Week 10 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Projections for Top-10 Players at Each Position

Week 10 seems obvious at face value when it comes to start 'em, sit 'em calls.

Then again, fans need to look no further than the resounding fantasy dud that was Thursday Night Football to see what kind of week is in store for owners.

There, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton scored in negatives. Running back Jeremy Hill did not do much better. All three of the Cleveland Browns running backs scored touchdowns.

So it goes in what has been an up-and-down year for anyone and everyone. Hit those late-week lineup decisions with full force and armed to the teeth with information.

Quarterbacks

Rank	Player	Team	Opponent	Projection
1	Peyton Manning	DEN	at OAK	28
2	Aaron Rodgers	GB	CHI	26
3	Drew Brees	NO	SF	23
4	Ben Roethlisberger	PIT	at NYJ	22
5	Matt Ryan	ATL	at TB	18
6	Cam Newton	CAR	at PHI	17
7	Carson Palmer	ARI	STL	17
8	Matthew Stafford	DET	MIA	16
9	Jay Cutler	CHI	at GB	15
10	Austin Davis	STL	at ARI	12

Start 'Em: Carson Palmer, ARI (vs. STL)

Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press

Rinse and repeat each week until owners start to believe in Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer. 

Owned in just 64.8 percent of leagues, Palmer has done right by those who picked him up. The man now has four consecutive double-digit outings, each of which has seen him score a minimum of 18 points.

Look, Palmer's injury earlier this season was scary. But he has been one of fantasy's most consistent producers when healthy. He's healthy, and now he gets to welcome a St. Louis defense that gives up the seventh-most points to quarterbacks to the desert.

Sit 'Em: Ryan Tannehill, MIA (at DET)

Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill was the fourth-highest scorer last week at his position thanks to a 27-point outburst.

Great, but keep in mind it was only the third time this season Tannehill breached the 20-point mark.

To be fair, Tannehill has been very consistent this season, but a bad matchup with reliable data is, well, a bad matchup with reliable data.

Not only do the Detroit Lions surrender the second-fewest points to quarterbacks, the unit even held Aaron Rodgers and Co. to just 10. On the road, Tannehill is one to avoid for at least one week.

Running Backs

Rank	Player	Team	Opponent	Projection
1	DeMarco Murray	DAL	at JAC	23
2	LeSean McCoy	PHI	CAR	20
3	Marshawn Lynch	SEA	NYG	18
4	Jamaal Charles	KC	at BUF	18
5	Andre Ellington	ARI	STL	16
6	Le'Veon Bell	PIT	at NYJ	15
7	Ronnie Hillman	DEN	at OAK	14
8	Matt Forte	CHI	at GB	12
9	Mark Ingram	NO	SF	10
10	Justin Forsett	BAL	TEN	10

Start 'Em: Bobby Rainey, TB (vs. ATL)

The impending arrival of Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie back Charles Sims is something to monitor, but it is no reason to sit Bobby Rainey this week against the miserable Atlanta Falcons.

A note from Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times puts things into perspective:

Rainey has scored in double digits in two of his last four outings, but more important is the fact he saw 19 carries last week and appears to have a clutch on the starting gig. 

Now keep in mind the Falcons give up the absolute most points to backs this season and Rainey scored six points for owners on just 11 carries against the Falcons back in Week 3. More touches this time around will do well for owners.

Sit 'Em: Frank Gore, SF (at NO)

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

Believe it or not, the New Orleans Saints have actually done pretty well against running backs this season, just last week holding Carolina as a whole to nine points. 

Sprinkle in the fact Frank Gore has fallen off a cliff, and well, this is a doomsday scenario for his owners.

Gore has scored a combined nine points over the course of his last three games. Not only has he been ineffective, the coaching staff has begun to turn elsewhere for production. Just last week the staff did not use him once in three tries at the goal line with the game on the line.

New Orleans at home is bad news for any back, but especially for a fading Gore.

Wide Receivers

Rank	Player	Team	Opponent	Projection
1	Demaryius Thomas	DEN	at OAK	16
2	Antonio Brown	PIT	at NYJ	15
3	Calvin Johnson	DET	MIA	14
4	Julio Jones	ATL	at TB	12
5	Randall Cobb	GB	CHI	12
6	Dez Bryant	DAL	at JAC	11
7	Emmanuel Sanders	PIT	at OAK	10
8	Jeremy Maclin	PHI	CAR	10
9	Sammy Watkins	BUF	KC	9
10	Jordy Nelson	GB	CHI	9

Start 'Em: Steve Smith, BAL (vs. TEN)

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

Steve Smith is another veteran who has begun to fade. The Baltimore Ravens' top wideout has looked anything but as of late, scoring a total of 12 points over the course of his last three outings—while Torrey Smith totaled 26 in what amounted to only two games.

Still, there is no reason to jump ship just yet. Smith now gets a matchup against a wobbly Tennessee Titans defense that has surrendered 17 or more points to wideouts in all but one game this season.

Keep in mind Smith has done most of his damage at home this season, where quarterback Joe Flacco simply seems more comfortable. Roll with Smith this week.

Sit 'Em: Terrance Williams, DAL (at JAC)

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

It seems forever ago that Dallas Cowboys wideout Terrance Williams scored 19 and 13 points for his 75.3 percent of owners in back-to-back weeks.

Williams has since not breached double digits, and much of that has to do with the back injury to quarterback Tony Romo.

Even if Romo suits up against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he may not have the strength to push the ball down the field to Williams. Keep in mind Williams has just one touchdown on the road this year and no trips into double digits.

While the Cowboys turn to Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray, owners should turn elsewhere, too.

Tight Ends

Rank	Player	Team	Opponent	Projection
1	Jimmy Graham	NO	SF	11
2	Julius Thomas	DEN	at OAK	10
3	Greg Olsen	CAR	at PHI	10
4	Martellus Bennett	CHI	at GB	8
5	Delanie Walker	TEN	at BAL	7
6	Travis Kelce	KC	at BUF	6
7	Jason Witten	DAL	at JAC	5
8	Larry Donnell	NYG	at SEA	5
9	Heath Miller	PIT	at NYJ	5
10	Scott Chandler	BUF	KC	4

Start 'Em: Heath Miller, PIT (at NYJ)

Marc Serota/Associated Press

At an unreliable position, owners seem to shy away from Heath Miller. 

In a way it makes sense, as Miller has scored in double digits just twice this year. But as TJ Hernandez of DraftDayConsultants points out via advanced stats, Miller needs to be in lineups this weekend:

In other words, Miller feasts on bad defenses. The New York Jets certainly fit the bill, as the unit surrenders the second-most points to tight ends this year.

Tight end is a nightmare position, so never ignore data that produces a matchup such as this.

Sit 'Em: Vernon Davis, SF (at NO)

For those 70.7 percent of owners who still clutch San Francisco's Vernon Davis, feel free to hit the drop button.

Davis scored 16 points in Week 1, but since has totaled just nine points. Were he not a big name and mostly owned in all leagues, he would not even get attention in a column such as this.

Like Gore, Davis is a no-fly zone in the Dome down in New Orleans. The Saints do a lot of things wrong on the defensive side of the football, but defending tight ends is not on the list. Rob Ryan's defense gives up the second-fewest points to the position, has yet to allow double-digit production and has surrendered just one touchdown.

D/STs

Rank	Unit	Opponent	Projection
1	Buffalo Bills	KC	9
2	Baltimore Ravens	TEN	9
3	Miami Dolphins	at DET	8
4	Arizona Cardinals	STL	8
5	Pittsburgh Steelers	at NYJ	7
6	Detroit Lions	MIA	7
7	Seattle Seahawks	NYG	6
8	Dallas Cowboys	at JAC	5
9	Kansas City Chiefs	at BUF	5
10	Denver Broncos	at OAK	4

Start 'Em: Dallas Cowboys (at JAC)

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Now this is a scary thought for owners. 

Once the laughingstock of the league, now the Cowboys defense is a pretty sound start in Week 10.

The reason being, of course, is a date with Jacksonville, the team that allows the most points to defenses this season. It is not really close, either, as the Jaguars outpace the next team on the list by almost a full three points.

Dallas should have few issues sacking rookie quarterback Blake Bortles, not to mention picking off iffy passes.

Sit 'Em: New York Jets (vs. PIT)

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

Normally the Jets are a pretty good start, but not this week against Ben Roethlisberger, who has thrown an NFL-record 12 touchdowns over the course of his last two outings.

In fact, Pittsburgh ranks among the top five in terms of points given to defenses this year, with just one team breaching double digits.

Keep in mind Rex Ryan's defense has been on a serious dry spell, too, having not forced a turnover in four straight games.

Kickers

Rank	Player	Team	Opponent	Projection
1	Dan Bailey	DAL	at JAC	12
2	Justin Tucker	BAL	TEN	11
3	Cody Parkey	PHI	CAR	11
4	Shaun Suisham	PIT	at NYG	10
5	Chandler Catanzaro	ARI	STL	8
6	Dan Carpenter	BUF	KC	7
7	Steven Hauschka	SEA	NYG	6
8	Graham Gano	CAR	at PHI	6
9	Nick Folk	NYJ	PIT	5
10	Shayne Graham	NO	SF	4

Start 'Em: Brandon McManus, DEN (at OAK)

Stephan Savoia/Associated Press

Let's be honest, the Denver Broncos are going to score at will against the Oakland Raiders in Week 10. 

Brandon McManus will prosper as a result. He scored just two points last week in a tough matchup with New England, but has six or more points in five games this year.

Oakland yields the third-most points to kickers this season and has allowed 13 and 12 points in recent weeks. Get McManus in those lineups.

Sit 'Em: Caleb Sturgis, MIA (at DET)

Gary McCullough/Associated Press

Caleb Sturgis has scored 10 and 12 points in the last two weeks, but his issues have been quite obvious, as hinted by Bleacher Report's Erik Frenz:

Those outings were Sturgis' first trips to double digits since the opener. Now he gets to go against a Detroit defense that surrenders the seventh-fewest points to kickers this season.

Detroit at home is simply a nightmare matchup for Miami this week, and that includes the kicker.

All scoring info courtesy of ESPN standard leagues, as is points-against info and ownership stats. Statistics courtesy of ESPN.