Fantasy Football Week 10: Projecting Optimum Daily League Lineup for This Week

Fantasy football is one of the most popular activities surrounding the NFL each year, and the rise of sites like FanDuel.com has shed even more mainstream light on the pastime.

With the chance to make money off your knowledge of fantasy football, owners are looking to find the optimum lineup for Week 10. The task is tricky this week, with six teams on bye and injuries plaguing many franchises.

Here is the best possible lineup worth starting, using FanDuel's $60,000 weekend budget for our base point. 

Position	Player	Opponent	Cost (Fanduel)
QB	Mark Sanchez, PHI	Carolina	$6,600
RB	LeSean McCoy, PHI	Carolina	$7,700
RB	Denard Robinson, JAX	Dallas	$6,800
WR	Jordy Nelson, GB	Chicago	$8,500
WR	Julio Jones, ATL	Tampa Bay	$8,000
WR	Kenny Stills, NO	San Francisco	$5,800
TE	Jimmy Graham, NO	San Francisco	$7,500
DEF	Jacksonville Jaguars	Dallas	$4,500
K	Matt Bryant, ATL	Tampa Bay	$4,500

Evan Habeeb/Getty Images

Week 10 Player You Must Start

Picking the best lineup for FanDuel can be difficult after getting accustomed to normal fantasy football, but selecting the right stars is far more formulaic. As long as owners focus on the most consistent, undervalued players and matchups, it should be much easier to make money.

One player all FanDuel owners should be starting is Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy.

Many fantasy players are down on McCoy after a slow start to the season and just one touchdown through eight games, but don’t be afraid to take the educated risk. McCoy has amassed more than 100 yards two times in the last three weeks and will be an even bigger part of the offense with starting quarterback Nick Foles out injured.

Foles broke his collarbone in Week 9, leaving backup Mark Sanchez in charge of Philadelphia’s fast-paced offense. The transition will take time, and Sanchez will lean on the pass-catching ability of McCoy as his safety valve. Add in head coach Chip Kelly utilizing the ground attack more in order to alleviate the pressure on Sanchez, and McCoy’s numbers should climb.

When asked about his steady improvement and the entire running game’s play this season, McCoy told Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com:

"

We’re working it. Each week we’re winning games. We lost a tough one last week. We bounced back [Sunday]…The guys up front played tremendous against very, very tough assignments and blocked well. Sanchez made some pretty good calls and was able to keep them honest for the most part. We just played smash mouth. Just ran at them.

"

Some owners were worried about McCoy missing Wednesday’s practice with an illness, but Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting he returned to the field Thursday:

The NFL on ESPN Twitter account notes the overall success McCoy has found despite his slow start:

As Frank pointed out on Twitter, there are few better than McCoy over the last four weeks:

The Eagles play the Carolina Panthers in Week 10 on Monday Night Football. Under the bright lights of a national broadcast, fantasy owners should expect McCoy to take advantage of the Panthers' 26th-ranked run defense. Carolina is allowing 131.9 rushing yards per game.

Despite the Eagles use of third-string running back Chris Polk near the goal line, McCoy is due for a touchdown. After the Panthers allowed a rushing touchdown to Mark Ingram of the New Orleans Saints last week, McCoy owners should be stunned if the he doesn’t hit pay dirt in Week 10.

The real steal on the Philadelphia roster, though, is Sanchez. The oft-maligned quarterback entered last week's game against Houston at the beginning of the second quarter, and the Eagles' offense did not miss a beat. Sanchez threw for 202 yards and two touchdowns while completing 15 of 22 passes. 

Turnovers remain a concern going forward—Sanchez gifted the Texans two passes, though one wasn't his fault—but that shouldn't be the case against Carolina. The Panthers have allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete nearly 70 percent of their passes this season, and they sit 21st against the pass in Football Outsiders' DVOA metric. At $6,600, Sanchez is one of the best value plays on the board this week.

Mike McCarn/Associated Press

Also a strong value is Saints wideout Kenny Stills. Over the last three weeks, the 22-year-old has quietly become Drew Brees' favorite target. He's averaged 77.3 yards receiving per game, juxtaposed with 65.3 for stalwart Marques Colston. It's possible that we're beginning to see a transition to a bigger role for the former Oklahoma star.

Assuming his thigh injury proves nothing serious, adding someone like Stills ($5,800) allows one-day owners to fill their team with stars. In these leagues it's wise to skimp wherever is humanly possible. For instance, the Jaguars ($4,500) are a bargain with the possibility of Brandon Weeden starting. As is the reliable Matt Bryant ($4,500) taking on a pitiful Tampa Bay team.

Picking low-cost, solid-upside selections allows you to fill high-priority positions with the likes of Jimmy Graham, Jordy Nelson and Julio Jones. 

*Stats via NFL.com.