NFL Picks Week 10: Fantasy Football Sleeper Picks

Don’t look now, but bye week hell is almost behind us. Now it’s time to beef up those rosters as we come down the home stretch, vying for playoff contention. Take a few fliers on guys oozing with potential. When looking at the waiver wire for sleeper value picks for Week 10, there are some interesting options you need to be checking out.

As always, my criteria for weekly sleeper selection are players owned in 50 percent or less of leagues on Yahoo who look interesting for the week ahead, as well as some long-term plays.

RB Roy Helu (Washington Redskins)

Am I seriously touting another Redskins running back? That has worked out so well for Tim Hightower and Ryan Torain owners this season.

For better or worse, Roy Helu seems to be where the Redskins backfield has been trying to get to all season.

Hightower is out for the season on IR. Torain has shown a whole lot of nothing since his supposed breakout Week 4 performance. Recent Redskins pickup Tashard Choice was thrown on the Cowboys' burn pile for good reason.

Roy Helu is effectively the last running back standing. He compiled impressive numbers last week with his 41 yards rushing, coupled with 105 yards receiving.

The Redskins offense is completely shot at this point, so dump-down options for John Beck like Helu and Fred Davis seem to be their bread-and-butter plays. Shanahan could jab us in the side with a hot poker at any moment with his lineup schizophrenia, but that is living life on the edge.

With all that said, recommending the rookie back Helu is the most comfortable I’ve felt about recommending a Redskins back all season. 

Owned in 50 percent of Yahoo Leagues – 21 percent change from last week

WR Laurent Robinson (Dallas Cowboys)

I remember Laurent Robinson when he was first drafted by the Atlanta Falcons years ago. At the time, I thought he was a special talent that might one day be the Dirty Birds' answer to Marques Colston.

Three teams later, Robinson seems to have finally found a team able to harness that talent.

Playing in relief, he has been the Cowboys' most consistent receiver over the past two weeks. Now that Miles Austin is out for two to four weeks with a hamstring injury, we really get to see what Robinson is made out of.

He went 5 for 5 last week for 32 yards and a touchdown and seems to have a good rhythm going with Romo. With porous pass defenses like Buffalo and Washington over the next two weeks, Robinson should have ample opportunity to make the most of his closeup.

Owned in 36 percent of Yahoo Leagues – 26 percent change from last week

QB Carson Palmer (Oakland Raiders)

I have to admit that I was more than a little skeptical when the Raiders decided to pull Carson Palmer out of mothballs to see if he could kick up some of that stale magic from his early days with the Bengals.

The verdict is certainly far from in, but after a disastrous thrown-to-the-wolves performance Week 7, Palmer used the bye week to learn enough of the playbook to move his team down the field and came out of Week 9 serving up numbers to make him one of the best QBs on fantasy rosters.

Granted, he had three picks so he’s still a work in progress, but Palmer has loads of potential. Thursday’s game against the Chargers will give us a more complete picture since Denver seemed to give away passing completions like party favors.

If he stays on track, he could be a strong contributor to your fantasy bottom line as his comfort with the offense and receiving corp settle in.

Owned in 32 percent of Yahoo Leagues – 3 percent change from Last Week

WR Jacoby Ford (Oakland Raiders)

A funny thing happens when a quarterback suddenly becomes relevant. There is a whole crop of forgotten receivers who suddenly become very interesting.

Such is the case with Jacoby Ford and Denarius Moore.

Ford finally lived up to his preseason hype last Sunday, being Carson’s primary go-to guy with five catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. Throw in 39 return yards for those who get a bump in return yardage leagues, and this spells quite a productive afternoon.

Though Moore might have a healthy helping of talent, Ford seems to be the speedster. I think both have great potential going forward, but I give the slight edge to Ford.

The real glaring question mark though is what is going on with previous Raiders WR1 Darrius Heyward-Bey? He seems to have somehow fallen out of favor in Raider town. If he somehow makes nice, it could totally screw up this receiver equation.

Owned in 32 percent of Yahoo Leagues – 13 percent change from last week

TE Jake Ballard (New York Giants)

I know I just recommended Ballard in Week 8, but it’s time to bang the drum on him once again since he is still owned in only 41 percent of leagues. He put in another outstanding day on Sunday, reeling in 67 yards and a touchdown.

Eli Manning is rediscovering his mojo, and Ballard is a big contributor of that. Unless your tight end is lights out, Ballard deserves a look. 

Owned in 41 percent of Yahoo Leagues – 9 percent change from last week

For more fantasy football articles, weekly projections and up to date news on the NFL and college football, visit Football Schedule.