Fantasy: Start, Sit, Stash, Quit - Week 10
SSSQ is a weekly look at under-the-radar fantasy players to consider starting and potential busts you should leave on your bench. We also identify breakout candidates to stash on your roster and players you can safely cut.
For the rest of your lineup decisions, consult our Week 10 rankings. You can also listen to the Week 10 preview episode of theScore Fantasy Football Podcast.
Start
Carson Wentz, Eagles
at Giants
It's been an up-and-down season for Wentz, but coming off the Eagles' bye week, his offense should be the healthiest it's been all year with a full complement of weapons, including Miles Sanders, Dallas Goedert, Travis Fulgham, Jalen Reagor, and Alshon Jeffery.
Despite all the injuries that Philly has been dealt, Wentz is still averaging the 12th-most fantasy points among quarterbacks. He posted over 30 fantasy points in two of his last three outings, including one against the Giants, who he'll face again this week.
Boone's projection: 291 passing yards, 3 TDs, 19 rushing yards
Other QBs to start
- Tom Brady at Panthers
- Jared Goff vs. Seahawks
- Derek Carr vs. Broncos
Duke Johnson Jr., Texans
at Browns
It's still possible that David Johnson clears concussion protocol and suits up for Sunday's game, but it's seeming increasingly unlikely with each missed practice. That leaves Duke to handle the bulk of the Texans' running back touches against his former team, the Browns.
After a strong start to the year, Cleveland's run defense has sprung a leak, allowing at least 96 yards from scrimmage and/or a touchdown to seven different backs in the past five contests.
As we mentioned in Monday's waiver wire column, Duke delivered 73 total yards and a score in relief duty last week and should see a similar workload as an RB2 in fantasy for this game.
Boone's projection: 61 rushing yards, 34 receiving yards, TD
Other RBs to start
- Antonio Gibson at Lions
- D'Andre Swift vs. Washington
- Leonard Fournette at Panthers
Jarvis Landry, Browns
vs. Texans
With Odell Beckham Jr. out for the year, the Browns need Landry to re-emerge as their top receiver the rest of the way. That's been difficult up to this point, as the 27-year-old has been playing through hip and rib injuries of his own. But after resting up during the Browns' bye, we should get the healthiest version of Landry we've seen all year in a matchup he can capitalize on.
Houston has surrendered the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing wideouts, and its secondary has been annihilated by No. 1 receivers in the last two weeks.
- Davante Adams: 13 catches, 196 yards, 2 TDs
- DJ Chark: 7 catches, 146 yards, TD
Landry is a top-20 fantasy receiver this week and might sneak into that range on a regular basis if he's back to 100 percent.
Boone's projection: 89 receiving yards, TD
Other WRs to start
- Tyler Boyd at Steelers
- Jerry Jeudy at Raiders
- John Brown at Cardinals
Eric Ebron, Steelers
vs. Bengals
The Bengals are giving up the second-most fantasy points to tight ends - which helps Ebron's Week 10 projection - but it might not even matter at this point.
Ebron is becoming a matchup-proof fantasy starter in Pittsburgh.
The 27-year-old has at least 43 yards and/or a touchdown in every game since Week 2 and has been a top-12 fantasy tight end during that stretch. He's also seen his playing time increase to over 80% of the team's snaps in each of the last three contests.
Ebron deserves to be treated as a TE1 moving forward.
Boone's projection: 57 receiving yards, TD
Other TEs to start
- Austin Hooper vs. Texans
- Mike Gesicki vs. Chargers
- Robert Tonyan vs. Jaguars
Sit
Cam Newton, Patriots
vs. Ravens
As fun as it was to watch Newton carve up the Jets' defense Monday, it's important to remember ... it's the Jets' defense.
That was just the second time that Newton topped 200 passing yards in seven outings with the Patriots. And he's only thrown two touchdown passes, both of which came in the opening three weeks of the season.
Though his rushing production has kept him afloat in fantasy, it's hard to trust him in a tough matchup with the Ravens' defense, which has held the last four opposing quarterbacks to 227 passing yards or fewer.
Find yourself a better streaming option this week.
Boone's projection: 187 passing yards, 2 INTs, 39 rushing yards
Other QBs to sit
- Joe Burrow at Steelers
- Matthew Stafford vs. Washington
- Kirk Cousins at Bears
Devin Singletary, Bills
at Cardinals
It's a repeat appearance for Singletary on the "Sit" list, and sadly, he's inching closer to the "Quit" section.
Since Zack Moss returned to the lineup in Week 6, Singletary's playing time has decreased every game as the rookie takes on a bigger workload.
After getting a season-low two carries in Week 9, there's no reason to let Singletary anywhere near your starting lineup. He'll need another injury to Moss in order to be fantasy relevant again in 2020.
Boone's projection: 31 rushing yards, 19 receiving yards
Other RBs to sit
- Damien Harris vs. Ravens
- DeeJay Dallas at Rams
- Dolphins RBs vs. Chargers
Marvin Jones Jr., Lions
vs. Washington
Jones has been held to 43 yards or fewer in each of the past two games but managed to salvage his fantasy lines with three touchdowns during that span.
Unfortunately for him, Washington's defense is allowing the fewest fantasy points to receivers and has conceded just three touchdowns to the position this year.
Due to the challenging matchup, Jones is a risky WR4 and better left on fantasy benches this week.
Boone's projection: 44 receiving yards
Other WRs to sit
- Marquise Brown at Patriots
- Darius Slayton vs. Eagles
- A.J. Green at Steelers
Tyler Higbee, Rams
vs. Seahawks
For as thin as the tight end position has been in fantasy this year, you shouldn't be desperate enough to consider using Higbee - even in a game that projects to be a shootout.
Higbee has been a nonfactor in the Rams' passing attack aside from his three-touchdown outing in Week 2, managing over 50 yards in just one other game this season.
The Seahawks are also the sixth-hardest matchup for fantasy tight ends, further complicating his outlook.
To the 53% of fantasy managers still rostering Higbee entering Week 10, all we can do is ask ... why?
Boone's projection: 32 receiving yards
Other TEs to sit
- Jimmy Graham vs. Vikings
- Logan Thomas at Lions
- Irv Smith Jr. at Bears
Stash
Troymaine Pope, Chargers
With Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson sidelined, the Chargers' backfield has become a real-life randomizer; the lead back has changed every single Sunday.
Kalen Ballage was the latest beneficiary, but he only got his opportunity because Pope (6% rostered) was out with a concussion. Pope has since cleared protocol and should return as the temporary starter until Jackson or Ekeler are healthy.
Prior to the concussion, Pope totaled 95 yards from scrimmage on 15 touches against the Broncos in Week 8.
Devontae Booker, Raiders
As bye weeks pass and your bench spots free up, you'd be wise to fill them with high-upside backup running backs since their value gets the biggest boost when late-season injuries occur.
Josh Jacobs is healthy at the moment, but if he were to go down, Booker (2% rostered) would step into the starting role.
Booker has racked up over 60 rushing yards in two of his last four outings, including 68 yards and a score in Week 9.
Quit
Devonta Freeman, Giants
Freeman (52% rostered) has missed the last two games with an ankle injury that he reportedly aggravated in Thursday's practice, putting his Week 10 availability in doubt.
Even when he returns to the field, Freeman will be hard to trust behind a struggling Giants offensive line that has limited him to just 3.2 yards per carry this season.
Take a chance on someone with more upside.
Matthew Stafford, Lions
While there are individual pieces of the Lions' offense you'll want to start, Stafford (63% rostered) isn't one of them.
We've seen enough of a sample size to know the veteran passer simply doesn't have the same ceiling when Kenny Golladay is out of the lineup.
In five of his next seven games, Stafford will face defenses that rank inside the top-10 in fewest fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks.