Fantasy Football Week 10: Preview and Predictions

Somehow, Week 10 of the NFL season is upon us, which means we’re hitting the home stretch before the fantasy football playoffs begin. This article will preview all of the Week 10 games and make some bold predictions as well.

If you’re looking for a fill-in for Ben Roethlisberger at the quarterback position, look no further than the Jacksonville Jaguars' Blake Bortles. He’s set for a big game in Week 10 and finds himself ranked among the elite this week. Find out why Bortles can be trusted inside.

At the running back position, New England Patriots bruiser LeGarrette Blount is a strong RB1 option against the New York Giants this week. He’s set for some extra work with Dion Lewis now out for the rest of the season, as reported by ESPN.com on Monday.

Jaguars second-year wideout Allen Robinson had a big game against Darrelle Revis and the New York Jets in Week 9, and he’s primed for another big game in Week 10. Find out why inside.

This is just a taste of the previews. This slideshow will check in on every position entering Week 10 and will also provide several bold predictions.

QBs: Blake Bortles a Legitimate QB1 This Week

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

Blake Bortles

This week’s list of top 10 quarterbacks features an odd mix of players. At the top of the list, we have regulars in Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Cam Newton. At this point in the 2015 season, we can consider Andy Dalton a regular as well.

But below those stalwarts are Eli Manning, Derek Carr, Blake Bortles and Matthew Stafford. All of these players are matchup-dependent, and it just so happens that they all have favorable matchups in Week 10.

No player sums up this odd group better than the No. 10 player on this list: Denver’s Peyton Manning. He has been an enigma all season, so it’s only fitting that he caps this hodgepodge heading into Week 10.

Week 10’s Top 10 QBs

1. Tom Brady (at NYG)
2. Aaron Rodgers (vs. DET)
3. Drew Brees (at WAS)
4. Cam Newton (at TEN)
5. Andy Dalton (vs. HOU)
6. Eli Manning (vs. NE)
7. Derek Carr (vs. MIN)
8. Blake Bortles (at BAL)
9. Matthew Stafford (at GB)
10. Peyton Manning (vs. KC)

Breakout QB of the Week: Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars

Bortles is a top streaming option this week and should be the No. 1 priority for Ben Roethlisberger owners. In Week 10, Bortles will square off against the Baltimore Ravens, who have given up the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks so far this season, per ESPN.com.

Bortles should have no problem cruising to a top-10 performance this week. Start him with confidence.

QB Bust of the Week: Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans

Marcus Mariota had the third-most fantasy points among all quarterbacks in Week 9 after throwing for 371 yards and four touchdowns against the New Orleans Saints, but he’ll find life a bit tougher against the Carolina Panthers in Week 10.

Admittedly, the Panthers were just shredded by Rodgers in Week 9 (Rodgers was one of the two players who scored more fantasy points than Mariota last week), but on the season as a whole, the Panthers have been one of the stingiest units against the pass. Rodgers tossed four touchdowns against the Panthers in Week 9, but from Weeks 1-8, Carolina allowed only seven passing touchdowns. Let's call Rodgers' big game an anomaly. 

RBs: LeGarrette Blount Moves into Top 10

Steven Senne/Associated Press

LeGarrette Blount

The Patriots backfield suffered a big blow in Week 9 when it lost shifty running back Dion Lewis to a torn ACL, per ESPN.com. The injury does open the door for LeGarrette Blount to touch the ball even more, however, and Blount should reap the benefits immediately. We have more on his situation below.

The Pittsburgh Steelers' DeAngelo Williams finds himself ranked No. 3 this week after carrying the ball 27 times for 170 yards in Week 9. He also scored twice and added 55 yards through the air. Williams won’t put up such massive numbers every week, but he is a bona fide RB1 nonetheless, especially against a porous Cleveland Browns run defense in Week 10.

Week 10’s Top 10 RBs

1. Todd Gurley (vs. CHI)
2. Adrian Peterson (vs. OAK)
3. DeAngelo Williams (vs. CLE)
4. Mark Ingram (at WAS)
5. Justin Forsett (vs. JAC)
6. DeMarco Murray (vs. MIA)
7. Darren McFadden (at TB)
8. Lamar Miller (at PHI)
9. LeGarrette Blount (at NYG)
10. Doug Martin (vs. DAL)

Breakout RB of the Week: LeGarrette Blount, New England Patriots

As noted above, Blount steps into a favorable position by being the lead back in a high-scoring offense. Blount carried the ball a career-high (excluding playoffs) 29 times last week, and another 20-plus carries this week seems reasonable.

Add the fact that the Giants—Blount's Week 10 opponents—have been one of the 10 worst teams at stopping running backs from a fantasy perspective, per ESPN.com, and things are lining up for Blount to have a big week. He also has a great chance of scoring multiple touchdowns, so his ceiling is high.

RB Bust of the Week: Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks 

In Week 10, Marshawn Lynch and the Seattle Seahawks will play against the Arizona Cardinals, who have been one of the 10 best teams at stopping running backs from scoring fantasy points this year, according to ESPN.com. Running backs have scored only two rushing touchdowns against the Cardinals this season, so the going could get tough for Lynch in Week 10.

Lynch has been picking up the pace in recent weeks, having carried the ball about 22 times per game over his past three outings, but the matchup says he’ll slow down in Week 10. He should be in your starting lineup this week—you should always start your studs—but his bust potential is high.

WRs: Allen Robinson Set for Massive Week

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

Allen Robinson

Odell Beckham Jr. tops the wide receiver rankings heading into Week 10, as his Giants figure to be in a shootout against the Patriots. That also bodes well for New England’s Julian Edelman, who finds himself ranked No. 6 this week.

Dallas Cowboys star wideout Dez Bryant is working himself back from injury—and he won’t be as effective as possible until Tony Romo returns to the lineup—but he’s still a game-changer. He caught five passes for 104 yards and a score in Week 9 and should back that up with another strong outing in Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Week 10's Top 10 WRs

1. Odell Beckham Jr. (vs. NE)
2. A.J. Green (vs. HOU)
3. DeAndre Hopkins (at CIN)
4. Dez Bryant (at TB)
5. Calvin Johnson (at GB)
6. Julian Edelman (at NYG)
7. Demaryius Thomas (vs. KC)
8. Antonio Brown (vs. CLE)
9. Randall Cobb (vs. DET)
10. Allen Robinson (at STL)

Breakout WR of the Week: Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars

Allen Robinson will be playing against the Ravens in Week 10, and as noted in the quarterback slide—where Robinson’s teammate Blake Bortles was listed as a breakout player of the week—Baltimore has been terrible at defending the pass this season.

In fact, Baltimore is the second-worst team at stopping wideouts from scoring fantasy points in 2015, per ESPN.com. Wide receivers have scored a (tied for) league-high 14 touchdowns against Baltimore this season as well.

Additionally, Robinson is fresh off a six-catch, 122-yard game against Darrelle Revis and the Jets. Robinson is legitimate, and he can be trusted as a WR1 this week.

WR Bust of the Week: Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals

Larry Fitzgerald has the most unenviable matchup a wide receiver could draw: against the Seahawks in Seattle. The Seahawks D/ST may not possess the same swagger it did in 2013 and 2014, but it is one of the better units in the league.

According to ESPN.com, Seattle is the stingiest team in terms of fantasy points ceded to wideouts this season. Wide receivers as a group have scored an average of only 10.9 fantasy points per game against the Seahawks this season.

That doesn't mean Fitzgerald is set for a 10.9-point outing. It means there may be only about 10.9 points to go around between Fitzgerald and his teammates Michael Floyd and John Brown.

TEs: Richard Rodgers Worth a Look in Week 10

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

Richard Rodgers

Green Bay’s other Rodgers—tight end Richard Rodgers—scored two touchdowns in Week 9, and while it’s unlikely he’ll find the end zone twice in Week 10, he’s a strong waiver wire fill-in. We have more on him below.

The overall tight end rankings haven’t changed much over the past several weeks, but it is worth noting that heading into Week 10, Seattle’s Jimmy Graham and the Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce—two regulars in the top five at the start of the season—are toward the bottom of the list this week. Both are talented enough to warrant starts, but be warned: They have tough matchups and might not produce as much as normal.

Week 10’s Top 10 TEs

1. Rob Gronkowski (at NYG)
2. Tyler Eifert (vs. HOU)
3. Greg Olsen (at TEN)
4. Jordan Reed (vs. NO)
5. Gary Barnidge (at PIT)
6. Martellus Bennett (at STL)
7. Delanie Walker (vs. CAR)
8. Ben Watson (at WAS)
9. Jimmy Graham (vs. ARI)
10. Travis Kelce (at DEN)

Breakout TE of the Week: Richard Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

As noted above, Rodgers caught two touchdowns in Week 9, and while that type of production isn’t to be expected again, he should have a solid outing against the Detroit Lions, who have given up at least one touchdown to a tight end in six of eight games this season.

As a result, the Lions are one of the 10 best matchups a tight end can have in 2015 from a fantasy football perspective, per ESPN.com.

TE Bust of the Week: Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs

Aside from a Week 6 game against the Browns, in which they gave up two touchdowns to tight ends, the Denver Broncos—Kelce’s Week 10 opponents—have kept tight ends out of the end zone in every other game this season. That includes a Week 2 matchup against Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Kelce caught four passes for 58 yards in that game—his third-worst game of the season. Kelce is tough to sit in fantasy, but there are better options out there this week. He barely ranks in the top 10.

Kickers: Kai Forbath a Solid Stream Option This Week

Jonathan Bachman/Associated Press

Kai Forbath

The sleeper kicker pick of the week: Kai Forbath of the New Orleans Saints, who is currently owned in only 18.3 percent of ESPN.com fantasy football leagues.

Giants kicker Josh Brown is also ranked in the top 10 despite the fact that he's playing against the Patriots, who have been the second-best team at stopping kickers from scoring fantasy points this season, per ESPN.com. But recent history says the Giants will play the Patriots close, so Brown has a chance to play a significant role in the game.

Week 10’s Top 10 Ks

1. Stephen Gostkowski (at NYG)
2. Brandon McManus (vs. KC)
3. Justin Tucker (vs. JAC)
4. Mason Crosby (vs. DET)
5. Blair Walsh (at OAK)
6. Sebastian Janikowski (vs. MIN)
7. Dan Bailey (at TB)
8. Josh Brown (vs. NE)
9. Robbie Gould (at STL)
10. Kai Forbath (at WAS)

Breakout K of the Week: Kai Forbath, New Orleans Saints

Forbath has scored only three points in two of his past three games, but he could have a big game in Week 10 against the Washington Redskins, as Drew Brees and the Saints offense should have little trouble getting in scoring position.

K Bust of the Week: Graham Gano, Carolina Panthers

The Panthers should walk all over their Week 10 opponents—the Tennessee Titans—but for some difficult-to-explain reason, the Titans have been a nightmare for kickers this season.

According to ESPN.com, the Titans are the best at stopping kickers from scoring fantasy points in 2015, with kickers averaging just 4.4 points per game. No kicker has scored more than eight points in a game against the Titans.

It's best to avoid this matchup if possible.

Defense and Special Teams: Start the Pittsburgh Steelers D/ST This Week

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

The Houston Texans D/ST has had two strong games over the past three weeks, posting scores of 15 points and 20 points in Weeks 6 and 8, respectively.

These recent solid outings do not warrant a spot in Week 10 lineups, however. We have more on this situation below.

Week 10's Top 10 D/STs

1. Denver Broncos (vs. KC)
2. St. Louis Rams (vs. CHI)
3. Carolina Panthers (at TEN)
4. Cincinnati Bengals (vs. HOU)
5. Green Bay Packers (vs. DET)
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. CLE)
7. New England Patriots (at NYG)
8. Philadelphia Eagles (vs. MIA)
9. Dallas Cowboys (at TB)
10. New York Jets (vs. BUF)

Breakout D/ST of the Week: Pittsburgh Steelers

This prediction rests on the assumption that Johnny Manziel starts for the Browns in Week 10. If he does, the Steelers D/ST should be a lock for several sacks, interceptions and fumble recoveries.

D/ST Bust of the Week: Houston Texans

While the Texans have had some solid outings (as noted above), they have also been detrimental to fantasy lineups. Keep in mind: The Texans D/ST has three games with negative points this season.

Another negative could be coming in Week 10, as the Texans are playing the Cincinnati Bengals, who have scored the (tied for) fifth-most points in the league this season.

Don't play the Houston D/ST in Week 10.

Bold Predictions: DeAngelo Williams Has Another Monster Week

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

DeAngelo Williams

Below are five bold predictions for Week 10 of the 2015 fantasy football season.

• Oakland’s Derek Carr throws for 300 yards and three touchdowns—again. This may not be all that bold of a prediction given that this would be a below-average game for Carr based on his previous three outings. But if he can make it four in a row, he’ll have even more believers. The Minnesota Vikings—Carr’s Week 10 opponents—have played well against quarterbacks in recent weeks, but the list of quarterbacks they have played against hasn’t been all that impressive. They have played against the St. Louis Rams (Nick Foles), the Chicago Bears (Jay Cutler), the Lions (Matthew Stafford) and the Chiefs (Alex Smith) in their four previous outings. Carr will give them a real challenge, and he should be considered a solid QB1 who can be trusted in fantasy.

• Pittsburgh running back DeAngelo Williams has over 125 rushing yards and two scores again. In Week 10, Williams will square off against the Browns, who have been one of the worst teams at stopping the run all season. With Roethlisberger sidelined, the Steelers may turn to Williams a bit more often. Given the solid matchup and expected high number of touches, look for Williams to have a huge game (again).

• Odell Beckham Jr. has 150 yards and two touchdowns for the New York Giants. The No. 1 wideout heading into Week 10, Beckham Jr. will be the beneficiary of a shootout against the Patriots. New England is one of the 10 most favorable matchups a wideout can have from a fantasy perspective this season, per ESPN.com, so look for Beckham Jr. to feast.

• New England tight end Rob Gronkowski scores three touchdowns. Believe it or not, Gronkowski does not lead all tight ends in terms of touchdowns this season. That honor currently belongs to Cincinnati’s Tyler Eifert. Gronkowski will regain the lead in that department against the Giants, who have been terrible at defending tight ends so far this season. 

• Green Bay’s Eddie Lacy finishes in the top 10 in terms of fantasy points. It’s sad that this is a bold prediction, but at this point in the season, it is. Lacy has been awful in 2015, but he does have a solid Week 10 matchup against the Lions, who have been one of the more generous teams to running backs this season. Even if he doesn’t rack up the yardage, he could end the game with two scores.

The rankings provided throughout this article are the author's own preliminary Week 10 rankings. His rankings are updated throughout the week at FantasyPros.com.