Week 10 Fantasy Football: Instant Sunday Recap

The big quarterback performances keep coming, this week coming from the expected stars Aaron Rodgers (315 yards and six touchdowns), Peyton Manning (340-5) and Tony Romo (246-3). Ben Roethlisberger was cooled off by the New York Jets of all teams, while fantasy's biggest injury loss of the week is Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer.

Bleacher Report breaks down all of the surprising studs and duds from Week 10. We start with the bad news first here... 

Five Surprising Week 10 Duds

QB Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals

Just when Palmer was emerging as a weekly fantasy threat, the Cardinals lose him for a potential season-ending injury. NFL insider Ian Rapoport tweeted Sunday night that Palmer is facing tests to confirm a torn ACL.

The Cardinals will have to turn to Drew Stanton as their quarterback down the fantasy stretch, which could put a crimp in all of the Cardinals' primary fantasy options: Andre Ellington, Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd.

Fitzgerald told Dan Bickley of USA Today:

"

Drew is extremely well-prepared. It just seems like he hasn't had any luck. He went to New York, and they brought in Tim Tebow. He went to Indianapolis, and they drafted Andrew Luck. He came to Arizona, and we trade for Carson Palmer. Everywhere he's been, his opportunity has been doused. But we have total faith in Drew.

"

They apparently have no choice now.

"Carson is one of the toughest quarterbacks I've ever seen," Stanton told Bickley. "To see him on the ground not moving, I knew it was bad. I was like, 'OK, give me a football.'"

Stanton likely gets the call next week against a tough Detroit Lions defense. He is a must-add in two-quarterback formats, but you cannot start him in standard leagues in that tough matchup.

QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

So much for that hot streak. The Steelers somehow got snuffed out by the woeful New York Jets, who had their coaching staff on life support.

Big Ben's 343 yards and a touchdown are not horrible dud numbers for most in the league...even that quarterback himself before a few games ago. But, after back-to-back six-touchdown weeks, we were going to be stunned if the scorching veteran with all those weapons wouldn't be dominant against the suspect Jets secondary.

It is exactly what happened, though, and Big Ben was on the fantasy fringe of starter-worthy numbers. We expect him to rebound next Monday night at the Tennessee Titans, so don't completely sell low if you are regretting not having done so already.

RB Ronnie Hillman, Denver Broncos

You could have seen the writing on the wall with Hillman if you are a Montee Ball (groin) fantasy owner, but with Ball out you had to assume Hillman would prove starter worthy in an outstanding matchup at the Oakland Raiders.

Nope. Hillman left with for precautionary reasons in the fourth quarter amid a foot issue, according to Rotoworld.com. Hillman had just 13 yards rushing and nine yards receiving. Not quite the production you were hoping for against the suspect Raiders run defense.

We did get a surprise out of C.J. Anderson in Hillman's place (see below), but Hillman might be more impacted by Ball's return next week than the emerging Week 10 surprising stud, Anderson.

RB Bobby Rainey, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Doug Martin (ankle) remained out and rookie Charlie Sims wasn't ready to take over right away as a feature back, so most everyone assumed Rainey would be a quality option against the Atlanta Falcons run defense, which had given up the most fantasy points to backs going into the week, according to FFToday.com.

Instead, we got stuck with a mere 14 yards rushing on six carries. Even Sims was able to muster 23 yards on eight carries, albeit just a 2.9-yard average.

The Bucs still have serious issues with their offensive line in the run game, apparently. We cannot trust any of their backs as fantasy starters going forward. That Washington Redskins front is still a fairly tough opponent for fantasy backs.

WR Steve Smith Sr., Baltimore Ravens

There was a time, just a few weeks ago, the veteran Smith Sr. was looking like a must-have, must-start fantasy option. Now, Joe Flacco and company have turned back to Torrey Smith (five catches for 75 yards and a touchdown) over Smith Sr., who was held to just 3-17 this Sunday.

Torrey Smith has thoroughly outplayed his elder namesake in three of the past four weeks. Torrey Smith is the Ravens wide receiver to own going forward.

You won't start either with the Ravens headed for their Week 11 bye, but you might not have reserve space to hold the struggling Smith Sr. You likely won't miss him even after the bye.

Five Surprising Week 10 Studs

WR Martavis Bryant, Pittsburgh Steelers

It isn't because Bryant was productive again, as much as he trumped the totals of the No. 1 wideout in fantasy football, Antonio Bryant, and his sidekick, Markus Wheaton, combined. Bryant clearly isn't playing like a rookie, since joining the fantasy fray in Week 7.

Bryant boosted his career total to six touchdowns in four games and posted the first 100-yard game of his career with 143 yards receiving on four catches. Bryant, the second most-added receiver in ESPN.com leagues this week, is still available in almost 40 percent of those leagues. He is performing like a must-start option.

TE Mychal Rivera, Oakland Raiders

Here is a repeat surprise performer for rookie quarterback Derek Carr and the Oakland Raiders. Rivera was the most-added tight end in ESPN.com leagues this week and followed up his two-touchdown performance in Week 9 with six catches for 64 yards and another touchdown this Sunday.

Carr and the emerging second-year tight end are clearly building something for the long term. Rivera will be among the waiver-wire favorites for Week 11 again, particularly with the suspect San Diego Chargers secondary up next.

RB C.J. Anderson, Denver Broncos

With Ball (groin) still healing and inactive Sunday, the Broncos turned to C.J. Anderson over Juwan Thompson when Ronnie Hillman (foot) was held out in a blowout. When Ball went down, we saw Anderson as a potential benefactor, but it took too long for Anderson to prove fantasy-worthy.

You shouldn't necessarily expect Anderson to do this again, especially with Ball expected to return in Week 11 at the St. Louis Rams, according to ESPN.com's Jeff Legwald. You should also consider cutting Thompson going forward.

QB Josh McCown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs made the right move going back to the veteran quarterback. McCown posted top-five fantasy numbers at CBSSports.com with 301 yards, two touchdowns and 39 yards rushing.

McCown's return couldn't bring a victory, but Mike Evans has emerged as a weekly starting option—he posted seven catches for 125 yards and a touchdown Sunday—while Vincent Jackson (knee) has proved healthy and productive again opposite of Evans. The Bucs face a shaky Washington Redskins secondary in Week 11, so now McCown is a sleeper play in that matchup.

RB Denard Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars

We shouldn't be surprised with the Robinson production, but there are naysayers out there with Toby Gerhart (foot) back from injury. Robinson totaled 60 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to catching two passes for 10 yards. He now has four touchdowns in four games.

The touchdown production is surprising. Fantasy owners might have assumed Gerhart to be the touchdown vulture at least, but Robinson scored a goal-line touchdown after Gerhart was stuffed on first down.

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Eric Mack, one of the giants among fantasy writers, is the Fantasy Football Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, where you can ask him endless questions about your team, rip him for his content and even challenge him to a head-to-head fantasy game.