Fantasy Football Week 10: Award Roundup for Busts and MVPs

Each week is defined by peerless and prolific performances, such as the Pittsburgh Steelers' duo of dynamic wideouts each earning top-five fantasy outings with Ben Roethlisberger making a dramatic and triumphant return to duty off the bench.

We also find disappointing days, such as Dez Bryant of the Dallas Cowboys producing yet another lackluster effort. The spectrum of outcomes each week offers insights into the wins and losses we endure and the season still ahead.

Please join us in discussing the biggest performances and busts from Week 10. As always, feel free to share your picks for fantasy MVP and bust at each position.

Fantasy QB MVP: Kirk Cousins Is a Streaming Superstar in Week 10

Matt Hazlett/Getty Images

The Washington Redskins' Kirk Cousins has won four straight home starts, thanks in part to nine touchdowns and no picks over that stretch. These stats are certainly buoyed by Week 10's epic outing, which included four touchdowns en route to earning fantasy QB MVP honors and posting the most points at the position in ESPN leagues. 

We have no interest in deploying Cousins on the road versus the Carolina Panthers in Week 11, as he's averaged just 9.75 fantasy points per game on the road, 32nd in football. Meanwhile, Cousins has averaged 19.4 fantasy points at home, 13th in the league among home signal-callers. Only a small percentage of fantasy managers actually used Cousins in action this week as a streaming option, and kudos to those that did. 

Normally we'd throw a bigger name than Cousins more shine given higher ownership and starting metrics in fantasy formats, but Ben Roethlisberger didn't start for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, leaving him on the pine in both real and fantasy football at kickoff. An injury to interim starter Landry Jones early in the first quarter saw "Big Ben" thrust into action just a week removed from being carted off the field for a mid-foot injury.

Roethlisberger led a relentless Pittsburgh passing attack that produced the No. 1 and No. 4 fantasy wideouts so far for the week. In drubbing the Cleveland Browns, Roethlisberger posted the second-most fantasy points from the position for the week. Too bad Cousins and "Big Ben" were on so many benches around the imaginary football realm. 

Jay Cutler couldn't have been a popular start in fantasy leagues heading into this past Sunday, as the Chicago Bears' mercurial signal-caller faced a feared St. Louis Rams pass rush. The results were far different than the game flow many expected, as Cutler and the Bears seized an early controlling lead and dominated throughout. Cutler hasn't scored fewer than 17 fantasy points in a game since Week 4, offering a sound floor for production, if also a limited ceiling. 

The usual suspects litter much of the top 10 at the position, with the Arizona Cardinals' Carson Palmer improving his MVP odds with a strong showing in Seattle of all places. The New England Patriots' Tom Brady, Carolina Panthers' Cam Newton and Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers all produced bankable box scores, as well. 

With the Baltimore Ravens' Joe Flacco and Cousins in the top 10 among fantasy signal-callers this week, streaming at quarterback for ideal home matchups still offers value in 10-team leagues, where we can often find these caliber of quarterbacks floating in free agency.

Peyton Manning's Record-Setting Day Sees Him Benched in Week 10

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

In a revealing loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday afternoon, the Denver Broncos' Peyton Manning became the first NFL arm since Warren Moon in 1986 to compile five or fewer completions and produce as many as four interceptions, per ESPN Stats & Info. In producing a negative outing for the brave fantasy managers that deployed Manning in fantasy competition this week, Manning is the top bust behind center for Week 10. 

We're only worried about the Denver passing game in regard to supporting the production of Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, while Manning, now 34th in fantasy points per game (9.4) among quarterbacks in ESPN leagues, can be dropped in all formats. We'll see if Manning's demotion in Week 10 is enduring, but either way, it was a great run from one of the greatest fantasy football players of all time. 

The New Orleans Saints' Drew Brees left investors needing more, as he tallied just 209 yards and netted a pedestrian 12 fantasy points in ESPN leagues. Brees has averaged 25 fantasy points at home this season (ESPN scoring), tied with the New England Patriots' Tom Brady for the most in football. However, on the road, Brees has averaged 13.75 fantasy points, 24th in football. We still value Brees as a top commodity, especially as four of his final six games are indoors. 

Top Tailback in Fantasy Football for Week 10: Jeremy Langford's Big Day

Tom Gannam/Associated Press

The Chicago Bears' Jeremy Langford was started in just 65 percent of ESPN leagues in Week 10. An unfavorable series of matchup metrics in St. Louis saw some investors sit the rookie speedster, thus missing out on 182 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns from the Michigan State product. 

Langford has capably filled in for Matt Forte as the veteran back recovers from an MCL ailment. With Forte heading for unrestricted free agency this March, owners in keeper leagues will want shares of Langford going forward. For his stellar total yards outing in a tough environment, Langford earns top honors among fantasy backs for the week.

The Minnesota Vikings' Adrian Peterson became just the second NFL back ever to tally six games with at least 200 rushing yards, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Peterson could feast in the fantasy playoffs, given an inviting final three games down the stretch (vs. Bears, vs. Giants, at Packers). 

Charcandrick West of the Kansas City Chiefs has averaged 20.7 fantasy points per game since Week 7, second only to the Miami Dolphins' Lamar Miller. Both West and Miller produced strong road outings in Week 10, but it's West who merits MVP consideration, given the utter lack of competition for touches on his team. 

Honorable mentions were earned by the Washington Redskins' Matt Jones and the Carolina Panthers' Jonathan Stewart. 

Backfield Bust of the Week: Darren McFadden Shut Down in Tampa

Brian Blanco/Associated Press

The Dallas Cowboys' Darren McFadden appeared set to thrive on Sunday, entering Tampa Bay  to take on a fallible Bucs front, but "DMC" and his investors were left with just 32 rushing yards on 17 carries in the end. For failing to capitalize on a choice setup, McFadden earns the Bust of the Week award among backs. 

With Tony Romo on the mend and Dallas facing a soft Miami Dolphins front next week, there's hope for McFadden to revive his rushing efficiency behind a strong offensive line. 

We expected the Arizona Cardinals' Chris Johnson to stall in Seattle on Sunday night, but it was surprising to see the Pittsburgh Steelers' DeAngelo Williams struggle to produce versus the Cleveland Browns. Compared to previous weeks, we didn't witness a rash of underwhelming running back performances this week. 

Wideout Wonder: Antonio Brown Does It Again

Don Wright/Associated Press

Antonio Brown's perch atop the weekly fantasy leaderboard is becoming custom for this column, as he's again the top performer at this position due to his Pittsburgh Steelers producing yet another epic passing outing. 

Brown is joined in the upper tier of the leaderboard by his teammate, the ascending Martavis Bryant, who now has five touchdowns in five games this season. With signal-caller Ben Roethlisberger back behind center, we love this passing attack once it completes its Week 11 bye. 

The Arizona Cardinals' passing attack proved productive in Seattle on Sunday night, with Michael Floyd becoming the vertical threat many envisioned heading into last season. Floyd has five touchdowns in his past four games and has usurped John Brown in regard to valuable vertical usage. 

We saw rich returns from many top receivers across the fantasy landscape; which wideouts saved your Sunday? 

Disappointing Duo: Stefon Diggs and Dez Bryant

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

The Dallas Cowboys mustered just six points in a troubling loss in Tampa Bay on Sunday. With Dez Bryant hauling in just 45 yards on the day en route to four fantasy points, he's earned the dubious distinction as the top bust among wideouts for the week. 

Bryant's prospects immediately rise with Tony Romo on the mend, with this next week as the final buy-low window we might witness for him on the trade market. 

The Minnesota Vikings' standout rookie receiver Stefon Diggs was held to just five fantasy points on the day, despite a sound matchup versus a suspect secondary in Oakland. The reality is the Vikings are a run-first team and claim a subpar passing attack overall. We still dig Diggs as a WR3 asset, but talk of an Odell Beckham Jr. campaign seems a bit wild at this stage. 

The Green Bay Packers' Randall Cobb likely merits mention with another bust of a box score. Cobb is 57th in fantasy points per game in ESPN leagues since Week 4. 

Top Tight End of Week 10: Jordan Reed Reels in Two Touchdowns

Evan Vucci/Associated Press

Instead of giving him the MVP award at tight end nearly every week, we'll just recognize that the Patriots' Rob Gronkowski has already earned a bust in the fantasy football hall of fame. While we are awarding another tight end top honors this week, "Gronk" remains the top asset at the position by a wide margin. 

Our MVP among tight ends is the Washington Redskins' Jordan Reed. He has gone from waiver-wire wonder to elite option at the position, thanks to four scores over his past three games. Reed hauled in two touchdowns in Week 10, and he is a top-five option and a must-start asset at the position going forward. 

As for the busts at the position, the Seattle Seahawks' Jimmy Graham continues to prove his big games are outliers, while thin box scores are to be expected most weeks in a low-end passing attack. Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs, meanwhile, is merely another middling matchup tight end at this stage. 

Kanas City Deflates Denver with a Big Defensive Day

Joe Mahoney/Associated Press

The demise of the Denver Broncos' Peyton Manning appeared complete in Week 10, with the Kansas City Chiefs defense feasting on his powerless arm for four interceptions. With five total interceptions and five sacks in Denver, the Chiefs are the MVP among D/STs. 

The Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers produced impressive outings, as well, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers might have been the top streaming option at the position. 

Of the busts on defense, the Broncos failed to produce versus a conservative Chiefs offense, and the Green Bay Packers' production wasn't so impressive, either.