Daily Fantasy Football Week 10: Predicting DraftKings DFS Studs and Duds

In the NFL, it's common for teams to take proven veterans over inexperienced players. When setting your daily fantasy football lineup, this philosophy is true at some positions more than others.

In Week 10, it's best to select a high-priced player at the wide receiver position while taking a middle-tier quarterback and tight end. This opens up the opportunity to  select an upper-tier option at the running back spot.

There are four teams that have a bye week, including two teams in the top five in total offense (Atlanta Falcons, San Diego Chargers). This makes the decision of selecting players at skill positions a hard one to fathom.

Here are three players to consider and three players to avoid when setting your daily fantasy football lineup for Week 10.

Defense/Special Teams

Tom Gannam/Associated Press

The St. Louis Rams have continued to show why they have one of the best defenses in the NFL. The team is allowing just 324 yards per game, which ranks fifth in the NFL. The Rams will face a Chicago Bears offense which ranks 22nd in total offense.

The Rams are led by a ferocious front seven that consists of former Pro Bowlers Aaron Donald and Robert Quinn. Quinn and Donald help anchor a Rams defensive front that ranks second in the NFL with 27.0 sacks this season.

The Bears face a tough road test in St. Louis and will also miss a few of their key offensive weapons. Running back Matt Forte will be sidelined with a knee injury, while former first-round wideout Kevin White is out with a leg injury.

Quarterback Jay Cutler will have little help in the running game, which means he will more than likely try to win the game through the air. This will be incredibly difficult against a Rams secondary that ranks fourth in the NFL in passing defense.

Daily fantasy owners should bench the New England Patriots defense this week. The team will face a New York Giants offense that ranks fourth against opposing defenses. The Patriots defense is $400 cheaper than the Rams defense this week, but it’s best to go with the safer pick.

Tight End

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

The Washington Redskins will go as far as tight end Jordan Reed takes them. The former Florida standout has been the top receiving option for quarterback Kirk Cousins, with nearly seven targets per game in 2015. He has made the most of his opportunities, earning at least 63 receiving yards in four out of his six games played this season.

Reed has a favorable matchup against a New Orleans Saints defense that has struggled mightily this season. The Saints have allowed 292 passing yards per game in 2015, which ranks 30th in the NFL. The team also ranks 31st against opposing tight ends, which gives Reed a perfect opportunity for a breakout performance.

When Reed is on the field, the Redskins are incredibly successful. Cousins has a 94.4 passing rating in games Reed has played in this season, compared to 65.6 passer rating when he hasn’t. The 25-year-old is currently on pace for 89 receptions in 2015.

While Reed is a must-pick, Seattle Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham should be benched this week. Graham faces an Arizona Cardinals defense that ranks fourth against opposing tight ends. With the uncertainty of Graham performing to his potential, Reed is the better low-risk pick on Sunday.

Wide Receiver

Joe Mahoney/Associated Press

Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas is at a surprisingly low asking price this week, and his favorable matchup against the Chiefs makes him a solid value pick. The Chiefs have allowed the most points to opposing wideouts this season.

Thomas is on pace for another successful season with quarterback Peyton Manning. He has recorded 745 receiving yards and 61 receptions in 2015 while averaging 93 receiving yards per game. Thomas has also proved to be a strong big-play option, with 10 receptions of over 20 yards or more this season.

The downside to Thomas has been his inability to produce in the red zone. He has recorded just one touchdown through eight games played. However, he performed well against the Chiefs in Week 2, with eight receptions for 116 yards.

Thomas is a bargain buy this week and is just the ninth-highest-valued receiver entering Sunday. He is a much better option than wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald in Week 10 as well. Fitzgerald faces the Legion of Boom this week in Seattle, which doesn’t bode well for the proven veteran. While Thomas and Fitzgerald are both valued at $7,400, it’s best to go with the receiver with the best matchup.

Running Back

Don Wright/Associated Press

Pittsburgh Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams is now the lead back in the Steel City after starter Le’Veon Bell suffered a season-ending knee injury. The 32-year-old proved that age is just a number with 170 rushing yards and two touchdowns against the Oakland Raiders last week.

With starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger also hurt entering this week, Williams will more than likely be asked to carry the load offensively. The former Memphis standout will face a Cleveland Browns defense that ranks last against opposing running backs this season.

The Browns have been worn down in 2015 in allowing 4.7 yards per carry to opposing running backs. As a team, Cleveland has also given up the fourth-highest point total this season, 247 points.

It’s best to take experience over youth this week at the running back position. Miami Dolphins running back Lamar Miller has been promising this season but will face the Philadelphia Eagles’ fourth-best rushing defense on Sunday. While Miller is more than likely the better long-term option, Williams is the better pick this week, despite being $1,100 more expensive.

Quarterback

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles has stepped up this season after a troublesome rookie campaign in 2015. He has thrown 17 touchdowns in 2015 and will face the Baltimore Ravens’ weak passing defense on Sunday.

The former Central Florida standout has been one of the more consistent fantasy options this season. He has averaged 21.4 points per game in 2015 while also benefiting from impressive young wideouts Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns. Bortles ranks 10th among NFL quarterbacks in averaging 274 passing yards per game this season.

Bortles and the upstart Jaguars offense will face a Ravens secondary that has been erratic in 2015. Baltimore has allowed 283.9 passing yards per game this season, which ranks 29th in the NFL. The team has also allowed 8.4 passing yards per attempt this season, which ranks last in the AFC.

While Bortles is a strong pick this week, it’s best to stay away from selecting Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. Carr and the Raiders face an underrated Minnesota Vikings team that has the sixth-best pass defense. Both young quarterbacks have played well in 2015, but it’s best to take the low-risk, high-reward pick in Bortles.

All fantasy values are courtesy of DraftKings. All statistics are from ESPN.com and NFL.com unless otherwise noted.

Enter the DraftKings $1.25M Play-Action this weekend. Use Promo Code BLEACHER REPORT when you sign up.

Follow Curtis on Twitter: @CalhounCurtis