Fantasy Football Week 10: Biggest Sleepers at Every Position
New England Patriots wide receiver Jakobi Meyers went off for a career-high 12 catches and 169 yards Monday against the New York Jets.
He isn't a fantasy football sleeper this week, but a trio of widely available receivers could follow in his footsteps and have their breakout games in Week 10.
As the Atlanta Falcons and Kansas City Chiefs go on a bye, fantasy managers will need strong replacements for top options such as quarterback Patrick Mahomes, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, wideout Julio Jones and tight end Travis Kelce.
Don't fret. Over the past few weeks, several new sleepers have emerged. Some of them are coming off a bye, so dig deep for players who hit the waiver wire because their teams were off last week.
The Miami Dolphins made a recent switch at quarterback and placed wideout Preston Williams on injured reserve. Their offense is rife with opportunities for other players to make a fantasy impact.
Let's dive into the full slate of deep sleeper options for Week 10. All players listed below are available in 50 percent of Yahoo leagues.
Quarterbacks
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Teddy Bridgewater vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (45 percent rostered)
The Carolina Panthers are hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who suffered an embarrassing 38-3 loss to the New Orleans Saints last Sunday. Fantasy managers can look at this contest in one of two ways.
Either the Buccaneers pass defense has major issues, having given up four touchdowns to Drew Brees in Week 9, or Tampa Bay will crush the Panthers in a rebound performance. Regardless, Teddy Bridgewater should pour in fantasy points Sunday.
Thus far, Bridgewater ranks as the overall QB11. He has two quick-twitch wideouts in Robby Anderson and DJ Moore, who can beat Buccaneers quarterback Jamel Dean with double moves. Dean has struggled to cover complex routes and trick plays this season. If the Panthers play from behind, Bridgewater may target him to make up ground.
Tua Tagovailoa vs. Los Angeles Chargers (44 percent rostered)
Tua Tagovailoa had a much better fantasy showing in his second start against the Arizona Cardinals. After throwing for only 93 yards and one touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams, he recorded 248 passing yards and two touchdowns in Week 9.
In addition to his passing production, Tagovailoa added 35 rushing yards last week, which heightens his fantasy ceiling. On Sunday, he'll face a Los Angeles Chargers defense that's allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks.
Although Tagovailoa won't have wideout Preston Williams (foot) in the fold, his ability to tuck and run with the ball could make up for what he doesn't have in the aerial attack.
Drew Lock vs. Las Vegas Raiders (22 percent rostered)
Over the last two weeks, Drew Lock earned some recognition in fantasy football circles by throwing for 561 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. Against the Atlanta Falcons last week, the Denver Broncos quarterback finished as the QB4 with 30.2 points.
Lock will have a favorable matchup Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders, who allow the seventh-most fantasy points to quarterbacks. The Silver and Black also may be without starting cornerback Trayvon Mullen, who missed practice Wednesday because of a hamstring injury.
Running Backs
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Wayne Gallman vs. Philadelphia Eagles (27 percent rostered)
New York Giants running back Devonta Freeman could return to action in Week 10. He's missed the past two games because of an ankle injury, but he participated in limited practices both Wednesday and Thursday.
Even if Freeman suits up, he may play sparingly with a bye week looming in Week 11. Wayne Gallman seems like the safer running back option with a higher floor.
Gallman has logged double-digit rushing attempts and a touchdown in three consecutive games. He'll look to keep his streak alive against the Philadelphia Eagles' 24th-ranked run defense. That gives him a solid outlook even if he's in a timeshare with Freeman.
Malcolm Brown vs. Seattle Seahawks (23 percent rostered)
Going into Week 10, Darrell Henderson Jr. leads the Los Angeles Rams with 458 rushing yards, but Malcolm Brown isn't far behind with 314 yards. They're averaging 11.9 and 9.4 carries, respectively.
The Rams used a second-round pick on running back Cam Akers, but he's clearly the third wheel in the backfield, averaging only 5.8 rushing attempts per outing.
Brown is a touchdown-dependent option with spotty production as a pass-catcher (14 receptions for 79 yards), but he's logged 10 carries in each of the last two outings. The sixth-year veteran has a chance to score against a Seattle Seahawks run defense that has allowed 11 touchdowns this season, and he may see an expanded workload if Henderson is still limited by his quad injury.
Kalen Ballage vs. Miami Dolphins (12 percent rostered)
In Week 9, Kalen Ballage took on a significant role against the Las Vegas Raiders after Justin Jackson exited the game on the first drive with a knee injury. Jackson didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday, which means Ballage could have a sizable workload against the Miami Dolphins.
Under short notice, Ballage likely played his way into more snaps until Jackson returns to action. He recorded 15 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown and caught two passes for 15 yards against the Raiders. The third-year running back faces the Dolphins' 26th-ranked run defense Sunday.
With Jackson likely sidelined, Ballage should get another call up from the practice squad, and he could have another productive Sunday.
Troymaine Pope's presence creates a possible three-man committee, but the 6'2", 231-pound Ballage has a good chance at handling goal-line touches against a defense that's allowed 10 touchdowns on the ground. He's a high-risk, high-reward option for managers in need of a boom at the position.
Wide Receivers
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Jalen Reagor vs. New York Giants (26 percent rostered)
Against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8, Jalen Reagor hauled in three of his six targets for 16 yards, a touchdown and a two-point conversion. He also ran the ball once for six yards.
Fantasy managers may hesitate to pick up Reagor because of his inexperience. However, the TCU product's draft pedigree as a first-rounder suggests the team will likely work him into the game plan following a bye week.
Even if veteran wideout Alshon Jeffery suits up, he'll need to knock off some rust. The 30-year-old hasn't played since December 2019 because of a Lisfranc injury that required surgery. With Travis Fulgham likely to match up against top Giants cornerback James Bradberry, Reagor may see a lot of targets from quarterback Carson Wentz.
Rashard Higgins vs. Houston Texans (19 percent rostered)
Against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7, Rashard Higgins logged a career-high 110 receiving yards after Odell Beckham Jr. went down with a season-ending ACL tear. He disappeared in cold, inclement weather against the Raiders (one catch for 14 yards) the next week, but the fifth-year wideout should see more looks moving forward.
As wideout Jarvis Landry draws most of the coverage, Higgins could have a big day against a Houston Texans pass defense that's surrendered 18 touchdowns and allows the seventh-most fantasy points to wide receivers.
Jakeem Grant Sr. vs. Los Angeles Chargers (3 percent rostered)
Through 60 games, Jakeem Grant Sr. has 71 receptions for 821 yards and four touchdowns, but he's made most of his impact as a special teamer in recent seasons. The versatile playmaker already has one punt return for a touchdown this year.
Grant may also be a sneaky pickup at wideout with Preston Williams on injured reserve because of a foot injury. The Miami Dolphins' passing attack has room for another contributor; why not gamble on a shifty 5'7", 171-pound pass-catcher who can beat defenders on underneath routes?
Grant has a decent matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers, who allow an average of two passing touchdowns per contest.
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Tight Ends
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Logan Thomas vs. Detroit Lions (34 percent rostered)
While quarterback Alex Smith took over for Kyle Allen (dislocated ankle) last week, Logan Thomas didn't look impressive, hauling in only three of his six targets for 28 yards.
However, Thomas could benefit from a full week of practice with Smith handling all of the first-team reps. Along with wideout Terry McLaurin, he leads Washington in touchdown receptions (three) as a viable option in the red zone.
On Sunday, Thomas will face the Detroit Lions' 18th-ranked pass defense, which has allowed 17 touchdowns this season.
Tyler Eifert vs. Houston Texans (5 percent rostered)
Tyler Eifert showed signs of a possible reemergence in Jacksonville. Rookie sixth-round quarterback Jake Luton targeted him five times last week, and he hauled four of those passes in for 48 yards.
The one-win Jaguars will likely trail the NFC North-leading Green Bay Packers for most of Sunday's game, so managers should expect Luton to throw a lot. Based on that premise, Eifert could continue to see a decent number of targets in Week 10.
Jordan Akins vs. Cleveland Browns (4 percent rostered)
Last week, in his first game back from a concussion, Jordan Akins played 34 percent of the offensive snaps compared to 52 percent for fellow tight end Darren Fells. The former caught two of his four targets for 19 yards.
Although Akins isn't guaranteed to receive an uptick in offensive snaps, he did line up for 68 percent or more of the plays in each of his first three games while fully healthy. Perhaps the third-year pro needed a week to work himself into game shape before taking on a full workload.
Akins has a decent Week 10 matchup against the Cleveland Browns' 23rd-ranked pass defense that's allowed 17 touchdowns.
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