Fantasy Football Week 10: Upgrades, Downgrades, and Sleepers

WIDE RECEIVERS

BYE:  Green Bay, New Orleans, San Diego, Oakland

Each week, we will analyze the matchups and provide our take on which WRs you should start and which should be riding the pine based on difficult matchups, injuries, potential weather problems, etc.  

Four offenses (San Diego, Indianapolis, Denver and Dallas) are averaging over 275 passing yards per game. Conversely, the four worst passing games (averaging less than 180 passing yards per game) can be found in Seattle, Kansas City, Arizona and Carolina.

In Week 10, there aren’t many top-flight WR options that owners will need to replace.  Marques Colston has been a disappointment, and the musical chairs in San Diego should cease soon enough with Malcom Floyd (hamstring) and Vincent Jackson (suspension) probably returning in the next two weeks.  

Oakland is a fantasy wasteland for WRs, and Green Bay’s Greg Jennings is one of the more frustrating players to own based on his inconsistency.  

Check out our Week 10 Waiver Wire Wide Receivers Article for additional recommendations.

Most of the top passing defenses are on BYE this week, so there aren’t many matchups to avoid. Although the Cowboys WRs could struggle against the NY Giants' No. 2-ranked pass defense. 

Perhaps they would struggle against nearly anyone right about now. If your quarterbacks or receivers are facing these defenses, you may want to go in a different direction, unless you have every-week stud starters. 

Best pass defenses in 2010 (less than 200 passing yards/game allowed): NY Giants, San Diego, New Orleans, Carolina, Oakland and Tampa Bay.

On the flip side, if you have QB facing these subpar secondaries, it’s probably worth rolling the dice and putting them under center for your fantasy squad. 

The weakest pass defenses in 2010 (over 250 passing yards/game allowed): Jacksonville, Atlanta, New England, Seattle, Washington and Houston.

EXPERT VIEWS

FantasyPros911.com are expecting big things from the Bills Steve Johnson (ranked No. 7), as he should benefit from facing a Detroit defense that ranks No. 22 against the pass.

LestersLegends.com are expecting the Steelers' aerial attack to shine in Week 10.

They rank Mike Wallace eighth and Hines Ward 18th for a home matchup with a New England defense allowing 24 fantasy points/game to opposing WRs.

FFtoday.com is expecting Randy Moss (ranked 33rd) to struggle in his Titans debut against a Miami defense that ranks 13th against the pass (214 yards/game).  

FantasyFanPlay.com is more optimistic on Moss, as they rank him 12th.

FANTASY FOOTBALL SPIN

UPGRADE: Larry Fitzgerald (vs Seattle)

What a difference a year makes.  

Fitz has fallen from the ranks of the elite, thanks to the QB downgrade from Kurt Warmer to the abysmal combo of Max Hall and Derek Anderson. 

Larry Fitzgerald is the same all-world receiver he has always been. But he is averaging less than 10 fantasy points per game in 2010. 

On a positive note, he has shown improvement with Anderson under center the past two weeks, averaging 90 yards per contest and tallying two touchdowns. 

Fitzgerald has 42 catches for 510 yards (64 YPG) and four TDs on the season. Not awful, but not what owners expected when they spent a first or second-round draft pick on him.  

This week, Arizona welcomes a Seattle defense that was torched by the Giants in Week 9.

The Seahawk pass defense is highly vulnerable. The rank 30th in the NFL, allowing 271 yards per game and surrendering an average of 25 fantasy points per game to opposing wideouts.  

In two games against Seattle last season (albeit with Warner under center), Fitzgerald amassed 20 catches for 173 yards and two TDs. Week 10 will be a shot in the arm for Fitzgerald.  

We fully expect him to produce up to his pedigree and post WR-No. 1 numbers.

LATE ADDITION UPGRADE:  Brandon Marshall (vs. Tennessee)

People are making too much of the change of the Chads. 

Pennington may not have a great arm, but Henne has caught some kind of Trent Edwards virus, anyway. He has refused to take shots downfield, so what’s the difference? 

The difference is that Pennington has superior accuracy in short and intermediate routes. This week has the makings of a double-digit catch game for Marshall and a PPR windfall. 

Buy low if you have the opportunity and don’t be turned off by the low rankings you are seeing from expert sites this week.

DOWNGRADE: Dwayne Bowe (@ Denver) 

Bowe has been a red-zone beast over the past month, totaling six TDs in four games.  

On the season, his yardage totals have been mediocre at best (60 yards/game) and the Chiefs remain a run-first team with the dynamic duo of Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones. 

KC travels to Mile High this week to face a Denver defense that ranks eighth against the pass and allows 204 yards per game through the air. The 32-year-old Champ Bailey remains a shut-down corner even while playing through painful heel and rib injuries. 

The old master will likely shadow Bowe for what could be a long afternoon for the big receiver. The Broncos' secondary held Bowe to a single catch and a meager six yards in their Week 17 matchup last season. 

Consider Bowe a WR-No. 3 this week in a difficult matchup where the Chiefs will rely heavily on their potent running game.

They look to exploit Denver’s 31st-ranked run defense. Charles should have a field day, while Bowe takes what scraps he is allowed.

SLEEPER: Mario Manningham (vs Dallas)

Steve Smith is going to miss Week 10, and maybe more. 

Mario Manningham will line up in the spot he is vacating opposite the dominate Hakeem Nicks. Manningham has the talent and knowledgeable of the system to step right in and perform well. 

Well enough, in fact, to be considered a low-end WR-No. 2 or high-end WR-No. 3. Plug him in and expect similar results to what you would have gotten with Steve Smith.

Check out the full Running Back and Quarterback reports. Also, check out FFSpin.com for up-to-date interactive status/injury reports posted every Friday and live status updates every Sunday up to game time for the 1:00 PM EST and 4:00 PM EST games.