Week 10 Fantasy Football Projections: Stat Predictions for Top 100 Players

Fantasy football owners suffered through a Week 9 with six teams on a bye, which left many picking at the scraps of a depleted waiver wire. Normalcy returns in Week 10 with only four teams on a bye, although various injuries around the league still have many still scrambling.

Some roster decisions are easy (the recommendation here is that you start Tom Brady), but plenty of fantasy football players are left staring at their screens on Sunday morning trying to decide who will occupy that final flex spot or fill in for an injured star.

With that in mind, let this list of projections for Week 10 serve as a guide for your critical lineup decisions with playoff spots looming.

Quarterbacks

Rank	Player	Opponent	Projection
1	Tom Brady, New England Patriots	New York Giants	27
2	Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints	Washington	26
3	Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers	Detroit Lions	24
4	Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals	Houston Texans	21
5	Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers	Tennessee Titans	20
6	Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders	Minnesota Vikings	20
7	Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions	Green Bay Packers	19
8	Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens	Jacksonville Jaguars	18
9	Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks	Arizona Cardinals	16
10	Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars	Baltimore Ravens	16

It is a testament to Brady’s overall brilliance that 299 passing yards and two touchdowns in Week 9 was a disappointing performance for fantasy owners. Now he gets to face a New York Giants defense that allowed Drew Brees to tally 505 passing yards and seven touchdown passes in Week 8.

What’s more, he will be motivated given his comments on sports radio WEEI (via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com): “We’ve always had a hard time beating these guys, for one reason or another. So hopefully we can get over our struggles and finally go out and play well and beat them.”

The MVP front-runner against the Giants defense is a recipe for fantasy gold.

Running Backs

Rank	Player	Opponent	Projection
1	Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings	Oakland Raiders	25
2	Todd Gurley, St. Louis Rams	Chicago Bears	22
3	Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers	Tennessee Titans	21
4	Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks	Arizona Cardinals	20
5	DeMarco Murray, Philadelphia Eagles	Miami Dolphins	20
6	LeGarrette Blount, New England Patriots	New York Giants	19
7	Chris Ivory, New York Jets	Buffalo Bills	19
8	Lamar Miller, Miami Dolphins	Philadelphia Eagles	18
9	T.J. Yeldon, Jacksonville Jaguars	Baltimore Ravens	17
10	Justin Forsett, Baltimore Ravens	Jacksonville Jaguars	16
11	Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Dallas Cowboys	16
12	LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills	New York Jets	14
13	DeAngelo Williams, Pittsburgh Steelers	Cleveland Browns	13
14	Jeremy Langford, Chicago Bears	St. Louis Rams	13
16	Darren McFadden, Dallas Cowboys	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	13
16	Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals	Houston Texans	11
17	Chris Johnson, Arizona Cardinals	Seattle Seahawks	11
18	Jeremy Hill, Cincinnati Bengals	Houston Texans	8
19	Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints	Washington	8
20	Latavius Murray, Oakland Raiders	Minnesota Vikings	8
21	James Starks, Green Bay Packers	Detroit Lions	7
22	Charcandrick West, Kansas City Chiefs	Denver Broncos	6
23	Duke Johnson, Cleveland Browns	Pittsburgh Steelers	5
24	Ryan Mathews, Philadelphia Eagles	Miami Dolphins	5
25	Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers	Detroit Lions	5
26	Matt Jones, Washington	New Orleans Saints	4
27	Ronnie Hillman, Denver Broncos	Kansas City Chiefs	4
28	Darren Sproles, Philadelphia Eagles	Miami Dolphins	4
29	Alfred Morris, Washington	New Orleans Saints	4
30	C.J. Anderson, Denver Broncos	Kansas City Chiefs	3

Jonathan Stewart should put up big numbers based on the likelihood that the undefeated Carolina Panthers establish an early lead against the 2-6 Tennessee Titans and then turn the ball over to the running game to kill the clock.

Stewart is averaging 87.75 yards per game the last four outings, and he has three touchdowns during that span. In all, the Panthers are No. 1 in the league in rushing yards per game (after Sunday’s games) and should handle the Titans.

Stewart led ESPN’s KC Joyner’s buy-low list because of Carolina’s future schedule, and a matchup with a poor Tennessee team fits the bill.

Wide Receivers

Rank	Player	Opponent	Projection
1	Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers	Cleveland Browns	21
2	Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers	Detroit Lions	19
3	Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants	New England Patriots	18
4	Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	16
5	A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals	Houston Texans	16
6	DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans	Cincinnati Bengals	15
7	Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears	St. Louis Rams	13
8	Amari Cooper, Oakland Raiders	Baltimore Ravens	13
9	Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos	Kansas City Chiefs	13
10	Julian Edelman, New England Patriots	New York Giants	12
11	Brandon Marshall, New York Jets	Buffalo Bills	10
12	Brandin Cooks, New Orleans Saints	Washington	10
13	Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Dallas Cowboys	10
14	Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals	Seattle Seahawks	10
15	Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars	Baltimore Ravens	10
16	Jordan Matthews, Philadelphia Eagles	Miami Dolphins	10
17	Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions	Green Bay Packers	9
18	Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings	Oakland Raiders	9
19	Martavis Bryant, Pittsburgh Steelers	Cleveland Browns	8
20	Allen Hurns, Jacksonville Jaguars	Baltimore Ravens	8
21	Sammy Watkins, Buffalo Bills	New York Jets	8
22	Eric Decker, New York Jets	Buffalo Bills	7
23	Jarvis Landry, Miami Dolphins	Philadelphia Eagles	7
24	Emmanuel Sanders, Denver Broncos	Kansas City Chiefs	6
25	Jeremy Maclin, Kansas City Chiefs	Denver Broncos	6
26	Tavon Austin, St. Louis Rams	Chicago Bears	5
27	James Jones, Green Bay Packers	Detroit Lions	5
28	Travis Benjamin, Cleveland Browns	Pittsburgh Steelers	5
29	Michael Crabtree, Oakland Raiders	Minnesota Vikings	5
30	Brandon LaFell, New England Patriots	New York Giants	5

According to ESPN.com, the Kansas City Chiefs defense allows the most fantasy points to wide receivers in the league (after Sunday’s games). That is music to the ears of fantasy owners relying on Demaryius Thomas.

Thomas was quiet against the Indianapolis Colts, but he put up 279 receiving yards the two games prior. This is a favorable matchup, and the top option in the Denver Broncos passing attack will bounce back in a major way.

Tight Ends

Rank	Player	Opponent	Projection
1	Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots	New York Giants	16
2	Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati Bengals	Houston Texans	13
3	Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers	Tennessee Titans	12
4	Jimmy Graham, Seattle Seahawks	Arizona Cardinals	11
5	Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs	Denver Broncos	8
6	Gary Barnidge, Cleveland Browns	Pittsburgh Steelers	8
7	Benjamin Watson, New Orleans Saints	Washington	7
8	Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	7
9	Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans	Carolina Panthers	6
10	Martellus Bennett, Chicago Bears	St. Louis Rams	5

According to ESPN.com, the New York Giants defense allows the second most fantasy points to tight ends (after Sunday’s games), and they will face the league’s best in their next contest.

What’s more, the fact Dion Lewis is out for the season means the Patriots have one less player to vulture targets from Rob Gronkowski near the goal line. Gronkowski is a machine-like tight end who will dominate a secondary that struggles to stop his position.

Benjamin Watson racked up 147 receiving yards and a score against the Giants. Best of luck if you face Gronkowski in your next fantasy game.

Kickers

Rank	Player	Opponent	Projection
1	Stephen Gostkowski, New England Patriots	New York Giants	15
2	Greg Zuerlein, St. Louis Rams	Chicago Bears	14
3	Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens	Jacksonville Jaguars	14
4	Mason Crosby, Green Bay Packers	Detroit Lions	12
5	Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland Raiders	Minnesota Vikings	11
6	Blair Walsh, Minnesota Vikings	Oakland Raiders	11
7	Jason Myers, Jacksonville Jaguars	Baltimore Ravens	10
8	Steven Hauschka, Seattle Seahawks	Arizona Cardinals	10
9	Graham Gano, Carolina Panthers	Tennessee Titans	9
10	Robbie Gould, Chicago Bears	St. Louis Rams	8

Jason Myers of the Jacksonville Jaguars is an under-the-radar pick for kickers, but he should fill in admirably if you need a replacement for someone on a bye week. According to ESPN.com, the Baltimore Ravens allow the most fantasy points in the league to opposing kickers (after Sunday’s games), so Myers should have plenty of opportunities to put up points Sunday.

Defenses

Rank	Player	Opponent	Projection
1	Carolina Panthers	Tennessee Titans	13
2	Denver Broncos	Kansas City Chiefs	12
3	Pittsburgh Steelers	Cleveland Browns	11
4	St. Louis Rams	Chicago Bears	10
5	New York Jets	Buffalo Bills	10
6	Cincinnati Bengals	Houston Texans	8
7	Buffalo Bills	New York Jets	7
8	Philadelphia Eagles	Miami Dolphins	7
9	New England Patriots	New York Giants	6
10	Seattle Seahawks	Arizona Cardinals	6

The New York Jets defense will control their game against the Buffalo Bills, and fantasy owners will be the beneficiaries. Yes, Sammy Watkins just went off, but Darrelle Revis will blanket him throughout the game. What’s more, the Jets lead the league in rushing yards allowed per game (after Sunday’s contests), so they should contain their division rivals on both fronts.