Fantasy Football Week 10: Cincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis Colts

Week 10 Matchup:  Cincinnati Bengals (2-6) at Indianapolis Colts (5-3)

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Cincinnati Bengals (Bengals Schedule)

Opponent Defensive Ranks

Indianapolis Pass Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 7th - TDs Allowed T-6th

Indianapolis Rush Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 29th – TDs Allowed T-27th

Cincinnati Offensive Cast

Carson Palmer (QB Week 10 Ranking: Not ranked) 2010 Season: 190/318 – for 2,103 yards & 14 TDs

He’s hot, but the Bengals will look to keep the ball out of Manning’s hands by giving it to Benson all day.  He’s a good second choice if your normal guy is on a bye.

Cedric Benson (RB Week 10 Ranking: No. 9) 2010 Season: 161 carries for 599 yards & three TDs || 11 receptions for 77 yards & one TD

Not many RBs have been stopped by the Colts, and it’s not because they have a bad defensive line… it’s simply because it’s not what they’re good at without Bob Sanders in the lineup.  The Bengals will give Benson the ball a TON this game, which could very well turn into 30 carries, 120 yards and possibly a TD.

Chad Ochocinco (WR Week 10 Ranking: No. 30) 2010 Season: 40 receptions for 473 yards & two TDs

Ochoschizo has thrown his complaints about a lack of targets out there, so this should result in a few more looks his way.  However, if teams truly are double-teaming him the way it’s been said, it might not make a difference.  Temper your expectations of him for the rest of the season.

Terrell Owens (WR Week 10 Ranking: No. 11) 2010 Season: 55 receptions for 770 yards & seven TDs

With the way Owens is playing, it’s tough to rank him this low, but I suspect the Bengals will try to control the clock and run the ball in this game against the Colts.  TO will still get his due attention from Palmer, but not likely to the point that he has over the last five games (13.2 targets, 8.2 receptions, 123.6 yards, and seven TDs during those games).

Jordan Shipley (WR Week 10 Ranking: Not ranked) 2010 Season: 28 receptions for 396 yards & one TD

The Bengals will be running too much to make Shipley worth your while.  Maybe in a PPR league as your third receiver.

Jermaine Gresham (TE Week 10 Ranking: Not ranked) 2010 Season: 31 receptions for 212 yards & two TDs

The Colts haven’t given up a thing to tight ends.  This is NOT the game you want to play the rookie. 

Indianapolis Colts (Colts Schedule)

Opponent Defensive Ranks

Cincinnati Pass Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 17th - TDs Allowed T-12th

Cincinnati Rush Defense – 2010: Yards Allowed/Game 23rd – TDs Allowed T-21st

Indianapolis Offensive Cast

Peyton Manning (QB Week 10 Ranking: No. 1) 2010 Season: 228/350 – for 2,478 yards & 16 TDs

Halfway through the season, Peyton has thrown for an average of 309.8 yards and two TDs per game.  Not only will he be at home against a mediocre Cincinnati Pass D this weekend (17th in the NFL), but the Colts will be short at RB with only Donald Brown and Javarris James healthy. 

Austin Collie or not (Blair White will fill in just fine), with Manning tossing up 48.5 pass attempts/game the past two weeks, you can bet he’ll be well within the 300-yard, two-three TD range this Sunday.

Joseph Addai (RB Week 10 Ranking: Not ranked) 2010 Season: 93 carries for 406 yards & three TDs || 18 receptions for 118 yards & zero TDs

Addai will be sitting out another one this weekend...

Mike Hart (RB Week 10 Ranking: Not ranked) 2010 Season: 38 carries for 177 yards & one TD || Four receptions for 24 yards & zero TDs

...and Hart will join him.

Donald Brown (RB Week 10 Ranking: No. 19) 2010 Season: 47 carries for 147 yards & one TD || Seven receptions for 86 yards & zero TDs

Any running back starting in the backfield for the Colts is a good enough play for me.  Granted, Donald hasn’t looked like the world-beater he did coming out of college, but if he’s truly over his injury, you can expect the same type of numbers that Addai and Hart have put up in weeks past.  Play him if you got him.

Javarris James (RB Week 10 Ranking: Not ranked) 2010 Season: Seven carries for 16 yards & two TDs || Zero receptions for zero yards & 0 TDs

James will get the goal-line carries again this week, which could lead to another TD for Edgerrin’s cousin.

Reggie Wayne (WR Week 10 Ranking: No. 2) 2010 Season: 60 receptions for 724 yards & three TDs

Wayne is second in the league in targets (93), first in receptions (60), and fourth in yards (724) after eight games.  These sorts of numbers put him on pace for 120 catches and 1,448 yards, both of which are within reach considering the Colts weak 2nd-half schedule against the pass, starting with the 17th-ranked Cincinnati Bengals.

Pierre Garcon (WR Week 10 Ranking: No. 16) 2010 Season: 23 receptions for 307 yards & one TD

Without Collie or Anthony Gonzalez in the lineup, Garcon could have himself a real nice game.  Don’t be fooled by the numbers he put up last week as the Eagles had their star cornerback, Asante Samuel, shadow him all game long.  I expect a rebound for Pierre against a middling Bengals defense.

Blair White (WR Week 10 Ranking: No. 37) 2010 Season: Nine receptions for 108 Yards & one TD

Austin Collie will be out for at least this game (and possibly longer), so The Blair White Project will have every opportunity in the world to put up the numbers that Collie was putting up in the Colts offense this year.  However, he’s not Collie, so temper your expectations just a bit until he proves himself.

Austin Collie (WR Week 10 Ranking: Not ranked) 2010 Season: 45 receptions for 502 yards & six TDs

Collie will be on the sideline shaking off the cobwebs this weekend.

Anthony Gonzalez (WR Week 10 Ranking: Not ranked) 2010 Season: Five receptions for 67 yards & zero TDs

Gonzo is gone-zo.  Drop him immediately.

Jacob Tamme (TE Week 10 Ranking: No. 1) 2010 Season: 17 receptions for 172 yards & two TDs

Alright, I’ve seen enough to know this kid is for real... or at least to know that whoever plays the tight end position with Peyton Manning as his QB is going to be a fantasy stud.  Tamme reeled in 11 catches on 17 targets last weekend for 108 yards and a touchdown.  I don’t know if he can repeat that against a Bengals D that’s much better against tight ends than the Eagles are, but he’s definitely earned top billing this week regardless.