard games to his name, including back-to-back 100-yard performances and three TDs the last two weeks. But Chicago's defense, which has allowed a league-low 428 yards and no touchdowns to receivers in the last five weeks, will shut him down since they won't have to worry about Detroit's backfield minus Kerryon Johnson.

Stefon Diggs - Minnesota Vikings @ Cowboys

It can't get any worse than one catch for four yards, which is what Diggs did in Week 9 against the Chiefs. It was especially confusing with Thielen missing essentially the whole game and after Diggs went for a combined 21 receptions, 452 yards and three touchdowns the previous three weeks. Dallas' defense has been good against receivers all year, and they will double team Diggs with Thielen out another week and make Olabisi Johnson and Laquon Treadwell beat them.

Others: Odell Beckham Jr. (Vs. Bills), Marvin Jones (@ Bears), Curtis Samuel (@ Packers)

Potential Tight End Busts for Week 10

Eric Ebron - Indianapolis Colts Vs. Dolphins

Ebron could really be on this list every week. He has fewer targets (31) and catches (18) than his own teammate in Jack Doyle (34 targets, 24 catches). The Colts probably won't have to throw it often in this one, even if Jacoby Brissett (knee) is active. And finally, Miami has surprisingly allowed the third fewest fantasy points per game (3.5) to opposing tight ends the last five weeks.

Tyler Eifert - Cincinnati Bengals Vs. Ravens

Cincy's bye came at the worst possible time for Eifert after he had the best game of his season in Week 8 by catching six of nine targets for a season-high 74 yards in the loss to the Rams in London. Rookie Ryan Finley could need to rely on Eifert as a safety blanket in his first career start, but don't bank on that happening against a Ravens Defense that has improved greatly from earlier this year. They've allowed just 120 yards receiving and zero TDs to tight ends the last five weeks.

Others: Mike Gesicki (@ Colts), Jimmy Graham (Vs. Panthers)

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