DEZELSKE: Fantasy Football 2014-15: Week 10

Written by Brian Dezelske

Week 10 of the NFL season kicks off the regular-season home stretch of fantasy leagues everywhere. These last few weeks are critical for those owners who are on the playoff bubble. One wrong move and instead of playing for a league championship, you’re playing for your league’s Toilet Bowl.

As always, this article is based off a 12-team standard-scoring format.

 

Starts

 

Cam Newton @ Philadelphia Eagles

It’s been a rough two-week stretch for Cam Newton; he’s neither thrown a touchdown pass, nor broke 175 yards passing, and has four turnovers over that span. The only positive for his fantasy owners was the rushing touchdown he had against New Orleans on Thursday Night Football. But while Newton’s recent performances have been giving his owners indigestion, there will be no need for any Pepto Bismol this week. Philly is a much softer matchup that he should be able to take advantage of. Here’s why: Other than Eli Manning (0 TDs), every quarterback the Eagles have faced this season has tossed at least two touchdown passes against them. This trend suggests Newton could be in for a very nice day.

 

Eddie Lacy vs. Chicago Bears

Hopefully fantasy owners are still on board the ‘Eddie Lacy Train’ because he’s been heating up in the touchdown department, with four scores in his last five games—with one of those touchdowns coming in Week 4 against the Chicago Bears. And while Lacy only has one 100-yard rushing game, he’s recently been very active in the passing game going for 123 receiving yards in the Packers loss to New Orleans. Look for Lacy to continue being a big part of Green Bay’s game plan, which should produce good results for fantasy owners this Sunday.

 

Denard Robinson vs. Dallas Cowboys (London)

Denard Robinson has been a fantastic pickup for fantasy owners who were lucky enough to get their hands on him. He’s averaged 116.3 scrimmage yards per game in his three starts, to go along with two touchdowns. Robinson has been successful despite how bad the Jaguars’ offense has been thus far. He should continue this run of good fortune in London, England, on Sunday when he faces a Dallas defense that has allowed over 100 rushing yards and two scores in their last two games.

 

Larry Fitzgerald vs. St. Louis Rams

2014 has been a tale of two halves for Larry Fitzgerald; he only had 13 receptions for 164 yards in his first four games. However, his next four games tell us a much different story. From weeks six through nine he’s put up 22 catches for 349 yards and two end zone trips, thus confirming that he is still the No. 1 receiving option in Arizona. Look for Fitz to continue on his roll against St. Louis, who give up the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing wideouts.

 

Martavis Bryant @ NY Jets

What more can you say about Martavis Bryant, other than the kid’s a freak! After not seeing the field for the first six weeks of the season, the rookie fourth-round pick now has five touchdowns in the last three weeks, and is averaging 15.3 fantasy points over that span. Now he’ll face the NY Jets who give up 21.7 fantasy points to wide receivers, with a quarterback who’s piled up 12 touchdown passes over the last two games. It’s safe to say Bryant will add on to his remarkable start.

 

Sits

 

Ryan Tannehill @ Detroit Lions

Ryan Tannehill is enjoying what is by far his best season as a starting quarterback for Miami, and has been a pleasant surprise for fantasy owners over the last month. In that time, he has eight touchdowns and is averaging 20 fantasy points. However, he was facing subpar defenses over that stretch; he faced Green Bay, Chicago, Jacksonville and San Diego. He averaged just over 12 fantasy points when facing New England, Buffalo and Kansas City. This week Tannehill takes on the Detroit Lions who give up the second-fewest fantasy points (11.6) to opposing gunslingers.

 

Tre Mason @ Arizona Cardinals

Those fantasy owners who got their hands on Tre Mason will most likely consider playing him this week, with the list of running backs that are on a bye. Those owners need to be cautioned. The Arizona Cardinals only give up 3.4 yards per carry on the ground, and give up the second-fewest fantasy points (10.9) to running backs.

 

Frank Gore @ New Orleans Saints

Last week I said that Frank Gore had some flex appeal, just given the list of running backs on a bye. After watching the 49ers coaching staff botch play-call after play-call, I’m changing my tune for this week. In what was a game that went right down to the wire, San Fran running backs only touched the ball 19 times out of 67 offensive snaps. Gore, himself, had 15 of those touches. Also, Gore has only averaged 33.5 yards per carry on the road, so owners shouldn’t expect much production from the 31-year old back at New Orleans.

 

Mike Wallace @ Detroit Lions

After starting out having a decent 2014 campaign, Mike Wallace cooled off a bit the last couple weeks. He hasn’t scored in the last two games, after posting five touchdowns in his first six games. But if Wallace isn’t scoring he’s been relatively quiet. He’s only topped 75 yards once, and that was way back in Week 1. This Sunday he’ll face a Lions secondary that allows just 15.1 fantasy points to opposing wide receivers, which is the fewest allowed to Wallace’s position.

 

Odell Beckham Jr. @ Seattle Seahawks

OBJ had himself quite a Monday Night Football debut this past week. He racked up 156 yards on eight receptions, and has (in my mind) supplanted himself as the No. 1 option over Rueben Randle. He’s averaging 10.7 fantasy points since making his season debut in Week 5, which is tempting fantasy owners to want to plug him in against Seattle. But given how erratic Eli Manning has been, and the fact that Beckham is going to find out first-hand what the Legion of Boom is all about, the smart play is for owners to bench him this week in favor of better options.

 

Notes

 

Running Backs

Six of the Top 25 fantasy running backs have a bye this week.

Jeremy Hill

In Hill’s first-career start he posted his first 100-yard rushing performance, which also happens to be the same number of 100-yard rushing games that Giovani Bernard has in his young career.

 

Philip Rivers

Rivers and the Chargers were shut out last week. It was just the second time that Rivers was held to under 10 fantasy points since midway through the 2012 season.