Fantasy Football Week 10 Review

Week 10 of the fantasy football and NFL seasons had a lot to offer in terms of exciting games—and hey, The Walking Dead was an hour and a half Sunday night (with 500,000 commercials)!

Whether it was the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, Week 10 did not disappoint.

For the Seahawks and Patriots, the rematch from Super Bowl 49 was also settled at the one-yard line, but this time the Seahawks prevailed.

There are plenty of storylines to investigate, including the collapse of the Green Bay Packers. Believe it or not, they gave up 47 points to the Tennessee Titans. Crazy!

At a time when NFL ratings are a question mark, we had quite a fun slate of games overall.

Let's hope the Monday night game featuring the Cincinnati Bengals on the road against the New York Giants continues to impress viewers.

Note: The analysis for the players in this slideshow comes from a PPR league standpoint.

PS: Boy do I love Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott.

Top Quarterbacks

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Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans

It's just unreal at this point.

Tennessee Titans second-year quarterback Marcus Mariota is torching the league. He continued his dominance in Week 10, throwing for nearly 300 yards and four more touchdowns.

After a terrible start to the season, Mariota is far and away the QB1 since Week 5.

Mariota is matchup-proof. Just so unbelievable.

Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

The Dallas Cowboys at the Pittsburgh Steelers was without a doubt the best game of the year, with the Cowboys winning 35-30.

Although his team lost, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger still managed to put up one hell of a fantasy day, throwing for over 400 yards and three scores. More than 50 of his yards came on the final play of the game in which the Steelers were just hoping for a miracle to win.

After a bad outing in Week 9 at the Baltimore Ravens, it was nice to see Roethlisberger rebound the way he did. He got beat up in this game and is only a few weeks out from a meniscus surgery.

With running back Le'Veon Bell and wide receiver Antonio Brown at his disposal, Big Ben is a bonafide top-seven quarterback—maybe even top-five—the rest of the way.

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

This is a classic example of a poor performance in real life that's forgotten because "who cares he put up fantasy points."

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw two interceptions in a crushing defeat to the Titans, 47-25. Yeah, nearly a 50 burger—I can't believe it either.

However, Rodgers salvaged one of the best fantasy days at the quarterback position, throwing for over 370 yards and scoring three total touchdowns (two passing; one rushing).

In real life, the Packers might be in trouble. But their lack of a running game and tendency to go down early may bode well for Rodgers, who will need to throw a ton to try to win games on his own for Green Bay.

Honorable Mention: Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

Given his ankle issues this season, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has been forced to be more of a pocket passer.

In Week 10 against the New England Patriots, I'm sure some could have seen a nice game for Wilson coming. But nearly 350 yards and three touchdowns? Not so sure about that.

Again, the rushing output wasn't there, as Wilson had just three carries. But he still put up a solid fantasy day, and he went into Foxboro and beat the Patriots.

What a game, by the way.

Nice job by Wilson.

Top Wide Receivers

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Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers

When a team puts up 30 points, there's a good chance a certain player had a good game.

For the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 10, wide receiver Antonio Brown was that player, catching 14 balls on 18 targets for 154 yards and a score. A 55-yard catch on the final play of the game helped Brown's stat line—but the Cowboys were fine with that in their prevent defense.

It's really no surprise that AB did AB things. Next up, the Cleveland Browns.

Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was one of the top fantasy quarterbacks this week, so it only makes sense that wide receiver Jordy Nelson would be one of this week's top fantasy receivers.

Nelson's had trouble at points this season, a bit slower after his torn ACL. But in Week 10, he caught 12 passes on 18 targets for 126 yards and a score.

Any time a player can get 18 targets, he'll be in good shape.

The state of the Packers is troubling right now, but as long as Rodgers needs to keep throwing, Nelson should be decent—even with all of Rodgers' other targets in the passing game.

Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks

While Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin didn't put up an incredible yardage total (59 yards), three of his six catches did go for touchdowns against the New England Patriots.

Seattle's lead receiver broke a five-game touchdown drought with that performance.

Coming into this game, it was assumed tight end Jimmy Graham would be the go-to target, but Baldwin managed to beat New England's coverage all night long.

Could this be the start of another surge for Baldwin like in 2015?

Honorable Mention: Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs is a PPR machine. His touchdown upside does leave a lot to be desired, but Diggs impressed again in Week 10, catching 12 passes for 158 yards.

If you're not in a PPR league, Diggs is not as valuable—but in PPR leagues, he's like gold. To put it into perspective, Diggs is the WR14 in PPR leagues, but he's the WR24 for standard scoring.

Again, the touchdown department is sparse. But if Diggs continues to catch double-digit passes, it may not matter—he's caught seven or more passes in five of his eight games this season.

Top Running Backs

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Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys

This guy is just ridiculous.

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott did it again—racking up over 200 total yards and three total touchdowns against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

There's really not much more to say about this guy other than that he's a complete monster.

Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers

Elliott vs. Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell was quite the running back matchup in Week 10, with both players finishing as the top backs this week.

No, Bell didn't perform on Elliott's level, but he still managed two touchdowns.

The figure that propelled Bell into this territory was his eight catches for 71 yards. He's a huge asset in the Pittsburgh passing game.

Moving forward, if Bell can produce those numbers and find a way to get it going in the running game (only 57 yards in Week 10), he's going to be a force to be reckoned with.

Ryan Mathews, Philadelphia Eagles

This was maddening.

Coming into Week 10, we were convinced that Philadelphia Eagles running back Darren Sproles was the guy—not fellow running back Ryan Mathews.

Instead, Mathews had 21 touches in just 26 snaps for 138 total yards and two touchdowns.

Although Sproles led the team in snaps, Mathews and even fellow running back Wendell Smallwood got plenty of work.

This is a nightmare backfield moving forward. Good luck!

Honorable Mention: David Johnson, Arizona Cardinals

While Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson did well enough to garner an honorable mention tag in Week 10, his performance was a letdown considering the matchup.

In their seven games prior to Week 10, the San Francisco 49ers allowed a 100-yard rusher in every contest. But Johnson could only produce 55 yards on the ground.

With that said, 101 total yards and two touchdowns? I'll take it any day of the week.

Top Tight Ends

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Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans

This was the perfect situation for Tennessee Titans tight end Delanie Walker.

In a matchup against a poor Green Bay Packers defense, Walker was first on the Titans' pecking order, helping his team put up 47 points.

On 10 targets, Walker caught nine passes for 124 yards and one touchdown.

The way Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota is playing this season, owning Walker isn't the worst situation you could be in.

Cameron Brate, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Given the state of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' receiving depth, tight end Cameron Brate has managed to become a consistent option in this offense. He's now caught a touchdown pass in three straight games, including Week 10.

In addition to the touchdown, Brate caught seven passes for 84 yards.

Moving forward, Brate should land as a TE1.

Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings

After putting up a dud in Week 9 in a great matchup against the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph found his mark in Week 10.

Against the Washington Redskins, Rudolph caught five passes for 69 yards and a score.

Playing with quarterback Sam Bradford, Rudolph has finally come into his own and is a legit TE1.

There are just a select few tight ends who should be started over Rudolph.

Honorable Mention: Martellus Bennett, New England Patriots

It's weird writing about a New England Patriots tight end not named Rob Gronkowski. Instead, it was fellow tight end Martellus Bennett who led the way in Week 10.

Gronk was the player the Seahawks wanted to lock down, but that didn't stop quarterback Tom Brady from looking at his tight end corps.

Bennett caught all seven of his targets for 101 yards—a respectable day.

Though he didn't record a touchdown in New England's loss, Bennett overperformed for his fantasy owners on Sunday.

Fantasy Duds

Jason Behnken/Associated Press

These prestigious players always seem to find their way onto my rosters. We all deal with byes and need quarterback coverage for at least one week out of the season. On Sunday, I went with perhaps the biggest dud of the slate—lucky me!

Quarterback: Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears

Listen, I don't ask for much. I never expect too much from a bye-week, fill-in quarterback. Maybe 250 yards and a couple of touchdowns—standard stuff.

Nope.

In Week 10, Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler threw for 182 yards and one touchdown.

And two interceptions.

And he fumbled twice.

In my Yahoo league, he posted less than five fantasy points.

What. The. Hell, Jay?

After his respectable outing against the Minnesota Vikings, I thought, "you know what? This guy is auditioning for other teams, he has talent and he faces a mediocre pass defense. I'll give him a shot."

Hopefully you didn't make this same mistake!

Wide Receiver: Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints

Coming into Week 10, New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas was a WR1 in PPR leagues, just ahead of teammate Brandin Cooks.

Against the Denver Broncos, Thomas had a tough matchup, but he also wasn't covered by Denver's best cornerback in Chris Harris. On six targets, Thomas caught four passes for 41 yards and fumbled twice—quite an anomaly for a wide receiver, no?

Given the type of production we've grown accustomed to from Thomas, this was a huge letdown.

The Saints have a history of "punishing" those who fumble (see Ingram, Mark), so hopefully Thomas doesn't lose playing time as a result of this.

Running Back: Ty Montgomery, Green Bay Packers

Hell, fantasy sites are considering Montgomery a running back, so I will too.

Green Bay Packers running back Ty Montgomery did close to nothing in Week 10. Even playing from behind, Montgomery logged under 30 percent of the Packers' snaps and had just five total touches.

With James Starks returning, we could see Montgomery's backfield snaps diminish.

Tight End: Jordan Reed, Washington Redskins

It's always disheartening to see the lead pass-catcher for a team—especially a winning team—left out of the action.

In Week 10, Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed caught just two passes for 41 yards. Meanwhile, fellow tight end Vernon Davis caught a touchdown.

Reed will be fine, but we always count on him to produce at a top-three tight end level.

Week 10 Injuries

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Fortunately, there seemed to be just one injury this week that could impact fantasy football. Yes, there were other injuries to other players throughout the league, and no, those are not trivial, but there is a certain group of players that we are concerned with (as cynical as that sounds).

Jordan Howard, RB, Chicago Bears

This injury is quite interesting—it could be nothing or very serious.

According to the Chicago Bears, running back Jordan Howard suffered an ankle injury—or perhaps an Achilles injury—in the Bears' 36-10 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

However, Howard refuted those claims and said he is OK, according to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times.

If Howard is hurt with an Achilles injury, he'll be done for the year, and we'll return our attention to fellow running back Jeremy Langford.

If Howard is OK, there's nothing to be worried about.

This is something to watch as the week progresses, for sure.

Waiver-Wire Pickups

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

There are just a few bye weeks remaining, but with fantasy trade deadlines coming and going, playing the waiver wire is as crucial as ever. Whether you're looking to play matchups or build up depth for a playoff run, the waiver wire could be your last chance to improve your team.

Colin Kaepernick, QB, San Francisco 49ers

Since taking over the starting job in Week 6, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is the QB10. If you remove his bye week (Week 8), he's the QB4.

The point is, although he is on a bad team and surrounded by the kneeling controversy, Kaepernick has been performing well in fantasy. What's helping skyrocket his value is his rushing ability. Since Week 6, he leads the lead in rushing attempts and yardage among all quarterbacks.

In Week 10, Kaepernick ran 10 times for 55 yards and a touchdown. His passing totals (193 yards; 1 TD) were not amazing, but with Kaepernick, you're hoping for rushing stats.

With six teams still slated for bye weeks, Kaepernick could be a nice fill-in option or streamer down the stretch.

In Week 11, Kaepernick and the 49ers will host the New England Patriots.

Of course, the 49ers likely will not come out of that contest with a victory, but Kaepernick has shown that he's not a terrible passer and he'll continue to run.

Dontrelle Inman, WR, San Diego Chargers

Every week, it seems like there's a beat-up San Diego Chargers receiver. But Chargers wideout Dontrelle Inman is emerging as a reliable option, especially in PPR leagues.

Over his last three games, Inman is averaging five receptions per game, but we're still waiting for the touchdowns to come.

Inman is a solid WR3/flex play in PPR leagues. If he manages to find the end zone, it makes him all the more valuable.

He's owned in just seven percent of Yahoo leagues.

James Starks, RB, Green Bay Packers

In his first game back in Week 10, I'll admit it—I didn't think Green Bay Packers running back James Starks would be utilized that much. Instead, Starks played in over 70 percent of the teams' snaps, totaling 10 touches.

A good sign was that fellow, uh, running back (?) Ty Montgomery only played in 28 percent of the snaps.

Let's face it—yeah, Starks has been out for some time, but he's a more traditional three-down back than Montgomery.

If Starks manages to get 15 or more touches per game, he is worthy of not only rostering, but being started down the stretch.

Starks is still available in 73 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Lance Kendricks, TE, Los Angeles Rams

Judging from the Week 10 box score, Los Angeles Rams tight end Lance Kendricks was useless, catching one pass for no gain.

Prior to this week, however, Kendricks had 23 total targets over his past three games.

Yeah, he's on the Rams, and that will make it tough to put him in your starting tight end slot. But if you have a flex spot that allows a tight end, or if you need a fill-in over the next few weeks, consider Kendricks as an option.

Statistics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.

Follow me on Twitter @RichardJanvrin.