NFL Week 10 DFS: Cheap Targets and Pricey Fades on DraftKings Daily Fantasy Football
Week 10 kicked off with a sloppy contest between the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers. The Bears and rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent outlasted the Panthers and rookie QB C.J. Stroud in a 16-13 contest that didn't provide a lot of fantasy excitement.
Bears running back D'Onta Foreman (92 scrimmage yards, 1 TD) and the Panthers D/ST unit (kick return TD) were pretty much the fantasy headliners on Thursday.
The good news for daily fantasy sports (DFS) enthusiasts is that the rest of the Week 10 slate should provide more dependable options. Below, we'll dive into a few potential value plays to consider and some pricey options to avoid.
Get the latest DFS values at DraftKings.
Quarterback
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Target: Taylor Heinicke, Atlanta Falcons, $5,100
Taylor Heinicke got his first start for the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9 and had an up-and-down outing. He threw for 268 yards and a touchdown but also tossed an interception in the loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Heinicke will be back under center against the Arizona Cardinals this week, and he should provide more DFS value. The Cardinals have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, and with quarterback Kyler Murray expected to return, they could make this a back-and-forth offensive battle.
With some added rushing value—he had 20 rushing yards last week—Heinicke has a solid budget floor in Week 10.
Fade: Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns, $5,400
The floor for Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is extremely low. He's been a serviceable mid-level DFS starter a couple of times this season, but he's had some disastrous games, is still dealing with a shoulder injury, and has a brutal matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.
No team has allowed fewer fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks than Baltimore.
Don't expect Cleveland to lean too heavily on Watson as it looks to attack a Ravens defense allowing 4.0 yards per carry instead. Watson is a mid-level option to be avoided this week.
Running Back
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Target: Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots, $5,600
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson hasn't quite had the fantasy breakout campaign that many expected. However, he's been heavily involved in the passing game, which gives him a strong point-per-reception (PPR) floor in Week 10.
Last week, Stevenson racked up four catches, 129 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. He could find similar success this week in Germany against the Indianapolis Colts.
The Colts have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing RBs in 2023, and they've given up 15 rushing touchdowns through nine games.
Fade: David Montgomery, Detroit Lions, $6,900
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery is expected to make his return from a rib injury this week against the Los Angeles Chargers.
While Montgomery has been a viable DFS option when healthy, it could be worth waiting a week to target him. The Lions are likely to split carries between Montgomery and rookie Jahmyr Gibbs, who was simply fantastic in his last game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Chargers don't feature a shut-down defense, but they've been far more susceptible to the pass than the run. L.A. has allowed just 3.7 yards per carry this season, so Montgomery could see a workload lighter than his price point would suggest.
Wide Receiver
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Target: Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals, $4,600
The Cincinnati Bengals are expected to be without Tee Higgins this week, according to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport. Higgins suffered a hamstring injury in practice, and No. 1 receiver Ja'Marr Chase is dealing with a back injury suffered in Week 9.
While Chase should suit up, he could be limited. With Higgins out, third receiver Tyler Boyd should be in store for a heavy workload.
The Houston Texans have been fantastic against the pass, allowing the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing receivers. However, Boyd, who had three catches for 56 yards in Week 9, has a strong floor for this one.
Fade: Calvin Ridley, Jacksonville Jaguars, $5,600
The San Francisco 49ers secondary has appeared vulnerable recently, but it's still hard to trust Calvin Ridley in this matchup. The Jacksonville Jaguars receiver has been very up and down in 2023, while Christian Kirk has been a more dependable target.
Ridley had six catches for 83 yards in his last game but had just five catches for 35 yards in his previous two games combined.
Expect the 49ers to refocus their defensive efforts after the bye and with coordinator Steve Wilks now on the sideline. Ridley simply has too much boom-or-bust potential to trust at this price point.
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Tight End
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Target: Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints, $3,100
Managers looking for a cheap play at tight end should consider Juwan Johnson of the New Orleans Saints.
Taysom Hill has been the Saints TE to roster because of his involvement in the running game. However, Johnson has remained involved in the passing game and is coming off a five-catch, 29-yard, one-touchdown outing.
Expect Johnson to be targeted early and often in a must-win game against the Minnesota Vikings, who are tied for the 13th-most fantasy points allowed to opposing TEs.
Fade: Luke Musgrave, Green Bay Packers, $3,700
Managers looking for a bargain would be wise to avoid Like Musgrave this week. The Green Bay Packers rookie had three catches for 51 yards and a touchdown last week, but he did it against an underwhelming Los Angeles Rams defense.
This week, Musgrave and the Packers are headed to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers.
Pittsburgh's defense is tough to beat at home, and the Steelers have done a fantastic job of limiting opposing tight ends this season. Only the Ravens and Browns have allowed fewer fantasy points to the position.
*Fantasy scoring information from FantasyPros.
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