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Welcome to Week 10 of NFL and fantasy football action, RotoBallers.
Each week of the NFL season, we will be breaking down each of the NFL matchups and providing you with some fantasy football advice and lineup recommendations based on matchups that we love, matchups that we hate, and some high-risk/high-reward players, as well.
Below, you will find our Week 10 NFL matchups & fantasy football start/sit analysis, which should help you prepare your lineups to win this week. It’s essential to analyze the weekly NFL matchups to find lineup sleepers and gems, while also avoiding those players who may turn out to be busts.
Browns @ Bengals - Thursday 11/6 @ 8:25 EST
Matchups We Love
Jeremy Hill, RB, Bengals
After a great first start against the underrated Jaguars run defense, Hill's up against one the worst run defenses in football at home. Since he's barely been used throughout the season, it feels unlikely that the Bengals will try to limit Hill's use on a short week with Giovani Bernard out again. He's in low-RB1 territory.
Matchups We Hate
The Cleveland Browns Offense
Is there a player you feel comfortable trusting on this offense right now? It's difficult to buy into any player on the Browns, including Brian Hoyer, Ben Tate, Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell, even if the Bengals do have one of the worst run defenses in the league.
Notable Players
A.J. Green, WR, Bengals and Mohammed Sanu, WR, Bengals
Although Joe Haden's had a really horrible start to the season, the last two weeks have gone much better for him, and now he's out to prove that he's back on top against A.J. Green. Up until this point, the Browns were giving up 81 yards a game to opposing #1 WRs, so at least on paper Green's matchup is still sound for him to put up a good game. Sanu faces a much easier coverage on the opposite side and is within the high WR3 realm as long as the targets are there.
Bengals Defense
Only thing keeping them from being in the love column is the date. It's hard to know what's going to come out of Thursday games but on paper, but the Bengals defense has an incredibly easy matchup.
Chiefs @ Bills - Sunday 11/9 @ 1:00 EST
Matchups We Love
Not an especially pretty matchup-- two stingy defenses with less-than-stellar offenses.
Matchups We Hate
Nothing is out of the picture either. These teams here have a very even playing field in counteracting strengths.
Notable Players
Sammy Watkins, WR, Bills
This week is a fairly difficult matchup for Watkins. The Chiefs have only allowed 49 yards per game to opposing WR1s, and their pass rush has been a huge reason for that. If the pass rush gets on Kyle Orton enough, there will be few opportunities for Watkins to make plays. He's left in the mid-to-low WR2 range.
Bills Running Backs
Fred Jackson practiced this week, but there's no word yet on whether he'll be able to suit up. Anthony Dixon got 22 carries in his first start, but was largely ineffective against a stout Jets run defense. And Bryce Brown didn't get as much work as some would have hoped. This is a fantasy situation to avoid unless you're desperate at the RB position.
Dwayne Bowe, WR, Chiefs
As is always the case, don't waste your time on Bowe. Alex Smith still doesn't throw to his WRs.
Jamaal Charles, RB, Chiefs
Charles faces one of the best front sevens in the league right now, they're limiting opposing RBs to 40 yards in the air. Charles is unlikely to leave your lineup, but his floor takes a substantial drop in this game.
Travis Kelce, TE, Chiefs
The Bills TE coverage is their weakest spot, but it's just around league average. With Alex Smith at the helm, that might make Kelce the safest option all game long. Kelce sits at the low TE1's for the week.
Dolphins @ Lions - Sunday 11/9 @ 1:00 EST
Matchups We Love
Calvin Johnson, WR, Lions
Calvin's chosen a great game to come back on-- the Dolphins are allowing 83 yards per game to starting WR1s, and depending on which Dolphins team shows up, this might be a game that involves a lot of offense. Despite both defenses being amongst the best in the league right now, Calvin's looking like he's on track to be a part of the WR1 gang again and Matthew Stafford couldn't be happier.
Matchups We Hate
Lamar Miller, RB, Dolphins
Miller's facing the league's best run defense. It doesn't help that he's only being handed around 18 carries a game. Luckily, the Lions have allowed 45 yards per game through the air to RBs, so at least his floor hasn't been diminished. He'll be an incredibly touchdown-dependent low RB2 this weekend.
Notable Players
Ryan Tannehill, QB, Dolphins and Mathew Stafford, QB, Lions
Both teams are playing incredibly well on pass defense, and that has a lot to do with the amount of pressure they've both been able to generate consistently. Cameron Wake, Oliver Vernon, Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley have all wreaked havoc and forced QBs into hurried throws and bad decisions all season long. There's a chance Tannehill and Stafford both manage to get intercepted twice in this game. There's a very low floor in this game for both QBs.
Golden Tate, WR, Lions
The return of Calvin Johnson is going to affect Tate heavily, and it's hard to assess the true impact of it. Before Calvin's injury, Tate was a consistent but unexciting low WR2, is he bound to return there? Tate's still feels like he'll make a decent FLEX spot in any format, but it's worth noting that the Dolphins are only allowing 41 yards to opposing WR2s, although Tate's a much better talent than they've faced.
Mike Wallace, WR, Dolphins and Jarvis Landry, WR, Dolphins
The Lions are giving up very few yards to WRs, but one point where they have been giving up a decent amount is at the slot WR position, which Jarvis Landry fills. Wallace is going to face a difficult matchup against Rashean Mathis and Darius Slay, who are combining for 57 yards allowed to opposing WR1s. Meanwhile, Landry is dealing with a team giving up 54 yards to the slot, but Landry is a much better slot talent than all but one of the slot WRs that the Lions have faced. Still, they're both hanging around the high-WR3 area.
Cowboys @ Jaguars (London) - Sunday 11/9 @ 1:00 EST
Matchups We Love
Dez Bryant, WR, Cowboys
The Jaguars have had a difficult time with wideouts all season long. Despite being led by Brandon Weeden, it's unlikely their pass defense is able to keep Dez Bryant from getting open.
Denard Robinson, RB, Jaguars
The Cowboys run defense goes back and forth from weak to average, but in London, I'm going to bet on it being weak. Despite the Jaguars run-blocking deficiency, Denard Robinson is looking at another opportunity to put up 100 yards.
Matchups We Hate
No players are out of play here.
Notable Players
Terrance Williams, WR, Cowboys
With Brandon Weeden at helm, the real player losing opportunities is Williams. It's unlikely Weeden ever reaches the second WR in his progressions, so Williams might still have some low-WR3 appeal, but it's unlikely he reaches any sort of legitimate value until Tony Romo is back. Keep an eye on Romo's status here on Sunday morning.
DeMarco Murray, TE, Cowboys
Murray just had his worst game of the season, a still pretty decent game in general, but Murray might feel the need to make a strong comeback this week. Still, the Jaguars are a decent run defense, and considering measurable statistics, Murray's in a little better than neutral matchup thanks to his offensive line.
The Jaguars Passing Offense
It's hard to buy into this offense when they don't have a great matchup, and this is another week where the matchup is average. I would keep the Jaguars passing offense (that's Blake Bortles, Allen Robinson, Cecil Shorts and Allen Hurns) on my bench this week.
49ers @ Saints - Sunday 11/9 @ 1:00 EST
Matchups We Love
Colin Kaepernick, QB, 49ers
Kaepernick hasn't had the best season, but this is a week where he's up against a high-power offense, in a dome and playing against a horribly weak defense. I'd put all of his receivers up here too, if I could trust any of them to gather the targets.
Matchups We Hate
Mark Ingram, RB, Saints
I'm ready to see Ingram prove me wrong again and again, but the 49ers front seven has been playing very well in recent weeks and Ingram's been getting a lot of use that we're not use to seeing from Saints RBs. If there's a week for Ingram to underperform, this looks like the one.
Notable Players
Anquan Boldin, WR, 49ers, Michael Crabtree, WR, 49ers, Stevie Johnson, WR, 49ers, and Vernon Davis, TE, 49ers
Although they're all in good matchups other than Michael Crabtree who faces Keenan Lewis, the target roulette is in full force this week. It'd be hard to recommend Boldin or Crabtree as higher than FLEX options, while Johnson sits firmly in the WR4 range. Davis is looking like a high-TE2.
Jimmy Graham, TE, Saints
You're not benching Jimmy Graham no matter what the matchup, and even if the TE coverage for the 49ers has been very good, Graham is an animal that no one in the league is ready to face. TE1 all the way, every day.
Saints Offense
Drew Breese is going to throw a lot, as usual, and Graham will be the main beneficiary. Brandin Cooks has been effective in PPR leagues as a possession receiver, while Marques Colston has become a weekly gamble due to inconsistency. Travaris Cadet should get some targets out of the backfield, but the only player I'd feel good about starting here are Cooks.
Titans @ Ravens - Sunday 11/9 @ 1:00 EST
Matchups We Love
Steve Smith, WR, Ravens
The Titans are allowing 95 yards per game to opposing WR1s, and putting up decent efforts against every other position. This will hopefully funnel the targets into Steve Smith's hands. He's sitting on high-WR2 and a potential WR1 week.
Justin Forsett, RB, Ravens
The Titans have not been good against the run, with their front seven being amongst the worst in the league on both FO and PFF. Forsett's the clear benefactor in yardage, and after last week's showing in the passing game, maybe his role opens up on the team. Forsett's looking like a low RB1 this week.
Justin Hunter, WR, Titans
During preseason, Hunter was the favorite target of current Titans QB Zach Mettenberger. In his first week as a starter, Hunter saw 10 targets but only managed to catch four for 31 yards and a touchdown. Not the best week imaginable, but the amount of targets shows a legitimate chance at turning a huge game if they continue. The Ravens, without their best CB Jimmy Smith for at least three more weeks, are very susceptible in the air. In fact, even before losing Smith to injury, they were averaging 88 yards allowed per game to WR1s. So with all these factors in play, Hunter becomes a real potential WR1 this week with his usual WR3 floor. Given the huge amount of teams on bye, it's a risk for some that's worth taking.
Matchups We Hate
Zach Mettenberger, QB, Titans
I trust that Hunter will find the scraps to make a decent game out of what he's given, but I'm also sure that when facing the Ravens incredibly efficient pass rush, Mettenberger will be eaten up a couple times and likely intercepted once or twice.
Notable Players
Joe Flacco, QB, Ravens
No reason to shy away from Flacco this week-- he's in a matchup where a QB1 week should be a given. Now that i've jinxed that though, he'll be the lowest-scoring starter this week.
Torrey Smith, WR, Ravens
Four touchdowns scored in four weeks, but only 17 targets in that span. That's an average of four targets a game. It's really hard to buy into this boom-or-bust player who's entirely dependent on touchdowns, even on an easy week.
Steelers @ Jets - Sunday 11/9 @ 1:00 EST
Matchups We Love
Antonio Brown WR, Steelers
This is obvious. The Jets pass defense is terrible. The Steelers passing offense is not.
Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers
This is also obvious. The Jets pass defense is terrible. The Steelers passing offense is not. With Antonio Brown, Marcus Wheaton, Martavis Bryant and Heath Miller at his disposal, Big Ben had a plethora of weapons to attack the Jets with.
Matchups We Hate
Le'Veon Bell, RB, Steelers
Unfortunately for Bell, the Jets run defense is still very good. Bell's got a firm grasp on RB2 territory, but he'll be touchdown dependent to reach RB1.
Notable Players
The Jets Passing Offense
A real point of difficulty is trying to figure out what this offense will look like from week to week. Michael Vick is still a difficult and inconsistent QB, which makes him a very desperate play, but Percy Harvin and Eric Decker both benefit a lot from Vick's ability to throw all over the field. Both players are no higher than low-end WR2s on a given week, and in this week they're best placed amongst the FLEX players in the league. Jace Amaro is in the low TE2.
Chris Ivory, RB, Jets and Chris Johnson, RB, Jets
Both backs are in the RB2 grouping this week but the floor sinks really low for whichever player doesn't get enough carries. If you're willing to risk it, be aware that your floor is around the RB4s if you draw the short stick.
